David L wrote:
I think that pretty much covers everything. What are the pros and cons
that I should be weighing to make this decision?

Another option is propane if it cane be delivered in your area. In some
(many?) places you can prepay and get it at the low summer rate thus
avoiding any winter price hikes.
--

-Bill

Hi all,

I'm a homeowner on Long Island, NY. My heating system is about 45 years
old now, so I guess it's finally time to replace it.

I live on LI also, and did this 3 years ago. I switched to Natural Gas from
oil. I did not already have gas, It had to be piped in from the street. That
line was free (100') and so was the gas boiler.

I would never go back to oil.

My advice to you is definately shop around and do NOT marry the idea that you
have to go with a "big name" gas or oil dealer to do your install. Local
plumbers often charge much less and they do a more professional job than the
punchclock hacks the big company's hire.

I was quoted 3800.00 from a "Keyspan affiliated" installer. I had to demand an
itemized estimate because I couldn't figure out how it could possibly cost 3800
for the installation of a simple, straightfoward gas boiler and water heater
12' from an already installed gas line, when the boiler is being provided
"free."

Under labor it estimated 2 men, 10 hours, @ 175.00 an hour.

Now... I know nonunion plumbers on Long Island don't make 25.00 an hour, and
for sure no shop sends 2 high-paid mechanics to do a residential install. In
addition, the quote did not include the Keyspan "required" item that the old
oil tank be either removed or cut & filled, or otherwise renederd harmless. The
contractor was going to skip that part. I ran inot similar issues with another
"approved" contractor, and the 3rd wouldn't give me an estimate because,
although they signed up to partake in the gas-conversion program, they were
mainly an oil delivery/service company and instead tried to talk me into
keeping oil, and using them to install/service a brand new oil burner.

Explore your gas options on the Keyspan website:

http://www.keyspanenergy.com/pshome/...s_ny_kedli.jsp

My experience has been all positive.

- heating costs cut in 1/2 over the old oil burner. (it was circa 1975)
- whisper quiet.
- no more oily smell in the oil burner area.
-no more tank (mine was buried) or leak worries
-separate WH - could take hot shower even during blackout
-much smaller boiler, though now with a separate WH all takes up about the same
floor space in my 10 x 10 laundry/utility room. To be fair, new oil heating
boilers are also much smaller then they used to be.
-option to balance gas bills out across 12 months.
-can't possibly "run out" of gas

I've made more coments to your questions below.

I've met with a couple of contractors already and I must say I'm still
not at all sure whether I want to go gas or oil.

The key to helping with the confusion when comparing gas to oil is to NOT take
advice or suggestions from oil dealers OR gas companys. They have a intrest in
your choosing their fuel. Talk to a licensed local plumber.


Currently I have an oil system. I'm in a 2500 sq foot house with 2
zones and there are 4 people in the house. It's baseboard hot water
heat. I have a 275 gallon oil tank that's about 7 years old and it's
inside the house. I haven't had any problems with oil over the 6 years
I've been here and the oil company has serviced my account and system
very well.

Since I'm replacing the whole system, I figure I might as well look at
converting to gas. We have gas cooking and the gas meter is about 12
feet away from where the new boiler would be placed. The gas contractor
installed my central A/C, so I'm pretty sure he'd service the gas boiler
properly as well.

Although it's smart to have your system serviced/checked at least once a year,
you'll find that gas is by far practically maintainence free. (especially
boilers, as opposed to gas hot-air furnaces.) There's no sooty chimneys, no
filters, no nozzles to wear out. The rest of the plumbing is exactly the same.


I guess the first consideration would the price of the fuel. The gas
people say natural gas is cheaper and the oil people say oil is cheaper.
I'm locked in at $1.65 for the winter. I think I timed it right before
it skyrocketed in October. I think a 1 year cap price now is about
$2.10. The gas company told me gas is at $1.72/therm. How do I compare
the numbers to see which is cheaper? What's the equation to figure that
out? Is there any indication of which would be cheaper over time or are
there just too many variables and it's impossible to know which will be
cheaper 5 years from now?

As other have posted, because so many high-users of fuel have switched to
dual-fuel (Like LIPA and whatever manufacturers happen to be left along the
Eastern seaboard) and large buildings as well as schools, etc, the cost of the
2 fuels side-by-side is negligable.

The oil company suggested a Weil-McLain WTGO-4. They didn't think that
I'd need a separate hot water heater. I'm easily getting enough heat
now without out and with a new unit, I guess I'd get hot water a little
faster, but my needs might go up as the children get older.

There's 2 ways to get hot water via gas. Either via a separate storage tank
heated by your heat boiler's zone, or via a completely separate gas water
heater. Separate WH's are very cheap and simple appliances and work w/o
electricity.

With oil, you can get a completely seperate WH with it's own oil burner
(expensive, almost as much as a heating boiler) or via a domestic hot water
coil inside the heating boiler (which is separate from the water which
circulates through ypour heating zones) or, with a separate hot water storage
tank heated by a boiler heating zone.


The gas company has conversion special for a Burnham Q205. The gas
contractor says that's what I'd need.

Since your original equipment dates back to the 60's, keeping your oil boiler
and converting it to run on gas would be throwing good money after bad.

How would these boilers fit my needs based on the size of the house and
number of people?

With a 50 gallon hot water heater and removal of my oil tank, going to
gas is about $650 more than going with oil (without the hot water
heater). I think a hot water heater from the oil company was another
$1200 or so. I only have to buy oil from the oil company for 1 year at
the standard cap price. There's no long term commitment at a "posted"
rate.

I think that pretty much covers everything. What are the pros and cons
that I should be weighing to make this decision?

Thanks in advance for all replies.

(HA HA Budys Here) wrote in
:


My advice to you is definately shop around and do NOT marry the idea
that you have to go with a "big name" gas or oil dealer to do your
install. Local plumbers often charge much less and they do a more
professional job than the punchclock hacks the big company's hire.

I was quoted 3800.00 from a "Keyspan affiliated" installer. I had to
demand an itemized estimate because I couldn't figure out how it could
possibly cost 3800 for the installation of a simple, straightfoward
gas boiler and water heater 12' from an already installed gas line,
when the boiler is being provided "free."

Would you like to recommend the people you used either here or via email?
If you go with a smaller company, where do you get 24/7 emergency service
and annual check-ups from?


The gas company has conversion special for a Burnham Q205. The gas
contractor says that's what I'd need.

Since your original equipment dates back to the 60's, keeping your
oil boiler and converting it to run on gas would be throwing good
money after bad.

Well the quote from the gas contractor was to replace everything. There's
no use in anything I currently have.

David L wrote:

Hi all,

I'm a homeowner on Long Island, NY. My heating system is about 45 years
old now, so I guess it's finally time to replace it.

I've met with a couple of contractors already and I must say I'm still
not at all sure whether I want to go gas or oil.

Currently I have an oil system. I'm in a 2500 sq foot house with 2
zones and there are 4 people in the house. It's baseboard hot water
heat. I have a 275 gallon oil tank that's about 7 years old and it's
inside the house. I haven't had any problems with oil over the 6 years
I've been here and the oil company has serviced my account and system
very well.

To me you have your answer right there. There is nothing toastier in the
winter (in NY) than hot water baseboard heat. Your tank is not buried so
it will last much longer. If I had the money, what you have right now
would be my preference. I live in MD and have an all-electric heat pump
system. It is great year round except in the coldest months. But the
fans blowing are noisy, dusty and very drying though that is remedied
with a humidifier. I would love to have my former NY home with hot-water
baseboard heat back (but in MD).