cold return over feed

[smurfsurf]

Would it be more economical to install central heating return pipe straight over feed pipe maybe insulating them together?

 

[Neil K]

How would it be more economical?

 

[josh]

Your thinking that the heat loss from the flow would give some gain to the return?
would look poor installing them that way plus you may get contraction/expansion noises from them touching each other.

 

[village idiot]

Would it be more economical to install central heating return pipe straight over feed pipe maybe insulating them together?

you've lost me

 

[kris]

My understanding of feed pipe is the cold feed that fills CH and is teed into return anyway,, im lost or am i thick , no dont answer that

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Would it be more economical to install central heating return pipe straight over feed pipe maybe insulating them together?

Only in the sense you will use less lagging!

 

[townfanjon]

I have finally Sussed out what you mean, answer - no

 

[kris]

Take it he means flow n return ???????????????? Together???????

 

[snowhead]

If this is trying to preheat the cold "Feed" to the Hot water side of a Combi, then it's a non starter.
Return heat isn't free.

Preheating the cold feed from the flue condensate as done by Blade, is.

If it's insulating the heating flow and return together, again a non starter as above.

 

[townfanjon]

Lol I have just re-read this again Kris, and I think I was barking up the wrong tree, lol.
We need the the op to come back and give us a bit more info

 

[kris]

I think so as im lost jon.

 

[josh]

I think he means flow and return,
Bit of a weird question as a first post.

 

[smurfsurf]

OK thanks everyone. As you may see I'm not good with the terms in plumbing but you all figured out what that was about . If return to the boiler would be warmer wouldn't that mean boiler thus has to heat water for flow less? The idea is to install return on the feed and insulate them both together into one. i would use polyplumb and was thinking also put some sort of thin membrane of some sort in between although not sure if that would be needed? Insulation is something I haven't thought about yet but I'm interested in idea itself. If its worth thinking of. To me it looks if say return to the boiler would be 5 degrees warmer that would transfer to big savings in gas bills? Would that work all right with combi boiler, water pump etc would there be any disadvantages of any kind? I hope I make more sense now..

 

[solutions]

OK thanks everyone. As you may see I'm not good with the terms in plumbing but you all figured out what that was about . If return to the boiler would be warmer wouldn't that mean boiler thus has to heat water for flow less? The idea is to install return on the feed and insulate them both together into one. i would use polyplumb and was thinking also put some sort of thin membrane of some sort in between although not sure if that would be needed? Insulation is something I haven't thought about yet but I'm interested in idea itself. If its worth thinking of. To me it looks if say return to the boiler would be 5 degrees warmer that would transfer to big savings in gas bills? Would that work all right with combi boiler, water pump etc would there be any disadvantages of any kind? I hope I make more sense now..

No because you paid to heat the flow in the first place and you would lose some of it to your return only to recirculate it when it would have been better for it to have lost that heat through the convectors in your rooms where it is intended to go. If you want to improve efficiency certainly persue insulating the flow and return but do so seperately. Insure all your heat convectors / radiators have thermostatic valves. If you have a large property try zoning the pipe circuits and giving different floors there own room thermostats. Also if you are repiping considder a reverse return pipe layout if it is possible in your property. outside temperature compensation will also improve boiler efficiency. The cheapest and most effective way to save energy and money is to properly insulate and draft proof your property (Adequate ventilation should be maintained however).

 

[kris]

No because you paid to heat the flow in the first place and you would lose some of it to your return only to recirculate it when it would have been better for it to have lost that heat through the convectors in your rooms where it is intended to go. If you want to improve efficiency certainly persue insulating the flow and return but do so seperately. Insure all your heat convectors / radiators have thermostatic valves. If you have a large property try zoning the pipe circuits and giving different floors there own room thermostats. Also if you are repiping considder a reverse return pipe layout if it is possible in your property. outside temperature compensation will also improve boiler efficiency. The cheapest and most effective way to save energy and money is to properly insulate and draft proof your property (Adequate ventilation should be maintained however).

Exactly solutions spot on ,,, smurfssmurf everythin works both ways thermal heat stolen from flow then cools down flow so what be the point in heating a pipe thats away to enter boiler to be heated, all your doing is stealing from the rads really

 

[Whyme]

smurf your over thinking it. as above theres no advantage.

 

[solutions]

smurf your over thinking it. as above theres no advantage.

I would go with under but it might be considered rude.