When I first moved into my home I was really bummed to see that there was a boiler system in the basement.
The boiler was giant, rusty and ugly. I wanted to rip out that eyesore and put a gas fireplace in my living room. At the time I didn’t have the money. I also had more important projects on my mind. It always seemed like the boiler replacement could wait. I needed to redo the kitchen, bathrooms, add a deck, pour concrete around the pool and get new carpets first. When it came time for the boiler to be replaced, I realized that I actually liked the system. Boilers can heat an entire home evenly without a hitch. They also can perform many different heating functions. I was planning on laying concrete for my driveway. I realized I could hook piping to my boiler and have it installed in the concrete driveway. This is called a snowmelt system. In the winter I just have the boiler heat and warm up my driveway and no snow sticks to it. Because my car is sitting on top of the concrete that is heated, it gets warmed as a result. That means no ice to chip off the windshield. I also figured out that I can use my boiler to serve as a pool heater or the family hot water tank. I can even hook the piping and have it installed within my floor for heated flooring. The boiler has so many functions and can save tons of energy. I am so glad that I did not get rid of it.