Hot water

[cuznvin]

I am new to this board and did a search on my questions, but I didnt see anything that fully answered my particular question. I am moving to a new home which has an oil fired burner attached to a forced air hydronic heating system. I am concerned about two things. One, not having enough hot water and two, the costs associated with heating the hot water. I am getting all kinds of conflicting information from contractors and hope you can steer me in the right direction. Do I go with an indirect water heater, tankless hot water heater or an oil fired hot water heater? I would appreciate any guidance.Thanks!

 

[Jadnashua]

An indirect is probably the most efficient. But, that means the boiler needs to run all year. Depends somewhat on how efficient the boiler is. One designed with minimal internal volume and able to handle cooler return water temps would be more efficient than one designed to maintain a large quantity of water hot all year. The gas boiler I have only fires when heat is called for, or to keep it from freezing. Don't know if any oil-fired boilers work this way, if yours does, then it is a better candidate.

There's some heated discussion about tankless heaters. Somewhat depends on where you live and how cold your incoming water gets in the winter. Where I live, I'm not impressed. Other's experience may vary. They are expensive, an ddo require maintenance to maintain efficiency.

It has been suggested here to put an electric in series with the indirect. It would allow you to use it alone in the summer, and wouldn't need to run much during the winter, if at all. It would also increase the total volume available.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

water

I would need some clarification about the heating system. Hydronic refers to hot water space heating, but your say yours is forced air, but also hydronic, so is this a hybrid system of some sort?

 

[cuznvin]

They say there is a coil in an air handler. The boiler heats the water that flows through this coil and the air blows over this coil. The heated air then blows through the ducts of the house.
I am going tomorrow to check out the BTU 's of the burner. All I know now is that it has a Beckett gun and is a Vesta steel burner. I am also being told steel burners only last 10 years which I am not happy to find out.
Is there anything else I should find out before having the indirect installed?

 

[cuznvin]

OK, the burner said the BTU for the burner was 119 for Heat and 103 for water. Efficiency was 83. ANy thoughts?