Do people even use boilers anymore?
absolutely, though modern boilers don't look much like the old fashioned kind. Instead of giant heavy metal cylinders modern boilers look like a large box mounted on the wall with pipes and wires going out. The church I take care of has three boilers that control various zones of the building. Its much more 'on demand' and efficient than the big old tank that still sits in the same room unused.
Sure. Modern ones are efficient enough to condense the water in the flue gas, but the principle is the same.
Most commercial contractors still incorporate boilers into their buildings. They're a much more efficient (saving them $) way to heat large quantities of water, and they can also be used for heating large buildings through floor heaters.
