Combi boiler question

I have a rental property with electric baseboard heat and I want to change.

I thought a combi unit would work for both the heat and water heating but the plumber I had come by said that a combi unit had to have a compressor in case the unit doesn't heat the house properly.

I know nothing of this.

Is he right?

Thank you.

 

Welcome to the forums.

A compressor for a combination boiler ? What kind of compressor ?

 

I really don't know but he checked my electrical panel and said that since I only had 100 amps it couldn't be done.

 

You didn't specify but I'm assuming from your last reply you have an all electric house..... no gas/propane..... and you are considering an electric boiler or tankless boiler.

An electric boiler does use a considerable amount of power.

By compressor I'm guessing some type of heat pump water heating system.

 

Something doesn't make sense to me. You seemingly have electric resistance baseboard heat? And your electric service is 100-A (which might be a bit skimpy for electric baseboard heating). But, any type of heating other than electric resistance would need less electric service, not higher.

You need to find out exactly what type of heating you have now - and tell us what type of heating you would like to consider. I think you may be misunderstanding what is typically meant by a "combi boiler" - try Googling.

Also, what are you hoping to achieve? If you don't have natural gas available, I sort of doubt that you could economically justify any replacement of the present system.

 

I'm not so sure about that Gil. Those electric boilers are power pigs just like the tankless water heaters.

I agree that more details are needed here in order to make an educated decision because to go from baseboard electric heating to hydronic with an electric boiler is adding un-needed equipment which will not yield any operating cost savings.

 

it's a 800 sq foot house. it's electric baseboard and I want to go to natural gas. there's no room for vents for a forced air furnace.

I just don't see why a compressor is needed. I don't know if he's right or not.

He's sending me a estimate tonight. I will reply to him and ask him to clarify.

 

Ahhh.... ok. You're switching to natural gas. A worthwhile improvement.

We'll wait to hear what he's proposed for your rental because now I'm completely baffled in regards to a compressor.