Frequently Asked Questions (Dan H.)

Unknown

talking about a Hot Surface Igniter which lites the burner. Is the system running? If so have him explain why you need the unit.

DanHolohan

We cover

many topics here and often go back over the same topic many times ("Can I pipe a steam boiler in copper?" for instance). I'd like to start a Systems FAQ section on the site so we can refer people there as needed. I think it will be a good place to learn.

This new section will be similar to the Library, Heating Alerts, Green, and other pages on the site that store PDF documents. I'll create the PDFs from Wall posts that do a good job of addressing the FAQ. I'll give credit to the poster, of course. And if you'd like to answer what you think is a FAQ by sending me an e-mail that answers the question, I'd certainly welcome it.

May I have your thoughts on this idea?

Thanks.

hot_rod

How does it differ from tech topics?

or would some of those move over to the new heading?

It seems like there is a TON of good info scattered around the site, but few take the time to move around and find it.

hr

DanHolohan

I get so much out of the Wallies explanations

of the FAQs that I'd like a place where we can preserve some of these wonderful answers. I can build PDFs from multiples posts within a thread that has to do with a particular topic, and then save those PDFs to this new area. I'll give each PDF a lead-in question, such as, "Can I use copper pipe on my steam boiler?" The answers to those frequently asked questions would all be catagorized by System and the information would be easily accessible.

Make sense?

JohnNY

Great idea.

I think it's a long time coming.

Of course, there are lots of FAQs that, I believe, have no stock answer:


Which boiler should I buy?

Which programmable thermostat for my one-pipe steam system?

Can I use copper on my return pipe?

How much money will a setback thermostat save me?

Which is better: Oil or gas?

Does forced air lower the humidity?

etc.

But I'm sure you've thought of that.

DanHolohan

No stock answers for sure,

but lots of reasoned thought on each of these has appeared here, and I think I can find a balance as I put together the PDFs. Thanks.

David Nadle

Dont forget...

Pipe dope or tape or both?

A faq is a great idea but I agree with the person who said it's already there in the pages accessible from the "Systems" menu, like steam_problems.cfm

Maybe you can roll those pages up into a wider FAQ section.

ALH_4

Q

I can think of several related to just one thread on the Wall right now:

Can instantaneous water heaters be used instead of a boiler?

If the answer to the first question is yes, can the water heater be used for both heating and domestic hot water?

Do reflective insulation products work beneath a slab?

How do I select the proper heating system circulator?

Why do I need oxygen barrier pex tubing?

When should primary/secondary piping be used?

How does flow relate to delta-T?

How long should radiant floor tubing loops be? Why?

scrook_2

possible homeowner FAQ questions...

should I have/use copper vs iron on steam (hot water)

Should I convert steam to hot water (or hot air, or move south)?

How do I compare fuel costs between NG, LP/propane, oil, kerosene, electricity, coal, wood, pellets, dried animal dung, biodiesel, waste oil, alcohol, sunshine, wind, district steam, geothermal, uranium, plutonium, unobtainium? (did I miss any)?

can I convert to a differant fuel? should I?

Am I short cycling? Is my boiler? How short is short? Why?

is it a furnace or a boiler anyway?

how high (low) should my steam (hot water) pressure/temperature be?

why does my baseboard convector tick/clank?

why does my baseboard sound like a bubbling brook?

should I get rid of my radiators and put in baseboard (stapleup)?

how often/how much should I blow down my LWCO?

How many BTU per square (linear, cubic, other) foot do I need?

What pipe insulation should I use

What kind of x-tank do I (should I) have?

Steve Garson_2

Dan:

If you make the FAQs web pages instead of PDF files, they will be easily searchable by Google, which will help drive traffic and make it easier to find things.

Steve

Unknown

Great idea as I often

in posting here have lost bookmarked material, this way some of the great stuff will be preserved for future reference.

Also I often get asked the same question over and over and have to type or copy and paste from my files. This way there may be some referal of some frequently asked and answered questions.

Steamhead (in transit)

That's a great idea, Dan

anything I can do to help out? I have a BUNCH of bookmarks and links saved up.....

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gerry gill

probably a good idea,

as some questions get redundant enough that many times i ignore them, which doesn't help the person asking.

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Paul Fredricks_4

FAQs

I'm not an HVAC person but have gained much knowledge from reading the posts on this board and thank you all for your help with a system I'm contemplating. That being said.... another board I participate in quite often is and engineering topic board where there is a FAQ section. The benefit of this is terrific for a number of reasons. Rather than the more experienced members repeating answers over and over, they can refer the questions (and questioner) to the FAQs (which have become quite well documented over time). The members also take it upon themselves to write answers to FAQs, which can then be added to, altered and tweaked over time. Of course, having a finely tuned search feature is a necessity.

D107

Great Idea Dan

I think alot of us Wall visitors have been thinking the same thing. There are so many levels of knowledge disseminated here that get buried even with your wonderful search tool. Some things to think about:

1. How can the FAQ be set up so that visitors will actually use it? The tendency is for everyone to think of their question as unique, and it may be quicker to get an answer from posting than by searching.

2. How do you divide the fields of knowledge into the large topics from which sublevels of related information flow. Tricky because if you have e.g. separate categories of oil heating and gas heating, there are great distinctions between them but also many areas where basic principles are common.

3.Perhaps this thread will elicit a few hundred sample questions that will define the shape of the FAQ categories.

4.There are also wonderful threads on plumbing and electrical.

5. It would be great if there were some hydronic interns out
there that could get credit for organizing some of this info. If you have 30 new threads a day that's 11,000 a year X 4? years, maybe 40,000 threads total, 500,000 posts?

6. Questions I'd like to see addressed:
a-What things should most installation contracts include?

b-What things should most oil burner tuneups include?

c-Why should I hire a Pro to install my boiler when I can buy one myself cheap at the big box stores?

d-What 10 questions should a prospective installer be able to answer?

e-what 10 things can HOs do to make the job go smoother.


7. If you can come up with 10 major topics, then each could be put together by different committees comprised of those with particular interest or expertise.

Timco

Don't forget 'has anybody heard of a beckett heat manager?'

Tim

Darrell

Don't forget my personal favorite...

How much is a reasonable rate to pay a good servive tech?

As much as it takes.

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mtfallsmikey

Excellent idea, Dan!

I usually can do a thread search real quick, but there are occasions where it takes some time to find what I'm looking for. There are many here like Brad, Frank,Hot Rod, etc. whose knowledge would be invaluable for setting this up.

DanHolohan

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

I'll start building it.

If you have links that you've saved, either of your own answers or to those that others have offered, and you could send them to me at mailroom@heatinghelp.com that would help a lot. Thanks.

Roger Mac

Steam Riser

Dan,
I have a building in NYC that has one pipe steam. We need to install 3 new steam rads. I would like to run a 2" blk pipe about 40' or so and tie in to the steamm main off of a 2" tapping that also picks up a 1" steam line that goes off into the wall and disappears. The E.D.R. of the rads is 78sqft. It will be pitched properly. This is a one pipe steam system.
This is the first chat room I found that had your name on it. If I'm not in the right place please redirect me.

Best Regards,
RM

Kal Row

also product spacific faq's...

some of us have a lot of experience with certain brands of boilers and their various incarnations and this can be a quick resource –

but you might have to clear manufacture specific posts with the manufacturer – this may be to much work for a generic site

the manufactures themselves could contribute – or at least provide a link to their own faq’s – like a 24hr tech support

bovide_4

classic FAQ's

How do I clean a steam boiler?
How do I test a thermocouple?

lgiandalia

glow plug?

the gas guy was here and said i needed a glow core plug or glo plug? and that was a common thing that goes bad in heating units.....do i have the spelling right? what exactly is it? i have a natural gas heating unit up in my attic and being just after xmas i would like to have alittle more info before i get quotes on repair...i'm in virginia beach area

John_173

Wet wiki!

With the talent here on the Wall, the possibilities are staggering.

FAQ's would be a great addition to an already great resource. I search the Wall, but a coherent & inclusive FAQ page would be sweet. Search facility & organization would be critical. Perhaps incorporating some photographs? Do's & don't's?

And maybe if the FAQ's referred to LAOSH, Pumping Away, etc, you might generate some sales....

Daniel_3

I just hit one that could be a start under "short cycling new boiler". It's a toughy for me and even in LAOSH it's not covered to the extent that pertains to the specific problem I'm experiencing, though not really problematic at all. I searched in the tech topics, library, and read througly but haven't found the answer yet.

I must say that I have been "learned" while here and have delved deeply into the library. Kudos to all and especially Mr. Holohan. I would really enjoy such a source to the more common threads.

Daniel Bradley
homeowner in training

lgiandalia

thanx for the info

thanks for the info yes the unit is running but is not heating the house is that a do it yourself item or is a heating repairman a necessity?

Unknown

A professional should

do that for you.

Dale

F.A.Q

Great idea Dan. As a technical trainer I already give the new techs your site. I'm sure other technical instructors do also, I know Timmie does. FAQ will help even more. I guess the next thought is chapt. headings. Hot Water, Steam, Pipefitting, Insulation, Electrical, oil burners, gas burners, ground source heat pump. I hope the answers can be linked to pictures. When I get the "What is a drop header" question I show copies of Steamhead, Ron Jr. job pictures, "How do I pipe a hot water boiler" I show Ron Jr. pictures along with manufacturer drawings.

Larry Weingarten

I wonder if...

... it's possible to link to other sources of info as well? For example; "Tanklets" at waterheaterrescue.com has a lot of FAQs about things relating to DHW.

Yours, Larry

DanHolohan

I can do that.

Could you send me a link to the page you have in mind, Larry? Thanks!

Alan R. Mercurio_3

You can’t do that!

You can’t start building that without bricks, Dan. I’ll go invest in some right now, oh and by the way thanks for continuously improving on this outstanding community you have built and made available to us. Bless you pal.


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DanHolohan

Thanks you, my friend.

You're a good man. Thanks!

Leo

Another Book

FAQ would be a nice companion to a "Pocket full of Steam Problems" as well as being on/off The Wall.

Leo

Alan R. Mercurio_3

You’re most welcome and it’s my pleasure my friend.

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Gerry May_2

Hi. I'm really new to the Wall, but I have got a treasure chest full of information from Tech Topics.
I'd Like to suggest that when you are setting up the FAQ, that topics might be arranged in a type of hierarchy so that a search could continue through sub-topics under that particular heading. My point is that it should be easy to get to where you want to go when searching for information. Example: MAin headings could be Steam;Hydronics;Ventilation;Cooling...etc.
Subtopics could follow under those main headings.Im sure it'll be good.
....Just a Thought

Randy Schuyler_2

Dan,
Larry told me about your FAQ idea and I just read the entire string about it on The Wall. The URL to Tanklets is:
http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pages/WHRpages/English/Troubleshooting/tanklets-index.html

I would like to link back to your FAQ page from the Tanklets page when you get it built. It's many times we've sent folks to heatinghelp.com when their questions spilled over into your realm.

Thank you also for continuing to be an inspiration to us all. A few years ago, you gave me encouragement to keep on trying with my Web site and now it is working well enough that I quit my miserable newspaper editing job a month ago.

See you at Wetstock in April....