I heat mainly with wood. I have a gas hot water heater. The house has steam radiators which work fine, but the boiler (oil) is very old and has to go.

I've gotten quotes ranging from $4300 - $5800 for a new oil burner (boiler?).

Now, the gas company is offering gas boilers for $599 (then the cost of installation). I already have gas in the house for the water heater...

So, with wood as my main source of heat, which would be a better (cheaper) back-up - the gas or oil?
Thanks in advance.

 

A lot will depend on the costs of gas & installation of the boiler. Natural gas is generally about the same cost as oil. Propane is usually a lot more expensive. What boiler are they providing? Will your chimney need to be lined? Xiphas recently went thru a similar situation & opted to upgrade the boiler (nat. gas) by adding an indirect water heater & outdoor reset controls. Maybe he will jump in here & offer some advice based on his experience.

 

The gas company offers two different boilers in this program - one for $499, which needs a lined chimney, the other for $599 which doesn't need the chimney. If the price of installation is comparable to that of the oil burner, I'll probably save the bucks and go for the gas boiler. I don't use much more than 150 gallons per year of oil since I heat with wood. Thanks.

 

Take and go to http://warmair.net There you can compare fuel cost for the oil and the gas. That will tell you how to go or what to use.

 

If you are rarely using the boiler and already have gas service, I'd tend to think natural gas would be best - a rarely fired oil boiler would probably need much more maintenance and then you have a tank to maintain as well.

That said, the boiler deals being offered really raise the red flags of caution. I wouldn't buy heating system from a utility unless I thoroughly checked it all out including talking to people who took them up on their offer.

 

Good points. The program through Keyspan is just for people wanting to switch from oil to gas. They contract the installation out through local companies. I talked to one of the owners who will be giving me a work quote and he said it's a good boiler, good deal, etc (I know, he does have a stake in it). It does sound like a good deal - I'll know more when I get the installation quotes.
Thanks.

 

In your case, it does seem like a good deal. Is there a minimum annual volume of NG that you have to purchase?

 

I got a boiler through the Keyspan program and can share some experience.

First, let me get this straight. The boiler would be either oil or gas, and would be a steam boiler for your steam radiators, not a hot water boiler. Correct?

If this to be a steam boiler, I don't remember what they are offering. In any case, I believe all the equipment will be Burnham. So if gas, it would be an Independence. I've heard it's good, but have no direct experience. If oil, the Megasteam is apparently the cat's meow, or the V8 would be good (a significant improvement over the V7).

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING about this program is to shop long and hard for an installer. There is a cottage industry of hacks who low-ball these installs. Find a good professional who is participating in the program. Note that some of the really good ones do not participate. It's not worth their time because many people are just "tire-kickers" who see a cheap install with a near-freebie boiler in their future. The good guys can't be bothered with that.

If you're going steam, then already you've eliminated a lot of hacks because you want a good steam pro. The boiler needs to be sized to the EDR (equivalent direct radiation) of the house (there's a long thread on EDR here, search around), and it needs to be installed by the book as regards near-boiler piping, etc. You can also run an indirect water heater off a steam boiler if you want to go that route.

So bottom line: it's a decent program. The equipment is good, but you really really really need to do your homework to find an installer. I did, and spent most of the summer doing it. I am very happy as a result. All the hacks got weeded out, thank goodness.

Also, the best time for something like this is summer. Not winter. These guys are all very busy maintaining existing systems and doing emergency boiler swaps. They're easier to get for a site visit and to schedule non-crisis work in the spring/summer.

Good luck.

 

I will ask if there is a minumum amount of gas that I have to buy (it hasnt been mentioned yet).

Yeah, it's a steam boiler, and they did mention Burnham.
They also said that if I am not happy with the new system, they will take it out and give me my money back (can't remember the length of time I have, but I'll ask).

The boiler has to be ordered by April 1st (hope it's not a joke) but there's no hurry on the installation.

I told them I want several install prices and they (Keyspan) said "no problem."
Some of the contactors on the list are local plumbers/heating contractors that I know of...
But, getting a good contractor can be hit or miss...right? Unless I ask for references, which would only make sense.
Thanks for the responses.

 

There is no minimum amount of gas -- what are they gonna do, make you turn up your thermostat to burn more? No.... They make their money by getting you hooked into their system and a paying customer for the long-term.

Burnham makes good steamers, and stands behind their product.

The Keyspan "money back" offer is a new one to me. Might be they have chosen to accept some responsibility for some of the hacks that weasel their way into the program. I would guess the money back applies to the $599, not the total cost of the install. But pick a good contractor and such a thing won't be an issue.

In order to place an order for the equipment, you will have had to select a contractor (he places the order and takes delivery of the equipment), who will have sized the equipment properly. If there's an 01 April deadline, then get cracking.

You want a good steam guy. The cream of the crop in the Northeast hang out at www.heatinghelp.com, which has a "find a pro" service. A good place to start. Absolutely check references, ask for pictures of jobs, and start reading about how to size and install a steam boiler. A couple of books, "we got steam heat" and "the lost art of steam heating" are considered classics. They might be in your local library, or you can buy them at heatinghelp.com. The author, Dan Holohan, runs the heatinghelp site and is one of the grand masters of steam.

 

Thanks for the info. I'll check out that web site.
I just got my first gas boiler installation quote and even with the deal on the gas boiler this quote was $1800 over an oil boiler installation quote. I know, you do get what you pay for, but...
The search goes on.