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December 24, 2008
What kind of hot water should I get???
I need advice on how to configure the hot water in my building: boiler? tankless? hot water heater? gas? electric?
And what make?
I am renovating a brownstone with radiant floor heating. It will have solar hot water heating and solar PV in the future but not now. It is a two unit house - one duplex and one triplex.
I'm being told all sorts of configurations on how to set up the hot water heating and my head is spinning.
Just to get it over with I'm considering going with a Munchkin 140 Pro Nat boiler and some water tanks but I am still not sure.
Can anyone give me advice on the most efficient and intelligent way (intelligent being very connected to price)?
Comments
We have radiant heat with Munchkin 140M boiler also heating Superstore 80. Recommended by heating engineer who spec'ed the system for us & works well... As I understand it, the setup is more energy efficient than a standalone waterheater (either tank or tankless). Also I believe gas is more efficient / inexpensive to run than electric. One other thing to note is make sure you have a plumber you are confident either has done this system before and/or is willing to put in a lot of time to get it right because it is a different and a more complicated install than the conventional systems. It isn't that it is rocket science but you have to follow the manufacturers instructions closely / do things differently to normal and this was challenging for our plumber although he did get it right in the end.
Posted by: going4broke at December 24, 2008 9:58 AM
The Munchkin is made by a company called Heat Transfer Products and was a pioneer in its class of modulating/condensing boilers years ago. However, it has consistently gotten mixed reviews for reliability and performance over the past 12 years or so.
There are much better and more reliable mod/con boilers out there now such as the Weil-McLain Ultra or the pricier Lochinvar Knight unit.
You mentioned you're heating the home with solar. Is that a backup or supplemental system to something else?
Even the most aggressive solar suppliers acknowledge the Northeastern US as being at an angle to the sun and climate not entirely suitable to fully-solar heating.
What kind of hot water demand are you looking to accomplish? How many people? What type of tub/shower fixtures? etc...
In designing for efficiency, usage should dictate methods of production.
Posted by: Master Plvmber at December 24, 2008 10:28 AM
Master Plumber,
The solar hot water is definitely a backup and mostly for household hot water. I don't expect it to make much dent into the radiant heating.
There are two units and I suspect it is cheaper to just do one setup that feeds both units and maybe meter each internally (ie. one utility bill).
One unit has two bedrooms and 1.5 baths plus washer/dryer.
The other unit has four bedrooms and 2.5 baths plus washer/dryer.
All tub/shower fixtures are low flow energy efficient.
The person who designed the radiant and suggested the Munchkin is elderly so maybe that is why he likes the boiler....but according to him it is his favorite. However he is not local and won't be installing it.
He also suggested two Supersor 45 gallon water heaters, but said that they might change is I want to integrate with solar hot water. He said I'd have to check with somebody local to decide that.
.....
Posted by: gennaro at December 24, 2008 2:42 PM
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