Gas boiler in garage

[redfred18t]

Hi everyone

So I looked at a house today that had an attached 3 car garage that had a newer gas boiler installed in the garage. The house has baseboard heat throughout and with an indirect water storage tank is inside the house. I poked around on the internet and it seems like some people like it in the garage, others don't.

What's the consensus on this? I don't know HVAC, so my opinion doesn't really matter, but I feel like it would be very inefficient running from the boiler to the tank, and from the boiler running harder by being in the colder garage. Unfortunately, this area got hit pretty good by the snow storm and the whole area hasn't had power in over a week, but the house and garage didn't seem that cold. This is in New England (specifically Longmeadow MA). Are there any insurance considerations possibly increasing my rate because of the furnace being in the garage. I also don't want to spend a fortune to move the thing 10 feet.

I can also think about boxing out where the boiler and making it a utility room. It's in the back corner of the garage, not in the way of anything so it should be relatively easy to do. It could also use some bollards, I don't remember those being installed, but that could get tucked inside the wall.

I'm trying to decide between this house and a house two streets over that is a similar size, bedroom layout, price, and condition, except it only has a 2 car garage, has a dedicated utility room in the basement, but unfortunately it doesn't have an open floor plan.

Thanks,
Fred

 

[Sureshot]

I have one in my attached garage and like it. I don't have my lines insulated and the heat from the lines keeps the garage decent all winter.

 

[koditten]

I would think having it in the garage would be a plus. Never have to worry about the possibility of CO poisoning the living area of the home.

As long as the supply and return piping are insulated, efficiency would not be reduced by much, if at all.

Does this boiler have it's own combustion air supply?. Some of the newer homes are so air tight, that gas appliances have a hard time burning because of lack of air. With the boiler in the garage this would not be much of an issue because garages are generally not as air tight as the rest of the home.

 

[pstnbly]

Be carefull placing the boiler in its own room, if it's sealed combustion it's ok, if it's atmospheric it needs free air venting for combustion or it will back vent CO into the space, bad MOJO. The unit should be labeled for the amount of free air venting if that is the case.

I would assume this unit is sealed combustion, being located in a garage, but without pics it's hard to know. There are others issues with atmosperic combustion devices in garages, they must be elevated off the floor so they will not ignite spilled volitiles.

 

[redfred18t]

To be honest, I have no idea if it's a sealed combustion or atmospheric. I'm going to schedule another showing for Monday before I make an offer just to go back over it. I might also call the inspector I used for a previous house that fell through and get his thoughts on it. The house is from the 60's so I dont think it is that air tight in the garage. Also if it is atmospheric, I may run a vent from the window/wall to the room if I do build such a thing. Fortunately the unit is in the corner where I believe the window is.

Also Sureshot, that makes me more comfortable that someone like you has one in the attached garage being from Canada and all lol.

Thanks for the responses guys!

 

[peter-1959]

i would be worried about a non sealed unit with an auto or any gas or paint fumes in the garage. I would make sure to box it off and give it, it's own fresh air vent. Error on the side of safety just in-case of fumes or flammable vapors.