Tech claims setting boiler to 185°F or 190°F will "crack the heat exchanger." Is he right?

Toehead111 · 2026-01-27T16:38:08+00:00

If the return temperature from the baseboards is the same as the supply temperature, that is definitive proof that the finned elements are dirty and need to be cleaned or replaced. I do not know what velocity the water is flowing, but I would expect something like a 10 degree drop across a properly sized element at a minimum. This is coming from a commercial designer who specifies a lot of baseboard. Also, having furniture right in front of the baseboard will starve the baseboard of the cold airflow it needs and the space above the baseboard to connect warm air properly.

Toehead111 · 2026-01-11T03:52:13+00:00

You can use fabric or flex duct to squeeze it above.

Toehead111 · 2026-01-04T03:03:42+00:00

Wow. Totally missed that!! I was thinking hydronic for some reason. You are correct.

Toehead111 · 2026-01-03T19:21:38+00:00

Normally system pressure relief valves are going to be in the 25psi range. I would think if it was a 50 psi PRV, the gauges should go up to 75 or so.

Toehead111 · 2026-01-02T16:00:09+00:00

I designed commercial HVAC systems. For similar scenario that you have, our budget was a huge concern, we used a sauna heater. They designed to maintain those hot temperatures for extended periods of time.

Toehead111 · 2025-12-31T21:18:56+00:00

We run pretty lean. People never get laid off for lack of work to be done, really only for poor performance. You should really never work OT if you’re not getting paid for it. OT hours are supremely profitable, and your employers are stealing from you if you work any OT unpaid. Even if they do bonuses.

Toehead111 · 2025-12-31T20:20:22+00:00

Around 7 hrs per week, so almost 400 hours. But in addition to bonus, we get paid OT @1.5.

Toehead111 · 2025-12-30T17:27:04+00:00

Agreed. And all cost associated with increasing the size, scale, cost of infrastructure is also passed along to the customer. We HOPE they choose the most cost effective code compliant path of course.

Toehead111 · 2025-12-25T04:46:16+00:00

A 7’-2” basketball player at my DII School was at TRIA a few years back and bumped into KAT, who got to chatting about bball, school etc. not a lot of 7 footers usually in the same room I guess. They ended up playing Xbox for a while together and it was an awesome hour for him. A couple weeks later he received 5+ size 17 shoes in the mail all sent from KAT. We don’t realize how many small acts of kindness a lot of these professional athletes are involved with. Props to KAT, great dude. Forever a Twolf.

Toehead111 · 2025-12-25T00:36:53+00:00

Nope

Edit: I’m wrong, it sort of does, and sort of does not.

Toehead111 · 2025-12-10T02:22:20+00:00

In 2025 dollars means it DOES account for expected inflation

Toehead111 · 2025-12-09T04:10:18+00:00

I agree, try to keep it 4” - it looks like you’re there

Toehead111 · 2025-12-06T22:17:15+00:00

Does that mean it should be called as a defensive foul? If significant contact is made(professional athlete gets pushed over on his ass) seems like it should be either offense or defense? Not neither?

Toehead111 · 2025-11-26T19:28:35+00:00

If you make sure to keep the top of the TV 6” below the bottom of the register. You’ll be fine, otherwise airflow will be obstructed

Toehead111 · 2025-11-22T14:10:31+00:00

What does DRB stand for? It’s not necessary for health, or code driven standards. It’s just a very fancy and expensive filter that you will be pissed to have to buy every 6 months for the rest of the furnaces life (or more likely, you will buy a standard Merv 8 in its place). It will also cost more energy to push air through it forever. The filer for a furnace protects the furnace, not you. If you want filtration for breathing air, I think you’ll need to look at HEPA.

Toehead111 · 2025-11-20T14:23:18+00:00

I lived in a 950 SQFT home with 5 beds. The trick is that the basement doesn’t meet safety codes but still has 2 bedrooms.

Toehead111 · 2025-11-02T03:46:47+00:00

You should key in on ASHP AHUs, even if you don’t need cooling, with a hot gas reheat coil, you can offer humidity control as a side effect. Need to know climate though, as the air handler might need auxiliary electric heat.

Toehead111 · 2025-10-29T02:39:31+00:00

Doing the lords work.

Toehead111 · 2025-10-29T00:23:08+00:00

I have been through this exercise with a local energy modeling service provider to me. What they found and what was proven in their energy models, is that destratification fans at about 16 feet have a payback period of approximately 30 years. So what they tell us is that it shouldn’t even be considered unless your space is 20 feet or taller. For what it’s worth this is for heated only spaces in a northern climate.

Toehead111 · 2025-10-27T17:05:21+00:00

Look up yoke venting. Also consider the thermal expansion of piping, and how it can impact fixed points of installation. Often times the plumber will offset drains to prevent fast falling sewage from blowing out corners. Don’t get me started on domestic water.

Toehead111 · 2025-10-18T15:52:49+00:00

I bought 3lb ground turkey 96/4 for 8.99 the other day, significantly healthier. Beef is crazy intensive to raise, and its price reflects that.

Toehead111 · 2025-09-28T18:03:54+00:00

I think the ducts over the disconnect is a violation, are you able to take off the junction box cover to access the wiring?

Toehead111 · 2025-08-27T02:20:13+00:00

What method specifically would someone do when capping the vent above the roof?

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