Electric Boiler

OhioRuss

I'm starting from scratch in a 140 year old brick house. I'm interested in using old cast iron radiators with an electric boiler such as Burnham or Electro. The tradesmen in the area say I want to stay away from an electric boiler, but they can't give me a reason. My dad, a 40 year electrician, can't give me a reason other than just don't. The options are LP, Fuel Oil or Electric. Electric is about 9.1 cents per kilowatt. Can someone explain the bad rap with electric boilers? I really like their simplicity so I would like to understand why so many people are saying avoid them.

Jean-David Beyer

Choice of fuels.

Bear i mind that I am not a heating professional.



It seems to me the choice of fuel (and electricity counts as a fuel in this context) depends on many different issues, most of them economic, but some may be ethical.



The bad rap I perceive electricity has is due, I think, to the fact that it costs more per BTU than the other fuels. The incrimental cost, that is. I imagine, without evidence, that an electric boiler has a lower first cost than the others because it is relatively simpler than any of the others. Its maintenance would be less, because no combustion, so no combustion controls needing adjustment and cleaning. Depending where you live, the cost may be lower than some others (areas where the electricity is heavily subsidized, such as by the TVA.



Similarly, I imagine that oil is cheaper than LP (though I do not really know) and that natural gas is the cheapest. But once you convert the the cheapest one tomorrow, will it still be the cheapest one next year? It is a gamble. Solar heating may be the cheapest to maintain and operate (I have no practical experience with this), but it is my impression that the initial cost is quite high, and qualified designers and installers may be a problem. But that seems to always be a problem. Heat pumps, similarly.



But if you are an extreme environmentalist (I tend to be), you might choose gas even if it may end up costing you more. Or you might avoid electricity because coal powerd power plants are such heavy polluters. Or you might avoid nuclear power plants because they pollute in their own way, and believe they are just overly complex geologic fault line detectors.



The more I think about issues of this kind, the more questions are raised. But as the joke goes, I am now confused on a higher level and about more important things.

Gordy

Electric boilers

   I can not give anything except the high cost of electricity. Is 9.1 cents a KWH after all fees/ taxes, or is that the net cost? Do you live in a part of the country with a lot of heating degree days?  I know I'm at 12 cents a KWH in my area, and I deff would not chose an electric heat source. 50% rate hike on the horizon in Jan. Looking to go back to gas lamps:-).



   Electric boilers can give all the same benefits of gas, or oil units with out the venting. Modulation, ODR,  ETC.  The only issue is size of service to accommodate the large KW units for heating. You may have to upgrade your service so consider that if comparing installation costs.



  Gordy

Jean-David Beyer

Electricity in NJ...

If I figure my electric bill, including energy, delivery, taxes, and fees, it costs $0.1667 per kilowatt-hour. It is no doubt wise I replaced the very slowly leaking electric water heater with an indirect when I put in a new mod-con boiler. Around here, unless the maintenence of electric boilers is much much less than a gas mod-con, electric heating would not pay.

MikeG

It's all relevant and it depends

For most people it's more than just the dollars, or is it.  As JDB points out there are the environment issues of different fuel types.  In northwet Ohio my electric comes from either a coal fired, or nuclear plant.  After all taxes, fees etc about $0.11 a KWH. It's actually been reasonably stable the last few years.  Propane for me is $2.399 a gal but add in tax, fuel sur-charge, hazmat etc it is about $2.65 a gal if I wait until my 500 gal tank is about at 20% to get a decent fill to spread out the hazmat and fuel sur-charge fees.  The propane companies all play the new customer game with low initila fill and lower first year lock in prices and people change on a yearly basis.  Based on propane at 92000 BTUs a gal and electric at 3412 BTU KWH, a million BTUs on an 80% efficient boiler like my son has is $35.17 for electric at .$12 KWH and $36.00 for propane.  If the BTU content of propane is lower or boiler efficeincy is higher it changes. I have a modcon so for me I'm better off with propane.  My son on the other hand could plug in a resistance type heater and probably break even.  Heat the area you are in and use the boiler for baseline heat.  Of course there is also the comfort aspect to factor in.  Depending on the application an electric boiler may make sense.  The cost of fuel is always a crap shoot.

Gordy

Electric verses Gas or oil not relevant to all

Mike,



  When ever someone mentions using electric for heating I'm always inclined to ask the rates in their area along with degree days. Most people would be shell shocked to switch from gas to electric heating after seeing the bill.  Its to bad NG is not available in this case.

  At the very least the OP was savvy enough to have hydronic heat instead of electric emitter type of heat. With hydronics you have the ability to choose a fuel source to your liking. With electric mats your locked in to the grid unless you utilize PV, Wind, Hydro etc.



 As far as the greenness, and efficiencies of electric yes to the end user you could say 100% of energy put in is utilize which is a stretch, but  there is a serious Tax on efficiency at the power plant, and in transmission to the end user.



Gordy