Heat Exchanger vs Full Replacement

BMcGahan

I have a quote to replace the heat exchange for $ or full boiler replacement for $$ for steam boiler. Boiler is 18 years old. Thoughts?

mattmia2

please edit to remove prices. we cant' discuss prices here although you could describe the relative costs. i'd just replace the hx if they are going to do it right and the current system works well.

pecmsg

address the reason you’re replacing it at 18 years that’s a young life for a boiler

mattmia2

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1869952#Comment_1869952

maybe it is a burnham.

HVACNUT

I'd sign up for 3 HX replacements and still keep $2K in my pocket.

pecmsg

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1869955#Comment_1869955

It "Could" be a lot of things.

BMcGahan

Sorry about adding the prices. Im thinking I might go with replacing the heat exchange. The original installers also used copper piping. Should I have that replaced? Its not leaking but apparently copper is no good.

GGross

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1869961#Comment_1869961

post pics of the piping I'd wager folks here can come up with a laundry list of install issues

pecmsg

as said if it’s a Burnham then that might be the life. I’d replace it.
anyone else find out why it failed.

BMcGahan

Attached is the piping and the heat exchanger.

BMcGahan

It's a Dunkirk.

ethicalpaul

Pardon my ignorance but isn't the "heat exchanger" basically the whole cast iron part of the boiler, which is to say, the whole boiler?

How could you replace the "heat exchanger" for less than 1/3 the cost of a boiler? I must be missing something.

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1869969#Comment_1869969

If they buy an assembled boiler it's actually more work to change just the block.

I don't think the sheet metal and trim etc cost much.

The pricing does seem peculiar.

KC_Jones

I'd be more concerned with proper piping techniques than if it's copper instead of black pipe. The bit I see in the pics the boiler is piped wrong, and maybe even the wrong pipe size. That style boiler is very sensitive to proper piping. Now if they put a new one in and pipe it properly, they better use black pipe for the steam side at least.

I'm with Paul, I don't see how they replace the heat exchanger that much cheaper than the whole boiler considering they have to get into the same piping for either job.

pecmsg

You’ve got a leak somewhere!

Fix it.

mattmia2

improper piping can pull the sections of the boiler apart, that may be what happened here but the pictures are way too close to see how it is piped. it is like those close up object puzzles.

EBEBRATT-Ed

I know we can't talk prices, but something seems out of wack to me. Not a very large boiler.

BMcGahan

Here are better pictures of the piping

mattmia2

it is only connected to one side of the boiler?

BMcGahan

Yes, connected to the back.

mattmia2

hopefully the cost difference is replacing the copper special with proper near boiler piping with the new boiler.