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Need new hot air oil fired burner that can be switched to gas in a year

fred9
fred9 Member Posts: 29
My 22 year Heil has cracked heat exchanger and I just got a letter from the local natural gas company that gas may soon be available. So I'm looking for a furnace that can be easily converted. I now have a stand alone Bock 32E hot water heater that's one year old (but they go bad quickly with my well water).

Comments

  • Robert O'Brien
    Robert O'Brien Member Posts: 3,540
    The only warm air furnace I would even consider converting is a Thermopride. Why not just use any oil furnace and if gas becomes available, install a combi gas boiler and use furnace as an airhandler with a HW coil.
    To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.
    fred9Zman
  • fred9
    fred9 Member Posts: 29
    Thanks Robert for what looks like a very good solution. I'm very new to all this so could you give me a little more detail or example or brands? I have never replaced or bought a heating system (only 3 hot water heaters).
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    edited May 2015
    One case I know of was the oil burner heat exchanger burned thru. A condensing NG furnace with side wall venting was installed with an LP kit. When NG pipeline was available then NG kit put back in furnace.

    Your city codes might not allow an above ground LP tank if any at all. No problem here for that. But was a good temp solution.

    In this case the water heater was electric. I don't believe you can switch gas water heaters NG to LP and back again.
  • fred9
    fred9 Member Posts: 29

    Is a System 2000 from Energy Kinetics a viable option for my warm air system?
    Web site says "with easy natural gas conversion".
    Thanks
    http://www.energykinetics.com/system2000-quietest-most-efficient-boiler.shtml
  • Aaron_in_Maine
    Aaron_in_Maine Member Posts: 315
    I would put in the gas furnace now and run it on propane until natural gas becomes available. I have done it with a Thermopride and the customer still spent less even buying propane for a year or two.
    Aaron Hamilton Heating
    ahheating@ yahoo.com
    (207)229-7717
    Bob Bona_4fred9
  • fred9
    fred9 Member Posts: 29
    Aaron, Thank you for the recommendation.