heating engineer

LEVIN

Can anyone please recommend a reputable residential heating engineer in the NYC area. Thanks.

JohnNY

My two faves:

Andrew Collins
212.696.5294

Nino D'Antonio
516.594.4284 x 201


To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

LEVIN

Heating Engineer

Thanks. I was told by Andrew's office that they only do work through architects. Do you know anyone who works directly with home owners?

Thanks again for your help.

DanHolohan

What is is

that you need done?

LEVIN

We have been trying for months to get our heating system fixed. The original plumber who came in, made some serious errors and since then plumbers have been giving us conflicting views on what needs to be done and we have spending money with each of them and the problem still persists.
We have a railroad apt that is 100 feet long. Its a hydronic heating system with three copper pipes (a feed, return and express return) all hooked up to Radiators (Dianorm with overntrop local valves on each radiator). There are approximately 16 radiators in the apt. The feed for the entire length is all the way at the end and there are no expansion pieces. All the heat is self contained in our apartment, the building does not manage it. The problem is that despite all the money spent, we are awake all night with loud banging and there are constantly leaks throughout the apartment. At this point no more plumbers want to work with me until a heating engineer consults on the job.

JohnNY

Don't want to step on any toes here, but...

....mind if I take a look?

It won't cost you a dime.

If I think I can help you, I'll give you some options and their costs.

If I think I can't, I'll thank you for your time.



To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

DanHolohan

JohnNY

would be a good choice.

LEVIN

That would be great. We are in downtown Manhattan. Can you make it here tomorrow or Monday?

LEVIN

Ok, thanks. I will give him a call.

Brad White_184

Whew....

I was hoping you would take John up on his offer. You will be well-served and in good hands...

tim smith

Regarding problem heat

John, if you can, post what you find on this. Sounds velly interesting. Could be a bit of a rat nest. Good luck. Tim

JohnNY

Update for the boys:

This job is a mess. They’ve got a bunch of DiaNorm radiators (like Myson) with Danfoss H-piece valves and Oventrop thermostatic actuators.

Good equipment.

Most of the radiators are mounted on a 100’ long side wall and the piping extends to and touches both front and rear walls of the building. Expansion of the 100’ run is causing stress cracks on the wall and floor finishes. The expansion noises are similar to water hammer in a steam system. There are leaks developing constantly.

It was installed as a simple two pipe system (illustrated in pic one) and then someone decided to convert it to a reverse return (illustrated in pic two), which is not a terrible idea, but in no way addressed the problems. By the way, the installers screwed the new return pipe into the exquisite wood flooring. It’s hideous.

The reverse return pipe gave the client a third exposed pipe to deal with in the living space and an inexplicably unattractive set up at the last radiator in a master bathroom (see pic three).

The boiler is seven tall floors below the space in a cellar. It seems to take 40 psi to fill the system, the boiler relief valve is changed out to a 75# unit to accommodate the pressure requirements, and there is a B&G high-velocity pump on the return which raises the boiler pressure an additional 6-7 psi when it runs.

The homeowner is as nice as can be but has had it with the noise, the leaks, the guessing, the unsightly work, the experiments….
Can you blame her?

Working on a plan.

More to follow…I hope.




Sorry the pics aren't in numerical order.




To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

JohnNY

Tim

See bottom post.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

tim smith

Regarding high psi & long runs

This looks like a bit of a challenge as the place is all finished, what a shame. Does the system heat well and just expansion noise or is the heat a problem. Also is the boiler rated for the psi? Good luck John, hopefully you can get this nice lady out of this quandry with relatively little pain. Good luck, Tim

JohnNY

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

JohnNY

The system heats fine.

I found out it was also energizing an indirect water heater, but as part of the solution to the problems they've been having, the indirect was scrapped and a 50 gallon electric was put in its place.

What can I tell you?

Right now, the problems seem to be all about noise and aesthetics.



To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Brad White

Break it up

Just a thought, maybe break up the length with expansion absorbers and anchor points? Take the stress off the main-to-radiator joints. Maybe PAP final connections are an option?

Nice concept anyway. Too bad the fundamentals were missed.