Converting from oil-fired baseboard heating to something else

CarrieRingo

I recently bought a 1950s 2-story house that has first floor central air and the up- and downstairs are forced hot water boiler, oil-fired heat through baseboards. I want to switch from the underground oil heating system but keep the boiler, if possible. Is natural gas my only alternative? Or would it be more economical and energy efficient, in the long run, to scrap the old boiler system and switch completely to a heat pump, alongside the existing AC, that would provide central air and heat for the entire house?

Paul48

underground?

Are you saying the house is on a slab, and the first floor piping for the baseboards is in the slab?Around here, gas is about half the cost of oil, upfront. Then take in to consideration, gas, allows you to install a mod/con boiler, and conservatively get another 15% savings. And that's very conservative, probably much higher.From a comfort standpoint, hydronic heat is a better choice than forced hot air.

Jason_13

Fuel savings

I would like to see a documented, non-biased apples to apples report that a mod/con saves 15% more fuel.

If both boilers are properly sized, sidewall vented, ODR, with today's control strategies, higher thermal transfer in cast iron where is there 15% more savings? I install both cast iron and mod/cons and see between 35% to 50%  fuel savings either way. I had one customer that changed out a 6 year old cast iron boiler with three zone valves no domestic hot water for a mod/con and the added savings was less than 5% and both boilers were within 4000 btu's of each other.

Paul48

OK

But start another thread for that discussion. Offer some help for the original poster.

JStar

Heat

Where are you located?



Hot water heat is more comfortable. One system for heat, and one for A/C is the ideal set-up. You could go for a heat pump, if designed properly. You just may not get the comfort like you do from baseboard.