heat & howt water

[No]

OK - Advice pls.

I want to accomplish 2 things maybe with one system.

I would like to out baseboard hot water heat into a basement I am finishing. I would like to use natural gas. One zone is fine, multiple zones would be gravy if it didn't add too much to the cost.

I also want to upgrade my hotwater heater to a 50 gal or larger.

My existing HW heater is 40 gal NG with a powered vent out the side of the house. I figure I need a 50 or 75 gal HW heater to supply enough hot water to fill a large soaking tub.

Here is my ideal setup, if something like this exists.

A single boiler that will supply heat for the baseboard and serve as an on demand system for domestic hot water. This boiler would be able to exhaust in the same way that the existing HW heater does (3" PVC out side, horizontal, of house).

Alternatively A storage tank with this set up would be my second choice. 3rd choice would be to keep domestic HW and baseboard heat totally separate.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance

[Philip Lewis]

I've read about boilers having a Domestic hot water "Zone" which is a tank with heat exchanger and it's own thermostat.

I've also seen some boilers that were designed to have a "flash heated" loop built into them.

I'd lean towards a heat exchange unit since the separation allows for other heat (like solar-thermal) being used to supplement some or all the furnace work at certain times of the year. but you may not care.

I'm sure one of the HVAC folks can give you better information, and perhaps actual brands... I'm just letting you know that it's possible.

[No]

Thanks for the reply. I'm not interested in solar. The exchanger and storage tank wouldn't be the end of the world. All of this does need to fit under the basement stairs though, and not having a chimney will limit my options as well.

Also, another thing limiting my options will be availability. I hope to install the system myself. Let the flames begin (And not in my house)

-B

[m Ransley]

Instead of buying a hot water tank and boiler an 97%efficient Rinnai Tankless gas water heater would do it cheaper and more efficiently. And with no standby loss. Look into Rinnai.

[m Ransley]

Also with tankless it is small and wall mounted, you will free up alot of room

[No]

Thats kind of what I had in mind. A talkless that could service the baseboard HW AND the domestic hotwater? Thats what I want.

[Bob Pietrangelo]

...............and extremely efficient.

[Bob Pietrangelo]

Make sure you get a mixing valve for the domestic. I am not sure if the Rinnai has 2 seperate output temps. Youy may need to get into a secondary, primary loop installation. I am very experienced with boilers, but not the tnkless WH. This is a pretty complicated installation. I have always suggested the Rinnai for HWH but not for whole house heater unless it for radiant. You may be better off with a regular boiler and adding a heatexchanger for the HWH. If not installing an indirect fired water heater is not rocket science. Some of the controls are a litle complicated if you are using outdoor resets, energy management, or priority zoning for the DHW. Good Luck.

You could also use the System 2000 which has a very small ht xchngr for domestic HW. You say this needs to fit under the steps. Make sure you follow local code which is addressed in The Uniform Mechanical Code, International fuel gas code, and the International residential code. All three should be available at the library. Most code overrides installation and manufacturer specs. Please get a permit and have it inspected, or work along with a contractor who could guide you and show you the proper way to install this. It takes us years to learn and some guys still can't properly do hydronics.

[Chuck]

Whatever you get, DO NOT get a Polaris water heater. They are junk!