Which contractor/boiler would you choose from these 3?

k00k

I'm trying to decide between 3 estimates I have received on replacing my old black & white boiler w/ tankless hot water. I could use your help. Please let me know if I can provide any additional info, or if anything from their quotes doesn't make sense.



Here are some facts about my house:



I'm replacing an old black and white.



I have oil-fired steam standing radiators and a tankless water heater.



Only 2 people live in house. This won't change. Would like to sell within 2-5 yrs.



House is an approx 1000 sq ft cape. 6 radiators total - 1st floor: kitchen (smallest unit), living room, family room (largest unit), dining room. 2nd floor: bedroom, office. Only 1 bath in the house (has electric heat fan).



I have received 3 quotes. All seem to be competent and well-respected local companies. All include removal of Black and White. All quotes are of similar cost.



Quote 1: Burnham 100,000 BTU (didn't get model num - any ideas?). Tankless hot water. AFUE isn't listed on quote.



Quote 2: Weil-McLain SGO-3. 114,000/85,000 BTU. Tankless HW. 84.1% AFUE.



Quote 3: Weil-McLain SGO-4. 144,000/108,000 BTU. Tankless HW. 84% AFUE.



Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

jpf321

NO MONEY TALK

As per Dan's guidelines regarding posting. No money/estimates/quotes are to be discussed in this forum.

k00k

Dollar amounts removed

Dollar amounts have been removed from original post. Would love feedback based on the systems themselves.

jpf321

oil fired steam

Apparently a Burnham MegaSteam boiler is one of the best units for oil fired steam. You can search the forums regarding this unit. Or learn more about it here ..

http://www.usboiler.burnham.com/products/residential-boilers-indirect-water-heaters/megasteam



It's quite possible that the contractor is NOT referring to the MegaSteam, since, at least in my neck of the woods, few have heard about it. Steer him in the direction of the MegaSteam and get an updated quote from him. Then get all the others to quote for the SAME piece of equipment so you can compare apples to apples.



Any contractor that won't learn about a new piece of equipment or install what you want (given that it's a reasonable substitute size and quality wise) shouldn't be in the running.



As well, Dan has a great article about now being "steamed" .. have a good read through it. http://www.heatinghelp.com/article/236/Homeowners/1490/How-to-have-a-boiler-replaced-without-getting-steamed A good steam guy, like most in the Find a Pro section of this Forum will learn, listen and take the time to understand your needs.



You don't mention where you are located. It may be that there is a great steam man here on the forum near you.

k00k

Located in RI

Thanks for the thoughts so far.



I'm in Rhode Island.

Brad White

Out on a limb, but

that never stopped me.



First off, the boiler sizing is critical. If not that, little else matters at the proposal stage. Steam boilers are sized on connected radiation, (plus certain piping factors, but start with the radiation).



For a 1000 SF cape, I have to think that, uninsulated, your heat loss has to be not more than 60 MBH if drafty. If this guess pans out and your radiators were sized based on that, it also seems that your six radiators at about 42 SF average each, seem to be in range? (As an example, maybe you have standing CI radiators, say, 3-tube column type, 38" tall and eight sections? Just a SWAG here.)



So the sizes seem a tad large, but OK you do have DHW thrown in, but still large.



Are you married to the tankless or would you consider a coil booster (parallel storage tank) or indirect to the side? These will go a long way to reducing cycle times when washing the dishes, by the way.



But start with the radiation.