Best Of

Re: Quieter zone valves than Taco Zone Sentry

The original Taco ESP (Energy Saving Principle) zone valves were noisy, even behind access panels, insulation and closet doors. You could even hear them far away in the mechanical room. It sounded like gears grinding for about 10 seconds. If it's a quiet house, it was very annoying.

The new Zone Sentry's make a much more muted sound than the ESP's; opening and closing. Not a grinding sound; more like a motor. You still hear them, especially in a quiet house.

My wife is always talking to me, but I'm unable to repeat anything she's told me. She had me take an audiology test two weeks ago and it came back normal. I told her I would remember more of what she told me if she only told me about the important things. That went over well.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

3

Re: Replace low hanging black steel pipes with Pex tubing in homerun config to radiators?

Update! Hot-rod, you work with Caleffi. We used a Caleffi SEP4. The project is in. The black pipe looks "retro". The heat is absolutely lovely, including the radiant effect on the hardwoord floors on the main level. Comfort in the large basement room is excellent. 2 Smith Kickspace heaters in our kitchen are now on a separated loop with a dedicated circulating pump. They are working beautifully. Moving to PEX is still enticing... something for a future owner to worry about. A/c and shoulder season supplemental heat using minisplits will be for 2024 budget. Once we resolve our bimetallic corrosion concerns at a few joints, we will be all set. (a separate thread on this forum) Thank you folks for your invaluable posts.

Project42day

1

Re: Please Criticize My DHW Setup For Combi-Boiler

Necessity is a hard task master. Beware hydronics design and problem solving is sometimes like the law or art. Put three good lawyers or artists in a room with something debatable and they will argue till they drop. Lots of plumbers say they know what's up but it's like 2-3 out of 10 that are really worth their salt, depending on where you are. Finding someone who knows what they are doing is worth it, even if they are just advising and checking it over. I've done it for a few and it does work out in the end but it's rarely efficient with time or materials and the quality is not what I'm proud to be mixed up with. Communication of the many details can be frustrating. It can be done well by a novice with learning, care and time. I hope it goes well.

Teemok

1

Re: Please Criticize My DHW Setup For Combi-Boiler

I think you may be in over your head.

I am definitely in over my head. We have a propane and oil company that is going to come in and do all the gas piping and then fire the boiler and do the testing. They want us to have the plumbing part done before they come. They do HVAC installs, but do not have space in the schedule for us. They are going to look it all over and verify everything before they fire it.

We had one person lined up but he decided to retire. We had another but he was hired by someone else full-time and cannot come. We have cold weather coming and live in a small area without a lot of choices, so I am stuck at this point. I am trying to get a friend to come over from another state who is a master plumber, also HVAC and gas licensed.

I understand what you are saying about the expansion tank and the air separator and will change that.

This is not the position we hoped to be in, but it is for now. I am hoping to get some pro help asap. Not sure when that will be.

I appreciate the advice on this and the warnings.

gotgas

3

Re: Steam Trap

What's maybe inside your return connection...
Please let us know if this helps.

https://youtu.be/QQ-wbjh2izI

Gordo

3

Re: Help removing shower handle

Got the handle off, replaced the part, and now have a leak and drip free shower. Thank you thank you thank you.

newpip

1

Re: Please Criticize My DHW Setup For Combi-Boiler

I think you may be in over your head. You may want to get some professional help for this project. There is 4 pages of WARNINGS, DANGERS, and CAUTIONS at the beginning of these instructions. Some of them are very specific.

Like this one above.

Your statements herein indicate that you are not familiar with this equipment. If I were your insurance company, I would deny your claim for damages based on this fact.

But I am not your insurance provider so let me say this. You have interpreted the information, in the instructions, incorrectly. The Cold Water inlet does not require the air separator. There is no indication on this piping diagram that you need one, and there are no words in the manual that indicate that you need one.

EdTheHeaterMan

6

Re: Please Criticize My DHW Setup For Combi-Boiler

Seriously, you have the wrong tank for DHW.

You need something like this: https://www.supplyhouse.com/Amtrol-140735-THERM-X-SPAN-T-5-Expansion-Tank-2-Gallon-Volume?_br_psugg_q=thermal+expansion+tank

EdTheHeaterMan

1

"You won't catch me in an Old Folk's Home...."

As the the Great Lynerd Skynerd sang in "You got that right!" Need a push on this bathroom 🚻 rough with radiant. Don, The Greatest Father In law that ever lived is 80, but still gets 20 feet up in his trees and and drags deer 🦌 out. I'm glad to have the help. Not a plumber by trade, chemist, but he did whatever he had to do nights and weekends to provide for his kin. He Jack of all trades, Master Carpenter, electrician, car mechanic...I've been privileged to wage boiler room & plumbing Wars with him for 30 years. Thats him talking to Big Chris Smith of New Hyde Park (Christ Plumbing Supply Est. 1810). Chris is my mom & pop, brick & mortar supplier. He gets first crack at everything. Over the years has become a close personal friend & confidante....Thats his Right Hand Counter man,, Erwin from El Salvador...Mad Dog 🐕

Mad Dog_2

7

Re: Gas piping

Here is a link to a survey by the Nassau County Controller for anyone who had a problem with the Town of North Hempstead DOB
https://us21.list-manage.com/survey?u=6b72dbca942fe21bd43d07ce7&id=12fa710fe9&e=94a9d1f49f

CFH

1