another boiler question....?

Question

when I replace my boiler is there a company that stands out, through my short research I have found 2 companys so far....weil mclain ($3,470 105k btu 92% afue) and a laars ($1,655 100k btu 82% afue) which one would make more sense and is one anymore dependable then the other?

Answer 1

The Weil-McLain is a high efficiency unit which will vent through a PVC stack directly outdoors and will pull combustion air from the outside. It is a more complex system than the mid-efficiency Laars in terms of controls, and heat exchangers (hence the higher price) but will use less fuel. The high efficiency unit is more expensive to service. Check out the warranties on each unit. Also if you have a gas fired water heater using the same chimney as the existing furnace, and you install a high efficiency unit you may have to rework the chimney flue to work properly with the water heater alone. Talk to the installation contractors about the total; cost -- ie the unit, the installation cost any chimney work, annual maintenance etc and then chose. You should be able to approximate the annual cost difference of operation between the two units.

Answer 2

Weil-McClain is a good boiler, I've installed many. More expensive then the Laars but it also has a higher efficiency rating, over time that will offset the higher cost.

You may also want to look into a Burnham or a Lochinvar. They are also both good boilers. If it were me, I would go with the Burnham or the Weil-McClain.

Answer 3

I would inquire with the heating professional you are going to hire to do your yearly maintenance. Get something that is easy to work on, that parts are assessible. He is propbaly going to say weil mclain. You may want to check with your neightbours to see what they have, maybe use the same professional as them for servicing. Getting your boiler serviced are the beginning of each year will save you money, eliminate breakdowns and guarantee the best efficency