Cold upstairs, hot downstairs

boobird

Hello all,
I purchased a 3 unit detached brick building in Jersey City with 3 floors (3000sq ft total living space). My understanding is that the previous owner kept the thermostat on 74. There is a single hot water boiler that serves the entire building. There is a red pump that pushes the water and the PSI gets to the level as indicated on the pressure gauge. The previous owner also "bleeds" the top floor radiators until a little water comes out. The heating bill for the year was over $5000.

There is 1 thermostat is on the first floor.
The first floor is hot (they insulated the radiators with a foil to prevent the apt from overheating).
The 2nd and 3rd floor tenants complain of cold. The 2nd floor has a mix of cast iron radiators and a 15ft baseboard.
The 3rd floor has an additional electric heating unit.

Is this typical of a hot water system? What improvements can be made to the system?

Rich_49

Could you show us some pictures of the near boiler piping and include everything you can ?

Jamie Hall

It is NOT typical of a hot water heating system. They can be just as even as you have the patience to make them, provided only that there is enough radiation (baseboards or radiators) in the various spaces.

The three floors should be at least three zones -- and there is no good reason why, for a rental, they couldn't even be on three thermostats. But to start with, as Rich says -- some pictures please, and possibly a sketch of the piping runs, and some more information about what radiation is available in the various floors and rooms.

boobird

In this photo attachment, the red "X" are 2 vertical pipes that I believe return to the boilers. The red boxes are radiator units. The long red box on the 2nd floor is a baseboard unit.

1st Floor:
There is 1 radiator in each bedroom and 1 in the kitchen, 1 in the living room, 1 in the dining room.

2nd Floor:
The first and 2nd floor are the same, except the 2nd floor has a long baseboard radiator in the living room. The 2nd floor has slide out doors to an uncovered porch.

The 3rd floor:
There is 1 radiator in each bedroom and 1 in the kitchen.

rick in Alaska

How much pressure is in the boiler before the pump comes on, and what does it shoot up to when it does?
Rick

Harvey Ramer

Unscrew one of the union nuts on one of the third floor radiators and check to see if there are any orifice plates inside. If so, remove them. Also check both the supply and return piping to make sure there are no air traps in the piping itself. Sometimes during remodels, someone will move the piping for construction purposes without consideration to system air removal.

Also as others mentioned, some pics showing near boiler piping and component locations.

boobird

Here are some more pictures

boobird

anyone who can take a look at my system? It's in Jersey City

jonny88

Advice.Call Rich to come take a look and fix that mess up.Sorry for your misfortune.

Rich_49

Can someone please look at the pix in the first post and tell me that I do not see a tankless water heater with both intake and exhaust right next to each other going through what appears to be a window ? Are they also metal pipe ?

ChrisJ

Rich said:

Can someone please look at the pix in the first post and tell me that I do not see a tankless water heater with both intake and exhaust right next to each other going through what appears to be a window ? Are they also metal pipe ?

You do not see a tankless water heater with both intake and exhaust right next to each other going through what appears to be a window.

I'm lying... but..

Does that help?

gennady

Check water pressure when system is off. pressure gage should read 1 psi per each 2.3' of hight of water column . Let's say vertical distance from boiler to upper point of the system is 30'. then gage should read 30/2.3 +5 psi=13+5=18 psi.

Abracadabra

Rich said:

Can someone please look at the pix in the first post and tell me that I do not see a tankless water heater with both intake and exhaust right next to each other going through what appears to be a window ? Are they also metal pipe ?

Looks like it to me. Also the copper FIP adapters to iron pipe, the galvanized steel straps on the copper, and the sloppy soldered joints should tell you what kind of an individual set this system up. Looks like a pretty job to work on (sarcasm)

boobird

Yes, the previous owners installed a tankless water heater for the first unit. I actually want that removed.