Sears /Kenmore gas water boiler

brandonjm08

Hello, I am buying my grandparents house as they have recently passed. The house has a Sears /Kenmore/Dunkirk boiler system. I am just trying to find anyone with experience or opinions of these systems. I have fired it up and it is working fine. I am nervous about the efficiency long term and debating getting a forced air system. Any thoughts are appreciated. I am located in Jackson, Michigan and no one around here can tell me anything.

112500 btu/ hr input
Model 229-964141 Dunkirk radiator corporation

Manufactured in 1989

Jamie Hall

If that old Dunkirk is still working OK and heating the house, I'd find a reasonably competent technician to come and thoroughly clean it and check and adjust as needed the combustion. True, it's not as efficient as the latest and greatest, but if properly tuned it isn't half bad. Then, when it gives up, you can replace it with a more modern hot water boiler. I can't believe that there is no one in a reasonable radius that couldn't manage that, particularly if they can read the installation manual!

You will be much happier with your heat doing that than you will be tearing everything out and putting in forced air. Hot water is much more comfortable -- and you'd never get the investment back anyway.

If you do really need air conditioning, there are a number of approaches which could be looked at.

brandonjm08

Thanks Jamie. Im searching for a somewhat local boiler tech and may just go that route!

ImYoungxD

I would pass on anything that is Sears/Kenmore since Sears is going to file bankruptcy.

Tinman

Stick with hydronic heat! Forced air is a completely different animal and I'd bet the farm you'd regret the change. Do you have free standing cast iron radiators?

HVACNUT

> @ImYoungxD said:
> I would pass on anything that is Sears/Kenmore since Sears is going to file bankruptcy.

Lol. True but it looks like an '89 so the prorated block warranty is up next year. Roll the dice.
Sears probably doesn't even have record of that boiler anymore.

Fred

It's a Dunkirk boiler. It doesn't matter if Sears goes belly up, at least as it relates to this boiler or unless someone wants a new "Sears" badge to paste over "Dunkirk".

Solid_Fuel_Man

And I'd say it's a few percent better since it doesn't have a standing pilot.