Boiler Replacement | Home Heating System Upgrade

If your boiler is more than fifteen years old you may want to consider a boiler replacement as a home heating system upgrade. With the increasing cost of fuel oil and gas you may be able to save a lot of money and have a more reliable boiler. There are government tax incentives available for installing an energy efficient heating system and a credit “cash for junkers” program is in the making to help you out. Replacing a boiler that is operating on old technology can also contribute to reducing greenhouse emissions.  In addition to the federal government incentives for upgrading your heating system there are many states that offer incentives for green remodeling and improvement projects.

Increasing energy efficiency is the most important consideration when considering a boiler replacement. New boilers are high efficient boilers such as a System 2000 which runs at 86% efficiency and is relatively maintenance free. That means that 86% of the fuel entering the boilers combustion chamber is converted into heat. Most 15- 20 year old boilers operate at roughly 60 percent efficiency, at best. This 21% difference adds up to a lot of fuel cost savings for you in a year. Putting it in dollars, if you are burning 800 gallons of fuel oil a year to heat your home and provide domestic hot water, you can save approximately 168 gallons of fuel oil a year. That comes to about $504 a year if you are paying $3.00 a gallon for your fuel oil.

For residential heating systems, boilers essentially heat hot water that is circulated to baseboard heating units or air handlers that convert the hot water heat to forced hot air heat. Many homes use a combination of both baseboard heating units and air handlers for forced hot air for heating. In addition, the boiler heats the domestic hot water by circulating the hot water from the boiler to a heating coil in a hot water tank to heat water. There are several very efficient boilers available on the market. However, I am partial to the System 2000 boiler because it is a very reliable system that incorporates the latest in digital technology control. It has a state of the art digital energy manager (computer) that controls the unit. The boiler uses less than 0.75 of a gallon of fuel oil per hour to heat a 2000 square foot home that is well insulated. The System 2000 comes in two different sizes depending upon your heating needs. The boiler can also operate on natural or LP gas.

Like all heating systems a boiler requires periodic maintenance to insure it is operating at peek proficiency and prolong its life. A system 200 only requires cleaning every two years as compared to other boilers that require cleaning every year. Such periodic maintenance and adjustments should be performed by a licensed boiler professional. A System 2000 boiler replacement or new installation cost approximately $4,500. This may seem expensive but the pay back can take as little as nine years in addition to giving you the assurance that you will have a reliable heating system and is certainly greener than any 15-20 year old boiler. If you’re heating system is due for a boiler replacement, consult with a heating professional to insure that you get the latest in boiler technology and what the state and federal incentives are for updating your heating system. Your home heating system upgrade will save you money.