I am about to replace a 50 year old oil fired water boiler in a 3 BR
ranch in Virginia Beach, VA. Because natural gas is now available to
me, I will be using a natural gas fired boiler. Replacement boiler
will have a tankless coil, and will heat the house through installed
baseboard radiators
Now there are reasons that I am looking into boilers of the type I
will name. I do not want the WhizBang 99% efficient model. On the
other hand, reliablility will be important. My wife could wind up in
the house by herself, I I would like to leave her with as few problems
as possible. Also, I have a recently installed 16i heatpump, which
will provide most of the heat, except on those ocasions when the
outside air gets below 35 and we shift to boiler.
Local contractors have thus far provided me bids on the Utica MGB
series, the Columbia EMG series, and the Crown Cayman series. Any
experience that could qualify or disqualify that particular series
and/or the manufacturer would be appreciated. Any recommendations of
similar series by other reliable manufacturers would also help.
Thanks much
starrin

"starrin" wrote

Dang, finally someone local to me posts, and it's a topic I know nothing
about! Nice to meet you though ;-)

On Oct 9, 4:03*pm, starrin wrote:
I am about to replace a 50 year old oil fired water boiler in a 3 BR
ranch in Virginia Beach, VA. * Because natural gas is now available to
me, I will be using a natural gas fired boiler. *Replacement boiler
will have a tankless coil, and will heat the house through installed
baseboard radiators
Now there are reasons that I am looking into boilers of the type I
will name. *I do not want the WhizBang 99% efficient model. *On the
other hand, reliablility will be important. *My wife could wind up in
the house by herself, I I would like to leave her with as few problems
as possible. *Also, I have a recently installed 16i heatpump, which
will provide most of the heat, except on those ocasions when the
outside air gets below 35 and we shift to boiler.
Local contractors have thus far provided me bids on the Utica MGB
series, the Columbia EMG series, and the Crown Cayman series. *Any
experience that could qualify or disqualify that particular series
and/or the manufacturer would be appreciated. *Any recommendations of
similar series by other reliable manufacturers would also help.
* *Thanks much
* * * *starrin

www.heatinghelp.com has 'the wall' where boiler pros answer, or
alt.hvac is where alot of "nice" boiler pros [hacks] are. There are
alot of reliable condensing boilers, you need a condensing unit to get
the efficency for any tax credits. I would go to "The Wall" and ask
whats reliable, Weil Mclain has a good name.

"ransley" wrote in
snip
.. I would go to "The Wall" and ask
whats reliable, Weil Mclain has a good name.

I was going to say the Weil-McLain 98% unit is really nice, but the OP said
he had no interest in the high-efficient jobs, and did'nt ask about that
brand name :-/
Other lower efficiency W-McL units are good though, too.

"starrin" wrote in message
...
I am about to replace a 50 year old oil fired water boiler in a 3 BR
ranch in Virginia Beach, VA. Because natural gas is now available to
me, I will be using a natural gas fired boiler. Replacement boiler
will have a tankless coil, and will heat the house through installed
baseboard radiators

You realize that is not the best system. Tankless coils are very
inefficient compared to an indirect fired water heater ork in the case of
gas, any gas water heater. The tankless coil is a potential source of
heaaches and the cost of operation is considerably higher than other
methods.


Now there are reasons that I am looking into boilers of the type I
will name. I do not want the WhizBang 99% efficient model. On the
other hand, reliablility will be important. My wife could wind up in
the house by herself, I I would like to leave her with as few problems
as possible.

I can undwerstand that, but don't leave her with higher operating costs
either. You can get a $1500 tax credit and possibly rebates and 0%
finanicing on Energy Star models. Put that money in the bank for the woman
you love.

If I was buying today, I'd stick with my System 2000 from
www.energykinetics.com but most antything from Crown, Buderus, Peerless, or
Weil-McLain is goiing to be good and reliable. Just get rid of that
tankless coil. With a heat pump it is going to be even more inefficient year
round. Get a plain old gas fired water heater.

On Fri, 9 Oct 2009 18:38:28 -0400, "Lefty"
wrote:


"ransley" wrote in
snip
. I would go to "The Wall" and ask
whats reliable, Weil Mclain has a good name.

I was going to say the Weil-McLain 98% unit is really nice, but the OP said
he had no interest in the high-efficient jobs, and did'nt ask about that
brand name :-/
Other lower efficiency W-McL units are good though, too.
I forgot to say that I had a W-Mcl bid on a CGT5, but a recommendation
for their Ultra 105, with an indirect tank. I may get a rebate, but
the extra cost will eat it up.
Plus, I am concerned about the 15 year warranty on the aluminum
innards, while research indicates these boilers are subject to
corrosion problems.
To keep ahead of that, a gent who owns one tells me that W.McL says
water must best tested yearly, and that feed water (i.e. city water)
must meet certain specs for ph, salinity and hardness. Doesn't sound
too trouble free to me.
Thanks, you have me thinking
starrin