Boiler Installation and Replacement in Des Plaines, IL

Sizing a replacement correctly

Hot-water boilers are sized to the building's heat loss. Steam boilers are sized to the connected radiation — the total square footage of the radiators the boiler has to fill — which is a different calculation entirely and the one most often skipped. An oversized steam boiler short-cycles, wastes fuel, and produces the uneven heat and banging that homeowners assume is normal for radiator systems.

Because many Chicagoland homes have been insulated and re-windowed since the original boiler was installed, the correct replacement is frequently smaller than what is coming out. We measure and calculate rather than assume.

Evaluating the distribution system

Before quoting equipment we look at what the boiler will be feeding: radiator and baseboard condition, main and radiator venting on steam systems, near-boiler piping, circulators, zone valves and controls on hot-water systems, and manifolds and loops on radiant floors. Near-boiler piping in particular determines whether a new steam boiler delivers dry steam or carries water into the mains.

Where the distribution system has problems, we say so and price the correction with the replacement. Installing good equipment onto a system that cannot distribute the heat is how a new boiler ends up performing no better than the one it replaced.

Older boiler efficiency and your gas bill

Many older boilers still running in Chicagoland homes were built around the 80% AFUE mark, which means roughly a fifth of the fuel they burn leaves through the vent instead of heating the house. Modern condensing boilers are manufacturer-rated in the mid-to-high 90% AFUE range, depending on the model — not every boiler reaches the top of that range, and the rating on the label is a laboratory figure, not a promise about your house.

Upgrading to a properly sized, correctly installed high-efficiency boiler may reduce how much gas your heating system uses and help bring the gas bill down. We will not quote you a percentage or a dollar figure, because the real result depends on the boiler you have now, the house itself, the weather that winter, correct sizing, your controls and thermostat habits, and the quality of the installation. A high-efficiency boiler installed on a system that cannot run at low water temperatures will not deliver its rated efficiency.

Ask us if a high-efficiency boiler makes sense for your home. Call 847-550-3322 for the northwest suburbs and we will measure the heat loss, look at your radiation and give you a straight answer either way.

Efficiency options for steam and hot water

Hot-water systems can often use a condensing boiler and gain real efficiency, provided the system can operate at lower water temperatures — radiant floors and generously sized baseboard are good candidates, while small cast-iron radiation sometimes is not. Steam systems do not condense; efficiency there comes from correct sizing, tight piping, proper venting and good controls.

We explain which category your system falls into rather than selling the highest rating available. Efficiency you cannot use is money spent for nothing.

Installation and startup testing

Installation covers removal and disposal of the old boiler, new near-boiler piping built to the manufacturer's specification, gas and venting, condensate where applicable, controls and safeties, and a proper fill, purge and skim on the water side.

Startup includes verifying gas pressure and combustion, checking operating and safety controls, purging air, balancing zones, and running the system through a full cycle while watching the pressure, temperature and distribution. We walk you through the controls, the fill procedure and the maintenance interval before we leave.

Protecting a boiler investment over the long term

A boiler is one of the largest mechanical purchases a house makes, and it is the one most affected by what happens after the install. The systems that give owners repeated trouble are usually the ones where the equipment was sized to the old nameplate, the near-boiler piping was reused, the water side was never properly filled, purged and skimmed, or annual service simply stopped happening. None of that is an argument that the equipment on the market is poor quality — it is an argument for doing the install and the upkeep properly.

Maintenance is not optional on a boiler. Steam systems need the water line watched, the low-water cutoff tested and flushed, and venting kept clear. Hot-water systems need pressure, expansion and air elimination checked, circulators and zone valves verified, and combustion confirmed on an annual visit. We set out the interval and the specific tasks for your system at handover rather than leaving it vague.

Lifetime parts-and-labor warranty available on qualifying Right Away installations, subject to written warranty terms, eligibility, required maintenance, and any active-membership conditions that apply.

That is not automatic on every job, and it does not mean the boiler will never need service or that operating costs disappear. Where an installation qualifies and the written conditions are kept up, the parts-and-labor side of a covered failure is handled under those terms instead of arriving as an unplanned expense. Manufacturer coverage is separate, varies by model and is governed by the manufacturer's own written warranty. We provide our written terms with the quote and will go through inclusions, exclusions and maintenance requirements before you commit.

Repair or replace a boiler?

Cast-iron boilers are long-lived, so age alone is not a reason to replace one. A cracked section, a leaking block, chronic pressure loss from internal corrosion or an obsolete unit with no available parts are. Failed controls, circulators, valves and vents are usually repairs, and we treat them as such.

If the decision is close, we quote both paths and let you compare. Current problems are covered on our boiler repair page.