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Need advice on purchasing a gas boiler

CA16055
CA16055 Member Posts: 2
in Gas Heating
We are converting from oil heat to gas and have recommendations/estimates from three different companies, but I'm not sure which would be the best system. Recommendations are Buderus GC144/5, Columbia MCB-150J and Slant Fin SE-140. We have a three-story brick townhouse built in 1906. (Prices are nearly the same from each company, so that is not a consideration.) I'm mainly concerned with efficiency and durability. Efficiency ratings for each are 85%, 83% and 82.3%, respectively. Any advice? Thank you.

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,878
    All good boilers, and the efficiencies are so close as to not matter. What does matter is the quality of the installation and your comfort level with the installers
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,555
    Did any of them do a scientific heat loss calculation such as an ACCA Manual J? If not, keep on looking for a competent hydronics contractor. Getting a good one is far more important than the boiler brand, but Buderus has the best cast iron.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • CA16055
    CA16055 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the feedback, Ironman. As far as I know, not one did a heat loss calculation, but I will inquire about it.
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,555
    Once an accurate heat loss calc is done, you'll probably find out that your present boiler and the ones they're quoting are over-sized. This is NOT a good thing; in fact, it has several bad consequences.

    Bigger is not better with boilers or furnaces.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • Heat_n_CT
    Heat_n_CT Member Posts: 64
    Accurate is the key word, I had guys saying 35k, 45k, and 55k. Even had one say "you're room temps are comfortable with what you have (70k) so we'll fit you with a 131k...bigger is better".

    I kid you not, take some time read all you can on this site, absorb the years of experience, and find a contractor worth dropping a pile coin on.
  • Abracadabra
    Abracadabra Member Posts: 1,948
    CA16055 said:

    We are converting from oil heat to gas and have recommendations/estimates from three different companies, but I'm not sure which would be the best system. Recommendations are Buderus GC144/5, Columbia MCB-150J and Slant Fin SE-140. We have a three-story brick townhouse built in 1906. (Prices are nearly the same from each company, so that is not a consideration.) I'm mainly concerned with efficiency and durability. Efficiency ratings for each are 85%, 83% and 82.3%, respectively. Any advice? Thank you.

    What is the attached EDR of the system?

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