Hey good and wise people,
I’ve been getting quotes for replacing our 20 year old propane fired domestic hot water heater, well past it’s expected lifetime, and our 18 year old Burnham boiler for the hydronic heating with a new boiler and attached indirect hot water tank for the domestic hot water. Your comments on the wisdom of this approach are welcome. Even though the Burnham may have several years of life left, I fear it’s too small to handle the added load of an attached indirect hot water tank. Plus it has the efficiency of a 20 yo model boiler. I could just replace the domestic hot water heater with a new model, but I’d lose the efficiency of having both hot water and heating powered by the same system. And then at some point down the road I’d still have to replace that boiler. So I think that even though the cost of doing this is huge, in the very long run it’s the least expensive option, and I won’t live long enough to have to worry about these systems again.
I would very much appreciate your opinions on the following boiler options with which I’ve been presented. I’m leaning towards one, but I can yet be swayed. In no particulat order:
Lochinvar Knight stainless steel wall mounted, 95% AFUE
Slant Finn Sentinel cast iron, 82% AFUE
US Boiler K2 stainless steel wall mounted, 94% AFUE
Weil Mclain GV90+5 cast iron, 91% AFUE
Dunkirk Helix VLT stainless steel wall mounted, 95% AFUE
Thanks much in advace for your insight. Stay warm.
Replies
boiler replacement
First of all, I am not a boiler installer, but I have heated with Hot water and worked on my for many years.
The first thing I would do is have a heat loss done to properly size the boiler with the domestic hot water tank. Any installer that just guesses at a size or uses a rule of thumb, reject. , IMO
All boilers mentioned are fine, but remember the boiler is only as good as the installer. Chose a installer first.
You don't mention were you are located or how long you intend to live at this location for return on investment.
In my case my boiler needs to be replaced and was installed in the days with little inslulation and bigger was better, it is greatly oversized and short cycles like crazy. So replacing with the same size would be stupid, Heat loss is needed to properly size.
And your type of heat emmitters comes into play also.
In my case for Michigan a high eff. modulating boiler with a outdoor set back, with primary/secondary piping and constant circulation would be my chose in my case.
Heat loss first
boiler replacement
First of all, I am not a boiler installer, but I have heated with Hot water and worked on my for many years.
The first thing I would do is have a heat loss done to properly size the boiler with the domestic hot water tank. Any installer that just guesses at a size or uses a rule of thumb, reject. , IMO
All boilers mentioned are fine, but remember the boiler is only as good as the installer. Chose a installer first.
You don't mention were you are located or how long you intend to live at this location for return on investment.
In my case my boiler needs to be replaced and was installed in the days with little inslulation and bigger was better, it is greatly oversized and short cycles like crazy. So replacing with the same size would be stupid, Heat loss is needed to properly size.
And your type of heat emmitters comes into play also.
In my case for Michigan a high eff. modulating boiler with a outdoor set back, with primary/secondary piping and constant circulation would be my chose in my case.
Heat loss first