Finding a perfectly sized boiler to match your Boston home can mean improved comfort, reduced energy costs, and a longer lifespan for your unit. Whether you’re replacing an outdated system or building a house, knowing the right boiler size to use is crucial. Here, we’ll take a look at some expert tips to help you determine what size boiler you need for your Boston home. What are the different sizes of boilers? When talking about the size of a boiler, people are actually referring to the output of these heating systems. In reality, most boilers are rectangular in shape and share a similar size. The real difference comes down to the energy capacity of each boiler which is what you’ll consider when determining the best boiler for your home. The metric used to measure the output of a boiler is known as British thermal units (BTUs). This measurement is the amount of heat necessary to increase the temperature of a single pound of liquid water by one degree.
Want to learn more? Read the 3 Things You Should Know About Your Home’s Boiler.
How do I calculate the size of boiler needed?
The right boiler size for your home is determined by what BTU rating, or how much energy, is needed to keep your home at an ideal temperature. That might sound simple, but there are a lot of factors taken into consideration. It’s not as easy as checking the output of your home’s current model because important things regarding your home’s heating needs might have changed over the years. Here are some of the most important variables to take into account:
The size of the property.
One of the most important and most obvious factors to consider when choosing the optimum boiler capacity is the size of your home. If you know the square footage of your property, you can multiple it by 45-50 BTUs to get a rough idea of what boiler size you might need. Keep in mind that this “rule-of-thumb” calculation is made without taking any other factors into consideration, making it unreliable when making key decisions. It’s simply used to give homeowners a ballpark idea.
The surrounding climate.
Another major variable needed to determine the best boiler size for your home is the outside weather. The colder the climate, the more heat capacity you’ll need. For example, Boston homeowners need larger boilers than homeowners in the southwest because more energy is needed to keep a home’s internal temperature comfortable. That’s why it’s important to work with a local expert who can provide boiler replacement and installation services specific to the Boston area.
Your home’s envelope.
Determining the right boiler size is also dependent on your home’s envelope. This simply refers to the barriers separating the outside air from the internal, conditioned air. Homes with optimal levels of insulation can get by with smaller boilers that can help reduce your heating costs while keeping you warm. Many older homes in Boston with compromised envelopes might require larger boilers to make up for the heat that escapes.
Is it better to oversize or undersize a boiler?
It’s imperative that Boston homeowners find the right boiler size for their properties as there are significant downsides to both oversized and undersized boilers. A boiler that’s too small won’t have the power necessary to keep your home sufficiently warm which would make for cold Boston winter nights. On the other hand, boilers that are too large burn more fuel than necessary which increases energy costs. This also reduces the overall life expectancy of the system. Either way, you’re dealing with some major inefficiencies that are easily avoided by choosing the proper boiler size.
Why it’s important to work with a professional
Determining the perfect boiler size for your home is an involved process that requires training, experience, and specialized tools. While Boston homeowners can make rough estimations to get a general idea of what boiler size they need, you should always refer to a professional before making any purchases. Boiler experts like the team at Boston Standard Plumbing have the expertise and resources needed to figure out what boiler size will optimize your home’s comfort while maximizing energy efficiency and increasing the unit’s lifespan.
If you need your boiler inspected, repaired, or replaced, contact the experts at Boston Standard Plumbing. We’ve helped countless Boston homeowners make the most of their boilers, and we’d love to work with you too! Be sure to ask us about high-efficiency boilers too.
