Can you resell or donate a used boiler?

JeanneB

We were just told by our new plumber that the new gas boiler that we had installed in the fall, by a different plumber, almost twice as big as it should be. The EDR is about 88,000 and we have a 175,000 BTU gas powered steam boiler. The thought of replacing it is tough but you either pay up front now for a new, more efficient boiler or you pay a high gas bill every month. My question is, can our current boiler which has only been used for 4 months not be used by or sold to someone else? And if not, why?

nicholas bonham-carter

follow this thread

http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/135547/Thoughts-on-steam-systems-opitions

perhaps the boiler could be downfired.

could it be resold to the installing plumber?

a donation of such a heavy item would be difficult.--nbc

Mike Kusiak_2

Get another opinion

Don't think about replacing your new boiler until you get someone who really knows steam to look at your system. 175,000 is the input rating of your boiler, not the output. The number you should be concerned with is the IBR net steam rating which is 108,000 BTU/hr.



If your radiation EDR really totals 88,000 BTU/hr, then you are nowhere near twice as big. In fact, the next smaller size Burnham is rated at 86,000 BTU which would be considered marginal or undersized by some.



What is the actual EDR measurement of your radiators in square feet?

Brad White

Insurance and liability.

While you may be able to donate a boiler (and we are not there yet, Jeanne!), the person installing it has to warrant its safety and performance. Yes, it has been done, but in this day and age, litigation, (finding the purest person involved with their least fault as a place to start digging), is not a climate in which to dip your toe.



Should something happen and you are the installer, you would prefer to be dipped in honey at a Killer Bee convention.

Charlie from wmass

there maybe other options. Such as a vapourstat.

Down firing may be another option. DO you have a make and model of your current boiler? Double check the new guys number unless it is Dan,Steamhead or BoilerPro that told you this boiler is oversized. I would not be surprised if it is oversized.

Charlie from wmass

Granted we have

resold boilers we removed to people on tight budgets. The boilers were removed due to engineers rounding up too many times. We had one speced out that was triple the size called for in the building. Were ran the boiler for two weeks before the engineer admitted his mistake.

ed wallace

donating a boiler

call the boston building coop in jamica plain they are a non profit theat helps low income homeowners who are renovating thier homes

thier address is

100 terrace st jamica plain

phone no 617 442 2262

see if they will take the boiler