Here are photos of a circa-1944 Perfex Series 155 Magic Dial Thermostat, as well as the instruction manual.
Levittown Installation Photos
These were the first mass-produced homes. Built after World War II, they all had hydronic radiant heating systems. Note the way they laid the tubing right on the ground, and used two-by-fours to hold it in place. When the wood rotted, the slab had a perfect place to crack, and that would be right where the copper tubes passed through. Today, these homes sell for more than $500,000. Contractors who work on the Levittown systems tell me that only about 15 percent of the original radiant systems are still working.
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