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[Calopolus]

I have a 200 from 2003-2006 era. I moved into a rental and the last tenants (so I am told) left the ash door open and caused an uncontrolled burn which ended this Heatmor's stock usable life. I finally, after much calling and web searching, found a dealer out of upstate NY who will get me all the parts I need. He is the nicest person I have found, and I could not get any dealers to call me back once the find out I need parts and service not a new unit. I live in Northern IL. I am hoping to find a "biology 101" for OWB's. I ordered the service book yesterday from my NY heatmor contact.

A few questions I have been searching for the answer are, What exactly does the anode rob do? Inhibit corrosion? If so, how? Does it just sit in the water inside the unit?

I am told I should use some boiler chemical to fight corrosion. The heatmor supplies hot water to our water heater, so would that chemical make us sick?

 Is there any changes I should make when I strip this sucker down to re-wire it? Like anything that could be improved that might not be worth doing on a unit your not stripping down, but if you were already in it.... I love new ideas and thinking outside the box, so don't hold back.

 What does that rubber ball on the top of the unmelted units do?

Here are some pictures if I can get it to work.

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[tbone]

The intent of the anode rod is to attract corrosives so they have less affect on your boiler.  I replace mine about every two seasons.  I was told by my dealer this year that heatmor is recommending a chemical treatment that the anode rod has little affect on stabilization.  I can tell you that when I replace mine that their is almost nothing left on the rod so it must be doing something. 

My stove uses a heating coil to heat my domestic hot water...so you don't use the water you are heating with (chemically treated), just the water being heated(domestic).

The rubber stop on the top of the stove is the pressure release valve.  This is a good place to blow air out of your system if you get an air lock (which happens to me every startup). I have blown that rubber stop 15 feet in the air already.

[Calopolus]

Excellent. I am glad to hear that the water doesn't mix. There is a 2 inch or better tube on the side of my hot water heater, that must be an exchanger. I'm learning more about this system everyday.

[tbone]

Its a good stove, hopefully with some TLC you can bring it back to life...Ill have to check out your picks when I get home, I'm posting from my phone.  GL and take advantage of this site...lots of knowledgeable OWB owners on here that can help you out.

[BoilerHouse]

Because you are likely unfamiliar with the stoves history and it has been abused by previous users, you may want to fill it with water (if you haven't already) and check that it doesn't leak. 

[Calopolus]

That does sound like a good idea. Is it ok to fill it if it is freezing outside? No sure how many nooks and crannies these OWB have. I will be posting more pictures and progress as I rebuild it. Just waiting for w-2's and then with my refund I will be getting started. A few weeks yet, am exited to see what this puppy can do!

Has anyone found more details on heating a driveway? I've searched it a few different ways on here but it tunrs up every post where someone mentions their driveway. I was thinking of doing a closed system with its own pump, using antifreeze and a water to water heat exchanger. I wouldn't want to heat it all the time, just when it snows. Not sure how far apart the plumbing would be effective in the blacktop, or how deep it should be.

[BoilerHouse]

I am not familiar with that model but my guess would be that it would drain completely.  If I am wrong hopefully someone will correct me.  Regardless it should probably be done during a mild spell when the temps are above freezing.

[Keffer]

Has anyone found more details on heating a driveway? I've searched it a few different ways on here but it tunrs up every post where someone mentions their driveway. I was thinking of doing a closed system with its own pump, using antifreeze and a water to water heat exchanger. I wouldn't want to heat it all the time, just when it snows. Not sure how far apart the plumbing would be effective in the blacktop, or how deep it should be


Several years back I was going to put pex tubing in my concrete driveway "I was building a new home".  I talked to a friend that put it in and was told that unless you have a lot of slope on you drive not to bother installing it. What happens is the snow melts to water and flows to the end of the concrete and then freezes creating a ice dam at the end of the concrete. If you have lots of slope the water will run away before freezing.  I did put it in my basement, garage and porch. I own a concrete poured wall and flat work company and have done many jobs with in floor pex. Biggest being over 100,000 sq.ft.  Everything we did outside was spaced one foot and ran approx. 200' per run.
Interior infloor tube would run six inches apart along exterior walls then every foot.
Never seen it in asphalt.

[willieG]

everything i have found on line recomends 3/4 inch pex for driveway heating spaded at 12 inch centers about 2 inches below the top . i would guess you would have to make sure your loops  went much deeper where ever you were going to have saw cuts (if your pipes were going  through them)

years and years a go i helped install a 3/4 inch pipe system in the floor of a car wash and the guy  said that he only needed the heat on for a few hours and it would stay warm enough to keep the concrete floor bare all day (but this was in a building with walls)

i have read that 3/4 pex running 6 GPM at about 180 will keep pretty much keep things cleaned off, even up to 2 inches of snow per hour (im not sure at what temps)

i would look for some expert advice before attempting a venture like this outdoors there could be a big temp swing if your system was shut down for a long time, your loop with antifreeze would be safe from freezing but i wonder how the pex would do  going from (maybe) -10 (or more) to +180 ?

[lindnova]

Generally I would not recommend putting heating lines in asphalt.  A few years ago we put pex heating in an asphalt driveway.  We milled out 2" in an existing driveway 2 ft wide in each drive lane, plumber installed lines.  The pex is supposed to handle the 300 degree mix, but when we started patching the expansion of the air inside blew off the pressure guage, so we decided to patch over the lines with concrete to be safe.  Then we overlaid 1 1/2" new mix on top.  That worked good for a 12 ft wide drive on a hill. 

If you are going to heat your driveway, I would recommend 2" insulation under the pavement.  You can only do that with concrete (heat melts insulation).  I would never send 180 degree water into the slab, even indoors.  Not good for pex or concrete.  I have a mixing valve after the heat exchanger and keep my garage floor water at about 100 -110.  You may get some cracks from expansion - make sure you use #4 rebar @2 ft spacing each way.

 Good luck with the rebuild.

[Calopolus]

I would like to thank everyone for all the wonderful advice! I would definitely want a mixing valve for the driveway. It also never occurred to me putting the hot patch down could damage the lines/ system. That also gets me thinking about what summer time could bring in the way of needing an expansion chamber for the antifreeze that I assume could easily reach 110 at the driveway. (Sunshine on black asphalt is hot, ask my childhood knees) I wonder if I could plumb the exchanger so I could switch the valves in summer to preheat the water to our electric hot water heater? That would be a huge plus in talking the misses into spending the time and money on the driveway project.

Again, thanks for the wonderful information, the internet is the best tool to learn the best way to do things. Without this site, I would be hardpressed for any viable information from people who have been where I want to be.