Hydronic Heating System Conversion

19 years ago

How easy is it to convert from a loop system to a manifold system, using existing 1/2" copper pipe runs and returns from the existing baseboard heaters and getting rid of the 1 1/4" galvanized loop piping which runs in a rectangle in the basement?

The existing system uses an electric boiler with a Bell & Gosset pump hooked into the 1 1/4" galvanized piping.

I would like to be able to control the level of heat in each room specifically as opposed to controlling the level of heat as it currently is being controlled from the thermostat reading in the hallway (one centralized location). At the point in time at which the thermostat reads 68, the closest room would be 68 where the rest of the house is, say, almost 9 degrees cooler.

I am assuming I can do a pex install from a manifold and hook the pex into the 1/2" copper piping at the run starts and return ends. But I am needing information on how to hook up the manifold and whether I can use the existing pump and electric boiler for this purpose or whether I need an alternate system for the heating and water supply.

Additionally, while on subject, there are two electric water heaters (both 50 gal.) in the house. Someone told me I should use the boiler for the water supply for the house. Can this be done as well, thereby eliminating the need for the hot water heaters, where the electric boiler (or some other installed product) supplies both the hot water at a higher temperature for the baseboards and a lower temperature for the house?

Thanks for any information given.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

bonanza_stu
19 years ago
Where are you located? Do you have natural gas available? An electric boiler is about the most expensive heat you can purchase. Even if you use propane with a 92% efficient boiler will be less expensive to operate. Unless you are buying $.05 kW electric.

You can install a manifold with zone valves. Each valve can be connected to a thermostat for control of each room. TACO makes a control panel that will connect the zone valves to the thermostats.

You are referring to an indirect fired water heater. I cannot see switching from a conventional electric water heater. If you are using a fossel fuel source, an indirect fired water heater might make sense. The only reason you would make the change would be for increase capacity or economy.
ajpdla
Original Author
19 years ago
We are in the Pacific Northwest, in the State of Oregon. The electric boiler came with the house. What can I say. Yes, i would look into something cheaper; but it would have to be cost effective enough to pay for itself over the long haul. I don't know exactly what our kW cost is. I will find out. I know that as far as what we pay for our monthly heating costs, and for the size of the house we have, every time we tell people what our bill is, they always want to trade invoices. So the house holds heat well enough to keep the costs down and from being too prohibitive right now.

But I would like to change over to propane for the simple fact I'd like to get away from an electric stovetop. Hate 'em! Miss L.A. where everything was gas.

I will look into the TACO site for the control panel you spoke of. Thanks.
Related Professionals
Forrest City General Contractors · Middletown General Contractors · Kansas City General Contractors · Fayetteville General Contractors · Martinsburg General Contractors · Phoenix General Contractors · Sacramento General Contractors · Bozeman General Contractors · Dover Home Remodeling · Worthington Home Remodeling · Raleigh Bathroom Remodelers · Altoona Bathroom Remodelers · Newport Bathroom Remodelers · Clearlake Bathroom Remodelers · Portland Bathroom Remodelers
vstech
19 years ago
I agree, putting your domestic water into an electric boiler, makes no sense. I do disagree that electric boiler is the least efficient. electric resistive warm air heat is the worst. At least the boiler uses radiant tech to save efficiency. is the heat infloor, or does it use radiators? with a B&G, most likely you have radiators. kinda hard to isolate a system with a manifold if you have radiators, but zone valves with individual thermostats would be simpler than a manifold, unless you want to get rid of the "rectangle" piping...
Brewbeer
19 years ago
If your heating bills are low, keep the electric heating system (zone it as you suggest,) and swap out the electric stove for a gas one!!