Zone Valve Dripping

[DanInNY]

Our Weil-McLain boiler (hydronic system) is 15 years old. We had one White Rodgers zone valve replaced 4 years ago. Another one started dripping last week. We were told by our HVAC tech that "no one" carries WR parts on their truck and we should replace all three with Honeywell. I have read some less than positive reviews about Honeywell zone valves. I am considering ordering the WR off the internet and then having the tech replace them.

My questions are
1) any other brands of zone valves to consider other than WR and HW?
2) should I have the tech replace the two remaining original valves left while the one is dripping?
3) does the system have to be drained?
4) If the system needs to be drained, can the tech somehow empty and reuse the glycol in the system. We just put new glycol in the system last year for $300.

Thank you.

[fearlessfurnace]

I prefer honeywell but we carry w-r on the trucks
zone valves increase maintenance
with enough shutoff valves you can repair zone valves without draining-maybe
replace-possible but less likeley
I'd fix the W-R
find someone who stocks the parts or stockpile your own

[regionalmech]

There are other options besides zone valves i'm not a big fan of them anyway. If your going to spend some money to install shut off valves if you dont' have them already maby think about installing a zone pump. might require some additonal low voltage wiring but would be a start to upgrading your system with current technology. On the plus most contractors carry pumps on there service trucks.

[coolwhip]

Get the kind where you can just change the power head and not the body. You dont have to worry bout isolation and draining the system or zone.

[fearlessfurnace]

Get the kind where you can just change the power head and not the body. You dont have to worry bout isolation and draining the system or zone.

he needs more than a powerhead-its leaking (powerhead might be good)
but the W-R stem is quick to changeout.
heck you can rebuild the if you do not mind spending $$$
to fix a $$ part

[knave]

if the ph is fine on your antifreeze, you should have no problem reusing it.

[hydronicsman]

Above all: do you REALLY need antifreeze in the system? Can something more intelligent be done via freezestats or insulation or the like? Glycol is a recipe to system self destruction unless one religiously maintains the concentration and Ph. Which typically NEVER happens.

1) WR zone valves are one rare bird. I would swap them for Taco's EBV's or Grundfos's Power Zone's or even Caleffi's. Or the "better" Honeywell ZV.
2) Have the tech look closely at the stems on the others. If they show signs of corrosion, yes, change them.
3) Depends. If the system was piped right with isolation valves in the right places, drainage would be minimal.
4)I wouldn't re-use the glycol..concentrations are all off once drained and re-injected, but...see above- do you really want this ongoing hassle?

[fearlessfurnace]

yeah straight warer is better than anti-freeze
untill it freezes

[skippedover]

You didn't say where you're located and that could make a difference as to what is most popular in your area. The most common zone valve in our area is Taco 3-wire zone valves. After that it's either Honeywell or Erie. As an alternative to zone valves, you can easily change to zone pumps now that the pumps come with internal flow control valves. Either way, zone valves or zone pump is a good solution to a residential application. Taco is located in Warwick, RI and we're in MA so that could be why the Taco is so popular in our area but the suckers are almost bullet proof. The old units could leak after many years and did require taking the pressure off the system to change the power head but that's going back 40-years now. All the Tacos for the last 30-years or so have been leak proof (as long as the installed didn't solder them in without opening the valve) and the gold power heads are a 5-minute change for an experienced tech.

[firecontrol]

If you feel that antifreeze is a must in your system or you're not willing to run straight water I'd also suggest (like others) you change to zone pumps verses the zone valves. Zone valves will continue to be a maintenance/replacement issue when you're using antifreeze in the system.