what type of heat?

thfurnitureguy_4

sorry, I forgot the fuel is oil, and the additions are not finished floors just subfloor. do I get the feeling that floor radiant is better as just part of the whole picture?

thfurnitureguy_4

what type of heat

new(older) building to look at. residential home in S. VA. Has a slant fin type hot water radiant system now. the house has 3 additions that have doubled the size of the house. the house is a single floor with a wide open basement ( yes even under the additions)the floor is sub flooring with some old carpet. I would like to get rid of the slant fin baseboards (hard to place furniture) and replace with some kind of floor radiant system throughout the home. I believe the curent boiler is too small ( it was in before the expantion and is 40+years old) also question the copper pipe of the same age. The local heat guys are pushing Utica boilers? any thoughts on an ideal system? Would like to have some zones and a domestic hot water. The floors will range from wood, tile, vinyl,and carpet. any thoughts. Thanks T.

Constantin

I'm a mere homeowner myself...

...and here are some thoughts:

I take it your current fuel is gas? If so, I'd go with a modulating condensing boiler that is sized to meet the design-day load of the building. I also assume that radiant floors are your present dream... which shouldn't be a problem if you can control the heat loss and the emitting surfaces.

I presume you're not in the mood to rip up the floors and install a above-floor system, your best bet is to go with a staple-up plate-system like Radiant Engineering's Thermofins in the joist bays below. Insulate the whole package well from below, and most of the heat will go up. If you remove the carpet from the floor above, the heat emitting capacity will go up noticably as well.

If the heat loss of the house is above a certain threshold (I seem to recall 15BTU/(ft² x hr) on a design day for some reason) then you'll have to supplement the radiant heat in the upstairs floor with radiators of some kind or install heating panels inside walls as well.

In the basement, installing a gypcrete or similar system is probably the quickest and cheapest approach. Since basement losses tend to be low, the output here is not as critical.

Anyway, to really achieve great savings, the house envelope has to be right... walls insulated, windows weathertight, etc. Have a look over at buildingscience.com to see what your options are. Once the envelope is tight, select a boiler that is sized for the load and an indrect for your hot water needs.

I am not aware of a condensing, modulating boiler from Utica, though they may exist. I have heard good things about a number of other brands with such boilers including HTP, NTI, Viessmann, Buderus, etc. Have you tried to click on "Find a Professional" in the link box above? Hopefully, you'll have more boiler brand choices than just one...

Jed_2

Constantin

Check this out. Modulating valve is imminent.

Jed

http://www.uticaboilers.com/products_gasboilers_ub90100.asp

Al Letellier

new system

It never ceases to amaze me the number of guys that are so quick to specify the kind of boiler to use before the system is designed. I've said it before and I'll say it again....the boiler is only the pot we heat the water in.
Do a complete heat loss calculation, figure out what kind and amount of heat you will need, and then select the control system you are going to use, and then and only then, select the boiler. Don't put the cart before the horse. As many different boilers there are out there, one can always find the right one for the application. And if a job gets over budget, I would rather see the customer chose a lower priced boiler that to skimp on the control system. After all, the boiler is only the........!!!!

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

thfurnitureguy_4

Good point I plan to run a heat loss using the slant fin progam. The question was about planning for other forms of heat distribution. Ie radiators or such. floor radiant is the least invasive for placing room furniture etc. but with out a heat loss figure I guess you don't know what is needed.

Steve Ebels_3

Now your getting it.

First the heat loss. Then consider and price out and choose your options between Radiant floors, and there are many ways to skin that cat or panel radiators, all shapes and sizes in vertical and horizontal models. A mix of the two or maybe and airhandling system with A/C blended in to boot.

I agree 100% that the boiler in most cases is of secondary importance compared with the installation qulaity and the control system as far as your comfort and the economy of the system are concerned.

Tell your installer/designer you want the system to operate at a water temp of no more than 160* at design temperature. This will keep your boiler running at maximum efficiency throughout the whole winter.

That being said, if gas is your fuel a high efficiency type with a modulating burner is the only way to go. Fuel prices today will seem dirt cheap 10 years from now.