[highsider]

Hey, can I convert my fuel oil furnace to Propane/Natural Gas? How expensive/difficult is that?

I was considering doing that before the winter, as fuel oil doesn't seem to be getting any less expensive.

[Currently]

It is all connected .... petro dollars are petro dollars.

Oil is up and gas will follow ...

[bigred875]

Originally posted by Currently
It is all connected .... petro dollars are petro dollars.

Oil is up and gas will follow ...

[highsider]

Originally posted by Currently
It is all connected .... petro dollars are petro dollars.

Oil is up and gas will follow ...

Fair enough, but I think that gas is cheaper and cleaner?

[JeffL]

There are a very select few kinds of boilers that are interchangeable. I never got much into the LP side of heating, but there ARE systems out there where the boiler is essentially the same, its just a different burner you can buy it with. The burners for LP and oil are much different.

I'd say likely if the boiler/system is older than 10 years old, chances are likely it cant be converted.

What brand/model is it?

[highsider]

Its a McWeil something, I think?

I belive its circa 1994, so it probably cant be swapped around.

What other kinds of boiler can I hook up to a hot water heat system? I *really* dont want to be stuck paying silly prices for fuel this year.

[oreo_n2]

wood stove... chop your own fuel!

[R7]

Originally posted by highsider
Fair enough, but I think that gas is cheaper and cleaner?

You get the most BTU's of heat from oil, as there is more "energy" in it So you're probably going to spend a bunch of cash to upgrade the system for another type of fuel..... and not actually save any fuel costs

[highsider]

Originally posted by R7
You get the most BTU's of heat from oil, as there is more "energy" in it So you're probably going to spend a bunch of cash to upgrade the system for another type of fuel..... and not actually save any fuel costs

Thats what I was afraid of.....maybe I'll just spring for the woodstove.

[KB]

Dude you live in VT and don't have a wood stove??? I thought that shit came standard like a toilet and shit up there?

KB

[JeffL]

Originally posted by highsider
Thats what I was afraid of.....maybe I'll just spring for the woodstove.

Yeah, at this point it would take you a good 8-10 years to break even on upgrading to a new system if not longer.

You have a Weil Mclain, its probably a bluish/green color I bet. Those are great boilers, they are just kind of a pain in the ass to clean out.

You'd probably be better off putting the money into insulation/windows, or at least going to Home Depot and getting some pipe insulation and insulating every inch of heating pipe you can possibly get to in the house. What kind of burner is on it? Depending on who you go through, who you know, etc etc, to swap in a new system, and keep all your existing piping will likely run you anywhere from 2500-10000 dollars, all depending on what type of boiler/burner you go with, how much "swapping" they do as far as piping goes, and any other improvements that need to be made to install it.

If you WERE to get a new system, my recommendation would be either a System 2000 w/ a Beckett burner, or a Buderus with a Riello burner. The System2 is a fair amount cheaper I believe.

[mikeb]

pellet stove. i know people that have heated there whole house with those. all the furnace did all winter was hot water. i did the same thing with a pea coal stove two winters ago. house used half a tank of oil all winter. pellets are cheap compared to oil, burn very clean and can be direct vented to the outdoors without needing a chimney. some even work in a power outage. the auto loaders may not. the price ranges from around 3 to 5 grand i think for a good stove. less than a conversion i would think.