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Home » Topics » Radiant & Hydronics » The Glitch & The Fix

The Glitch & The Fix
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The Glitch & The Fix figure 1
The Glitch & The Fix

One size doesn't fit all when it comes to piping sizes

John Siegenthaler 200x200 author headshot on a white background.
John Siegenthaler, P.E.
October 29, 2024

A project needs medium- and low-temperature radiant floor panels. The installer proposes using a mod/con boiler with a 1-inch tempering valve for lower temperatures and plans to pipe the entire system with 1-inch tubing. What potential issues could arise from this design?


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The Glitch and The Fix Figures 1 and 2

The Glitch & The Fix: Identify the flow problems

September 27, 2024

The two photos below were from the same project. Flow is upward through the vertical pipe in Figure 1. Without any more details being described, can you spot at least two problems in each photo?


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The Glitch and The Fix Figure 1 image of outdoor wood-fired furnace

The Glitch & The Fix: Boiler choke point

May 6, 2024

Due to its low efficiency and high emissions, an installer is asked to replace the outdoor wood-fired furnace with a new cordwood gasification boiler.


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The Glitch and The Fix black and white feature image concrete slab with PEX tubing placement
The Glitch & The Fix

Concrete slab over radiant tubing — who takes the blame?

April 24, 2024

Take a look at the two photos in Figure 1. Do you see any installation practices that might compromise the eventual structural or thermal performance of this slab?


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March The Glitch and The Fix, Figure 1 The layout the installer proposed.
The Glitch & The Fix

Dual boiler layout shortcomings

March 27, 2024

An installer is asked to pipe up two larger commercial air handlers supplied by a dual boiler sub-system. The building owner wants to make it possible to supply either air handler from either boiler. Can you spot some shortcomings and suggest a better way to accomplish the same objectives?


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The Glitch The Fix feature. Figure 1: The glitch — schematic of a primary secondary system where each heat source connects to the primary loop using a pair of closely spaced tees.
The Glitch & The Fix

3-zone radiant system peppered with problems

February 21, 2024

The installer is tasked with setting up a three-zone radiant floor heating system using a 5-ton geothermal heat pump and a mod/con boiler, connected through a primary-secondary system with closely spaced tees. The system includes 4 earth loops of 1” HDPE tubing, each 500 feet long, supplying the heat pump, and features underfloor tubing with aluminum plates.


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PM Jan 2024 The Glitch and The Fix Figure 1 Diagram.jpg
The Glitch & The Fix

Eliminating the temperature drop effect

Avoiding sequential temperature drops
January 3, 2024

A hydronics newbie decides that he can eliminate the temperature drop effect by putting all three supply-side tees upstream of all three return-side tees. If you don’t think it will work, what would you do to change it?


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The Glitch and The Fix Figure 1: The glitch

The Glitch & The Fix: Radiator Redo

December 26, 2023

An installer inspects a system where an aging steam boiler supplies several cast-iron radiators. He proposes to convert the system from steam to hot water and replace the old boiler with a mod/con boiler. Can you spot some potential problems and suggest some improvements?


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01 PM 1123 Glitch and Fix Figure 1 The system
The Glitch & The Fix

Considerations for reusing existing distribution systems when upgrading equipment

November 28, 2023

An installer is asked to replace two aging cast-iron boilers with two mod/con boilers, but reuse as much of the existing distribution system as possible. Can you spot several details, omissions or other quirks that will lead to problems over the life of this system?


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01 PM 1023 Glitch and Fix Figure 1

The Glitch & The Fix: Preventing fly ash accumulation

October 25, 2023

Can you diagnose why this glitch is happening, and suggest alternate methods for constructing this portion of the system?


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