can I add baseboard and add zone like this?

[forumfun]

Our existing CI baseboard one zone water heating system is not enough now. Because we are starting finish the basement and planning to replace the family room?s electric heating with water heating. The boiler is 2yrs old Burnham alp105 gas boiler and supposes it is big enough for the coming new baseboards.

We are planning to do the following:

1. Split two bedrooms out from the existing zone, add the family room, which is using electric heating now, into the existing zone;

2. Add one zone for those two bedrooms and another downstairs bedroom;

I have two diagram to show you what we have now and what the new design is. Please review it and let me know if my plan is reasonable.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bostonjame ... 25/detail/

[Marc]

Sorry, I can't figure out what you're trying to say.

Marc

[kurt]

Please forgive me for asking, but is English your first language? I am not sure what you are saying.

[forumfun]

Please forgive me for asking, but is English your first language? I am not sure what you are saying.

no. Please have a look at those two diagrams. one is the heating setting we have now. one is our modification plan. I just want to see if our plan is good or not.

[kurt]

OK, I'll look it over, but first.....

1) Is the plan provided by a licensed heating contractor familiar with multi-zone heating systems?

2) Has the contractor supplied you with any calculations?

3) Do you have any brand names or models for the specific equipment they'll be installing?

[forumfun]

OK, I'll look it over, but first.....

1) Is the plan provided by a licensed heating contractor familiar with multi-zone heating systems?

I guss he must has licence because he needs to get permission from the town. I don't know his history that's why I ask here.

2) Has the contractor supplied you with any calculations?

Yes, he told me he has software to do heat loss and it showed the familiy room needs about 30 ft baseboard.

3) Do you have any brand names or models for the specific equipment they'll be installing?

Not yet, I didn't ask. But I will remember to ask later.

But first I need to know if his proposal is good or not. If it is not good from you professional point of view, I will call another plumber.

thanks,

[Chad Fabry]

Assuming the boiler has the capacity for the added space and that you're running 3/4" or larger copper, I don't see any reason why the system in schematics won't work.

[forumfun]

Assuming the boiler has the capacity for the added space and that you're running 3/4" or larger copper, I don't see any reason why the system in schematics won't work.

The main line is 1" now and i was told the main line will keep the same 1" copper. All branches will use 0.5" copper.

[kurt]

Yes, I think it looks ok. It's clearly laid out, logical, professionally presented.

If his calculations are ok, it should work.

[pete moss]

Having a bedroom on a lower level, the control on an upper floor may not be adequate.

Hot water baseboard is generally zoned by levels / floors.

If the lower level bedroom is not continually occupied, you may want to add a zone specifically for that level.

[forumfun]

Having a bedroom on a lower level, the control on an upper floor may not be adequate.

Hot water baseboard is generally zoned by levels / floors.

If the lower level bedroom is not continually occupied, you may want to add a zone specifically for that level.

good point.

how about put this bedroom into the basement zone with other basement rooms? or keep the original proposal but add a ball valve to shut off it when nobody there?

[Tom Raymond]

You can have multi level zones with hydronic heating but you will need balancing valves between levels. Haven't you ever been in a two story house with single zone hydronic heat?

If you wish to turn off a room it needs to be on it's own zone. If you do set it apart you control it from the thermostat and won't need the ball valve.

[kurt]

These are the things that are hard to know with the available information. Whether or not it needs separate zone controls involves all manner of considerations; how efficient is the house, how much insulation, orientation, how much glazing and where, size of radiators, flow rates etc., etc.

Zones are always nice, but hardly necessary; I see dozens or hundreds of hydronic homes annually that are 2 or 3 stories on single zones, and they work fine.

These are all things the contractor should have in his calculations. We don't know what those are.

As presented, it looks like a decent plan. But, we don't have everything we need for a detailed analysis.