What are the best brands of oil fired steam boilers

A chilly consumer

I need to replace my oil fired steam boiler. What are the better and/or best brands to consider. A Burnham and a Buderus have been recommended.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Mark Hunt

Buderus does not have a steam boiler available in the USA.

Burnham, Peerless, and Weil-Mclain all have good products.

It is very important that the contractor that you hire has a good working knowledge of steam systems and the way they need to be piped.

The boiler is just a "dumb" piece of cast iron, and if the contractor is no smarter than the boiler, it won't matter who's boiler you choose.

You have come to the right place for info regarding your system though so your ahead of the game already!!

Hope this helps!!

Mark H

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A chilly consumer

The Buderus was to convert to a gas system (forgot to mention).

John (jcg)

It all depends

Before retiring I preferred Dunkirk Steam Boilers and my best friend in the industry preferred Peerless. My advice would to carefully screen all prospective contractors and go with what they recommend. Most of the US manufactures of cast iron boilers make a pretty good steam boiler and which is best depends upon where your tradeoffs are.

jcg

kevin

I am a big fan.....

of Smith boilers..Especially when it comes to steam...Wider sections...and on oil.Although you could use a good conversion burner on an oil boiler. I like the wet base much better. I don't recommend Weil-Mclain on steam.Peerles is a good unit from what I hear although I have not put one in.It would be interseting if Buderus did make a stean boiler....hmm.. kpc PS. It is critical that the installer knows his stuff! a great boiler installed wrong WILL be a nightmare....

Cosmo

More important than the brand...

Is the tradesman who installs it. Steam boilers are all pretty much the same, the most important thing I would look for are steel push nipples between the sections, but these boilers are getting hard to find. I am not sure if you are a contractor, or homeowner, but the best thing to do I think would be to try to find who in your area specializes in steam heating.....
Casmo

joe_14

peerless


I have used the Peerless ECT model many times. If sized and piped properly you cant beat this boiler. In yuor search for a boiler try to find one that has at least two 2inch outlet tappings on top this will allow you to control the steams exit velocity.

good luck

Unknown

I agree with Joe

We have many hundreds of Peerless steamers in , and if its sized and piped properly , its one of the best boilers out there . Personally , I have never replaced an ECT from it leaking - steam or hot water . We have replaced a handful of the older ECT - the JOT - from leaking ( except for the bad batch that came out in 1985-86 , not leakers , just put together too tight on the flue passage side ) . Otherwise its a trouble free boiler .

chris smith

i'm

also a huge fan of the peerless ect, the extra water volume,
push nipples not gaskets, and the rielo burner make a killer combo for steam

chris smith
porter maine