peerless vs Munchkin

As Mark pointed out below, even atmospheric equipment should be serviced on a regular basis.In too many cases (practically all) this is never done. Add to that, the fact that most gas equipment is never set up properly when installed (minimal gas pressure adjustment etc.) and the gas industry/customers have had a free ride for years. The clean/efficient gas advertising has been one big "smoke" and mirrors promotion. Given lack of setup/maintenance the level of inefficient operation is scandalous. Your comment that a "simple unintelligent....would result in a more cost effective solution." reflects what you and the industry have never confronted, most of that equipment is operating at dreadful levels of inefficiency. Guess what, it hasn't been a free ride for you the customer.

Along comes technology designed to operate at a higher level resulting in significant efficiency and the complaint becomes the cost of regular service. There is the flaw in the plan, what we will see is the historic lack of service that we've seen in the past with atmospheric equipment. After all, it's gas it doesn' need regular maintenance. It will be interesting to see this condensing equipment after 3-4-5 years of operation with no regular maintenance. Unfortunately, it will end up being the universal piece of you know what. Heaven forbid, it is difficult enough to have "experienced/trained" personnel work on this equipment let alone leave it to the homeowner.

The investment in regular service/maintenance is the assurance of continued efficient operation as opposed to the level of inefficiency we've accepted in the past.