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Re: Have you cleaned the piping system for a converted gravity hot water space heating system?

Unless you do a total re-pipe let sleeping dogs lie. You stir up all that stuff and you will never get it out anyhow and it will cause more problems.

use a strainer and a dirt mag a big one and leave it as is

EBEBRATT-Ed

Re: Basement Heatloss - Boston

I'm with @hot_rod on this one. What have been your experiences in the past? say last winter was very cold in January…. That usually happens every year but we can just look at last year. What was the basement temperature for most of the January days?

Reply A: The basement was the correct temperature. answer: It ain't broke. Don't fix it
Reply B: the basement was warmer than i would like. Answer: Add some insulation to the pipes
Reply C: The basement was cooler than I would like. Answer: remove som insulation from the main pipe

EdTheHeaterMan

Re: backflow at funeral home

I ran into a similar situation. The funeral home only did 5-6 funerals per year. The water department told him he needed an RPZ when we gave him the quote, I thought he was going to need his own services. He tried to fight city hall. He didn't win they shut off the water to his building that was also his house. His wife didn't love that. He was calling us thieves one minute now he's your best friend and wants it installed yesterday.

CTETeach

Re: H B Smith model 19he-04 value

Are heat pumps that efficient now? using electric to suck the heat out of 5°F outside air and compress it to heat a building that used to be heated by steam does not sound like anyone who is in the decision making process was doing the due diligence required to keep the occupants comfortable this winter.

I am reminded of the Rabbi that called me from Ventnor City, NJ who purchased an old church building and removed all the steam pipes and the boiler from the church basement. Now the Temple has 10 huge radiators behind decorative radiator covers that match the interior of the building. They have two 5-ton mini-split heat pumps that cool the building just fine (maybe) but all the congregation wear overcoats in the winter.

His query was "How much will it cost to reconnect the 10 radiators to a new steam boiler?"

I asked him what kind of budget he had for the project? When he replied with a number, I said I might be able to connect one radiator for that much money. A boiler big enough for all ten radiators would cost much more and the piping even more. You now have a worthless building to sell to someone for summer time only use… maybe!

EdTheHeaterMan