Followup-
Since I found out my gas line is 'retired', I am currenlty looking at
getting an electric hot water heater, preheated by my tankless coil
(useful in winter only (which is long in Maine). In 10 years when my
oil furnace goes, I'll replace all of it with highly efficent gas
everything. I just don't know if I can afford to replace my furnace,
hot water system, and everything right now, even thought that might be
a good option. Thanks again for everyone's help. If anyone has
comment(s) on my plan, I would love to hear them. This forum is
fantastic.

Thanks.
-Nate


Nate wrote:
Hi-
We just moved into our new 1940 era house. There is inadequate hot
water for our needs. We live in the northeast and have an oil fired
furnace with a steam heating system, radiators. The furnace is a
Peerless, circa 1977. Running through this boiler is a tankless coil
for 'instant' hot water. Everything works fine except the tankless
coil
doesn't produce hot water fast enough to give a bath to my kids.

So here are my options, as I see them. . . I don't mind paying more
up
front if it means fuel savings down the road.

1. Irving (my oil supplier) wants to put in a 40 gallon indirect hot
water heater that would essentially be a new zone from my furnace . .
$2000, installed.

2. My local plumber also suggested putting in an indirect heated 40
gallon hot water tank but suggested we use the existing coil running
thorough the boiler to heat the water. ... $1300 installed.

3. My friend, who is a plumber who lives in another state who I saw
at
a conference this weekend suggested a sperate oil fired hot water
heater . . cost ????.

4. I was considering putting in a regular gas fired (like from home
depot) hot water heater myself. (we have a city natural gas line).
And
I was also considering running the water through the coil in the
boiler
to preheat it in the winter when the boiler's running anyway (not
sure
if that would save money or not).

Any advice greatly appreciated. Many thanks. -Nate Greene