Consumer Reviews of Heat Transfer Products boilers

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Date created: 2010-01-05 Name: David

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"Munchkin Contender Owner install"
Well, I just built a new garage shop and wanted radiant floor heat. I read many reviews so I decided to try this unit. I bought it online for $1800. As the local installers wanted $3800 and $4400 to install without a feeder or installing tubing before cement was poured for slab. Again, the contractors were crazy nuts on install price for this part of job so my wife and I did it. Mainly, my wife did under my supervision as I am disabled so I couldn't do much. By trade, I am a maintenance technician. First, the contractor I had hired for the footings and slab thought I was crazy on how I wanted to install the tubing. Around the footing edges, I wanted a not a flat surface on the edges but an angle. I also wanted only 2 350' section. This was on a 1080 square feet. All the so-called professional installers laughed at me and said I would never heat the shop with it. I loled at them and said I have forgotten more than you will ever know. After install 2" of insulation on the ground base, I laid the fence concrete wire and than walked out the 2 tubing sections with the return feeds towards the middle of the garage then I added rebar after tieing the tubing to the wire fence base and poured the cement. Heating contracts said I was insane throwing money away. Then, after getting shop up, I installed the munchkin contender to a 4x 8 plywood sheet after having already installing wiring to the board. Then, I designed my own manifold system using uponer manifolds. I used 2 small pumps and the concentric flue. Both contractors said that those flues were junk. So just to further prove to them they knew very little, I installed the flue with the air intake 180 degrees different than the manual said as I new exactly what I was doing. I did it just to prove a point, I would recommend that all do it according to install instructions. At the end, I started the boiler up in early November using distilled water. I bought an axion feeder since I had no city water to the shop. One of the installers who came back to do gas analysis in December couldn't believe this setup. In fact, he went and got the owner of his company. They were amazed at the set up of 2 small pumps running at low speed with a 30degree heat differential. This boiler has never run at high burn other than at start up. It always runs at 18,000 btu and only runs 2 times a day burying normal weather and 3 times a day in below zero temps. The thermostat setting is 70 and boiler shuts down at 71 and stays there for hours upon hours. Both men left the shop that day amazed. The contract flue being 180 degrees off had them scratching there heads when they checked for condensation run back on to the boiler flue exit. I lol , They said that's not possible . I said oh really I had proper angle per instruction on the flue (threw wall setup). I am extremely happy with my Munchkin boiler and saved $1000 besides. Since the gas analysts, the owner of the heating company has asked if he could copy my manifold piping set up, I said sure you can. He was a nice guy for even going the analyst for a self-install. I gave him the air conditioning contract for this spring. I will have a step-by-step video of this install on youtube shortly to help others out. My wife did all the sweeping on the copper tubing for manifold piping/feeder/air separator/diaphragm expansion tank and the 2 circulators and all drains and shutoffs. It's going to be a good show and proper sweeping of copper tubing.

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Date created: 2009-12-19 Name: Jim
Location: South
Years owned: 2

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"Master Plumber Installed Munchkin"
I am a retired Master Plumber who installed many hot water heating systems in my lifetime. I did not know too much about Munchkin prior to purchasing my unit, but I did my homework and liked the general properties of the system. I live in the South where heating is not a real big issue, but it does get cold. I wanted to heat 4500 sf on lp gas. I set up a 3 zone system using zone control valves and 1 main circulating pump, and balancing valves. I also installed the domestic hot water tank. I used the m80 boiler because I wanted the boiler to have to work verses cycle too often. I felt this might be somewhat of a chore for the unit, but it only had to work one zone at a time based upon temperature settings. I found the installation to be generally straight forward, but everything had to be just right. Water flow is important, as is gas volume and as stated in prior comments co readings. Yes, I have had my share of fault readings, but those fault readings indicate issues the boiler is having. Once the system is twicked to perfection all works very well and provides all the required heating to my 4500 sf as well as my domestic hot water. The test for me will be will the unit hold up in the long haul. Proper maintenance will be key. Knowing the general lack of education and knowledge of many of todays' techs, I have to presume many of the problems people are having with this equipment is due to improper installation. I know that does no good whatsoever for the average homeowner who knows nothing, but turning up the thermostat, so if your guy ain't too swift, find someone who knows what the heck he/she is doing. If they know nothing about Munchkins, then they will be lost as there is a world of difference between a conventional boiler and a Munchkin. Thus far, I am very impressed with the system but yes the manufacturers are of little help. Make them, sell them, make profit, walk away, but that's pretty much the standard today...not all, but many.

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Date created: 2009-12-15 Name: B. Stork
Years owned: 7

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"works good"
I've owned this unit for 7 years and never had a problem just now. It is starting to not fire. I've done little maintenance like keeping it clean and keeping the drain tube clear. From reading other reviews, I believe it is time for me to find a knowledgeable technician familiar with them.

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Date created: 2009-11-21 Name: Charlie
Years owned: 1

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"Munckin works great"
I have been very happy with the munckin that replaced a failed 9 year old Burnham conventional boiler. Fuel savings are as expected - substantial. Hot water for the shower, etc. recovers much faster. There was a problem with the heat exchanger and no problems with repairs, warranty. I believe that most of the complaints are from poor installations and from old school plumbers that won't invest in training on the products. Watching the crew install my munchkin, it was clear that they have installed many and have been trained. The solo plumber probably won't install enough of these to get the right experience base. If your plumber prefers a different mod-con because that is what he has installed, go with the mod-con in which your plumber is experienced.

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Date created: 2009-10-27 Name: Steven
Years owned: 8

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"Steven - BELTLINE HEATING"
Again - If you are having constant problems with your Munchkin boiler - get a differant qualified service technician. If you have to replace the impellar or the plastic swirl plate you have a exhaust gas reversion problem.( boiler is sucking up it's own exhaust or the exhaust from another appliance ( water heater ) If you have to replace the blower it is caused by the same reversion. If the boiler isn't installed properly and overheats it will eventually distroy the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger Must be cleaned yearly. vacuame out the coffee grounds, use a brass bristle brush to brush the corosion off and then use a feeler guage to clean between the heat exchanger yubes. ( be carefull and also there are nubs about every 2 inches that hold the tubes apart ) after brushing and cleaning between the tubes I use a short hose with the end cut off and push it up against the tubes and spray water between the tubes ( this flushes the bottom pan and the drain line. I kneed the drain line to break up any build up so it will flush out ) If your service tech doesn't use a CO meter to set up the combustion then don't let him touch your boiler. It should be set at 100 PPM CO at high fire in space heating mode. Check CO at what is your max normal operating temperature. If you have to replace either of the refractories then you have a moisture problem. ( pluged drain line )

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Date created: 2009-09-09 Name: Anthony Graziano

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"Munchkin boilers are the best ( Installers are the problem)"
I do not own a Munchkin boiler. After reading so many letters from pissed off owners, I might think the boiler is a piece of shit. But being a repair technican as well an installer, I can tell all of you that 99% of problematic Munchkins are Installer related. The boiler piping & venting are critical for the proper operation of this modulating/condensing unit. So you all really need to evaluate why your boiler is such a headache. I will guarantee that the problem is directly installer related.

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Date created: 2009-09-05 Name: C Goodrich
Years owned: 1

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"Works like a charm, big savings on gas"
My 9 year old Burnham series 2 had to be replaced due to a cracked casting. I decided to look into modcons and my plumber recommended Munchkin, he said he had installed lots of them. By the way his installation team worked, they had installed quite a few. I will say this, however, this is not a do it your self job, or for a solo plumber who only installs one every other year. If your plumber likes a competing modcon, go with what he is familiar installing and servicing. My suspicicion is that the complaints on this board are due to poor installation and/or service. There was leakage after a month, and that was fixed. Gas savings on a therm basis have been 30 to 80%. Although this is the shoulder period when the savings are the greatest. This should be a good financial return, particularly since I had to replace the boiler. Unlike Veissmann, the control settings are not readily changed by the homeowner. This is good and bad.

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Date created: 2009-06-21 Name: M saniter
Years owned: 7

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"munchkin"
7 years never had a problem. If you are it was not installed correct, or you are not mataining it right.....

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Date created: 2009-06-17 Name: Ted Alward
Years owned: 5

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"140M Munchkin Boiler"
I installed this unit myself. I am not a hvac contractor and this was only a change out. I did have problems the second season with the swirl plate and replaced it for under 4 dollars. it was caused by venting, after adding to 90 degree elbows I have had no problems since. It has saved me hundereds of dollars each season and has more than paid for itself. I have read many post concerning poor operation of Munchkin boilers and feel for those with problems. We have all experienced faults in equipment. But I pleased with my purchase and the 7k in savings installing it myself.

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Date created: 2009-05-31 Name: Rich Swatton
Years owned: 9

Satisfaction Rating:
Review:
"Munchkin Problems"
These boilers are very efficient.The problem is they need to be serviced by qualified technitions. All Modulating Condencing boilers have to be serviced at least every 2 years no matter what manufactuer.I Service over 900 boilers a year.My customers all had similar experiances. Now they are trouble free. Most of the problems are caused by lack of servic and poor instalations.

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