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We currently have a single pipe steam system that heats 3 adjacent 16 apt buildings. (for a total of about 48apts)
The source of the heat and hot water is a single large oil burning boiler.

In an effort to make the system more efficient, we are considering adding 3 individual water heaters
to allow us not to run the Steam boiler in the summer.
We would however like to utilize the heat from the boiler when it is available in the winter.
This can be accomplished by connecting the water heaters after the boiler.

Our plumber has advised us that we use modern Gas Water heaters as they will be easier to maintain.
This however will require us to redo the piping as the Gas boilers are supposedly not allowed to be
in the same room as the big Boiler.

Luckily the individual buildings have old flues from coal days, which can probably be relined and used again.

Is there any benefit to getting gas heaters other then them being more common?