How long a hot water heating boiler should last?
I have Burnham ES2 for 17 years. it threw fist error code (which is gone after restart). But tried to call my plumber and he suggested that the boiler is on the way out and may completly fail in the middle of the winter. Quick search also shows that this boiler can last 20-30 years. Is this the current consensus?
There are couple of experiances pointing that this is not right:
– my old boiler was working for literally 100 years. It was build when there was no electricity in the house.
– if water heaters lasts 10 years and water boilers last 30 years, I should see disposed boilers and heaters. but I saw many disposed heaters and maybe one boiler. And there was a significant sample size to make this observation statistically viable.
bobjohn
in Heating and Cooling 1 month ago
4
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4 replies
athalind03 | 3 weeks ago
Most hot water boilers seem to last around 20–30 years if they’re been maintained decently. A lot comes down to water quality and regular servicing – I’ve seen some go longer, but once they’re past 25 years it’s usually smart to start planning for replacement rather than waiting for a failure.
Brownstone Home Inspection | 1 month ago
bobjohn, so i want to say this first. having spent decades in building services/project management and also having taken classes in electronics, power mechanics, construction, and building restoration (the last three at college level), it is wholly wrong for a professional to tell a customer that their 17-year-old boiler “might be on its way out” based on an error code and without seeing the boiler. As the other person and i who replied stated, the error codes are less to do with the boiler itself and more to do with the heating component and the heating component parts are serviceable (can be cleaned) or replaceable. That person who said that to you is the kind of person who will say things like that to scare a customer but they would NEVER say that to someone like me who would ask them questions on what they are basing their comment on or might even put the phone down on them.
When homeowners have a bunch of maintenance issues and competing projects that they will have to address and they need help dealing with contractors, i do offer a consulting service. i basically walk buildings with them and answer questions and prepare a report that prioritizes issues. however, you and others should know, boilers would be one of my weaker areas as i have operated commercial boilers and maintain my own, but have no classroom training in such beasts.
This is the google ai result for “burnam es2 error codes”:
Common Burnham ES2 boiler codes include Error 5 (ignition or control panel issue), Error 6 (flame sensed out of sequence), and Error 55 (atmospheric damper end switch fails to close). Other codes like E56 can indicate a failing control board. It is best to try a reset first, but if the error persists, contact a qualified technician.
and error code could be a matter of cleaning something.
there are heating guys on here and they know this stuff off the top of their heads, maybe they will weigh in-
davidjonson1 | 1 month ago
A well-maintained hot water boiler like your Burnham ES2 can often last 20–30 years, sometimes even longer, so 17 years isn’t automatically “end of life.” One random error code doesn’t mean it’s about to fail—sometimes it’s just a sensor, venting issue, or minor component acting up. Modern boilers do tend to have more electronics than those old 80–100-year beasts, which is why they don’t last quite as long, but a total failure at 17 years isn’t the norm unless there are known issues like corrosion, leaks, or repeated error codes. The real answer depends on condition, not age. If the boiler is clean, not leaking, and running efficiently, it may still have plenty of life left. It’s worth getting a second opinion from another tech before assuming you need a replacement.
Brownstone Home Inspection | 1 month ago
that code could be more related to the heat/flame producing unit than with the boiler. so long as the boiler is not leaking water, it should be good. i would think of the boiler as a pot of water on a stove and the heat producing element as the stove itself. the stove itself has all sorts of controllers and safety interlocks that might shut it down on low fuel pressure, high pressure, or maybe a jet that is not burning correctly or something else(i am sort of guessing here, i have a forced air burner which i think is different than yours so mine is so old it not only does not produce codes, it is also a different animal with different components; i can look up the interlocks and components on that thing when i get home later and see what codes they produce. i have to get to a job).
generally these last 20-30 years. i saw one last week that dated to the ’80s. i see a lot older than 20.
do you know what code it was? you can look it up.
Steve