Replacing a Furnace

House Doctor | Gary Dymski

August 1, 2002

Q. My home is 42 years old and is heated with an oil-hot water system. My home still has the original boiler. I knew that it was just a matter of time before I needed a new boiler. I'm ready to get one. Are there specific questions I should be asking when shopping for a new boiler? Are there some things I should be sure to get?

-Libby Mevorach, East Meadow

A. Over the past 42 years, furnaces have improved significantly. They're more fuel efficient and burn cleaner, for example. Boilers 10 to 15 years old have an efficiency rating of about 65 percent, while new boilers are rated at 75 percent and higher. While I can't answer specifics about your system because I don't have nearly enough information, I would suggest two things: Get the right size boiler for your home and get a high-efficiency model.

Ask your contractor to make a heat-load analysis of your house. This will determine the size of boiler needed to adequately heat your home. Boilers with an efficiency rating of 94 percent or higher are considered very high-efficiency. These models will be more expensive, but with the high cost of heating fuel, in my opinion, they are worth it.

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The estimates you receive should be detailed, fully describing installation work to be done and the make and model number of the new boiler.

Here are two resources to help with your search: the New York Oil Heating Association (www.nyoha.org; 212-695-1380) and the Oil Heat Institute of Long Island (www.ohili.org; 631-360-0200). Contact these groups for information about oil heat, selecting a new oil-fired boiler and a list of installers in your area.