[Tennessee_Bob]

Yeah, I know, strange question. Maybe I need to change my tinfoil or something.

[Tennessee_Bob]

One of the eight valves in question.

[CholeraJoe]

Hire the oldest local plumber you can find. Surely he’s seen these before.

[mdittmar]

Don’t ever turn that one;)

[Texas Eagle]

I give you props. You are one of the most trusting souls I've ever come across. To post a question like this on a forum like FreeRepublic.com....well....God bless you.

As for me. I'm going to pop myself a nice cold bottle of Red Seal Ale and enjoy the thread.

I hope the mods don't move this over to chat or some other black hole.

[keat]

Oh, and Bob. Get ready to see some of this:

[Red_Devil 232]

You are going to need a big bundle like this soon.

[martin_fierro]

Feng Shui for plumbers

[cva66snipe]

Your best bet is either install a Central unit {reliable dealer across from the county jail} or find someone who works in the city maintenance dept or maintenance in one of the plants. Looks like a cut off to me. Idea! Take your pictures over to MMC's maintenance department and let those guys see it. If it can be fixed they should know who can do it the cheapest.

But to be honest and realistic about the piping age I think you'd save money converting over. I know the houses your're talking about though.

[cva66snipe]

Bob that valve is the pressure regulator IIRC. That is why the arrow is on it for direction of flow. It wouldn’t matter on an off on valve but either a check valve or regulator would though. From the looks of the pipes be real careful if you decide a self fix. I can’t even think locally who would carry a replacement. You might try Flatt Plumbing in Knox. All the companies I worked with locally were commercial system contractors. Somebody is still working on those systems locally though. I’d think there would still be a few units still going anyway.

[texas booster]

Between you and cva66snipe I expect that Bob will get a solid answer.

Have I mentioned that my plumber has retired here in Texas? One day I may be sending my own FReepmail to you guys ...

[oneolcop]

I’ve workd on a hydronic system a few times. By the look of the pipe connected to that ball valve, you should:

1)Wait till the weather warms up.
2) Go to rent-a-jack-hammer.
3) Send the wife & kids on a long vacation.
4) Jack-hammer out the concrete inside the foundation
5) Pour a nice new concrete floor.
6) Get a modern high efficiency gas furnace.

[ninonitti]

I’ve seen these valves used mostly for gas but ocasionaly for water. Be real careful with them because it looks like the manifold is iron pipe and the slab loops are copper so you may have some of that tinfoil hat dielectric action going on. They make electric zone valves that control the flow to the loops but it will take some work to redo the manifold to fit them. If the loops are still good might be time to look at one of those 90%+ new mini boilers (Munchkin, Trinity, Buderus etc). Happy New Year and good luck.

http://www.americanvalve.com/pdf/bronze/13.pdf