| In a hot water (hydronic) heating
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| | heating cold water in a hydronic system,
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| systems, water is heated in a gas, oil,
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| | it releases air which becomes trapped in
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| or electric boiler and circulated through
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| | the convectors, preventing hot water from
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| pipes to convectors; older systems use
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| | entering. To release this air, most
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| radiators. When the thermostat calls for
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| | convectors are installed with air vents,
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| heat, a "circulator pump" in the boiler
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| | which can be opened with a screwdriver
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| return line moves water through the pipes
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| | until hot water squirts out.Efficiency
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| to the convectors, which give up heat to
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| | can be improved by insulating pipes, or
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| the rooms. When the circulator is not
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| | by partially closing convector shut-off
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| pumping, a "flow-control valve" stops the
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| | valves in rooms requiring less heat.
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| water flow to protect the convectors from
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| | Systems can be divided into zones with
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| overheating.Older gravity systems have no
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| | one or more rooms controlled by a
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| circulator pumps and depend on lighter,
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| | thermostatic "zone valve". Alternatively,
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| heated water rising in the pipes to the
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| | a separate circulator is sometimes used
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| radiators; and cooler, heavier water
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| | for each zone, or you could have
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| gravitating back to the
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| | thermostatic valves installed on each
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| boiler.Single-pipe systems, with short
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| | convector, but these options might be
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| branch lines to each convector, are used
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| | expensive.Boilers are more expensive to
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| in small to medium-sized houses. Two pipe
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| | install than other systems, but are
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| systems use separate supply and return
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| | generally trouble-free, very efficient,
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| pipes, and are more appropriate for
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| | and last much longer than other types of
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| larger houses, because cool return water
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| | heating systems.* Some newer systems
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| from convectors doesn't pass through
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| | use non-metallic piping, installed in
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| others. This maintains a higher water
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| | under floors, to distribute hot water in
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| temperature at far ends of the system.As
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| | the rooms to be heated. In some cases, a
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| heated water expands, an air-tight
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| | domestic oil or gas-fired hot water tank
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| "expansion tank" on the hot side of the
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| | can be fitted with a circulating pump,
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| boiler takes in the excess; and if the
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| | and the hot water directed to convectors
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| tank fills up, a "safety-relief valve" on
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| | or a heating coil installed in a hot air
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| top of the boiler relieves the pressure.
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| | plenum.Copyright Gil Strachan - All
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| If this valve leaks under normal
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| | rights reserved.Gil Strachan is a
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| operating pressure, you can open it
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| | professional home inspector, representing
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| (beware of hot spray) and close it. If
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| | Electrospec Home Inspection Services in
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| the dripping continues, the relief valve
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| | east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994.
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| needs to be replaced.Twice a year, if the
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| | Visit to learn more about home
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| circulator pump and motor are not
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| | inspections."The Home Reference Book"
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| permanently lubricated, add a couple
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| | You can probably find a home inspection
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| drops of oil. If you want to work on your
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| | for a little less than what we ask, but
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| boiler, shut off the power, let it cool
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| | you probably won't find the Home
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| down and then drain the system if
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| | Reference Book. A $60 value, this
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| necessary. Older tanks can be drained
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| | solutions-oriented reference tool comes
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| when they're too full, but newer
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| | free with every inspection we
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| "diaphragm tanks" should be drained only
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| | perform.It's the first tool you should
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| by qualified service personnel.When first
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| | have around the house!
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