Engineer Here with practical question. - Monchoychoy

Monchoychoy

I'm a HVAC engineer. I started in the field, but I'm good at taking apart and diagnosing, but fixing is pretty ugly. Anyway, I'm looking into building a house. About 1200-1500 sq.ft. plus two car garage. What type of system would be best? One boiler to run radiant, DHW, and heat coil for winter ventilation w/ hi velocity A/C system? What manufacturers should I look into. I can get any kind of equipment, but I also want something with a good track record and easy to obtain parts (a good european model may work better, but if it takes three weeks to get a replacement module...) Oh yeah, I'm in Massachusetts. Probably use gas fired. Just looking for suggestions since most of my radient experience comes with large schools and other public buildings. Thanks guys.

Paul Pollets_2

System

I'd use a Viessmann Vitogas boiler and Indirect water tank for DHW. The Vitotronic 200 control could handle the radiant and high temp coil in the air handler. I'd use Wirsbo radiant floor tubing and distribution manifolds, not to mention the AquaPEX potable tubing. I've been using the Unico mini-duct systems and like the company and product.

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joel_4

Mass

Where In Mass ? Perhaps we can help you. I agree with Paul about the Viessmann and Unico. We've done 10 Unico's the last 6 weeks or so and several over the last 6-7 years. no problem with Viessmann parts these are no harder to get than any others if you deal with the right people.

John@Reliable

What system ?

You should really check out oil fired unit for price!
Plus new oil systems are cleaner than gas per gov.specs.
Plus you have a choice of feul dealers try that with the gas company

John@Reliable

You should really check into a oil fired system , Why?
Lower fuel costs + US gov. said new oil burners cleaner than gas units. Comm. units might look cheaper with gas but you need to look at the amount of fuel use to get "discount" which you will never get for res. use.
Plus there are alot of fuel dealers to chose from unlike "THE GAS COMPANY" if you get mad with them all you can do is hang up & call back and hope you get different rep. because its the only game in town,unlike a oil dealer which will know you by name.Just somethings to think about,I'm in the Middleboro area if I can help email me.

GW

The Bay State

Wow, a Massachusetts party. I'm in Easthampton, MA. I'd go with Viessmann- like Joel said, if you hire the right guy, he'll have all the parts. Most of the Viessmann installers have a certain pride in their installations, and when something happens to one of our "babies", we're there in a flash. I have $1500 worth of Viessmann burner parts sitting in a nice suit-case, and a digital combustion analyzer to make sure when I set your burner up, it will be running not only at its maximum efficiency, but safely as well. I use Stadler radiant heating products and Unico high velocity as well.

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Gary

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GW

Viessmann

Vitogas 100

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Monchoychoy

I'm Looking

For some land inside the 495 Belt. I work in Hudson MA, but my wife works in downtown Boston, So we are looking for land near a commuter rail. Of course, if Amtrak has it's way, my wife will be driving. Anywho, I was just wondering on the gas Vs. oil debate, I understand that Oil is usually cheaper, but the gas is a U.S. supply that does not fluctuate with OPEC relations. Am I right or am I just hearing the sual propoganda (my parent's house has gas and I don't pay for the heat in my apartment, so I've never looked at fuel bills). Also what boiler eff in way of gas Vs. oil are there? I'm not looking for right now, but If buildin a house comes up quickly, I want to have the info. Thanks for all your Help!

Monchoychoy

Also.....

I have many other questions. I've seen, put in at my friends house, a sort of fake hardwood floor. My wife didn't know it was fake...until I told her. You need to see a glare across the floor to see the seams. Anyway, does anyone know about such product? What it does to radient (I hope it makes things better!) I'm interested in using quality high tech equipment, but I don't have the huge budget to be cutting edge. If there are things that can go into a house design to facilitate the heating system, let me know! I all to often sit behind my desk, design a system, and never see the finished product, let alone see how it's working 5-10 years later. What things do you see that are consistently wrong that can be avoided in a design. I know this is general, but I'd rather have too much information rambling along about any old thing, than not enoughbecause someone didn't say (which is what this wall is about right...interchange of ideas? I love this internet thing!)

Earthfire

new houses

are an opportunity to put a roof over our heads or to be a comfortable nurturing HOME. I would suggest looking into groundsource heating and cooling as the primary powerplant. Todays units can handle heating ,cooling, some if not all radiant loads, and provide your domestic hot water.Use a gas boiler as your secondary heat source, if your load dictates and install a Wirsbo AQUASAFE combination potable water firesprinkler system. You'll have a home that will be comfortable, and won't kill you if GOD forbid there should be a fire while your sleeping

Monchoychoy

What would be cost?

If I used this system. I've always been intrigued, and the thought of not paying for heat is tempting (I know there are costs, but not in fossil fuels) What goes into selection of system? I don't have land yet. If there are certain advantages to layout of the land, It could be considered since I'm not tied down to a plot right now.

Earthfire

ground

On a small lot you can drill vertical bores for your ground loops, on a larger property you can go with vertical or horizontal loops. the only basic limitation on vertical loops is can you get a drillrig in to bore 3 or 4 holes at least 10 ' apart?

hr

Engineered finished floor products

I am a big fan of engineered floor products. I like the stability they offer. I like the prefinished aspect, which eliminates messy sanding and finishing in the home (hard on the cooling and duct work) Factory applied finishes are better controlled,as they can acclimate the wood better in a plant,I feel.
That being said there are great products and cheap products out there. Look for brands that use hardwood for all the plys. The inexpensive softwood varities dent easily. Most of all the big name flooring manufactures now offer engineered prefinished wood floor products.

This is an Anderson brand with the micro bevel. I had this glued over a concrete slab radiant at my in laws. Last spring the kitchen flooded and the entire floor was under 1" of water. I wet vaced and turned up the radiant and the floor came thru just fine. Impressed me! I have ruined some hardwood kitchen floors in my days with leaking dishwashers, ice makers and kitchen drains, not a pretty site or inexpensive fix
Check out the options there are plenty out there.

hot rod

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John@Reliable

Most gas comes from canada not from here, the gas co. has done a very good job with tv & print ads about how good they are, guess who pays for those ads "the rate payers"
They also let some people pay year round why? without this winter bills would be to high for most to pay.The reason you don't here about oil that much is because most oil co are very small & local unlike gas which is like dealing with a cable co. You always see in the media about rate hikes for gas, watch this winter you will see them now that your looking, also NORA is starting to run ads about oil heat. Hope this helps.

Vern

Tile Floor

You can look for a tile that appears to be wood. It has the durability of ceramic and you don't have to worry about the expansion and contraction of most wood (or look alike) floors