gas boiler brands

rumn8r

difference between the two model numbers. I can't see any, but don't understand why the same boiler would be sold under two different names.

rumn8r

GAS BOILER BRANDS

I need to replace my 22 year old natural gas boiler --- a Hydrotherm hydropulse 150k btu--- in a 4500 sq ft. house. The house is a remodelled 1840s farm house in Wash DC. The heating system is hot water in cast iron radiators. About 12 rooms.
I picked the new Dunkirk Quantuum95M-200, a modulating condensing boiler. Also sold under the Utica brand as UB95M-200.
The contractor who may install it says I should exchange it. That Utica Boilers are the worst. Until now the specs and comments seemed to be positive.

Does anyone know about the brand's quality in general and this model im particular? Good or Bad.

Maggie Reed

Dunkirk & Utica Boilers

I was disheartened to see that someone would feel that our boilers are not any good. Both Dunkirk and Utica boilers have been around since 1928 and probably would not be around today if we made a poor quality product. We feel that the Quantum 95M and UB95M are some of the best boilers available on the market today.

I would like to refer you to a previous thread where you can read some positive things about the 95M boiler.

http://forums.invision.net/Thread.cfm?CFApp=2&&Message_ID=279389&_#Message279389

Thank you.

Maggie Reed Lutz

Senior Marketing Representative -
ECR International, Inc.

Maggie Reed

95M Boilers

Lexy -

Dunkirk and Utica are both brands of ECR International. The same boiler is sold under both brand names so that it is more readily available throughout the marketplace.

Maggie

Brad White_152

Commonly done, I would add,

to market the same boiler, even cars, furnaces, appliances of all stripes, under different names and for broader market penetration as Maggie said.

So, Lexy, the contractor made a knee-jerk statement about Utica without research. In so doing, I respectfully submit, it tells you something about your potential contractor. I think he can be educated though.

Guy_6

bad feelings

Often a conractor will impart their negativity on a product due to some past issue. In many cases, the cause is an improperly installed product, where the contractor will not face their mistakes. As a manufacturer, we jokingly say "It's always the product's fault".

If another qualified contractor is comfortable with the product, and the manufacturer is willing to back it (as witnessed above), then I would not put any weight toward the negativity of one person. (Dang, did I just help sell someone else's boiler again???....)

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Like some other condensing/modulating boilers, the Dunkirk Quantuum and its twin with the Utica name, have an aluminum heat exchanger.

To ensure reasonable service life, the water MUST be analyzed and treated. It MUST then be monitored regularly (likely annually for the first few years in a large, old system then at least semi-annually after a few years) with appropriate additions, adjustments or even replacement.

If this does not appeal to you, I would suggesting selecting a condensing/modulating boiler that uses a stainless steel heat exchanger.

Stainless steel is much more tolerant of different water chemistries with routine treatment/monitoring generally not required unless antifreeze is used in the system.

A pre-installation flush/clean/rust inhibiting treatment is a good idea before any condensing modulating boiler installed in an old iron system.

You might want to search both here and the web for suggestions/observation/advice regarding aluminum vs. stainless steel heat exchangers in mod-cons. You might want to start with this recent message here at "The Wall". Personally I've always been rather skeptical of aluminum heat exchangers--this made me even more so...

Can only link to the entire thread--not the individual message. Long thread. Look for the post from "Perry" beginning with "AL boiler HX degradation in Europe".

Chris_82

Lexey, see my warrantee thread

Hi, Maggie just what do you mean by back it? I am asking about the deposit warranty issue on your condensing boilers? Basically that’s when you ask us to purchase a new boiler, or parts, or whatever at going prices and then hold us hostage, for the presumption that we installed the boiler incorrectly, do we ever install any correctly I might ask? I am sick of dealing with this issue and how many manufacturers look out for their interests first, frequently at my and my customer’s expense. It's not fair.

Jeff Lawrence_25

Guy

You're right about the possible problems that contractor may have had with a boiler, but it could also be "It's not MY brand."

S Ebels

While I think highly of ECR

I would be really cautious and do some research on placing an aluminum block boiler in service on an old system with a lot of iron in it. If you were my customer I would warn you that regular maintenance of your system water quality will be paramount for long life. At minimum I would advise a good sediment screen/trap or an actual filter of some kind on the return to keep unwanted ferrous metal debris out of the aluminum HX.