Your Top 3

Tony_8

sounds like a JV series boiler. Supposed to be primary/secondary circulated. Thermostatic union doesn't hurt either in some cases. No buffer needed.

DL

Your Top 3

My Situation:
Buying a spec home with radiant heat (concrete slab), Laars boiler (short height required), and stainless indirect tank.
Since it is a spec home they will be going pretty cheap on materials and labour.

What 3 upgrades or specs would you suggest I specify to try and ensure the system is decent?
Examples: Adjustable manufactured manifolds, etc.
Is adding outdoor reset a major undertaking.

Please don't recommend huge things like Viessmann since it simply isn't going to happen. Need your realistic expert help. The contractor isn't going to be re-specified.

Thank You

DL

Your Top 3

My Situation:
Buying a spec home with radiant heat (concrete slab), Laars boiler (short height required), and stainless indirect tank.
Since it is a spec home they will be going pretty cheap on materials and labour.

What 3 upgrades or specs would you suggest I specify to try and ensure the system is decent?
Examples: Adjustable manufactured manifolds, etc.
Is adding outdoor reset a major undertaking.

Please don't recommend huge things like Viessmann since it simply isn't going to happen. Need your realistic expert help. The contractor isn't going to be re-specified.

Thank You

kevin

with a slab...

i would definatly work a reset/injection control into the temp. control of the slab. It will pay for itself and increase your comfort. And if I am not mistaken with such a low mass boiler a buffer tank would be a good idea. Please correct me if I am wrong out there guys. kpc

LD

Reset/Injection

Can anyone give me anymore details to specify?

What is this exactly?
Is it asking for Outdoor Reset with DHW priority?
(as with a Tekmar control?)

Thanks

LD

Continuous Pilot vs Intermittent

The Laars Minitherm comes in two forms:
1. JVT=Continuous Pilot
2. JVS=Intermittent Electronic Ignition

Which is better?
How reliable is a Laars boiler in general?

Thanks!

kevin

are you going ...

to have a chimney? the JV h/i is power vented out.(save a coulple $ on the chimney. The jvt is a pilot not as fuel saving. Some out there like it though.I had a Teledyne- laars JVs-75 in my last house for 9+ years w/o a problem.
Taco makes a good injection control as does Wirsbo both are made by Tekmar.
Injection has a pump that on a call for heat ramps up speed to bring the water temperature up or down that is suppling heat to the radiant floor.It sences the outside temp and calculates the best temp. for the water. this is a better way of stabilizing the floor temps because it only gives the floor what it needs..no overshooting= more comfort! hope this helps. Visit tacohvac.com for more info... kpc

LD

Which Laars boiler

There is a chimney just for the boiler (and cosmetics).
So, which Laars should I specify? I assume there isn't a huge price difference for the electronic ignition model.

Hope those spec house plumbing and heating guys know how to setup a Tekmar outside reset control. How tricky is that?

Thanks again guys!

Tony_8

JVS

Should do well for you. IID & stack damper. I use these as my "standard" boiler to compare against other models in a good,better,best scenario. Too bad you can't spec an EDP modulator. Not able to use the chimney though and a little more particular than JV models.

Boilerpro_3

Boiler protection, Slab protection, Full reset and Zoning..

Sorry that's four, but usually one good control can do them all. I'd suggest taking a look at the tekmar 370 or 371 house control. Provides all of this and covers control of your indirect water heater, automatically adjusts boiler differential to help provide good firing lengths, gives you indoor feedback to adjust the reset curve, and, if appropriate, automatic setback. Very big bang for the buck.

Boilerpro

DL

Was just told by someone locally to specify balancing and isolation valves on each loop. Who makes decent quality but not too expensive manifolds with these? I saw Wirsbo makes them but they have electronic sensors etc=$$$$
What do you think?

Also, just how complicated is installing a Tekmar outdoor reset control to the Laars setup? Could anyone put that in or does it require different thermostats and senors? (other than the outdoor temp sensor).

kevin

wirsbo has ...

isolation valves w/o all the sensors too...re: the tekmar control...any reasonably competent heating contractor should be able to read the install instructions and get some help from tekmar if it is needed...kpc

Eric Paro

Something for thought

HI, here is a thought... The heating system that you are going to install in your house will be around for a long time. It will still be around when your kids have kids. It will keep YOU warm on the coldest nights. It will keep your kids warm on there sickest nights. IT WILL OUT LAST YOUR NEXT FIVE CARS!!!!! Do yourself a favor now, ask your contractor what the alloted amount of your heating system is, then spend that money wisely. I have built many high end heating systems (my wife and friends call them Ferrari motors) not once has a customer been unhappy with how they spent their money. On the coldest day of this last winter I got a call from a friend, not a long time friend but one that will be a customer and friend forever now. He called to tell me that the Tekmar control on his wall was reading -43 and was he warm, and so were his friends, family, kids, nieghbors and dog. It seems that everyone he knew was showing up because he had the most comfortable house around. The reason he called to say thank you was because of the dog. the dog, a young golden, was off the walls all the time and was driving my customer nuts last I knew. My customer said thank you for making his dog a better pet and went on to explain to me how his dog would lay on his floor all day and all night and almost had to be dragged onto his couch now. The Secret? A Buderus boiler, Tekmar control, variable rate injection etc. All these parts add up to one thing = FERRARI MOTOR!!!!!! do yourself a favor And add Bad **** heat to your house. PS. if you won't do it for yourself do it for your dog! Every best friend deserves great radiant heat done right! OH, and one more thing, you remember those 5 cars I told you your heating system was going to out last? Well that same heating system is going to run more than they will to. Just a thought...