Everyone ready for winter?
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Went to my sister's near Toledo for Christmas. No snow here, but started seeing a little on the ground near West Liberty, OH. Somewhat more after I got up around Kenton, and ground was totally covered at my sister's. This was Fri. PM. It got much warmer Mon. morning, and it all melted. It got up to around 70 in Cincinnati yesterday, but only low 40's today.
81°F yesterday, ~84°F today, same-ish tomorrow. Weak norther Thu/Fri, then 70°Fs for a few days until the next. Some area peeps hitting their (heated) pools.
thespiritof76
Well-known member
Here in Wichita......
In my historic 1903 Craftsman home, I have Big Bertha. Big Bertha, is my antique boiler, and with her I have good old cast iron radiators. She was originally a coal burning system (she is still in the coal room of my basement, with the cast iron coal shoot door), then she was converted to gas at some point in time. I have been in this house 6 months on the 10th of December, and being one that has always has forced air systems, I didn't know what to expect. But I have been pleasantly surprised! She keeps my house nice and toasty, and it is a nice soft, even heat, that doesn't blast me like forced air. So over all I am very pleased, the only thing is I have yet to master her temperature. It seems that she heats about 5 degrees higher than I set the thermostat at, but I guess that is just part of the relationship we have to build.
In my historic 1903 Craftsman home, I have Big Bertha. Big Bertha, is my antique boiler, and with her I have good old cast iron radiators. She was originally a coal burning system (she is still in the coal room of my basement, with the cast iron coal shoot door), then she was converted to gas at some point in time. I have been in this house 6 months on the 10th of December, and being one that has always has forced air systems, I didn't know what to expect. But I have been pleasantly surprised! She keeps my house nice and toasty, and it is a nice soft, even heat, that doesn't blast me like forced air. So over all I am very pleased, the only thing is I have yet to master her temperature. It seems that she heats about 5 degrees higher than I set the thermostat at, but I guess that is just part of the relationship we have to build.
philr
Well-known member
These thermostats are adjustable. I have never tried to use that one but it has adjustment screws inside.
This one has a tag that says "old store, still good" and "replaced on December 11th 1963"!
This one has a tag that says "old store, still good" and "replaced on December 11th 1963"!
lordkenmore
Well-known member
I like Big Bertha! Wish I could see more of her (the insulation jacket--while practical--hides most of her. But then I suppose she might be modest.)
As I mentioned above, we had some sort of radiator system in one house, and my mother talked about how comfortable that house was until the end of her life. My mother did not like cold in the least, so she was a bit of a connoisseur of heating systems. (Although she was practically minded. She wouldn't have sat, glued to a computer monitor, watching, say, videos of old furnaces. That's what her crazy son might do, naming no names...)
As for the temperature rise of 5 degrees above the thermostat setting--it seems like a bit of playing should get the temperature where you want it. One aspect: when the boiler isn't running, there is probably a lot of residual heat in the system that will continue heating the house. Point #2: the thermostat may have calibration issues. I have a far newer thermostat, and it's 5 degrees off. You can probably learn to adjust. (Unless the thermostat becomes a problem, I wouldn't replace. A digital thermostat would seem just plain wrong in that house!)
By the way, is the house a true "Craftsman" (Gustav Stickley) or just from that era? My mother absolutely loved Stickley design...if she'd had the money, she'd have had one of his houses, fully furnished with his furniture.
As I mentioned above, we had some sort of radiator system in one house, and my mother talked about how comfortable that house was until the end of her life. My mother did not like cold in the least, so she was a bit of a connoisseur of heating systems. (Although she was practically minded. She wouldn't have sat, glued to a computer monitor, watching, say, videos of old furnaces. That's what her crazy son might do, naming no names...)
As for the temperature rise of 5 degrees above the thermostat setting--it seems like a bit of playing should get the temperature where you want it. One aspect: when the boiler isn't running, there is probably a lot of residual heat in the system that will continue heating the house. Point #2: the thermostat may have calibration issues. I have a far newer thermostat, and it's 5 degrees off. You can probably learn to adjust. (Unless the thermostat becomes a problem, I wouldn't replace. A digital thermostat would seem just plain wrong in that house!)
By the way, is the house a true "Craftsman" (Gustav Stickley) or just from that era? My mother absolutely loved Stickley design...if she'd had the money, she'd have had one of his houses, fully furnished with his furniture.
gusherb
Well-known member
You may not wanna hear this if you're into the aesthetic of the thermostat but I would replace it with a Honeywell focus Pro 5000 to be honest, I have some vintage thermostats in my collection including that particular Honeywell and I don't think they were ever that accurate to begin with, add 60+ years and it's pretty inaccurate and resulting in what you see. You will probably have higher gas bills as a result of that too. I would put the thermostat on display somewhere and just use a much more accurate one like the one I mentioned.
lordkenmore
Well-known member
I would put the thermostat on display somewhere and just use a much more accurate one like the one I mentioned.
A fairly reasonable, practical approach. I have to admit--I hate digital thermostats, but this might be a practical move.
One option occurs to me. I think I've heard the suggestion of having an old fashioned mechanical thermostat wired in parallel in case the digital thermostat malfunctions (such as a battery dying when its freezing out, and one is out of town for the weekend). If that would work for this system, the old thermostat could stay on display, set to some sort of minimum temperature to provide "fail safe" backup, while the digital thermostat does the day to day work.
A fairly reasonable, practical approach. I have to admit--I hate digital thermostats, but this might be a practical move.
One option occurs to me. I think I've heard the suggestion of having an old fashioned mechanical thermostat wired in parallel in case the digital thermostat malfunctions (such as a battery dying when its freezing out, and one is out of town for the weekend). If that would work for this system, the old thermostat could stay on display, set to some sort of minimum temperature to provide "fail safe" backup, while the digital thermostat does the day to day work.
Jae DeVine
Digging the boiler. There are many holder homes up here in my neck of the woods with boiler heat.
FWIW, I grew up on forced air gas. Except for the 15 or so years we heated with wood.
I'm partial to it due to fact temp changes can happen quickly and I guess I am used to it.
But to those who have boilers, I've yet to hear a negative about them
Digging the boiler. There are many holder homes up here in my neck of the woods with boiler heat.
FWIW, I grew up on forced air gas. Except for the 15 or so years we heated with wood.
I'm partial to it due to fact temp changes can happen quickly and I guess I am used to it.
But to those who have boilers, I've yet to hear a negative about them
philr
Well-known member
I also have a small collection of vintage thermostats but none in use!
I already had to deal with the replacement of other parts of the old heating system in the house I haven't moved in yet and I'd like if I could afford replacing the boiler with a more efficient one. I'll have to deal with other stuff first.
I already had to deal with the replacement of other parts of the old heating system in the house I haven't moved in yet and I'd like if I could afford replacing the boiler with a more efficient one. I'll have to deal with other stuff first.
Our boiler is original to the house 1958 and still working perfectly. As for efficiency I dunno. All I do know is that we keep our house at around 73 and our gas bill is less than many neighbors with forced air gas who keep their t-stats set lower. It also keep our basement toasty warm from all the residual heat. Not very much maintenance is required, once a year, sometimes two years, all I've had to do is go around with a small wrench and bleed some air out of a few baseboards. I'd be wary of buying a new boiler,, we had one in the small aprtment building we had for a few years.. it had a few issues with the electronics.
My trusty 22 year old New Yorker oil boiler heats 2000 sq. ft. plus hot water on an average of 500 gals. a year. Cheap this year to fill my oil tanks, but other past winters have hurt.
Winter? it's summer!
It's Summer down here on the south of the planet.
Foggy this morning but currently 30 degrees C (86 F) and bright sunshine at 4.20 pm.
We had a HOT christmas day - 36 degrees C (97 F) so appreciating the cooler weather. Tomato and zucchini plants enjoying the heat.
Chris.
It's Summer down here on the south of the planet.
Foggy this morning but currently 30 degrees C (86 F) and bright sunshine at 4.20 pm.
We had a HOT christmas day - 36 degrees C (97 F) so appreciating the cooler weather. Tomato and zucchini plants enjoying the heat.
Chris.
gusherb
Well-known member
Yes an old mechanical thermostat in parallel with the digital one, or I think they even sell fixed temp thermostats just for that purpose (AKA a construction thermostat, those come preset at like 40, 45, and 50 degrees). Or one could use a spare wire and hook up the common on the thermostat and be using low voltage from the transformer instead of batteries, couple that with something reliable like a contractor grade Honeywell (not that Honeywell junk from the Homo Depot) and you won't have any issues. I've got several Honeywell digital thermostats over 10 years old and not skipping a beat. Higher end models like their Prestige includes a couple of temp sensors that go in the return and supply plenum that allows some features of the thermostat to be utilized, but also acts as a failsafe if the thermostat itself were to fail somehow.
I think we are starting a new trend for Christmas in TN. Last year and this one too we had the AC on for Christmas day! Then the next day storms came through and the heat kicked on! I wish I had a house with hydronic heating in the floors...I hate cold floors. My 16 year old Amana (Goodman) gas package still going strong, knock wood.
If you can't have underfloort heating, you could consider a Cozy Toes heated carpet.
http://www.floormat.com/heated-mats/cozy-toes-carpeted-foot-warmer.html
http://www.floormat.com/heated-mats/cozy-toes-carpeted-foot-warmer.html
vacerator
Well-known member
Yes, if have to sleep alone,
or cuddle to heat up the bed.
.!. x2 or .!. plus () or whatever floats ones boat.
or cuddle to heat up the bed.
.!. x2 or .!. plus () or whatever floats ones boat.warmsecondrinse
Well-known member
WarmUp, WarmBoard, WarmlyYours are all retrofit electric floor heating systems. They can be installed under your present first floor flooring if you can access the underside from the basement.
However, Vacerator really has the right idea, IMO. Three is the ideal number IF you're in the middle. Puppy piles are fun, but work better for naps, I think. I'm not sure. I'm still experimenting
Jim
However, Vacerator really has the right idea, IMO. Three is the ideal number IF you're in the middle. Puppy piles are fun, but work better for naps, I think. I'm not sure. I'm still experimenting
Jim
warmsecondrinse
Well-known member
Petek,
The "waste" heat from your old boiler not only keeps your basement warm, it also warms the floor of the first floor. Most people are comfortable at a slightly lower temps if the floors are warm than they would if the floors aren't. A new boiler will give you colder floors, a cooler basement, and minor drafts will abruptly seem not so minor. Been there, done that.
This happens to a lesser, but still noticeable extent with forced warm air. Ideally, the furnace will be in the basement with ducts running along the ceiling of the basement to the registers at the perimeter of the house. Heat "lost" from uninsulated ducts actually serves to warm the floor above. This reduces the feeling of chill alternating with blasts of heat that so many people associate with forced warm air heating.
The "waste" heat from your old boiler not only keeps your basement warm, it also warms the floor of the first floor. Most people are comfortable at a slightly lower temps if the floors are warm than they would if the floors aren't. A new boiler will give you colder floors, a cooler basement, and minor drafts will abruptly seem not so minor. Been there, done that.
This happens to a lesser, but still noticeable extent with forced warm air. Ideally, the furnace will be in the basement with ducts running along the ceiling of the basement to the registers at the perimeter of the house. Heat "lost" from uninsulated ducts actually serves to warm the floor above. This reduces the feeling of chill alternating with blasts of heat that so many people associate with forced warm air heating.
