Hot water piped from steam boiler

jlbk

So I just bought a 3 unit with a Weil mclain steam boiler eg 50, where the entire buildings hot water (kitchen and bath sinks) are piped from the boiler. Is this proper? Should I install a hot water tank for the building? I attached some pictures for reference.

EBEBRATT-Ed

I guess the boiler has a tankless coil for DHW. Pretty rare for a gas boiler.

You have a bunch of options. An indirect water heater that is a water tank heated from the boiler. A separate gas fired water tank. An electric water tank or a Heat Pump water heater.

Heat Pump water heaters are all the rage. If you check, there are probably rebates to install one of those.

If it was me I would put in a separate gas fired water heater.

I am surprised the tenants don't complain tankless heaters are not very good for 3 families.

jlbk

Thanks for the response. Are you saying that a tankless coil is a bad thing? Is it inefficient? What are the pros to changing to a gas water heater (my initial instinct)?

ethicalpaul

The tankless coil apparently has difficulty providing enough hot water sometimes. I had one once where the mixing valve failed and it put scalding hot water to the fixtures.

The biggest "pro" to separating your hot water from your boiler is that you get to turn off your boiler in the warm months instead of heating your house with it all year around. A standalone water heater is much better insulated and is the right tool for the job.