Heat Delivery Issue

Post by **Rob R.** » Wed. Jan. 22, 2014 7:53 pm

You would probably get a little more out of a 3 speed like a Grundfos 15-58, B&F NRF-25, Taco 00R, etc...but don't expect miracles.

Post by **dcrane** » Wed. Jan. 22, 2014 8:38 pm

waldo lemieux wrote:So, its -12 * (the pucker star) and my radiant zone cant keep up. I have a 6" circ running three 200'
loops. If I put a three speed pump(on high) in its place will that push more heat into the slab? The water temp in is 120 and return 80 so Im assuming until I get 120deg water back there is room for more btu/hr in the slab. Is this sound reasoning? I should mention that the efm is cycling on at about 30% of the time so its not a production issue.Thanx in advance for the input.....

Waldo

Tell this to the person who said in some other thread how their friends radiant heat zones always keep up just fine

Im not sure if your radiant heat is imbedded in the floor, or simply fins under the floor joists (if its fins under the floor joists... try to insulate the hell out of below them and NO insulation above)... id be tempted to cut a hole in the damb floor and run a baseboard into the room if it was me).

Post by **Rob R.** » Wed. Jan. 22, 2014 8:40 pm

That was me.

You think baseboard would do better with water that is too cold running through it?

waldo lemieux · Post by **waldo lemieux** » Thu. Jan. 23, 2014 1:44 am

Rob,

My circulator might be weak ,could have a blockage in the mixing valve ect.. The valve and circ have been in service for 13 yrs and never cleaned. Too, my house has a number of air leak issues probably the worst of which is a whole house fan in the stairwell ceiling and all I do is stuff it full of fiberglass from the attic . Im sure its acting just like a chimney . At the top of the stairs is an attic door that is only a hollow core door leading to a stairway to the third floor which is uninsulated and well ventilated . So, I can help by doing any of those things, I was looking for an offensive fix first and after we do that Ill work on defense. Thanx for the circ tip....

waldo

Post by **dcrane** » Thu. Jan. 23, 2014 5:02 am

Rob R. wrote:That was me.

You think baseboard would do better with water that is too cold running through it?

Ill keep trying to read and learn and maybe give some advise to all those folks I know with radiant fins in between their joists in the basement who keep complaining. I will say the homes that seem to have the pipes imbedded into the floor above the basement tend to love their heat (even on cold days)... I guess it could be that their boilers are just better sized or something?

Post by **Rob R.** » Thu. Jan. 23, 2014 5:12 am

It is easier to get heat to the right places if the tubing is embedded in concrete or in the subfloor. A staple-up system requires the hottest water temperatures, and also needs reflective insulation beneath it. There are cases where the heat loss of a room is higher than you can comfortably overcome with radiant heat in the floor (you wouldn't want the floor to feel like beach sand in July).

In this case, if the mixing valve was adjustable a slight increase in water temperature going out to the floor should take care of it.

Sting · Post by **Sting** » Thu. Jan. 23, 2014 7:00 am

waldo lemieux wrote:So ,the mixing valve adjustment knob is seized and wont allow me to raise the water temp. I think that probably getting a three speed pump will push the 120 deg water further into the system and when I can get the valve freed up ill be able to increase water temp to the floor as well. I just don't dare to tear the valve apart right at the moment. Though it did make it to 0* this afternoon The temps in the house started climbing , and made it to 67 . Just not the toasty Im used to

If the mix valve is stuck -- pumping harder at it or pulling harder on it will make little difference - some -- but not what you need

if your going to open the system anyway to buy and install a pump you don't need [ the system worked fine before didn't it???] well open the system and replace the thermal reacting valve and have a nice next 5 years
Kind Regards
Sting

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Thu. Jan. 23, 2014 7:24 am

waldo lemieux wrote:whole house fan in the stairwell ceiling

waldo lemieux wrote:an attic door that is only a hollow core door leading to a stairway

Cut some foam insulation board to fit and block these areas. Cheap and easy and it will do the trick. Quite a few years ago I made a foam board box to fit over our pull down attic steps and it works great keeping the heat downstairs.

waldo lemieux · Post by **waldo lemieux** » Thu. Jan. 23, 2014 7:45 am

Yeah, I plan on doin all those things mentioned here; actually getting it done?

Im such a slacker, differed maintainance,yeah thats me. Wait till theres a fire to make sure the extinguisher is charged, shut the gate after Freds already gotten out the barn. But by god I can get projects started; yes sirreee, no shortage of great ideas.....

Post by **Rob R.** » Thu. Jan. 23, 2014 8:14 am

titleist1 wrote:
waldo lemieux wrote:whole house fan in the stairwell ceiling

waldo lemieux wrote:an attic door that is only a hollow core door leading to a stairway
Cut some foam insulation board to fit and block these areas. Cheap and easy and it will do the trick. Quite a few years ago I made a foam board box to fit over our pull down attic steps and it works great keeping the heat downstairs.

I did the same thing. Looks like a coffin lined with blue board.

make a BIG difference in the upstairs hallway.

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Thu. Jan. 23, 2014 8:19 am

Rob R. wrote:Looks like a coffin lined with blue board.

Exactly....It gave my wife an idea for a cheap alternative to putting me out on trash day when that time arrives.

I just used 2" thick foam board a few really long nails as pins and a whole bunch of duct tape. Any project that involves duct tape is worthwhile!

waldo lemieux · Post by **waldo lemieux** » Thu. Jan. 23, 2014 11:24 am

This just in.......... took mixing valve apart and there was grass in the frappin thing ,encrusted with lime scale. Cleaned her up and stuffed it back in ;adjusts up and down,too and fro ,easy peasy mac and cheesy. 130DEG water into the slab 100 out. we'll give another update in a few hours. Hell Im on a roll I may just go put that manometer in thats been gathering dust for a year

or maybe not, Im such a sad sack....(but I don't really feel too bad about it).

Sting · Post by **Sting** » Thu. Jan. 23, 2014 11:29 am

dancin in the boiler room!

waldo lemieux · Post by **waldo lemieux** » Thu. Jan. 23, 2014 11:36 am

I don't have alot of room in my engine room but if that crew shows up Ill make room. Ima gonna stack em up and climb on top

Thanx for sharing ,Neighbor!

waldo lemieux · Post by **waldo lemieux** » Thu. Jan. 23, 2014 3:24 pm

update from the front: t + 3hrs and temps inside rose 3 deg and tstat is now happy,happy,happy. Of course its irrelevant because its 25 deg warmer outside than when I started having trouble. I guess we wait

But we be warm while doin it