[an error occurred while processing this directive]
Posted by John Livingston on August 03, 2005 at 08:01:10:
I'm looking to replace our original-to-our-70-year-old-house hydronic boiler. It's cranky enough that we feel obliged to use the most expensive oil supplier in town since they have the best guys to work on it. Our house is an ok-insulated, 2600 sf clapboard house in the tidewater area of SE Virginia (zone 3). We're slowly replacing windows and increasing insulation, but there's not much to be done about what's in the walls. Given where oil prices seem to be heading, I'd like to get as much efficiency as possible, along with high reliability. The current system uses in-the-wall radiant (finned) heaters and works amazingly well for a single-zone system (the second floor could probably be fairly easily set up as a second zone). I had looked at a System 2000 unit, but there's no local rep and they seem reluctant to sell to me direct. The Monitor FX looks tempting, but I worry a bit about it being undersized. I'm in the process of putting in an Aquastar gas tankless heater to take over the domestic hot water needs while I dismantle the old boiler and start setting up the new one.
In addition to its purported efficiency, compactness, and relatively light weight, I like the Monitor FX’s ability to draw in outside air so we could close up the basement during the winter (we use it as our computer and laundry room) assuming we turn off the Aquastar.
About a year ago, the high-priced oil supplier quoted me $4800 to put in a Utica SFH-4125W (it might’ve been the 5125, it’s hard to read his notes) with a 50 gallon, indirect water tank, converting the system to two zones while they’re at it. The price requires me to remove the old boiler.
Sorry for the long-windedness!
John