Family Home Renovation Warsaw, Poland

The project was renovating a residential HVAC system which included 15 radiators in a 2-story family home in Warsaw, Poland. The house was 200 m2 with 5 rooms and a large living room and was the home of a family of 3, including a young child.

The system produced exorbitant energy bills, noise, and user discomfort. The purpose of the renovation was to reduce energy consumption, balance the system for optimal user comfort and reduce all system noise, and improve water quality so the owners could enjoy the home comfortably and safely.

The team ran a diagnostic analysis of the system to develop a solution to the customer’s problems. The system was over 20 years old and had not been appropriately maintained, leading to all the issues the owners were experiencing.

Through the analysis, several problems came to light. First, there was a large amount of magnetite due to the lack of an air and dirt separator. Magnetite is an HVAC system’s worst enemy, reducing its life span. It also increases flow resistance, creating constant flow variations resulting in a complete loss of control over the temperatures delivered by the system. The expansion vessel was too small for the system, reducing pressure control and creating flow variations, fluctuating temperatures, and risk of pump cavitation. All these issues created an unbalanced system and for the flow temperature of the boiler to be too high, causing an exponential use of energy and increasing costs for the owner.

On the thermostatic control side of the system, the 15 radiators had mismatched valve settings, causing unbalanced flow rates between the radiators and creating temperature fluctuations across the home, increasing user discomfort. Some radiators had old and non-functional thermostatic heads causing dead zones in the house as they would not respond to setting changes. These combined problems created an inefficient, unbalanced energy-guzzling system.

With all this new information, the team was able to plan a solution, keeping in mind that replacing the whole system was not an option. They had to find the best way to renovate it to achieve the owner’s goals.

The team used the HySelect software to select the appropriate expansion vessels. The software recommended an Aquapresso and a Statico. This product combination ensures optimal pressure control and provides maximum water quality. A critical step the team took was to set the pre-pressure settings, which was not done during the original installation; they also checked the total pressure to ensure the settings were optimal.

Next, they installed an air and dirt separator; due to the complexity of the pipework at the boiler, the team found that a Zeparo ZUKM would be the best option. It was the best choice because it was a 3-in-1 solution that fits perfectly into confined spaces, thanks to its modular design. The Zeparo ZUKM is an incredibly efficient solution as it removes dirt, magnetite, and air.

The team then moved on to changing all the thermostatic control valves. The best solution was Eclipse pressure-independent thermostatic valves were easily installed, and the desired flow rate was set based on the output from the room. The Eclipse valves are equipped with AFC technology which guarantees an optimal flow rate, adapting to any pressure variations in the system. The radiators were then equipped with DX thermostatic heads, which offer precise temperature adjustments thanks to its integrated sensor. This ensures the user has optimal comfort and saves up to 20% of energy.

To increase energy savings further, the team adjusted the flow temperature from 70 °C to 55 °C; this will save an additional 5%-7% in energy due to better use of latent heat during the condensation process in the boiler. The renovation took less than 1 day, and the owners could quickly start enjoying an optimally balanced, quiet, and safe system. It is estimated that the renovation will give the owner up to 17% savings.