hot water

Big Ed

I Don't know Bob, with a hot water system , the incomming winter colder water and the systems call for heat I see this problem alot and agree with you but with steam heat it tends to be the opposite..The call for heat makes the coil hot water too hot . I guess the 212+ degree water off sets the incomming cold water.. Now with Vincent's problem I am first thinking low water level along with Mark or higher winter water volume? I wonder if a sidearm is installed wrong....Hmmm? Vinnie, Is your coil directly in the boiler or piped along side of the boiler ? Also , by chance do you perfer showers in the summer and fill the bath durning the winter ?

Vincent Lyons

hot water from steam heating system

I have a single pipe steam heating system that is fueled by oil. My hot water is not as hot as I would like. I have noticed that my hot water is hotter in the summer when the system is not heating the house just the waster. Is there any way to turn the temperature of the water up, or should I just install a seperate hot water heater?

PS My furnace does not have a holding tank. The cold water just loops inside the furnace and comes out hot. I thought if I installed a seperate hot water heater I could shut my furnace off for the summer season. Is this a good idea to shut the furnace off for the summer season?

Steamhead

You have a \"tankless coil\"

whose capacity can be increased by adding a storage tank. Try the "Find a Contractor" page of this site to locate someone who can handle this- it's not a DIY project.

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Vincent Lyons

I realize I could get more water from a storage tank but is there any way I can increase exhisting hot water temp. Is there some kind of gauge on my furnace I can just turn up.
Thank you
Vinny

[Deleted User]

Is it possible...

that during a space heating call his coil is high and dry because hot condensate is out in the system in the form of steam, and then during the summer it's immersed in hot condensate?

Just wondering out loud...

ME

Steamhead

That could be

but I'd still put a tank on it. Then there would be no need to fire the boiler unless there was a demand for hot water. With rising fuel costs, this makes a lot of sense.

Vince, there should be an "aquastat" on your boiler by which you can regulate the temperature it maintains to operate the tankless coil. But it makes no sense to keep the boiler at full temperature to drive the coil when no one is using hot water. A well-insulated tank will only lose 1 degree in 12 hours or so, which is far better than most boilers or direct-fired water heaters. As fuel costs continue to rise, this approach makes more and more sense.

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Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating

you water could be hotter in the summer

because the incoming cold water temp. may be walmer in the summer, and the pipes in the basement may be colder in the winter. you can get hotter water by slowing down the volume of the water as it comes out of the faucet or valve. this slows the water as it goes through the coil allowing it to get hotter. but you will need a stoage tank eventually. bob