Sealed Combustion Boiler

jw61

I do HVAC for a living but do not know alot about residential boilers. A customer wants a boiler replaced in an early 1900's home. It is an older Bryant hot water 240k input boiler. The chimney is not in great shape and the owner does not have the funds to get it relined. I want to know if a sealed combustion boiler is an option to avoid the chimney. I know how sealed combustion furnaces work but does a sealed combustion boiler flue and intake get piped the same way - meaning stainless pipe (for the boiler) straight through the wall. Thanks for any help. If you have any other recommendations or comments feel free to post them up. Thanks.

mdshunk

What's the fuel type?

For gas, the Burnham SCG sealed combustion and the PVG power vented boilers are my top choice for your application. You can get either a 245 or a 280 in sealed combustion. Might want to do a heat loss calc to see if you can use the 245.

http://www.burnham.com/PDF/SCG_Lit.pdf

Oh, forgot to add... Burnham's have a lifetime warranty on the heat exchanger. Cadillac stuff, if that's what you like to install.

jw61

Oh sorry its nat gas. So I can vent it straight through the wall with stainless pipe correct?

mdshunk

Yup! Follow the link, and read all about it. Most of these really big direct vent boilers are going to call out a specific staniless venting system, so don't get your heart set on a particular brand of stainless vent. Use the stuff that whatever manufacturer you choose calls out. Saves on heartache down the road.

jw61

well now thats exactly what I was looking for. thanks alot I reaally appreciate it. If I have any more questions I will post them up. thanks again.

atlas06

A more innexpensive way is to use Tankless water heaters with a recirculation pump (I'd use Grundfoss in-line type) and an expansion tank such as www.Takagi.com
They can go in a closet anywhere in the house. Check out their web site, they have all kinds of documentation. Flue straight thru the wall. You may be afraid in using one at first, but this is almost the only way homes are heated in europe and japan. 85% efficient on top of that.

mdshunk

Well, first off, he's asking about a boiler, and not a hot water furnace. A boiler makes steam. Second, think about the input BTU's he's asking about. That's a pretty big boiler, at that.

PIPES

Well first off MD, a furnace heats air, a boiler heats water(in residential terms, comm.boilers have a furnace ). Second ,he is asking about a "hot water boiler"(read the post).
Everyone that make a boiler from Buderus to Peerless have sealed combustion and/or a direct vent. If you are just wanting to get away from a chimney , you only need a direct vent .
I'll bet that boiler is way over kill , I would do a heat loss on the house before I though in a boiler that big again.
FYI if he is sizing out a steam, you measure size by sq.foot of steam/hr. not the Btu rating so much.