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New Boiler Proposed By Contractor- What Info Should I Know?
Hi all. Thanks for reading.
A local HVAC company came out and recommended that I purchase a new boiler from them. I'd like to make sure I'm making the best decision, but am not sure of what I should know, what important questions I should ask, etc. Are there things I should be asking, or having them answer? I tried searching through the forum threads to read-up on things.
Like how do I know that the boiler that they recommend is the best "match" for my house & needs? They gave me a north of $10k proposal for a high efficiency Bosch Greenstar 131 heating only model / and installation. My current boiler is high-efficiency, and I do know I'd like a 95% high efficiency boiler. The contractor said Bosch is the only high-efficiency they offer.
Many questions in my head. Like, how do I know the recommended boiler is the best for me? Is the price-area (not specific, as I know the forum doesn't talk about specific prices due to price-fixing!) something that makes sense for a new installation? I'm in downstate New York.
This might be a dumb question, but are are there contractors that I can find that just will install a boiler, the piping needed, etc...if I purchase the boiler separately? Can I even buy a boiler separately, or do I have to purchase one from the contractor who will also be installing it?
Well, thank you very much for reading this and for your replies. Thanks for informing!
A local HVAC company came out and recommended that I purchase a new boiler from them. I'd like to make sure I'm making the best decision, but am not sure of what I should know, what important questions I should ask, etc. Are there things I should be asking, or having them answer? I tried searching through the forum threads to read-up on things.
Like how do I know that the boiler that they recommend is the best "match" for my house & needs? They gave me a north of $10k proposal for a high efficiency Bosch Greenstar 131 heating only model / and installation. My current boiler is high-efficiency, and I do know I'd like a 95% high efficiency boiler. The contractor said Bosch is the only high-efficiency they offer.
Many questions in my head. Like, how do I know the recommended boiler is the best for me? Is the price-area (not specific, as I know the forum doesn't talk about specific prices due to price-fixing!) something that makes sense for a new installation? I'm in downstate New York.
This might be a dumb question, but are are there contractors that I can find that just will install a boiler, the piping needed, etc...if I purchase the boiler separately? Can I even buy a boiler separately, or do I have to purchase one from the contractor who will also be installing it?
Well, thank you very much for reading this and for your replies. Thanks for informing!
Sorta
1
Re: Cast iron baseboard keeps busting
I had a customer with CI old school rads. He had a constant drip on a lower nipple.
Someone changed his fill valve which would have involved draining the entire system.
Then the upper rads would not heat, the guy then bled those rads to get heat.
Then the pop off valve would drip, the guy fixed that with a pipe plug.
His expansion tank had been water logged with no room for expanding water causing the pop off and the rad to drip. The pop off was changed and all was good as the upper rads had air for compression.
I ended up changing the boiler for other reasons and adding an oversize expansion tank.
The pop off and CI raid both stopped dripping.
Is there a chance the house could have seen a freeze up in the past that you may not be aware of?
Could have weaken some of the cast without breaking and then failed expansion tank have done them in?
Someone changed his fill valve which would have involved draining the entire system.
Then the upper rads would not heat, the guy then bled those rads to get heat.
Then the pop off valve would drip, the guy fixed that with a pipe plug.
His expansion tank had been water logged with no room for expanding water causing the pop off and the rad to drip. The pop off was changed and all was good as the upper rads had air for compression.
I ended up changing the boiler for other reasons and adding an oversize expansion tank.
The pop off and CI raid both stopped dripping.
Is there a chance the house could have seen a freeze up in the past that you may not be aware of?
Could have weaken some of the cast without breaking and then failed expansion tank have done them in?
JUGHNE
2
Re: Found a stash in a radiator
I suppose this story is worth a repeat from a few years ago.
There were 3 workers from the same office living in a rental house.
Wc was slow and nearly run over with each flush.
The WC auger produced a well rinsed toothbrush.
I threw it away and went to their office and said the problem was solved... and announced "Oh, by the way I put that toothbrush back into the holder with the others."
I am sure there were 3 new brushes purchased that afternoon.
There were 3 workers from the same office living in a rental house.
Wc was slow and nearly run over with each flush.
The WC auger produced a well rinsed toothbrush.
I threw it away and went to their office and said the problem was solved... and announced "Oh, by the way I put that toothbrush back into the holder with the others."
I am sure there were 3 new brushes purchased that afternoon.
JUGHNE
6
Cast iron baseboard keeps busting
The house was built in 1957 and we had a new gas furnace put in 2013. We were able to heat all three zones and get them going good. Fast forward to 2020, we could only heat up one zone at a time and it wouldn’t get above 70. Right after this started we had two baseboards give out. Loud pop and water coming out of the cast iron baseboard. We had those broken ones replaced and everything was good for a week— the zones all heated up properly. Now, today the heat went back to a zone at a time and I just had another old baseboard on a different zone bust. Is this just old age or is air getting into the system and causing this? Not a lot of plumbers will touch this stuff or know much about it. Any help would be appreciated on where I can look to see what’s causing this, if anything.
Re: The First Hotel to Have Individualized Room Temp Control for Guests
I have seen a couple really old Johnson Pneumatic control jobs. Today they use plastic pneumatic tubing in the rare case where pneumatic controls are used. One place they are still used is in hazardous locations...fumes etc...no sparks from pneumatics.
The older jobs installed in the 40s-60s use 1/4" copper tubing with soldered joints.
I have seen really old jobs pipes in 1/4" brass pipe with all threaded joints
The older jobs installed in the 40s-60s use 1/4" copper tubing with soldered joints.
I have seen really old jobs pipes in 1/4" brass pipe with all threaded joints
Re: A blast from the past.
One thing about a coal burning device using bituminous (soft) coal, they smoked the most when the operator would disturb the burning coal pile or when adding coal on a "hand fired" unit. Most of the furnace operators thought that digging into the burning coal pile and moving the coal around was a necessity; it was not. Also a lot of the smoke could be eliminated by introducing fresh air above the burning coal pile. That fresh air would allow the smoke to be consumed and thus be reduced or eliminated.
Hard coal or anthracite burns almost smoke free. The flame looks like the blue flame from a natural gas kitchen stove. The problem with anthracite coal was it's cost which was many times more expensive than bituminous coal and is only mined in north east Pa. near hazelton and Scranton. (You know Scranton, that is where "Joe" is from).
Hard coal or anthracite burns almost smoke free. The flame looks like the blue flame from a natural gas kitchen stove. The problem with anthracite coal was it's cost which was many times more expensive than bituminous coal and is only mined in north east Pa. near hazelton and Scranton. (You know Scranton, that is where "Joe" is from).
Re: Condensation Issues in Chimney with New Boiler
Wow. This is like deja vu all over again. I have the same situation and it only became apparent during the last few weeks during some cold snaps here in SE CT. Same boiler, 3 sided chimney, etc. What can I expect to pay to have it lined? House is a 1 story with walk out basement and boiler is on the walk out side, so I estimate chimney is maybe 20'. Flue tile looks to be 8 x 12 but I have to get up there and measure to be sure. Some water is leaking around the clean out door in basement but some is just coming through the concrete in a rectangular area about a foot under the clean out. I assume this is a hollow area that just collects water and then it seeps through the concrete.
MikeC555
1
Re: Condensation Issues in Chimney with New Boiler
Well, the raised stack temp helped a lot but there is still a fair amount of condensation. In goes the liner ASAP. I'll keep you posted.
dziukap
1
Re: Condensation Issues in Chimney with New Boiler
The bottom line to the OP is if your getting condensate on the floor from the flue it's time to line the flue, and insulate it.
Lining does not stop condensate alone but it protects the masonary from damage due to corrosive condensate. Insulating will allow that liner to warm up quicker, and stay warm longer.
Lining does not stop condensate alone but it protects the masonary from damage due to corrosive condensate. Insulating will allow that liner to warm up quicker, and stay warm longer.
Gordy
4
Re: Condensation Issues in Chimney with New Boiler
I think it's fair to the OP to explain what exactly happens that leads to the need to change a flue configuration.
These are changes not only to the heating plant, but to the rest of the structure over the course of years since its conception.
Usually with older envelopes change happens in small increments as thought needed, or as can be afforded to accomplish.
All the evolving envelope upgrades create huge impacts in the end result. Ending with a replacement heating plant of better efficiency that can no longer use the same flue configuration for venting that's worked for decades because it's exhaust temp is no longer hot enough to keep the flue from being damaged by excessive condensation.
These are changes not only to the heating plant, but to the rest of the structure over the course of years since its conception.
Usually with older envelopes change happens in small increments as thought needed, or as can be afforded to accomplish.
All the evolving envelope upgrades create huge impacts in the end result. Ending with a replacement heating plant of better efficiency that can no longer use the same flue configuration for venting that's worked for decades because it's exhaust temp is no longer hot enough to keep the flue from being damaged by excessive condensation.
Gordy
3