Steam boiler replacement & indirect HWH

PJP

Frank & Dave: thanks for the quick replies. Food for thought: going gas w/ an oil option hadn't occured to me, but makes sense. Issue in that case might be wrestling an oil tank into the basement--no sign oil was ever in the house. Yes, converted to hot water seems just too much. Dave, thanks for the pic of the Weil-Mclain. BTW, HB Smith is headquartered in Westfield, MA: I drove by them yesterday on a trip to the Berkshires in MA and was thinking "boiler" every minute!
PJP

PJP

Steam boiler replacement & indirect HWH

Homeowner here, been learning much on this site--thanks! Waiting for Dan's We Got Steam Heat. Purchasing small 1930 2-story 1100 sq. ft. home in MA, one-pipe, one zone gas-fired steam, has original US Radiator boiler (may have been coal?) w/ gas conversion unit. HWH ancient, well over 20 yrs. Scary. Asbestos on mains and other pipes.
Boiler, HWH and asbestos abatement (getting estimates tomorrow) are first priorities. We had a professional heating contractor visit and suggest several things: gas-fired boiler swap with added indirect HWH for efficiency. Read a bit here about ind. HWH & hard water issues which can be worked around--hard water here in MA. He also mentioned Dunkirk boilers as an option. He also talked a bit about conversion to a hot water system which would require re-piping. Probably won't go there--too big a project for this house, I think. Just offering ideas, no pressure with any scenario.
Question: Dunkirk a good choice? What indirect HWH? Ideas for matching a gas-fired steam boiler w/ ind. HWH based on good real-life experiences?
Many thanks. PJP

Steamhead (in transit)

Dunkirk makes a decent boiler

but if I were you, I'd install a boiler on which the factory offers the option to burn either oil or gas. That way if your local unregulated gas monopoly decides to jack up rates again, you can tell them to take a hike and switch the system to oil. This would involve replacing the burner and installing a tank and associated piping, but NOT replacing the boiler. Of course, you'd keep the gas burner on hand to switch back if desired.

Currently, the only steamer I know of that offers this as a factory option is the Smith Series 8, called the G8 in gas trim. I wish Burnham would offer this option on their new Mega-Steam boiler! The Series 8 also has built-in tappings for hooking up an indirect, which makes piping easier.

I prefer tank-in-tank indirects like the Triangle Tube Phase 3, but not all of these are suitable for steam. Check with the manufacturer to be sure.

And don't even think about converting that system to hot water. Doing so is a major can of worms that you don't need. Make sure your steam mains are properly vented and insulated and that the near-boiler piping is right, and you'll love the way the system works!

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David Sutton_6

Hello PJP

Just a thought , if you have gas and are going to replace you steam boiler try a oil block boiler with a gas power flame burnner (see pic ) this combo add alot to efficentcy and also gives you the option to change to oil any time


David

Edit: Frank you are fast, you beat me to the same thoght LOL

Steamhead (in transit)

The reason I prefer the Smith

rather than the Weil-McLain with Carlin EZ-Gas retrofit, is the Smith G8 is available as a factory option rather than a retrofit sold by a burner maker. Carlin makes a great burner, in fact that's what the Smith G8 has, but if something should ever go wrong there's no division of responsibility.

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David Sutton_6

You are right Frank

I wish some of the others would come on board with this type of option, but most already have a tube burnner design and are happy with that, i would rather give folks the option. oil or gas



David

David Sutton_6

Hi PJP

NIce plant there by the pike, i live down the road in Southwick, Love the berkshires , great place to go shopping at the lee village. the W+M i installed right down the street from HB Smith


David

Steamhead (in transit)

Oil tanks

are made to be brought into basements, that's why they are oblong shaped. Or, they can go under the porch or some other convenient place. The installation must conform to local codes, which may dictate where they are placed.

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