Heating Help

Both

@ January 18, 2011 6:11 AM in Keep the old boiler vs. all split system

Add the MS. You all ready own the boiler. Keep it. You will find the inverter 410a minisplits will heat effectively. I've run mine down to 5 f. Now, do i run it when temps are very low? No! As i still have the boiler I can determine my "balance point", the temp at which I run the boiler over the mini. Your decision will largely be predicated upon the choice of mini-splits, size and lay-out of the equipment.

There are now 4 ton units you can run up to 8 evaporators (indoor heads). In my house I ran a dual indoor evap system upstairs and the highest efficiency 25 seer/12HSPF) down stairs.

The way to make oil more efficient is to burn less of it. You'll like the combination system.

However...

@ January 16, 2011 5:44 PM in Evergreen Solar moves to China.

They are making much of the fact they intend to keep the companies R&D in Marlborough, MA. It just makes you feel lucky, eh!

Now what they need to do to open up the area is make Devens into the new AIRPORT. Bullet trains to Boston , NH, RI, Hartford, etc. They put a billion or so into Logan and it cannot take one more air operation. Boston Brahmins will never let it happen.

A couple things

@ January 12, 2011 7:15 AM in Gas Tankless hot water needs

The biggest mistake in installation of tankless is inadequate gas line capacity. Your current gas line is likely undersized. You will be looking at a tankless in the range of max, 180-199kbtu vs yur current 36-40kbtu. With the increase in gas line, you will not be able to use the same vent system. You absolutely want a direct vent unit.

An unlined masonry chimney does not meet code

@ January 8, 2011 7:42 PM in Question about chimney liner and new equipment

NFPA 211 which covers masonry chimneys states that a "masonry chimney shall be lined with an approved fire clay flue lining" On residential systems approved alternate liners are acceptable. Now the only copy of the code i have here at the house is the 88 edition and it is section 3-2.2 I'm referring to. We all know that venting codes, other than oil, have become much more stringent. In 92 the gas codes began requiring lining. Today, it is basically universal with Cat I gas appliances that the chimney be lined with the appropriately sized liner. This is due to the problems associated with dew-point, condensation in the flue, which creates the spalling the original poster referred to, with resulting poor draft. Masonry chimneys are almost universally oversized, which further exacerbates the problem. Attempts have been made to include relining requirements for oil, but so far the nearest has been Appendix E in NFPA31. 31 defers to 211, which it must.

Charlie is right on the money!

Perhaps...

@ January 4, 2011 5:43 PM in Question about chimney liner and new equipment

Given the cost of a liner, new boiler,etc and given that you have gas in the house all ready, perhaps it is time to ask for pricing on a modcon gas boiler. That would eliminate the use of the chimney. You have to deal with ALL of the appliances as a system, but you are in for some major expense anyway. Look at all of your options!

Yes, it's a problem

@ January 1, 2011 8:37 AM in too much ice on the gound around the heat pump?

It is a cumulative problem. Through many heating/defrost cycles the ice will build up within the unit. I had a customer call me yesterday and his mini-split HP was not heating. After a brief discussion I asked how the condensing unit was mounted. Flat on a pad was his answer. He checked the condensing unit and the condenser fan tip was encased in the built up ice. HP's need to be raised to allow clear drainage of that moisture. As well, if they are raised you will not be blowing dirt and grass clippings into the condensing coil when you mow or do leaf blowing. I think it protects the investment.

On outside chimneys,

@ December 28, 2010 6:56 AM in Even I get head scratches at times, Tim Help please.

Even lining can sometimes not help a lot, on those initial start-ups at least the cold mass of the chimney just overpowers the natl draft. Compound that with a long horiz run and you can easily be in a jam.

I have the same system. G224@140k. Electronic ignition, 3' rise, 3' lateral, all b-vent, to exterior lined chimney and for 14 yrs it has been bullet-proof...well, once I installed their vertical pilot upgrade.

Change the vent connector

@ December 27, 2010 8:43 AM in Even I get head scratches at times, Tim Help please.

You have a substantial horiz run. I go back to my conversation with Rich Krajewski at Brookhaven. In all of his chimney modellings he said the one thing that made the most pronounced difference in an (any)appliances draft was an insulated vent connector. How about a b-vent connector

For this small a space

@ December 23, 2010 6:47 PM in Snow Melt

Why not just do a manual system. Is it a public space? If so it may be necessary, but manual should be a choice as well.

Yes, clean

@ December 15, 2010 5:51 AM in Tjerlund SS1 shutting off.

unit first and clean the sensing tube. The wheel should be cleaned when your boiler is serviced. You will likely find that is the trouble. Absolutely do this prior to replacing parts.

Tim, so sorry to hear...

@ December 9, 2010 3:11 PM in Seminars Cancelled

Of this on-going problem. I do hope you are making progress. Best Regards and may your Xmas be merry!

I think Corning makes

@ December 1, 2010 5:43 AM in Insulation for basement walls

a system for basement walls.

This system has been empty

@ December 1, 2010 5:40 AM in Should We Use Old Pipes, or New Ducts?

and open to atmosphere for two (?) yrs. It is 70 yrs old. If you use the old pipes and they develop a leak, what is your fall back position. I think I'd advise the customer to do it once, do it right and abandon the old pipe all together. Good luck!

How did you make out with this?

@ November 27, 2010 5:04 PM in Rinnai tankless woes

You have a problem, questions are asked, help offered! You throw tech service under the bus and after 5 days don't respond. How are you doing on this? Is your friend okay? What was the fix?

Frequently a combination

@ November 26, 2010 8:08 AM in not heating related but hoping for some help

of PVC and CI is the best, primarily for noise reduction issues. It's no fun sitting in house and having the water closets flush and hearing the rush of...water, through the system transferred to the lower living spaces. CI will effectively dampen that noise. CI for the risers and some laterals is a idea.

Sorry to hear of your difficulty

@ November 23, 2010 6:30 AM in I want to let everyone know I am recovering

Hope you have a speedy recovery. I think apple pie and cranberry sauce in liberal amounts, taken internally is best.

Looking at the three assign

@ November 23, 2010 6:25 AM in Parallel piping water heaters

1to the unit which get cold water first, 2to second and 3 to last. With a reverse return you say "first on last off" your goal is to have equal pressure drop across each tank. So if you fed from the left, your hw on that first tank would have the hw continue across to the rt picking up each tank as it goes and.

These kind of things are hard to describe, but what I do is draw the three tanks and assign the 1,2,3 to the cws with 1 being fed first. Assign hw numbers 1,2,3. In each box your total should be 4. From there you can see how your piping should lay-out.

Try this...

@ November 22, 2010 10:00 PM in Rinnai tankless woes

I represent Rinnai. For info, who did you speak with at Rinnai? Case# What error codes are you getting? Pull the immersion sensors on the upper rt and at the hot water exit of the unit. It is the 1/8" ss sensore in the well connected with two white wires. Two small phillips head screw. There is an O-ring in the well. Sometimes it stays on the sensor, sometimes in the well, sometimes you don't see it fall to the floor . Is the sensor coated? Sounds like you have climbing temps and it is tripping on limit. Does the unit restart when temps drop? Read the output temp on the unit (push down arrow for at least two seconds and then while holding the down arrow push the on/off button )and monitor the output temps. Are there any indications of condensation coming back to the unit. If there is any debris in the hx fins. You can check by removing the flame rod and sparker. Get a light look up into the bottom of the hx fins. Remove the vent and examine top of the hx for same. If condensation has come back onto the hx and cooked off it will leave a residue which inhibits the the flow of flue gases, which can increase water temps. If a Rinnai exceeds its set-point by 6F it will shut down and restart when temps come down. In this condition it will not generate an error code. It is possible that the gas valve may be malfunctioning, but I'd look elsewhere first.

Have you flushed the heat exchanger? Have you tested the water for composition? Where are you? If you'd care to chat about it, I'm at 617 834-8751

YOu may have a couple different things happening here.

@ November 21, 2010 8:57 AM in In Wall Cooling Fan

First of all, is the fan solving the problem of the hot boiler room. Is this for a home or commercial space. A few more system details can help draw a finer point. Depending upon how tight the boiler room is to the rest of the house you may be creating boiler problems due to lack of combustion air. If you turn that fan around and blow the boiler room air into the house make darned sure you have not adequate but superior and redundant CO sensing. Assuming your boiler is atmospheric it is always happiest with neutral atmosphere surrounding it. Tjernlund.com for some interesting fan/combustion air options. I represent them so, bias noted. That said, they can help you.

I've used...

@ November 21, 2010 8:46 AM in Cutting Raupanel

chop saws, sawz-alls, bandsaws and sabre (jig) saws to cut aluminum plate. My plasma cutter  doesn't have the oomph to do heavier stuff. A dedicated multi metal blade in the chop saw is best, but costly. With any of the hand held saws a fence is a good thing. It will help greatly in getting a straight clean cut. When nothing else is available, I'll turn the hack saw blade so the teeth are pointing back towards me and wear it out. The previous comment about deburring is of course spot on!

Aireshare by Tjernlund

@ November 19, 2010 12:31 PM in Moving Warm Air Through a Wall

They have a floor to floor as well as a thru wall unit. Tjernlund.com

Simplest

@ November 1, 2010 6:01 AM in Heating options for room addition in MN?

Is a Rinnai ES11C. Gas fired direct vent, programmable.