Do you really need to water feed for each boiler?

[MrEd]

Plumbing/heating novice question:

I understand the need for a feed from my domestic water, with appropriate back-flow preventer to allow the system to automatically get new water to "fill" or "replenish" water in the system, but why (at least in the schematics that Tarm provided me), do you need one for each boiler? Isn't all the water and water pressure shared by everything in the system? wouldn't the existing feed into my oil burner serve the need?

 

[Eric Johnson]

I think that one should be sufficient, unless it's piped so that you can isolate one of the boilers and run it without the benefit of a feedwater connection, in which case you might want one for each boiler. I wouldn't bother in any event, though I'm not a plumber and I don't know the code.

 

[free75degrees]

Good question, I was wondering the same thing. Not only does it make it simpler to use just one supply, but it means that the whole install does not require a plumbing inspection (at least in Massachusetts where hydronics are not inspected).

 

[MrEd]

Good question, I was wondering the same thing. Not only does it make it simpler to use just one supply, but it means that the whole install does not require a plumbing inspection (at least in Massachusetts where hydronics are not inspected).

Is that true? Something in Mass that doesn't need to be inspected? That is good to know (I am also in Mass).

 

[free75degrees]

Good question, I was wondering the same thing. Not only does it make it simpler to use just one supply, but it means that the whole install does not require a plumbing inspection (at least in Massachusetts where hydronics are not inspected).

Is that true? Something in Mass that doesn't need to be inspected? That is good to know (I am also in Mass).

Yeah it's kind of crazy but true. I called my plumbing inspector to make sure and they only inspect domestic plumbing and gas lines. They are definitely concered with inspecting the domestic to hydronic connection and backflow preventer to make sure you don't drink and nasty boiler water, but beyond that, they won't inspect the hydronics. I even talked to someone at the state inspector's office about the issue when my last hydronics installer used non-barrier pex for my baseboard supplies and he said that there was nothing the state could do about it since they don't inpsect for or enforce any hydronics codes. It might seem nice that they don't inspect, but I kind of wish they did. When I have failed building inspection points in the past I was glad the issues were caught (after getting past the initial frustration over the delays).