New hydronic system

hevysrf · February 11

I currently have a 96k input Burnham boiler and a 40 gallon 32k input water heater, both natural draft, original install in a 1600 sq ft home built in 1983 .

2 zones, Honeywell valves, single grundfos alpha circulator. Natural gas, 1" pipe supply to boiler, just a few away from a 275cfh meter. Total of 88 linear ft copper tube aluminum fin baseboard.

Home is built on a crawl space, mechanicals are in first floor laundry room adjacent to living space. This room has a 7 " b vent for the boiler, hot water combustion products and a 4" vent for the gas dryer.

I have been reasonably happy with the system, silent, comfortable , reliable with minor maintenance( cleaning, thermocouples), but planning for an eventual replacement.

My next purchase will likely be a heat pump type dryer, doing away with the dryer vent.

What are my options for eliminating the B vent with reliability and cost as priority?

Screenshot 2025-02-11 at 8.29.22 AM.png

Screenshot 2025-02-11 at 8.29.34 AM.png

Intplm. · February 11

Gas heat with thermocouple standing pilot boiler that you are happy with. If it were my heating system, I would not change a thing and hang onto that standing pilot boiler for as long as possible. Everyone I know has missed there's once they had gotten rid of it. I miss it too. Reliable, reliable.

If you are looking to do some homework for the future, and not wanting to do this right away. Getting rid of the B vent etc. A modulating condensing boiler should fit into your current boilers spot nicely. Especially if there is a outside wall there.

Ironman · February 11

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1841927#Comment_1841927

I agree and would recommend using an indirect water heater connected to the boiler. A much better setup than a heat pump water heater - especially if you have a gas boiler.

Heat pump water heaters are NOT the greatest.

Jamie Hall · February 11

What you have is about the most reliable system you can get.

hevysrf · February 12

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1842082#Comment_1842082

It has been very reliable, but looking at 42 years old for boiler and a gas water heater from 2007 .

Since this is located indoors, I'm not looking at heat pump water heater, but a heap pump clothes dryer, this would allow closing the dryer vent.

II would like to use outside air for boiler combustion forced draft out the side of the house.

DHW indirect tank would be ok.

hot_rod · February 14

your baseboard will transfer about 44,000 btu/ hr. That boiler seem large for the home, about twice what you need. So when you do upgrade, consider downsizing.

gyrfalcon · February 14

My boiler and domestic hot water are quite comparable to yours. Same age, size , baseboard and venting with some minor differences . I am waiting until my boiler leaks or is otherwise non repairable .

A smaller boiler is certainly recommended when it comes time to replace, as @hot_rod mentions.

One thing to consider, a cast iron power vented/ sealed combustion (outside air kit) boiler might be quite expensive when all said and done. And it will not modulate.

EdTheHeaterMan · February 14

It has been very reliable, but looking at 42 years old. For a well built boiler, that is not very old.

The replacement Modulating Condensing boiler won't last that long. Lucky if you get 20 years out of one, and that is if you pay for annual maintenance (and it is done correctly). I might think about replacing the boiler in another 10 to 15 years, but only if it starts to look really bad around the water connections

The indirect water heater will also last much longer that a stand alone tank connected to a chimney or B-vent. If you believe that outdoor combustion air intake will help, then try a Fan in a Can from Field Controls. That will put the outside combustion air right next to your heater and remove some of that infiltration heat loss that is associates with a system like yours.

New hydronic system

Comments

Categories