Heating Help

Inserts for boots

@ December 9, 2004 11:58 AM in work boots

Have any of you guys ever tried orthotics for your shoes. I had a set made because i run a lot and my arches are low. The doctor makes a cast of your foot and then has inserts made from hard plastic The inserts fit the bottom of your feet perfectly. You then place the insert in your shoes. When I first saw the hard plastic I though it would feel like a brick in my shoes but I was wronge they worked great. These are different than the cheap ones you get in the store they are custom fit. I have found that it doesent matter how expensive my boots are They make your boots fit better and get rid of the poor fit problems. For people in the trades and especially people that carry alot of heavy equipment or tools I would think arch supports would be somthing to consider Dan

unico

@ August 31, 2004 4:40 PM in Unico A/C and Heat

I have a two year old unico system (AC only) and really like it. The system cools my old farm house ( Attic included) very well. In a hot month it adds about fifty dollars to my electric bill. The system was installed by two workmen in about threes days and cost me $9000. The piping fit into areas where a normal system would not and allowed me to remodel without restrictions. the professionals that installed it were experianced and hard working Dan

@ February 17, 2004 10:22 AM in flue gas condensation question

Im on my second boiler in six years due to this issue My first weil died after 6 years and was a classic case of condesation problems. The boiler had some problems from the factory but Poor piping was the main culprit, cold return water was dropping straight into the boiler the moment it fired (1st Pro). When my second Weil Gv5 was piped wronge ( By second Pro) it had a pretty good trickle of water coming from the drain . Enter "Boiler Pro" , BP repiped my "At boiler piping" for primary and secondary and the boiler now is running properly. With the boiler piped right no condensation comes from the drain. One other indicator of a problem is to check the drain trap at the boiler for metal flakes. I would find alot of metal when my boiler was piped wronge. I am sure this boilers life expectancy will be shorted by its initial installation but thanks to Boiler Pro the damage has been stopped

Blocking eave vents is hard on shingles

@ February 9, 2004 4:24 PM in ductwork in attic condensing

Blocking eave vents can lead to shingle curling from over heating

@ February 4, 2004 11:45 AM in High velocity air conditioning?

I had a complete unico system installed last summer. My house is a 1910 two story that has hot water heat with radiators. The high velocity system was installed in about three days . The system cools my finished attic, second floor and first floor. The small vents hide well with most in the ceiling and some on the floors ( even have oak covers for my hardwood floors) The system cooled the house very well. If duct work can be installed with out alot of hassel it is usually cheaper to go with a traditional system. High velocity systems cost more than normal system but can be installed all most anywhere. If installed inproperly The systems can be noisey. The pipes prefer long sweeps rather than sharp bends or tight corners ( Make sure your insaller has done theses before) Recklessly cramming the pipe in difficult spots can produce noise. moral of the story. ....If I could have used a traditional system I would have but because I could not I used a high velocity system and I am very happy with it and the installer

@ February 4, 2004 11:41 AM in High velocity air conditioning?

I had a complete unico system installed last summer. My house is a 1910 two story that has hot water heat with radiators. The high velocity system was installed in about three days . The system cools my finished attic, second floor and first floor. The small vents hide well with most in the ceiling and some on the floors ( even have oak covers for my hardwood floors) The system cooled the house very well. If duct work can be installed with out alot of hassel it is usually cheaper to go with a traditional system. High velocity systems cost more than normal system but can be installed all most anywhere. moral of the story ....If I could have used a traditional sytem i would have but because I could not I used a high velocity system and I am very happy with it

wow

@ February 3, 2004 11:28 AM in My first and last radiant install

You sir.....are a artist

@ February 2, 2004 11:57 AM in The Magic of 140 Degrees

......oop ! drop that "E"

hot tube

@ February 2, 2004 11:54 AM in The Magic of 140 Degrees

So I should avoid doing the dishes in the hot tube ?

stinker

@ January 30, 2004 11:38 AM in Smell from radiator

I stripped and painted my radiators last summer and thay gave off some odor for a while this heating season. (Hot water system) The odor was strongest when it first got really cold outside and the radiators finally reached their max temperatures . I figured that any remaining solvents in the paint were baking out. Not only the paint but could also be any residual chemical that they may have used to strip the old paint.

cold basement = cold floors

@ January 28, 2004 3:24 PM in cold basement/cold floors

As I remoldeled my home I replaced the old gravity piping with 1" copper pipe and insulated the pipes well. The one zone hot water ( weil GV5) system heats the radiators very well and I have alot more head room in the basement. The basement is dramatically cooler. The old pipes were exposed apparently contributing to heating the basement. The basement is storage and a exercise room so I dont really mind it being cooler.The downside is that the basement temperature is effecting the first floor temps. The Hardwood floors (that are in every room of the 1st floor) are cold and seem to contribute to cooling the rooms (or at least making them feel cool). What are some ways to deal with this ? Should I eventually add heat to the basement or would insulating the basement ceiling help? Should I remove the pipe insulation ?. With hardwood floors do I need to heat the basement to help the first floor. Sounds like a great application for radient, but I already have large cast iron radiator system Thanks dan

weil

@ January 26, 2004 10:41 AM in leaking weil mclain boiler

I had a weil die after six years and they sent me a new one . I paid for the install.

fun

@ January 22, 2004 2:26 PM in munchkin 140 quote $8500, reasonable?

.....in corner #1 we have Homeowner .....in corner #2 we have irratated PRO ..Yea.......Haaa... when I saw that first post I new I would be in for a couple of days good reading.This is almost as good as that $50 plunge job for a neighbor( That was a real lightning rod). When a HO ask about "cost" something usually hits the fan. As a home owner and engineer I read this sight all day long and have learned tons . The best part about it is that some kind soul always helps and there is for the most part a happy ending. Ps This is a example of what puts Holohan on top. He seems to understand more than anyone that its not all about pipes and BTUs, it's about the inneraction of diverse groups of people. He knows just when to step in and referee and when to let it roll excellant job

leaks

@ January 22, 2004 10:48 AM in leaking copper pipe

My hotwater system is setup for constant circulation . It seems that one down-side to this is that it would increase the errosion effect ? My second floor pipes are new 1" copper and are in the wall so a leak would be a real pain. The system heated well before the pump was set up to run constantly, should I consider going back to running it only when the boiler is heating ? . On a quiet day you can hear the flow pretty good. thanks Danm

BIG PUMP

@ January 16, 2004 12:45 PM in cold on end of loop,bigger pump okay?

When my system was bumped up to a oo11 from a oo7 for circulation issues the water velocity noise in the pipes was enough to drive me crazy ( short trip). I would check every option before getting pumped up. I am not a pro but in hydrandics as in life bigger is not always better. good luck Danm

Kickspace heater

@ January 8, 2004 3:35 PM in Beacon Morris kickspace heater

I want to add a little more heat to my finished attic. I heat the rest of the house with a Weil wot water system and cast radiators ( Constant circulation one zone taco 007) I dont want a heavy radiator or long runs of baseboard. I have been reading a little about these kickspace heaters ( Beacon Morris). The attic heats now to about 60 deg on cold days , so I wouldnt think I need too much to bring it up to a more comfortable level. Does this sound like it might be a good application or not Thanks for any help Dan

Radiantech

@ December 17, 2003 10:12 AM in Radiant problems, Please HELP.

Holohans right. When you open a DIY magazine , sooner or later you run into a very impreesive add that makes radiant sound easy. A wonderful warm room that a the DIY er can point to his (Or Her) friends and say "We did it ourselves". The adds written to appeal to the DIY Guys (like myself) unsurpressable urge to try anything once. I know because I made the call to radintech. I have a room that doesnt have a radiator and this sounded like the ticket. Withen about ten minutes The guy was ready to send me everything I needed for about $800.The whole deal sounded great but began to fall apart when I asked questions based upon what I have learned from you guys on this site. I was concerned about the different water temps reqiured by the two different systems (radiators and the radient)and how they would effect my boiler ( or floor) if I did not mix them right. I asked if my boiler warrenty might be effected . The more I asked the more I realized was not being considered. People try this stuff not beacuse they wake up and decide to install a radient floor , they are often driven by some pretty convincing marketing. Had I not asked questions based upon my education on the Wall I would probaly be in the same boat. The Moral of the story is keep telling the story because it helps sombody evertime its told. Thanks again Dan

sediment

@ December 16, 2003 2:10 PM in Bad Water???

check the sediment with a magnet to see if it metalic

ooooooohaaaaaaaaahhhh

@ December 16, 2003 12:39 PM in $ 5,000 toilet

I read an article that said more and more middle class Americans are getting interested in these "High End" bath fixtures. Now that we have three cars and two microwaves we want butt rinseing toilets. If they would mount a mirror in that thing you look in and shave. Dan

reputation

@ December 15, 2003 4:16 PM in how would you handle this

I would let it go because of the rap that comes with it. Regardless of your reputation in the Business no one who works in the public can afford to have some one out against them. Each time this lady goes to "Card Club" or some other gathering you become her favorite subject. She's probaly on Garden wed.com with a thread longer than this one. Her version of the story will change each time its passed on untill the story really is shocking.I hear people sitting on the assembly lines at work talking about this stuff and it gets better each time they tell it .It may indirectly cost a you a bigger job later. Dan m

air sound

@ December 11, 2003 11:37 AM in Water noise in system

I have noticed that with my 3 Year old Weil also. I have a new "Cleanable " Honeywell vent at the pressure tank . The vent took out the majority of the air in the system but I do notice when I am by the boiler a small surge of air in the pipes when the boilers internal mixing ciculators kick on. It acts like small amounts of air that get trapped in the boiler are kicked around when the internal ciculators are running. I have one zone with constant circulation (taco 007). I dont usually hear anything at the radiators. The air seems to move past the airscoop too fast to get caught. Dan

Curves

@ December 10, 2003 11:23 AM in Yo Boilerpro

Thanks for the education, I printed out the info and will try to do the homework. dan