Skip to content
✓ Open Now
24/7 Service
Since 1989!

Schedule Now Call (253) 875-3350

How Does A Fife Hydronic Boiler System Work

Do you know how the boiler in your home in Fife works? Boilers are a very popular heating system in the United States yet some people aren’t familiar with how they actually work. Knowing how your heating system works is critical to knowing if it is operating properly. Below, we’ve outlined a very basic explanation of how hydronic boilers work. If you have any questions about boilers or if you suspect that your boiler needs repair, contact Sound Heating and Air today.

What is Hydronics?

Hyrdonic systems in Fife use water to transfer heat to the air in your home. Pretty simple right? Hydronic systems are some of the oldest heating systems in the world. They include radiant floor heating, steam and hot water radiators.

The Boiler

Unless you have a steam system, your boiler doesn’t actually boil the water. It heats it to between 130° F and 160° F. The temperature should not exceed 200° F.

The Pump

The pump actually circulates the hot water to the rest of your house.

The Expansion Tank

The expansion tank is a critical part of your boiler system. Have you ever boiled water in a tea kettle? When the water is hot enough, it actually expands and starts shooting steam out the lid of the kettle. That’s what makes that high-pitched squeal. The expansion tank exists to account for the property of water that makes it expand when it heats up. Without the expansion tank, your pipes, pumps and valves would burst from the pressure of the hot water. The expansion tank looks like a propane gas tank that you would use for your barbeque.

The Radiators

Hot water radiators are actually the components that are responsible for distributing the heat into the air in each room. One some newer models, they have a temperature control on each of them.