Articles by John Siegenthaler, P.E.

Achieving a balance between heat emitter area and supply water temperature.

Learn to design more efficiently by troubleshooting the following hydronic schematic. The answer to this "glitch" can be found in PM's twice-montly e-newsletter Radiant & Hydronics e-News. Sign up for free here.

What happens when flow reverses in primary/secondary systems?

Opportunities await if manufacturers will respond.

Are high-performance condensing boilers compatible with mixing devices?

Those who've worked within the hydronic radiant heating market in most areas of the county have probably been asked about the feasibility of snowmelting. Many hydronic professionals now offer it as a part of their repertoire. It's a natural extension of the skill set learned to design and install radiant heating systems.

We've talked about the implications of long radiant floor circuits in the past. They do cut down on hardware, such as manifold connections. They also speed the installation. But what about thermal performance? Can the use of a “high head” circulator correct for the potential thermal degradation due to an extra long circuit?

Last fall the PM columnists were all challenged to write about their “secret life” for their January columns. The idea was to write about something they do or enjoy that's a bit outside their normal monthly specialty.

If you attended the RPA RadFest East this past October, you may remember the piping schematic in Figure 1 as an example of what not to do.

You don't need dozens of control boxes and miles of thermostat or sensor cable to provide appropriate zoning.