Given electricity costs, at least in the NE, electric boilers don't yet seem viable but I so loved the idea of removing indoor combustion from the process that I've looked into it. A 15KW electric boiler (equal to a 51,000 input gas boiler) would appear to use 15kw per hour if not modulated. I gather they are considered 98% efficient--the 2% going to piping and jacket losses. Does that 15kw rating include the electric for the circulators, LWCO, etc? I'm guessing it doesn't, since gas boilers also use circs, etc. which is an additional electric charge to gas costs. We used 775 therms for heat last year, which @$1.50 per therm total, adds up to about $1160. 775 therms is about 77,500mbh divided by 3.4mbh per kwh = 22,794kwh x $.25per kwh = $5700. Plus maybe circ, lwco usage. Sound right? Guess I'll have to wait for those new Emerson-Oak Ridge Labs Air Source Heat Pumps, which could still be quite a few years.
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