search
cart
facebook instagram twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • CONTRACTORS
    • BATH & KITCHEN PRO
    • BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
    • HIGH EFFICIENCY HOMES
    • TECHNOLOGY
    • WATER TREATMENT
    • PMC COLUMNS
      • Dave Yates: Contractor’s Corner
      • John Siegenthaler: Hydronics Workshop
      • Kenny Chapman: The Blue Collar Coach
      • Matt Michel: Service Plumbing Pros
      • Scott Secor: Heating Perceptions
  • ENGINEERS
    • CONTINUING EDUCATION
    • DECARBONIZATION | ELECTRIFICATION
    • FIRE PROTECTION
    • GEOTHERMAL | SOLAR THERMAL
    • PIPING | PLUMBING | PVF
    • PME COLUMNS
      • Christoph Lohr: Strategic Plumbing Insights
      • David Dexter: Plumbing Talking Points
      • James Dipping: Engineer Viewpoints
      • John Seigenthaler: Renewable Heating Design
      • Lowell Manalo: Plumbing Essentials
      • Misty Guard: Guard on Compliance
  • RADIANT & HYDRONICS
    • RADIANT COMFORT REPORT
    • THE GLITCH & THE FIX
  • INSIGHTS
    • CODES
    • GREEN PLUMBING & MECHANICAL
    • PROJECT PROFILES
    • COLUMNS
      • Codes Corner
      • Natalie Forster: Editorial Opinion
      • Guest Editorial
    • SPONSOR INSIGHTS
  • MEDIA
    • PODCASTS
    • VIDEOS
    • WEBINARS
  • RESOURCES
    • INDUSTRY CALENDAR
    • DIRECTORIES
    • EBOOKS
    • PM BOOKSTORE
    • CE CENTER
    • MARKET RESEARCH
    • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EMAGAZINE
    • EMAGAZINE
    • ARCHIVE ISSUES
    • CONTACT
    • ADVERTISE
    • PME EMAGAZINE ARCHIVES
  • SIGN UP!
ColumnsJohn Siegenthaler: Hydronics Workshop

HYDRONICS WORKSHOP

John Siegenthaler: Not where I live

Becoming a true hydronics professional is an ongoing process.

By John Siegenthaler, P.E.
Becoming a hydronics professional
Maximkostenko/iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
January 31, 2022

For many years, I’ve been offering a free demo version of the “Hydronics Design Studio” software that I co-developed with my long-time colleague, Mario Restive. It’s there for the taking at www.hydronicpros.com.

We usually get several “takers” on this offer every week.

The website uses a typical procedure for getting the contact information of the person downloading the demo software. One of the questions we ask in this process is: “What are your needs?”

We get plenty of short responses to this question, such as “design,” “drawings” or “for a class project.”

One response that recently arrived went into far more detail, and it didn’t paint a pretty picture. Here it is — verbatim.

“After a complete system failure (system designed and installed by a professional heating contractor at a cost over $18,000) and a quote of over $25,000 to do it over, I have no confidence in any of the installers in my area. I have purchased both books and I have a good understanding now, but rather than do all my calculations and layout on paper, I want to have the use of these tools to explore the various options before I commit to my design.”

Ouch! As someone who’s been promoting the virtues of hydronic heating for more than 40 years, it’s disheartening to learn of another case of complete dissatisfaction with at least two contractors that supposedly represent “professionalism” with regard to hydronics technology.


If you don’t have confidence in what you’re designing or installing, you need to “pause” and get back to the unchanging fundamentals.

Not an isolated incident

It’s reasonable to expect that any contractor, in just about any field, and over years of work will have a small share of customers that just aren’t happy with the work that they’ve been hired to do. I’m a realist, it happens, and it’s part of running a business.

I only wish I didn’t have to use the word another a couple of paragraphs ago when mentioning this need expressed by a homeowner.

Many times, I’ve been in a conversation with someone who wants to install a high-quality hydronic system, has the funds to pay for it, but tells me something to the effect: “John, you have to understand, where I live, there just aren’t any competent installers who know what they’re doing when it comes to designing or installing a proper hydronic system.”

Over the years, that sentiment has been expressed to me by doctors, teachers, engineers, builders, computer programmers and plenty of other frustrated homeowners from all walks of life.

These people aren’t living in some arctic outpost, or the Florida Keys, where you might expect minimal availability of hydronic professionals. They’re living in places where hydronic heating has been used for a long time. Places where product availability should not be an issue. Places where there are plenty fuel options, and plenty of demand for all kinds of HVAC systems.

My software partner Mario, who’s a super talented engineer and a very practical guy, once lent his observation to this situation. He called the approach that some installers take “black magic.” The concept that the installer relies on the benevolence of the hydronic gods as a prerequisite for a successful installation. When it’s all assembled, they close their eyes, hold their breath, flip the power switch on and hope — just hope — that the system comes to life with a cooperative attitude.

Can you imagine if other $20,000-plus purchases homeowners make had this “maybe it will work” stigma attached to them?

It doesn’t have to be this way. If you don’t have confidence in what you’re designing or installing, you need to “pause” and get back to the unchanging fundamentals. You need to know how to perform a proper heating load estimate, size a circulator, select adequate heat emitters, protect a conventional boiler from flue gas condensation, get air out of the system, install safe venting, program the controls and understand what those aluminum plates that hold PEX tubing to the underside of floor are there for.

The list goes on.

Stick to the fundamentals

Don’t reinvent the hydronic “wheel” with each new system. Sure there will be differences with each system, but the physics never changes. Think you can sidestep thermodynamics, make water flow only where the arrows on your sketches point, or push 20 gpm through a valve with a Cv of 2.5? If so, I suggest that you sell your tools and look for a career in politics, where aspiration trumps achievement.

If you’re willing to invest in becoming a hydronics professional, realize at the onset that it’s an ongoing process. There’s always something to learn that will improve what you do. Fortunately, there have never been more resources from which to learn, many of them freely available, starting right here at www.pmmag.com.

Take pride in developing your skills and what you create. Polish it up when you’re done. Stand there and admire it. Sign your name somewhere on every system in hopes that someday it will be recognized (and admired) by the techs who follow.

If you’re just in it for a paycheck, you’re in the wrong field. You’re going to be frustrated, and your customers aren’t going to be satisfied. When systems that go for five figures don’t work, expect to find yourself in court, spending time and money that could otherwise add value, create admiration and grow your company.

I plan to contact that fellow who left that previously stated “need” on our website. Chances are, as a homeowner, he’s probably not going to buy our software, but maybe there’s a way to restore some confidence that hydronic heating can actually work well. Maybe there’s a way to help him find a true hydronics professional — even where he lives.


KEYWORDS: hydronic industry hydronic systems plumbers and pipefitters training and education troubleshooting

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Siegenthaler

John Siegenthaler, P.E., is a consulting engineer and principal of Appropriate Designs in Holland Patent, New York. In partnership with HeatSpring, he has developed several online courses that provide in-depth, design-level training in modern hydronics systems, air-to-water heat pumps and biomass boiler systems. Additional information and resources for hydronic system design are available on Siegenthaler’s website,  www.hydronicpros.com.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Worker using the Milwaukee Tool SWITCH PACK drain cleaner

    Pipeline profits: Drain cleaning, pipe inspection create opportunities

    Drain cleaning and inspection services offer lucrative...
    Green Plumbing and Mechanical
    By: Nicole Krawcke
  • Uponor employee, Arturo Moreno

    The reinvestment in American manufacturing and training

    Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke and...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke and Natalie Forster
  • March 2024 Women in Plumbing hero image of woman engineer overlayed by circle of hexagon shapes with numbers from 1 to 10

    Celebrating 10 Influential Women in the Plumbing Industry

    Celebrating Women's History Month and Women in...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke
Manage My Account
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Plumbing & Mechanical audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Plumbing & Mechanical or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • J.J. Keller CMV vehicles on road
    Sponsored byJ. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

    The dash cam game-changer for small business safety

Popular Stories

Plumbing equpment parts and wrench on the white background close up.

Plumbing & Mechanical 2025 Plumbing Tools Survey

Latin American plumber fixing a toilet in the bathroom.

Troubleshooting common airflow plumbing issues

Empty modern room with large windows looking out onto a green lawn and trees.

Transitions: What do I do about cooling? (Part 1)

PM BEMIS June 25 Free Webinar: Optimizing Plumbing Solutions for Single-Family, Multi-Family & Public Spaces

Events

November 13, 2024

Future Proofing MEP: Navigating the 2026 High Efficiency Water Heating Standards

Join our deep dive into DOE’s new standards so you can future-proof your MEP practice.

EARN: 0.1 ASPE CEU; 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 IACET CEU*; 1 PDH

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Will business be up or down in 2025?

Do you anticipate business in 2025 to be up or down in comparison to 2024?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

The Water Came To A Stop

The Water Came To A Stop

See More Products

Download the FREE Water Conservation, Quality & Safety eBook: Plumbing Trends Increasing Safe Water Availability

Related Articles

  • Hydronics Heating System

    John Siegenthaler: What I look for

    See More
  • Comfort is not a commodity

    John Siegenthaler: Comfort is not a commodity

    See More
  • Opportunistic pathways

    John Siegenthaler: Opportunistic pathways

    See More
×

Keep your content unclogged with our newsletters!

Stay in the know on the latest plumbing & piping industry trends.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
    • Supply House Times
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing