To replace boiler or not to

Justin_4

I am a new home owner and have inherited a 25 year old Teledyne-Laars Gas heated hot water boiler. There is also a 10 year old direct fired gas water heater.
I am pretty sure I want the water heater replaced to avoid a flooded basement when I am away.
I am not so sure about the boiler.
I have the following choices I am thinking about:
1. Replace water heater with a direct fired which costs only about $800
2. Replace water heater with an indirect fired one
3. Replace water heater and boiler all at once

whats the pros of option 2 vs option 1. Am I getting something much better with Option 2?
One contractor tells me if I put in a indirect-fired water heater the boiler is not sized sufficiently to handle the extra load from the waterheater. Another contractor tells me thats not true. How do I tell what is correct?
Any recommendations on brands - Burnham, Buderus, Weil-McClain?
Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. Anything else that I need to ask these contractors that will help tell me who is good will also help.

Glen

consider the home as a complete system -

look at everything, insulation, doors, windows, r values in the attic etc. Have a heat loss calc done - with a comparison of current system to a system where all the in efficiencies of your home are considered. Great gains can be made attending to your building envelope. I would even consider future plans eg sun room, larger kitchen? You can then make an informed choice as the selection of boilers from many very good suppliers is only limitied by the depth of your bank account. Choosing an indirect WH for example is a great idea - and when controlled correctly (via priority) does not add capacity to your boiler. Outdoor reset, night set back, and other control strategies can save you real money. Pick a contractor with experience with the product you buy (see find a pro above). If you are just now embarking on the quest for a new boiler - you have found the right BB. Lurk on this site for more than a moment or two - and you will see grand examples of really fine workmanship. I know I did not answer your question - but the real answer is much more than picking this boiler or that one.