High Efficiency Boilers: How Do Boilers Work and Do You Need A Boiler Reset Control?
Most anyone living in a cold climate has felt the benefit of being in a home heated by a hydronic boiler.
Have you ever wondered how they work? Have you ever thought about the different types of boilers that are available and what other heating supplies you may need to heat your home? Boilers are filled with hot water which is heated to a high temperature (typically about 180 degrees in residential applications).
This water moves through a series of pipes, such as convectors, radiators, baseboard or fan coils, which give off heat thereby heating your home.
A boiler reset control helps the boiler determine how much energy will be needed to heat the water in the tank to the desired temperature, dependent on the outdoor temperature.
The following is a more thorough description of how boilers work and the different types of boilers that are available.
Boilers are typically fueled by oil, gas or electric and use this energy to boil the water in their tank.
The water is heated to a very high temperature.
As the water heats up, it turns to water vapor which is then vented out a flue, which is necessary to remove the by-product that is produced as the boiler operates.
In traditional boilers, a significant amount of heat escapes with the water and that energy is wasted.
High efficiency boilers (also called modulating-condensing boilers) are designed so that a large amount of the water vapor "condenses" back into water and returns to the tank, retaining much of that energy.
As the water vapor condenses, it picks up some of the carbon dioxide and other gases that are traditionally vented out.
This produces mildly acidic water, which these boilers are designed to handle by extracting the remaining energy from water with a heat exchanger and then removing it through a condensate drain.
The energy a boiler produces comes from the process of removing heat from water vapor.
Energy usage is one factor in choosing a boiler, which can benefit you by reducing your energy bills and potentially making you eligible for federal and state tax rebates.
You will also have to consider the BTU load, and price range will help you select the boiler that is right for you.
Every boiler operates more efficiently with a boiler reset control.
High-efficiency boilers typically have this control built in, while traditional boilers require that a separate unit be installed.
Surprisingly, many traditional boilers are installed without boiler reset controls because homeowners do not understand how they work.
When you understand how the control affects the way your boiler operates, it is easy to see how it will pay off in the long run.
The initial investment of installing a boiler reset control (About $150-$330 depending on your system) will pay for itself over time.
Less energy is required from your boiler to heat your water when the outdoor temperature is warmer.
This makes sense, as there is a shorter distance in temperature between the starting point and the boiling point.
A boiler reset control uses a heating curve to set the relationship between the outdoor temperature and the supply water temperature.
Whereas normally a traditional boiler runs for a set period of time to heat the water to the required temperature, this control tells the boiler when the water in the tank is starting at a higher temperature and can reach the required temperature in less time.
Essentially, the boiler reset control, determines the temperature outside and communicates with the boiler about how long it needs to run for to heat the water to the desired temperature.
There are a variety of boiler reset controls available.
Tekmar makes controls for both traditional boilers and high-efficiency boilers.
The Tekmar 256 works just with your hydronic heating system, and the Tekmar 260 is a popular model that can be installed to work with both your heating and domestic hot water systems.
Have you ever wondered how they work? Have you ever thought about the different types of boilers that are available and what other heating supplies you may need to heat your home? Boilers are filled with hot water which is heated to a high temperature (typically about 180 degrees in residential applications).
This water moves through a series of pipes, such as convectors, radiators, baseboard or fan coils, which give off heat thereby heating your home.
A boiler reset control helps the boiler determine how much energy will be needed to heat the water in the tank to the desired temperature, dependent on the outdoor temperature.
The following is a more thorough description of how boilers work and the different types of boilers that are available.
Boilers are typically fueled by oil, gas or electric and use this energy to boil the water in their tank.
The water is heated to a very high temperature.
As the water heats up, it turns to water vapor which is then vented out a flue, which is necessary to remove the by-product that is produced as the boiler operates.
In traditional boilers, a significant amount of heat escapes with the water and that energy is wasted.
High efficiency boilers (also called modulating-condensing boilers) are designed so that a large amount of the water vapor "condenses" back into water and returns to the tank, retaining much of that energy.
As the water vapor condenses, it picks up some of the carbon dioxide and other gases that are traditionally vented out.
This produces mildly acidic water, which these boilers are designed to handle by extracting the remaining energy from water with a heat exchanger and then removing it through a condensate drain.
The energy a boiler produces comes from the process of removing heat from water vapor.
Energy usage is one factor in choosing a boiler, which can benefit you by reducing your energy bills and potentially making you eligible for federal and state tax rebates.
You will also have to consider the BTU load, and price range will help you select the boiler that is right for you.
Every boiler operates more efficiently with a boiler reset control.
High-efficiency boilers typically have this control built in, while traditional boilers require that a separate unit be installed.
Surprisingly, many traditional boilers are installed without boiler reset controls because homeowners do not understand how they work.
When you understand how the control affects the way your boiler operates, it is easy to see how it will pay off in the long run.
The initial investment of installing a boiler reset control (About $150-$330 depending on your system) will pay for itself over time.
Less energy is required from your boiler to heat your water when the outdoor temperature is warmer.
This makes sense, as there is a shorter distance in temperature between the starting point and the boiling point.
A boiler reset control uses a heating curve to set the relationship between the outdoor temperature and the supply water temperature.
Whereas normally a traditional boiler runs for a set period of time to heat the water to the required temperature, this control tells the boiler when the water in the tank is starting at a higher temperature and can reach the required temperature in less time.
Essentially, the boiler reset control, determines the temperature outside and communicates with the boiler about how long it needs to run for to heat the water to the desired temperature.
There are a variety of boiler reset controls available.
Tekmar makes controls for both traditional boilers and high-efficiency boilers.
The Tekmar 256 works just with your hydronic heating system, and the Tekmar 260 is a popular model that can be installed to work with both your heating and domestic hot water systems.
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