Rebuild ripped out system?

Paulypfunk

I have a client in Seattle who has purchased a foreclosed home that has a hydronic heating system. Unfortunately I am looking at a blank mechanical room where the previous tenant has removed everything. No boiler, no controls, no pumps.



I can tell they had a combo DHW/heating modcon, 3/4" copper running to to the manifolds from the empty pump stations. I have no access to blueprints and no contact with the previous tenant or the builders. I have Uponor barrier tubing peeking out at the four manifolds around the house, and 4 thermostats. Big place, about 5500 sf. The rest of the construction looks pretty slapped together so I can't necessarily assume that the original install was done correctly and I hate to make assumptions.

The house has a mix of hardwoods and carpet. Owner wants to remove a bunch of the carpet and replace it with more hardwood so her aged mother can get her walker around more easily. If I have tight spaced tubes I am worried that I will fry the new hardwoods. Not to mention trouble laying down new wood without hitting a nail through a tube. I have no idea what is underneath, warmboard, quicktrack or staple up. I guess we could lift a carpet edge and find out. Heat loss will need to be done but I am going to have to assume what and where they have done for a tubing layouts.



I know the sane ones out there are going to tell me to walk away from this but the owner is a family friend and long time client so I want to help her out if I can. I am looking for advice from the more seasoned pros on how to approach this one and what pitfalls to look out for.



Thanks in advance,

CMadatMe

Start from Scratch

Right now don't worry about what is in the floor. Do a new radiant heat loss and design based upon correct installation practices. This will give you a starting point as to what should be in the floor, the heat loss and water temps needed. Then, see if you can come up with existing loop lengths and application. Wirsbo tubing has footage markings on it. Once you have done that compare and adjust the install method and loop lengths in the design software where necessary. If you are using the Wirsbo program it will recalculate water temps for you.



You are going to have to let your customer/friend know that it may take one complete heating season of tweaking and playing to get it fine tuned. Your customer is going to have to understand that this is a long term project.

JJ_4

IR the floor...

We used InfraRed to locate piping in concrete slab snowmelt system and find a leak.  Maybe after the carpet is pulled up you could fire up the system and map out the pipes using IR.  Then you would have a guide for nailing the hardwood.  We used a "hotshot" service that normally does our electrical panels, motors, transformers, etc.,once a year.  It wasn't cheap, but it was fast and accurate.