Heating Help

Thanks for follow up..very nice to put such an effort in suggestions.

@ February 12, 2012 11:22 PM in No Rebate? Require Manual J & Manual S Worksheets

Richardplace: I wondered if maybe the installer did not have a license but he has some sort of State Lic #..and advertizes.. ****** Remodling Heating & Air Conditioning with a huge impressive professional truck..! Not to mention he charges a WHOPPING price per day when we got him to do some other plumbing work.
He insists that he never heard of a Manual J & no one has ever asked for such a thing....
Drhvac: Thank you..I confirmed that the EER was up to requirements with Plumbing Supply House to be sure when units arrived here.
Mr.Silberstein: Thank you.I can not imagine a $200-300 difference (because of inclusion or exclusion of Manual J) would sway any customer one way or another for AC install. What swayed us was we had only one estimate... PSE&G..and the difference was in the thousands ($16-18K)..not including any bit of duct work required (as this house already is ducted for AC).

In this house we sized the units according to a Manual "N" so to speak...the measuring instrument was my body..(N is for Nicholas : ) The ancient units installed in this 1874 house were done about 1979. Two 3 ton units..of which one was upgraded about 2000 to a 4 ton. The 4 ton side produced sufficient coolness..the 3 ton,not quite enough.So I told the AC guy what what I felt we needed,he looked at the job and he agreed...two 4 ton units. The cooling has proved itself just right..I must say what an incredible luxury and much less electric. Being in food service work discomfort is a way of life in the summer for us.
Anyway the State encourages the people through a loudspeaker..buy an efficient Central Air Conditioning unit over 16 Seer and get a $500 Rebate...I did my part and bought it, when I apply they come back with more requirements.. They should add to they're adverts.."Manual J & S required"...because they are deceiving the citizen.
Maybe my installer is simply lying to me, but it doesn't seem so.
Anyway thank you everyone.

Reply

@ November 7, 2011 11:48 AM in No Rebate? Require Manual J & Manual S Worksheets

Thank You Mike...and John.
The Rebates are from the State I think...
njcleanenergy.org

Reply

@ November 4, 2011 1:49 PM in No Rebate? Require Manual J & Manual S Worksheets

Thank you Mike & John..so very nice of you to to give suggestions.
John the Rebate is the New Jersey Clean Energy offer that they always advertize but in the end it seems not willing to give...unless it is Contractor that is not doing what he should.
If an HVAC guy gets a chance to respond to this question it would shed light on which it might be.

No Rebate? Require Manual J & Manual S Worksheets

@ November 2, 2011 9:13 PM in No Rebate? Require Manual J & Manual S Worksheets

We had installed 2 4 Ton Ruud 16 Seer AC Units...expecting rebates as advertized by the government...
But now I am told we need Manual J & S Worksheets to get rebate...
Our contractor Atlantic Cooling & Heating who knews that we went for these high eff.Units so that we can get the rebates says "No Manual J Worksheet"...I never heard of it...Can you find form and I will help you fill it out...?
I don't know what to think here..
Thanks

Dual fuel Conversion(Oil & Gas)

@ October 23, 2011 10:37 AM in Dual fuel Conversion(Oil & Gas)

I have Oil one pipe steam heat 400,000 btu Boiler. The price of oil is is too much.
I have been told (vaguely)that it can be converted(Weil Mclain 478)to a dual fuel burner to be able to switch back & forth with just about the flip of a switch...?
Thanks

How did it go..?

@ October 17, 2011 9:21 PM in Burnham Radiators

You were considering the Governale Classic Victioria Cast Iron Radiators for your house..long ago.
I need one of these at least 9 Section(Steam) but the price is just rediculous.
The least I have found one for is $1310 !!!
Any idea where I can buy one for a better price.I must say if I found one for $900 Id do it, as a nice tested painted similar old one delivered(though taller)is $600.

Reply to Mike

@ October 11, 2011 3:27 AM in Don Holohan Books

Thanks for looking at my previous posts & our issues in this house.
i've added more info.
You are in Nj...are you a plumber?
Thanks agian
Nick

Thank you for your help.

@ October 11, 2011 3:19 AM in Don Holohan Books

Radiator enclosures..oh my..the first floor has half it's radiators built into enclosures of woodwork.This is very important advice ,thank you Mike.
The boiler is 400,000 btu..and Pierson Oil calculated that the 22 one pipe steam radiators require about 360,000 btu. Last year we used 1550 gallons(year before 1350) but kept the thermostat (first floor) at 59-61.It was uncomfortable.
The heating is very uneven in the house.
The 3rd Floor is warm but it is not used..the second floor all rooms are warmish except for one & its bathroom which is like a refridgerator in there. And first floor was mostly uninhabitable except for kitchen which is warm.Two of the rooms on the first floor(farthest from boiler) hardly heat at all and the other two rooms radiators are doing all of the work. Oil company was not certain of solution but suggested vents on longest run (where these rooms do not heat) be changed/increased.The air conditioner guy changed the vents on this line this summer. I hope this helps, as the largest original vent was clogged with white minerals. Am going to pick up a used cast iron radiator to replace the long Slant Fin that someone put there a while back which hardly produced heat anyway.
The radiator is 23"L X 36"H X 9"D..(room is 15' X15' 10.5 ft Cieling).
Anyway I just ordered "The Lost Art of Steam Heating" as a start.
Thanks for your kind advice everyone.

Don Holohan Books

@ October 8, 2011 2:18 PM in Don Holohan Books

Out of all his Steam Heat books..which is THE book.
I NEED to burn as little oil as possible to heat this house..Heeeellllppp!
P.S. Is there a phone number to call to arrange purchase of it?

Cold Room

@ January 17, 2011 12:58 AM in Cold 19X14 Room with two large cold radiators

Thanks I just noticed your post...the flame alternative to broken pipe has really got me worried now..
I'll wait till March and get someone super carefull to do this..
Many Thanks

Cold Room

@ January 17, 2011 12:54 AM in Cold 19X14 Room with two large cold radiators

Thank You for your response I didn't notice till today.I'm going to send this all to Oil Company (JW Pierson)who services boiler to see if they're service men can determine this.
I will rough it till March and hopefully find a specialist in this part of NJ.Very Kind of you to advise.

Valve question

@ December 30, 2010 12:32 AM in Cold 19X14 Room with two large cold radiators

Thanks.
In other words the pipes are not pitched sufficiently back towards the boiler.right?
Has anyone come across valves that open/close fully with only two full turns?
In one of the radiators,piece of pipe below valve is burning hot..but radiator slow to heat??

Cold 19X14 Room with two large cold radiators

@ December 22, 2010 1:40 AM in Cold 19X14 Room with two large cold radiators

One pipe steam system in 3 floor house...Room farthest from boiler on first floor..ice cold.
Radiators no heat.
Last year same as this...at first firing those radiators heated up..then as cold set in they quickly regressed to nearly nothing.
Put new large(C &D)vents on each...hardly nothing still.
Old guy at H.Depot said if valves do not turn open at least 10-13 times they are not opening all the way..loosen packing nut & force em open.
There is no packing nut on these...& they will not turn open/closed anymore than 3 turns.
In the mean time it seems I have permanently jammed one of them closed cause knob on it broke off and stem spins endlessly now.And with boiler cranking pipe going into valve cold.
On other radiator, pipe before valve burning, but only two rings at best luke warm.That is as other was ...2-3 turns either way only..
Am thinking its valves and bought 2 from plumbing supply house. Am worried about unscrewing these things & breaking pipe in basement which is the crawl space from hell. And would like to get someone"with some experience at it"...but still would appreciate suggestions on:
What is the problem & getting values off safely.
Many Thanks

Cast Iron Steam Radiator Vents....Varivalve.

@ December 3, 2010 9:32 PM in Cast Iron Steam Radiator Vents....Varivalve.

In past house had used Maid o mist vents with interchangeable screw on caps..but I have come across an item that looks of high quality but unconventional.... VARIVALVE by Heat-Timer Corp in Fairfield NJ.
It has a sliding variable thing on side.
Has anyone used them and will they out perform Maid O Mist?
This sliding feature would be great to adjust each radiator some what.
Thanks

High Heat Paint & Stripping...surface too smooth with scrapper?

@ July 7, 2010 8:02 AM in Supplier & MFG. of Best Quality Steam Vents and Cast Iron Radiators

Thanks Al.
Local monument suppy?....On Broad Street next to Evergreen Cemetary? Is that where?
The first two radiators id like to paint are so brittle at this point, i can get the stuff off with scraper pretty quick...but will surface be too smooth for these paints too stick?

Painting Radiators

@ July 4, 2010 12:58 PM in Supplier & MFG. of Best Quality Steam Vents and Cast Iron Radiators

In our last house(1904) we had Steam Radiators and wife and I had bad experience with painting them.
We proceeded to strip and paint them one by one.
I used Sandvick/Bahco triangle blades and took everything off, down to metal.Then sanded with 60/80 grit sandpaper, and then vaccumed/cleaned them real well.

Paint store recommended Benjamin Moore ImPervo Oil Metal and Wood low luster Undercoat(?) (Red can).And on top we put BM Impervo Oil Metal & Wood High Gloss.
The first one generated a WOW! result from all (White Enamel) so we proceeded casually doing more..
After two heating seasons the first one began to show signs of pealing..the rest followed over the few years..and began pealing..
An incredible effort wasted.

I called the most traditional country on earth concerning workmanship (England) and they recommened "Stove Paint"...No one knew what that was here anyway...
We looked for a DULUX supplier as it's a much used paint in England, which might know what it was... and found a "High Heat paint" by DEVOE.
The first one we did job on did not come out as high gloss/ impressive finish as others...
but was painted in the house...a large house may I add...with some windows open for ventilation..
That night I thought I would have to take my wife to the hospital...The fumes of that paint was incredible...we left every window and door open all night...but was SO poisonous smelling.. Regular Oils (FPE,BM..)are nothing compared to that stuff .It sould be illegal...

That paint held up,though soffened a bit when radiators got very hot as curtains would stick to them some. Others radiators we did had to be taken out side for painting...still with unbearable fumes.
In this "new" house, some of these Radiators are really ready to be taken on ...one by one, but would love not to waste the work, or use DEVOE again..

I wonder how some paints are on these old radiators and do not flake off?
Finish seems real thin though...

refinish of original cast iron radiators?

@ July 3, 2010 5:16 PM in Supplier & MFG. of Best Quality Steam Vents and Cast Iron Radiators

Aware of anyone who does good job of refinish of Original cast iron Radiators?

Used

@ June 29, 2010 12:37 PM in Supplier & MFG. of Best Quality Steam Vents and Cast Iron Radiators

How about used tested radiators ..?
Any local sources(Ny/NJ)...
Where is shop for book I can come in person if possible Thanks
Oh yes..local company to refinish original ones with durable coating??

One Pipe System

@ June 29, 2010 10:32 AM in Supplier & MFG. of Best Quality Steam Vents and Cast Iron Radiators

The System is one Pipe with vent on the radiator itself.
In our previous house(One Pipe) we'd replace the vents with ones from the Home Depot, (also valves ...but some of those failed in 10 years made in China.)
Also someone put a long baseboard heater in a room and I'd like to find a replacement like the original cast Iron ones.
I will buy "The Lost Art of S/H" has it been updated since original publication?
Where is shop by the way,Long Island?

Supplier & MFG. of Best Quality Steam Vents and Cast Iron Radiators

@ June 28, 2010 11:46 PM in Supplier & MFG. of Best Quality Steam Vents and Cast Iron Radiators

In our Ny/NJ area can you suggest where we can find tested used or new Cast Iron Radiators....company that will reasonably strip/repaint original ones...and best
steam vent maker.Thanks

Converting from Oil to Gas ..Cheaper to heat ?

@ June 19, 2010 3:21 PM in Converting from Oil to Gas ..Cheaper to heat ?

We have an old 1874/1920 Colonial in Central New Jersey.
Aprox. 5500 Sq.Ft. wi/ 11 ft Cielings on first and 8 ft on 2/3rd. flrs.
Single pipe steam, 22 Radiators, Oil Fired Weil Mclain model #478 (400,00 btu output)
The oil man is killing us dispite 59-61 degree setting on thermostat(100 Gallons a week) & I have to over pay for insurance due to inground tank.

I was told,without he looking at the whole house,that this unit is 25% oversized which is costing us more to run(?),Gas is cheaper to use & new unit a bit more efficient.

In these circumstances will it really be cheaper to heat this house?
Thanks for your help.