Radiant Heat & Summer Shutdown?

[kwright]

I did a search and didn't really find a specific answer to my question, so I thought I'd ask.

I've just completed my first winter with a new radiant heat system in my new garage... it worked just fine and I'm please with it's performance. My system is heated with a propane fired hot water heater and is a closed system.

My question: is there any particular thing folks do to shut down their radiant systems during the summer?

I'd just as soon not run the water heater all summer for no reason, so I was thinking of just shutting the heater down by turning off the gas. However, would it make sense in this case to run the circulator occasionally, say once a week for 30 minutes or so? I'm not sure even this is necessary, but I thought it would be better for the circulator as well as not leave the water stagnate for six months.

Opinions or comments welcome.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Are you also using the water heater for hot water in the garage?

If not...I'd say "let it sit".

Phil

 

[sneezer41]

let it sit

maybe run the thing one night for an hour in the summer if you feel like it

 

[kwright]

The system is closed, the water is not used for anything else but heating.

Thanks for the replies...

 

[RadiantSteve]

Hi kwright,

You can just shut off the heater, that won't hurt anything - it would be a good idea to run the pump for 10-15 minutes every 72 hours to reduce the chance of it seizing. That said, you could just get a 24 hour timer and have it run for 5-10 minutes a day. You could also just run it once a week, if you can find a weekly timer.

With the heater off, your power usage would be minimal. Once the heating season kicks back into gear, just turn the heater back on and plug your pump back into it's regular control outlet.

 

[kwright]

Hi kwright,

You can just shut off the heater, that won't hurt anything - it would be a good idea to run the pump for 10-15 minutes every 72 hours to reduce the chance of it seizing. That said, you could just get a 24 hour timer and have it run for 5-10 minutes a day. You could also just run it once a week, if you can find a weekly timer.

With the heater off, your power usage would be minimal. Once the heating season kicks back into gear, just turn the heater back on and plug your pump back into it's regular control outlet.

Thanks for the info... this is close to what I was thinking of. I believe I'll get a 24 hour timer and run the system 5 minutes a day for the duration of the off-season.

 

[jfd]

Just for my info, what size garage are you heating with the water heater?

 

[kwright]

Just for my info, what size garage are you heating with the water heater?

36' wide by 28' deep w/10' sidewalls set on an 12" (appx) curb (actually, a rim wall that goes down to a footing). Walls are 4 inches, with R15 glass insulation, ceiling has cellulose insulation to a depth of about 16 inches (R48 or so if I recall correctly). Standard drywall all the way around, including the ceiling with two 10x8 Wayne Dalton garage doors.

The water heater is a 50 gallons (or so, again - recalling from memory) LP fired. I maintained the temp at 55 degrees (F) all winter, and the system had no problems whatsoever keeping up - even on the worst days, though it would run a fair amount on the cold, windy days. We had a rough winter here BTW, particuarly the second half of the season.

I turned the temp up to 60 degrees for a few weeks during February as I was doing finishing work, and maintaining this temp was no problem, either.

Everything worked like a charm, couldn't be happier...

 

[jfd]

Did you contract out hooking up the heating or diy? I have a 32x40, 10' walls, insulated about like yours with tubing in floor. I can't find a contractor who will hook up a water heater---they say they will lose their license. They all say it has to be a boiler. I don't want to be illegal but the water heater seems simpler and less expensive. I like the sound of your experience.

 

[RadiantSteve]

On my home system back in 2001, I hired my plumber to hook my water heater up. The package I bought was a DIY kit - the manifold, pump and controls came pre-assembled for me. Once I'd installed my tubing, I was able to connect it all to the manifold and then connect the supply/return back to the water heater. My plumber finished off the gas, main water and venting - and the electrician took care of the electrical connection.

I did have a couple of mechanical contractors come out - they didn't want anything to do with it if it wasn't a boiler. That said, even the plumber was a bit skeptical - I just told him I was hiring him to hook up a water heater. It just happened to be hooked up to a closed radiant heating system. If I remember right, he did have to run it by the local plumbing inspector. You may have to do the same. Hope that helps...

 

[kwright]

Did you contract out hooking up the heating or diy? I have a 32x40, 10' walls, insulated about like yours with tubing in floor. I can't find a contractor who will hook up a water heater---they say they will lose their license. They all say it has to be a boiler. I don't want to be illegal but the water heater seems simpler and less expensive. I like the sound of your experience.

I did all the plumbing above ground, I had a heating contractor install the in-floor PEX including bringing it into the four zone manifold. I took it from the manifold back.

I have never done this before, so I studied photos of what others had done, talked to my contractor and eventually designed and built the system from scratch. The heating guy supplied a few items and a bit of advice, including discussing the proper sized water heater. Most of the parts I bought on my own and no one said anything about a boiler.

Neither my general contractor who managed some of the build nor the heating guy mentioned a word about the heating sytem being an issue. In fact the electrician who did the rough-in advised me on the circulator and wiring

I'm no plumber by any stretch (really) but I'm reasonably handy, and took my time and was deliberate. If I can do it, any do-it-yourselfer can too.

And I'm not just saying that, I believe it...

I can send/post photos if anyone wants to see the detail.

 

[jfd]

I am not "handy" at any of this so I am dependent on finding someone to do it. Thanks RadiantSteve and kwright for your helpful responses. Your info encourages me to not give up on the water heater possibility.

 

[kwright]

I am not "handy" at any of this so I am dependent on finding someone to do it. Thanks RadiantSteve and kwright for your helpful responses. Your info encourages me to not give up on the water heater possibility.

You're welcome... if there's anything else I can do to help, just shout.

 

[Red'n'WhiteRebel]

If you're still unsure, seek some advice from some pro's. Have contractors come out to advise and price, it won't cost anything and might save you a big headache down the road. Most water heaters aren't designed for the load and run time of heating use. It's possible that you could wear out your heater very quickly and then the cost of a boiler doesn't look so bad. The guy that's designing my in floor system wouldn't even consider a water heater as a source. I suppose that designers in Michigan, Ontario, NY, etc. will do things differently than in the south also. Good luck.

 

[jfd]

If you're still unsure, seek some advice from some pro's. Have contractors come out to advise and price, it won't cost anything and might save you a big headache down the road. Most water heaters aren't designed for the load and run time of heating use. It's possible that you could wear out your heater very quickly and then the cost of a boiler doesn't look so bad. The guy that's designing my in floor system wouldn't even consider a water heater as a source. I suppose that designers in Michigan, Ontario, NY, etc. will do things differently than in the south also. Good luck.

Good considerations.
Thank you.
Jack

 

[bk_gamm]

*bump*

Sorry to bust in, but I've had some experience with both methods. The first garage I built, the local "code" allowed for the use of a Water Heater in a closed loop heating system. 8 years later, building a similar garage at our new house, actually smaller , and the new code won't allow the use of a water heater in a closed loop system, boiler only. It's allowed in an open loop though. I asked why and their reasoning was: in a closed loop, if by chance there is ever a leak in the system, and you lose all your water, then add water to the system, the water could instantly vaporize. This apparently could turn your water heater into a "pressure vessel" which could variably explode.

Sorry for the lengthy post.

 

[jfd]

Ouch! Thanks for yor experience.
Jack