heater burns gas or oil - InspectionNews

John Arnold · #1 (**permalink**) 06-18-2007, 02:36 PM

Anyone seen a heating system that is set up to burn gas or oil (not at the same time, I assume)? I haven't seen it yet, just got a heads-up from my scheduling people.

John Arnold · #2 (**permalink**) 06-19-2007, 06:06 AM

Anyone? Don't be bashful.

Brian E Kelly · #3 (**permalink**) 06-19-2007, 07:25 AM

I have seen a few in the past. Very simple just one furnace with two different fuel burners usually set up on different sides of the heat exchange or there are units that have the burners changeable for either fuel depending on what is cheaper to run. There are also units that burn solid fuel (wood,coal) and gas or oil combo's.

John Arnold · #4 (**permalink**) 06-19-2007, 07:39 AM

Thanks for the reply Brian.

Bob Harper · #5 (**permalink**) 06-19-2007, 08:49 AM

Yes John, you can have a variety of dual fuel setups:
Gas & oil
gas & wood
Gas & coal
oil & wood
etc.

I haven't looked at them lately but coming onto the market are dual fuel heaters using bio-mass such as pellets as one fuel with the hydrocarbon for backup.

May sound good on paper but they never have received any serious attention as a great idea. To be all things to all fuels means you sacrifice something somewhere.

As long as they are installed in accordance with the listed instructions into a suitable venting system, it should be allowable.

Stay cool John,
Bob

Lee Nettnin · #6 (**permalink**) 06-19-2007, 04:50 PM

Yes John, I used to be in charge of taking care of one at a church. It was a steam boiler and could burn either gas or oil. I usually kept it on oil because it would burn hotter and heat up faster. The unit was large at 1,000,000 BTU. I usually would have the heating mechanic fine tune it if I was switching to the other fuel for a long period. We also have the same type boiler in our town hall.