Best Of
Re: Heat Pump vs. Furnace energy usage 2024-2025 results
@ethicalpaul don’t have to convince me! Just waiting for the right time.
Re: Steam Mains Insulate or not?
Thanks Intplm. It is fiberglass. That I am sure of, because I put it in myself.
Re: Heat Pump vs. Furnace energy usage 2024-2025 results
With @jesmed1's anaylsis It appears you did revealed a rough ratio of gas versus KWh. If a therm of natural gas is less than 10x a KWh, then a heat pump is economical to operate.
But, that's some expensive natural gas! In Western NY, I'm at $0.85/therm. I pay around $0.18/kwh for electric. So for me, natural gas is a lot cheaper.
KarlW
Re: Boiler pressure constantly rises to/past 30psi relief valve trigger
Just wanted to add…at this point I am just kind of thinking out loud and letting my curiosity run wild, making this thread carry on longer than it probably needed to. Hopefully not wearing out my welcome.
It seems like I already hit a point where I can declare the problem solved even though there is room for future improvement if desired. And for that I owe you all a big thanks!
THANKS SO MUCH to everybody that posted such great info and advice! I feel like I learned a ton and saved a lot of money by taking it on myself, which I could not have been confident doing without your help.
Equally important to fixing this issue, I’m no longer completely ignorant about how this system works. That’s a gift that will keep on giving.
person56
Re: Residential Steam Boiler Replacement - EDR Questions
I think those column rads were made by Republic Radiator Co., but they are standard units so any standard 3-column chart will do.
Re: Heat Pump vs. Furnace energy usage 2024-2025 results
Induction is so good. Faster than gas, no combustion gases, and it will shut off a burner element after awhile if there's nothing on it, or if the water all boils out of whatever's in the pan.
Re: Heat Pump vs. Furnace energy usage 2024-2025 results
Yup everyone’s mileage will vary. Our gas supply costs vary widely - between $.25 and $1.10 per therm over the last three years.
The next step for savings is ditching the gas stove. That’ll save me almost nothing energy wise but will save me $180 a year in fixed costs.
Re: Purging Questions on Radiant Heating System
speaking as a homeowner, I guess I have to ask, where is the air purger?
I do not see an air scoop or automatic air vent anywhere in that mess of bad piping.
leonz
Re: Heat Pump vs. Furnace energy usage 2024-2025 results
So comparing your heating cost at current rates for the two different fuels:
Gas: 0.11 therm/HDD x $1.77/therm = $0.195/HDD
Heat pump: 1.22 kWh/HDD x $0.16/kWh = $0.195/HDD
So your heating costs turn out to be the same for the different fuels. Obviously the comparison will be different for other owners in different zones, with different COP's and different rate structures.
I had been considering switching our oil boilers here in the Boston area to gas, but with this winter's gas rate hikes, I'm glad that plan didn't work out.
I had also been looking at air-to-water heat pumps with a heat exchanger for our existing hot water heating system with old cast iron radiators, but the conversion would have been so expensive and the benefits so modest that the payback period would have been around 50 years…not feasible.
jesmed1
Re: What boiler service tools do you carry with you?
@clammy has an interesting tool proposal. "Opposite Potential", which is to say that "similar potential" or "opposite impossibility" might be tools that his counterpart might bring to the table. That is not to say that "Similar Impossibility" might not also be considered another tool. This is all based on the theory that "opposites attract", which in turn causes "similars to repel". Although since I have been stuck in this wheelchair, I have not had the opportunity to Repel down the side of a mountain, or climb a mountain for that matter, ...but that is a story for another day, today we need to purchase a steamer trunk to use as a tool pouch in order to carry all these new tools to @RayWohlfarth’s next boiler service call. along with @ethicalpaul 's video equipment in order to document how each and every tool was used in order to figure out that someone just left the switch turned off.
This is what happens to you when you retire and have nothing better to do!!! Nonsensical ramblings.
