In sci.electronics.repair, Peter W. wrote:
I never stated nor implied that Octopus furnaces were not made after
the 1930s, but that they were obsolete thereafter. :-)

Noted, but I wanted to drive the point home.

And, of course, those Transite and non-woven asbestos ducts do leach
out such that a blower would spread ACMs everywhere. No fun at all.

It appears that the asbestos is on the outside of the ducts, not the
inside. At least the parts I can easily see all match that.

But heating the well over 300 gallons of water in the system (38 rads)
is an ordeal on its own.

What? In my mind "1 gray = 100 rads". That doesn't jibe with 300
gallons.

https://i.imgur.com/aLl7SFO.jpg

Our combined gas and electric bills are less than $300 per month, on
average at $0.14 per KWH, and $0.77 per therm. We use gas for cooking
and hot water as well (indirect water heater from the boiler). I
suspect that mini-splits in your case could solve the entire
heating/cooling issue for less than the cost for the removal of the
boiler.

We have used electric space heaters on maybe five days in the last three
months, and have been averaging $160, just over half of that, per month.
These have been some of the more expensive PG&E bills we've seen, too.
The cost of inaction is much less than the cost of action.

Just mothball it and seal the ducts.

The first big win for removal would be all of the usable space that can
be reclaimed from the furnace and ducting. (Ducts in the walls are not
counted here as "usable space". This thing occupies a good percentage of
the garage / basement space.) The second big win would be "not worrying
about the asbestos exposure risk" in the garage / basement.

Elijah
------
that bill includes electric car charging, too