If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question???

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If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 4:17:04 AM

mistoferin

Posts: 8284
Joined: 10/27/2004
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When they spoke of the luck of the Irish I have a feeling they weren't talking about GOOD luck.

Sir and I bought a home last week. The day we signed the paperwork on it there was apparently a small fire in the service wire coming in from the electric company, which cut off power to the home. It didn't cause much damage other than some rewiring that needs to be done to restore power (and the electrical box has to be moved to a new location). The problem was that the electrical company and the fire department did not think to notify us that this had happened. Sooooooo.....the house sat for three days without power. Well, in these cold temperatures that was long enough for the plumbing and heating pipes to freeze and burst. (No, it happened literally the day we signed so there was no insurance yet)

Anyway, it is an older home with lots of charm and it had those old cast iron lion head radiators....which split. I am now trying to decide if I want to search for replacements, which are really hard to find and really expensive....or change over to a different type of heating system. We are looking at hot water baseboard heating (the boiler is new) or that radiant heating that you put in the floors.

Does anyone here know about this stuff? What is going to be more cost effective...more efficient? I've been dealing with a bunch of contractors who have come to look at it...but they are all telling me different things...ugh!!!

_____________________________

Peace and light,
~erin~

There are no victims here...only volunteers.

When you make a habit of playing on the tracks, you thereby forfeit the right to bitch when you get hit by a train.

"I did it! I admit it and I'm gonna do it again!"

Post #: 1

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 4:29:16 AM

Dnomyar

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Joined: 6/27/2005
Status: offline

Sorry to hear your problem. You usually have the insurance set before you sign for the home. I would take the baseboard heating. Why tear the floors up if you have another heating problem. Once you get your water pipes back up put thick foam sleeves around them. They are cheap and easy to put on. You might want to think about getting yourself a small generator.

(in reply to mistoferin)

Post #: 2

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 4:30:44 AM

MadAxeman

Posts: 4171
Joined: 8/28/2008
From: UK
Status: offline

Have you thought of pitching your story to Steve Martin or Tom Hanks as a movie?
You could afford underfloor heating with the money made.

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(in reply to mistoferin)

Post #: 3

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 4:32:01 AM

mistoferin

Posts: 8284
Joined: 10/27/2004
Status: offline

We won't be staying in the home for several months. There is some remodeling that we planned on doing before moving in. We do have a generator and would use it if we were staying there. We did run heaters in there the other night to warm the lines enough to open and drain them all...so the damage that is done is done but it won't get worse from here.

_____________________________

Peace and light,
~erin~

There are no victims here...only volunteers.

When you make a habit of playing on the tracks, you thereby forfeit the right to bitch when you get hit by a train.

"I did it! I admit it and I'm gonna do it again!"

(in reply to Dnomyar)

Post #: 4

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 4:33:13 AM

mistoferin

Posts: 8284
Joined: 10/27/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: MadAxeman

Have you thought of pitching your story to Steve Martin or Tom Hanks as a movie?
You could afford underfloor heating with the money made.

LMAO....I think they already did a movie like that. It was called "The Money Pit" I think. Gosh, I HOPE we didn't just buy THAT.

_____________________________

Peace and light,
~erin~

There are no victims here...only volunteers.

When you make a habit of playing on the tracks, you thereby forfeit the right to bitch when you get hit by a train.

"I did it! I admit it and I'm gonna do it again!"

(in reply to MadAxeman)

Post #: 5

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 4:50:30 AM

pahunkboy

Posts: 33061
Joined: 2/26/2006
From: Central Pennsylvania
Status: offline

at this point, cut the heat, and winterize the place. that means turn off the water drain the pipes, anitfreaze then goes into here and there. a handyman can do this.

one can find radiator peices online. there is a niche store or site. I would look around to see that per haps it could be repaired.

if the heat is thru the floor, in the floor- dump the system. but if radiators then get some idea what it costs.

if you then decide to redo the furnace, gas natural is cheapest. electric will always cost more and will increase higher % then gas. so dont be fooled.

also- at moms old house, we simply bypassed the 2nd floor- the loop pipes wear welded and we left the pipes, the new owners then opened it back up.

in my current old house, my furnace guy made a damper is his workshop. I can heat 3 rooms or all rooms. very low tech. i simply go to teh basement and slide in the metal piece.

BTW- any house project WILL COST you 3x what you think it will! even when one does the work themself- there is always a few parts that costs more then they should.

just think, that house has been thru a depression and 2 world wars. im sure the house could show you some secrets....

(in reply to mistoferin)

Post #: 6

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 4:51:56 AM

housesub4you

Posts: 1879
Joined: 4/2/2008
Status: offline

Was the building inspected before you closed? If it was I would have my lawyer all over that inspectors ass for missing the problem. That is what he is paid for.

As to the heating system. Are you planning on installing new flooring? I installed the radiant heating (electric) when I installed new tile in our master bathroom, it keeps the floor very warm. But i still have gas forced air for the whole house.

If you install baseboard heating you hopfully can use the existing piping that did not get destroyed.

It really depends on your budget, unlike on TV shows, a heating system can eat though cash very fast when you have to install new plumbing and flooring.

(in reply to mistoferin)

Post #: 7

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 5:08:18 AM

sirsholly

Posts: 42360
Joined: 9/7/2007
From: Quietville
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Erin....nothing to add other than wishing you luck with this mess and much happiness in your new home

< Message edited by sirsholly -- 12/11/2008 5:14:54 AM >

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(in reply to MadAxeman)

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RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 5:30:34 AM

cjan

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Joined: 2/21/2008
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I found this an interesting thread with some useful info on heating with a wood burning furnace.

http://www.collarchat.com/fb.asp?m=1756512

In a later post, the OP said that she had the wood burning system installed and is loving it. Perhaps she can give you some more specifics on the subject.

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(in reply to sirsholly)

Post #: 9

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 6:08:53 AM

mistoferin

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Joined: 10/27/2004
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quote:

ORIGINAL: cjan

I found this an interesting thread with some useful info on heating with a wood burning furnace.

http://www.collarchat.com/fb.asp?m=1756512

In a later post, the OP said that she had the wood burning system installed and is loving it. Perhaps she can give you some more specifics on the subject.

cjan, thank you for the link. I wish I could use that kind of system but unfortunately I'm kind of stuck right now with sticking to the city and they won't allow them here. My folks are elderly and my Mom is in poor health, so I have to stay within a few minutes drive so I can be accessible. I have a friend who converted over to that type of system and he runs his hot water, his dryer, heats his farm home and his pole born on about 6 cords of wood a year.

_____________________________

Peace and light,
~erin~

There are no victims here...only volunteers.

When you make a habit of playing on the tracks, you thereby forfeit the right to bitch when you get hit by a train.

"I did it! I admit it and I'm gonna do it again!"

(in reply to cjan)

Post #: 10

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 6:17:38 AM

mistoferin

Posts: 8284
Joined: 10/27/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: housesub4you
As to the heating system. Are you planning on installing new flooring? I installed the radiant heating (electric) when I installed new tile in our master bathroom, it keeps the floor very warm. But i still have gas forced air for the whole house.

If you install baseboard heating you hopfully can use the existing piping that did not get destroyed.

We are planning on installing new flooring throughout the house, which is one of the reasons we were looking into that type of system. Of course, we just didn't really plan on doing it all at once but plans change without really planning them sometimes I guess. As the boiler unit is new we don't really want to change over to entirely different heating such as forced air. Regardless of whether we go with baseboard or radiant heating we will still have to change the piping...or so that is what they are telling me. My biggest concern is efficiency. I have found a couple of suppliers for cast iron radiators....but new ones are about $1,200 each and I need at least 4....maybe more once I get the water running again and see what the damage is. They could all be damaged but not visibly. There is a total of 11 of them in the home (one in each room except for the lower bathroom).

_____________________________

Peace and light,
~erin~

There are no victims here...only volunteers.

When you make a habit of playing on the tracks, you thereby forfeit the right to bitch when you get hit by a train.

"I did it! I admit it and I'm gonna do it again!"

(in reply to housesub4you)

Post #: 11

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 6:32:36 AM

housesub4you

Posts: 1879
Joined: 4/2/2008
Status: offline

There are places here in Illinois, in Chicago that sell them when they do tear downs, For the life of me i can't remember the name. A friend went there and got some for a hell of alot less, I'll contact him and send you the info on the cast iron heating elements

(in reply to mistoferin)

Post #: 12

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 6:37:23 AM

mistoferin

Posts: 8284
Joined: 10/27/2004
Status: offline

Thank you. I called a local salvage yard here and they said that they do get them in and in fact have some sitting on the lot right now....however, they do not sell anything off the lot. I called the city to ask about salvage taken out of tear downs but the inspector told me that by the time they get into a home to tear them down the old radiators are no longer there. When I asked where they go he told me that thieves break in and steal them and turn them in for scrap! Can you believe that? I can't imagine that "job" would be easier or more cost effective than flipping burgers or Mickey D's. Can you imagine sneaking into abandoned homes in the middle of the night and tearing these things out and carrying them on your back???? I mean they must weigh a couple hundred pounds a piece!!!

_____________________________

Peace and light,
~erin~

There are no victims here...only volunteers.

When you make a habit of playing on the tracks, you thereby forfeit the right to bitch when you get hit by a train.

"I did it! I admit it and I'm gonna do it again!"

(in reply to housesub4you)

Post #: 13

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 6:45:27 AM

housesub4you

Posts: 1879
Joined: 4/2/2008
Status: offline

Ok i just got off the phone with him and the name is Salvage One, though he said they wanted a ton of cash. He ended up just calling local heating and plumbing people and when they removed some from a job he bought them from them.

http://salvageone.com/elements/structure

< Message edited by housesub4you -- 12/11/2008 6:46:25 AM >

(in reply to mistoferin)

Post #: 14

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 6:47:03 AM

mistoferin

Posts: 8284
Joined: 10/27/2004
Status: offline

Thank you, I will check into both options. I guess the only reason why I was kind of attached to the radiators is that they are really fancy and ornate...and it kind of adds to the charm of an old Victorian.

_____________________________

Peace and light,
~erin~

There are no victims here...only volunteers.

When you make a habit of playing on the tracks, you thereby forfeit the right to bitch when you get hit by a train.

"I did it! I admit it and I'm gonna do it again!"

(in reply to housesub4you)

Post #: 15

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 6:48:52 AM

UncleNasty

Posts: 1108
Joined: 3/20/2004
Status: offline

I kind of go with what housesub said. Sometimes finding who the responsible party is and holding them accountable is the right thing to do. Other times it isn't. A decision only you can make. Often people don't do this for fear of being perceived as "litigious," or because they feel it is more trouble than it is worth.

Uncle Nasty, happily back to 1 1/2 hands.

(in reply to mistoferin)

Post #: 16

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 6:49:17 AM

housesub4you

Posts: 1879
Joined: 4/2/2008
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I understand that, we live in a 100 year old home with all the orginal woodwork. I just love the old lead glass door and the hand detail in the trim work

(in reply to mistoferin)

Post #: 17

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 6:50:56 AM

xxblushesxx

Posts: 9318
Joined: 11/3/2005
From: Kentucky
Status: offline

Did you have the home inspected?
What did the disclosure form say that the previous owners filled out?
Are you sure this wasn't an on-going problem?

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My femdom findom blog: http://www.MistressAvarice.com

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Post #: 18

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 6:51:36 AM

Musicmystery

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Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline

erin,

A ten minute call to your attorney would clear up whether legal action is viable or advisable.

Good luck!

(in reply to UncleNasty)

Post #: 19

RE: If it wasn't for bad luck.....home heating question??? - 12/11/2008 6:55:12 AM

LaTigresse

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Joined: 1/15/2006
Status: offline

Another option Erin, a pellet/corn stove. Because of their design they are much safer, and vented like a gas fireplace rather than a woodstove. See if your city ordinance will allow one. We have one at the farm and I love it. It is on the lower level and heats the whole house. The gas furnace never flips on when I have it burning.

_____________________________

My twisted, self deprecating, sense of humour, finds alot to laugh about, in your lack of one!

Just because you are well educated, articulate, and can use big, fancy words, properly........does not mean you are right!

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Post #: 20

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