When choosing a gas furnace for home heating and/or water heating, you should carefully consider its type and, consequently, the potential benefits for the user. There are various types of devices to choose from. Due to the exhaust gas temperature, classic gas boilers and modern condensing boilers can be distinguished. What is the difference between a condensing gas furnace and a traditional boiler? And is a single- or two-function condensing gas furnace a better solution? We answer!
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What is a condensing boiler?
Condensing gas boilers are highly efficient, technologically advanced heating devices that burn gas fuels to heat the building and heat utility water. They achieve efficiency of… 109%! They use the phenomenon of condensation. Condensation of water contained in exhaust gases generates additional heat, which is used to heat water, which translates into significant savings. A condensing furnace, before throwing out exhaust gases, extracts an additional amount of heat from them. The exhaust gases are much cooler than those emitted by a traditional boiler.
Thanks to the use of modern condensing boilers, especially those equipped with innovative technologies that automate and optimize work, home heating becomes maximally effective, and the return on investment can be expected after about 4 years from installation.
How does a condensing boiler work vs. a traditional boiler?
Traditional gas boilers release exhaust gases into the atmosphere along with heat, while condensing boilers first extract some heat from them, causing the exhaust gases to reach a temperature of 900°C (in traditional boilers it is around 1300°C). Lower exhaust gas temperature translates into increased efficiency of the heating device.
A condensing gas boiler always has a closed combustion chamber, while traditional stoves are available with both a closed and open combustion chamber. The closed/open combustion chamber affects the way air is supplied to the device.
A boiler with a closed combustion chamber obtains air from the outside, so supply ventilation of the boiler room is not required. The lack of supply ventilation prevents heat loss due to the inflow of cold air from the outside.
Gas boilers with open combustion chambers draw air from the inside of the boiler room, bathroom or other room they are located in. Therefore, they require the installation of a ventilation grille through which fresh air will reach, which helps to cool the interior.
The closed combustion chamber makes gas heating simply more efficient, which, given the dramatically rising gas prices, is of great importance to probably every investor.
To sum up, condensing boilers compared to classic gas furnaces:
- are more energy efficient,
- achieve higher efficiency,
- they use less fuel – energy is used to the maximum,
- can work effectively with underfloor heating,
- they do not require the construction of a brick flue gas chimney,
- are safer, thanks to the closed combustion chamber (no risk of exhaust gases leaking into the interior),
can ensure fully automated, optimal operation (they are equipped with innovative solutions, such as exhaust gas regulators and analysers).
Is a single or dual function condensing boiler a better choice?
Both traditional and condensing gas furnaces are available in single-function and dual-function versions. The difference between a single- and dual-function gas furnace lies in the method of heating and the availability of utility water.
- In a single-function condensing boiler, a separate heater is used to prepare domestic hot water. The availability of hot water will depend on its capacity.
- In a dual-function condensing boiler, the utility water and the heating medium are heated by a built-in plate exchanger. The availability of utility water depends on the heating power of the boiler. This is a more economical and compact option, but when using several water sources simultaneously, problems with maintaining a sufficiently high temperature may occur.
We encourage sellers and installers of heating devices to familiarize themselves with the offer of the Onninen sanitary wholesaler. The assortment includes gas condensing boilers , dual and single function, atmospheric gas boilers, dual function and a wide range of accessories.