Gas Boiler Help

8 years ago

We finally got gas into our neighborhood and I am torn with what to go with. I need a new boiler anyway so it's a good time to make the switch. I have about 2000 sq ft and live on Long Island, NY. I have 3 little kids so we will be taking baths and showers for 5 people. I have had a few quotes all in the range of 7-9000. My question is more about what unit to go with not so much about the price. Each plumber had a different opinion and option. I'm looking for something that will last for the long haul and be reliable.

Option 1: BURNHAM ES25 GAS FIRED BOILER AND A

60 GALLON INDIRECT WATER HEATER ($8975)

Option 2: VIESSMANN B1KA COMBI BOILER ($8975)

Option 3: Navian NCB-240E - 2 different plumbers recommended this unit. One for $7500 and one for $7000. I'm nervous about all of the negative reviews.

Option 4: Something that hasn't been mentioned. lol. I'm open to any suggestions.

Featured Answer

mtvhike

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

My Long Island house had a very old gas-fired boiler and when the gas company came an tested it for efficiency, I decided to replace it with a more modern one. This was about 8 years ago, and I put in a Weil-McClain boiler, which works very well. One thing I was concerned about was the ability to run it off a backup battery, in case we have a power outage. Well, in fact, that little storm called Sandy came by a couple of years later, and I was able to use a battery to run the boiler (it has no pumps, just the controls).

I also put in a Bosch tankless water heater, to get unlimited hot water. That required no electricity so was unaffected by Sandy.

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Comments (6)

mike_home
8 years ago
The combination boilers are nice if you have limited space. But if space allows then my recommendation is to keep it simple and consider a separate boiler and a traditional hot water heater. The boiler will then be operational during the winter and have a long easier life. The hot water heater will work independently to make hot water. When the tank develops a leak in 10 - 12 years it won't cost a lot of money to replace it.

When you bring in the gas lines, have it plumbed so you can eventually connect a gas clothes dryer and stove in some point in the future. The electric rates on Long Island are high. Converting these additional appliances will save on operating costs.
jkbraun thanked mike_home
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jkbraun
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you guys for the tips. I hadn't thought of either of those. Space is tight in the utility room but I also don't want to screw myself with getting a boiler that craps out in a few years. I have read a lot of negative reviews about the Navien Combi unit so I think I am going to cross that one off the list. Thanks for your input.
mike_home
8 years ago
My advice is to research all the options. The best time to have this work done is in the April - May or September - October time periods when things are slow for HVAC contractors. You may get a little better pricing, but more importantly you won't have an installer who is rushing your job in order to get to the next one.
jkbraun
Original Author
8 years ago
Good point. Thanks for your help.
ionized_gw
8 years ago
Dropping a modern boiler into an old hydronic system can be very tricky. Combination boilers can be even more difficult. You don't want a plumber working on this. You want an experienced, yet modern hydronic heat expert. Don't settle for less. You may get a boiler that never works quite right which can lead to wasted fuel and short lifetime.

The Burnham is a low efficiency boiler, but will cost a lot less to run than oil or propane due to lower fuel cost.

Viessman is a high efficiency low mass boiler. Don't be afraid of it, but it might require more system redesign to run right. I'd go for the non combo model and install an indirect tank.

Navien ditto

Today, I made two posts for people with similar problems today. you don't mind, take a look.