HELP.....Boiler leaking and tech says the bolier needs replacement.....!!!!

geek said:

no, he didn't do a heat loss calculation, he estimated based on experience, so he said.

I have a company coming out early tomorrow and try to repair.....keeping my fingers and toes crossed..

Would be wise to replace the coil while they'll be at it?? It is around 400~500 bucks more, what you think??

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I replaced my 3 section Weil-McLain boiler with a tankless heater last spring, I installed it myself 30 plus years ago, with a HB Smith 3 section boiler. The tankless heater coil was never replaced, it was still good after 30 years. The costs of the new boiler and materials to install it was less than $1700.00. I'm sure a heat loss calculation was done to confirm the size of of the boiler that you now have, no need to put a larger boiler in if you have to replace it.

wil said:

.....I'm sure a heat loss calculation was done to confirm the size of of the boiler that you now have, no need to put a larger boiler in if you have to replace it.

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What if there have been upgrades to the home since the original install? new windows, more insulation, etc, etc.

I am in the same boat boiler not going to make it another heating season and needs to be replaced. I have gotten 5 quotes all between 9 - 11 thousand, I know that is way to high and have a person who does it on the side going to do it in the off season, he is a good friend of another friend and said he will help me out. Hr has not had a chance to give me an estimate but I know he will be a lot less then the other guys.

You should get the heat loss estimate done and you should not need to go to a higher BTU then you already have. Mine is a Well Mclain and around 30yr old, looking to maybe switch to a heat pump with a oil furnace backup.

yup, my burnham is leaky but hanging in there, Had 3 quotes anywhere from $5000 to $7000. differant boilers then original and all differant from one another yet all the same btu as the one i have. I also need to get my chimey lined to bring it up to code. The low quote was from a friend that is a plumber and i have to run the liner myself, the other two are from oil techs

It may be possible that the larger unit that he is trying to sell you is the one that is sitting in his shop. He may just be trying to unload it onto you. Kind of like going to buy a truck and the dealer tells you that they don't have one exactly like you are looking for, but this one that they have in stock is close. At least the unit is bigger than the original instead of smaller without doing a heat calc.

macman said:

wil said:

.....I'm sure a heat loss calculation was done to confirm the size of of the boiler that you now have, no need to put a larger boiler in if you have to replace it.

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What if there have been upgrades to the home since the original install? new windows, more insulation, etc, etc.

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Good point, all the more reason not to replace a 3 section boiler with a 4 section boiler with more BTU's.

Pull your wrenches & torch out and go to it; these guys ship from NY and are quite reputible:

http://www.pexsupply.com/Weil-Mclain-WGO-WTGO-Gold-Oil-Boilers-1052000

To bad you are in the middle of winter and need the hot water from your boiler. I had an aging unit a few years back (less than 5) and managed to replace it myself. It took three of us to get the new cast iron unit into the basement and the old one out but I did the complete install for right around $1500.00. The new boiler is a triple pass unit and Energy Star rated. First season I used it I saved almost 400 gallons of oil while heating the same space to the same temps. Of course that was before I installed the pellet stove. Did you get the part for your pellet stove? Is that at lease up and running?

geek said:

I saw the pixsupply website yesterday, good prices for a homeowner.

The boiler has been FIXED..!!

Total cost $519 with about 5 and a half hours of labor (it was only 5 but I didn't complain)

I just hope the repair will last a good time, heading back home to see final results.

Thanks all for the great support and feedback, all of you.

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That's awsum geek !! Kind of like finding a mechanic to "fix" the dead engine instad of replacing it

Keeping fingers crossed that it holds up.

Geno

Hey that's good to hear, that sure beats the full replacement charge.