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In Ottawa, Ontario, the temperature on the first of January is typically well below freezing. Averaging between 14° F and 20° F (-10° C and -7° C) around the New Year holiday, most outdoor swimming pools are not in use. But where there’s a will, there’s a way.

So, when one homeowner, located just outside Ottawa, shared his vision of building an elaborate clubhouse on his property and ringing in the new year with his friends and family with an outdoor pool party, James Armstrong and Joey Zdrilich of True North Mechanical knew they were the right guys for the job.

Based in Ottawa, True North Mechanical was founded by Armstrong and Zdrilich, two passionate professionals with 16 and 15 years in the trade, respectively. With their business, they have built a reputation for dedication to high-quality work and customer satisfaction, delivering top-notch installations and services, especially in high-end custom homes.

Their journeys in the HVAC industry are marked by a deep commitment to excellence. Throughout his years of experience, Armstrong’s goal was to start his own business. Zdrilich, inspired by his father’s business, joined forces with Armstrong to bring their shared vision of superior craftsmanship to life. Both founders believe in doing things the right way, valuing quality over shortcuts and ensuring their work not only meets but exceeds customer expectations.

Their dedication is evident in every project they undertake. They understand meticulous planning is required to execute incredible projects for their customers, and this addition to a single-family property takes their skills to the next level.

The luxury clubhouse consists of a pool, hot tub, wood stove and kitchen area, wine cellar, gymnasium, three-car garage, one spare bedroom, additional storage and entertaining spaces, and more. It is designed to be the ultimate hosting space for the family — a place to bring everyone together.

Of course, a space this impressive deserves to be celebrated, and that is exactly what the homeowner wanted — a New Year’s Eve outdoor pool party in sub-freezing temperatures.

To make this dream a reality, True North Mechanical needed to design a complex system with multiple zones and multiple purposes. This is where the Uponor radiant heating and snow-melt systems provide maximum benefits.

One challenge with the project was the automatic pool cover that operates on a track system. True North Mechanical installed radiant panels and flexible PEX-a pipe to help ensure the controls for the cover won’t freeze and can still operate in the winter.

“We lined the trough of the pool with Uponor Joist Trak heat-transfer panels to radiate heat,” explains Armstrong. “Because, if this thing freezes and the pool cover can’t open or close, then we’re getting a phone call.”

And because Ottawa also tends to get a significant amount of snow, the radiant system also keeps the area free from ice and snow throughout the entire winter.

In addition to the unique snow- and ice-melting system outside, the indoors will also benefit from the comfort and energy efficiency of radiant heat. Inside the clubhouse, True North Mechanical installed radiant PEX-a pipe in a concrete overpour application with a four-inch slab.

“We’ve installed about 12,000 feet of Uponor PEX-a pipe for the snow-melt and the indoor radiant layout,” says Armstrong. “The manifolds are also Uponor. Inside there’s four of them, and outside for the snow-melt, there’s two. We also have hydronic air handlers in the garages for heat recovery when the doors open for a little bit. All the lines from the mechanical room to the hydraulic air handlers are Uponor, too.”

Soon, the pool area and clubhouse will be up and running with several months to enjoy the space before the big New Year’s Eve bash.