The poetry of the installation of a steam system - Absolute Mechanical

When we install a new boiler we diagnose the entire system. This includes the production of heat and distribution of heat. 

We want to make sure that each stage of the heating process is done correctly and efficiently. This includes the boiler (sizing, cleaning, installation, supports, etc); near boiler piping (all the piping within 15' of the boiler will be completely brand new, in the proper configuration, and insulated); boiler controls and devices (all the controls will be brand new and the latest technology); production of hot water in a manner that makes sure there is no loss of energy; installation of master vents to make sure that the boiler is not operating to produce pressure to push steam but that steam flows through the system entering each radiator at the exact same time; TRVS on all the radiators to dynamically adjust their output based on the conditions of the room; and the redlink to determine the buildings indoor conditions (if the coldest area is satisfied then no more heat is needed). 

Our steam systems are unlike any in New York. An installation by Absolute Mechanical ensures that there will be no more steam hammer noise, no more over heating or dips in temperature, and no more dry air. 

How to adjust danfoss thermostatic radiator valve (TRV)

Number 1 and number 3 represent pointers. Depending on how you look at the valve you turn handle with numbers 2 and 4 on dial to align with pointers. You have to align number on scale 2 with pointer 1 or number on scale 4 to align with pointer 3. These 2 scales are identical and you can use either one of them. The number you pick represents temperature in the room. Start with number we set for you. We picked starting point for you. Try it for a day. The day must be chilly, like 50F or lower outside temperature. Do not do it when it is warm outside. If you feel cold go up 1/4 of the space between 2 numbers to the time. If warm lower setting 1/4 of the space between numbers. Try it for another day. Do not go to extreme setting either way right away. Your body has to accommodate to room conditions. It is different type of heating and you will love it when you find proper setting. 


Removal and disposal of oil tanks

Removal and Disposal of Oil Tanks

NEW YORK CITY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE TITLE 29
NEW YORK CITY FIRE CODE

3404.2.14 Removal and disposal of tanks.

Removal and disposal of tanks shall comply with the requirements of Sections 3404.2.14.1 and 3404.2.14.2.
3404.2.14.1 Removal. Removal of aboveground and underground tanks shall be in compliance with the following requirements:
 1. Flammable and combustible liquids shall be removed from the tank and connecting piping.
 2. The tank and connecting piping shall be rendered free of flammable and combustible vapors using an inert gas.
 3. Piping at tank openings shall be disconnected.
 4. Piping shall be removed from the premises. Exception: Piping may be sealed in place where the commissioner determines that removal is not practical. Sealed in place piping shall be capped and safeguarded by filling with concrete or other approved material, and the fill connection removed from the fill pipe.
 5. Tank openings shall be capped or plugged, leaving a 0.125-inch to 0.25-inchdiameter (3.2 mm to 6.4 mm) opening for pressure equalization.
 6. Tanks shall be removed from the premises.

3404.2.14.2 Disposal. Tanks and piping shall be disposed of lawfully.


(d) Permanently Out-of-Service Storage Systems

(C) For fuel oil storage systems with a total capacity of 330 gallons or less, the closure shall be performed by a person holding a certificate of license or by a person who is employed and supervised by a person holding such certificate, by a person holding an oil-burning equipment installer license issued by the Department of Buildings or by a person who is employed by and under the direct supervision of a person holding such license, or a plumber licensed by the Department of Buildings.

(2) Affidavit of compliance. The owner or operator of a permanently out-of-service storage system or the permit holder for such system shall file with the Department an affidavit certifying that such system was removed and disposed of, or abandoned in place, in compliance with the requirements of FC Chapter 34 and this section. Such affidavit shall be executed by a person with the requisite qualifications to supervise the closure of such tanks.

Zoning and Efficiency of High Efficiency Boilers Operating on Outdoor Reset

I always see high efficiency modulating boilers installed with zoning control. Unfortunately this can't be correct due to the way modulating boilers are designed to operate.  Modulating boilers should operate on outdoor reset, meaning that temperature of the water going to the heating system changes depending on outdoor temperature and flow of the water through the heating system remains constant.

The lower the outside temperature gets, the hotter the water that is pumped into the heating system. When it is warmer outside, the water temperature going to heating system gets cooler.

If one zone is turned off or set to a lower temperature for a period of time then when the homeowner needs this space to go into normal heating mode it will take hours to heat the space to the desired temperature. This space needs a water temperature higher than the one set by outdoor reset control of the boiler to get heat delivered fast. Some contractors bypass this by deciding to program the boiler so water temperature will be raised over the one set by outdoor reset for a limited time to heat this one zone faster. Yes, right, but at the same time other zones will be overheated.

Zoning of systems controlled by outdoor reset cannot be done with zone valves or pumps. It must be done with outdoor reset mixing valves, and reset curves and boosts must be set for each zone. It might be cost prohibitive and impacts efficiency of the system.  

Do I need an oil to gas conversion to be more efficient

The idea is that an oil to gas conversion will save you money in the operation of your system. This is true as gas is about 30% less than oil per BTU of heat. Therefore you can lower your bills just by changing the source of fuel. However, you can save even more just by looking at your existing system. By optimizing, upgrading, and updating your heating system with modern techniques and technologies you can save over 50% without converting to gas. These techniques should also be implemented if you choose to convert to gas anyway to see a savings of over 70%.

The boiler is just one part of a very intricate system. All parts need to be addressed to get the most out of the system. 

Balancing steam and hot water systems, installation of outdoor and/or indoor reset controllers, variable frequency drive pumps, insulating of all piping, correcting sequence of operation, are just a few measures to name, making huge impact on efficiency and comfort of the heating systems. 

West 22nd Street - Oil to gas conversion - Viessmann

Absolute Mechanical has finally completed it's West 22nd street project. The boiler room is on the bottom floor of a duplex in a 4 unit building. The original boiler and oil tank took up an entire room of a Manhattan apartment and emitted an extreme amount of noise and heat! We installed a brand new mechanical room with a new Viessmann boiler and indirect hot water heater for this unit. It freed up an entire room for the apartment as well as a gorgeous installation for them to admire. 

West 90th Street - Steam Boiler - Oil to Gas Conversion

This is a steam boiler installation with Thermostatic Radiator Valves and an internet enabled thermostat which allows the owner to view the temperature in the building from anywhere in the world. 

The first picture is the original boiler, all the pictures after are the after and during the installation.

The completion of 43rd Street - Viessmann

This video is from the first day of the boiler installation. Please note that when there is something done that will cause dust we close up the space entirely in plastic so no debris enters the living space. 

This was our first installation of the new Viessmann 222-F. This system is a great solution to the problems that arise from tankless combi boilers on the domestic hot water side. The Viessmann 222-F has a 25 gallon tank inside. While it is floor standing and larger than a wall hung Viessmann, it allows for a smaller footprint of the piping for the system. 

The completion of Avenue C - Viessmann Vitodens 200W

This was a very difficult project for us due to the installation of a new gas service from the street. These projects require a lot of back and forth between the utility company, the building department, and the contractor. Many requirements must be met before the gas line is provided which means much of the project is done in stages. Our video system was put in place in the middle of this project which took the better part of a year to complete.

Video 1 from March 31st shows the old boiler being removed. Each section was vacuumed and cleaned before it was taken apart to ensure that the dirt did not go all over the boiler room. All the equipment was covered in plastic to protect it. 

Each video is 30 -80 seconds long showing the day's work. Watch a heating system installation in only a few minutes!

 

 

Videos of Absolute's Installations

In this post we will highlight some videos from our installations. As we continue to update our new website with our completed and existing projects, these videos will be posted to their project's page. 

How many boilers can fit into one boiler room?

24 boilers in one boiler room!

24 boilers in one boiler room!

This picture was sent to me over the weekend by my friend from a boiler room he went into. The owner of this boiler room thought it would be wise to buy 24 boilers and 24 water heaters so the tenants could pay their own heat and hot water. That's right - 24 BOILERS and 24 WATER HEATERS! This person thought they were being smart because the tenants would pay their own heat and hot water.  What he didn't realize is that 24 boilers and 24 water heaters means 48 problems at a time!

I get this question all the time, "would it make sense to just install individual boilers and water heaters so they can pay their own heat and hot water " the answer is always, NO. Absolutely not. There are several reasons for that. One is, who maintains these units... that's a maintenance charge for each unit. The money you have saved in not paying their tiny gas bill (if the system is installed properly) is wasted in maintenance costs alone. Not to mention that it's the same as installing one unit but times 24! 

Aside from the terrible expense it is and future head ache, like for example, what if all 24 break at the same time, these units are not sized for individual apartments. They are sized for homes and multifamily buildings. That means that they are not only inefficient, they are short cycling and dying slowly. This increases the likelihood of them dying all together exponentially. If this person was to install ONE high efficiency unit he would be saving not only on the install, maintenance, and future repairs/installation but also on his bills. He could heat this entire building for what most people pay for their home heating bills and make money from his heating system! 

New Construction, what's wrong with you?

My friends often tell me that they are looking at a new construction building to buy a condo. They claim that if it's new it won't have any problems that older buildings have. It must be great! They never believe me when I say to stay away. I say this because we are called out very often to see new constructions that have been occupied for 5 years or even less with nothing but problems. 

We see hi-tech systems installed like regular systems, not properly set up, not completed in their installation. We see each apartment with their own boilers. The apartments are getting smaller and smaller while the boilers are getting bigger and bigger, with fewer piping. It's a shame to see such gorgeous buildings with such terrible heating systems. Builders and tenants alike don't realize how important a properly designed mechanical system is until they are faced with loud banging, cold winters, open windows, and law suits. 

The pictures above are a before and after in a new construction (little to no heat for 5 years). As you can see, the first picture has half the installation missing. In the second picture we have completed the original builders installation to provide heat to a 25 unit building. 

My heats not working, I need a plumber

Very often I hear "I need a plumber, my heating system isn't working properly" or "Why did my plumber not know how to install this boiler correctly". Well the answer is simple, if your heart hurt would you say "I need a general physician" or "I need a cardiologist"? Yes, both have the license to work on your body and treat you but only one has the specific expertise to work on your heart. Consider your home a body and everyone who works in it needs to specialize in the specific part of your home. It may be complicated but doing it right once will save you the trouble of fixing it over and over again. 

It is true that you need to be a licensed plumber to work on gas lines which means you need to be a licensed plumber to work on a boiler. However, you need to be a heating contractor to know your heating systems. There is a term, jack of all trades master of none. This is true for everyone, plumbers included. If you need your Air Conditioner worked on then you should contact an air conditioning company, if you need you plumbing done, ie toilets, sinks, waste lines, then contact a plumber. If you need your heating system done, contact a heating professional. 

a great place to get heating information and help is www.heatinghelp.com

Design Temperature

As temperatures drop to historical lows tenants and home owners are noticing drops in their indoor temperature as well. This is because heating systems are designed for 11F outdoor temperature. They are designed for 99% of the conditions so that they can be more efficient when necessary. If the system is oversized for the few days that the temperatures drop below 11F they will operate very poorly on all the days that are above 11F. 

This means that in very cold weather such as 9F the indoor temperature will drop a few degrees. Customers should seal and winterize all leaking windows, doors and especially fireplaces if not in use. This will help keep the heat in on those very very cold winter days. Once the temperatures creep back over 11 degrees the indoor temperature will return to normal.

The Triangle - Fast, Good, or Cheap

You can have something good, cheap, or fast but you can't have all three. Here Fast refers to the time required to deliver the product, Good is the quality of the final product, and Cheap refers to the total cost of designing and building the product. This triangle reflects the fact that the three properties of a project are interrelated, and it is not possible to optimize all three – one will always suffer. In other words you have three options:

  • Design something quickly and to a high standard, but then it will not be cheap.
  • Design something quickly and cheaply, but it will not be of high quality.
  • Design something with high quality and cheaply, but it will take a relatively long time.

When making your final decisions you have to consider these three options. Which one are you willing to sacrifice in your project. 

To TRV or not to TRV

Our installations come standard with thermostatic radiator valves. This is a must for our steam installations and an option for our hydronic installations. 

TRVs on Steam- TRVs allow the boiler to be sized to the houses needs versus the existing radiators
The reason that TRVs are mandatory on our steam installations is because it allows us to more accurately size the boiler to the needs of the home. In general when sizing a steam boiler you size the boiler to the radiators. The issue with this is that the radiators are existing. Who knows who installed them, what kind of windows did the house have at the time, what kind of insulation, what were the needs of each room. Or were the radiators just picked from whatever was available and installed. No one knows. This means that you could potentially be over sizing the boiler to an already over sized system. TRVs allow you to size the boiler to the house and they control how much steam goes into each radiator. They sense the temperature in the room and let out only the right amount of air to keep the room at a desired temperature. Therefore if a room has sun coming in, internal gains, or a party the radiator will only have some sections hot if heat is necessary at all. 

How does it impact my boiler? TRVs allow the boiler installed to be smaller. By installing a smaller boiler the home owner will save on their heating bills and in the case of an oil to gas conversion, on their chimney lining. 

TRVs on hydronic- Automatic Balancing
A hydronic boiler is already sized up to the house so TRVs do not affect its sizing. What they do affect is balancing issues. A properly balanced system is an extreme comfort. TRVs on hydronic allow for each radiator to control how much water flow it needs and therefore remove the need to balance manually. This also affects air removal. Our systems have air eliminators installed at the boiler. An improperly balanced system traps the air regardless of these air eliminators. 

While it is not required to install TRVs with our installations it is highly recommended. 

Zoning, Thermostats, and Control

Often I am asked by customers if we can install zones and thermostats on our high efficiency installations. When I begin to explain that we can not zone or install thermostats on high efficiency I am asked "how will i be able to control the system" and I answer "why do you want to control the system". There is no need to micromanage a high efficiency system, it is the perfect secretary... it knows exactly what you need and when you need it. However, if you feel that it's just too much letting go, you can install TRVs which control flow to each radiator individually and does not interfere with the boilers functions.

Why shouldn't you zone a high efficiency system? 
Because a high efficiency system has to be on 24/7 and modulate to follow the load. The load is the key. A typical one family house barely has 100,000 BTU heat loss on a cold day let alone the average heating season day. A typical 100,000 BTU boiler (just as an example) can modulate from 20,000 BTU to 100,000 BTU before it shuts off because it doesn't see a load. If you zone the system you break up this load even further. The boiler will not see a load because it's under it's lowest modulation point (in non specific terms). This destroys all the comfort and efficiency of this wonderful system. 

Why can't I have a thermostat?
Very simply, for a high efficiency system to be high efficient it must modulate and a thermostat prohibits it from modulating. To modulate means that the flame has to get higher and lower to keep the temperature at the right point to replace any lost heat from the building. If you install a thermostat you remove the boilers ability to modulate because you now control the boiler turning on and off. While this seems unfair to the feelings of the boiler since it knows best what it needs to do, it will also impact your comfort. These boilers do not have a high pick up rate like a standard efficiency boiler so it takes longer for the entire house to warm up vs a standard boiler. Each time the thermostat turns the system off it needs a significant amount of time to heat the building back up to a desired temperature. Aside from the fact that you are losing all your efficiency in that start up, you are also losing all your comfort because you are introducing temperature fluctuations which confuse your body.