Improving Air Systems with Hydronics
Challenge:
Wilfre Co. Inc. in Herbon, MD received a call that a customer’s system wasn’t performing well. The large home had a heat pump system with supplementary heat supplied by hydronic coils in the ductwork. Below 30°F, the system relies on a boiler for space heating. The existing boiler was oversized and piped incorrectly, reducing flow rate and causing the unit to short-cycle.
Solution:
The original boiler, installed in the garage, was old enough to warrant replacement. Wilfre owner Martin Harrison planned to replace both the boiler and piping. He started with a Manual J heat load calculation. The home required 180,000 BTUh at 10°F outdoor ambient.
Wilfre installed a new U.S. Boiler Company Alpine high efficiency condensing boiler and primary-secondary piping. The Alpine boiler offers up to 95 percent efficiency.
“The five-year parts warranty was a big advantage to the homeowner on this job,” he said.
Harrison used the U.S. Boiler Sage Zone Control on the job for precise control. It’s a circulator or valve panel that’s compatible with all U.S. Boiler condensing models, and allows the boiler to start at low fire and only increase to the firing rate needed for the zone (or zones) calling.
Result:
By hanging the new boiler on the wall, with cleaner piping, the homeowners now have more room in their garage.
“There’s no comparison between this system and the original,” said the homeowner. “It’s more comfortable, and the boiler is very quiet.”
Above: (L-R) Steve Kidwell, President/CEO of manufacturer’s rep firm, ROI Marketing, and Martin Harrison, owner of Wilfre Co.
Above: Wilfre technicians installed a 210 MBH Alpine condensing boiler in the home’s garage, with tidy, well-insulated primary/secondary piping.
Above: The 4,500 square-foot home needed a comfort improvement when the temperature dropped and he wind picked up. Situated right on the Chesapeake Bay, winter winds howl across the yard and into the back of the house.