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need help deciding ...

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Osborn
Osborn Member Posts: 31
in Gas Heating
I have 5 gutted apartments in Jersey City, NJ -- heat loss is around 15k for the small two and 20k for the larger two; and 10K for the smallest one. 

I want to use radiators.

I'm trying to keep my materials cost at or around 3,000 per apt.  -- but could pay more if necessary.

I can either

put 5 boiler/hot water heats/combo in the basement and pipe up.  (Max vertical run about 25 ft).  Looked at bradford white combi,  or a cast iron w/sidearm or  ?

Or some kind of tankless (against code in nj, so contractors say...) solution in apartment.  The triangle tube solo are way to pricey.  There's the ambassador models, but i don't know about the durability (copper heat exchanger)...  Then there's standard tankless stuff, but not sure about the applicability of tankless

Building a chimney is not an option -- the existing chimney cant accept a liner.

Thanks so much for any advice.  (And please convince me not to cave and put a hvac systems).

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  • CMadatMe
    CMadatMe Member Posts: 3,086
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    No You Don't

    Guys,

    Josh's problem is that he cannot find a quality contractor in Jersey City to do the install. I worked the heat loss for him, quoted the boiler and the panel rads. He sent prints to the panel rad rep and they also did a take out for him. I spent hours of my time to help him out and did the take off's also. Panel rads have been sized with correction factors to keep the boiler condensing througout the heating season. This job goes back months. Also tried to make a couple of appointments to visit the job but each time he couldn't have a contractor there.



    The apartments are small. One boiler would do the job.. We quoted out a Vitodens 100 WB1B10-26 with a 79 gallon Viessmann CVA indirect. Each apartment was it's own zone with a 3/4" main to a remote manifold then pex'd to each panel rad. Cost was right at his budget number per apartment.



    Behind my back he called the local Viessmann rep looking for a direct quote. I just happened to be at the reps place hosting a Viessmann class. This was his second call to them. They had previously gave him contractors before my involvment but he didn't feel they could do the job. That's when he originally posted here back in April I believe and I offered to help him which I went above and beyond. 

    Josh called me a couple of days after his second phone call to see if I could re-size the job with fin-tube which I told him sorry I can't. I provided you the heat loss for the apartments broken out by room. You need to find a contractor that can do it for you. It's heat season and I have paying contractors that need my time.

    So he is back looking for alternatives for a system he doesn't want but has no choice because he can't find a quality knowledgeable contractor.

    That's the story about this job. If you want to help him out I've done the leg work.
    "The bitter taste of a poor installation remains much longer than the sweet taste of the lowest price."
  • Jack
    Jack Member Posts: 1,047
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    With such a low btu load

    For each apartment why not put a DV heater in each apt and be done with it. Your cost per unit will come in fine. Check out rinnai.us for the Energysavers. I represent them in another market. We have done a few tens of thousand of apts this way over the last 20 yrs with this product.
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