Stanwood, Wash., resident Brian Fleming had a serious heating problem in his two-story home. The 10-year-old, split-level structure had lacked effective space heating since day one.
“The builders had not designed my forced-air heating system to handle two floors, and, as a result, the downstairs portion was always cold,” explains Fleming, who used his furnace system for less than 25 cycles annually, instead relying on a gas-powered fireplace to heat his upper floor. He was therefore forced to sometimes run two to three space heaters on the lower floor for several hours just to maintain comfort levels. “I was spending a significant amount on my electricity bill to heat this space,” he recalls.
Water heating, though less of a problem, was still noticeably difficult whenever he and his family needed to run multiple fixtures simultaneously.
“We had a 40-gallon tank water heater, so whenever somebody tried to shower while the laundry was running, the warm water would run out very quickly,” he says.
A Two-in-One Solution
Although his heating problems had persisted for 10 years, Fleming had previously not had the time or resources to fix them. “It would have been very expensive to add a second heating zone to my house,” he explains. Fortunately, Fleming, who works for Reid Pacific Company and serves as manufacturer’s representative for Noritz America, had the opportunity to beta-test the new combination boiler/tankless water heater (Combi) from Noritz, allowing him to kill two birds with one stone.
The CB Combi, which meets “Energy Star Most Efficient” standards, is a year-round, whole-home solution that utilizes high-efficiency condensing technology to deliver hot water to both domestic hot water and hydronic space-heating applications. It made the forced-air furnace system and tank water heater completely unnecessary.
Whidbey Island Plumbing (Oak Harbor, Wash.) undertook the installation, situating the 90-lb. wall-hung Combi CB unit in Fleming’s garage. “The most challenging part was setting up the hydronic system,” says Fleming, who opted for in-floor radiant heating on the lower floor. Radiant tubing was stapled up underneath in a serpentine fashion between stud bays. Venting the unit was accomplished through the garage wall, using concentric PVC pipe that handled both intake and exhaust. Completed in early October 2015, the installation lasted two days.
Chasing Out the Cold
Since then, Fleming has observed a marked improvement in energy savings and indoor comfort. “The new boiler, in conjunction with the radiant system, is providing the best heat I have experienced in my life,” he exclaims, “You can actually feel the heat on everything in the room, from the table to the couch. I even sometimes sleep downstairs now.”
He has also seen a total cost reduction of around $60 on his monthly gas and electricity bills. “Not having to run those space heaters all the time saves a lot of energy,” he explains, also noting that the first floor-slab remains warm long after the Combi system cycles off after meeting the setpoint temperature.
On the water heating side, Fleming and his family can now take showers and do the dishes for as long as they like, because the condensing tankless technology provides as much hot water as needed for as long as needed with an efficiency of 95 percent.
“Once that tankless unit fires up, it provides endless hot water and a consistently enjoyable heating experience,” he affirms.
The combination boiler proved to be a highly workable heating solution for Fleming, who no longer needs to deal with cold spots in his room space or shower. “I see no reason to ever go back to forced air or tank water heaters,” he states.
• Noritz offers a new level of excellence to consumers/contractors with hydronic heating applications. Now with one appliance you can meet the domestic and space heating needs. The CB199 Combination Boiler utilizes high-efficiency condensing technology to deliver hot water to both plumbing and hydronic applications even in larger homes.
With features like PVC,CPVC and PP venting capabilities, ½ gas line capable, high grade stainless heat exchangers, outdoor reset sensor, and high capacity internal pump, the Noritz CB series is a great choice
• Efficiency Data 95% AFUE “Energy Star Most Efficient”
• To find a local Distributor, click the link and enter your zip code, http://www.noritz.com/find-a-distributor/
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