Sizing Question

Greg Kettmann

I live in New England and have Baseboard Hot Water. Our boiler is a Crown Aruba XE, 150,000 BTU's. The house is a two story colonial of about 3,000 Sq Ft.

Our original installer (in 1988) did a horrible sizing job, particularly upstairs in the bedrooms. I fear there's nothing I can do about the original sizing. I only mention and include it to make sure I don't make it much worse. One zone upstairs, one zone downstairs, on zone for hot water and a zone for the basement (the basement was added later). This is all on a single Taco 007-F3 circulator.

We're adding a sunroom extension (south side) with lots of glass and dimensions of 24x18. This is off of the kitchen. Also note that the house downstairs is "open" with few closing doors. The sunroom will connect to the kitchen through a 6 foot, single floor opening. The sunroom is lofted or cathedral ceiling with a 6 pitch on the roof.

Here's the existing heating for the first floor (Sorry, I made this a table in my original but I can't figure out how to make it stay that way when I post it).
Living Room 13.5' x 13.5' BB= 13'
Dining Room 13.5' x 12' BB= 12' (6'+6')
Kitchen 13' x 18' BB= 10'
Family Room 13.5' x 13.5' BB= 13'
Foyer 6 x 11 BB= 4' (NOTE - 2 stories tall)
Mud Room 12' x 11' BB= 11' (4'+7')
Bath Room 10' x 6' BB= 5'
Office 10' x 14' BB= 12'
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First Floor Total = 80'

To heat the sunroom I'm assuming I need more than the very convenient 16-17 feet of the end wall. Based on the above numbers I think 24' is about right but I don't trust the original plumber. But then again I have to stick to a similar formula to maintain balance. The other issue is what 104' feet will do for a total zone length. The good news is that since it's all open it will tend to average itself out.

I doubt it will be needed but the basement is finished and is 34' x 26' with 24 feet of BB. There is also a bathroom of 8' x 8' with 5 feet of BB. No problems since it's a zone.

Again unneeded, but the upstairs is all messed up, hallway 30x3 -unheated, open with foyer(BB=4'). Cold rooms in winter, etc. Oh well. BR1(North) 12x14-BB=12, BR2(S) 12x13-BB=15, BR3(N) 11x13-BB=14, BR4(N) 11x14-BB=12, Master Bedroom 13x19-BB=17 (Thermostat here), Master Bath 10x10-BB=5, Bath 12x7-BB=4. The total here is 81 feet.

Weezbo

it might be easier to put together than you think.

Greg, i am on my way to work so i wont be able to reply immediately,however, can you sketch the floor lay outs and the baseboard locations< and windows and doors ? this might give a small clue as to what might be a remedial twist to the colder rooms. as you say it isnt comfortable perhaps thouh some creative tie ins could right your system. with a careful eye from one of the posters here you might get a few solutions that have escaped your perspective...also closets stacked over one another might also be helpful with an X wherever the boiler is located.

i am certain to be home before 10 or 11 and i stay at the Wall for at least two cups of coffee when i get home.some of the ols soldiers may check in on the post during the day so hang in here a couple hours...*~/:)

jerry scharf_3

since you've done so muc measuring

Why not do your own heat loss calculation. There is a free heat loss entry on the pipe in the upper left. That will take you to a freely downloadable heat loss program courtesy of Slant/Fin. It will ask you about wall sizes, windows, insulation and the like. It will then generate a room by room estimate of the house's demand at the design temperaure (about the coldest temp on an average year.)

This will get you a first look at the size of the boiler and pipes needed to make things work. It will also tell you what you need out of the emitters in each room. You should then be able to see the problem rooms and how far short of needed output they are.

jerry

Greg Kettmann

Thank you Jerry, I've ordered the CD since I don't see a way to download the program.

Weezbo, I'm attaching a floor plan.

Kevin_31

Link for download

Try this link to download the CD.

http://www.slantfin.com/he2/

Kevin