From: HapilyRetired@fakeaddress.com   
      
   On 10/18/2025 7:50 PM, David. R wrote:   
   > New Oil Boiler Recommendations .   
   > Seeking advice on installing a new oil burner.   
   >   
   > Current Boiler is a Thermo-Dynamics S100 with a Beckett head which is all   
   > about 20 years old, still running fine at the moment and has served me   
   > well.   
   > The house is about 1500 sq ft and has 3 zones.   
   > First/second/basement and is all hot water baseboard.   
   > So as I approach retirement, I'm looking at possible future expenses on a   
   > fixed income.   
   > My fuel/burner service company is recommending an Energy Kinetics System   
   > 2000 boiler.   
   > TBH this thing looks to me like an overly, computerized, complex system   
   > which will require some expensive care and feeding.   
   > It is however very efficient from what I am reading so I will save on fuel   
   > cost which of course I am interested in.   
   >   
   > I'm old school from the Weil-Mclain,  Rheem, era so I admit I'm a little   
   > behind the times.   
   > Also, the current boiler is tankless coil and my wife and I have no need   
   > for a sperate hot water heater.   
   >   
   > So, any and all advice is very much appreciated.   
   > I'm in NYS if that matters and gas is not an option where I live.   
   >   
      
   You didn't say where you live, how long you plan to stay there, how cold   
   a typical winter night is, how much you need/use air conditioning in the   
   summer, how expensive your electricity is per Kw/hr, or whether your   
   electric wiring and service panel could support a heat pump.  With   
   circulating hot water heat, you probably don't have whole house air   
   ducts/central air conditioning.  So, the expense of installing air ducts   
   would probably preclude amortizing the savings from a heat pump in fewer   
   than 10-15 years.  But, in the event you do have central air   
   conditioning, and it's realistic for you to plan to stay in your home   
   for that length of time, a heat pump should be a serious consideration   
   for you.   
      
   Oil burners are likely much better than the one I had back in the late   
   1980s.  I lived in CT at that time and in late December, went to FL for   
   two weeks.  Came home to find water pouring out of my front door.  I had   
   forgotten to turn off the water main.  The ignition transformer on the   
   oil burner had failed, no heat, night temperature in the teens, many   
   burst pipes.  Almost $50K water damage to the house.  All wallpaper   
   peeled off, all floors warped, etc. etc.  Eight years ago, got rid of a   
   92% efficient gas/forced hot air furnace and a central AC system and   
   installed a heat pump.  Average electric bill has consistently been   
   25-40% cheaper than my old electric + gas bills.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)