What is a Hydronic Boiler?

October 23rd, 2008



A Hydronic Boiler is an enclosed tank where water, gas or electric is stored to produce heat. Hydronic Systems can work well with three types, Steam, Hot Water and Chilled Water.  Hydronic boilers can be used in both a residential home and a commercial building, Hydronic Heating is used in central heating applications. Hydronic Boilers are mostly used with a single piping system that allows the water to run through the pipes before turning it over to steam.

This type of boiler is used in conjunction with Baseboard heating, Radiators and Radiant Heating. Hydronic Boiler Systems can run on any means of fuel such as gas, wood and oil. But today with the economy the way it is the most common use with these boilers is Natural Gas. It is cleaner and it will save the homeowner money in the heating months.

The gas will run through the enclosed tank and it will be circulated through the system to produce heat. On most of the Hydronic Boilers you will see that there are what is called a Condensing Boiler installed. These boilers are an important reason why the efficiency on the Hydronic Boilers is so high.

One important rating that you need to look for when choosing your boiler is the BTU rating. BTU’s describe the amount of energy that the boiler can produce. You may have seen the term when looking at air conditioners, stoves and even gas grills.

A great reason for choosing a Hydronic Boiler over the rest is that they are more efficient and they will save you money, especially in this economy where everyone is looking to save money wherever they can. One bonus feature of the Hydronic Boiler is they are more compact than other boiler. The reason for that is because they are made of baseboard copper pipes and aluminum fins. These boilers will take up less room in the basement.

One of the most important components in the Hydronic Boiler System is the pump. With a properly maintained pump the boiler will not run. Other vital parts to the Hydronic Boiler is the Safety Valve, this valve is your protection against a boiler blow up. If this valve isn’t working properly you may have a big problem on your hands.

Another important part of the boiler system is the Low Water Cut Off or the Float Switch. With boilers running on water, a certain amount of water must be kept at a certain level. Without water the boiler will not work. So it is important to make sure that the water level is at proper working levels at all times. It would be a good idea to have the boiler serviced at the start of heating season, that way you will not have any problems once the long winter months are here.

Another great selling point of these boilers is that they provide fewer ups and downs in temperatures than other systems. They release heat better and over a longer period of time. This means that you won’t have to keep cranking up the heat to stay warm.

Hydronic Boilers also provide health benefits as well. These boiler systems do not try out the air. Many people in the winter months get very dry skin when the heat starts to come on. But with this system you will see a lot less. You will also see less of allergies because this system offers less dust, allergens and even mold into the air.

Kenmore Dishwasher

Kenmore Dishwasher


The answer to this question is yes, many people think that the dishwasher element heats up the water and it does to some degree but also using a hot water feed to the dishwasher will save the actual element from being replaced sooner then expected.

There is many arguments however that the dishwasher is supposed to be hooked up to the cold water, and many plumbers will want to hook it up to the cold water as well, but the fact is that the dishwasher does need a hot water line so that it can run properly.

The hot water supply for the dishwasher can come from the same line or pipe that feeds the hot side of your kitchen faucet.  There are two ways that you can tap into the hot water supply under your sink.

The first way is to use a saddle compression valve and tap into the line, or you could pipe in an actual tee with a valve. The latter of the two is the best way as you will want to have a more secure connection. Saddle valves are great for basements and areas that are not disturbed to often Vs a kitchen sink area that receives a lot of traffic.

Make sure that your water heater is also set at the correct temperature to get the maximum results from your new dishwasher.

Pipe Insulation

Pipe Insulation


When the colder months of the year start coming around you will want to protect your plumbing pipes from freezing by insulating them with pipe insulation or maybe even heat tape if need be.

Let’s first talk about the different ways that you can insulate a pipe and what types of insulation there are.

Most pipe insulation that is made for residential use is made from either a foam or a lightweight rubber material. This insulation usually comes in 5 foot stick sections and has the option of a split seam or no seam at all.

You will want to use the pipe insulation with the seam on existing plumbing and the non seam pipe insulation on any new installation of plumbing pipes.

You can find most many types of pipe insulation at your local plumbing supply house or hardware store and the nice part is that pipe insulation is not that expensive in price, its usually around $4 a stick and up depending on what your pipe size is.

The other type of pipe insulation or actually a method of insulating a pipe would be to use something called heat tape. Heat tape is exactly what it sounds like, its a tape that you wrap around your plumbing and then you power it with electric and it will keep your plumbing warm enough so that it does not freeze.

Pipe Insulation Installed

Pipe Insulation Installed

The proper way to insulate your plumbing is to cover all the areas of the pipe so that none of the pipe is exposed. You will want to cut your corners of the pipe insulation on a 45 degree angle so that they can match up with each other for the best seal and to keep that cold air out.

Wrap On Heat Tape

Wrap On Heat Tape



Plumbing heat tape is used to protect pipes from freezing in extremely cold locations were normal pipe insulation is just not enough. Heat tape looks like a tape but has an electrical wire that runs through it and gets plugged in to a normal 110 volt outlet.

Heat tape comes in many lengths and different wattage because some locations are simply colder then others and will require more heat.

Installing heat tape can be very simple if you have access to the pipes that you need to insulate. You will simply just wrap the area of pipe that you want to insulate and then plug the other end of the tape in and your pipe will stay warm.

Heat tape is very inexpensive to run and is a great way to keep your pipe from freezing. If you have a cold area were your pipes keep on freezing and the normal pipe insulation is just not working it might be time for you to switch on over to some heat tape to protect that plumbing.

Heat tape can be found at many home centers like Home Depot, Lowes and off course your local plumbing supply house. If you are not sure you can handle this type of job yourself then you may want to hire a licensed plumber to come and do the job for you.

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Filed Under: Boilers, Peerless Series MIH, Sentinel SE Series Gas Boilers, Sentry Gas Boilers

This entered by Stacey
Stacey
Stacey

Stacey's biography: My name is Stacey and I have been in the plumbing and heating industry since 1996. I started as an administrative assistant for a large steam fitting company located on Long Island. For many years I spent my time researching and purchasing all types of plumbing, heating and steam fitting parts for the mechanics at the shop as well as special orders I took from boiler engineers working at hospitals and other municipal facilities. My role here at plumbing supply house is to make your life easier by providing you with highly informative plumbing product reviews, press releases and all kinds of other good plumbing goodies. Please feel free to contact me if you need anything plumbing related.

Visit Stacey's Page: http://wetheadmedia.com/stacey/

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