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Pete C.

wrote:

On Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:26:46 -0400, Tom wrote:

Here's my question stated simply:
How long do boilers generally last?

I'd say that at 35 years, you are well beyond the normal service life.
Utica makes good boilers, but 35 years is a long time for a
residential boiler.

I wouldn't agree with that at all.

Oil fired boilers tend to be notably more durable than most gas fired
boilers. The wear items on a boiler are the burner, the circulator pump
and the firebox / chamber. The bulk of the boiler should last pretty
much indefinitely unless there is a real problem such as an unrepaired
leak leading to constant refilling with hard water.

Since the burner was replaced recently, it is unlikely there is anything
really wrong with the unit and no reason to believe it is in imminent
need of replacement. A newer oil fired boiler will be a bit higher
efficiency, but not a lot higher if the current unit has a newer burner
and is in good tune.

A normal seasonal tune-up and inspection by a reputable service company
will tell you how the boiler is doing in terms of efficiency and should
not any potential problem spots. The water you saw was most likely a
little overflow purge from a full boiler of cold water heating up and
expanding, a very normal occurrence.