Gas vs. Oil for new boiler for steam heated brownstone?

Brad White_9

Both oil and gas will work. Both fluctuate with market conditions, both as far as steam goes are about the same efficiency, oil with a slight edge.

Oil you can store, gas you cannot, so bulk buying with maximum tank capacity is a possibility.

Gas has an advantage in condensing boilers which operate well below the temperatures you need. Oil gets the edge here.

I would stick with oil because you will be firing at higher temperatures anyway.

While you are at it, tune up the system, insulate the mains, put TRV Vent Valves on the radiators that tend to overheat, install a Vaportstat to control the pressure in ounces, not pounds, and stick around here for more ideas.

My $0.02

Brad

Patty

Gas vs. Oil for new boiler for steam heated brownstone?

HELP! We have a fine working yet old oil burner heating [steam heat]our five floor brownstone condo. We have decided to research and change boilers before this one conks out and make the switch in the summertime. Should we go with gas or with oil? Also, is environmentally friendly bio heat an option for the oil? What are the pros and cons for either system?
Thanking all of you experts out there in advance.
Patty

cattledog

gas vs oil

One difference between oil and natural gas is the carbon dioxide produced. Combustion of natural gas produces about 12 pounds of CO2 per 100 cubic feet(approximately 100,000 btu). Distillate fuel oil is appproximately 22.4 pounds CO2 per gallon which comes to 16 pounds of C02 per 100,000 btu assuming 140,000 btu per gallon. Approximately 25% less CO2 per heat unit with gas compared to oil.


These conversion factors come from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Energy Information Administration, Instructions for Form EIA 1605B, Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Appendix B. (Natural gas = 12.0593 lbs. of CO2/CCF and 11.708 lbs. of CO2/Therm, Oil = 22.384 lbs. of CO2/Gallon, Propane = 12.669 lbs. of CO2/Gallon.)

Patty

Brad's 2 cents

Thanks Brad,
Patty

[Deleted User]

Did DOE happen

to weigh that other greenhouse gas, water vapor, that represents a large quantity of the byproducts created when burning natural gas?

cattledog

water vapor from combustion

Good point.

There is more water produced in the combustion of natural gas than oil (and much more than from a high carbon fuel like coal), and water vapor is the dominant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.

What it yet to be determined is the contribution of human activity, primarily mining of aquifers for agricultural irrigation and fossil fuel combustion which increase the total surface water to any long term atmospheric concentrations of water vapor and potential impacts to global climate.

Several things are known at this point. One is that the transit time (before it returns to the surface as precipitation)of water vapor in the atmosphere is on the order of days, and that of CO2 is more like 100 years. One major natural CO2 sink is dissolution in the ocean, but the resulting acidification of the ocean has consequences of its own which may be even more significant in changing the planet than an increase in surface temperatures.

The studies on the relationship of increased surface water due to human activity (deep aquifer wells,combustion)and any resulting long term increased atmospheric levels and the climatic impact are varied and inconclusive at this time. One more well studied/modeled effects is the injection of water vapor and other gases into the stratosphere by jet planes.

Due out on February 2 is the new report from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Their previous report in 2001, summarizing existing known science, was inconclusive as to the amount and impact of human caused increases in atmospheric water vapor. I hope the new report will shed more light on this area.

[Deleted User]

Now that we

boys have played: my answer to your question.

Don't get locked in w/ any fuel until you have had some professionals inspect your heating system. That's everything. Piping, radiators, air venting, chimney, fuel storage facilities, controls, etc. Listen to what they say & how they say it. Study the proposals. Ask questions. Get referrals for jobs similar to yours. The choice of fuels may become secondary when you consider that comfort trumps fuel type almost ever time.

A good place to start is the "Find A Professional" section in Dan's little house of opinions.

tom myers

oil vs gas

Hi Folks,

as to the ? as to oil vs gas, we boached that issue three years ago when we bought our 1913 arts/crafts style / 4 square when the original 1977 oil boiler for steam heat died. The original thought was to go with gas since we had natural gas service to the house. After reading Dan's 'You've Got Steam Heat' (homest, it's sitting right here at my desk)and checking with several companies that put different types of furnaces in, we decided to go with the majority opinion and stay with steam heat, and a new oil burner. The higher combustion rate is good for steam. The full tank of oil that conveyed didn't hurt, either. We adapted the two fireplaces to natural gas heat so we covered the respective issues of availability annd price. We have not regretted our choice. Now, what do we do with the half a bin of coal that the original owners left in 1977 when their coal furnace went 'bonk.'

JimH

> to weigh that other greenhouse gas, water vapor,

> that represents a large quantity of the

> byproducts created when burning natural gas?




Doesn't a mod-con condense out most of that water vapor?

-JimH

JimH

blame it on corn and soybeans

>

> What it yet to be determined is

> the contribution of human activity, primarily

> mining of aquifers for agricultural irrigation

> and fossil fuel combustion which increase the

> total surface water to any long term atmospheric

> concentrations of water vapor and potential

> impacts to global climate.

>


As a midwesterner I can tell you that you will be quite
noticeably less comfortable when walking through a corn
or soybean field than an area covered with native prairie
grasses, due the much greater evaporation rate from the
rowcrops.

-JimH

Steamhead (in transit)

Patty, in most areas

gas utilities are unregulated monopolies. The piping network in the streets is the only place regulation still exists; they can charge as much for the gas as they want. This is great for their CEOs' golden parachutes but not for anyone else. In some cases there is token "competition" but these companies tend to be short-lived.

Oil suppliers, on the other hand, are in direct competition. This tends to keep prices down, which benefits consumers.

Some oil-fired boilers can be had with power gas burners as a factory option. The Smith 8 series is one that comes to mind- it's called the G8 in gas trim. If you have one of these, you don't need to get a new boiler to switch fuels- just have a pro change the burner!

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"