DIY Heating Home

Archive for the ‘DIY Basic Tips’ Category

Almost every home has some sort of central heating system, including furnaces, air conditioners, ducts, and other components. These types of systems are commonly referred to as comfort systems. They are designed to make our homes and offices comfortable no matter what the outdoor temperature may be. Of course we lose that comfort if these systems are not operating correctly. Systems that are well maintained will usually operate reliably for a long period of time. There are some general repair and maintenance tasks that a homeowner can probably safely handle on their own, although in general it is best to leave work on your comfort systems to the professionals.

Maintaining Your Furnace
Furnaces will see regular use during the cold winter months. To avoid breaking down when the temperatures outdoors are low, it is best to give your furnace regular maintenance. You should regularly clean or replace furnace filters, as required by their manufacturers. The blower blades should be cleaned and any air leaks sealed prior to the start of winter. It is also wise to check your owners manual to determine how often you will need to oil the bearing and the fan motors.

Heat Pumps and Air Conditioners
You can prevent many of the most common problems with these systems by keeping them free of dust. Before calling a service technician when your system is not operating properly there are a couple of common things that can be checked. You can reduce noise in your air conditioner by cleaning the blower fan blades. Read the instructions provided by your manufacturer to determine the best time to tighten the mounting bolts and lubricate the oil cups. The air conditioner should be switched off if frost is found on the evaporator coil. This indicates that the atmospheric temperature is below 60.

Boilers and furnaces are heating appliances that often make up a central heating system. These appliances heat the home by sending either hot air through the ducts or warm water through pipes to radiators or convectors. Common tools needed to conduct maintenance and repair of your heating and cooling equipment include pliers, wretches, hammer, and screwdrivers

Heating systems are becoming more and more popular, especially in places with cold climates. Modern electric systems can be installed in both residential and commercial buildings and are much more clean, safe, and economical than the heating systems of the past which relied on air movement and oversized ducts.

Contemporary Heating Systems
Advantages over Conventional Heating Systems Hot water or forced air was most commonly used by conventional heating systems. With forced air systems the hot air would rise to the ceiling, leaving the lower half of the room cold. No matter how high the thermostat is turned up you can not prevent hot air from rising. The floor is heated in many contemporary systems, causing the floor to act as a giant radiator. This allows your feet to stay warm as the heat distributes evenly throughout the room. Even though these systems are new, the concept was actually used as early as 40AD by the ancient Romans.

Wooden Floors and Radiant Heating Systems
Radiant heating systems install the heat source just beneath the floor. You need to use the proper kind of wood in order to have wood floors with a radiant heating system. It is especially important that you use a dry slab and dry sub floor with your hardwood floor installation. You can ensure that the sub floor and slab are completely dry by running your radiant heating system prior to installing your finished wood floor. The reason you want to remove any moisture prior to installing your wood floor is that it could cause expansion and contraction of the wood floor, leading to damage to the floor.

There are some species of wood that do not work well with a radiant heat system so be sure to consult a professional. It is best to use a system with three thermostats when installing radiant heating with a wood floor. The three thermostats control the water supply temperatures, the room temperature, and measure the temperature outside the home. The addition of the outside thermostat ensures that the system will be prepared for colder temperatures. Electric radiant floor heating is durable, safe, and energy efficient.

Forced air systems are used to heat and cool most homes. When it comes to heating your home with a furnace ducts have an important role to play, as they carry the heated air from the furnace to each room of the home. The two most common materials used to make ducts are fiberglass and sheet metal. The ducts can be located in the walls, ceilings, or floors and move conditioned air to wherever it is needed. Ducts that are not properly installed or insulated can really increase your energy costs.

How Ducts Work
The ducts take either warm or cool air from your furnace, heat pump, or central air conditioner and deliver it to the rooms of your home. Each of the appliances has a fan that forces the air through the ducts. If the temperature outside the duct is cooler than the temperature of the air inside the heat can seep out into the walls, ceilings or floors. The same can happen in the summer with cold air seeping out in response to the warmer air outside the duct. This air is then sucked back into the furnace, heat, pump, or air conditioner to be reconditioned. The best duct systems are a clean source of conditioned air without losing too much of their ideal temperature along the way. Duct systems that are not installed or operating properly can lead to much higher utility bills.

Sealing and Insulating Your Duct Systems
You should carefully check your ducts for leaks to prevent unconditioned air from entering your duct system. Good sealing materials should be used to seal the duct in unconditioned places. Since regular cloth duct tape can become dry, brittle, and ineffective over time it is best to use a fiberglass tape to seal the duct joints. A heat reflective coating should be used to insulate the basement walls and the ducts. If you have converted your basement into a living area you will need to install both supply and return ducts. The slab should have a well sealed vapor barrier to prevent moisture build up.

A heating system needs to be well designed to function at its best. Important things to consider when designing a system include local climate, house construction, and types of materials. The lifestyle and age of those in the home are also very important. The operating costs and efficiency should also be key considerations when designing the system.

Peak Energy Efficiency
You want your heating system to use the least amount of energy possible to meet the heating requirements of your home. Two main types of heating systems are central or baseboard. Fuel options for heating systems include oil, wood, coal, gas, and electricity. You will see reduced utility costs and improved effectiveness of a heating system that uses energy efficiently.

Reduced Costs
The costs associated with the long term maintenance of your heating system need to be considered when designing a home heating system. All systems will require some sort of maintenance and repair along the way. The cost of fuel for the system will also need to be considered. Peak fuel efficiency can only be achieved by controlling the thermostat and heating the room using alternative methods.

Designing a Heating System
You can really reduce your overall costs by choosing the right equipment for your application. You also need to make allowances for fuel storage when designing a system. It is strongly advised that you seek the assistance of a professional heating contractor. Hiring a professional can actually lower your costs as they can do the job right the first time around.

Helpful Tips
You can get expert advice on choosing the right equipment from your professional heating contractor. When designing an entire system you need to consider equipment costs, installation costs, fuel costs, and long term maintenance and upkeep costs. You can also find information on heating systems from books, pamphlets, and web sites.

One of the biggest sources of carbon dioxide is the fossil fuels which are burned to heat our homes and our water. Gas boilers which heated our water and our homes were the standard until fairly recently. When it comes to carbon dioxide emission gas burns cleaner than either oil or coal. You can reduce your homes carbon dioxide emissions by as much as thirty percent by installing a modern condensing boiler. While it would be nice to eliminate the burning of fossil fuels entirely, this is a nice step in the right direction.

Types of Systems
There are many different types of home heating systems available these days, from systems that heat the entire home to units that heat a single room. They also use a variety of different fuels including electricity, oil, LPG, solid fuel, and gas. There are a number of factors which go into determining which system may be right for your including fuel availability, fuel storage, operating costs, and initial equipment investment costs.

Choosing the Right Heating System
The wet central heating system is the most common type of domestic heating installation. The room is quickly warmed as water is run through copper piping between the heat generators and the heat emitters. These types of heating systems almost always use copper components. There are detailed criteria for these systems based upon the maximum water velocities and pump in heating installation. In order to have safe and effective operation of the system you will also need to consider the tube size.

Copper tubing and cylinders are the best things to use for the supply and storage of hot water, no mater what type of heating system you may have. When individual room heaters are used these are separate packages, otherwise they can be an integral part of the homes total heating system. Other inexpensive ways to heat the home are solar heating and heat pumps.

In almost all climates you will need to heat your living space in the winter months. One easy to install and inexpensive form of heating is under floor heating. This system evenly distributes heat to the home and does not require a lot of maintenance. There tends to be a very calming effect to the heat generated by a do-it-yourself under floor heating system.

Under Floor Heating
Often the warm air that is produced by a conventional central heating system rises to the rooms ceiling without making the entire room warm. You get nice even warmth throughout the room, from floor to ceiling, with under floor heating.

Pipes are embedded throughout the floor of the home that carry warm water that has been heated by the boiler. These systems have a manifold that allows you to mix the hot water from the boiler with other water to provide water at the ideal temperature for safely and comfortably heating the home. An electrically operated valve controls the temperature and is connected to a thermostat in the room. While many under floor heating systems will require the skills and experience of a professional, there are some that can be installed by a DIY homeowner.

Under Floor Mats
You can install these systems with any other type of flooring including granite, ceramic tiles, and other natural stone products. It is easy to install the thin under floor heating mats. When you use the correct pipes you should not have any problem getting sufficient heat into the room. Usually the mats are installed within a concrete slab which is under a wood sub floor. The heating pipes under the flooring will need to receive water from either a boiler or a water heater.

Under Floor Heating System Expenses
You can relate the cost of purchasing and installing an under floor heating system to the cost of purchasing radiators. These systems are less expensive to run as the lower water temperatures required to warm the room require less energy than traditional systems. Because the heat is more evenly distributed throughout the room you will feel more comfortable. While you can use almost any type of flooring you want to make sure that it is able to conduct heat. When using carpet or wood flooring you will want to ensure that it is not too thick or it will block the heat from entering the room.

Solar energy is energy that is generated from the sun and then stored for later use. This is an inexpensive and renewable source of energy. You can use solar energy for heating water for your home as well as your home itself.

Passive Solar Energy
Solar energy is a cost efficient and effective way for many homeowners to heat their homes during the cold winter months. Solar energy systems that do not have pumps and circulation methods for energy transfers are referred to as passive solar energy. The south facing side of your building is the most important part of these systems. To maximize the amount of energy that can be generated you will need to clear away anything that shades the south side of the building. Windows that face the south side of the home are the keys in DIY solar energy systems. You want to have the largest windows possible to take full advantage of the suns energy. It is also a good idea to install special flooring materials which will absorb the suns warmth and release it back into the room after dark. This is a direct gain passive solar energy system. One of the disadvantages of this type of system is that it results in a large amount of heat loss. Sunspaces and trombe walls will need to be installed as well in order to prevent this loss of heat.

Sunspaces
This small greenhouse like area is built into the southern side of the solar structure. Sunlight passing through the glass actually heats the structure. The air is circulated through the building through the use of proper ventilation.

Trombe  Wall
This is a common technique used in passive solar heating systems. This masonry wall is usually between 8 and 16 inches thick and coated with a dark heat absorbing material. It will also be faced with a single or double layer of glass. A small airspace is created by the addition of the glass to the wall. Heat from the sun is absorbed by the dark coating on the masonry wall after it passes through the glass. This heat is then slowly transferred to the interior of the wall and released. You can improve the effectiveness of a trombe wall by adding a sheet of metal foil that reduces the amount of infrared energy radiated back through the glass. You will often feel more comfortable in a room heated by a trombe wall than one heated with a traditional forced air furnace.

While you may have seen heating and plumbing tasks performed with great ease on those DIY television shows the truth is that it is seldom that simple. Doing a job improperly could result in a great expense of both time and money and the damage of your existing heating system.

Tips for the Beginner
The right equipment makes all the difference when it comes to plumbing and heating. The equipment used by professionals is usually very expensive and takes a while to become proficient on. Many Do-It-Yourselfers do not factor in the additional costs associated with purchasing proper equipment. To correctly work on plumbing and heating systems you will need a basic level of knowledge of boilers, furnaces, piping, water supply lines, drainage lines, plumbing fixtures, and pipe sizing. It is very rare that the typical DIY homeowner has the skills and knowledge required for the installation of a home heating, cooling, and plumping system.

Installation Dangers
Problems are faced in the installation of heating and plumbing equipment even by professionals who have many years of experience. Most manufacturers would highly recommend that you hire a professional to complete the installation of their equipment, and many will only sell their equipment to licensed contractors. One size does not fit all when it comes to furnaces, boilers, and air conditioning units and often careful calculations are needed in order to purchase the correct unit. You also need some knowledge and skill in order to determine the right pipe size for plumbing connections. Making the wrong decision could harm the health and safety of your family.

DIY Videos
A Little Knowledge is Very Dangerous While these videos may outline the basics when it comes to installation of equipment, they do not provide any assistance when things go wrong, as they so often do when it comes to plumbing. Plumbing is a very complicated and serious task and you should not think that a short video will give you enough knowledge to properly compete the task. You could end up increasing your overall costs and harming your family if you install these items improperly. Often DIY homeowners end up calling a professional to repair the damage they have caused.

Central heating is when the heating for the entire building comes from a central source. In days past large ducts under the floor pushed heat from a fire through the home. Water is most often used today as the central source of central heating. It is usually much less expensive to have central heating than a fireplace in each room of the home. You can actually save a lot of energy with a well designed and maintained central heating system.

A Look at the Central Heating System
The main component of a central heating system is the boiler. Connected to the boiler will be various pipes and radiators. There is a pump that transfers heated water back and forth from the boiler to the pipes. These systems can be individually designed to fit your unique requirements. You will have a well functioning system that saves you energy if you properly install and maintain your system. There are several different types of central heating systems, including open vented, one pipe system, two-pipe system, sealed system, micro bore system and pump positions.

Boilers in Central Heating Systems
The boiler is what actually generates the heat for the system. In order to properly heat the building the boiler must match the size of the building. You will have much higher energy costs than necessary with an oversized boiler and a cool home with an undersized boiler. The size of the boiler will determine the rest of the components of the heating system.

Flue Boilers
In order to supply air to the gas burning part of the furnace and safely release the burnt gas your boiler needs a duct called a flue. The two main types of flue boilers are open flue boilers and balance flue or room sealed boilers. The most recommended type of boilers is the room sealed boilers. This type of flue uses two ducts, one to bring in fresh air and one to release the gas combustion products. The open flue boiler is not recommended as it leaves open the possibility of the toxic combustion gases coming into your home.

Ventilating Your Boiler
Boilers stored in a small compartment will need ventilation to keep them cool. The amount of ventilation required will depend on the type of flue and the heat of the boiler.

There are many different types of boilers including cast iron, combination, condensing, back, and low water. You will get increased safety and energy efficiently with modern boilers which feature fanned flues which are room sealed.

To keep your home or office warm you need to install a central heating unit. While it is recommended that you hire an expert to install your new central heating system, there are some people who choose to do the job themselves. Each central heating system installation is unique based upon the demands of the particular location. There are, however, a few categories of central heating system installation.

Conventional Central Heating System
The installation of this unit requires two tanks, one for cold water storage and feed and one for hot water. You will need to carefully plan the location of this unit as it requires quite a bit of space.

Boiler Central Heating System
Installation of this type of system is usually less expensive than traditional systems as many of the components are built into the cylinders. You do not require a feed and expansion tank with this system since the system is sealed and includes a pressure gauge and a pressure valve.

Combination Boiler Central Heating System
Since this system runs on main water pressure it does not require a cold water feed tank. It instantly heats water as it is needed and thus eliminates the need for the hot water tank as well. You can save money on the installation of this unit as it does not require as much plumbing as the other types of units.

A Look at Heating Systems
The main components of a water central heating system include a boiler, radiators, and interconnecting piping. You need to have bleed valves to allow the release of air in the system if the piping is located above the radiators. You can install the piping either in the ceiling or under the floor. The piping should never be used to support the weight of the floor as this can lead to broken pipes. Often under floor piping runs along the joists or through cut outs in them. For ceiling installations the pipes are usually run between the joists for the ceiling above. You will see better energy efficiently and increased safety if the piping is insulated.

When installing a central heating system you should always take the following into consideration: The temperature of the air at your feet should be no more than 3C below that of the air at head level. The air that flows past your body should be at a variable velocity and horizontal. The surface temperature of the room should not be above the air temperature. Relative humidity should stay between 40 and 60 percent There should be sufficient methods for controlling the temperature. There should be safety procedures in place. The unit should be cost effective over its long term life.

You will need to examine the unique needs posed by your home and your budget when picking a central heating system to install. You want a system that will not be a financial burden or hurt the resale value of your home.