We had a baseboard radiator system installed in our house after moving in. The boiler and furnace were put in the garage (unheated). The guys who did the install, if I remember correctly, told me it was unnecessary to wrap the boiler (contrary to a hot water heater). I’m questioning that advice now. Would there be any energy savings here?
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No. DO NOT wrap it.
You said furnace. Does the ductwork go from the garage to the house? If it does, it could be a huge problem.
Way to easy to suck co from the garage into the house.
Edited 11/23/2008 9:04 pm ET by rich1
Rich,By ductwork, do you mean the venting of the furnace? There is a stack above the furnace that vents through the roof of the garage. Other than that, there is no ductwork. As I mentioned previously, we've got baseboard radiators and the pex tubing provides the conduit for the hot water. Just curious why one would NOT wrap the boiler? Is it already properly insulated?Thanks for posting.
Usually 'furnace' indicates hot air, so the ducting would be bringing hot air into the house. You said 'boiler and furnace'. Did you mean a boiler for the baseboard and a separate boiler/water heater for the domestic hot water? Just clarify that.I think a boiler is legitimately a type of furnace, but people usually call them boilers when talking about hot water or steam.
Sorry, Bill, should have done a bit of homework first. I've got a propane-fired water boiler (Weil-McLain) and an Amtrol Boiler Mate indirect-fired water heater. So, I guess I was asking about whether or not the Amtrol water heater would benefit from being wrapped?
The amtrol is well insulated
Thanks, Rich. I'll leave as is.
Like Bill said, a furnace and a boiler are considered two different things.
Boilers are already insulated.
No ... probably already insulated as others have indicated.
But ... make sure ALL of your piping is insulated! Do a good job! Valves, fittings, everything. Personally, I think it should be part of the bid project. I think the insulation may be required by the energy code in your area, too (my experience here is with mostly commercial; I've never worked w/ residential hydronic systems up there).
Yes, I personally wrapped the piping with a split foam insulation tubing I got at H.D., although I didn't bother taping the joints. As for valves and fittings, how do you go about wrapping those? I totally agree with you that the insulation should have been part of the bid project. We didn't know enough to get them to put it into the bid. I did know enough to ask these guys at the time whether or not the Pex tubing would benefit from being wrapped and they assured me that it was unnecessary. At some point, probably after talking to other heating guys, I tackled the job myself. It was a nightmare, given the clearances I have down there. Even with the insulation, I'm amazed at how much heat they give off. Seems nearly as much as the radiators themselves (this year I figured out that I should block off my crawl-space vents). But I went with the cheaper baseboard single copper tube radiator, which probably was a mistake. I know someone who installed those wall mounting European radiators recently and they give off a lot more heat. Thanks for the advice!
Fittings ... use oversize pipe insulation. For valves ... not sure on residential. On commercial they make special blankets that go over the valve while letting you 'untie' them for access ... other times there is a tight fitting rigid type insulation made for the valve (the stem protrudes, but that is about the best that can happen.
Don't worry about the valves. Better to have them readily accessible.
Most would say that. It's definately different in commercia where your valve is like 6 ft across ... OK maybe only 10-15 inches, but that is a LOT when you have a bunch of them all over the boiler room.
You can still tuck the insulation tight up against the valve and get much of the valve body enclosed and the upper part/stem still exposed. Better than a kick in the teeth.
6 feet. C'mon that's not commercial.
Industrial I might have believed you. :)
Hey, lets argue. I'm bored.
Arguments?!! ... I'm sorry, this is abuse ... arguments are down the hall on your left!
Bored ... that's up the hall on your right. ... it'll cost you though; I hear that if you argue with them, they charge you extra! :)
Sorry ... this is comedy ... not abuse ... but my comedy is abuse ... whatever.
Thanks, rich, for adding your input.
Thanks, Clewless, for your help and input.