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In a typical House, if you spend $7-9,000 the payback in heating savings is about 7 years, most likely quicker in you situation. Converting from steam to force hot water may even cut the payback in almost half the time.
Please bear in mind that heating costs this coming year will be more expensive than last year because the per gallon and the per mmBtu price of BOTH heating oil and natural gas, respectively, are much higher.
While wholesale gasoline prices have increased $1.21 a gallon or 54%, wholesale heating oil price have increased by greater amount: $1.74 a gallon or 85%, and are at a 33¢ a gallon premium to gasoline, whereas last year at this time, gasoline was at a 19¢ premium to heating oil, a swing of 52¢ in their price relationship, reflecting a global shortage of diesel fuel (heating oil and diesel fuel come from the same part of the crude oil distillate).
At the end of Friday's (June 20) trading, wholesale prices (gasoline and heating oil is in $/gallon, combined product value, crack spread and crude oil is in $/42-gallon barrel and natural gas is in $/mmBtu) were:
[ 1 ] The above calculation of the crack spread (gross refinery operating margin) assumes that each 42-gallon barrel of crude oil yields 25.2 gallons of gasoline and 16.8 gallons of heating oil and other distillates, such as diesel and jet fuel.
[ 2 ] Also, please note that retail gasoline prices tend to be at a $0.75 to $1.25/gallon premium to the wholesale gasoline price as traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange, which would mean that a wholesale price of $3.44/gallon would indicate a retail price of $4.19 to $4.69/gallon, depending on where in the U.S. the retail pump might be located.
Anyone can easily monitor the gasoline, heating oil and crude oil regular session futures prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange (because these prices are available at no charge, they come with a 30-minute delay) by going to:
got an estimate today keep steam on the 1st floor and baseboard on the 2nd floor. burnham steam boiler with heat exchanger. 81% eff $5000 includes running 1inch pipe from meter . no chimmney liner
got an estimate today keep steam on the 1st floor and baseboard on the 2nd floor. burnham steam boiler with heat exchanger. 81% eff $5000 includes running 1inch pipe from meter . no chimmney liner
That seems to be a good price.....what about hot water?
got an estimate today keep steam on the 1st floor and baseboard on the 2nd floor. burnham steam boiler with heat exchanger. 81% eff $5000 includes running 1inch pipe from meter . no chimmney liner
Make sure you are going to get a low water cutoff switch and an automatic boiler feed valve. Cutoff switch is now std but you may pay more for the feed valve but its worth it.
Hotwater is already using gas. The 40gal hotwater tank is only 2 yrs old. it makes sense to convert home heat to gas also since I am already paying delivery etc.
I just called National Grid today, and they said I could get a $899 burner (not sure which model this is, nor how efficient it is) and they'd bring the gas to the house at no cost. We currently have a couple of oil tanks in the basement which I'd love to get rid of to reclaim the space, along with the 12-15 year old oil burner. We hate the sooty smell when the burner lights up, and since we have a broken water heater I have a feeling this setup is horribly inefficient (gut feeling) and would love to jump to gas not only for the cost savings, but for the peace of mind in having a cleaner solution.
#1 if the $899 boiler is not an efficient one (90% or better), which one would you recommend and what is the cost? I doubt I'd have to purchase it from them, so anywhere would be fine (esp. since there are like 20% off Home Depot/Lowe's out there)
#2 How does gas compare to oil right now, in terms of cost?
#3 Can anyone recommend either a good water heater, or retention tank (I think that's what it is called) whichever is more efficient?
#4 Other than having a plumber come in to hook up the burner itself, and whatever we use to heat water... what other costs are involved? I don't want to get hit with any hidden costs or fees that I'm not aware of.
I just called National Grid today, and they said I could get a $899 burner (not sure which model this is, nor how efficient it is) and they'd bring the gas to the house at no cost. We currently have a couple of oil tanks in the basement which I'd love to get rid of to reclaim the space, along with the 12-15 year old oil burner. We hate the sooty smell when the burner lights up, and since we have a broken water heater I have a feeling this setup is horribly inefficient (gut feeling) and would love to jump to gas not only for the cost savings, but for the peace of mind in having a cleaner solution.
#1 if the $899 boiler is not an efficient one (90% or better), which one would you recommend and what is the cost? I doubt I'd have to purchase it from them, so anywhere would be fine (esp. since there are like 20% off Home Depot/Lowe's out there)
#2 How does gas compare to oil right now, in terms of cost?
#3 Can anyone recommend either a good water heater, or retention tank (I think that's what it is called) whichever is more efficient?
#4 Other than having a plumber come in to hook up the burner itself, and whatever we use to heat water... what other costs are involved? I don't want to get hit with any hidden costs or fees that I'm not aware of.
Thank you all so much!
Before I answer, do you have steam heat?
FYI, read some threads, most will have your answers.
I just called National Grid today, and they said I could get a $899 burner (not sure which model this is, nor how efficient it is) and they'd bring the gas to the house at no cost. We currently have a couple of oil tanks in the basement which I'd love to get rid of to reclaim the space, along with the 12-15 year old oil burner. We hate the sooty smell when the burner lights up, and since we have a broken water heater I have a feeling this setup is horribly inefficient (gut feeling) and would love to jump to gas not only for the cost savings, but for the peace of mind in having a cleaner solution.
#1 if the $899 boiler is not an efficient one (90% or better), which one would you recommend and what is the cost? I doubt I'd have to purchase it from them, so anywhere would be fine (esp. since there are like 20% off Home Depot/Lowe's out there)
Best prices are thru National Grid, they have to be ordered by a lic. plumber. Spend alittle more & get a Weil McLain or a Burnham.
#2 How does gas compare to oil right now, in terms of cost?
Gas is cheaper right now....most likely for a while......
#3 Can anyone recommend either a good water heater, or retention tank (I think that's what it is called) whichever is more efficient?
You want a stainless steel indirect fired hot water storage tank.....Buy a SuperStor, Burnham or Weil McLain
#4 Other than having a plumber come in to hook up the burner itself, and whatever we use to heat water... what other costs are involved? I don't want to get hit with any hidden costs or fees that I'm not aware of.
Depends where you live, My brother-in-law just cut the oil tank in 2 and called bulk pick up (Town of Hempstead) but I assume you will have to pay for the removal. Add type x fore code sheetrock above the boiler if its not there already. That should be it!
Thank you all so much!
See my notes above....
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