Boilers provide radiant heat, which warms the objects in a room—unlike furnaces, which warm the air. The boiler heats water, and the hot water circulates through pipes or radiators to warm your space. This type of heat can feel more comfortable and consistent. Some boilers can even provide hot water for your home!

Traditional boilers, radiators, and baseboard heaters are radiant or hydronic heating systems. They heat water in a central boiler using natural gas, propane, fuel oil, or electricity. These systems are most common in places with long, harsh winters.

Hot water radiators, also known as hydronic systems, use a pump or circulator to move hot water through the system. The process begins when the boiler heats water to the appropriate temperature. A circulator pump then moves the hot water through pipes to the radiators. Water flows through the radiator and transfers heat to the metal.

The radiator and the radiator valves are an integral part of your heating system. The boiler acts as the source, and every radiator connected to it makes up part of a network through which the water travels. All the radiators are connected and joined by the boiler’s pipes where the water is heated.