REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

GLOW · 03-05-2014, 08:02 PM

My parents' Vancouver special uses in floor radiant heating. The heater is leaking water and may need replacing. Before i go get quotes, does anyone have a ballpark idea what is a reasonable cost for supply and install?

Tia

willystyle · 03-05-2014, 08:39 PM

Tough to say, as anything with trades, the quotes can be quite drastic. We had to fix our heating system for our floor radiant heating about 5 years ago. It costed us about $800, if I remember correctly.

GLOW · 03-05-2014, 09:04 PM

Thanks for the response. I understand price can vary especially with repairs which is why I was asking supply and install of new so I can get an idea of worst case scenario.

HKS PWR · 03-06-2014, 12:40 AM

Around 8 hours of labour to re & re, plus around $2000-3500 for the new boiler (a decent Weil-Mclain is around $2500) and miscellaneous parts.

cunninglinguist · 03-07-2014, 07:54 PM

Was it dripping from the "overflow" pipe by any chance?

GLOW · 03-08-2014, 03:34 AM

I believe from somewhere within the heat exchanger
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bomboi1 · 03-11-2014, 07:30 PM

if your parents have a radiant heat in their home the chances of it its "poly-B" which fails

i would recommend buying a raypak boiler as it has a warranty if u use it on a poly b system while other boilers dont

sleepywheel · 03-13-2014, 03:19 PM

Here's your worst case scenario and it has to happen to me

.

I have a Vancouver Special with the poly-b tubing, and it's cost me a pile of money over the years. The poly-b allows oxygen to enter the system and causes the boiler to rust. There's always a problem with it, usually on the coldest day of the year and it seems to happen every year. I had a Super Hot put in by a neighbours relative 4 years ago and when they left, I had 2 blocked zones and piping that was installed incorrectly. Don't know why the zones got blocked but I think he may have disturbed the crap in the lines when he was bleeding the system. I managed to clear one of the lines but not the other because the rust flakes from the original cast iron boiler was all jammed up in the line under the cement slab.

He told me there was a five year warranty on the boiler but neglected to tell me only if there is no poly-b tubing involved. Then he never answers my phone calls or returns any of my messages. Learned my lesson, go with a knowledgeable company with good ratings. It will cost more but hopefully worth it.

I got an estimate today for a properly designed system with a heat exchanger and basically two pump systems. Takes 2 days to install and all the poly-b connections in the house are changed to the approved ones. 10 G's before taxes. Ouch!

This includes permits and inspection by the city and carries a 10 year warranty provided I get the system serviced every year.

The only good thing about this is that if I ever sell the house, the inspector cannot tell a prospective buyer that it would cost thousands to convert the system. Yeah right..............I've already paid it! But I can now tell my insurance company that there is less chance of a flood claim.

Doubl3_H · 03-13-2014, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepywheel

Here's your worst case scenario and it has to happen to me

.

I have a Vancouver Special with the poly-b tubing, and it's cost me a pile of money over the years. The poly-b allows oxygen to enter the system and causes the boiler to rust. There's always a problem with it, usually on the coldest day of the year and it seems to happen every year. I had a Super Hot put in by a neighbours relative 4 years ago and when they left, I had 2 blocked zones and piping that was installed incorrectly. Don't know why the zones got blocked but I think he may have disturbed the crap in the lines when he was bleeding the system. I managed to clear one of the lines but not the other because the rust flakes from the original cast iron boiler was all jammed up in the line under the cement slab.

He told me there was a five year warranty on the boiler but neglected to tell me only if there is no poly-b tubing involved. Then he never answers my phone calls or returns any of my messages. Learned my lesson, go with a knowledgeable company with good ratings. It will cost more but hopefully worth it.

I got an estimate today for a properly designed system with a heat exchanger and basically two pump systems. Takes 2 days to install and all the poly-b connections in the house are changed to the approved ones. 10 G's before taxes. Ouch!

This includes permits and inspection by the city and carries a 10 year warranty provided I get the system serviced every year.

The only good thing about this is that if I ever sell the house, the inspector cannot tell a prospective buyer that it would cost thousands to convert the system. Yeah right..............I've already paid it! But I can now tell my insurance company that there is less chance of a flood claim.

you can never ever get rid of all the poly Bs in your house if its radiant heat.

How you change out the pipes in the floor? They can just replace whatever thats coming outta the ground to hepex or oxypex for that matter. Best bet is to put in a stainless steel or copper heat exchange or just a plain heat exchanger for that matter.

Whoever told you that they are going to replace all the poly Bs in your home is lying to you, UNLESS ofcourse they jackhammer the whole house's floor, run new pipes and repour, which in that case, 10Gs sounds really cheap:P

sleepywheel · 03-13-2014, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doubl3_H

you can never ever get rid of all the poly Bs in your house if its radiant heat.

How you change out the pipes in the floor? They can just replace whatever thats coming outta the ground to hepex or oxypex for that matter. Best bet is to put in a stainless steel or copper heat exchange or just a plain heat exchanger for that matter.

Whoever told you that they are going to replace all the poly Bs in your home is lying to you, UNLESS ofcourse they jackhammer the whole house's floor, run new pipes and repour, which in that case, 10Gs sounds really cheap:P

Guess I wasn't clear. The pipes in the floor are staying but they are going to a copper heat exchanger so any oxygen that gets into the system from the poly-b won't go into the boiler. They aren't going to replace all the poly-b, like you said it would be like redoing all of the floor and there's no way I could afford that. Anything on the boiler side will be copper.

sdubfid · 03-14-2014, 02:02 PM

I have a non leaking weil mclain boiler for sale cheap

bomboi1 · 03-17-2014, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepywheel

Guess I wasn't clear. The pipes in the floor are staying but they are going to a copper heat exchanger so any oxygen that gets into the system from the poly-b won't go into the boiler. They aren't going to replace all the poly-b, like you said it would be like redoing all of the floor and there's no way I could afford that. Anything on the boiler side will be copper.

thats why i suggested to go with a raypak boiler as it has a warranty on poly b systems

sleepywheel · 03-17-2014, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomboi1

thats why i suggested to go with a raypak boiler as it has a warranty on poly b systems

Really? I've already put down 50% on the quote for my job but I'm going to give him a call tomorrow morning and suggest the Raypak and see what he says. Thanks.

Ed

GLOW · 03-19-2014, 11:49 AM

my parents' replacement is ray pak. i believe they were told it had a 10 year warranty.

sleepywheel · 03-20-2014, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GLOW

my parents' replacement is ray pak. i believe they were told it had a 10 year warranty.

How much did it cost to be replaced? My guys are doing mine right now, they're replumbing everything in the boiler room. In my line of work as a mechanic, I'm a stickler for perfection and these guys really seem to know what they're doing. Everything has it's place and the lines are straight and parallel. Keep us updated on how the install went and if there are any problems in the future.
Not hoping your parents boiler has problems but I may be kicking myself for spending so much money even after bomboi1 recommended the Raypak.

GLOW · 03-20-2014, 08:45 AM

pm'd you

Gnomes · 10-21-2018, 08:50 PM

Digging up this old thread. From the jist of this thread, avoid poly b piping (which were banned mid 90 's). Look for raypack systems.

Any easy way to confirm heating is not poly b system? Would the boiler room show bunch of gray/white pipes with copper fittings?

Rallydrv · 11-05-2018, 08:30 PM

Guys can somebody reco. good plumbing and heating. i need to get my boiler serviced.

Pioneer Plumbing & Heating Inc
Pro Ace Heating & Air Conditioning Ltd
Lamberthomecomfort

seems to have good reviews. any exp. w/ them?

sorry for hijacking the thread :L

J-Chow · 11-09-2018, 11:32 PM

My furnace has recently stopped working, so I called 1st Call Plumbing and Heating in Richmond. I've used them once before ,to repair a leaky water pipe from the 2nd floor.

Technician is experienced, and the quotes they give you is spot on. No up selling, and they only recommend you what "should" be done.

But my hot water tank is at least 10 years old, and I need to replace that, as well as replace the control valve module on the furnace. All in all, around $1700.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rallydrv

Guys can somebody reco. good plumbing and heating. i need to get my boiler serviced.

Pioneer Plumbing & Heating Inc
Pro Ace Heating & Air Conditioning Ltd
Lamberthomecomfort

seems to have good reviews. any exp. w/ them?

sorry for hijacking the thread :L