RHF repair, boiler size

Linda Brown

We just bought a foreclosed house with reported major heating problems with radiant heating in the floor. Three of the nine loops on the first floor are shut off. Five of six on second floor work. We also have the gray polybuteline pipe.

At some point a second "guest house" was added. We intend to build to link the two sides. Right now we live in the guest house and are comfortable. Other side can be brought up to 70, but it hasn't been really cold yet.

One plumber says we must replace everything, pouring another radiant heating layer on top of old. If we don't, in two years or so we'll wish we had. That creates all sorts of other problems.

We contacted the original plumbing contractor, who recommends adding a second boiler, since the additional guest house was not included in the original plan. Other plumber says no, replace boiler with one almost twice as big. One bigger boiler or two? Can these loops be repaired effectively? Repair or replace the whole system?

What is the prognosis with gray pipe in a house 8 years old. The house may have been unoccupied for a year or so and have frozen. Salt Lake City weather is severe. We have one current leak.

Just to make things interesting, the tubes to heat the driveway aren't connected to anything. What size should they be?

At this point, we've spent $800 just to find out what we have and (hopefully) what we should do...and we still don't know.

Will be glad to try to answer any additional questions. We want to get going with building the center section.

Linda

Kent

Linda,

You have a lot of stuff going on there. Your best bet is to simply hire your favorite boiler heat specialist, and get on with your plans.