Case Studies

Stone Homes in Abington look a lot like the Abington Arts Center, pictured above

Abington is full of stone colonial style homes. These older homes tend to rely on steam or hot water heat, requiring a boiler and radiators to distribute heat throughout the home. Our homeowners in Abington had a 25-year-old Burnham gas-fired boiler with a standing pilot that had developed a bad gas valve.

Replacing the valve was going to cost $1,000, so the family needed to decide whether it was worth fixing the older boiler, or whether it was time to replace it with a more modern, efficient unit.

Prior to the boiler issue, ECI had installed ductless air conditioning in their home. The homeowners knew they could trust us to help them make the right decision and do a great job to ensure warmth and comfort for years to come.

Initial Visit

When our homeowners called, they were having trouble with their boiler. During our inspection, we found that there was a bad gas valve, the part that helps regulate the gas. If it's broken, it tends to shut down all gas available to the heater as a safety measure. 

Our homeowners decided that it was probably time to replace the 25-year-old pilot-lit boiler with a more efficient, electronic ignition system, rather than go with the $1000 repair.  Over time, systems have gotten more sophisticated and more efficient, meaning you can save a lot in energy bills with an upgrade -- including the $10 or so a month in gas costs just to keep the pilot light going!  

We work regularly with Burnham boilers and our homeowners had been happy with the old boiler, so they decided to replace it with an upgrade from the same company. The new Burnham Series 3 boilers have an IQ control system that can deliver 15-20 percent reduction in fuel consumption -- good news to any homeowner.

The boilers also come with an optional five- and ten-years parts and limited labor warranty, meaning the homeowners will have peace of mind more years to come. 

Gas heat is a great solution for your home

Gas heat and boiler systems are very popular, as they deliver a warm heat throughout a home through radiators located in each room. Compared to an oil system that requires an on-site tank, natural gas-fired boilers just require a gas connection. However, working with gas requires significant training to prevent dangerous situations -- so please, always call a professional!

Just like with oil heat, a gas boiler either heats up water and pumps it through pipes, or it converts water into steam that rises through the pipes to the radiators.

This contained system works well and boilers typically last between 16 and 17 years; although some systems have been in operation for much longer than that. That's also why a 25-year-old boiler with an expensive repair requires homeowners to make a tough decision about repair versus replace.

The Install

The homeowners came to ECI because of our expertise in many different types of HVAC systems, and our reputation for excellence in providing updates to homes of all varieties and ages. These homeowners also had the benefit of experience -- we installed ductless air conditioning for them a while back, so they knew we could be counted on for a professional job at every turn.

Burnham boiler: the right tool for the job

Burnham boilers have efficiency ratings of up to 96% which makes them a great choice for many homeowners -- especially if it's a large, unexpected repair like this one. We also knew the manufacturer would stand behind its product and offered warranties that helped make replacement a safe bet. That's one of the reasons we appreciate working with the company -- we know they care about their product and the homeowners who trust them.

The up-front costs with Burnham boilers is also less than some other brands and models, and high efficiency saves on energy bills, too.

As you can see from the picture below, the new Burnham unit is space efficient and the copper piping should help this unit last for years, providing reliable heat for the whole home. We were so happy to be able to replace the previous unit with an updated model which should perform much better for years to come. 

Classic Home, Investing for the Future

We were so happy to help our homeowners replace their old system with an updated boiler that should increase their comfort and save them money on energy bills. Our knowledge here at ECI makes it easier to have honest, upfront conversations with our customers about their equipment and what needs to be done to ensure their comfort.

No one likes replacing an HVAC system in their home -- it never seems to happen at a good moment! However, knowing trusted professionals are available to give you all your options and allow you to balance all the factors necessary in deciding what to do is central to our job every day.

Most importantly, a system like this one will add long-lasting value to their home, something everyone can appreciate. The warm, comfortable heat coupled with the efficiency of the new system will ensure our homeowners will spend this winter toasty warm.

If you have an oil or gas boiler that's having problems, give us a call at ECI Comfort. We'll make sure to give you the best options at a price you can afford so that you can have long-lasting comfort.