Heating Help

noise

For hanging cut pieces of foam pipe insulation 1-1/2, 2 inches long and get the clamps to fit the diameter of the insulation. that way when the pipes expand and contract you don't get the noises.

Boiler lines need pitch?

I bought a house with a hot water boiler system. It has the tank over the top of the boiler for expansion, and lots of line in the basement. They hung the lines way too low and I'm going to stuff them up higher in the ceiling, but I was wondering. Do they need to be pitched? The aren't pitched now and other than some random noises...it works pretty good. Before I tie the 1 inch supply and return lines right to the floor boards, I wanted to make sure they didn't have to be pitched.

HW line pitch

Not necessarily, but I would most certainly avoid downward air-pockets.
Alot depends on your set-up, are you pumping away from the boiler?
If not, ridding the start-up air may be a nightmare.

Dave

Thanks. My mistake, by tank I meant an extrol tank. I think when you have the extrol tank it makes it a hydronic system? Another question: The system had a break in it where they ran lines to the garage, but it was never used and I don't trust it, so I'd like to keep the valves closed going and coming from the garage. The thing is, do I need to connect the missing link? For instance, the pipes just dead end before the garage now. The basement is kinda split in half...2 lines on each side, but they don't reach each other since they both run through the wall into the garage, but are shut off and have been for years. Should I keep them dead ended or make it one flowing connections?

Two things. Make that three. An EXTROL tank is an expansion tank. It does not make it a hydronic system, the use of water as the medium makes it a hydronic system. Those pipes going to the garage have probably froze in the past and that is why they are dead-headed. Last thing is you may want to be careful of typing those copper lines tight to the wood flooring as copper has a high coefficient of expansion meaning that if placed directly next to it may may undesirable noises during heating and cooling down.

Oh yes, your question: No pitch needed.

Dave makes a good point. You are going to have to vent the air so I would make that easy by installing a Spirovent and other stop and drain/purge valves to clear the system. I always blow the air out in the boiler room and not try to vent the radiators. From the fact that it has a tank hanging I am guessing that you are looking at an antique. If it is anywhere near modern it will have an Extrol type tank.