Which is the best boiler out of these three:

catladyd

What is the best boiler out of these three: New Yorker fr-122-w, Burnham RSAH 85TH, or Weil Mclain WTGO-3?
Cost does not factor. We are looking for best efficiency for a 2600 sq ft house (about 1300 sq ft on each floor of a raised ranch), and we live in Pennsylvania, and we would like to get the longest life out of it with fewest repairs.

EBEBRATT-Ed

The New Yorker & the Burnham are steel boilers & the Weil McLain is cast iron. The New Yorker has the best efficiency. I am not too hot about Burnham but that's just my opinion. Burnham also offers a couple of cast Iron models.

Both the Weil and the New Yorker have made those same models for quite some time so they are proven to be good boilers.

Ironman

The Buderus G115 is the best, no comparison. A Burnham MPO or similar is a good copy of the Buderus.

These are 3 pass, smooth surface boilers that are very easy to clean. The boilers that you listed are pin surface and are very difficult to clean. I would not recommend them.

The Buderus cast iron is actually flexible which will allow for lower water temps and out door reset. It will typically save 30 - 40% over your old boiler.

kcopp

I would look at a 3 pass cast iron boiler....properly sized for your home.
Pure Pro Trio, Buderus G115, Biasi and a few good options.

Zman

I do see a red flag is your question. All the boilers you asked about are way to big for your house. I assume that contractors gave you those sizes and they likely based the numbers off either a "rule of thumb" or they just went with what was previously installed.

The correct way to size a boiler for a hot water system is to do a heat loss calculation on your specific home and use that number to size the boiler.

The approach they are using would be a little like going to the car dealer driving a beat up old pickup. You tell the salesmen that you want a nice fuel efficient car to go to work and back. The salesmen sees that you presently drive a truck tries to sell you a 4x4 monster truck.

I assume that natural gas is not an option?

KC_Jones

Also no matter what boiler you buy it's only as good as the installation and maintenance. Having a good contractor should be top on your list for consideration. Also making sure you have the boiler properly serviced every year is important, especially on oil. This is one reason so many are recommending 3 pass boilers, they are easier to maintain and more efficient.

Where in PA are you located? I now of at least one VERY good contractor on here that services PA.

catladyd

I am located in Northeast PA, between the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos. If you could recommend someone in my area, that would be great.
Natural Gas is not an option.

Ironman

Check the contractor locator on this site.

Steamhead

You'll want to have a real pro come look at this. Where are you located?

GW

Zman said:

I do see red flag is your question. All the boilers you asked about are way to big for your house. I assume that contractors gave you those sizes and they likely based the numbers off either a "rule of thumb" or they just went with what was previously installed.

those are small oil boilers, they don't any smaller do they??

Yes find someone that sells Buderus, the g115 is the standard. And for Goodness sake don't have a heat guy install a G115 b/c you asked for it, that one will come around and bite you. Keep calling heating guys till you get some g115 quotes

GW

Mortgagemagic, you may wish to start another thread. If you want a pro just let the pro buy the stuff so he can be 100℅ responsible. If you want a schmo, then sure go buy a boiler, please post some pics when he's done.. Most pros have a keen sense of business acumen, be careful how much moaning you do about price, cause the pro will quickly get the next happy to pay customer.

If it's too costly just buy electric heaters or sell the place, I wanted solar this year but didn't want to pay for it but that's a different story.

If the people aren't measuring the radiators you may be better looking elsewhere. Sure it's possible the guess could be correct, but that's just not what pros do when it comes to steam.

Jim Hankinson

If you want an energy efficient system that will last why not look at Energy Kinetics System 2000? There are dealers in your area.

bob eck

Take a look at the Trio oil boiler from F W Webb.
This is a cast Iron three pass horizontal cold start oil boiler. You will need a indirect water heater for your domestic hot water needs.
All boilers with domestic coils to make domestic hot water stay hot at 180 degrees all year long.
Using a cold start boiler with a good indirect water heater will save you money on your oil bill all year long plus you will have abundant domestic hot water.
Plus the Trio boiler is approved for burning oil, natural gas or LP gas. When switching from oil to gas you just need to change out the burner and you will not loose the warranty on this Trio boiler.
If you install a New Yorker, Burnham or Weil McLain OIL BOILER and down the road you have a contractor install a conversion gas burner in these boilers you loose any warranty on all of these three OIL BOILERS.
Trio oil boilers are built in Boyertown PA. F W Webb has them in stock in our Allentown branch.
Contact Steve's Oil Burner Service in Kunkletown PA (between Lehighton and Stroudsburg PA) call him at 484-560-0341 ask for Steve.

lakota

Is propane an option Rinnia E110CP 96% efficient Central heating and domestic hot water in one boiler

billtwocase

As Jim said, Energy Kinetics is right up there. 3 pass my choice is Pensotti DK

SuperTech

I also agree with everyone on the Energy Kinetics EK-1 Frontier. The Brookhaven lab tests show that the EK is the most efficient oil burner boiler there is, surpassing even the three pass designs.

It's not a complicated setup. Any good tech shouldn't have a problem working on it.

If it has to be oil, it has to be EK!