The best forced air system I've ever seen.....Boilerpro

Boilerpro_3

And its not a dead one! Will be starting work on a home with a hot water/ forced air system next week that is really nice. Its been in for 50 years now and is still quiet and comfortable. In the home all the supplies are placed near the ceiling on the walls, just were conventional thought would consider it the worst place. However, the large low velocity fan (in a huge commerical air handler) runs continuously year round (A/C in summer too). Back in the mechanical room, a Honeywell three way mixing valve modulates the water temperature to the heating coil based on input from a proportional thermostat in the living room. Most of the time the air coming out of the vents is probably not over 80F, but since the vents are high and velocity is low, it doesn't feel drafty. I suspect the system works alot like the newer air turnover systems used in very large tall spaces like warehouses. The fans move very large amounts of air at very low velocity with the supply at the ceiling and the return at the floor. I've heard that temperature stratification is almost nonexistant and the space quite comfortable. Nearly all the equipment is original (a couple of bearing assemblies have been replaced on the B&G pumps) with the only current problems being that mixing valve is starting to stick and the pulleys on the fan are worn out. Gee, I wonder if any new forced air blowers and motors will last 50 years of continous duty without failing? The old two pass Kewannee fire tube is still running nicely with an ancient gas conversion burner. New equipment includes a Dunkirk Plymouth boiler, Carrier air handler with multispeed motor (not the variable speed model) and condensor, Tekmar 361 control and variable speed pumping (to replace mixing valve setup)with indoor sensor, new zone valves to replace the zone pumps for the ancillary zones heating a couple of rooms and the garage, and new Honeywell digital thermostats. The existing timer used for setback of the forced air unit will be reused with the tekmar control. BTW. The home is built with all concrete partitions in the basement, masonary partitions on the main level, steel truss joists with poured concrete floor, and face brick all around. All finsh plaster, including the basement ceiling, on wire lathe. This home was built for the ages. Nice to see a home built well, not just huge, when there was a large budget to work with.

Boilerpro

Don_2

Right on

Dave,Force air can deliver comfort Too !! But you have to
think out the box.. ITs always been how you push the air back to the heat plant..Constant circulation with a gentle
throw across and away from the occupant,and the proper controls,who would have thought..
But just like anything if one does not understand proper duct design and they work off a ductulator that friction rate and velocity is the same for every job,and that one system fits all,then its no wonder force air is frown upon..
It doesn't have to be that way,but it all come down to what one is willin to spend.
Thanks Dave,from us guy who make most our living on the air
side,we thank you for sharing this with us,because many time we get beat up,but it the guys who cares and do it right also know we can deliver great comfort with air also.
Again It comes down to the same old story, Whats the bottom line?? Thanks Boiler pro you made my saturday..