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Knight or Burham heating boiler

Sarahw
Sarahw Member Posts: 4
in THE MAIN WALL
I'm not sure which boiler to purchase for my Antique (1684) home in MA.
The Burnham ALP210BW-2T02 or the Knight Lochinvar 1 KBN151.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you.

Comments

  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    First was there a comprehensive room by room heat loss performed on your home?

    What type of Emitters? Radiators, baseboard, Radiant?

    There is a big difference betwwen the size of your boiler selections is why I ask.
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,578
    Can you post some pictures of the present boiler?
    If the choices of boiler you mentioned come from contractors bids, then one of them is quite wrong, but without knowing what your heat loss is, it is hard to say which one.
    What is the problem now?--NBC
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,611
    I suspect that both are incorrectly sized.
    I would not install either model even if correctly sized.
    The lochinvar WHN series has a superior firetube design.
    As stated, post pics of your existing setup.Have a heatloss done. How big is the home? How is it insulated?
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • Sarahw
    Sarahw Member Posts: 4
    My home is 2700 square feet and not well insulated. Attic and sills are insulated but walls have no room for insulation.
    I have 5 zones and baseboard heat. I need a new furnace as I have a power venter and the furnace goes out every time the wind blows. present furnace is 24 years old. I have a Liberty boiler presently. Thanks for all your comments.
  • Robert O'Brien
    Robert O'Brien Member Posts: 3,563
    You can determine the heat loss from the current annual oil consumption.
    To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,611
    Your boiler will have a nameplate that tells how many BTU's it is rated for.
    It would also help if you measured the total length of baseboard heaters you have. If they are an older cast iron style a picture will help.

    These 2 pieces of information will not tell you what size boiler you need, only a proper heat loss calc will do that. It will help determine whether you present bidders are even close and give you an idea how competent they are.

    There are quite a few MA contractors in the "find a contractor" section here.

    Carl
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • Sarahw
    Sarahw Member Posts: 4
    One of the contractors measured all the baseboards in the house with hopes of putting in a smaller unit but his distributor recommended the size Knight I mentioned above.
    170/190 BTU an hour for the Liberty cast iron boiler I presently have.
    One contractor measured the baseboards the other one just looked at the BTU on the present furnace and went on that information.
  • Sarahw
    Sarahw Member Posts: 4
    Oil consumption for 2013 - 1712 gallons!!
  • Wayco Wayne_2
    Wayco Wayne_2 Member Posts: 2,479
    Dont use the one who used the nameplate information. That's the worst guess in the world. Measuring the baseboard is just a little better. Have someon do a heat load calculation and be sure. The good contractors have what it takes. There is awesome software that makes it easy.
  • RobG
    RobG Member Posts: 1,850
    Where in Mass are you located? There are some good contractors up there.

    Rob
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,601
    Sarahw said:

    I'm not sure which boiler to purchase for my Antique (1684) home in MA.
    The Burnham ALP210BW-2T02 or the Knight Lochinvar 1 KBN151.
    Any suggestions would be appreciated.
    Thank you.

    1684? Is that a typo?
    Retired and loving it.
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,578
    let's move this post to a more appropriate category, such as the wall--NBC
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,601
    Done.
    Retired and loving it.
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,387
    " I need a new furnace as I have a power venter and the furnace goes out every time the wind blows"

    You don't need a new boiler. You need someone to fix it right.

    "I have a Liberty boiler presently."

    The Slant/Fin Liberty is a pretty decent, well-made boiler. If you want to switch to gas, and this boiler isn't way oversized, you can simply have a competent professional convert it, using a gas burner (we like the Carlin EZ-Gas Pro) and the necessary accessories.

    The Liberty boiler is now called the Intrepid, but the same cast-iron sections are used. We install these brand-new with EZ-Gas Pro burners.

    What part of Mass. are you in?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,578
    You can do the heat loss calculations using the free slantfin co. software, which you can get at their website. This heat loss is important to make sure your new boiler is not over-sized, and short-cycling as it heats up the water in the loop. Depending on how oversized your old boiler was, you will be using less fuel with the correct replacement, and that is always nice!--NBC

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