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Sears /Kenmore gas water boiler

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brandonjm08
brandonjm08 Member Posts: 2
edited October 2018 in THE MAIN WALL
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

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  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,324
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    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.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    brandonjm08Solid_Fuel_Man
  • brandonjm08
    brandonjm08 Member Posts: 2
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    Thanks Jamie. Im searching for a somewhat local boiler tech and may just go that route!
  • ImYoungxD
    ImYoungxD Member Posts: 130
    edited October 2018
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    I would pass on anything that is Sears/Kenmore since Sears is going to file bankruptcy.
  • Tinman
    Tinman Member Posts: 2,808
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    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?
    Steve Minnich
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,841
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    > @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
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
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    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
  • Solid_Fuel_Man
    Solid_Fuel_Man Member Posts: 2,646
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    And I'd say it's a few percent better since it doesn't have a standing pilot.
    Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!
    1Matthias

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