Value of converting oil/steam to modcon gas?

The Steam Whisperer (Formerly Boilerpro)

Look at your electric bills too.......

typical gas forced air uses about $30.00 per month for electricity to run that giant blower motor, draft fan and all the electronics.  Steam only needs to open the gas valve and maybe run a small amount of electronics.    I believe, if my numbers are correct, that forced air uses about 80 times more electricity that an typical steam boiler.  There's plenty of research data out there (Department of Energy and other independent testing) that shows the overall system efficiency of a typical new  single family home forced air system is about 55% to 65%.  Steam appears to be more in the 70 to 75% range, probably due to much lower distribution losses and dramatically lower effect on air leakage of the structure when the system is in operation.  There's many reasons forced air is almost non existent on the world wide market and this is one of them.

Modcon gas also uses many times more electricity than steam, but probably use less gas than a typical steam boiler due to lower system losses ( smaller pipes and lower temperatures) and air leakage rates of the structure may be even lower than steam.  However, you have a whole lot more to go wrong, and if you are in a high density area, can be difficult to legally and safely vent the exhaust.  High efficiency appliance are all but illegal for installation in most areas of Chicago.

SWEI

High efficiency appliances

in high density neighborhoods could certainly present challenges.  What makes them truly infeasible?

The Steam Whisperer (Formerly Boilerpro)

Sidewall venting.....

is the problem. The general restrictions include not being closer that 10 feet to the lot line, within 7 feet of any window or other opening, no under porches, no outdoor vent piping other than the couple feet for the termination.  Once you start adding the cost of installing chase ways, which must allow inspection of the vent piping, through other owners units (condos) , the fire stops between units,etc,  The cost starts growing rapidly.  There is also the issue of fire separations between units, so ductwork can't be run in ceilings or down in the basement, unless the space is separated with fireproofing.

Bob Bona_4

direct vent

Appliance terms can be within 1 foot horizontally of a window or 7 feet from lot line is how I readthe Code.

SWEI

Pressure zone restrictions

on the Giannoni HXes made this really difficult.



I have had a lot less trouble with newer designs that allow us to intake from the sidewall and vent out the chimney/roof (even it it's 70 feet up.)

heatpro02920

I have never had a property

that I couldn't figure a way to vent.. Sure its not as easy as plugging into an existing chimney but nothing is impossible... Use your head and get er' done... I hear a lot of guys say, "how would you vent a tankless and a mod con"? Its easy, I have done it many many times, no complaints and the jobs still made money...

Bob Bona_4

I have had

0 problems with sidewall concentrics as in the flat plate style. Otherwise it's roof concentric or chimney as a chase for pp and intake on sidewall. But sidewall is first choice for access.