How efficient are steam boilers?

Steam boilers are some of the most efficient heating solutions available, but hot water boilers typically offer better efficiency. The cost of converting from a steam to a hot water system, however, may result in only minimal savings.

Since steam systems rely on boiling water, more heating is necessary to begin transferring heat throughout a home. As a result, some heat is always wasted. Careful design, however, can minimize these losses, and the advantage of not having to rely on pumps further closes this gap. Homeowners looking to save on heating costs may find that investing in better insulation and closing air leaks lead to better savings than switching to a different system.