I have a 100 year old house with a 3 year old steam boiler feeding cast iron radiators in a one-pipe system. My hot water is heated by the boiler and stored in a 40 gallon Thermo tank. I am about to put a 2 story, 1000 sf addition (plus basement) and would really like to install radiant heat in the floors of the new addition and basement. Can I use my existing boiler/water heater as the heat source for my radiant heat, or do I need a secondary heating unit?
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As far as I know you cannot feed the radinant floor with steam. You could perhaps use the steam to feed a second Hot water heater then put that in a closed loop to feed the Floor system if the boiler has the capicity.
One house I did has force air upstairs, the owners dug a basement out put in radinant heat in the slab. The source of hot water is a regular Hot water heater, expanison tank, electric valve and a circulation pump. I don't think it is the best but it was the cheapest and the simplest and it works for them. If it were me I wonder if a instantous hot water heater (BOSH) could be used it is only on when there is a call for hot water.
Thanks wally,
I was thinking that I probably needed at least another hot water heater and pump along with the necessary control valves; otherwise I can't figure out how the potable water and radiant heating water would remain separated.
Yeah. The house I r refered to has two water heaters one for domestic the other for the slab loop.
Try here:
http://64.226.150.132/hydronic/steam/steam1.htm#Steam%20Related%20Tech%20Talk%20Articles
...that's not a mistake, it's rustic
nah... just run some open steam pipes into the floor...
just kidding.
no need to buy a separate unit. you need a steam to water heat exchanger. that's all. of course you need the temp controls etc after that but...