Best value for propane condensing boiler

Nickkendall

I am needing to find a good boiler for my house and garage and looking for some opinions on something reliable
I see they go from $-$
I just want something that will hopefully give me some trouble free years
Needs to be 90+ efficient
I am currently interested in the Westinghouse high efficiency

nicholas bonham-carter

The most important part of the equation is the installer, so follow his recommendations for a boiler with good distribution local to you. He will also do a heat loss Survey of your house, to make sure the boiler is sized right. There is a difference between a water heater, and a heating boiler.
What do you have now?—NBC

Jamie Hall

As @nicholas bonham-carter says, the installer is the key to the picture -- not the name plate on the boiler. Further, without a heat loss calculation, you can't do the job at all. You'd be guessing.

The best boiler is any one of the good makes, properly installed, sized to the heat loss, and properly adjusted and calibrated. Then you will have something. Otherwise -- might as well throw darts at a catalogue.

Nickkendall

Well I’m installing it myself in place of my electric that I used for just my house since now I’m going to heat my new garage and house I see they have turndown ratios which is what I will be running as my heat loss is around 80,000 between house and garage
Thinking about trying a Westinghouse high efficiency but I have just started looking. Thanks

GroundUp

First things first, Westinghouse doesn't make a boiler. They put their sticker on an HTP boiler. The HTP/Westinghouse is a decent enough boiler for the price, but their customer service is horrendous because of all the homeowners who buy them online or in Menards and try to self install without reading the manual or having the proper equipment for setting up the gas and combustion. In a broad spectrum, I would figure out what your local installers use and take your pick of that litter so they can service it in 2 years when it's perpetually locked out on flame failure.

Nickkendall

GroundUp said:

First things first, Westinghouse doesn't make a boiler. They put their sticker on an HTP boiler. The HTP/Westinghouse is a decent enough boiler for the price, but their customer service is horrendous because of all the homeowners who buy them online or in Menards and try to self install without reading the manual or having the proper equipment for setting up the gas and combustion. In a broad spectrum, I would figure out what your local installers use and take your pick of that litter so they can service it in 2 years when it's perpetually locked out on flame failure.

Why will I have flame failure? Will propane not be as reliable as the electric boiler setup I used the past 6 years flawlessly Only switching since I built a garage now

JUGHNE

IMO, it could be as reliable if all the little details are taken care of for the LP install.

Jamie Hall

Nickkendall said:

GroundUp said:

First things first, Westinghouse doesn't make a boiler. They put their sticker on an HTP boiler. The HTP/Westinghouse is a decent enough boiler for the price, but their customer service is horrendous because of all the homeowners who buy them online or in Menards and try to self install without reading the manual or having the proper equipment for setting up the gas and combustion. In a broad spectrum, I would figure out what your local installers use and take your pick of that litter so they can service it in 2 years when it's perpetually locked out on flame failure.

Why will I have flame failure? Will propane not be as reliable as the electric boiler setup I used the past 6 years flawlessly Only switching since I built a garage now

Provided you give an LP boiler a tiny bit o maintenance, the boiler itself is just as reliable as the electric boiler is. However... the LP boiler can be run off a small generator, but the electric one can't. Which would you rather have the next time the grid goes down in your area?

Ironman

Nickkendall said:

GroundUp said:

First things first, Westinghouse doesn't make a boiler. They put their sticker on an HTP boiler. The HTP/Westinghouse is a decent enough boiler for the price, but their customer service is horrendous because of all the homeowners who buy them online or in Menards and try to self install without reading the manual or having the proper equipment for setting up the gas and combustion. In a broad spectrum, I would figure out what your local installers use and take your pick of that litter so they can service it in 2 years when it's perpetually locked out on flame failure.

Why will I have flame failure? Will propane not be as reliable as the electric boiler setup I used the past 6 years flawlessly Only switching since I built a garage now

A gas mod/con requires a lot more than just connecting pipes to it. A digital combustion analyzer, digital manometer and the proper knowledge and training of how to use them is required. Otherwise, ignition and component failure happens in about two years. Or CO poisoning in much less time.

GroundUp

What he said ^^^^. There is a reason that proper installations cost as much as they do.

pecmsg

Nickkendall said:

Well I’m installing it myself in place of my electric that I used for just my house since now I’m going to heat my new garage and house I see they have turndown ratios which is what I will be running as my heat loss is around 80,000 between house and garage Thinking about trying a Westinghouse high efficiency but I have just started looking. Thanks

And what experiences do you have installing boilers?

So much for proper sizing. 

best to check the warranty when installed by an unlicensed contractor. 

Solid_Fuel_Man

May I ask how you came to the 80,000 btu/hr number? 

What type of emitters do you have? 

Local support is key with a boiler installation.