AboutMorgan M. Audetat Expertise Radiant floor heating. Snow Melting. Boilers. Indirect water heaters. Tankless water heaters. Current owner BadgerBoilerService.com Minneapolis based mechanical contractor specializing in Mod/Con based, integrated heating systems. System design, consulting and technical training world-wide.
Currently designing hot water based heating and snowmelting systems for spaces ranging from 50 to 50m square feet. Consulting fees start at $500.00US
Experience 30 years. Organizations: Charter Board Member - Radiant Panel Association, former manufacturer of the first American-made wall-hung, sealed combustion condensing boilers, son and apprentice of mechanical & plumbing contractor.
Continuing Education: Uponor/Wirsbo advanced design school 2007, Power Limited License (low voltage controls) 40 CE credits 2005, B&G Little Red School House 1993, Tekmar Controls residential and commercial 1993, Division Manager and Advanced Hydronic Seminar Host for the first Hydronic Radiant Floor Distributor in the USA 1990, Hydronic Heating Association Workshop participant with Richard c. Bourne, PE spring 1988, Master Plumbing/Hydronic/Solar Course Red Rocks Community College 1987.
Education: B.S. University WI 1981, 26 yrs. continuing education.
Licensed CO, MN & WI. Home Inspection license WI exp.
Awards and Honors: My momma's favorite son.
Past/Present Clients: References upon request.
Expert: Morgan M. Audetat Date: 3/24/2008 Subject: Potable and water heating together...NO
Question I am an absolute neophyte to hydronic systems. I recently purchased a home in the mountains of Utah that has a hybrid HVAC system utilizing hydronic exclusively for the basement and forced air/hydronic for the first floor. The house was built in 2002 and the hydronic system heats about 2900sf of the home and is set on a hillside where the first floor is mostly over the basement (2000sf) while one bedroom (400sf) and the dining room (500sf),which is part of a great room, are slab on grade. The basement is all under grade (obviously). The system currently has a 60gal hot water heater that serves two zones, up (thermostat in a bedroom yet the system serves a portion of a great room) and down (thermostat in the main area, yet serves two bedrooms in the basement). The zones are controlled by two zone valves and the system has one water circulator. Upstairs has 3 ball valves and now has 5 and I am not certain what areas of the house each serves.
The system was badly damaged as the expansion chamber went bad and everything (pressure reducer, water circulator, air separator, expansion chamber, relief valve on the HWH, and zone valves) got gunked up from corrosion and calcium deposits from the hard water entering the system. Once I moved in I got everything working and found the HWH to be in bad shape. It cracks and pops, leading me to believe it is running very inefficiently due to deposits on the bottom of the tank. I have several questions:
1) With all the options out there where is the best place to start determining the best replacement that balances efficiency and cost.
2) I also want to know if it is advisable to run the water source for the system from my water softener to lessen the corrosion factor.
3) should I switch out the zone valves for water circulators to drive efficiency?
4) Does having more zones make a system more efficient? If so should I set up more zones since I presumably have the option with all the ball valves installed to each unidentified area? I do not have wiring for additional thermostats and assume I could use a Honewell wireless thermostat or something of the like.
Answer Potable water heater for space heating and domestic water heating is not an accepted practice...period.
You have to have a cleaning solution driven through both domestic and heating system, get a separate heat source for each or separate with a heat exchanger.
I use boilers and indirect water heaters together in integrated systems. The water heater is used as the hot water source for the fan coil and is fitted with a mixing valve for potable hot water.
Radiant floors should never have potable water as a heat transfer medium.
As to zones, the more zones the more cost and maintenance. If you keep all rooms cold, you save money, that’s it.
You should have a licensed plumber familiar with radiant floor and integrated systems give you a short evaluation for your own health and peace of mind.
Soft water is a good idea for boiler water supply.
You may use a CombiCor for your new water heater if it meets the heat and domestic loads.
