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disadvantages

buzzy
buzzy Member Posts: 8
in Radiant Heating
my neighbor wants me to install a baseboard radiant system for him to replace the existing electric baseboards,we're going to run the system off of his gas fired water heater with a heat exchanger and a closed loop but because his parents house has air handler running off of thier water heater on an open loop he seems to think this will work just fine,i'm sure its the extra material required that has him thinking this way($$$),the disadvantages of running such a length is the return water temp,i'm sure his water heater will run all winter long to keep up with the system,am i wrong,are there any other disadvantages of running a open loop that i should be informing him of.

Comments

  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,569
    Disadvantages?

    Does the name LEGIONELLA ring any bells?



    It's amazing the dumb things people will do to cut a corner and save a $.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,474
    water heater will not.....

    run water at a high enough temp or be very efficient. Baseboard typically runs @ 180F....that could change if you add a lot more baseboard.   Water heaters are typically 70-75% afue. The worst boilers are 80% afue.... you really need a boiler.
  • Gerry Alder
    Gerry Alder Member Posts: 25
    Don't do it !

    I would not heat base board from any standard water heater. I would even hesitate to heat BB with a high temp high efficient water heater I know this has been done before and works with some limitations and I seen the jobs , and typically its a diy er or a plumbers own place who has done this . Just the idea of BB heating with a standard water heater is not what I would offer to any customer and there is no pride in doing so. Do it right and educate the customer or don't do it all.

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • buzzy
    buzzy Member Posts: 8
    limited space

    is also an issue here as this is a cottage (small)converted into a full time residence,the existing tank is located in a closet.Any type of wall hung boiler that is prefered over another.What about a combi-core tank,the outside dimensions of the house are 20ftx36ft.the loop would be approximatly 120ft,maybe a combi-core won't work either?
  • Paul Pollets
    Paul Pollets Member Posts: 3,663
    Boiler type

    I'd consider a Triangle Tube PE110 Excellence. It is a wall-hung condensing appliance with a built in water trank and DHW flow rate of 3.5-4gpm. It will also provide 100K btu's for heating.



    If running baseboard, make sure you size correctly on a single loop or the BB's at the end of the run will likely be cold.
  • NRT_Rob
    NRT_Rob Member Posts: 1,013
    how much heat do you need?

    what's the heat loss? if the load is low enough a water heater can be fine.



    open loop is not unless you're just doing a short loop, like an air handler.
    Rob Brown
    Designer for Rockport Mechanical
    in beautiful Rockport Maine.
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