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Summer hot water

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GBF
GBF Member Posts: 2
in Domestic Hot Water
I have oil fired hot water heating. Hot water for showers, etc. are also from the same boiler. During the summer the water is kept at 180 degrees causing the furnace to kick on as needed to keep the temperature up. This creates heat in the basement and increases my , now expensive, oil consumption.



I am looking for some cost relief and would like to know if:



.indirect/external waters tank makes sense.

.the furnace can be shut down or run at much lower water temperatures.

.heat pumps are any good/ electric/oil?



Any advice would be welcome

Comments

  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
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    First....

    Why is your boiler set for 180 to make domestic hot water? You could turn the low limit (depending on your control) down to 150 (for starters) and see if it keeps up with your hot water needs. Hopefully you have a mixing valve so 180 degree water isn't going out to your fixtures.

    An indirect could makes more sense, depending on your needs.

    Others here may suggest piping your domestic coil thru a regular water heater, so in the summer you can shut off the boiler.

    Heat pumps are a whole different topic.

    What kind of boiler do you have now?

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • GBF
    GBF Member Posts: 2
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    summer heat

    Hi Steve,



    I have a Burham V8 series model# PV84WT-TBWF. I checked the readings and they were 170 degrees and 40 psi. I have 3 zones. The unit is only 5 years old so it doesn't make sense for me to replace it or even convert to gas. I have to fill the oil tank after the summer months. My kids are out and it's just my wife and I. An oil fill up is around $600 right now and seems a waste. I expect it to go higher in the future.
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,433
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    Hmmm...

    something does not seem right... 40 psi on a residential hot water boiler is too high. The relief valve is prob set to pop @ 30psi. Normally 18 psi is fine. should get that looked into.

     That being said. This is a typical problem. Hence the reason tankless coils are not  great energy efficient heating set up although they are less to install than a boiler and separate indirect heater. (there is some debate here on this)

    One easy fix to this is to put a electric water heater after  the water flows through the coil and  turn off the boiler in the summer.

    Another option would be to install a gas tankless(noritz, bosch, rinnai) heater and have your boiler wired to a cold start boiler. Of simply install a indirect water heater. (Amtrol, Superstor or Vaughn)
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