It is more important than ever for plumbing and HVAC contractors to understand best practices for seamless and easy heat pump installations, so here are 10 basics.
Twenty-nine years ago, when we built our forever home, my central air conditioning systems consisted of two 2-ton condensers with two air-handlers in the attic and ductwork that utilized fiberglass ductboard with short runs of flex ducts terminating at commercial-grade ceiling registers. The condensers and air handlers were used that we salvaged from one of our job sites. I kept them with the notion of using them and figured we would upgrade from 10-SEER to higher efficiency units once they died.
METUS plans to use the facility to generate 60 distribution center jobs and empower HVAC businesses with the training and support needed to sell, install and service all-climate heat pumps.
ServiceTitan’s Chris Hunter discusses how contractors can grow their workforce and maximize existing labor to capitalize on opportunities presented by the IRA.
ServiceTitan’s Chris Hunter discusses how contractors can grow their workforce and maximize existing labor to capitalize on opportunities presented by the IRA.
I always seek out the Bradford White booth to see what’s new and visit with friends both old and new. It was fun catching up with Carlos Morales because we had worked closely together several years ago in the development of the company’s gas-fired tankless water heater line. Lois and I had the opportunity to beta-test a number of tankless models and report back on their performance. Stability of delivery temperature; showering while other hot water usages ran simultaneously or intermittently; and, of course, attempting to max out the full-flow capacity.
The new name also embraces the global megatrend toward electrification, with Bosch announcing last
month an investment of $737.6 million in electrification to further accelerate heat pump ramp-up,
specifically as high demand for climate-friendly solutions continues globally.
Last month, we discussed the role of buffer tanks in combination with air-to-water and water-to-water heat pumps that operate as “on/off” devices. The key concept was to turn the heat pump on and off based on changes in the buffer tank temperatures and not based on thermostats calling for heat.
More and more hydronic heating and cooling systems are being designed around air-to-water and water-to-water (geothermal) heat pumps. When the heating distribution system is extensively zoned, a buffer tank is typically installed between the heat pump and that distribution system.
Johnson Controls-Hitachi’s new Yutaki M R32 monobloc air-to-water heat pump is an all-in-one solution, delivering heating, cooling and domestic water heater with an external tank.
Government planners, taking their queues from politicians and advocacy organizations, have steered the future of energy supply away from fossil fuels and toward renewably-sourced electricity. It’s happening on every level from the feds right down to local city councils.