Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Best Method for Increasing Efficiency of Existing Heating System

Steven Kipp
Steven Kipp Member Posts: 1
in THE MAIN WALL
I have an old three story Victorian home that has an existing hot water heat system (still has the original American Radiator Company radiators) basic details (as best I could glean from the previous owner and from the layout of the piping) are as follows:

Appears to be an old oil boiler gravity feed system that was converted to gas with a circulator in approximately 2000 (boiler tags indicate it was manufactured in 1998) using the existing pipe system. There is a single thermostat on the first floor.

As a homeowner and a novice to hot water heating; I have gotten different solutions from local companies (full zoning with each floor on its own system; zoning with zone valves, and just using Thermostatic Radiator Valves for each radiator). Given the my options I am curious to find out what the experts feel would be the most cost effective means for me to increase the efficiency of my current system.

Any advice and/or recommendations are greatly appreciated.SPK

Comments

  • Al Letellier_9
    Al Letellier_9 Member Posts: 929
    energy upgrade

    tough call, Steven, without seeing the system, but many options are available. The easiest: Insulate Insulate Insulate. the house and the system piping. Next step up, zoning and/or TRV make a lot of sense depending on how you live in the house and how much of it gets used regularly; next, review how you make your hot water, and think about outdoor reset. Something for you to chew on, I hope.

    To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"
  • GMcD
    GMcD Member Posts: 477
    Envelope

    Set your budget and start with upgrading windows, sealing building envelope air leaks, adding roof and wall insulation, insulating all heating pipes, insure proper combustion air at the boiler, system cleaning and controls checking, then if there is $$ left, look at higher efficiency appliances, that may not need to be as big as the old boiler due to fixing up the house envelope and basic heating system infrastucture.

    The Danfoss style thermostatic radiator valves are a good cost effective option for local room by room zone control.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories