I'm a homeowner

Rock Solid Restoration_3

I'm a homowner on Long Island and wall contributor on concrete issues.I'm also a wannabe wethead.

I appreciate the advice on my first post but would like to hear from some Long Island, Dan Holohan Disciple wetheads with regard to Keyspan conversion from oil to gas.

I am renovating my 1,600 sf house and it will be very well insulated R-25 walls and R-50 roof. I will install 1/2" pex throughout in a 1-1/2" concrete over the subfloor and wood flooring on top.

I have an existing 1996 Thermo-Dynamics VTF 640 oil boiler with a net 124,000 btu rating and a coil for domestic.

Either way, I have to move the existing boiler because I want to do away with the exterior masonry chiminey. And I also will get gas for cooking and for the clothes dryer.

With that said, should I go ahead and take the free boiler, if so, which one? Or should I take the $500 rebate and get a really good gas boiler? Should I hook up my oil boiler and a gas boiler in series and use one or the other depending on the respective fuel prices?

Or, should I just stick with the old oil boiler. And if so how costly is it to run double wall stainless steel flue pipe up through the house?

Thank you VERY much in advance for your much respected advice!

PJO_2

I'm not from L.I....

but since nobody has spoken up...

1) I don't think you should put the boilers in series...one will act as a cooling tower if it's off-line. Put them as secondary loops or one to just feed hot water maybe (the existing one with the coil).

2) If you want to choose a new free boiler vs. a $500.00 rebate, the free one is better for the pocketbook but do you have a choice of boilers? If not, it must be an 80% efficiency job, and the payback vs. the 92% to 95% will be your decision.

3) If you are getting gas into the house I assume it's piped in natural gas from the company. I am not sure about this one vs. oil...I prefer the independence and competition that oil brings to the table. Add in the higher BTU's from a gallon of oil vs. gas (140k vs. 100 k I believe) and that adds to the arguement. In my home, I have electric for my oven/stove and clothes dryer...although the dryer (and air conditioning) is "off-peak". See if this set-up is available and if it works for you. It saves a considerable amount of money over the years with a slight adjustment in lifestyle changes.

4) Depending on the condition of your current boiler, it may not be worth it to switch at all. IMHO, if it's in good condition and is running at 80% efficiency, maybe you just need work around the unit itself (piping, controls) to make the SYSTEM more efficient, and to protect the boiler, etc. You would run a system that is slightly less efficient in some ways, but the up-front cost would be way ahead. Also, see the issues on staying with oil above. I would recommend doing something for the long-term about the coil. If you tend to run out of domestic hot water with high use (it starts to cool down) you could simply add an electric hwh to it for a 30 or 40 gallon "head start" and either disconnect the elements or turn them down for back-up. I have a 50 gallon unit (also hooked to off-peak) off my coil, and I have never run out of hot water if my boiler is running...including filling a 100 gallon tub.

Since no other Wallies have jumped in, there's my $0.02...

Take Care, PJO

Joe Grosso

conversion

Ok Rock,
Number one is that have you ever heard the saying that nothing in the world is for free.You have a six year old boiler that has a 82 or 83% rating to it.As to having gas for cooking and a dryer I have a electric for both and bought top of the line for eff and have a 125 to 150 electric bill for my home of 1900sqf.Wife and two small boys do alot wash and cooking and bills are not alot.At least with oil companies they will fight for your business not so with keyspan pay our rate period.Plus do not forget about weatherization which allows a gas companyto bill homeowners additional money if the winter turns out to be warmer than normal and yes they do it on the electrical side if we have a cool summer and do not use that much electric.Never seen a oil company do that to their customers.

DanHolohan

Today's Newsday

Page A24:

"KeySpan officials said that that from November through March the average heating customer used 38 percent more natural gas than the same period last winter, and the price of the fuel was 75 percent higher."

Rich_2

Homeowner

Ok, I,m from LongIsland,I'm a plumber & I do conversion work, I also have oil in my house (thank god)even though I ran out last, week my own fault for waiting for spring to break so oil would drop. Anyway, the thermodynamics is a builders grade boiler so if your gonna go oil which I recomend I would keep in mind to change the boiler maybe not now ,but the whole deal would be better in cast iron, that being said it's gonna cost more upfront .But if you go gas they will give you a nice castiron Burnham (cold start ,you'll need a water heater of some sort)then you are keyspans customer period!The gas deal comes in at half the price on the install so you have the extra two grand to blow on gas, so whats that like two years worth.I also have propane for the stove , if it's only for cooking it's probably like a $100 a year.OIL BABY OIL it sucks when you run out or if it spills but MY opinion is it sucks more to be on keyspans "budget" plan that bill comes every month.I am not bashing gas I'm a plumber I don't care what you burn you still need me

Rich_2

homeowner

As far as your chimney,I believe it's triple wall for oil & the last time I bought it was around $90.00 per lenth my cost(lenth is 3feet)

Leo

If gas is so good

If gas is so good why does the gas company have to give free equipment or rebates to get you to switch. Should you decide to switch is the free boiler installed for free? Is the no longer needed oil tank pumped out and removed for free. Does the gas company offer service, in this area they don't.

Whatever you decide good luck on your renovation,

Leo