KA 8

nunuvero · Post by **nunuvero** » Sun. Feb. 17, 2008 4:12 pm

My house is like 4000 sq ft, my house use like 2500 - 3000 gallons of oil a year. I am looking to buy a keystoker ka 8. Any recomendations, how much it is? how much coal will I spend a year?
Installation is about at least 2500 $, is that good?
Any recomendation will be grateful

Thank you

Francisco

WNY · Post by **WNY** » Sun. Feb. 17, 2008 4:37 pm

Not sure how much a KA8 would be...

It's hard to quantify the usage, every house heating is different, house type size, windows, insulation, number of radiators, size of radiator, BTU requirements, location of the stove, boiler, etc...what kind of chimney or do you need to install one also, that is additional cost.

Do you have a place to store the coal, either in the basement, garage, etc...a easy way to load into a bin or room in the basement. Bagged is more expensive but can be stored just about anywhere. Check to make sure you can get coal locally, unless you plan to get it yourself from a supplier.

Some homes may only use 3 ton, others may use 6-10 tons. Even if you used 6 ton at around $200/ton on the average, that's only $1200. Still probably cheaper than Oil...the initial cost will be a bit high, but your payback will probably be 2-3 years.

beatle78 · Post by **beatle78** » Sun. Feb. 17, 2008 4:49 pm

nunuvero wrote:My house is like 4000 sq ft, my house use like 2500 - 3000 gallons of oil a year. I am looking to buy a keystoker ka 8. Any recomendations, how much it is? how much coal will I spend a year?
Installation is about at least 2500 $, is that good?
Any recomendation will be grateful

Thank you

Francisco

I'm not an expert, BUT $2,500 for installation sounds a bit steep to me. Unless there is something complicated about the install that you didn't mention.

Also, how old is your house?

nunuvero · Post by **nunuvero** » Sun. Feb. 17, 2008 5:45 pm

thank you for your replies
My house is an old victorian style 1890's. I have new windows, I also put blower insulation.
but I am spending a lot of money in oil. 2006, 6000$ , 2007 a little more that 8000$ a year.

I check some prices on KA 8 = 6600$ plus installation = 2500

I am still debating if it will be a good idea to buy the keystoker ka 8

thank you

gaw · Post by **gaw** » Sun. Feb. 17, 2008 5:57 pm

nunuvero wrote:My house is like 4000 sq ft, my house use like 2500 - 3000 gallons of oil a year. I am looking to buy a keystoker ka 8. Any recomendations, how much it is? how much coal will I spend a year?
Installation is about at least 2500 $, is that good?
Any recomendation will be grateful

Thank you

Francisco

Using the following assumptions; 1 gallon of oil = 138,690 btu, 1 ton of coal = 24,916,000 btu, average oil burned per year is 2,750 gallons. All other things being equal you will use about 15.3 tons of coal to create the same amount of heat. Variables that will make a difference that I can not know would be the overall efficiency of the Keystoker KA-8 and the overall efficiency of the oil burner in use now. If the oil burner you have now is older than the efficiency standards that were mandated sometime in the ninetys I would say the 15.3 ton figure to be pretty close. If you have a new oil burner as in less than 10 years old I think you will burn over 15.3 tons, maybe closer to 17 or even slightly more. How you make out cost wise will be determined on how cheep you can buy the coal. I can't comment on the installation price as there are many variables unknown to me that will have influence on what someone will charge you to install it.

nunuvero · Post by **nunuvero** » Sun. Feb. 17, 2008 6:06 pm

Thank you Gaw

My boiler is more than 8 years old. And even if I spend 15 tons a year, I believe that it is still good, 15 tons X 230 is going to be like 3500's is better than 8000 $ a year.

thank you

gaw · Post by **gaw** » Sun. Feb. 17, 2008 6:14 pm

nunuvero wrote:thank you for your replies
My house is an old victorian style 1890's. I have new windows, I also put blower insulation.
but I am spending a lot of money in oil. 2006, 6000$ , 2007 a little more that 8000$ a year.

I check some prices on KA 8 = 6600$ plus installation = 2500

I am still debating if it will be a good idea to buy the keystoker ka 8

thank you

At those prices you are in the ballpark of the EFM 520. I have the smaller KA-6 Keystoker and it is dependable and works well. I am partial to the EFM and if I were going to lay down the cash for a new boiler I would go with the EFM. That said I doubt very much that there would be any significant difference in coal usage. I think the EFM units have a higher degree of workmanship than the Keystoker. Either way you go, with proper care the boiler will outlast us.

Whatever you do you still need BTUs too heat the house. It sounds like you did what you can to save the BTUs like windows and insulation now all you can do is look for cheaper BTUs or use less BTUs which equals cooler house.

TGMC · Post by **TGMC** » Mon. Feb. 18, 2008 5:41 pm

I have a KA-8 heating a 125 yr old Victorian. The house has been gutted and rebuilt with new windows,siding,insulation,drywall, doors,and even Tyvec.I use between 8 to 10 tons a heating season. As far as quality of a Keystoker over a EFM ,I'll take a Keystoker over EFM any day. The simplicity of design, minimal moving parts, and well thought out construction works for me. When you talk about duribility, my boiler was built in the late 70's (buest guess looking at the manuals and parts), I removed it from a steam installation, took it home and cleaned it up, gave it a fresh coat of paint, and installed 2 new tankless heaters, 1 for each apartment. My side is all hot water baseboard with a boilermate for domestic hot water. 2 years running and so far so good. I also have a Weil -Mclain gas boiler as a backup and for the summer.

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