Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.
If our community has helped you, please consider making a contribution to support this website. Thanks!
Best Of
Re: Advice for replacing torn Flex with metal ducts
As far as cutting the 5 Ft pieces of pipe to a custom size, you will be better off with offset snips because your hands stay above the work. With the standard snips your hand is between the upper side of the sheetmetal cut to the left and the lower side of the sheetmetal cut to the right. right between the two razor sharps edges of the metal.
and when you cut a 14" round duct, that is over 43" of cutting that edge. A person can end up with lots stitches if thy are not careful. Have band-aids ready. If you need to use the flat cut end to go into a 90° elbow you might need a crimping tool also.

Also, to reduce noise, the air flow should go from the flat edge opening to the crimp end. Try not to make a pipe or a fitting with a crimp end on both ends of the same piece.
Here is a set of both right and left snips from HD. You may find that only right snips will not get you everywhere you need to cut. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-Left-and-Right-Offset-Aviation-Snips-2-Pack-48-22-4523/302716388
and when you cut a 14" round duct, that is over 43" of cutting that edge. A person can end up with lots stitches if thy are not careful. Have band-aids ready. If you need to use the flat cut end to go into a 90° elbow you might need a crimping tool also. 
Also, to reduce noise, the air flow should go from the flat edge opening to the crimp end. Try not to make a pipe or a fitting with a crimp end on both ends of the same piece.
Here is a set of both right and left snips from HD. You may find that only right snips will not get you everywhere you need to cut. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-Left-and-Right-Offset-Aviation-Snips-2-Pack-48-22-4523/302716388
A2WHP at AHR boiler booths
Most of the boiler manufacturers were showing heat pumps in their booth.
I liked the look of the U.S. Boiler Ambient offering.
The HP had a rugged attractive jacket. A nicely built buffer tank with 6KW backup, 20,460 BTU/hr.
Also a nice metal enclosure with the control interface with boiler and heat pumps combined, dual source, a hybrid system.
I liked the look of the U.S. Boiler Ambient offering.
The HP had a rugged attractive jacket. A nicely built buffer tank with 6KW backup, 20,460 BTU/hr.
Also a nice metal enclosure with the control interface with boiler and heat pumps combined, dual source, a hybrid system.
hot_rod
1
Re: Plumbing archaeology
Lead is not "noble" but it sure lasts a long time.Until a squirrel chews a hole in it. Lead flashing pic from my chimney about 2 weeks ago. Found 2 holes in the lead sheet chewed (probably) by the nuisance squirrel who got into our attic and had to be trapped and evicted a few years ago. Note the teeth marks all around the perimeter of the holes. Second hole is at upper left.
1
Re: roth vs granby
Ron
If you keep all piping under the tank, do you put the filter there as well? I was wondering about ease of servicing. What type of filters do you put on? I recently got rid of my fulflo (which in my opinion is 2nd rate) and installed a garber spin on. Quick and easy!
If you keep all piping under the tank, do you put the filter there as well? I was wondering about ease of servicing. What type of filters do you put on? I recently got rid of my fulflo (which in my opinion is 2nd rate) and installed a garber spin on. Quick and easy!
1
Old (rare?) flat steel radiators?
Hey gurus! Any information on these would be appreciated! Hoping for age, manufacturer, EDR. I’ve never seen these before. Found for sale on fb.





Re: Possible oddball heat pump use
You will actually want to get a Refrigerant to Water heat exchanger. Don't try to re-invent the wheel
https://aquasystemsinc.com/
https://midstatesrefrigsupply.com/brazed-plate-heat-exchanger/
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Kelvion-GBS400H-08-8-Plate-3-4-Thread-20-GPM-Heat-Exchanger-5-x-12 this one might be small enough for your needs
https://aquasystemsinc.com/
https://midstatesrefrigsupply.com/brazed-plate-heat-exchanger/
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Kelvion-GBS400H-08-8-Plate-3-4-Thread-20-GPM-Heat-Exchanger-5-x-12 this one might be small enough for your needs
Re: Plumbing archaeology
Periodic table element "Pb" is the metal lead. "Plumbum" in Latin.The man knows his Latin! Yes, the lead pipes could have been from ancient Rome. The shutoff valves on the supplies are bronze.
Romans were using the same stuff they used in Boston.
It sure has been a long time between Roman plumbing and John Winthrop's "shining city on the hill"--Boston.
How long have we had copper? Pex?
1
Re: "I'm not actually and HVAC Tech, but I know how it works..."
Sounds like it could've been a good life experience if it wasn't interrupted. How do you learn to appreciate heat if you've never frozen your b***s off?
I probably would've waited a day. Let it play out a little before I started ranting. The installers were likely coming anyway. The maintenance crew isn't touching it.
And I think "they did some programming" was actually a quick refrigerant shot because it's leaking. It's not fixed. They just greased the squeaky wheel.
I probably would've waited a day. Let it play out a little before I started ranting. The installers were likely coming anyway. The maintenance crew isn't touching it.
And I think "they did some programming" was actually a quick refrigerant shot because it's leaking. It's not fixed. They just greased the squeaky wheel.
HVACNUT
1
Re: Homeowners Versus Contractors
I had a tire kicker 20 years ago on a Boiler install. Tirekicker: "What size boiler you givin' me?" Me : "I guarantee to install the correct size boiler for you home. I will take all the proper measurements and do the math." Tirekicker: "OK, I need you to come do that!" Me: "No problem, my design fee is X. You can pay me for that or give me a 50% deposit." Tirekicker: " Thats bull...I never heard of this...I ain't paying you for an estimate!" Me...'Good luck!"
Fast foward, next heating season. They paid me for a consultation to diagnose underheated home. Boiler was two sizes too small! Ha ha 😂 🤣 😆 😄 😅 The "reputable" local company in business since the 1940s, were not returning calls. Mad Dog 🐕
Fast foward, next heating season. They paid me for a consultation to diagnose underheated home. Boiler was two sizes too small! Ha ha 😂 🤣 😆 😄 😅 The "reputable" local company in business since the 1940s, were not returning calls. Mad Dog 🐕
Re: Can cold natural gas cause poor combustion? How is this compensated for?
You need to run combustion analysis multiple times over a 20-30 min. period while monitoring the manifold gas pressure with all the rest of the house appliances off then repeat with everything under full load. Also, measure the surface temp of your burners from cold start to yellow-tipping. Classic yellow tipping is caused by low primary aeration with low manifold pressure.
Understand that as a burner heats up, the port loading changes. Also, the gas being discharged out the orifice into the burner mixer tube entrains primary air. At higher rates, more air gets drawn in. Also, denser gases, such as LP vs. NG draw in more air. If the air feed is subject to heating, yes, it can draw in less MakeUp Air as it warms. This is how a gas direct vent fireplace starts off with a clean, short, fake blue flame then stretches into a natural lazy yellow flame as the coaxial vent warms. If the air intake warms, it can reverse draft along its conduit surface against the flow of air thus reducing MUA.
Understand that as a burner heats up, the port loading changes. Also, the gas being discharged out the orifice into the burner mixer tube entrains primary air. At higher rates, more air gets drawn in. Also, denser gases, such as LP vs. NG draw in more air. If the air feed is subject to heating, yes, it can draw in less MakeUp Air as it warms. This is how a gas direct vent fireplace starts off with a clean, short, fake blue flame then stretches into a natural lazy yellow flame as the coaxial vent warms. If the air intake warms, it can reverse draft along its conduit surface against the flow of air thus reducing MUA.



