The system is 38 years old in the Cleveland area (Brecksville). It looks like it’s time to replace as it isn’t working as well & service calls are starting to nickel & dime. Any recomendations on who to call? Pete, any ideas? Any one else?
“this dog may be old but he ain’t cold. And he still knows how to bury a bone.”
Lattimore
Edited 12/26/2008 9:38 am ET by Robrehm
Replies
Non-condensing boilers have not changed much in a long time and tend to have a very long lifetime. Obviously if the it is cracked and leaking, it is time to replace it. If not, you may well be better off to clean it and keep it.
If the heating system does not need very hot water most of the time, a high efficiency (condensing) boiler may well be a good investment to lower utility bills and your carbon foot-print. They are more complex and include electronics which will probably increase the maintenance costs in the future. If the boiler must operate at relatively high temperatures, there will be no condensing of the flue gasses and thus the high efficiency boiler will most likely be little more efficient than what you have. Flue gasses stop condensing a little below 140F.
Boilers are pricey so if upgrading to a high efficiency boiler does not make sense, I would wouldn't be running out to replace an older boiler unless I had too.