How do boilers work? | St Helens, Warrington, Widnes

We all know how important our boilers are and how hard they work to keep us warm, but do you know how they work? Here’s a brief overview of how boilers work…

How do they work?

It doesn’t matter whether your boiler is powered by gas or oil, boilers use what are known as controlled combustions to heat water. There are 4 key components that make this possible. These are the ‘burner’, ‘combustion chamber’, ‘heat exchanger’ and ‘controls’.

This is where the fuel is mixed with oxygen and, when combined with an ignition device to start a flame, allows for combustion to take place.

The combustion chamber handles that, and the heat that is created from that combustion is then transferred to the water through the heat exchanger. This is how the water becomes hot. It is at this point that the boiler’s controls keep track of everything that is needed and make changes to make sure that everything is running smoothly. They keep on top of the ignition, water temperature and everything up to the boiler pressure.

How does this help heat my house?

After all that hard work, your boiler can then pump the hot water through the pipes in your home. There are many different types of boiler, but they all work as part of a central heating system to keep your home warm.

Many homeowners think that radiators can work at different temperatures, but this is not the case. Radiators are nowhere near as complex as boilers. They are made from copper pipe that is bent a number of times, which in turn creates a large surface area for the hot water to pass through and heat the room. If your radiators use thermostatic radiator valves (TRV), you have even better control of how that heat is distributed. They do this by switching off once they have reached the desired temperature, so the boiler has to fire up less often, and switching back on if the temperature drops too low, meaning that the boiler is only really working when it has to.

This means that, with clever use of TRV valves as well as using your boiler’s natural thermostat, you can get the heat that you need at the correct level. Using these in combination with your timer means that you can also deliver the warmth when you need it most without having to worry, such as in the mornings before work or school and just before you go to bed.

Need a new boiler and based in St. Helens?

We don’t expect homeowners to have all the answers, and we can’t stress enough that you do not try to handle boiler repairs yourself. Only Gas Safe registered engineers are permitted to do so. If you have any questions, get in touch with us through our contact us page here or on 07977 806 175 or 0151 440 3315.