Brownstoner | Forum

March 17, 2007

HEAT USA

A friend of mine just referred me to HEAT USA: 1-800-660-4328. They have a contract with the UUA Union, so things like annual service, etc. is free with a $25 annual membership. Sounds pretty good to me, so I'm going to contact them in April to establish a level-billing plan. The provider that HEAT USA works with in my area of Brooklyn is Boro Heat, anyone else use them? BTW - I do not believe you have to be a UUA member, as they have a "refer a friend" program.

Posted by anon at 11:45 AM | Comments (1)

March 15, 2007

Brownstone Owner Expenses

Can anyone tell me what I should expect to pay for expenses for a 3500 sq, ft building?

I will pay for oil heat, and water for the entire building, as well as expenses for shared space (hallway, outside light, heating, etc), as well as heat, hot water, oil and gas for my duplex (@ 1750 sq. ft.).

Anything else I haven't factored into my question?

Also, any good venders for oil and electric that I should contact (or stay away from)?

Thanks.

Posted by anon at 7:09 PM | Comments (16)

March 12, 2007

Neatly and efficiently venting a dryer out a double hung window, any advice?

Hello, I recently moved into a co-op with a washer/dryer in the apt, and the previous owners set it up so the dryer is in front of a double hung window and it is venting out of that window. They basically opened the window and stuck in a wood/cardboard/styrofoam/masking tape contraption with a hole in it for the dryer vent. There is a big draft coming from around this panel as it was not done so well bringing in a lot of cold air to our apt.

I am thinking about replacing my windows now and am wondering what the best way to vent a dryer out a window is. Do they make special windows that have vents built into them? Anything like this? Can anyone recommend any window companies that can do something about this? Any other ideas? I called 'Windows We Are' and they said they dealt with this before and can replace the ENTIRE bottom pane with some type of panel they build (wood, aluminum and foam combination I think) with a hole in it, and it is well insulated. This seems like it would work for us, but it wouldnt let any light through on the bottom half of the window. Any other advice? Thanks!

Posted by anon at 10:29 AM | Comments (6)

March 8, 2007

New Radiators

Where can I look at new radiators (hot water)? Either in person or web site?

Thanks

Posted by anon at 4:29 PM | Comments (11)

radiators on or off?

Any informed opinions on this ancient issue: Is it better for a single-pipe steam heat system to leave all steam valves open and, where it's too hot, crack windows, or is it more or less OK to shut some radiators off? Our five-story brownstone has the classic problem: my parlor floor loses heat to the 13-foot ceilings, even as the neighbors' upper three floors are brutally hot. Their radiators have the smallest possible air valves, mine the biggest; still, they can shut all radiators off and still get overheated just from the heat I'm losing. They did a very high-end reno and seem to me to have actually -- never thought I'd say this -- over insulated: given the brownstone heat funnel, "efficiency" on upper floors may be a wrongheaded goal.) Some steam aficionados warn against ever closing radiators. But it's grim to have the things steaming away under open windows. Thoughts?

Posted by anon at 3:42 PM | Comments (7)

March 6, 2007

How to heat new rooms?

We have a 2 family brownstone with forced air heating.
We are renovating the 1st floor kitchen and replacing an (unheated) hallway and part of the kitchenn with a smal laundry
and a half-lav. This area does nto have heating vents at present.
What should I do to provide heat to thse areas?
I'm thinking either run new ductwork and vents from the existing heat system in the bsement, or some sort of baseboard heat tied in to the electric system.
Ideas and/or suggestions?
Also - any estimate as to price for either solution?
Thanks!

Posted by anon at 9:07 AM | Comments (3)

February 27, 2007

Can you recommend a company for Duct Cleaning?

Has anyone had any experience with having their heating ducts cleaned? I'm looking for a firm that can do this work for a 4-story 2-family brownstone with the original forced air heating system. Any referrals would be much appreciated

Posted by anon at 1:38 PM | Comments (1)

February 26, 2007

Anyone use or know about 'Thermostatic radiator valves'?

Hi Everyone, our co-op (4 floors, 8 apts) has 3 steam radiators in each apt. The problem is that the apts on the first floor tend to not get as warm as the upper apartments since the thermostat is on the 2nd floor, heat rises, and the basement cold air comes up to the apts. We are trying to figure out how to get the 1st floor apts warmer without overheating the upper apartments since those are already warm. We are discussing using these 'thermostatic valves' on the radiators in the apartments that are already warm so they can turn off when it gets warm there while the lower apartments continue to get heat. I have some questions:
1. Does anyone have any experience with these things?
2. Would we also have to raise the thermostat in addition to installing these?
3. Where can we buy them cheaply in NY?
4. Anything else you can tell me about these, or any other ideas to fix our situation?

Thanks for your help!

Posted by anon at 10:50 PM | Comments (14)

Replace steam with forced air?

We are a family of six planning a substantial renovation (replace plumbing, electric, etc) of a Brooklyn row house. Currently we have a oil (buried tank) boiler that provides both steam heat (single pipe) and hot water. The system is not ideal for us for the following reasons:
1. Buried oil tank is an environmental risk
2. Oil delivery is a constant hassle due to blockage of delivery alley, etc
3. Steam plumbing system and radiators are 90+ years old; prudence tells us that we should replace it before it dies
4. Showers alternate between scalding hot and freezing cold, especially when someone flushes a toilet, etc.
5. Hot water is insufficient for our needs, showers and baths run out of hot water

Our plan is to replace the the steam heating system with a forced air system that will also provide cooling, and the hot water with a separate gas-fired 60-ish gallon water heater.

Does this make sense?

Posted by anon at 7:54 PM | Comments (6)

NY legal minimum heating law for Co-Ops?

I know NY has minimum heating laws for landlords. I believe it is 55 at night and 68 at day, when outside is less than 55, or something similar to that. Do these laws apply to co-ops? My apt is consistently less than 68 during the day (although higher than 55 at night), is it the co-ops legal responsibility to provide more heat? What about paying to insulate floors or replace windows, etc?
Thanks
Cold in Brooklyn

Posted by anon at 2:44 PM | Comments (8)

February 23, 2007

Hot water question / help

We live on the fourth floor of a brownstone. Several times in the morning recently, we have had no hot water. We're up early (6am) so I don't think it is the matter of the hot water being used up by the other tenants in the building.

However, I've noticed that the radiators don't seem to come on until 8am or so. And when I try for hot water later in the day, around 10:30am, the hot water is there.

Is the water temperature tied to the building's heat/boiler? If the landlord hasn't set his thermostat to start adjusting at 6am (Following the heating law) could that be why there is no hot water? Or is this just one of those things that happens in an old brownstone?

Posted by anon at 11:34 AM | Comments (5)

February 22, 2007

Oil Costs?

Hi,

Is it normal for a 5 family dwelling to refill on oil in as soon as 3 weeks (based on recent temps and a full 500 gallon tank)?

Thanks!!

Posted by anon at 12:19 AM | Comments (2)

February 21, 2007

Heating Oil Prices

I know we have been thru this before, but still I just got my bill for heating the house with oil and...
Price per gallon is $2.399.
Please tell me how much you pay per gallon. I live in 3 family typical brownstone, if that matters. I feel that I am being overcharged. I did not lock in any rate. Can you post some of your recent numbers.
Thanks.

Posted by anon at 12:47 AM | Comments (3)

February 14, 2007

DIY Oil Burner Repair?

Has anyone had experience fixing their own oil burner?

A friends oil burner has been shutting itself off for no apparent reason, lately. She is often not home for a few days. She came home to frozen pipes. Her oil company sent a guy over and he cleaned and checked it. It shut itself off after that.

We've noticed that there are several control boxes that are on the burner/boiler. They are labeled with several different manufacturer's names, GM Delco, Honeywell, Delco, and the burner is RWB Beckett.

It's an old burner. I figure the various units got put on as the originals wore out. Maybe a more unified system would be better?

I've seen control units on eBay for a few dollars, ($15-$40). The contractor she has used for other jobs recommends a new boiler/burner and a lot of new piping and radiators, (she has a hot water system using some of the old cast iron 2" pipe and the old cast iron radiators).

She can't afford a new unit right now. The service people, (contractor, oil burner company), are all pushing the new unit– more money for them.

We've both done things like work on car engines, and the oil burner seems like a simpler system– no pistons, etc.

The info I've been finding so far is scant. Most sites say "hit the reset button then call for service." And info is what we need. Anybody have a copy of "Oil Burners for Dummies"?

Posted by anon at 1:22 AM | Comments (3)

February 9, 2007

Steam Heat / Radiator

I have steam heating and iron radiators. I was wondering if any steam-heat experts can tell me:
a) the small 'valve' attached to the side of the radiator on some of them really hisses loudly, while others are not noticeable at all. All readiators get nice and hot... Can I fix this?
b) occasional knocking whent he heat is turned on. Subsides. Anything I can do about that?

Thanks everybody - this site is the best!

Posted by anon at 4:40 PM | Comments (3)

February 8, 2007

Frozen Lines

I have frozen heating lines that obviously need to be thawed out. I wemt to Home Depot looking for contractor heaters to bring the temp. up, but they were out as are ALL Home depot's. anyone have suggestions as to where elase I might find something to unfreeze my lines?

Posted by anon at 10:45 PM | Comments (3)

February 7, 2007

HVAC System for 4 Story Brownstone

Hi All,

Thank you for your responses in advance. I'm looking for some opinions. I'm am the owner of a 4 story brownstone. We have already gutted the entire building and have started to think about HVAC.

We are looking at Trane Central Air system . My question is if we put the Trane Furnace unit in the basement, will the blower be able to heat the entire house efficiently. Since the blower has to circulate air up 50 feet to the 4th floor? Do you think we would need 2 furnace units to accomplish this?

I know we could get suggestions from a HVAC contractor, but I'm looking for real life experiences in heating a 4 story brownstone.

Please help.

Posted by anon at 9:49 AM | Comments (0)

February 6, 2007

Urgent--no heat--need contractor immed

This is an urgent request for help. The heating in my building broke and the landlord is on vacation and unreachable. I'm going to consult with the other tenants in the building asap, but if we need someone to come and make repairs, can you please provide recommendations? We're in the south slope. Thanks! !

Posted by anon at 6:45 PM | Comments (2)

January 31, 2007

Market Oil Rate

All of the heating posts have me wondering -- what is everyone paying per gallon for oil. We're paying $2.32 per gallon through NYPIRG this year, versus $1.99 last year. But I think they lock the rate over the summer, and I saw someone else mention that they were paying less this year than last year. Did we get screwed this year?

Posted by anon at 2:45 PM | Comments (4)

Munchkin boilers

Anybody have experience with Munchkin boilers for heating their homes?

Posted by anon at 11:38 AM | Comments (3)

January 30, 2007

Heating Poll

How much did you pay in heating bills last year?

I'm working on my taxes and happen to have my figures handy.

In 2006 i paid $4578 in heating expenses. In 2005, i paid $4367.

My building is 4950 sq ft. So my heating expense was $.925 sq ft($4578/4950). BTW, I use oil.

Do anyone else care to share their expenses?

Posted by anon at 11:33 AM | Comments (21)

High gas bill - what do you pay?

Seems to be the topic of the moment. We just got a gas heating bill from keyspan for $440. It's for the 11/22/06 - 1/25/07 period, or $220 a month. Now I know it's winter and all but it has been very mild and I am shocked that our heating bill has more than doubled since October. My question is, what are most people paying to heat a 3-story, 2700 squre foot, brownstone for this period. Thank you.

Posted by anon at 11:28 AM | Comments (9)

Oil Heating Bills

We are new brownstone owners spending our first winter in our house. Obviously the first couple of months of winter were very mild and we didn't use the heating much, but in late December and January we have been running it extensively. Having never used oil before, I am surprised by how often the tank is filled and how expensive it is. They seem to come every two weeks or so. For example, on January 17th they put in 118 gallons and then came yesterday, January 29th and put in 154 gallons. Could we actually have used 154 gallons in 12 days? At current prices that's about $300 for 12 days of heating. That's about 13 gallons of oil a day and about $700/month. Is this on par with what others pay? We have a four story, 18 x 50 foot brownstone, and I should add that although personally we would prefer to keep the heat lower, we abide by the landlord's regulations (68 during the day, 55 at night) for the benefit of our ground floor tenants.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Posted by anon at 11:04 AM | Comments (6)

January 27, 2007

Wireless Thermostat

I has any one seen this http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/rciautomation/p1.htm
I would like to find on that had the digital display on the receiver and dumb sensors on the wireless remotes. I would like to average the temp in the house. Has any one used this or a similar wireless system. Thanks

Posted by anon at 9:40 PM | Comments (0)

January 25, 2007

Heat Timers

I own a small building in brooklyn and have steam heat. There are new products manufactured by heattimer and OAS which allow you to control temperture through sensors throughout building. Has anyone had any expierence with these types of heat timers.

Posted by anon at 4:32 PM | Comments (4)

January 24, 2007

Post pictures?

How do I add pictures to a forum post? I don't see a place to upload the pix...

Thanks.

Posted by anon at 8:26 AM | Comments (1)

January 21, 2007

Heating Issue

I have a three family property with separate baseboard heating systems. My tenants in the middle apartment keep complaining that their heat never rises to the desired temperature, say 80. It seems to stay in the neighborhood of 69/70 degrees but never climbs to 80 even if the thermostat is set to 80 all day long. I just had a new thermostat installed by a licensed plumber recently and didnt have any problems up until about a week ago. Anyone have any insight? Suggestions??

Posted by anon at 11:10 AM | Comments (6)

January 17, 2007

Screaming Boiler

Hello.... We recently moved into a house with a very old gas boiler (hot water radiators). We had it inspected and though it is too big and inefficient for our small house, it works ok. We had hoped to get through the winter without replacing it. However, it goes through phases of, when the heat kicks in, making an awful screeching sound. It seems to come from the circulating thing next to the boiler. We have a GC and plumber coming to do work in a week and a half. Does anyone have any idea whether this is dangerous and something we should call an expert out to now, or should we suffer the noise until the GC can figure it out when he's here? Thank you very much in advance!

Posted by anon at 8:49 PM | Comments (6)

Radiator Covers - help!

Does anyone know how much a nice custom made radiator cover should cost? We are currently doing a reno and our contractor is quoting us $4,725 to put in four of them. This seems like a crazy amount of money for radiator covers! Has anyone had covers put in for cheaper? Recommend a carpenter for the job? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Posted by anon at 1:23 PM | Comments (11)

January 13, 2007

heating problem with one riser

master plumber, this is a repeat post from 12/31/06. still having problems with radiators not getting hot, just the riser are hot now, it take over an hour for heat to start coming up the riser after the thermostat calls for heat, the top floor radiators and some time the 2nd floor radiators get heat but the 1st floor is ice cold. i have taken off all the air vents off the radiators and it did not work, i have also once again drained all the water out each radiator starting from the top floor working my way down, every radiator had dirty brown water, i decided to give an additional 1/4" pitch on the radiator back to the riser and that did not work. my father relocated the manifold back to the original location and i had heat for 2 days with knocking sound. thats when i decided to drain each radiator and shim up each radiator. after that i lost heat to the bottom floor and get heat sporadickly to the 2nd and 3rd floor. my father is a plumber and did all the work himself, he has 45 year experience, his own company and he sugguest that keyspan is not supplying enough gas pressure to the house. i tried to set the thermostat from 72 degrees to 75 degrees and it doesn't reach 75 degrees after 4 hours. in the morning the thermostat is set for 72 degrees starting at 4am. when i leave the house at 6am. i never see the temperature above 68-69 degrees. i am in neee of some serious help. should i try to change the thermostat. should i put the boiler back to the original location, even though the piping was already brought back the the original location.
you can reach me at stulove3@aol.com

Posted by anon at 7:34 AM | Comments (4)

January 12, 2007

Whole house humidifier and Keyspan

I have a forced air system in my one-family frame house, and want to get a whole house humidifer attached to the furnace. I called Keyspan, with whom I just signed a service contract (because I don't know of any good HVAC people), and they said they could install one for me. They got back to me immediately, and said they had an Aprilaire 400 humidifer for $400.

I looked the humidifier up online, and it seems good for my situation -- but here's the thing: the price online is $150!!

Should I just buy it online and look for someone to install it? If so, can anyone recommend a person (would it be a HVAC company?).

Or shall I pay more to Keyspan, for continuity and in order to get maintenance more easily?

Thanks for the advice.

Posted by anon at 12:58 PM | Comments (1)

January 10, 2007

Forced air heat vs. Cast iron radiator

While recent;y renovating my home, we replaced half of the cast iron radiators with forced air at our contractor's suggestion. Now, the forced air seems to be less efficient, and I'm considering going to back to radiators for the whole house. Am I crazy? Is forced air heat really that inefficient? Is cast iron radiator heat really that good? Please help!

Posted by anon at 8:18 PM | Comments (6)

January 8, 2007

Help with Heating Controls

I'm having problems with my DHW. I am unable to maintain a hot shower for any length of time. On a call for heat from the tap, the boiler comes on. But, the circulator cuts on also. Having the unintended consequence of heating the whole house. I know the problem has something to do with the temperature controls on the aquastat(s). What should they be?

I have a Peerless Oil Fired boiler with a tankless coil. I have 2 aquastats. One, the L8124A triple aquastat is installed on the rear of the boiler. The other is a L4006A which is installed on the front of the boiler.

The current settings for the L8124 are High-200, Low-180, Differential-10. This seems to work as intended. The L4006a where I'm confused. Its currently set at 140 with the differential set to 5. When the boiler temp falls below 140 the burner kicks on as intended. But the circulator comes on also, making it harder to generate DHW . I thought DHW was supposed to have priority.

Posted by anon at 3:35 PM | Comments (3)

December 31, 2006

heating problem with one riser

Master plumber, i am looking for help with a heating problem with seem to have begin when i decided to move my boiler 20 feet closer to my hot water heater in my basement. The plumbing work was done by my father, the electrical work was done with co-workers and the circuit breaker was mis-labeled and the electrican tripped the breaker while wiring the boiler at its new location. The transformer was thought to be burnt and the second electrican jumped out all the safety control and direct wired the gas valve at this point i only let the boiler run one night and had to manually feed water into the boiler. i must of over feed water to the boiler because water was pouring out of the air valves at the 1st and second floor. the third electrican who is used to control wiring, re-wired the boiler with the old transformer and everything worked, except that i don't get heat out the the rear radiators i decided to take all the air vents off the rear radiators and now get heat off and on at the top floor ( 3rd floor ) rear radiator but nothing at the 1st, and second flooor. i was told to check the radiator for correct pitch and to disconnect and drain the radiators. after completing this still no change. i was also told to increase the pressuretrol from 1-2 lbs to 4-5lbs and still no change. i was next told to replace the air valve at the bottom of the riser ( below the ceiling of the basement ) still no change. the riser gets hot but the radiators are cold and there is very little steam coming out of the valves when the radiators are disconnected and the valves opened. my father wants to add in another air vent to the bottom of the riser, and call keyspan to complain about gas pressure but last winter the heat system work fine. My father is a plumber with 45 years experience, specialize in boiler installaton and heating, has his own company his partner has the license but this problem seems to be stumping him. I would appreciate any sugguestion or recommendation to another plumber / heating specialist

Posted by anon at 11:30 AM | Comments (4)

December 28, 2006

Hot water radiator not working

I live on the 3rd floor of a building (built in the 60's) that has hot water heating. The radiators in the front room (facing South) always work but the radiators in the back bedrroms (facing North) go off on a regular basis and I end up freezing in the middle of the night. My landlord says it is because of open windows on the North side which cool that side of the building down and shut off the pressure. The radiators go off whether I have the windows closed or open (which I occassionally open a crack for fresh air). Is there any truth to his explanation? Isn't a heating system supposed to kick in when the building cools down?

Posted by anon at 11:45 AM | Comments (3)

December 27, 2006

Air Circulating in Hot Water System

The boiler in my hot water system was professionally replaced in Nov., 2005. At first, there was some air in the piping system that remained after the installation (which I expected) and I routinely bled the system at the registers. The system then remained quiet for several weeks when, once again, air could be heard traveling through the pipes. Again I bled the system and things quieted down. This cycle repeated itself several times throughtout the heating season.

Move ahead one year and this cycle is again repeating itself on a regular basis. The system will remain essentially air-free for several days at a time and then, inexplicably, air will be heard circulating through the pipes. The piping system includes two automatic air vents (which are fairly new), but I am not sure they are of much, if any, help. The system has a steel holding tank and pressure loss does not appear to be a problem according to the pressure gauge on the boiler (roughly 13 psi).

I am at a loss in determining what is causing this continual entry of air into the system and would appreciate any thoughts.

Posted by anon at 2:23 PM | Comments (3)

December 14, 2006

HVAC vs. PLUMBER?

I'm taking a poll on having a plumber work on a boiler vs. finding a HVAC specialist. The heating system is a single pipe steam system. The boiler is a New Yorker CGS-A (gas)...

The problem (flooded system) seems to be caused by a malfunctioning automatic feeder. Any thoughts? Also, any suggestions as to who is good, competent and professional?

Posted by anon at 7:06 PM | Comments (9)

thermostats programable vsnon-programmable mechanical thermostat

My 2 family house has 3 different zones . I have gas burnham boiler with hot water basebroad heating .Should i use a programable thermostats or non-programmable mechanical thermostat ?which is better ?

Posted by anon at 12:22 AM | Comments (3)

December 11, 2006

System humifidier

Our first time with forced air heating and the air is dry dry dry. Does anyone have experience with humifidiers that attach to the furnace? Would that create a mold problem in the ducts?

I don't know that I have the time and energy to maintain a separate humidifying machine in each room.

Thanks.

Posted by anon at 11:58 AM | Comments (2)

December 6, 2006

tvr radiator valves

Has anyone used "tvr's" (thermostatic radiator valves) on cast iron radiators on a one cycle steam system? They are supposed to individually control the temperature in each room, but do they really work?

Posted by anon at 4:56 PM | Comments (5)

December 1, 2006

GAS BOILER BRANDS

I need to replace my 22 year old natural gas boiler --- a Hydrotherm hydropulse 150k btu--- in a 4500 sq ft. house. The house is a remodelled 1840s farm house in Wash DC. The heating system is hot water in cast iron radiators. About 12 rooms.
I picked the new Dunkirk Quantuum95M-200, a modulating condensing boiler. Also sold under the Utica brand as UB95M-200.
The contractor who may install it says I should exchange it. That Utica Boilers are the worst. Until now the specs and comments seemed to be positive.

Does anyone know about the brand's quality in general and this model im particular? Good or Bad.

Posted by anon at 10:44 AM | Comments (2)

November 26, 2006

Furnace Cleaning?

Does anyone know of a good company that does furnace / duct cleaning? We just moved into an apartment with an old/dusty furnace, and it seems that the duct work is pretty dusty as well. We are hoping to make it through at least one winter before buying a new furnace, but we'd also like to avoid the smell of burning dust as much as possible. Thanks!

Posted by anon at 1:03 PM | Comments (0)

November 24, 2006

Recirculating Hot Water System questions

We are doing a gut reno. Our plumber wants to replace our existing steel supply and return pipes on our recirculating hot water system with copper pipes and put them in to the walls. Is this a good idea? We have to do some cutting and replacement anyway because we have new radiators and we have changed locations of walls, etc. Thanks in advance for your reply!

Posted by anon at 1:26 PM | Comments (3)

November 19, 2006

price of oil ?

Is 2.49 / gal. a good lock in price for this heating season?

I am new to the home owner scene, having recently moved from a co-op. The company that supplied heating oil to the former owner has offered me a lock-in price of 2.49 / gal for the time period from Nove 1, 2006 to May 1, 2007. Is this competitive?

Posted by anon at 4:05 PM | Comments (3)

November 17, 2006

Boiler "flush": how often?

We had our steam heat gas boiler system "flushed" clean last winter and I'm wondering how often we need to repeat the process. Any ideas?

Posted by anon at 1:16 PM | Comments (3)

Boiler "flush": how often?

We had our steam heat gas boiler system "flushed" clean last winter and I'm wondering how often we need to repeat the process. Any ideas?

Posted by anon at 1:13 PM | Comments (1)

November 15, 2006

New Gas Boiler Installation

Hi All,
I have a old (I'd guess 1950's) gas boiler in my 3 story B'stine.
I have a couple of quetions:
1)What's the consensus opinion on the high-efficency condensing boilers? Recomended brands?
2) Recommended contractors near Carroll Gardens? I was told that I would have to pay $250 for a site visit by one contractor I talked to.
3) What's the price range I'm looking at?

Thanks in advance for any and all help

Bklyn_Jim

Posted by anon at 12:31 PM | Comments (6)

November 9, 2006

Avoid Home Depot hot water heater

We recently had another terrible experience with Home Depot (I know, I know....), so I thought I'd post a warning. Home Depot is hawking GE's SmartWater hot-water heaters as "high efficiency" -- even though they are markedly less efficient than other hot water heaters -- because, as the rep from Home Depot told me, "it's the highest efficiency heater that we sell." I've posted the orig. Home Depot ad and a govt. chart comparing the SmartWater to other heaters on my blog here.

I should also point out that HD's contractor not only flooded our basement while installing the heater but neglected to tell me! (So our belongings just sat soaking....) Urgh!

Posted by anon at 9:18 PM | Comments (6)

November 8, 2006

Good heating repair

Hi- I've got a teeny tiny Munchkin boiler that came with my house, and a radiant floor heating system that runs on hot water. My boiler keeps breaking down, throwing me different indecipherable error messages. Does anyone know a really great heating person? I've gotten three completely different analyses of what the problem is- ranging from the boiler needing a new part, to it being totally shot, to the problem being in the valves or piping and not in the boiler at all.

Any help is much appreciated.

Posted by anon at 11:28 AM | Comments (4)

November 3, 2006

Marital dispute

Please help end a marital dispute! We keep our temp. set at 68 degrees. My husband insists that it will save us money if he keeps all the radiators in our house (hot water system) set on low. I think this is silly and makes the place even harder to get up to the set temp. Would do you think?

Posted by anon at 9:26 PM | Comments (5)

November 2, 2006

heating in winter, sort of a silly question

I just moved into my new brick house a few months ago, and I barely have had to turn the heating on. Is this normal? it seems really late to not have had to turn the heating on, but I'm loving it. Do these houses just retain heat pretty well? (I do have new-ish windows)...

Posted by anon at 3:28 PM | Comments (9)

October 30, 2006

Oil to Gas: Old topic, more questions

Okay..I know this topic has been discussed a lot, but even with all the previous posts on Oil-to-Gas conversions, i'm still unclear on a few things. I have a 4 story brownstone with 2 humongous oil tanks. LTM the oil bill was about $4K. The burner is as old as they come, but still works. We pay about $300 every season to have it "maintained". It is a hot water radiator heating system. We frequently run out of hot water for showers in the winter.

Here's what I know:

-Gas is the greener solution relative to oil heat
-Keyspan has some deals on interest free financing for a new boiler, but they're not giving away new ones anymore, according to the website.
-Gas is cheaper on a per unit basis

Here's what I dont yet know:

- How much does one typically pay for removal of the old stuff?
- How long did the process take?
- Will the removing party pay me for the oil that is still in the oil tank?
- How much did it add to the cost for those projects in which asbestos was found?
- Even though gas is cheaper, does it take more gas to heat water than oil?
- What were the cost savings people saw on their year-over-year heating bills?

Thanks for your help in this.

Breukelyn

Posted by anon at 6:31 PM | Comments (8)

October 29, 2006

Looking for Advice on Heating My Home

I’m looking for advice regarding the heating system in my two story (two family) brownstone.

I have steam heat powered by an oil fed boiler. The boiler probably dates from as far back as World War II although I’m not sure. As you can imagine it is not the most efficient system in the world, however it does currently heat our home. It appears that the burner is not that old and is in good working order. However, the system needs some adjustments including the replacement of the main air vents in the basement. While I understand how to do this I am inclined to have this and any other need adjustments done by a knowledgeable plumber.

I also have a gas fired hot water heater (75 gallon) that is probably about ten years old. It is showing signs of age and is possibly becoming a CO hazard. As you can imagine, I am interested in replacing this heater in the very near future.

Given that I am looking to replace my hot water heater in the very near future, does it make sense to address the heating system at the same time? While my boiler currently functions, I would imagine that it is not running very efficiently and could break down at anytime due to its age (and it would be nice to limit my fuel usage to just gas). Is it possible to make the investment in a combination heating system? Do they exist for steam systems or are they limited to hot water heating systems? If it is a possibility, how much would I expect to pay for a complete conversion to a combination system by a reputable plumber?

Currently, my oil bills for heating my home and my gas bills for heating my hot water (and for cooking) are pretty high. Would the expenditure now allow me to save considerably in the future?

Any help, opinions or comments are greatly appreciated.

Posted by anon at 8:13 PM | Comments (6)

heating repair?

Does anyone have a reference for a good heating repair person? Any leads would be much appreciated.

Posted by anon at 12:44 PM | Comments (1)

Can a Gas Boiler be Too Efficient?

I need to replace my ancient gas boiler with a new one. I was hoping to get a high efficiency boiler (90% + AFUE), but a heating contractor told me that was impossible for my house. It's a 3 -story attached house with about 2,400 sq feet. Since the boiler is vented up through the roof, he said condensation would build up in the vent and would back up into the boiler. He said the high efficiency boilers are only used with direct venting and not used in congested areas like New York City. As a first home owner I have no idea if this is true. Any help?

Posted by anon at 12:18 AM | Comments (3)

October 27, 2006

For Sale - cast iron radiator taken from our brownstone kitchen

Is it legit to post things for sale on here other brownstoners might like? I ask that in all seriously - please let me know...

See craigslist ad for pics - http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/hsh/226550076.html

Cast Iron Radiator for steam or hot water heating system - $30 ibed-stuy clinton hill border area

This five coil radiator was in our kitchen but we took it out for more cabinet space (winter will tell if that was a bad idea! It doesn't leak and is very solid. Our boiler/heating system is hot water - I'm assuming this would work for steam as well?

dimensions are: 12wide'' x 8.5deep'' x 35 tall'' (5 coils)

Can possibly arrange for delivery for a small fee.. this baby is heavy!

Email with any questions amybeacom@yahoo.com. $30/obo

Best,
Amy

Posted by anon at 5:19 PM | Comments (0)

October 26, 2006

Supplemental Heating

The bedroom in the rear extension of our brownstone is exposed on 3 sides and gets cold in the winter. We are thinking about adding some form of supplemental heat to the steam radiator that is already in the room. One option is an electric flat panel wall-mounted convection heater like one shown in the Home section of the Times today. A major consideration is safety because we have small children in the house. These flat panels are advertised as not getting too hot to the touch and thus safe for children. Does anyone have experience with forms of supplemental heat like this and recommendations on what to do?

Thanks very much.

Posted by anon at 1:09 PM | Comments (9)

October 23, 2006

looking for a cast iron radiator

I have a small bedroom that needs a radiator. If anyone has a working cast iron steam radiator that they are looking to get rid of, please let me know. I can pick it up.

Posted by anon at 12:10 PM | Comments (5)

October 22, 2006

home radiators - how to adjust?

we have two of those steel radiators that are really heavy in our apt that serve as heating units. since i've never been in a rental like that, can someone let me know how i can reduce the heat that's coming out of it?

turn left? the black know? what if there's no knob, and only a screw/bolt?

Posted by anon at 8:38 PM | Comments (5)

October 21, 2006

Steam Heat Conundrum

We have a two-story building with basement. Ever since we moved in 5 years ago, it takes the steam heat from our boiler much longer to reach the front of the house than the back, even though the boiler is at the front of the house and the pipe run is therefore much shorter. My plumber and I found a length of supply pipe along this line that was improperly pitched, and had some water trapped in it. We corrected that, but it made no difference. My plumber is a good one, and he can't figure out the problem (if it was just a question of radiator bleeding, he'd know it). He has suggested putting a ball valve at the beginning of the supply pipe to the back of the house, so that we can adjust closure/oppenness and force more steam to the front of the house. Does anyone have enough experience with these issues to know whether it's a good or bad idea? Alternately, does anyone have experience with a heating diagnostician who might be a little more sophisticated in their analysis of our problem? Thanks in advance...

Posted by anon at 9:06 AM | Comments (7)

October 18, 2006

new boiler

Not that I'm seeking something for nothing, but I've heard some gas companies will offer you a free gas boiler to induce you to convert to natural gas from oil. Does anyone know who is still running these programs and -- here is the payoff -- whether they will offer a free boiler to induce a customer to not convert back to oil? (We have an old gas boiler, that was converted from oil.)

If not, can anyone recommend a good, efficient gas boiler/company to install, for a 3 story, one family townhouse?

Posted by anon at 6:16 PM | Comments (6)

October 17, 2006

thermostat

I own a 3 family brownstone corner property. The top two floors are rentals and I live on the fist floor,ground floor and cellar. Presently there is only one thermostat for the entire home and it is located on the ground floor. Where is the best location for the thermostat? The 1st floor consist of the livingroom,diningroom,kitchen and 1/2 bath. On the ground floor is three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a TV room. The cellar is a workshop.

Posted by anon at 10:06 AM | Comments (3)

October 14, 2006

How was Pipe Doctor for an oil to gas conversion?

Has anyone ever used Pipe Doctor for an oil to gas conversion? Were they quick with their work and professional? The last time i did an oil to gas conversion, the company took over a month before installing the boiler, claiming the permit took 3 or more weeks to come out. Is this true, or did they put my job on the bottom of the to do list? I just want to know if Pipe Doctor finished everything on time and did a decent job. Thanks everyone for your help.

Posted by anon at 10:10 PM | Comments (3)

October 13, 2006

More on forced air heating

We just bought a house with forced air heating, and I would like to know (1) where is a good place to get a service contract for the gas furnace; and (2) where is a good place to attach an automatic humidifier to the furnace?

Many thanks.

Posted by anon at 2:34 PM | Comments (2)

October 10, 2006

Cost to make Tenant's gas seperate?

I have a two family brownstone, and I have one gas meter, one gas furnace, and onen gas water heater. SO I pay fo rall that, and don't charge the tenant. The heat is forced air.
What are the estimated costs for installing a seperate gas line, with its one furnace, hot water heater and cooking gas lines - approximate costs?

Is such a project worth it?

Posted by anon at 9:09 PM | Comments (14)

October 8, 2006

Forced Air Duct work

Another duct question: The heat in our Bed-Stuy brownstone was changed over from oil to gas a few years ago by the previous owner. It's forced air. One of the registers on the garden floor (directly above the cellar) has no duct attached to it.
What is involved in getting someone to run a duct to that register? How much $$$ would such a job cost?
Who should I contact to get to do the work?

Posted by anon at 11:29 PM | Comments (2)

October 7, 2006

Wood-burning stove

Wondering if anyone out there knows if wood-burning stoves are permissable in Park Slope? We would be using it as our heating source--either building one into the existing fireplace/chimney or creating a new line for it. Is there a local company that sells and installs them? Any and all info you would have would be great. This is completely new to us but intrigues us. Thanks.

Posted by anon at 11:21 AM | Comments (6)

October 2, 2006

What Can Be Done About a Chilly Extension?

I have a small (8' x 12') one story extension (with a deck on top) that is very difficult to warm. The house has forced air heating, and this room has one vent. It was renovated and more insulation was put in the three exposed walls & under new floors. I've got two more ideas and I'd love to know which the "brownstoner board" thinks would be most likely to work (or anything I haven't thought of!)
1) adding radiant heating under the floor
2) redirecting the heating duct so it goes straight into the room (It's awkwardly positioning into the doorway rather than right into the room.)
Thanks in advance for the guidance!

Posted by anon at 8:53 AM | Comments (3)

September 27, 2006

hot water heat issues

I have two houses, basically the same size, one with a steam boiler and the other hot water. The heating bill in the house with the hot water is twice that of the steam heated house. I keep the thermostat at the same level. I have two questions --1) any insights into what i could do to reduce bills in the hot water heated house? 2) is there any particular maintenance on the hot water heater? i had a plumber in to do a repair in the winter, and he said i should flush the system or something similar...i can't get hold of him now. Thoughts?

Posted by anon at 8:14 AM | Comments (4)

September 25, 2006

Best digital thermostat for forced air system?

In the latest issue of This Old House, they have a list of inexpensive renovations that are recommended. One is to upgrade to a digital thermostat, and they mention a Honeywell for about $50. My local plumbing supply store sells the Lux brand. I've hear that Honeywell and White-Rogers are good. Don't know much about Lux.
I've heard that there are expensive systems with outdoor sensors. I'm not sure i can afford that right now.
The house is a two family brownstone with a gas forced-air system.

Also, right now I only have heat. it could be that at some point in the future I also install central air. Should I cross that bridge when I come to it and just focus on an inexpensive programmable digital thermostat for now? If so - which one do you folks recommend? If not - what do you advise?
Thanks!

Posted by anon at 6:33 PM | Comments (7)

September 19, 2006

Looking for HVAC company

We are looking for an HVAC company to install a system in a 100-year-old Park Slope brownstone. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks!
JJ

Posted by anon at 12:54 PM | Comments (4)

September 7, 2006

Experience with Aurora Plumbing

Does anyone have experience working with Aurora Plumbing and Heating? They were recommended by Keyspan to install a new boiler. If anyone has used them in the past and has any feedback it would be appreciated.

Thanks

Posted by anon at 1:26 PM | Comments (5)

September 6, 2006

Furnace maintenance

Fall is approaching and I need help getting my furnace up to snuff. But I'm not sure where to begin. We have a natural gas furnace, radiator/steamheat setup. I wanted to have an 'expert' walk me through maintenance and cleaning, water levels etc. but who does this kind of job? A plumber?

So any advice on where to begin looking is a great first step. And if anyone has a respected/trusted name to throw my way, that is appreciated as well.

Posted by anon at 5:22 PM | Comments (6)

August 30, 2006

value of cleaning boiler and chimney?

We are seeking advice about annual cleaning of the boiler/chimney for our 5-story/20 unit brownstone. We have a cast-iron peerless boiler with a carlin oil burner.

It seems like the last time we cleaned the chimney was over 10 years ago. Our oil co says cleaning this is not necessary ("there's a sump that the debris drops into") while a chimney company is telling us this absolutely must be done annually.

Additionally, our boiler is very sooty and the water is filthy. Again, our current oil company says it is not an issue, while another recommends cleaning. The first bid we got was for $750, which would be a big hit to our annual budget. Our oil company charges $275 for a "vac" cleaning, but we're not sure how thorough this is. And the price difference is concerning.

Basically, we'd like to be sure the unit is running safely and efficiently without spending a ton of money on service that's nice but not necessary.

We're curious how important cleaning the boiler and/or chimney is, what sort of schedule we should look at, how much improvement we might see in efficiency, and if anyone has any companies to recommend.

thanks in advance!

Posted by anon at 6:50 PM | Comments (9)

August 24, 2006

oil vs. gas (not again!)

We're in a five apartment brownstone in CG and are looking at an oil to gas conversion.

I see by previous posts that the "gas vs. oil" debate rears its head every now and then. I'm not looking to necessarily re-open the debate (unless you feel strongly one way or the other) but I am looking for opinions and advice when undertaking such a job.

For instance, can anyone weigh in on the "two 50 gallons" versus "one 100 gallon" hot water heater theory or anything else that might get overlooked over the course of the job.

I'm starting to receive bids thru "My Quotes" on the Keyspan web site. Our building is approximately 64' X 19' which includes a 20 foot extension added on to this early 1900 building. Two apartments have single bathrooms, three have at least one and a half bathrooms and all have dishwashers and washer/dryers. Overall insulation is average. Window insulation, average as well.

Thanks.

Posted by anon at 9:08 PM | Comments (0)

August 21, 2006

"Neat" Heating Systems W/O Messy Ducts

Greetings. The English basement of our brownstone is full of ducts from an old forced air heating system that make the space feel like a utility room. It is three feet below ground and has windows, so could be finished nicely if the heating system doesn't kill the whole floor. We'd like to replace it with something "neater" and are just beginning research.

Suggestions welcome on how anyone has dealt with similiar problems, or any good sources of information with overview of heating sytems and how much space they take up (looking at This Old House, for example).

Many thanks.

Posted by anon at 10:31 AM | Comments (2)

August 19, 2006

Cost to repair bad copper to steel radiator connection

we're looking to buy a house whose radiator pipes have been converted to copper tubing in some places. these copper tubes have been welded directly onto the steel connections of the radiators. our engineer says this is really bad, since copper and steel have such different expansion rates. we want to have the connections replaced with either dielectric or brass fittings. has anybody ever done this, and if so, how much is this gonna cost us per radiator?

Posted by anon at 3:27 PM | Comments (3)

August 16, 2006

In need of Radiators

In need of Radiators (forgot to allow comments, sorry)

We just moved into our coop on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights about 6 months ago and the previous owner had the original cast iron radiators taken out, which resulted in the apartment being quite cold. Now that the cold weather is approaching we are considering putting new or used radiators back in. Can anyone recommend someone who would know where to get them and install them. Is this a very costly job?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

Posted by anon at 4:19 PM | Comments (13)

August 3, 2006

heating pipes leaking

I have leaking heating pipes. The system is gas fired hot water heating with 3/4" copper baseboard which I installed about 30 years ago. Does any one know if there is a way to drain the system and then run a "sealer" through to seal any pin holes or small leaks.

Posted by anon at 12:28 PM | Comments (1)

August 1, 2006

emptying an oil tank

What is done to empty an oil tank (before removing the tank)? Are there specialists who do this and if so, where can they be found, what are they called, how do you judge them, how much do they charge...? If my neighbor still uses oil, is it possible to pump the oil into their tank (if they have room? One suggestion someone made was to just run the tank empty by running the boiler - is this safe? Thanks

Posted by anon at 9:08 PM | Comments (99)

July 25, 2006

Boiler and Hot Water Heater - BTUs

I'm currently renovating a 3 family, 4 story brownstone. We're converting it from oil to gas. Per our architect, the drawing shows the boiler room with a specfic 60k BTU boiler & a 40k BTU hot water heater. My contractor stated to me yesterday that these items are not big enough for a 3 family - 4 story house. Help!!! Can anyone give me an idea of how many BTUs are required for a boiler and a HWH for this type of brownstone. Many thanks!

Posted by anon at 9:35 AM | Comments (4)

June 30, 2006

NEW HEATING SYSTEM W/BACKFLOW PROBLEM

Just had a new heating system installed with a bypass valve to keep some water from entering boiler therby creating slower, more consistent heating of radiators. When the bypass valve is opened, hot water backs into the system and heats radiators-not a good thing in the summer. Installer wants to install a flow valve to eliminate the problem. Is there something wrong with the piping setup, and will the installation of a flow valve cause a reduction of system efficiency by restricting flow in system.

Posted by anon at 11:26 AM | Comments (3)

June 29, 2006

Oil Vs. Gas

I'm a first-timer here and didn't "allow comments" with my early post. Sorry, here it is again:

My 5 story 5,000 sq. ft. single family townhouse uses forced hot air coming from a large and quite old, but functional oil burner. I just learned I have water in my oil tank as a result of a leaky oil filling pipe coming from the street. Before paying for repairs I want to consider conversion to gas heat.

Does anyone know the costs of a new gas furnace/burner plus installation? I would also need new (larger) gas service brought it from the street. Con Ed is my gas supplier.

Also, does anyone know the difference in heating bills with gas vs. heating oil these days?

Thanks.

Posted by anon at 4:29 PM | Comments (5)

Oil vs. gas heat

My 5 story 5,000 sq. ft. single family townhouse uses forced hot air coming from a large and quite old, but functional oil burner. I just learned I have water in my oil tank as a result of a leaky oil filling pipe coming from the street. Before paying for repairs I want to consider conversion to gas heat.

Does anyone know the costs of a new gas burner plus installation? I would also need new (larger) gas service brought it from the street. Con Ed is my gas supplier.

Also, does anyone know the difference in heating bills with gas vs. heating oil?

Thanks.

Posted by anon at 11:21 AM

June 28, 2006

4 unit building - individual boiler in each unit?

I'm looking at a conversion of a 4 unit apartment building c. 1914 to condos. Presently there is one boiler and one thermostat for the whole building. I am familiar with an object found in British flats called a combination or "combi" boiler. It provides the hot water for the radiators as well as for the bathrooms and kitchen and laundry. It is small enough to go in the "airing cupboard" - i.e. it is inside the condo itself, not in the basement. I think something like this might be a good solution for our building, as each unit has a good sized hall closets. Problem is, I don't know what they are called over here - can you help? Also, anyone with experience of using them over here? Any potential problems with using them with the original cast-iron radiators?

Posted by anon at 4:06 PM | Comments (8)

May 25, 2006

Advice on New Boiler

My wife and I are looking for new, high-efficiency boiler for a Ditmas Victorian. I've looked at Energy Star and ACEEE web sites about the best brands. ACEEE's web site mention Dunkirk or Utica as brands that have a 90% efficiency rating or higher. Has anyone recently replaced a heating system and care to share their story with advice?

Thanks!

Posted by anon at 2:55 PM | Comments (12)

May 18, 2006

HVAC Help Please

I'm doing a gut renovation on a 3 family, four story brownstone. It seems the only functioning thing in the house is a relatively new Weil-McLain boiler (EGH-85/249K BTUs in/280K BTUs out) that the city was forced to install last April. (They were "maintaining" the house.)

While I'm reluctant to replace the only thing I don't HAVE to, I want to make the best decisions right now, especially regarding infrastructure, and this particular decision is driving me crazy because I can't get enough good info to make a determination.

Here's the loop going on in my head:

• Does it make sense to keep the existing boiler? I'm hearing that it's not the most efficient system & that it may make more sense to have separate heat (& hot water) for each unit, so that I can set it up for tenants to pay their own heat & hot water. Is that a growing trend that will become the norm?

• The boiler is heating hot water now, so water heaters will definitely be added whether I keep the boiler or not. But what’s the best configuration for the water heaters:
— install one for the owner's duplex and another for the two rentals to share
— install one water heater per unit
— install one per unit but connect the rental ones to be a redundant system?

• I definitely want central AC in the owner's duplex, so forced air heating in that unit might seem logical, but based on the 20 year old system I live with now, I don't care much for forced air heat...the age old complaints of never being warm enough.

But I’m also wondering about using radiant heat in the owner’s duplex: would that with central AC and the original (or new) boiler make the most sense?

• I think the tenant’s units will have gas heat regardless of the configurations, so is basic baseboard heating the most cost- and energy-efficient way to set it up?

Sorry for the long post, but any insight or suggestions on who to turn to are MOST appreciated. Then I can move on to the next thing to make me nuts. ;-)

Posted by anon at 9:48 AM | Comments (5)

April 27, 2006

Ave Home Gas Prices

What do you spend a month on natural gas bills to heat your home & hot water. I use natural gas for a hot water radiator system and for hot water - seems like I'm running about $2,200 a month during the winter, which seems like its almost double what prior owner paid last year. Thanks.

Posted by anon at 2:18 PM | Comments (12)

April 19, 2006

Free Boiler - You Pick It Up

I am renovating a building and need to get rid of the boiler in the basement. It was bought new a couple of years ago and still looks brand new. It is a Burnham Model IN9N Steam Boiler rated at 280,000 BTU. It is free to whomever wants it, as long as you come pick it up and take it away. You can email me at scaproperties@aol.com.

Posted by anon at 10:42 AM | Comments (0)

April 12, 2006

Radiant heating under wood floors

I recall reading somewhere (couldn't find it in the archives, so I guess it wasn't here) that you shouldn't put radiant heating under wood floors, because they can become dried out and crack. However, I found this online:

"If the building is reasonably energy efficient, underfloor heat will not harm wooden floors. Much of the engineering data about underfloor heat was generated years ago when buildings were poorly insulated. As a result, floors needed to be maintained at temperatures of 90 degrees F or higher to keep the building comfortable, a temperature which caused wooden floors to split and crack. In an energy efficient building of today with R-19 insulation in the walls and quality thermopane windows, the floor need only be four degrees warmer than room temperature to heat the building to the mid-seventies when it is zero degrees F outside. The more stable humidity in an energy efficient building and the even temperatures that radiant heating maintains are actually good for wooden floors."

This is from the website of a company that sells radiant heat systems, so I'm suspicious. Any reason I should be?

Thanks!

Posted by anon at 6:12 PM | Comments (9)

April 4, 2006

Grates to Cover Vents?

Hi -- We are missing some of the grates/air duct/return covers in our Prospect Heights brownstone. Anyone know where we could get reproduction ones made? Thanks, Rachel

Posted by anon at 4:44 PM | Comments (5)

March 14, 2006

HVAC Again

Hi -- I have searched the Forum and haven't found much consensus on HVAC providers. We are committed to the forced air system in our Prospect Heights BS, but are replacing our furnace and are in the process of getting quotes. Sears came in very high -- it may have been the salesman, but Keyspan has a reputation for poor service. We plan to get a new furnace with electronic air filters, and maybe AC also. Which HVAC vendors have Brownstoners liked in terms of pricing, service, and product quality?

Posted by anon at 8:11 PM | Comments (3)

March 12, 2006

Any one ever consider radiant heating in their brownstone? Any experiences, contractors, etc?

Posted by anon at 3:26 PM | Comments (6)

March 1, 2006

Oil to gas Conversion

Considering an Oil to Gas conversion in my three story Brownstone. Has anyone ever used Pipe Doctor? The guy's name is Anthony and he quoted me $4,000. he will be removing an old oil tank and installing a burner and water heater. Does this sound like a fair price? He claims that he can do all of the work in two days and he'll be onsite. He gave me his license number to look up?

Thanks

Posted by anon at 4:05 PM | Comments (11)

February 27, 2006

Hot Water circulation problems?

Hi, I live in a 20-unit self-managed coop. We replaced our water heater 2 months ago - we got the same AO Smith model/size as we had before - and ever since then it has taken FOREVER for hot water to get to apartments (at least 3 minutes until it runs hot, whereas before it took far under a minute). Once the hot water arrives it is plenty hot - scalding even. This is happening in all apartments on all floors. Is there something our plumber could have overlooked during the installation or setup that is causing this distribution delay? What temperature should we be setting the unit at? Any advice much appreciated!

Posted by anon at 4:45 PM | Comments (2)

February 23, 2006

code for gas fireplace

We have a gas fireplace in our parlor floor extension. The extension, which is open on four sides -- it has a skylight -- is about ten degress colder than the rest of the house and is not really comfortable unless the heat is blasting.

Insulating it is a huge hassle, and according to our neighbors who have the same extension, has not helped that much.

Our solution is to use the gas pipe in the fireplace and connect it to a separate thermostat. This could be vented through the extension roof. Someone mentioned that this is not code because it must be vented through the highest roof in the building.

Anyone have any insight or experience with this? Thanks.

Posted by anon at 1:17 PM | Comments (5)

February 19, 2006

It's too cold to ignore your boiler.

I've had three calls this weekend from people without any heat only to find that their boilers were low on water.
Boilers are running overtime in this cold weather. Know where your water level should be and check frequently.
-Master Plvmber

Posted by anon at 9:31 AM | Comments (3)

February 15, 2006

Need someone to repair boiler..

Hi- Does anyone have any recommendations for a person that is knowledgeable about boilers?? We have a trusted plumber/electrician, but they can't seem to figure out what keeps making our boiler turn off for no apparent reasons..recommendations appreciated.
Thanks!

Posted by anon at 11:34 AM | Comments (5)

February 9, 2006

Seeking Ballpark Heating Costs

I am curious what folks are finding this winter with regard to gas heating costs this winter. We have a loose split arrangement with the owner of our building who occupies the top three floors. Gas covers boiler, HW Heater and gas stoves. I know natural gas has spikes this year but the numbers seem awfully high, nearly $200 a month for a single floor flat's share! Thanks in advance.

Posted by anon at 2:40 PM | Comments (10)

January 31, 2006

ESCOs and Gas Prices

Since gas prices are so outrageous this year, I thought I'd do a little research on alternatives to Keyspan to see if I could get a better deal. Well, nobody makes it easy! I actually got the list of alternative providers (ESCOs) but they all quote their prices differently, have different programs, and the gas price varies daily! Of course, Keyspan isn't much help in terms of coming up with a comparison. Has anyone in Brooklyn actually switched? To which company and why? I know that fewer than 5% of customers have switched, maybe this is why. Thanks!

Posted by anon at 11:38 AM | Comments (2)

January 26, 2006

What to do with old radiator

I have an ol dcast iron radiator. Do people buy these or is this soemthing I should just try to give away or scrap ?
It's from my brownstone.

Posted by anon at 5:06 PM | Comments (5)

January 25, 2006

HVAC questions

I am renovating a 4 story 2 family brownstown in Prospect Heights. I would like to look at putting a geothermal heating/cooling system in for the building. As anyone ever heard of this being done in Brooklyn and can recommend anyone you might be able to do this work?

I have been talking to someone in Yonkers who has done geothermal installations outside the city, but I would like to tlak someone who has experience in NYC.

Second question: can someone recommend a good HVAC contracotr with experience with high velocity A/C systems? The A/C component of the goethermal system could be high velocity system.

Thanks

Posted by anon at 5:33 PM | Comments (10)

January 24, 2006

Hot Air Furnace replacement:

Living in a 4 story brownstone in BedStuy. 40+ year old furnace kicks nice hot air - and costs a fortune in the process ($900 for this past month). My low bid was from All-4-One and Keyspan came in at 1K more. Is it worth it to spend the extra for the more professional outfit? I would love to hear some anecdotes/thoughts on the matter.

By the way, the low bid was $5K and the highest bid I got was $8K. Keyspan wants $5900 to put in a Trane XV80 two stage deal with super-duper humidifier that drains to a wastepipe etc...cadillac all the way.

Thanks in advance.

Posted by anon at 9:55 AM | Comments (8)

January 17, 2006

Steam Heat Expert Needed

I have pitched the radiators and replaced their valves but do not know what to do with the valves on the main lines in the basement. I think that we can still balance the heat better. I would love a referral to a steam heat expert that can come and diagnose our system, balance it, and give some pointers on how to maintain it.

Posted by Brownstoner at 9:00 AM | Comments (4)

January 12, 2006

High Velocity Air Conditioning System

I am looking for an HVAC contractor with experience installing "SpacePak" , a high velocity air conditioning system. Has anyone used this system before? Any comments on this product and or contact in NYC would be helpful.

Posted by Brownstoner at 3:03 PM | Comments (6)

January 9, 2006

Tankless Water Heaters

Each of the 3 apartments in our coop building has its own water heater and we are now looking to replace all of them. I've been reading a lot about the new "tankless" water heaters and they sound intriguing. Does anyone have any experience or advice with them? Thanks.

Posted by Brownstoner at 4:30 PM | Comments (7)

January 6, 2006

Central Heating

I have a house that was built in 1875 which is soon to be renovated. I really would like to discard the radiators and the floor to ceiling pipes. Can anyone offer me feedback in having a central heating system verses the radiator system with gas heat? Any idea what the installation fee and monthly costs are? Does it work better? Also I am one of those people who go crazy at the sight of crawling bugs, do you think the heating ducks are a haven for those crawly creatures?

Posted by Brownstoner at 4:58 PM | Comments (9)

December 19, 2005

Heatin Bill Sounds High?

We just moved into our 4 story brownstone this Fall and received our first winter heating bill. Do we have serious insulation problems or is this just the going rate for gas? For 50 days of hot showers, gas washer/dryer usage and 3 floors of heat (top floor unused) does $1300 sound reasonable? We've had a reality check.

Posted by Brownstoner at 12:55 PM | Comments (9)

December 16, 2005

Natural Gas Water Heater

I'm looking to buy a natural gas water heater for a 3 family, four story brownstone with 4 bathrooms. Any thoughts on what capacity I need? I've heard conflicting information. One plumber told me an efficient 40 gallon heater would be enough, while another told me I shoul buy an 80 gallon tank. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Posted by Brownstoner at 1:45 PM | Comments (5)

December 12, 2005

Forced Air

We've had our brownstone in BedStuy since last winter. It has a forced air furnace from the late sixties that seems to be working fine. There is a Skuttle 600-B humidifier system with it's own water line mounted on the side of the furnace. The fibrous wafers (I forget the real term)* that stand in the tray have long disintegrated. Anybody know how to find replacements for these? And should we bother? Do central humidifiers really work? Thanks.

*Oh yeah, they're called plenums, I'm pretty sure.

Posted by Brownstoner at 8:59 AM | Comments (1)

December 6, 2005

Geothermal Heating and AC

Hasanybody tried to install geothermal heating & ac in Brooklyn brownstone ?

Posted by Brownstoner at 10:11 AM | Comments (6)

November 30, 2005

Radiator Covers

Does anyone know if radiator covers are a pro or a con in terms of efficiency? I have seen conflicting reports. Some energy advice sites say remove them during the heating season, because they interfere with air flow. But of course the companies that manufacture them say they increase efficiency, by forcing the radiator to draw cold air from the floor, not the top, and becasue they direct more of the warm air to the middle of the room, not the ceiling.

Posted by Brownstoner at 9:38 AM | Comments (3)

November 20, 2005

Keyspan Choice Program

Has anyone taken advantage of the choice prgram offered by Keyspan allowing you to receive offers from competetive companies (ESCOs)? Please share your experiences with other companies, particularly if you've saved a penny on the choice

Posted by Brownstoner at 8:38 PM | Comments (1)

November 17, 2005

Cold Radiators?

Just moved into my brownstone and have noticed that a few radiators stay cold even when the heat is on and the others are warm. Someone suggested that the radiators need to be “bled” to get the water out, which could be stopping the steam, or the air valves could be clogged and need to be changed. Any ideas? Who should I call to check this? Cost?

Posted by Brownstoner at 9:29 AM | Comments (16)

Boiler Efficiencies

I have been looking into the newer condensing gas fired boilers for my > 1500 sq ft. 3 story brick townhouse in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The > 10 year old gas fired boiler with antique cast iron radiators and some baseboard copper tube and fin radiators is fine, but sits in the middle of the ground floor and I would like to have something smaller and wall hung, so as to use the space. The increased efficiency would also be great although that may not offset the cost of the installation for a while. I have read about Monitor boilers. Does anyone have experience with these or has heard about these? Any other high efficiency wall hung units that people have used? And who installed them? Also, how would I go about sizing the boiler before I looked at specific models with specific BTU outputs?

Posted by Brownstoner at 9:25 AM | Comments (3)

November 8, 2005

HVAC Recommendations

We own a four story house in Clinton hill and have a gas boiler that needs replacing. It's a forced air system, we want to update it to provide cold air for the summer as well as upgrade the boiler itsel to hopefully save on heating costs this winter -- any recommendations for a good heating (HVAC) guy, good quality at a reasonable price?

Posted by Brownstoner at 11:33 AM | Comments (2)

October 24, 2005

Heating Problem

We have forced-air heating in our 4-story brownstone but the heat barely reaches the top floor in the winter while the garden floor becomes unbearably hot. We had a new furnace installed and ducts relined 8 years ago but it hasn't seemed to improve the heat distribution throughout the house. Has anyone else faced this problem? Is there any way of bringing more heat to the top two floors with the system we have (one vent per room) or should we consider installing electrical heat panels where we need them? And can anyone recommend a company who can help us solve this problem? Thanks.

Posted by Brownstoner at 11:59 AM | Comments (6)

October 20, 2005

Large Wet Spot

Last night I noticed a large wet spot around my hot water heater. I know this can’t be good. Anyone have any suggestions as to who to call or what the problem might be?

Posted by Brownstoner at 6:17 PM | Comments (8)

October 13, 2005

Projected Heating Costs

My wife and I are purchasing a four family brownstone in Clinton Hill and will close at the end of this month. The house has a oil tank (approx. 275 gallons). Does anyone have a sense/range of what our projected fuel expenses might be for the upcoming winter season and estimated cost per gallon.

Also, can anyone recommend home heating oil suppliers that service the Brooklyn area?

Has anyone ever heard of the Consumers Energy Group? If so, any thoughts?

Posted by Brownstoner at 5:18 PM | Comments (6)

October 6, 2005

Boiler Installation

I currently have an oil boiler in need of replacement. Few boiler questions. First, should i consider an oil to gas conversion? How much should i expect to pay for the installation of a gas boiler vs installation of oil boiler? How much of difference is there in cost of equipment? Can anyone comment on any companies they've used in the past for boiler installations. I've heard good things about Aladdin, but they only do gas boilers.

Posted by Brownstoner at 1:07 PM | Comments (9)

Forced Air Furnace Question

We have two gas forced air furnaces but the thermostat turns them on at the same time (thermostat is on the second floor of four floors). Our HVAC contractor is reccommending we split them into Stage I and II, and that we will save tremendously on gas in the long run, since the second furnace will only kick in when necessary (i.e not often).

Is this true? Is it worth the $1000 they are charging us? Considering the cost of fuel right now common sense tells me it is worth the upfront cost.

Posted by Brownstoner at 1:06 PM | Comments (8)

October 3, 2005

Winterizing a Basement

I am looking for advice for getting ready for winter. My home, a 100+yr old, three story brownstone in Bed/Stuy with openings to the basement in the front and back of the house with metal bars over them. My concern about sealing them for keeping out the cold, is that they would also seal the basement in such a way that might not be helpful. Moisture would have no way of escaping but also, I wonder about how air is used by my oil burning furnace.

We are getting ready for our first winter in this home, and as first time home owners, we feel unprepared for winter as far as the basement is concerned. Any advice? Frozen pipes are a nightmare, but I want my heating system to work as efficiently as possible.

Thanks for any input.

Posted by Brownstoner at 8:54 AM | Comments (3)

September 29, 2005

Steam Heat Specialist

I'm desperate to find a heating guy who specializes in Steam Systems. I start to lose hope when I have a plumber/heating specialist come look at my steam system and they treat it like it's a Hot Water system. Basically, I'm looking for regular seasonal service as well as someone who can address some venting/balance issues I'm having with the system. Any suggestions?
Thanks

Posted by Brownstoner at 11:25 AM | Comments (5)

September 20, 2005

Heating Contractor

I'm looking for a heating contractor to look at my gas furnace in a recently purchased building. I think it works but it's kinda scary. Anybody know anyone?

Posted by Brownstoner at 8:46 AM | Comments (3)

September 15, 2005

Direct-Vent Boilers

Has anyone heard of a direct-vent boiler/furnace, and could anyone tell me:
1) Do they meet code in NYC?
2) Are they noisy (inside and/or outside)?
3) What are the best makes and are there any makes one should avoid?
4) What's the best way of venting them?
5) Are there any difficulties with respect to window clearances?
6) What are any other perils and pitfalls I should be aware of?

Posted by Brownstoner at 10:17 AM | Comments (4)

September 6, 2005

Radiator Covers

Does anyone have local recommendations for ready-made radiator covers that are decent quality, but not too expensive? Or else, wood workers who are reasonable?
Thank you.

Posted by Brownstoner at 3:25 PM | Comments (6)

August 31, 2005

HVAC vs. Radiator

Seeking advice about HVAC vs RADIATOR heat for a center slope 3-story brick renovation. Looking to cut costs as we review contractor bids, one of the items in our plan is new duct work for HVAC: 2 heating/cooling zones (2-family), shared ducts and equipment for air conditioning and humidified forced hot air heat. We really love this idea, but our budget is calling for cuts. We feel its a real value to have the system put in, less for the AC and more for the humidified hot air. (I've visions of waking up with a crusty nose to refill the bowls of water on the radiators, not to mention the ear plugs I will need to shroud the deafening whistle and knocking when the heat kicks on) What do others advise? One idea is to install AC but leave radiators for heat, which to me seems like a job half-done.

Posted by Brownstoner at 8:20 AM | Comments (2)

August 19, 2005

Heating Options

We're renovating a one floor apartment in a 4-story brownstone where we will live. (It has been a rental until now.) There are roughly 62 linear feet of baseboard heaters with ugly/falling-apart covers. We have gotten recommendations-- from architect-friends and numerous contractors-- to pull out the baseboard heating and replace it with some sort of cast-iron radiators. Here are the questions: First: presumably, this will cost much more than simply replacing the baseboard-heating-covers... how much more? I realize it depends on what kind of radiators we purchase-- any suggestions?? Flat panel vs. old-style cast-iron ones?
Second: are these radiators REALLY so much more cost-effective in terms
of heating costs? (We have been told that they are more cost-effective,
but if it's only a dollar here or there, perhaps the extra costs of
switching everything is not worth it....)
Third: we are doing the renovations in the next 2-3 months, so
obviously we need to have the heating done by the time the winter frost
comes in. Is there any way to check that the existent heating system
works while it is so hot outside? (Who wants to turn on the heat in
this heat?!)

Posted by Brownstoner at 1:03 PM | Comments (2)