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Steam Boiler Changeout- Estimating Fuel Cost Savings
Paul Pollets
Member Posts: 3,661
A residential customer in Seattle asked me how much would he save by changing his oil-fired steam boiler (c.1980) to a new nat. gas steam boiler. The current boiler is firing at 1gpm into an uninsulated chimney. There are 9 radiators on a 1 pipe system.Basement mains are missing 90% of insulation.
Current prices for fuel oil are $4.20/gal and nat. gas is $1.06/therm. I couldn't find any software that was anywhere near accurate for comparisons.What would you say?
Current prices for fuel oil are $4.20/gal and nat. gas is $1.06/therm. I couldn't find any software that was anywhere near accurate for comparisons.What would you say?
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Comments
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How many gallons?
How many gallons of oil do they burn? Take the gallons and multiply by 1.35 and you will get the equivalent therms.To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.0 -
How many gallons?
How many gallons of oil do they burn? Take the gallons and multiply by 1.35 and you will get the equivalent therms.To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.0 -
oil to gas savings
1 gallon of oil contains 140,000 btu, so cost of 100,000 btu will be $4,20/1.4=$3.00 per 100,000 btu
100,000 btu is 1 term. so cost of heating will go down 3/1.09 = 2.83 timesGennady Tsakh
Absolute Mechanical Co. Inc.0 -
Paul contact
me by e-mail at gastc@cox.net and give me a fax number and I will send you a little chart that will do the trick.0 -
% Efficiency
You also need to factor in the efficiency of the Boiler.This is easy to do with the attached sheet. The insulation number will require a bit of a SWAG.
Gennady is absolutely correct assuming the new boiler is no more efficient and you do not insulate."If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
Albert Einstein0 -
Might want to look at
a conversion burner. What make and model is the boiler?All Steamed Up, Inc.
Towson, MD, USA
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Consulting0 -
Existing boiler
The existing boiler is not in good shape.
The actual oil usage averages 566 gallons per year at $4.09 gal. based on 2 years worth of bills.
I'd have recommended a conversion burner if the appliance was in better shape.0 -
566 gallons
That's approx 780 therms.To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.0 -
566 gallons
That's approx 780 therms.To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.0 -
When you replace the boiler
stay with a wet base/power burner type, for best efficiency. We use Smith 8 (the red one) and Slant/Fin Intrepid (blue one) series boilers with either Carlin EZ-Gas or Midco EC burners. Both EZ-Gas burners pictured have acoustic covers.All Steamed Up, Inc.
Towson, MD, USA
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Consulting0 -
$1.06 a therm ?
Is that with all costs included ? I just bought 200 gallons of oil at $2.91 , but that price difference makes it a no brainer .0 -
Is that with all costs included ?
My latest gas bill, due July 12, 2012, is
4.22 Therms Gas $2.47
4.22 Therms Delivery $2.18
Customer Charge $8.25
Total $12.90.
Per therm:
$3.0569 all in.
$0.5853 for just the gas
$1.1019 for gas and delivery
This is in Monmouth County, NJ.Only use is for domestic hot water indirect from my mod-con boiler. It is going up to 100F outside, so none is for heating the house. ;-)0 -
Gas Price
The price I paid for natural gas on my last bill was $.97 a therm plus $5.99 service charge. The service charge is the same whether I buy 1 therm or a 100 therms.0 -
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Hi Paul,
I go with Steamhead, i wont put in a log burner for gas, only wet based oil blocks with the carlin E-Z gas, avg about 84% eff compared to 79 to 800 -
And if you really want to increase efficiency
Insulate the pipes and fittings, and upgrade the venting.gwgillplumbingandheating.com
Serving Cleveland's eastern suburbs from Cleveland Heights down to Cuyahoga Falls.0
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