Heating Help

I have two

@ May 9, 2012 8:06 PM in differant kind of chimney cap

 Had a problem with two fireplaces sharing same chimney one would suck smoke down the cold dead flue while trying to burn in the other no matter which one you used. Was not a huge issue once the flue warmed.   And they work great. Air, and water tight. Wont freeze shut.,

   I would think someone installing a gas conversion would make sure the flue is clear with a cable hanging down in the fire box. First give away IF they look at the chimney is there is something on top of the protruding flue tile from the crown,

Gordy

Balanced electric service panel

@ May 5, 2012 11:25 AM in Radiant WIndows exposed

 Harvey while you are correct about the way the meter reads the highest leg of the panel its nearly impossible to have a balanced panel with most of the residential usage being 120 V. About all you can do is insure the 240 stuff is balanced that gets extended use such as AC in the summer, or an electric dryer. So yes something like the radiant windows that will see steady usage for a period of time this is a good thought.

 As for the savings on a balanced panel it pretty much averages out to an unbalanced panel when talking the 120 V use. Pretty hard to control that.

A watt used is a watt paid for really not a savings issue on the meter.

Edit:

In industrial, and commercial use Panel balancing is more crucial when loads are near 100% for extended periods.

Gordy

Intended design, and use

@ April 22, 2012 1:05 PM in Radiant WIndows exposed

Mark,
  I'm wondering if this type of glass would be more cost effective at just off setting heat loss of the window. Say its set to maintain 65-70 no matter the outside temp (to a point) thus reducing the heatloss of the glass.

My thinking is more to the replacement window market, and specific kinds of windows. Like existing nice wood windows with storms, and screens. The storm would be the radiant window used in the winter. Instead of a full blown rip out the window. The storm frame could have the glass replaced, and wired with radiant glass. I can see the benifit in window condensation control along with off setting the heat loss of the window.

 Lets face it . It takes a lot of money to replace a whole window with a new whole window that gains an r value of only 1-3 more over the old one. By only replacing the Storm window with radiant glass replacement cost drops.

Just thinking of the market of windows. The hard sell is the cost. Over the gain.


Gordy

New method

@ April 21, 2012 7:50 PM in Radiant Tubing Installation

 Of radiant heating. Indirect radiant heating IRH. You heat the floor joist, and it heats the floor. Some draw backs. Floor joist are not a very good conductor of heat, and stripping with layout at 16" oc..............Just kidding UGHH. I can imagine the modular sales pitch. Oh goodie RFH is an option. I wonder what that option cost.

Gordy

Sad to hear Tim

@ April 21, 2012 7:43 PM in Sad News - John Brooks

 My prayers to the family. Any age is to young to pass when surrounded by Love.

Gordy

Slimpickins

@ April 15, 2012 3:48 PM in hydronic heated floor not warming...PLEASE HELP

I hope you do not think I was implying nothing is wrong in the boiler room. You are correct of course.  Hence you covered that. But there is a habit of some so called heating professionals that bombard a problem with parts, and in the end the problem is not fixed, and the homeowner still gets the bill. There outta be a law.

You know as well as I do some pretty horrific looking installs can still "work". Old homeowner claims it did, and new homeowner claims it does not. Maybe the level of working heat is not the same opinion of the original homeowner, as the new.

At any rate some pics, and opinions here could at least help steer josh with his next encounter with a "heating pro" as to what to expect to be done to get things right.

Gordy

Radiant, and humidity

@ April 15, 2012 10:08 AM in Coomercial Garage Radiant Floor Heat

Remember radiant heats objects first, and then the objects heat the air second with minimal effect of air stratification.  So ceiling radiant will have no change on the humidity, actually it could possibly melt more snow off the top of the trucks verses RFH.

 Exhaust fans can help, and ceiling fans to promote air movement.

 Alot depends on truck sizes( are thes say 1-2 ton dumps doing streets lots, or tandem dumps plowing highways, amount of snow that will be dragged in on them after plowing, frequency of snow fall demanding snow removal operations. All this of course will vary year to year.

 This is not to say that humidity would not be a problem with a forced air type of heating system, but may be of a shorter duration.

As far as low moisture levels in the winter air this can be true, but when it snows the humidity is still high depending on the air temp.  Mid 30's snowfall situation verse a snow fall in the teens. And wet snow loves to stick to everything.

EDIT:

I should also note that some prudent house keeping helps too. A standing order do not bring the trucks in with large amounts of snow hanging off the plows,mud flaps etc. I'm sure the drivers would love that.

Another note would be if you go with radiant floors future possibility of concrete floor spalling, and replacement due to snow melt chemicals. Which can be avoided some what through some use of surface applied protection for the concrete floors in the truck stalls.

more pics

@ April 15, 2012 9:30 AM in hydronic heated floor not warming...PLEASE HELP

I think a few more pics at different views( behind, and sides of boiler). Pics of where actual supply, and return piping for the radiant loops are. See some linguini in there kind of hard to tell where it all goes.

The boiler is in the basement?
Are these rooms the only rooms heated with the boiler? OR are other rooms radiant besides the two in question?

The thermostat is in the living room. Which is the room that is running cooler. Are you sure that there is nothing effecting the thermostats percieved reading of the temperature of the room per say sun shining on it, or a lamp that gets used often. Is it in the living room yet mounted close to the hall way where that temp may influence the tstats reading?


Sounds like simple obvious questions, but sometimes everyone looks at the boiler room for the problem when it could be somewhere else. Trouble shooting should start from the problem room back to the boiler room with process of elimination.

Gordy

some questions

@ April 12, 2012 6:08 AM in hydronic heated floor not warming...PLEASE HELP

Is this a slab on grade with tubes poured in concrete?

If not is it tubes under the floor? Or on top of the floor?

Diameter of tubing used?

How many loops supply the living room?

How many Square feet is the living room?

Location of the thermostat in reference to these two rooms? 


Are the floor coverings different from the entry way, and living room?

Is it possible the thermostat is located where it may be getting satisfied before the living room gets to set point? Example location being hall/entry way.

What water temps are being supplied to the loops?

These are all trouble shooting starting questions

Gordy

To add

@ April 11, 2012 8:21 PM in Warm radiant floors?

That the better insulated the home the colder it will have to get outside to realize those warm floors. The tighter your tubing centers the lower the water temps play a role to a point.
 There was a day when fuel was cheap, insulation did not matter, and no one complained about to much heat they would just open a window.

 Personally I really like the sun bathed feeling from a radiant ceiling as I'm relaxing in the recliner, or laying on the couch cause my feet don't touch the floor.

 This winter in tha midwest was a mild one. Kind of one long shoulder season for radiant heat of any kind.

Gordy

Location snow belt?

@ April 10, 2012 6:17 PM in Coomercial Garage Radiant Floor Heat

 If so Humidity ( the excess of it) could be a concern, if snow removal equipment will be thawing in there during winter months. Radiant does not remove humidity like forced air units will.

 I know that was a complaint from our areas municipal garage.

Gordy

Strapping young Ladd Mark!!

@ March 22, 2012 7:14 PM in why does dan have a prob. with radiant and toilets

  Looks like one to follow Gandpas foot steps. Hes probably on your heels already.

Gordy

I would make sure

@ March 21, 2012 11:35 PM in Adding 220 sq ft radiant to existing system

You wire nail some cleats in the concrete floor next to those joists mid span, and shim/ nail the joists to the cleats. Those PT 2x4's are going to twist, and bow causing the floor to buckle guaranteed.

Gordy

Why not

@ March 20, 2012 5:34 PM in Adding 220 sq ft radiant to existing system

Insulate floor with 2" foam, and deck with 3/4" plywood then do a sleeper radiant set up with plates.

Gordy

I Think

@ March 19, 2012 5:45 PM in why does dan have a prob. with radiant and toilets

That Dan has come across this situation where it did melt, or he would not touch on it.


 Bottom line is the ring does not have to "melt" but soften to cause deformation, and a leak.  I would think that unless you had to run extremely high supply temps the porcelain, and water will dissipate a lot of the heat. I stayed about 10" away, and still used a non wax ring just for saftey........I hate pulling up terlits.


Gordy

No wax rings

@ March 18, 2012 12:04 AM in why does dan have a prob. with radiant and toilets

Redoing my bathroom with radiant, and tile I just picked up a wax free ring at The box store. Not that Im close to the ring, but for a couple of extra bucks cheap insurance..........And clean.

Gordy

Aluminum, and PH

@ March 11, 2012 11:21 AM in Aluminum radiators

If PH is not monitored like Mark said It will attack the aluminum until PH is in check. Unlike oxygen in the system that soon is depleted.

Ph does not equalize over a period of time with out interaction.

Think of it as having non barrier tubing with ferrous components. The tubing keeps replenishing the water with O2. So the ferrous components never get a break from the action.

Ask the aluminum HX boiler manufactures Like Buderus,Slant Fin, and WM What they think about ph running wild in the system.

Gordy

Ice

@ March 1, 2012 6:53 PM in Actual heat loss vs. calculated heat loss....

 I agree totally. It happens more then a hand full of times. Seen it get 3 times lower then design temp for my area -9 design temp. This historically occurs every decade some time for about a 2- 3 week period in Dec. Jan, or both months together. Could prove to be a bad day in those times when designing on the edge. Thats why heat load programs have that built in fudge factor.

Gordy

Degree days

@ March 1, 2012 6:47 PM in Actual heat loss vs. calculated heat loss....

Like Boiler Pro. If you have that option. Obviously for new construction you don't have that option.

 Gordy

Degree days

@ March 1, 2012 6:47 PM in Actual heat loss vs. calculated heat loss....

Like Boiler Pro. If you have that option the longer the period the more accurate it will be. Obviously for new construction you don't have that option.

 Gordy

simple fix

@ February 27, 2012 3:50 PM in Radiant WIndows exposed

Warning high voltage ! Multiple language of course. may have sales benefits

Mike Rowe

@ February 27, 2012 10:06 AM in Worth the Time to watch

Is a stand up guy. Do not know how much impact his initiative made, but at least he took one.  I like his story. Even he admits that he lost touch with how much the trades mean to society.

It sickens me how much a college education costs. So many of the professions that require a degree end up paying 1/2 of what a trades person makes. Not that I have anything against getting a degree, but some of these kids end up working in a big box store. That's a real morale booster after paying tens of thousands of dollars for an education that is suppose to better their chances to get a job in the field they study., or so they were lead to believe.
Gordy