steam heat furnace

[mike]

I purchased a home which is 78 years old. It has old style steam radiators. My hot water runs off the same furnace that makes the steam for the heat. According to the oil company, whom I have a service contract with, the furnace is vintage 1970s’. Its been cleaned, and certified at 77% efficient.

My questions are… How long might this furnace last? And if it were to go, can I still buy a proper steam furnace to replace it?

Should I look at splitting off my hot water source?

And last, should I save my money and have the whole system replaced? I have a friend to says heating contractors can now run copper baseboard hot water pipes within my old steam pipes.

Thanks

[Harold hydronicnetwork.net]

The boiler can last many more decades. A new one is available at any time. The hot water from that boiler is the least expensive you can get.

Changing to a hot water boiler will improve efficiency and give closer control of the heat and hot water in the house. However, it would take a decade to pay off the investment from the savings.

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