March 2025
Boilers vs Furnaces
And Maintenance Tips
Heating Systems
What do you know about the heating system in your home? A lot of people know very little about the vital equipment sitting in their basement that is responsible for heating their home. First of all, let’s find out if you have a boiler, or a furnace…
Boilers…you guessed it!…boil. They boil water, and the steam generated is distributed throughout the house via radiators. Boilers can be fueled by coal, oil, propane, or natural gas. Most residential boilers are fueled by either oil or propane.
Furnaces, on the other hand, heat air. The heated air is then distributed throughout the house through ductwork. Residential furnaces are fueled by propane, natural gas, electricity, or solar energy.
Now that we have that covered, let’s dive into best practices in keeping your heating system running safely and at full capacity.
Boiler Maintenance
Boilers run at about 85% efficiency when they are maintained properly. This means that 15% of the energy that boilers produce is lost in production1. Unfortunately, this is a lot of waste over the course of a year in terms of both fuel and cost. That said, under ideal conditions, your boiler could last you up to 30 years before it needs to be replaced. To keep your boiler running safely for as long as possible it is important to have a technician inspect it and all of its components annually. Factors a technician will check include, but are not limited to, leaks, unusual noises, obstructions in the tubing or piping, temperature and pressure readings, cleaning the exchanger, and testing water pH levels1.
As the homeowner, you should not rely solely on your annual inspections. Regular checks for water leaks and noises could prevent minor issues from becoming larger (and more expensive!) ones.
A couple of things to keep in mind when checking your boiler:
Ideal temperature for a boiler: 180°-200°F in the winter, and 120°-160° in the summer
Ideal pressure: 12-25 pounds per square inch (PSI) in 2-story house
18-25 pounds per square inch (PSI) in 3-story house2
There are a variety of circumstances to consider when weighing any ‘ideal’, so if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact our customer service team at 603-898-7986 or email at info@palmergas.com.
Furnace Maintenance
There are different types of furnaces on the market; one is electric and forced air. Forced air furnaces are fueled by propane, oil, or natural gas. The first step is to know which of these apply to you.
Summer or fall are the best times of the year to get your furnace maintained. This is because these are times when your furnace is likely not in use, or at least used minimally, and because technicians’ schedules are less busy – so you are going to get served faster! We never want to risk having any family go without heat, so help us help you, and schedule your annual maintenance before the cold weather sets in.
It is recommended that you have your furnace serviced annually to help prevent excessive carbon build-up and loose debris in the chamber. Build-up in the chamber will cause your furnace to operate less efficiently and, more importantly, potentially lead to carbon monoxide (CO) leaking into your ventilation system3, which is a serious health risk.
Beyond the annual inspection, it is also prudent to change the furnace air filter on a quarterly basis. You can change them more often if you wish, but never go for more than a year without replacing it.
Furnaces are designed to last many years when they are maintained correctly. If you recently moved into your home, or you can’t recall when you last had your furnace inspected, call Palmer Gas & Oil at 603-898-7986 or fill out our quick contact form and our customer service team will contact you by your preferred method.
How Do I Know If I Need My Furnace or Boiler Serviced Immediately?
There are many tell-tale signs that your furnace or boiler needs to be serviced. The most common is pretty obvious…it stopped working. Other symptoms to look out for include, but are not limited to, liquid pooling on the floor near your furnace or boiler, unusual noises coming from your system such as hissing or knocking, odor, or an unexplainable spike in fuel usage.
Any Day, Any Time
We’re here 24/7 with after-hours services for situations where it’s not safe to wait until the next business day. At Palmer Gas & Oil, we value the safety and wellness of our customers above all else.
Some examples of when to call for after hours service:
- No Heat/No Hot Water
- Fuel Leaks
- Odor
Whether you use gas or oil, you should never smell an odor from your fuel of choice. Propane smells like sulfur, and oil smells like diesel or kerosene. If you experience either of these in your home, contact us immediately. Odor is the most common symptom of a leak, which is dangerous.
Sources
- Moor, Tom. “Boiler vs. Furnace: Which Is the Best Option?” Boiler vs. Furnace: Which Is The Best Option? | HVAC.com, https://www.hvac.com/, 17 Dec. 2024, www.hvac.com/expert-advice/boiler-vs-furnace/.
- Holohan, Dan. “What Is the Safe Pressure for a Hot-Water-Heating System?” What Is the Safe Pressure for a Hot-Water-Heating System?, 19 Jan. 2015, heatinghelp.com/systems-help-center/what-is-the-right-pressure-for-a-hot-water-heating-system/#:~:text=The%20pressure%20the%20system%20is,the%20normal%20maximum%20design%20temperature.
- Alexander, Max. “How to Do Fall Furnace Maintenance, and Why You Need To.” This Old House, 2 Oct. 2024, www.thisoldhouse.com/heating-cooling/21016379/furnace-maintenance.