Any hope for my National Heat Extractor 100 series oil boiler?

Colleen_Holt

My oil boiler conked out on me. I knew it was old--probably 1940s or 1950s, tops--but when I bought my 1922 house five years ago the house inspector said, "Could last you another 20 years, could go out tomorrow." Well, it lasted five more years. The gentleman from my oil company came out and did try to fix it--first they thought it was the stack relay (apparently not, because he put a new one in, and it still didn't fire up), then the wiring, then the oil burner motor. He tried to put in a new motor (if I remember correctly, the current motor was 1150rpms, or around there). He brought a new motor (3450rpms? I didn't write it down), but either it didn't fit, or he couldn't get it installed. So now my oil boiler is sitting in pieces, and I'm sitting in the living room in a 47-degree house (and that's warmer than it has been recently).

Here's my dilemma: I don't want to buy a new oil boiler, because eventually I'd like to convert to gas. I don't want to fool with gas conversion because I'm COLD and getting the requisite three quotes, then getting the work done, will take too long. Plus I have a 250-gallon oil tank that is full because my oil company loves to sneak in and fill up the tank at the end of the heating season each year, regardless of how many calls I make asking them to stop deliveries. So I'd like to try to fix the old warhorse, use up that oil, and then look into converting when it's warmer.

It's a National Heat Extractor 100 series, valve capacity 162 pounds per HR (hour?), Boiler # A105
The burner is an "Esso" Oil Burner No. A2540,
Gilbert & Barker Mfg. Co., Springfield, Mass.
Serial # H8-1853, Model # EBo-A8

I've been asking around to find an experienced oil boiler guy who would even bother to try to fix it, and coming up short. The guy from the oil company I used tried, and said that he could put in a whole new burner for alot less than it will cost for a new oil or gas boiler..but then said, "But it'll probably blow up your boiler" (meaning it would be too much power the old boiler, I guess).

Any ideas? I truly don't want to stick with oil any more than this heating season--think I should just chance it with the new burner?

Thanks to anyone who might be able to offer suggestions. I'm in suburban Maryland outside of DC.

Thank you,
Colleen Holt
Colleen.Holt@gmail.com

SWEI

Is this a steam system or a hot water system? Do you have gas in the house already? The answers to these will determine your available options.

If you want this done right, Foley Mechanical would be an excellent choice.

BTW, I hope you didn't have to pay for all of that parts changing.

Jamie Hall

@Steamhead would be a good choice, too, particularly if it's steam. (All Steamed Up in Baltimore -- check the Find a Contractor tab).

But I'm rather afraid that he may say that the whole thing should be replaced.

Ironman

Agreed. Call Dan Foley.

In all reality, your best route may be to go ahead and replace the oil boiler with one that could be converted to gas later on.

If Foley can't do it, try Frank Wilsey @ All Steamed Up. He's in Baltimore, but may come your way.

Both of these are on the contractor locator on this site. If neither can get to you, p/m me through the site.