Boiler vs Furnace vs Heat Pump

(847) 722-0000

Schedule Service

Boiler vs Furnace vs Heat Pump: What's the Difference?

November 14, 2019

Home heating systems are a necessity to keep your home warm for you and your family in the cold winter months. There are various types of home heating systems out there including boilers, furnaces, and heat pumps. There is a lot of confusion between these heating systems that we're going to address today so that you can have a better idea of which type of HVAC system is best for your home.

Boiler vs Furnace vs Heat Pump: What's the Difference?

Boilers

A boiler system utilizes the concept of heating water into steam to heat your home. The boiler can utilize electricity, natural gas, propane, oil, or another alternative fuel source to heat up the water. The steam is then circulated throughout the home via radiators.

Since these systems have the steam enclosed inside of the radiators, there are no concerns about air quality issues. They require very minimal maintenance and are very quiet to use. More modern boiler systems can even be utilized to provide hot water for your home.

Furnaces

Furnaces a very popular option for home heating systems. They utilize propane, oil, natural gas, or electricity to heat air. This hot air is then circulated throughout your home in the air-ducts. This type of system works best for new home construction and for homes that have existing ductwork.

When it comes to expenses, furnaces tend to run on the cheaper side for installation. Unlike boiler systems, you don't have to worry about frozen pipes or leaks in your forced-air system. Our HVAC professional can help you to determine how often you'll need to change out the filters in your HVAC system to ensure that the hot air is free from harmful allergens.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are a new technology that is becoming very popular with homeowners for their ability to reduce energy costs. Heat pumps use the ground, water, and air outside to transfer heat into your home. For this reason, you may hear these referred to as water source, geothermal, and air-to-air heat pumps.

Our HVAC professional recommends this type of pump in areas of moderate climate to be the most effective. Since there is no need to make heat like with a boiler or furnace, this system is much more energy-efficient to run as it collects the heat. You can get these types of heating systems in both ductless and ducted. With newer technology called desuperheater, you can actually recover the wasted heat from your system and use it to heat up your hot water.

Call Us Today

Having a home heating system that works is a necessity for keeping your family warm this coming winter. Whether you're looking to update your existing boiler, heat hump, or furnace system or you're ready to have a new heating system installed, it's time to give us a call today.

See all articles

Proof We’re the Best HVAC Company Straight From Our Customers

Mini-Split Installation That Exceeded Expectations

Gwen Anderson

Jake is amazing! We reached out to get a quote for a mini-split system to cool our server room, and Jake exceeded our expectations. He recommended a more cost-effective solution that has provided us with incredible results. His out-of-the-box thinking and thoughtfulness are so impressive. I had six other HVAC companies provide quotes, but Jake was the only one who made sustainable and well-considered suggestions. The office staff is also super friendly and helpful!
Came Right on Time for Our

Dominique Haffery

We just had Master Mechanical service our AC units before it gets too hot! This way we know they are operating efficiently! I used to be scared to pay money for these things but it truly saves money in the long run! Master Mechanical was able to come out quickly, give me a shorter window then most companies do in this trade, came right on time, communicated the whole way! They are professional and experts at their craft! Highly recommend!!!
A Great Company for Complicated HVAC Problems

Eric Williams

Jake did an excellent job helping me solve a complex problem that no one else could help with - I needed a new thermostat installed for a unique 120V water chiller AC system, and all other HVAC companies refused to work on it. Jake was on time, friendly, informative, and had it done in less than an hour. Highly recommended!
Saved $1000 With a Second Opinion on AC Repair

Kris

I’m glad I called Master Mechanical for a second opinion. They saved me $1000 over the quote for the same repair from another HVAC company. They were professional on time and fixed my unit same day. They also weren’t pushing upsales. They did let me know my options, but unlike the other company, Master Mechanical didn’t try using scare tactics to get me to buy additional services. Master Mechanical will be my first choice going forward and I’ve already recommended their services to family members as well.
Repaired My Boiler Instead of Pushing an Unnecessary Replacement

Kathleen Ferraro

I am so grateful to Master Mechanical for repairing my old boiler. Danny Chee is very knowledgeable and was able to figure out the problems and repair them. Plus he is a very nice, polite person. He made sure everything was working correctly before leaving, even after 5:00. The people on the phone, Paul and a woman whose name I can't recall, are professional and helpful. I received texts and emails confirming appointments and letting me know when Danny was on his way. They could have sold me a new boiler but instead fixed the old one at a fraction of the cost. I highly recommend them and will continue to rely on them in the future.

‹ ›

See All Reviews Write a Review