How does a boiler work?

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 used 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 and this is how the water becomes hot. It is at this point that that boiler’s controls keep track of everything that is needed and makes changes to make sure that everything is running smoothly. It will keep on top of the ignition, water temperature all the way 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 be work at different temperatures but this is not the case. Radiators are no where near as complex as boilers. They are made from copper pipe that is bend a number times which in turns 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 have to fire up less often and switch back on if the temperature drops too low meaning that the boiler is only really working when it has too.

This means that 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 the school or 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 on through our contact us page here or on 07977 806 175.