Oil burner replacement

Angela_2

Hi-- I have an original Richardson Steam Boiler that was converted to oil (circa 1911). The burner -- a Sinclair model -- is probably from the 1950's or even earlier. I have huge oil bills every winter -- as much as $1000/mo in the coldest months @ $2 gallon -- and this year $2 a gallon is a lot less than I'm paying, so I've been freaking out. I'm unemployed right now and can't replace the boiler. When they come for cleanouts, I get a 76% efficiency rating each year. I've just learned that that rating may not be what I thought it was, that the efficiency is probably much less and a lot of heat is going up my chimney. Of course I have other heat loss in this leaky old house, which I've been going after with caulk and plastic. But what I want to know is: how can I figure out what my new efficiency would be with a new burner, and how do I find the best burner for my system?

clammy

richardson boilers

Just to give you an idea i replaced a richardson hot water boiler that was installed in 1949 on a mono flow tee system (hot water system again) and there fuel usage was cut over 1/2 more like 1/3 and that was with a maintaning aquastat keeping the boiler warm all year .So in any event maybe a home equity loan it would truely be a smart investment your systems eff would at least be 84 % and with a modern burner your cycle time would most likely be short and your fuel comsumpution would be less on another note the price of everything never goes down ie;oil peace and good luck clammy

John Mills_5

different efficiency figures

Remember that the 76% efficiency figure you are getting is combustion efficiency meaning that once fully warmed, 76% of the heat you are paying for stays in the boiler. That's not too shabby. Not sure spending $$$$ for a new burner will pay you back. But the boiler system overall could be 50% in annual efficiency. That says that over the course of the winter, only 1/2 of the heat you pay for stays in the house. That figure considers that it takes some time for the oil burner to come up to full combustion efficiency, the 76% figure. It also looks at heat lost during startup, during shutdown when the boiler is hot and so much of the heat goes up the chimney, and how much heat is lost 24 hours a day sucked up the chimney through the barometric.

Personally if budget doesn't allow a new boiler, I'd work on tightening the house. The new burner just isn't going to save much in the antique boiler.