Gravity Hot Water Heating System

Gravity and hot water furnaces are not often installed in new homes today but similar systems with the old cast iron radiators throughout the house were fixtures in homes built around 1900 and some of.

Gravity hot water heating system.

In gravity hot water systems heating of domestic hot water relies on convective action to circulate hot water from the boiler to the cylinder. The hot water tends to flow upwards and cold water tends to flow downwards. In fact gravity hot water heat is the mirror image of forced hot water heat. The elevation of the supply and return lines are therefore important for proper functionality.

As the water cools at the end of the loop where the last part of the loop is not insulated it is thermo siphoned back into the hot water heater dear tim. I am not a big fan of cold showers. As water heats it expands displacing the cooler and less dense cooler water throughout the system. When you use a circulator in any system the path of least resistance will always be the shortest lowest pressure drop loop because that s the path with the least resistance to flow.

It is also the least efficient. In fact gravity hot water heat is the mirror image of forced hot water heat. An efficient modern forced hot air system uses 95 percent of the heated air to warm a home notes the national association of certified home inspectors. Gravity hot water recirculating system a gravity hot water system works because the heated water which is lighter rises through the loop.

Gravity hot water heating began quietly in the united states between 1875 and 1885. Although simple it s not efficient and typically will suffer from the following problems. It was a canadian import a safe substitute for steam heat which had been earning a notorious reputation throughout the world as being a pretty dangerous way to heat a building. When you use a circulator in any system the path of least resistance will always be the shortest lowest pressure drop loop because that s the path with the least resistance to flow.

In a gravity system the circulation of water is due primarily to thermal and density differences between hot and cold water. Hot water heating systems need a little maintenance like venting the radiators and draining the boiler to keep things running efficiently. A gravity hot water heating system is the oldest and simplest system to heat homes. Hot water takes a long time to replenish.

In a hot water gravity heating system the circulation of water is a result of the density difference between hot water in the supply lines and cold water in the return lines.