Mive a boiler to a different House

Barry

Hello,

I live in St. Paul, MN in a 1923 bungalow.  We replaced our boiler with Weil Mclain about 6 years ago.  We also had a Trane Furnace installed about two years ago so we could have central air.  The furnace has two zones which is really nice so we don't use the boiler much.  We happen to own to house next door which is almost identical to ours and it needs a new boiler.  Would it be possible to move our boiler next door?  Is that legal?  Would we be decreasing or increasing the value of our house by removing the boiler and radiators?  Thanks!



Barry

nicholas bonham-carter

cost difference for fuel use

you could make an experiment to determine the difference in the cost of heating, between forced air and hot water. i suspect the hot water is much cheaper, and that at least your house, is more valuable with both types of heating.

i think that a boiler replacement has a high labor cost, and that would increase for a relocation. you could check on-line for the cost of a new boiler of the same capacity, and freight, and figure that the existing boiler is worth a fraction of new. new boilers are much smaller and lighter than old, and therefore easier to install.--nbc

Steamhead

Keep your boiler and radiators

and get a new boiler for the other house. Not only will you enjoy better comfort in both houses, but the warranty on a boiler generally only covers the original installation- if it's moved to a different location, no more warranty.

billtwocase

I'd say

go for it, but I'm a rebel that way. You own the house, get a professional, pull all necessary permits, get all necessary inspections, and run it up the flag pole. The house next door is probably a rental? 6 Years old is not that old, and if it was taken care of, should go a few more

World Plumber

Labor costs

What will it cost to disconnect and move your boiler? If it's a simple cut 2 pipes disconnect the fuel and electricity. It might not be a lot. If you have a lot of work removing the boiler and getting it out of the basement. What will that labor cost? Consider that toward the price of a new boiler.

     Also that leaves you with piping and emitters hanging in your house. Do you remove or leave them? Then what do you do with the holes in the floor. The discoloration on the walls and nail or screw holes. Will paint cover it? Did anyone panel or tile around baseboard or convectors? How do you match that?



MC

rlaggren

Moving "permanent" appliances

It's generally a crap-shoot whether it will survive the move to work the same way it works now. No particular single reason, just too many ways for damage to creep in. This is not something any professional will have done recently if at all so there are not established work habits or patterns to govern it. Warrantee was mentioned and I can promise you that the guys who move it will take NO responsibility for it working - how could they? It's used and they don't know anything about how it's been maintained or anything.



I guess there might sometime, somewhere be a reason to do something like this, but I'm not holding my breath.



Rufus

joe_94

Why Not.

The 6 year old boiler is likely very good.  Most of us have boilers somewhat older than that  which are fine.

If it is sized about right, why not use it next door.

If it is properly cut loose of the water , gas, vent and heating pipes [ get a pro],  it can be moved for a few hundred bucks, by say, Two Men and a Truck, or Manny's Piano. The latter got to my Minneapolis house within an hour of my call once and promptly humped a 350 pound boiler down the stairs, where it was  set  on pieces of 3 inch PVC pipe so as to roll it in place later.

It is a free appliance. you already own it.

billtwocase

I've done it

Landlord has new boiler put in  house, his fairly new, operational boiler he says install in my rental. I work, he pays, all is well. As far as warranty, if and when it comes to a claim, it is so pro rated that you get zip anyway. Amazing how we all want to go green, yet very few will recycle as in a case like this.

rlaggren

It can be done...

Of course.  But it's a gamble for both the pro and the customer and in something fairly costly, permanent and critical like a heating system in _most_ cases it's not wise to recommend a gamble. As a plumber I see people want to reuse their WH's all the time after a major remodel. We do it often, no problem,  much disclaimer, T&M, and it works adequately (30 days or until we're out of there) about half the time; the other half, connections won't make tight (rust), pilots won't stay lit (rplc TC, rplc control), leaks at the drain (rplc drain ftg), etc.  A dubious proposition at best. Perhaps if the move was a one day/one time affair where there was no chance for unknown bad things to befall the appliance the chances would be better. Maybe.



Also: Modern appliances incorporate worthwhile improvements that along with standard warrantees (the installer's, as well as manufacterers')  in many cases make the additional $2-3000 look like a deal in terms of reliability, working costs and peace of mind.



And believe me, no metal what so ever has the snowball's chance of seeing a land fill, at least around here! There is more than one way to recycle.



I should add: The above is based on a customer paying a pro to move the appliance. For a DIY paying himself $0 for his labor and getting an appliance free, the project would look very different. Chances of success would be lower but responsibility would be localized sorta speak and we're all grown-ups, right?



Rufus

EricAune

Straight answer for all three questions

Yes, yes and yes.



It is possible, hell they send rockets to the moon.  Moving a boiler from one location to another is not a big deal, its not registered to your home through an secret boiler service.



Would you be increasing or decreasing.....Yes, just depends on who you ask.  Everyone here will tell you it would be worlds better to have the hot water heat.  Only you know if it works as well or better for you.  If not, and simple adjustments are not the end all to any problem, then run your forced error furnace.

Charlie from wmass

Check local codes

Some new energy codes may make that 6 year old boiler obsolete. Also labor for a full fledged on the books contractor will eat up a lot of the saving. If you got a moon lighter all bets are off.

EricAune

Not for St. Paul

Good call Charlie but the only thing stopping him from using that boiler again would be if he were installing it in a newly constructed single family home.  At least that's the rules for us here in MN.

billtwocase

good point charlie

I would also say new construction might not be an option, but size the house up where it might be going, and permit it all, and there shouldn't be a problem. It usually only boils down to spreading the wealth to local departments. It is UL approved, energy star rated, and energy guide stickered. That'll do it