5 Plumbers Couldn't Fix The Heat Radiant Zones Heat Up Entire House - No Problems Only Solutions!

This new client had 5 other plumbers come to fix their heating system. We diagnosed the issue and completed repairs in under an hour!
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[@eddiew.6485]

Sounds like the Customer is very Happy 👏. Customer for Life!

[@purplegoose7907]

Save money...call the BEST the first time. Good job Mikey. The people have been fed!

[@jonbailey6928]

@@PipeDoctor Always hungry for your content keep up the good work

[@bobboscarato1313]

Mikey Pipes you're a real champ!

[@bobboscarato1313]

Your deducting thinking arrived at a solution to the problem where 5 other cos. failed!

[@metalhead24922492]

Brutal when the customer knows more about there system than “ qualified professionals “. Gotta feel good to get her fixed up

[@davidriccitiello6421]

I'm just overwhelmed how you can trouble shoot in a split minute, your gold mike.

[@bobboscarato1313]

Mikey is experienced and solves problems!

[@mattbauckman9907]

Editing. 😉

[@davidriccitiello6421]

Mike shoots right from the hip live, his diagnostic skills are top notch.

[@bobboscarato1313]

@@davidriccitiello6421 Yes!

[@glendurant911]

Yes the thermal imager is great idea, and i love your finding the wiring default.

[@PipeDoctor]

Cool, thanks

[@FB-111A]

i ABSOLUTLY LOVE MIKEY & PETER PIPES - DANIELSON LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT VIDEO

[@deejohnson5163]

LOVED THE VIDEO. Most of what you did confused me, but i still think i learned something (not in the trades ). I like how you used an infrared scanner to verify your repair and were able to show the customer that you fixed it. That circulator looked pretty funky. Should have a pt 2 when your co-worker goes back for draining and tuneup.

[@Fenrir414]

Straight and simple @Mikey Pipes, if the tech is used for the job and helps to get the job done, then the tech can be used, but if impedes the work or causes issues, then can be thrown in the rubbish bin

[@joemoreno4438]

Mikey pipes you're the best keep it up

[@billtorres6027]

Great call Mike!!!

[@petem6291]

Mike you checked and tested and tested your findings nice job . The diagnosis is the hardest part . Do you think that house needed two water heaters ????

[@davidlampe4153]

I listened to the introduction but didn’t know how to fix it. Watched you point out the wiring but didn’t know what it meant. Great job on the diagnosis and the secondary effort with the circulator pump.

[@Silky_boi]

You dropped this Mikey….. 👑

[@Sturgisreef]

That PRV is just waiting to take out those zone controls!

[@imthatguy1878]

Truth

[@patmurphy2472]

Nice troubleshooting. Aqua stat is the switch, good description.

[@matthewviti2241]

Love these boiler video

[@kellymoran3175]

NO...thank you Mikey Pipes for all you do for us subscribers! You have a must see channel and the thing I respect the most about your way of operating is that you are ETHICAL and HONEST in a time when many are not. Just a side note... I respect your commen sense views on how things really are these days (politically) and what not. God bless you Mikey and thank you once again for what you do and just being a STAND UP GUY! PEACE!

[@catslivesmatter1268]

The only time when any of us HVAC technicians lay down is when we have to get into a crawl space 🌌 lol

[@DevinHVACInc]

Experience beats all. There were no testing there. Just experience takes u to the wires. Awesome find.

[@mattbauckman9907]

In my neck of the woods (CT) you don’t want a plumber for anything other than toilets and faucets. If you want a heating or cooling problem diagnosed and fixed you call an HVAC tech. I was thinking as you removed those covers from the relays that if they had gotten swapped (labels) your troubleshooting would have taken a little longer. 😂. I’ve been a victim of incorrectly labeled equipment.

[@skeedebug]

Damn good job Mikey!

[@martinelizarazo5862]

You are in a different level I like you attitude

[@ronzo9377]

Your modern-day plumber nice Gadget to see that radiant heat

[@imthatguy1878]

Love that relief valve dumping at the relay

[@doctorjohn-burgtekie]

With the other plumbers they were not testing so these guys were guessing, nice work Mickey.

[@bradmironik6137]

For the type of work you encounter the flir is a good tool to have. What I'm trying to understand is how a steam boiler is incorporated into radiant zones. I get to enjoy stuff you deal with that I will never see in my career. Thanks.

[@petersmart1999]

Making hot water with steam by using the heat exchanger or you can just use another water heater,all kinds of tricks in the trade

[@bradmironik6137]

@@petersmart1999 Thanks for the reply. I did hear mikey say something about a heat exchanger.

[@consolidatedplumbingandhea4390]

Paused at 1:43 into the video so without seeing the boiler. Had a couple of them, installation of a strap on aquastat on the steam riser that killed the call for the boiler burner to run if set point was made but not call for steam solved the issue. Given just ounces of steam can travel the immersed aquastat may not react in time. 3:30 Best place for the aquastat is in the boiler and branched off the piping like that I doubt the well is in the flow. Flat plate heat exchanger will plug up in no time, use of an Everhot tank with more open passage would last longer. Old B&G 100's also have a better passage than the 007's that will burn out in not time. I think the relief with an open vent over the controls is a great idea, will put the system out of it misery. Given in the end the controls were not wired right. Still seems the overall application of how things were done will remail a complication. That they are radiant zones not baseboard does help mask the issues given your running at a lower temp that have a bigger gap in temp then equipment that needs 180F to function well.

[@rupe53]

would agree the aquastat well was not in the perfect place but a call for radiant would turn on the circ and bring that pipe up to temp fairly fast... IF.... the water was flowing. (was not flowing due to issues) That said, how long (how many years?) can you have a problem like this and nobody figured out the wiring was wrong? All of that stuff was not new last week.

[@jfoley1968jf]

Mikey technology is a major help but not knowing how a system works or the sequence of operation its useless thats what separates the pros from the hacks. Great job!!

[@dh4971]

That was interesting. Being that electrical is my weak point i would have been going nuts. But i had a feeling something would have been wired incorrectly at a zone panel of some sort

[@repairman2540]

Yes to Hi-Tech testing. But the testing of switches and Relays is what makes you a Master Plumber / Troubleshooter and that is very hard to find. Here in Bucks PA we have lots of Hot Water Systems and few Mechanical Contractors.

[@malachy1847]

"If you're Not Testing... you're Guessing..."

[@NelsonSteffens]

I was thinking maybe a flow check issue if she doesn't have zone valves but I ain't no plumber lol

[@tonyc3147]

Love technology to help during calls, a lot of old timers don’t

[@whodat1473]

Nice job and good videos, the only other issue is the plate heat exchanger should be flushed if that circulator was that clogged

[@tphvac87]

Zones wired wrong, just started watching video!! Not cheating

[@theduffster2581]

I also have a flir and find radiant leaks quickly

[@ivan79uk]

Nice 👌 one Mike. I'm thinking to get one thermo camera. Automatic transmission the best. Been driving for 10 years now, never back to manual. Here in UK&Europe most people drives manual.

[@joemartinez7765]

Yes. When clients can see , what you found. Bingo.

[@thtdudenamdbilly]

I wish Mikey served upstate NY.

[@bruceelias2732]

Mikey This happened to me , and I have hot water heat boiler. In my case it was a run away thermostat years ago I believe.

[@kevincreager]

Hi Mike what episode did you cover service pal and do need a mac computer in the office to interface or will our PC work that we run Quickbooks on? Thanks

[@jaymattheating2294]

First question did it ever work properly?? If yes I'm going zone valve bleed by of not bad install

[@modestohodesto7140]

Great job Mike. Quick question the aqustat for the radiant temps out before the boiler makes steam and heats the rest of the non radiant?

[@mnhvacguy9788]

But at those low temps isn't flue gas condensation an issue? The aquastat was set for 130degF, the same temp that natural gas exhaust will start to condense. I'm a hot water boiler guy of 25 years but there's very little steam in my area so my experience is limited with it, most have been converted over to hot water years ago

[@davidriccitiello6421]

Mike if that unit worked before the issue, how did the wiring get mixed up?

[@jlangiu]

Mikey pipes you need big boy sizes!

[@markcollins457]

Is the aquastat wired to make or break on temp rise ?

[@1022hard]

Love the technology! If you’re not testing you’re guessing, right?

[@compactc9]

As long as its not just a gimmick, I love technology. Work smarter, not harder!

[@fastidol5245]

Yes! Use technology whatever gets the job done RIGHT

[@joemartinez7765]

What Regulates each circuit? Is what I ask my self. On a call like this.

[@gregclaiborne3691]

The old saying ! Work Smarter! Not Harder!!!!

[@buixote]

I'm surprised you didn't recommend installing some *supports* for all those hanging pipes...

[@northface484]

The Pigtail is technically called a "Siphon"....

[@northface484]

@@PipeDoctor If you answer "Pigtail" on a test you are going to be wrong...:)

[@brendandrury2177]

Well done, Socrates, with Peter Pan in this video.

[@Extra_digits]

“Peoples Champ”

[@juleskenneth6934]

Weil-McLain EG series steam boilers are one of very few that can be ordered with a built-in domestic hot water coil. If the customer's boiler would have used a built-in coil for circulating hot water to the radiant zones, there would be no circulating pump moving filthy boiler water through a heat exchanger. Instead, there would be just the zone circulaters handling clean hot water from the built-in coil. AND, the domestic coil has a tapped well for the aquestat limit switch. Too bad more gas-fired steam boiler manufacturers don't offer built-in domestic hot water coils. They are trouble-free when used to provide circulating hot water zones off a steam system.

[@kf_boston]

🤜🤛 flat plate/sidearm 🔥

[@mikemartel9515]

Not much steam around here but would a bronze or stainless circulator not be a better choice for this application with all the oxygen being introduced?

[@mikemartel9515]

The black iron pipe will still get gunked and plugged up eventually but at least the circ will be clear as long asthe check valve is removed. We have alot of poly B heating systems here if i run into one i use a plate heat exchanger and all nonferos piping on the system side to protect the boilers.

[@georgewashington8652]

not all plumbers are heating TECHS when a plumber installs a boiler he gets a electrician to wire it a heating tech doing the whole job from start to finish

[@markjacobs3379]

A bad circulator check valve?

[@ricklee827]

Should have installed a drip leg on that relief valve

[@turbo2ltr]

If that circulator had all that shmoo, I could imagine what that heat exchanger looks like inside.

[@markcollins457]

Is the aquastat a spdt stat

[@markcollins457]

@@PipeDoctor like your show, I'm now semi retired but spent many years with a Honeywell dist. In jersey factory trained on controls and youf logic towards trouble shooting is something that's not taught the same as today's mechanics there were no mother boards just "A" control for (1) job used with another ie:high or low limit pressure temp humidity etc. Keep teaching its your strong point!

[@johngallati8164]

THAT IS AN ABSOLUTE LOUSY WAY TO HEAT..STEAM FOR STEAM ONLY PERIOD..SHEL ALWAYS HAVE PROBLEM S

[@orreymodo5860]

Do both circulators come on? I guessing zone wiring mess up, also after watching it I love that no drip leg pressure relief value pointed right a Taco control board - Zap!!

[@chuckquinn8026]

Hacks bring me stacks…

[@dwaynerenton1889]

Who is your new guy Mike?

[@williamdawson6351]

If you stay in the past the future will pass you by and leave you wondering how the others in your field of work are doing so much better, you need to use the new tech to get ahead.

[@frmerrin2]

Plugged heat exchanger?

[@effylowy7961]

Nice job wich pump did use

[@MrRosemore1234]

i was going to say tstat wires are crossed

[@MrRosemore1234]

were i live at in ohio we dont have steam boilers or radical heat systems, all i have seen are gas furnace, electric heat, and or heat pumps, and i do engineering / building maintenance for 2 hotels for the last 15 years and i was straight from high school and everything i know now was self taught with never dealt with what you did in this video or seen but yea i guess i was close, keep up the hard work and awesome videos, you're videos have teach me something new everyday and i hope the new plumbers learned from them

[@19rappy]

Get hoodie’s made

[@beacjere284]

i think zone valves are not working correctly 1:42

[@dustinweber6803]

Maybe the unit is getting too hot, producing steam and through gravity heating everything, the control isn't set properly?

[@rupe53]

the fact that it's a steam boiler is half the answer. The boiler should NOT heat the main house unless it's making steam. If it makes steam any other time then there's a problem. He was right to start looking at controls first, although it's usually a bad control, not a bad install. That's part of the detective work to sort that out.

[@pizzareviewwithkarrighione5576]

Technology is good. in your own words of wisdom.If you ain't testing your guessing.

[@Jordybrady]

Electrical voltage issue my guess let’s see

[@northface484]

Stats wired incorrectly...

[@fredthompson2501]

Wow kid I thought you where a master plumber no where in the intro did you mention the Flux capacitor or the Newton relay or a bad warp condescending coil.

[@michaelmyers4999]

I think the zone valves are wired wrong.

[@busman2000]

The whole housing heating is all interconnected somewhere other than near the boiler..? Nightmare On Elm part X.lol

[@joeymorrone3091]

Could possibly be a bad relay control...or maybe flowchecks are bad allowing migration of heat

[@rupe53]

why would you ask that now after he found the problem and it's already done?

[@rupe53]

@@PipeDoctor ... I'll give you that one because you did ask. OTOH, the clue up front was in your wording that it was a steam system and the steam section of the house can only heat if the boiler makes steam. Having worked on a few of these systems some 30 years ago my mind was already toying with why the boiler was firing so long if there was no call from the t-stat. Obviously this issue didn't just pop up last week.

[@bruceelias4401]

Mikey!!!

[@rustyshakleford5230]

This is one of those terrible installs that you will 100% be called back for at some point this winter. Who would hang those circs out in the breeze when the wall is right there.

[@steveblake8766]

#326 thumbs up

[@bahopik]

Isn't ECM pump acts like a magnet and without a magnetic dirt separator will quit working soon? I thought that's what Taco folks wanted

[@Wolfhound.]

so if the relief opens it will just flood water onto the taco box nice

[@KyleShears]

I'm guessing aquastat

[@KyleShears]

@@PipeDoctor well, there was a bit more to it than that

[@rjv1415]

Technology is great but some items are overpriced. crooks

[@cybershot123]

wired wrong zones

[@brianmorris7498]

Hi mike! Can we set up a scholarship for some young kid to attend a private vocational high school for plumbing / hvac? I believe the viewers would love this idear and would love to contribute,I would be the first!! Just a idear

[@brianmorris7498]

How about…..The “Pipe Doctor Foundation “! 😀

[@chrisE815]

Hey what ever happened with that boiler radiant hack job where the idiot used a used marine heat exchanger?

[@johnguerrero4305]

The problem: a plumber was on the job and not a HVAC tech? Lol

[@throttlebottle5906]

majority of plumbers shouldn't touch anything with wiring or power! 😏

[@craigherron1203]

Paid for itself again. Only shows knowledge of the proven technology works well

[@Rainmaker88]

Taco 100 or find another company.

[@scottk0623]

Anybody who put a plate exchanger and or a circulator on a STEAM system and didn’t put a STRAINER on it should go and sell burgers. Any circulator used without a strainer will not last.

[@bobbyossenbeck6402]

People who don't like tech aren't that profitable or could be more profitable although a hack is just a hack in dire need of education

[@realestateservicessaleshea99]

Embrace the tech!! I love a manual transmission ! KISS ! 🥃🥃🍺🍺🍺🎯🍿🏌🏻‍♀️ Stay safe. Retired (werk'n)keyboard super tech. Wear your safety glasses!