Posted by drew blanch on October 28, 2001 at 18:54:30:
I'm looking to replace a 50+ year old gas fired, steam boiler, though I should mention that the house also has a hot water baseboard zone. Basically, when the house was extended some time ago, the previous owners chose to heat the newly built room via a tapping of the boiler's hot water supply.
Now that I'm looking for a new boiler, I'm basically hearing about three different configurations from contrators, but I don't have any idea which to choose. My choices (forgive my layman terminology):
(1) Same set up as on the old system; tapping off existing hot boiler water.
(2) Use a stainless steel heat exchanger, which transfers heat to a separate, distinct zone, complete with back up valves and such.
(3) Use a indirect coil (domestic coil I think it's called) which passes through the boiler and runs through the hot water zone.
I'm leaning towards option (3), but before I drop the big bucks, I wanted some informed, impartial opinions. Sorry for the long note & thanks for any help I receive!
(2)