HVAC people, I have a question?

[R7]

I've got a quick question.. My 2nd floor heat was only on for a very short time last year and I had it shut off and the water drained from that zone so it wouldn't freeze. I would like to turn that zone back on but I'm not sure how I fill it with water and bleed out the air? Anyone know what to do?

Thanks

[Cerberus]

I've got a quick question.. My 2nd floor heat was only on for a very short time last year and I had it shut off and the water drained from that zone so it wouldn't freeze. I would like to turn that zone back on but I'm not sure how I fill it with water and bleed out the air? Anyone know what to do?

Thanks

i'm pretty sure i could figure it out if i was there..
ther ewas always a bleeder on old systems. probably on new ones too.
probably a simple ball valve or two for that leg of the system and a bleeder somewhere upstairs to let the air out

[R7]

I don't remember the installer going upstairs to do anything other than check for leaks when he filled it last year?
I forgot to mention it is a Hydro Air system.

There's 2 valves that are shut off, both on the same zone. When the guy drained the system, he drained it from the water spicket thing in this picture..



This is the other valve that is shut off?

[Jaynnus]

Mark, I'll have a tech call you and talk you through this. What time do you get home from work tomorrow?

[Cerberus]

he wouldn't have had to go upstairs to bleed the water out, only to bleed the air out when refilling (if at all)

if there is only one spigot, i would open the spigot, open the ball valve that is NOT near it, and close the spigot when you get water out the spigot. then open the ball valve near the spigot.
this should minimize the air pockets.
the automatic water feed system should open up allowing tap water to fill in the newly available volume in the newly opened circuit.

then you go hunting for a bleeder. if you have a modern base board system, there may be a bleeder behind one of the panels somewhere, or the system may flow enough to push the bubbles downstairs to a bleeder near the furnace.
typically, they have a bicycle shrader type metal cap on the top of it


or

[Cerberus]

Mark, I'll have a tech call you and talk you through this. What time do you get home from work tomorrow?

or that. probably better.

[SSearchVT]

The return leg should be the one with the spicket. Hook a garden hose to this valve, and run it to someplace that you can drain a bunch of water to.

Open the valve with the garden hose attached, and then open the valve next to the circulating pump. Let it run for about 10 minutes or so - just to get as much air out of the nooks and crannys as possible.

Close the valve with the garden hose attached. Open the valve under this one, take off the hose, and turn on the heat upstairs. It was mentioned before about possibly needing to bleed the registers.

[Stoneman]

Anyone know what to do?

Yes...

[Jaynnus]

Yes...

have a drink?

[Stoneman]

have a drink?

I heart you, Jane!

[BCT748]

The return leg should be the one with the spicket. Hook a garden hose to this valve, and run it to someplace that you can drain a bunch of water to.

Open the valve with the garden hose attached, and then open the valve next to the circulating pump. Let it run for about 10 minutes or so - just to get as much air out of the nooks and crannys as possible.

Close the valve with the garden hose attached. Open the valve under this one, take off the hose, and turn on the heat upstairs. It was mentioned before about possibly needing to bleed the registers.

Someone knows what they are doing

Just to add a couple things to this.

If you leave the hose wide open you are going to be draining the boiler faster than it is filling. If you half kink the hose to slow down the flow you will be better off, and you'll be able to feel the air bubbles coming out at the same time.

Keep your eye on the pressure gauge if you decide to bypass the automatic feed to fill faster. If you go too high you'll blow the T&P.

If you have antifreeze in the system you would probable be better off calling someone to do it for you.

If you aren't far from me I can show you how to do it. It'll save you money if you ever plan on doing it again in the future.

[snowborder]

Mark, did'nt you have anti-freeze in this system?

[R7]

Thanks for setting up the service call Jane
I wrote down what he said to do and it seems pretty simple. I'll probably give it a shot this weekend.

Thanks to everyone for the advice and offers to help

Todd, I never had the glycol put in the system...the cons outweighed the pros and I'll take my chances

[KB]

You fucked it up just punch yourself in the balls.

Hire a professional.

KB

[R7]

Ok, so I never got around to doing this, for a couple reasons First, I simply haven't had the extra time, second, I never made the insulated box around the air handler to prevent it from freezing.
I'm finally moving upstairs and on days like today, I want it warmer than the woodstove can bring it. Call me crazy but 72 is where i feel comfortable and when it's 10 out and windy, I can't get the 2nd floor any warmer than 68 with the woodstove.

Sooo, seeing how I never made the insulated box, I just want to install glycol in the system. Most people I ask say not to but I don't care, I have no problem changing it every 2 years or whatever is recomended. I'm thinking a small percentage, 15-20%? Last year before I had it drained, it had been down to 10 degrees and it didn't freeze with plain water so I'm not to worried about it.

Anyone here want the job? How much can I expect this to cost?

[BCT748]

Ok, so I never got around to doing this, for a couple reasons First, I simply haven't had the extra time, second, I never made the insulated box around the air handler to prevent it from freezing.
I'm finally moving upstairs and on days like today, I want it warmer than the woodstove can bring it. Call me crazy but 72 is where i feel comfortable and when it's 10 out and windy, I can't get the 2nd floor any warmer than 68 with the woodstove.

Sooo, seeing how I never made the insulated box, I just want to install glycol in the system. Most people I ask say not to but I don't care, I have no problem changing it every 2 years or whatever is recomended. I'm thinking a small percentage, 15-20%? Last year before I had it drained, it had been down to 10 degrees and it didn't freeze with plain water so I'm not to worried about it.

Anyone here want the job? How much can I expect this to cost?

I'd do it but I think Yamaha Blvd. is a little too far away from me

I forget the exact cost of the glycol because it's been a while since someone wanted me to put it in but it isn't cheap, one of the reasons people haven't asked me to put it in their boilers. Even if I knew the price off hand I wouldn't be able to give you a real number because I have no idea how many feet of pipe you have in your house.

[R7]

I'm in Rhode Island, 2+ hours from your area.

I'm guessing there's 30' of pipe to the first unit and and probably 45-50' to the second unit. The third zone is hot water whichj is next to the boiler.

[BCT748]

I'm in Rhode Island, 2+ hours from your area.

I'm guessing there's 30' of pipe to the first unit and and probably 45-50' to the second unit. The third zone is hot water whichj is next to the boiler.

2+ Hours is a little far for me to do a 1/2 hour job

I'm going to guess and say those distances are one way? Going by that you have about 160' of pipe, call it 200' to make the math easier and to take into account the coils. Assuming it's all 3/4 pipe it comes out to 4.59 gallons of glycol. Most boilers take about 5 gallons on their own and figuring the loss during mix/purge you're looking at about 15 gallons that you need to buy (they sell it in 5 gallon buckets)

If you want I can tell you how to do it so you wont have to keep calling someone every few years to come back and flush the system. It isn't that hard to do and the only "special" tool you need is a small transfer pump.

[R7]

The pipe measurements are round trip numbers. The air handler in the basement is only 7-8' from the boiler and the air handler above the second floor ceiling is almost directly above the boiler. I'd bet there's less than 80' total of 3/4 pex line.

I have a 4 day weekend so I may just make some time to make an insulated box around the unit and call it done..seems to be the easiest and least costly for me anyways