# glycol in in-floor systems



## jim connolly (Oct 29, 2010)

I'm installing a heating system in a vacation home that will be vacant during the winter months. In floor with electric boiler. Heat will be on all year including time that the home is vacant. I'd like to have some sort of freeze protection should the power fail and possibly go unnoticed for a long-ish period of time. ...Never "glycolled" a system before, should I use a 50/50 concentration or go all-glycol? Are there any problems associated with going all-glycol in an in-floor system? another contractor in my area uses the 100% glycol solution but as I understand it most times a mix of glycol and water is used.
Does the solution need to be changed or refreshed annually? 
Also how do I pump it into the system in the first place. Do I need a transfer pump? Will it pressureize as it fills the same way water does when filling? Like I said I've never used glycol before. Don't really know the ins and outs...Any insight would be appreciated! 
Thanks, Jim


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## TraTech (Jan 22, 2012)

Depending on temp 50/50 should be fine, make sure you have a RP backflow protector on there so you don't contaminate your potable water. Glycol is expensive also


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Get yourself a glycol feeder ..... How cold does it get in your area... This will determine the % of glycol to water

Chart should be on 5 gallon pail .... You can either buy it a 50/50 mix or buy pure

There is a prism you can use by putting a drop of your solution on the glass and look through the looking glass and it will show you the freeze point of the solution ...

Sent from my miniature laptop


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## Catlin987987 (Nov 12, 2010)

OldSchool said:


> There is a prism you can use by putting a drop of your solution on the glass and look through the looking glass and it will show you the freeze point of the solution ...
> 
> Sent from my miniature laptop


Refractometer, or you can use a automotive one, it will be out a few %, but you will get the idea


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

NEVER use the automotive antifreeze in the heating system!! If you don't know why then you are not qualified to work on these hydronic system.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

rjbphd said:


> NEVER use the automotive antifreeze in the heating system!! If you don't know why then you are not qualified to work on these hydronic system.


I believe he was referring to the measuring device, not the actual anti-freeze.


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## PinkPlumber (May 20, 2012)

jim connolly said:


> I'm installing a heating system in a vacation home that will be vacant during the winter months. In floor with electric boiler. Heat will be on all year including time that the home is vacant. I'd like to have some sort of freeze protection should the power fail and possibly go unnoticed for a long-ish period of time. ...Never "glycolled" a system before, should I use a 50/50 concentration or go all-glycol? Are there any problems associated with going all-glycol in an in-floor system? another contractor in my area uses the 100% glycol solution but as I understand it most times a mix of glycol and water is used.
> Does the solution need to be changed or refreshed annually?
> Also how do I pump it into the system in the first place. Do I need a transfer pump? Will it pressureize as it fills the same way water does when filling? Like I said I've never used glycol before. Don't really know the ins and outs...Any insight would be appreciated!
> Thanks, Jim



Keep in mind that glycol is not activated until it is mixed with water.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

PinkPlumber said:


> Keep in mind that glycol is not activated until it is mixed with water.


Huh?:blink:


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## PinkPlumber (May 20, 2012)

RealLivePlumber said:


> Huh?:blink:


read the label.:blink:

what do you think happens to your block if you run it straight?


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## Catlin987987 (Nov 12, 2010)

People should also check out the difference between freezing point and bursting point. Some of the brands with only 35% concentration the pipes wont burst to -60F, They just wont flow. Something to think about.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

PinkPlumber said:


> Keep in mind that glycol is not activated until it is mixed with water.


It not metamusel ( more than miss spell) 

Glycol is what it is. All you are doing is diluting it...

Sent from my miniature laptop


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## PinkPlumber (May 20, 2012)

OldSchool said:


> It not metamusel ( more than miss spell)
> 
> Glycol is what it is. All you are doing is diluting it...
> 
> Sent from my miniature laptop



Couldn't you run to your fridge to get that spelling?:whistling2:


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## jim connolly (Oct 29, 2010)

Thanks! 
@ oldschool, the average winter temp is goes down to 22 f in my neck of the woods. 
I've always understood that a 50/50 solution was used around here. However like I said I've never installed a glycol-based system before. This is my first time doing a job in a vacation home where freezing could be a potential issue.


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## Catlin987987 (Nov 12, 2010)

You Can Also Winterize the rest of the plumbing, RV Antifreeze in the traps and WC


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## plumber666 (Sep 19, 2010)

Remember to NEVER have a hard piped water make-up connected to your system. Use a seperate premixed glycol tank and feed pump. If you've mixed your glycol and have a water make-up, if it ever leaked your glycol %age would drop as water was added and you'd really have problems.

Keep in mind also (if you care), there's ethylene glycol and propylene glycol. Propylene is a bit more expensive, but is considered "food grade" and less toxic to the environment if spilled. Ethylene is falling more out of favour in the industry and is also harder on pump impellers and other equipment.


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## jim connolly (Oct 29, 2010)

I wouldn't even consider ethylene glycol an option.


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## Catlin987987 (Nov 12, 2010)

Those tanks and feeder pumps are junk, hard pipe with a RPBP are the way to go


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Catlin987987 said:


> Those tanks and feeder pumps are junk, hard pipe with a RPBP are the way to go


The reason why you use a glycol feeder is so you do not dilute the glycol mixture with water...

Sent from my miniature laptop


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## Catlin987987 (Nov 12, 2010)

OldSchool said:


> The reason why you use a glycol feeder is so you do not dilute the glycol mixture with water...
> 
> Sent from my miniature laptop


It would only dilute if there was a leak, then you would be pumping more glycol just so it can leak. the tank runs empty and then your screwed anyway. You can hard pipe it and isolate the valves. I have seen the checkvalve fail in a axiom tank, the whole system emptied into the boiler room and and one noticed until the calls for no heat started to roll in.


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