new steam boiler with or without hot water capability

Christian Egli_2

How helpful is that? I'm not sure there is a plain answer, so here's an opinion, or another opinion.

Personally, I prefer dedicated appliances sized just for their particular use, this would mean one boiler and one water heating device. Even when the sizing issue would call for the same unit, I still prefer the dedicated units just because their operation is different. Steam 212F, domestic water, 1xxF

With gas, this issue is real easy to deal with, with oil, the burner maintenance becomes a factor for combining everything.

Water heaters die out quicker than boilers, at the very least they get all silted up and clogged. Changing a water heater is easy at any time, but changing one that is combined to a boiler becomes a bigger question 10 - 20 years from now, often you'll be changing the boiler and the heater just because it makes more sense but you'll also loose some residual boiler value. Again, theories and no consensus...

I like things that are simple, super simple. A plain steam system is, a plain hot water heater is. The two combined become more of a puzzle to troubleshoot - but this of course is no issue with good people.

Lastly, I like the redundancy of two distinct systems. In an emergency, living in a warm house with no hot water is no big deal. Likewise, living with no heat but plenty of hot water to fill the hot water bottle you sleep with, makes life a little less miserable.

But I can hear the screaming.

mike jones

new steam boiler with or without hot water capability

--new steam boiler with or without hot water capability--

We are looking into a new steam boiler for next season to replace our old 1970’s American standard gas steam boiler.

Our separate hot water heater is also getting old but we heard a new boiler might actually last longer in New York if it produced heat only and no hot water and could sit idle for half the year instead of producing hot water alone all summer.

Is their any truth to this theory or should we just get a new hot water heater when that dies.

Todd_24

boiler

Personally, I feel that a boiler that provides both heat and hot water will last longer. Boilers are meant to be used, not sit dormant for 6 months at a time. Think about parking a car for the summer, What would you expect to happen if you went out the first cold day to start it up?