Best Of

Re: Control assistance

Wouldn't adding that return have the potential to negatively affect the draft on the chimney for the wood stove? If you are pulling more air out of the room then the furnace fan is adding to the room I can see it causing a back draft problem.

SuperTech

1

Re: X-pando used on pipe 10 years ago...

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1812665#Comment_1812665

I'd go with RTV. At the pressures we run, it should seal, provided there is enough decent thread left to hold the thing in place mechanically.

Jamie Hall

1

Re: Weil McLain steam boiler and water treatment

It might take some time to get all the sludge out, but 8-way will help, just don't overdo it. Add a little, let it free up some gunk, drain a little mud out the bottom, repeat. Eventually you want to get to where you don't have to drain very much.

It has basically the same ingredients as the old Steammaster tablets had. I never have heard anyone have any problem in a Weil-McClain with typical boiler treatments.

ethicalpaul

1

Re: Should radiators be replaced by Forced air system.

Forced air will NOT heat an old house with solid walls comfortably. I’ve seen it happen before when people didn’t follow my advice and they removed the radiators and went with forced air. They were cold even when the the thermostat was set at 75* because the walls were still 60* and acting as a big heat sink.

Radiators heat the mass of the structure, including the walls, which in turn heats the air. Forced air does the exact opposite: it heats the air which in turn heats the structure. This is the reverse of a proper heating system.

There’s an article on here by Dan entitled “75 Degrees Cold” which explains this in more detail. I recommend that you read it.

The question still remains: is this a steam or hot water system?

Ironman

1

Re: Should radiators be replaced by Forced air system.

It should be against the law to replace radiators with forced air in a historic home such as yours. I would never consider it. You will be destroying some of the historical significance of the home.

Forced air systems are not superior, they are just cheaper and easier to install.

SuperTech

2

Re: Boiler Replacement Quote

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1812578#Comment_1812578

I'm not sure it's a huge difference between states. Yes, some differences. Just like the traffic differences between states. From this outsider's perspective, the licensing system seems more to protect entrenched interests than being there to ensure correct, safe installations.

ethicalpaul

3

Re: Should radiators be replaced by Forced air system.

1753? It's worth restoring.

Which pretty well eliminates the idea of forced air on those grounds — even if it were a good idea otherwise, which it isn't. As @LRCCBJ said, there is no way that you would be able to install even barely adequate ductwork without being very intrusive, never mind expensive.

And no, it can't go in the walls. Those walls are not built like modern walls.

First thing to do is to get the pressure in the system down to where it should be, and see how bad the leaks really are. Replacing the piping, if that is what is leaking, can be done fairly easily in most cases. Many radiator leaks can be repaired, and replacement radiators are available.

Then see what else the plumber messed up…

Jamie Hall

1

Re: oil burner pipe question

What happened to the oil line that was on the ground? Is it that difficult to run a new line across the floor at the edge of the wall? As a kid, I remember that the night service man might replace a fuel line and run it across the floor to get the heat back on after finding a leaking fuel line. The next day, it was my job to go back and "Cement the oil line". I got pretty good at using sand mix where the basement wall met the concrete floor. If it had to go across a doorway or across a traffic area on the floor, I was there with a hammer & chisel to make a 2" trench in the floor and dropping the fuel line in, then cement over the buried line.

I can't understand why there are so many overhead lines today. When you attach those lines to the basement ceiling joist, they have a chance of vibration that can be heard all over the house.

But I have also put a fuel line from an outside above ground tank across the basement ceiling. I would use the webbing that is sold for hanging ductwork and my pipe hanger. It may not look as smart as a metal clamp but there is less chance of vibration.

Finally, I am a fan of using a tiger loop if you are going to do the up and over oil line. And using the flexible oil line from the tiger loop to the pump will eliminate that vibration from the pump, so you can attach the oil line to the ceiling joist with metal clamps.