need your professional opinon here!
We are looking at a “new to us” home. The property was originally a log home and it has been added on several times over it’s 150 year life span. The latest addition was made in the late 60’s and is fairly modern construction. At the time of the last addition a major remodel of the home was done which included replacement of the entire heating and plumbing system. The current heating system is fin tube baseboard with copper pipe. The water heater and boiler were replaced as part of the addition. I have reason to believe the boiler was replaced at a later date because it has a efficency tag on it. Sorry, I don’t recall the date on the tag, but I do remember the boiler was 85% efficent. The water heater is original to the addition (approaching 40 years old), but it’s still not leaking. Both the boiler and the water heater are oil fired. Natural gas is not available so if we convert fuels it would be to propane. I know that for btu’s consumed, that the higher efficency gas boiler/water heater is cheaper than oil. I also know that oil fire devices have a stigma in this area as being maintenance nightmares and are dirty stinky things. Having had oil heat in the past, I’d have to agree on them being maintenance nightmares. Unfortinatly, in the last 30 years, there has been no new technology put into oil burners. Ok, so lets say we convert to propane and replace both the boiler and water heater… what should we use? There are some very high efficency boilers out there. 93% is the highest I’ve seen. There is also a large push for going with tankless heaters or using a loop off the boiler to heat the water. The endless water of a tankless heater is really nice, but I want a circ pump, which (at least the last time I looked) you could not use with a tankless heater. I also question the sanity of using the boiler to heat hot water. Yea, it’s one less combustion device to maintain, but you are heating water to trasfer heat to water – process that simply can not be efficent. Besides, high efficency condensing water heaters are not horribly expensive. What are your thoughts?
Summary:
- Forced to convert to propane
- Need to replace both a boiler and water heater
- Looking for a high efficency condensing type devices
- Want a circulation pump
Certified boat fetish.
Replies
Have you verified the prices of oil and propane per BTU.
I have not used either for over 35 years.
But it is my understand that propane is a lot more expensive than oil. Way more than any difference in the operating efficiency for modern equipement.
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Yea, it all depends on how you twist the numbers. Gallon for gallon, oil is cheaper. BTU per BTU oil is cheaper. But when you add efficency to the calculation, propane becomes the better buy. If they threw some new technology at oil burners and could get the efficency above 85%, then oil would become the best buy. No doubt about it.
FHB really showed this in their latest issue by saying that you could suppliment oil heat with a wood burner and actually save money.
Certified boat fetish.
Seems as though there is a higher maintenance cost with oil burners as well but my knowledge of that is all second hand. i know that my propane boiler is very efficient and needs very little attention to keep it running well.I know of some areas that won't give an oil refill prior to the heating season without seeing that you had the boiler cleaned by a professional. I think my folks pay a couple hundred annually for that and that is almost 1/5 of my total propane bill for the year.
Don't do tankless ... it's still a combustion device, BTW. Tankless for regular/continuous use is not a good option IMO. It's expensive to install and saves minimally energy wise ... in the case of frequent/regular uses, it saves almost nothing. If you want more explanation/data, I can provide.
They make all in one water heaters. I installed one that heats my radiant floor and my domestic hot water in one using an internal heat exchanger (good efficiency in the HX process there). Mine was a forced draft fan powered w/ PVC exhaust ... but only like 85% efficient. I think you can get a higher efficiency option, though. It's a reasonable system, nice concept. Compact one piece of equipment (that admitedly if it has problems, both the heat and hot water are out of commission). The high efficiency unit may double your first cost, but save in the long run.