Using a hot water heater to run basement baseboard heat?

Big Ed

It should work. The rise should not be a problem. My guess your purge is wrong or maybe a bad or incorrect pump. Are both system tap at different location on the boiler ?

A boiler by-pass is a full size pipe with a control valve connecting the returning water back to the supply on the inlet side of the circulator.. This is needed to temper the hot water heating side down . The pressure difference from the circulator could cause the condensate to break steam in the loop system..

A heat exchanger is piped off or in the boiler.A loop of base board is piped off the heat exchanger.It is pressureized with water pressure .

Craig_14

Can I use a small hot water heater to heat my basement?`

I have a steam heat system in my home. I have installed a full hot water baseboard system in my finished basement. I was going to tap into my steam boiler, but some the pipes were ran into the ceiling. Thus it does not work. Noting like learning from your mistakes..So my quesion is can I install a small hot water heater and connect the pump to the outlet to circulate the water? It will be hooked up to a normal thermostat which is located in the basement. Thank you.

Big Ed

You may want to...

...check your first set up..

Did you allow a water feed and purge valve set up so you can purge out the air ? Circulator pumping away from boiler ? Both tap below water line ? Boiler by-pass to temper water ?

You may be able to use a water heater if local code allow and if your chimney is large enough to handle another appliance. Also if your oil or gas line are large enough...

ALH_4

HX

Another option is using a small heat exchanger to separate the steam boiler from the hot water system and make the hot water side pressurized. It would probably be cheaper than adding a water heater.

Craig_14

yes, both inlets are below the water line, a have a water feed & 2 valves to purge air, the pump is facing away from the boiler. What is a boiler by-pass?
If i can use a water heater is is difficult to set-up?

Paul Fredricks_3

I've seen many systems that just have a tapping off each side or end of the boiler and just circulate from there. If you keep the system clean I would think it would work fine, especially since you are just pumping around and not up.

Craig_14

it does go up in some places. from the floor into the ceiling then back down. i was told thats the reason i can't get it to work, because its above the water line of the boiler.

Craig_14

how do i pressurize the water?

bert

b&g approach

take a look at www.bellgossett/Press/BG-waterzone.asp
they detail a method i've seen work before.

ALH_4

Condensate heating

Dan's explanation.

Lyle C

condensate heating

If there is a spot on the boiler to add a tankless . You can add a coil and use it in place of a heat exchanger .