How inefficient is my boiler?

[Turbo]

I have a 20 year old ray pak boiler that I use for floor heat. The plate on the boiler states input btu of 512,000 and output btu of 409,000. I assume that means it WAS 20% efficient when it was new.

Any guess on its current efficiency? I am considering replacing it and need to know how many output btus in is supplying now. On the coldest of days it runs almost continuously. If it is 50% efficient then the output btus would be approx 256,000. So I would need to replace it with a boiler with 256,000 btus or replace it with a smaller one but add doors on the bays

Any one with similar situation that replaced their boiler and wants to share experience?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Turbo Karl in Chicago

 

[soapy]

The rating would be closer to 80% on that boiler. If you are going to replace it you would want to get one with a similar output BTU rating. Most new hitech boilers are 90% +. If you use it for floor heat in the winter I would reccomend a boiler that uses a closed loop air induction so all the warm air in the equipment room does not go up the stack.

 

[Turbo]

80%?

Soapy,

Doesn't a boiler get less efficient overtime? I don't know why (except for hardwater deposits which are not relevant in a closed loop system).

When new it was 80% per the ratings on the plate but that was 20 years ago. If it requires any maintenance, it has not been done.


Thanks

Turbo