With residential new construction barely a blip on the radar these days, most contractors have shifted gears toward educating customers about the benefits of retrofitting older HVAC units with new high-efficiency equipment. In the northeast U.S., where hydronic systems are very popular, that often involves replacing older boilers.
It can make great economic sense for homeowners to replace their existing boilers with high-efficiency gas-fired models, particularly when their 30-year-old boiler probably has an efficiency rating below 70 percent. Compare that to the new condensing boilers that manufacturers claim can achieve efficiencies well above 95 percent AFUE, and it is easy to make an argument for the benefits of upgrading.