oil vs gas boiler

gearjammer2005

it is time for me to replace my 28 year old steam boiler,very small steam leak between sections,blows little puffs of steam up chimney. The question being is it best to stay with oil or go with the friendly gas company and take atvantage of their low cost low efficency boiler.The cost factor for instalation is about the same.If I stay with oil I will have to replace the oil tank,with gas I will have to line the chimney and add a stand alone water heater.I have been less than thrilled wiht the installers the gas company has sent out<want to use copper headers cut conners ect.>
The installers for oil seem to know more and take more of an interest in the job. I like the idea of a high mass boiler better eff.being able to pick my own oil dealer and quite frankly the safety factor. Gas has had many issues in the metro boston area<things that go boom in the night> trees and vegatation dieing due to gas leaks,but I digress.
I like the the smith g series but no one else does,like the perless wv series water content will most likely go with this.One installer has williamson boilers,do not know much about them but they look like repackaged weil mclaines.
sorry for the long post and thanks for any input.

P.S. have a 1903 capital steam boiler set up to burn saw dust trying to go back to coal looking for 23-25inch round coal grates.

kevin coppinger_4

for Steam...

I really like oil...just the design makes more sense. I use the Smith 8 ser. and have had good sucess w/ it.
But the new Burnham MegaSteam is the new king of the hill...that would be my choice. kpc

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Brad White_9

I agree with Kevin

If steam, I would go with oil in a second. Gas used for making steam seems a waste to me when it can be put to better use in a condensing HW boiler.

As long as you are running higher than condensing temperatures (as in steam), you might as well use oil. And a Megasteam

Steamhead (in transit)

oil vs gas

Our company advises our customers to use boilers designed to burn oil or gas, depending on the burner itself. That way, the choice of fuels, and who you buy your fuel from, is not entirely constrained.

It's a lot easier to change the burner then the boiler.

With a atmospheric gas fired boiler, you really have little to no choice...you must burn gas, and are thereby bound to The Gas Co.



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