If you have a boiler system in your house, are moving to a new home that has one, or are thinking about switching or upgrading your home heating system, there are things you should know about boilers that will help you get the most out of yours.

So without further ado, here are six fun boiler facts to get you on your way.

1. Boilers Heat Through Either Radiant or Convection Heating

Some types of boilers provide radiant heat, which means they heat an object (typically flooring) rather than the air, whereas other boiler systems use radiators to heat the air itself (convection heating).

In both types of systems, however, the heating mechanism is the same: the water running through the system gets heated at a central location, and as it’s pumped through the pipes, it transfers its heat and warms your house.

2. The Days of Inefficient Boilers Are Long Gone

Energy-efficiency hasn’t always been a selling feature for boilers, but that’s been changing in recent years.

In fact, modern boilers are just as (if not more) efficient than furnaces, and high-efficiency ones use between 85 and 98.5 percent of the fuel they consume.

This compares to the boilers of old, which only used between 56 and 70 percent of the fuel they consumed.

3. How Much Water Could a Boiler Boil if a Boiler Really Boiled?

One of the most fascinating things about boilers that people are most interested to find out is that modern boilers don’t actually even boil the water inside the systems.

Whereas older boilers did use steam to produce heat (and did, therefore, boil the water), modern ones typically heat water to between 145 and 190 F, but no hotter.

And the major benefit of this? Less energy is required to keep your central heating system working optimally.

4. Energy-Efficient Boiler Upgrades Result in Money Savings

If you’re currently running an older boiler, you could reduce your energy costs by as much as 30 percent just by upgrading to a modern model. New boilers are far more energy-efficient than their older counterparts.

Not only this, they also use less energy because they don’t bring the water to a full boil. Because heating costs are such a huge part of your energy bill, you’ll see great savings by upgrading.

5. Proper Boiler Maintenance Involves Keeping the Right Water Pressure

The water pressure in your boiler system is separate from the water pressure in your plumbing system, and the boiler water pressure should be between 12 and 15 psi.

Any higher and you might have to deal with damage; any lower and you won’t have any heat.

Lowering the pressure is as simple as bleeding the radiators, and increasing it can be done by adding more water to the system.

6. Water-Based Heating Systems Don’t Mean More Water in the Air

Even though it may not seem possible, boilers do actually provide you with dry heat, despite the fact that hot water is used to create that warmth.

This is because the system of pipes and radiators is closed, meaning water doesn’t escape from the pipes into your home.

Moreover, the non-porous materials don’t allow water vapor to escape either, meaning a boiler won’t increase the humidity in your New Haven, IN home.

Along with being efficient and low-maintenance, modern boilers are also extremely quiet and very effective at heating homes.