Help with infloor heat

Kaos · December 20

Fixing this unfortunately won't change how much propane you use. If you get a modcon dialed in, you might get 5%-10% lower depending on how it is running now. Easy one is to get the outdoor sensor installed and configure a reset curve. The rest is getting the return water temp as low as possible to the unit. This means adjusting flow rates and supply temps.

If you want real fuel savings, don't run the snow melt and figure out where you are loosing heat in the house. Most places, a bit of air sealing goes a long way and will save you more than a perfectly dialed in boiler.

bjohnhy · December 20

I wouldn't risk trying to fix it now. If something goes south you may end up losing your functioning air furnace.

The only thing I would try this winter season, is to put swap in new mixing valve , maybe one that can dial up higher than 150F (American degrees), and make sure the flow check valve is on the cold side of the mixing valve. Preferably a mixing valve with cV greater than 3.5

Tom99 · December 20

Hey Kaos I might get the outdoor sensor installed probably in the summer though. I think I only ran the garage floor once like 2 years ago and haven't used it since. Don't think I'm loosing much heat in the house as it's spray foam and I had a blower door test done, front door needed adjusting but that's it. I probably will ask you guys some more questions in regards to flow rates and supply temps once I make this repair. Also thanks everyone for the education!

Tom99 · December 20

I respect your opinion bjohny! I have a good friend who is a plumber, so to be honest I will probably have him do the pipe work to eliminate me screwing it up lol

bjohnhy · December 20

bjohnhy · December 20

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1828087#Comment_1828087

How do you build a spacer? Do you just use two flange isolation valves with a nipple in between?

Tom99 · December 20

I was just thinking two couplings and a piece of pipe no?

PC7060 · December 20

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1828098#Comment_1828098

You can use mating pump flanges with pipe to between pump isolation valves if you want to limit piping changes.

I see your system is configured with System 638 PVCS venting; are you in Canada?

Tom99 · December 20

Hey pc7060 yea I'm in Canada

GGross · December 20

Is your snowmelt portion working OK?

hot_rod · December 20

I would think a plumber could make that change in a few hours? Not too risky. If he uses press it will go quickly

I would leave the upper pump iso valve, get a 1" sweat flange and make an adapter piece to press couple into the tube below the second iso valve, which you remove.

I see in this pic there is not a valve on the return line into the close tees. Add a press valve there also.

Remove the top of that mix valve, pull the guts and clean and lube the o-rings and cartridge.

Kaos · December 20

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1828093#Comment_1828093

If the place is tight already, the easy energy savings are done.

What are your local energy costs? I'm in Canada as well and heat pump is 2x to 2.5x cheaper to run. Cold climate heat pumps easily run down to -25C.

Generally not worth replacing good equipment, but if your AC dies, swap it out for a cold climate heat pump. Keep the hydro coil and set that as Aux heat, so the only time it will run if the heat pump can't keep up. If your rates are similar to mine the Aux and heat pump should run together as even when cold, the operating cost of propane is higher.

As for getting the existing setup tweaked, post system temperatures once you have fixed the mix valve issues and installed the outdoor sensor. You can use a meat thermometer to measure the discharge air temperature after the hydro coil.

DCContrarian · December 20

This is what I made up for a similar situation where I had to take out a circulator:

Although if the flanges that are there are threaded you're probably better off unscrewing them and putting in a copper to threaded adapter. If you do pro-press you don't have to worry about getting the pipe completely dry. Same with PEX crimp. You could do Sharkbite but I'd only trust that to get through to the summer.

Tom99 · December 20

Thanks for all the tips guys! To be honest my plumber buddy does not seem to worried about the repair he said 2 hours and few beers, he also did say he's going to use pro press. As for setting up the system once repaired he has no experience with that at all, so I'm definitely going to need help with that. Kaos my propane is costing me 0.61 per liter average fill on the tank is $900. Once the furnace kicks the bucket I will explore some options.

Kaos · December 20

.61/l burnt in a 90% boiler works out to about $0.10/kWh. My average electricity rate including delivery is around $0.14, so burning propane is cheaper than resistance but more expensive than a heat pump with a COP above 1.4. If you look at something like bellow, the COP is above 1.4 even at -25C. On yearly usage, I would guess it would about 1/2 the cost to heat.

https://mylinkdrive.com/viewPdf?srcUrl=http://s3.amazonaws.com/enter.mehvac.com/DAMRoot/Original/10007%5CM_SUBMITTAL_PAA-A24BA1_PUZ-HA24NHA1-R1_en_M1.pdf

Tom99 · December 20

What province are you in Kaos?

Kaos · December 21

I'm in Ontario.

Help with infloor heat

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