High Performance HVAC
Types of Hot Water Heating Systems Types of Boilers
Hot Water and Steam Boilers
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There are many different types of boilers in the boiler room today in a variety of heating applications. There are two main categories of boilers among the different types of boilers and those two categories are steam and hot water boilers. Either of those categories can be fueled by oil, gas, or electric (although electric is uncommon for steam boilers). They have different designs and piping configurations as a steam boiler system is designed to turned the water into steam and uses gravity and pressure to deliver the heat and the hot water boiler systems are designed to simply make hot water to be circulated (by a circulator or pump) through a piping system to provide heat. Typically, hot water boilers are more efficient than steam boilers for a few reasons. First, there is less heat loss throughout the hot water piping and the shell of the boiler because the hot water boiler operates at a lower temperature than the steam boiler. This means there is less heat loss throughout the entire boiler and piping system. Secondly, because the hot water boiler operates at a lower temperature, it requires less fuel or energy to convert into heat. What kind of boiler do you have in your boiler room?
How to Light a Pilot Light
Lighting a Standing Pilot Gas Furnace, Boiler, or Water Heater: How Light a Pilot Light
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(With Video Demonstration of How to Light a Pilot Light)
Standing pilot gas furnaces and water heaters are still around today even in newer homes. All the major hardware stores and HVAC dealers carry standing pilot appliances although a new standing pilot gas furnace or boiler are rare finds these days because of the move to higher efficiency models and the wide use of electronic ignition technology which improves efficiency. Before you proceed with trying to light a pilot light that has gone out you'll want to determine if you actually have a standing pilot system in you HVAC furnace, boiler, or water heater. In many cases on many appliances there are basic instructions on how to light the pilot light if in fact you do have a standing pilot system. Check around the main panel or look at the gas valve itself. Sometimes, especially on older appliances, there are no instructions on how to light a pilot light if the pilot light goes out on a standing pilot gas furnace, boiler, or water heater. The label or sticker on the furnace, boiler, or water heater faded a long time ago and you will need to follow the instructions in this article; How to Light a Pilot Light.
Electronic Ignition Gas Furnaces
Electronic Ignition Gas Furnaces
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Gas furnaces, boilers, and water heaters have evolved from the basic standing pilot ignition system to the state of the art electronic ignition models. Standing pilot gas furnaces relied on keeping a pilot flame lit for the furnace, boiler, or water heater to function. The advent of electronic ignition has made it possible to prove a flame without keeping a pilot light lit 24/7 and thereby saving money because electronic ignition only needs to have a flame when there is a call for heat from the thermostat.
Typically, electronic ignition is comprised of a manufacturers OEM circuit board or an after-market ignition control module located near the gas valve of the furnace, boiler, or water heater. The gas valve is controlled directly by this circuit board or ignition module whereby the standing pilot gas valve is usually controlled by the thermostat. There are different versions of gas furnace electronic ignition systems but they all serve the same purpose and function and that is to safely heat your dwelling. Among these types of gas furnace electronic ignition systems there are:
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