Heating Help

@ June 25, 2009 10:38 PM in Looking for an air vent that doesn't leak

From what I've seen no manufacturer of "vent cans", makes a satisfactory vent. Spirovent to me, is the best system vent available assuming no contaminants are present to gum up the float.

@ June 7, 2009 10:09 PM in Electrolysis - settle the \"debate.\"

Just curious, but why is it that (just for an example) super stor requires a stainless steel well but then they include a 3/4 by 1/2 brass bushing in the package?

@ June 7, 2009 10:04 PM in Why no set-back temperature controls on boilers?

I agree with steamhead, but in terms of just cycling the boiler fewer times throughout the day to maintain temp automatically. The least expensive way, at least initially would be a beckett heat manager or similar control. I can't be sure but I thought I read a guarantee of 10-15% savings. Just a disclaimer I personally would never recommend a tankless boiler to someone concerned with efficiency.

@ May 25, 2009 12:17 AM in loss of gas pressure

Thankyou everyone, I will call the gas company and keep you all posted.

@ May 24, 2009 2:27 PM in loss of gas pressure

Also just looked at meter, it says 5 psi and 250 cph. Entire length of piping in house is under 50 ft.

@ May 23, 2009 10:38 PM in loss of gas pressure

Thanks for the quick response. The boiler is a weil mclain cgs 5 133,500 btu boiler supplied by natural gas. Range is a standard residential model.

@ May 23, 2009 9:39 PM in Conservation versus efficiency?

I'm sure you already know the answer. People can't see the insulation or the barrier.

@ May 23, 2009 9:33 PM in loss of gas pressure

Not sure if this question is for you, I have a gas boiler that works perfectly (as far as I know), but when the boiler runs I lose gas pressure at the stove(flame gets smaller). I'm wondering if this is normal or if I should call a plumber? I don't know if this helps but the gas line coming in is 1" and after the boiler drops down to 3/4". Sometimes when I'm cooking it drops down so noticeably that the water stops boiling in a pot.

@ May 16, 2009 9:21 AM in Homeowner question - oil heat conversion

As a general rule of thumb, don't exceed 65 feet of ELEMENT in a single 3/4 baseboard loop. Most standard capes don't.

@ May 13, 2009 11:18 PM in conversion gun

To me any person dying through no fault of their own is worth a mention. Also not to be a harper but what about carbon monoxide poisoning?

@ May 12, 2009 11:15 PM in conversion gun

nothing against gas, but how about cost per btu? isn't that real efficiency? no one is better at advertising than the gas utility company. it must be from all the extra revenues it's getting from 98% efficient equipment???? not to mention, i can't remember the last house heated by oil that blew up and killed its occupants. I wish i could say the same for gas.

@ April 17, 2009 10:24 PM in Forced Hot Air by oil with power vent keeps locking out

call your oil guy, sounds like the burner isn't igniting properly. could be dozens of reasons why.

@ March 26, 2009 9:27 PM in Leaking from Release Valve

Another test you can perform is to isolate (shut off) the water supply to the amtrol and then monitor the boiler pressure for a day while running for heat if pressure doesn't spike then I would strongly suspect the coil.

@ March 20, 2009 10:49 PM in Helping my son

Just a disclaimer, but on my last post I assumed (hopefully incorrectly) that the oil supplier wanted to charge the complete delivery at the lock in rate

@ March 20, 2009 10:04 PM in Need pics of unprotected oil lines

Norm, I work in mass too. Do you know who will be responsible for informing the homeowners who don't service their equip, especially the people who refuse their oil co's recommendations? Will we be responsible for reporting them to the local fire dept? It doesn't make sense to have an unprotected line but many people think you just want more money.

@ March 19, 2009 9:04 PM in Helping my son

John, have your son call the company and offer to cut a check for $72 ( I think the math is right), and to keep the oil. This will satisfy the contract. Also let them know that any and every person you come across will hear about the way they do business.

@ March 12, 2009 9:58 PM in Can't figure out why my boiler's pressure is at 30psi

Chris, just keep an eye on things for a while. Expansion tanks need to be drained periodically- if you find you need to drain the tank more than once or twice a year than something else may be going on. Many times systems with a "drainable" expansion tank also use the same tank for air elimination and when you simply swap a diaphragm style tank the air has no where to vent.

@ February 24, 2009 11:20 AM in Expected Life of a Utica Starfire Steam Boiler (1962)

Ed, you are well past the average life expectancy of the boiler. If it is running with no problems and you don't mind the efficiency then you don't have to change it. I'm sure a new unit would decrease fuel costs considerably- do you have gas or oil?

@ February 23, 2009 2:58 PM in Beckett AF-15 Dripping Oil

Kim, can't say for sure without seeing the furnace, but sounds like it has back pressure and needs a thorough cleaning. Also make sure the chimney is drafting properly back pressure alone is enough to cause your after drip.

@ February 23, 2009 2:48 PM in riello direct vent

To be honest, I'm not sure if it was in pre, or post purge. It was off on reset and the burner motor was running with the delay valve closed. I think this must be because of the post purge relay? I think the old style stems had some type of ball bearing which could hang up or possibly get some debris under them to cause them to remain open... I hope this is no longer possible.

@ February 23, 2009 2:41 PM in Buderus G125 vd EK 2000

I know the choice has already been made, I think either would have been a great choice. The Ultimate you are replacing pro-actively sounds like it should have gotten consideration too, please let us all know how much oil you save. I wonder if an Ultimate with an indirect and a Tekmar would be in the same ball park, for about 60% of the cost?

@ February 23, 2009 11:37 AM in no heat with new hot water baseboards

Sounds like people are saying to cut in new standard tees to the main loop- if you do this you must connect the old supply tee to the mono-flow (return) tee with 1/2" pipe to maintain flow. I have tried this with poor results, no matter what you do the slant fin will not "hold" the heat like the convectors do.