Boilers are common central heating systems in Englewood homes. They are part of a hydronic system, which is a heating system that uses water to transfer heat. Boilers can use either hot water or steam to heat a home, and today we’re going to review how a steam boiler works. If you have a steam boiler in Englewood that needs repair, maintenance or replacing, call the people you can trust: BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
Key Components of a Boiler
There are four main components in a boiler system:
- Burner – this is where the fuel for your system mixes with oxygen
- Combustion chamber – where the fuel ignites
- Heat exchanger – this component transfers the heat to the water
- Controls – the various controls regulate things like the ignition, burner, air supply, temperature of the water, pressure of the steam and the boiler’s pressure.
How Does a Steam Boiler Work?
Steam boilers create steam by heating water and distributing the steam through the pipes in your home. There are two types of steam boilers:
- Firetube
- Watertube
In a firetube boiler, a series of metal tubes reside in the water tank of the boiler. When it comes time to heat the water, these tubes are filled with hot gas from a fuel source (usually gas or oil) and heat the water until steam is produced. The steam collects in another chamber, called a dome, and once the steam reaches the right capacity, it is released into the piping system for distribution.
A watertube boiler flip-flops the heating process: instead of using the tubes for combustion gases, the tubes are filled with water and are heated by surrounding combustion. As with a firetube boiler, the steam is separated from the water vessel and released into the piping system when ready.
Both systems can operate as closed systems, so when the steam changes states back to water, the water returns to the boiler for re-use.
Boilers provide comfortable heat, operate quietly and are energy efficient.
If you are interested in seeing what a steam boiler in Englewood can do for you, contact BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating, Inc., and schedule an appointment.
