Bungalow Unven Heat

New Dad

Hello,
I live in a 1 1/2 story bungalow with a newer Weil Mclain Gas Boiler (3 years) and the original radiators. Our heat is typically unven from the main floor to the upstairs bedroom. I installed a thermostatic valve on one of the radiators upstairs but it only helps slightly. When the weather is around freezing the upstairs is cold and main floor hot, when the temp is closer to 0 deg the bedroom is hot and the main floor is cold. Is there anything I can do to regulate the heat better. Can I run the pump longer or add outdoor reset? Can I add valves to make the upstairs a seperate zone? Thanks

ALH_4

More TRV's

You might need to install TRV's on all of the radiators for the system to balance properly under all conditions.

jp_2

why

why the trv in the first place?

in other words; what was the problem, and what was your solution?

New Dad

TRV

I installed the TRV to prevent the upstairs from getting too hot. It does help in that respect somewhat, but it cannot call for heat so it does not solve the too cold problem and probably even contributes to the too cold issue.

Would adding TRV's to the remaining two radiators be enough?

ALH_4

Zoning

You're right that the upstairs thermostatic valve cannot provide feedback to call the heating system and therefore the upstairs does not overheat, but it can still underheat. Your thermostat needs to know when the room with the highest heat load needs heat.

Unless you put thermostatic valves on all of the radiators in the house, I think this problem will persist. Control of a system with TRV's on all of the radiators is a little different, given that your existing thermostat is apparently not in the room with the highest heat load. You could also fire the boiler based on outdoor temperature with a setpoint control or even provide outdoor reset.

Another possible option if you have an unfinished basement/crawlspace/cellar, is to separate the upper level from the lower level and create a new zone for the upper level with a separate thermostat and get rid of the thermostatic valve.

New Dad

Zones

Thanks Andrew,

I think I might look at adding a zone to the upstairs. I was thinking of replacing the electric heat in the basement with water so I could have them do that at the same time and add the two zones. I would imagine the controls are the same, just more valves.

Stewy_2

Steam

You can zone steam?

ALH_4

Hot Water

I figured this was a hot water system?

Paul Fredricks_3

He mentions a pump and ODR. I think it's HW.

New Dad

Hot Water

Yep, its hot water.

Could somebody explain how outdoor reset may help me? Will it work with a normal Weil Mclain Gas Boiler? (not the ultra) Thanks

New Dad

Zones

Also how difficult is it to add a zone to the upstairs?

New Dad

What exactly does outdoor reset do? Are there any drawbacks?

How difficult is it to add a zone to existing radiators and piping?

Thanks

Mike T., Swampeast MO

It all depends on how the system is currently piped. Presuming you have a two-pipe system, there is typically a pair or two of mains with branches serving individual radiators. Since branch lines serving rads are normally installed in the most direct way possible to the mains regardless of which floor they serve, it's unlikely that you can easily split the system into zones serving each floor. If this is your case, TRVs on all or nearly all of the rads will likely be far less expensive--not to mention more comfortable and efficient--than significant piping changes.

New Dad

Thanks for the advice, I think you are correct my system is piped as you described making a new zone difficult.

Could adding outdoor reset produce more even heating? How does outdoor reset work?

Stuart Oglesby_2

Maybe constant circulation?

We have a very similar house and had it set up with constant circulation when the boiler was replaced. I had asked about TRVs and going from 1 to 2 zones. Installer wasn't really big on cutting into an older system and suggested trying the constant circulation. It's worked wonders, no more overheated rooms upstairs and cold rooms downstairs, and all work done in the near boiler piping.

It may be worth comparing the costs with TRVs and/or zoning.

Stuart

jp_2

new thread?

i'd start a new thread, something like " outdoor reset with (your boiler here), can "it work".