Anyone out there have an opinion?

[bajaespuma]

I'm so sick of paying out of my *ss for oil that, now that my 53 year old oil boiler is weeks away from death, I'm thinking of replacing it with a propane-fired boiler, even though I just spent 1600 dollars last year for a new oil tank. Opinions???
A couple of questions: a. Can I run my existing hot water heating system with a boiler fired with different fuel?
b. Would a new gas boiler be able to supply an existing "off the coil" hot water tank?
I assumed that the answer would be yes, but I know some of you know a hell of a lot more than I.
Thanks for your input.
Ken

 

[toggleswitch2]

A)Dirtier fuels tend to be less expnsive than cleaner fuels.
Oil IMHO is gnerally cheaper than gas which is generally cheaper than propane. Will have to ressaech heat values and efficiencies to write more intellignelty on that. HOUND ME FOR AN ANSWER! LOL

B) A gas boiler can do anything an oil burner can do. Old oil-burners backfired; all gas boilers can go *BOOM*

Here is my gut responce:
Get an oil burner to replace what you have. That for me resulted in a 50% saving in oil over my 1946 boiler.
Later on you can get rid of the oil-buring head to be repalced with a gas-burning head. (i.e. gas heat enters the boiler in one location like an oil flame).

Will post more once I do research at home. (in the office now).

Ool has a hotter flame temp, but 140,000 BTU/h is 140,000 BTU/h regardless fo that the stupid fuel dealers may say to try to sway you.

 

[toggleswitch2]

......and yes opinitons are like @$$holes. Everyone has one and some really stink.

Ask 10 perople, get 15 answers.

 

[dj-gabriele]

A- Yes, assuming you're using some kind of hydronic system for heating (radiators or convectors or wet underfloor heaters)
B- Yes, there are many models that can run a separate hot water tank as any other heat exchanger.

If you spent that much for the new tank, I would consider having a look at an oil fired boiler as gas prices are rising the same! Plus, the efficencies for new condensing models aren't that different: up to 98% of LHV for oil fired boilers and 105% for gas fired ones.

 

[toggleswitch2]

1 gallon = 3.78L for our international friends.

Copmarative costs of fuels and electricity.

http://www.beltramielectric.com/PDF/Fuel_Cost_Comparison.pdf

 

[toggleswitch2]

Speaking of good head. Go italian for the best head.

For an oi-burning head think RIELLO.

(Not BECKETT anymore but a good 2nd choice.)

http://www.riello-burners.com/2_products/2_oil-burners/3a_40-series-oil-fired.asp

 

[toggleswitch2]

Later on, as stated previously, one can swap-out their oil-burning head for a gas-burning head ("Power burner").

Looks and acts like an oil-burning head, uses natural gas or propane.

Dont let the fule dealer tell you gas has to be burned in a specialty boiler for gas only!

An boiler designed to be oil-fired can be use either fuel.

http://www.victormfg.com/bin/f.wk?vm.product.display+PRODUCT=vmconvburners

 

[toggleswitch2]

Now, at one time there were burner heads that were designed to utlize either oil or gas.

Sorry can't find a link. These definitely still eixst in commercial/industrial settings.

For home use you justt flipped a switch and voila! Now we'ze cookin' with gas (or oil!)

 

[toggleswitch2]

if you *GO GAS* you could have an instantaeoud coil in the boiler as your current systen is set up.... or you could have installed a storage-type gas hot water heater.

These work even in a blackout, but do need replacement every decade-and-a-half or so.

Efficiency? Much better than heating the whole boiler for hot water (for the taps) in the summer.

 

[toggleswitch2]

I paid $4,500 for a new oil-fired steam boiler (installed) with an instantaneous coil for hot water for the taps, about 5 years. ago. Seeing that my oil dealer did the install I got 5 years of free maintenance/cleaning contracts. New burner, new controls. Got a RIELLO brand oil-burning head.

In my case my natural gas supplier was willing to give me a "Free" boiler. The install would have cost.... you guessed it $4,500. Then the permits, then the inspections, then the ripping out of "illegal" (2nd) gas stove and pipng, NO THANK YOU! And BTW older style gas cut-off valves will leak under a high-pressure test, so tathat means they have to be ripped out and replaced. I wasn't willing to deal with the hassles.

My new oil buner intallation started at 8:00 am and was done by 6:00pm. Some other schmuck wanted a WEEK to do it, with a temporary electic hot water heater to "get by".

 

[toggleswitch2]

So remember, based on the comparative costs of fuel chart above,

Heating you home with fuel oil @ $2.22 per gallon is the equavialent of heating it with propane at $1.45 per gallon.

Heating electrially in this area is prohibitively expensive.

 

[launderess]

Many persons in NYC, both apartment buildings and private homes use the cheapest grade of fuel oil they can get. Though inexpensive, the stuff is slightly better (or worse) than the bunker fuel used for older ships.

Again, one saves money, but the dirt and fouling of one's boiler requires more maintenance.

L.

 

[toggleswitch2]

Actually for small residential users #2-grade fuel-oil is the only option. #4 and #6 are commercial/industial grades.

 

[xraytech]

I weish I could help but I have only had experience with electric heat, since we live in an area with no gas service and didn't want the cost of propane or the hastle of hauling in oil.

Also, be careful asking if anyone has an opinion, I have a lot of them and you may really not want to hear most of them.

Good luck in whatever you decide on

Sam

 

[launderess]

IIRC

There a quite a few household in PA starting to use coal again, or at least there were when petrol prices hit the roof last year.

L.

 

[toggleswitch2]

Ken:

Any feedback on the above posts? What have you decided?

Enquiring minds want to know.........

 

[rp2813]

I am LOL!

A site known to have an overwhelmingly gay membership and you ask "Anybody Out There Have an Opinion?"

 

[moonvalleycacti]

This site does have quite the diverse opinion range