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rickyk22

oil to gas conversion help

rickyk22
10 years ago

Hi,

I am looking into doing an oil to gas conversion this year and had a few questions:
1) what are the best burners? any brands to stay away from?
2) what efficiency is the best? 95%?
3) how do I determine what BTU to get?

anything else I need to know?

Thanks

Comments (7)

  • ionized_gw
    10 years ago

    Boiler of furnace?
    Is there an easy way to get combustion gasses out the side of the house?
    Is your current system heating adequately without short-cycling?

  • rickyk22
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    right now I have a oil burner and an airhandler with heating coils. I also have a hot water holding tank. I can get the gasses out the side of our house pretty easily. I am just not sure where to start. condensing boiler or regular? wall hung? etc etc

    thanks for the help

  • Bruce in Northern Virginia
    10 years ago

    The BTU requirement will be figured out by the contractor using a manual J calculation. You may want to do one yourself just to verify, but you can also just get 3 or more estimates and compare them.

    Which efficiency you pick will depend on current heating costs and how much you want to spend. I looked at 95% efficiency boiler replacements and they were much more to purchase and install than the more standard efficiency units. Based on my current heating requirements (I am outside Washington DC) I decided the payoff length was too long for a 95% unit.

    I had them install a 84% Buderus GC124 gas boiler with electronic ignition (no standing pilot) that was nearly a direct replacement for my old oil boiler. Based on one winter of use it is very inexpensive to run.

    Bruce

  • rickyk22
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks Bruce,

    Can you tell me roughly how much oil you were using per year and what your monthly gas bill is now also? I know we want to go to gas, just not sure if the standard boiler/hot water heater or wall hung condensing unit is better.

  • ionized_gw
    10 years ago

    There are tools on the web for estimating costs using current fuel costs and different equipment. The DOE and energy star (EPA) are two places to look. You will have to know the costs of the types of equipment that you plan to install.

  • Bruce in Northern Virginia
    10 years ago

    I only owned my house for about 6 weeks before we converted from oil to gas, so I don't know what it cost for oil. However, it was a very old system and my realtor said it was typical for oil to run $200-300/month during the winter. The highest gas bill I've seen so far is about $110 and I also have gas dryer, water heater and range. However, it was a relatively mild winter, so this year's costs may not be the best comparison.

    Bruce

  • DecorativeSoul
    10 years ago

    I am not sure at all what it costs but it will involve putting in a gas line and also a meter (permits will be required for this) and that goes along with a regular furnace replacement.

    If the furnace is in decent shape, the first thing you want to do is reduce the heat loss, by adding insulation and also draft proofing will give the best bang for your buck on your money spent. If your walls are framed, the insulation will probably be blown in, so upgrading the attack might also be an option.

    At the same time as making any changes, it's also a good idea to have an energy audit, to prioritize the upgrades and also to ensure the eligibility for government grants.

    The natural gas is not the only option, too.

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