We plan to replace our 30 year old Peerless boiler with something that does not vent through a chimney. We want to remove the chimney to make more room in an attic addition. This is a 100 year old house with about 10 rooms.

What options do we have for a direct vent steam boiler for either gas or oil (currently have oil)? We have had 2 companies come out. One said you cant do direct vent for steam and the other wants to modify natural draft boilers with side vent kits. Is that safe? I found Burnham Independence PV online and the second guy said he had never heard it but could install it.

Are there any other options that direct vent for steam? Do any of the wall hung units work for steam? Thanks!

 

you would probably get your best answer asking at heatinghelp

 

I know of no steam boilers which can be direct vented. Any can be power vented safely. If you have natural gas available, a gas fired boiler would be fine but if you have to use propane, I would certainly stay with oil. Burnham's new Megasteam is probably the highest efficiency oil fired steamer available. None of the wall mounted units are made for steam.

 

I agree with Grady. Powerventing is a very good idea. Sideshot is a nice unit but pricey. Field controls SWG series is nice if you get the stainless steel model. Either will work for many years with no trouble if installed properly.

Ken

 

Having worked on a lot of Sideshots & a few Field SWGs, I'll take the SWG every time.

 

Is it in fair shape? Is there any way you can work around it? I am not aware of any direct vent steam boilers, but anything can be powervented. Iv'e never heard of sideshot, but the fields ones I have. I've seen some of them rust out over time, so unless you want to buy more than one (most likely when it is really cold out), going stainless sounds like a good idea. You wouldn't loose boiler efficiency, but you would loose house efficiency because you would probbably need to introduce a lot more fresh air (cold air) into the house, then there is the additional cost of the unit, the power venter, annual maintenance, more stuff to break, more noise, cost to remove and dispose of the chimney, possible structual support the chimney is providing (i've seen floors drop towards the hole where the chimney was because it was holding the floor up), etc, etc, etc... If you were to convert from oil to gas, you are also looking at the increased ammount of time and fuel to get the water to boil. Oil burns hotter. Another plus with oil, is that in less than 2 years, the sulfur content of heating oil will drop dramatically (just like diesel). In the event of a fuel shortage (gas or oil), an oil fired boiler can be retrofitted with a gas gun, but a gas boiler can't be retrofitted to be used with oil. Oil can be replaced with biofuel (made from soybean oil). What can gas be replaced with? There is competition between oil companies. Who is the gas company competing with if you switch to gas? What I suggest is, keep the chimney and stay with oil. Otherwise that will be some expensive realestate. Do you need more than 10 rooms? Modifying the roof to give you more room would probbably be a lot cheaper.