Radiant/Hydronics https://www.pmmag.com/rss/2652-radiant-hydronics en-us The Glitch & The Fix: Combining geothermal heat pumps and radiant http://www.pmmag.com/articles/104181 Wed, 27 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/104181-the-glitch-and-the-fix-combining-geothermal-heat-pumps-and-radiant Hydronic retrofit brings utility and style together The age-old question of function versus form has confounded experts in every field for countless decades.

Jeff Sweenor, president and CEO of Sweenor Builders in Wakefield, Rhode Island, looks at it differently. He asks, why not both? Function certainly comes first, but when the dust settles, his projects look as good as they work.

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/104173 Fri, 22 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/104173-hydronic-retrofit-brings-utility-and-style-together The gold standard: Protection from dissolved oxygen and debris in hydronic systems Water is the life-blood of hydronic systems. Just as we strive to maintain the health of our own circulatory systems, it’s important to maintain the health of the water-based solutions that circulate through the hydronic systems we construct and maintain.

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/104122 Mon, 21 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/104122-the-gold-standard-protection-from-dissolved-oxygen-and-debris-in-hydronic-systems Circulator pump reliability in extreme conditions On a military base in east-central Alaska — where the average winter temperature is 16° F with lows that fall well below minus 50° at times — dependable, low-maintenance winter heating systems are critical for the active-duty military families and Department of Defense civilians who live on the military post.

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103964 Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103964-circulator-pump-reliability-in-extreme-conditions Hydronic contractors becoming control consultants For decades, changing out a thermostat for a retrofit hydronic heating system was a simple task for a service technician. From Bangor, Maine, to Breckenridge, Colorado, the mere two, 18-gauge thermostat wires running through a home was not a concern (short of the random nail or mouse taking one of the two out).

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103916 Fri, 19 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103916-hydronic-contractors-becoming-control-consultants John Siegenthaler: Game changer hydronicpros@gmail.com (John Siegenthaler, P.E.) With systems dating back into the 1800s, hydronic heating has been around a long time. As with many technologies, a modern hydronic heating system bears little resemblance to one based on the earliest design techniques and hardware.

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103807 Wed, 29 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103807-john-siegenthaler-game-changer The real value of snow-melt systems http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103779 Wed, 15 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103779-the-real-value-of-snow-melt-systems Hydronic heat pumps ride the tide of electrification http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103778 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103778-hydronic-heat-pumps-ride-the-tide-of-electrification John Siegenthaler: What I look for hydronicpros@gmail.com (John Siegenthaler, P.E.) http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103695 Thu, 29 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103695-john-siegenthaler-what-i-look-for Higher turndown ratios, parallel cascading are keys to efficiency The major trend in the commercial boiler market, which will continue in 2021 and beyond, is the predominance of packaged boilers installed in multiple boiler cascade systems. 

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103686 Mon, 19 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103686-higher-turndown-ratios-parallel-cascading-are-keys-to-efficiency Is boiler turndown really that important? It’s without question that technology has improved the mechanical world around us. From my smartphone, I can instantly see the health of hundreds of our boiler plants across the country. 

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103620 Wed, 09 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103620-is-boiler-turndown-really-that-important Hydronic Boiler Raypack Closeup The Glitch & The Fix: Mixed results An installer is asked to connect a single speed geothermal water-to-water heat pump to a highly-zoned low temperature hydronic distribution system.

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103504 Thu, 22 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103504-the-glitch-the-fix-mixed-results The Glitch - April The Fix VRF versus hydronics With a considerable volume of contradictory information in circulation regarding the application of different technologies for HVAC systems, this article seeks to explain some of the technical aspects of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems, and offer comparisons on the basis of cost and performance to more standard hydronic systems. 

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103429 Tue, 16 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103429-vrf-versus-hydronics Armstrong The Hydronics Industry Alliance released a report studying a VRF system and hydronic system installed in the same building. The report found the VRF system had higher energy consumption in three consecutive years of operation. VRF Systems For select installations or building types those arguments about the benefits of VRF systems may be valid. However, there are some important limitations that VRF technology imposes on buildings and HVAC systems, starting as early as the design stages. Tips on maintaining high-efficiency boilers Popular high-efficiency boilers tend to be more expensive at installation, but lower utility bills pay customers back over time. 

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103426 Fri, 12 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103426-tips-on-maintaining-high-efficiency-boilers Hinged A hinged cover plate on a boiler can be propped open like the hood of a car, granting quick access to the center of the boiler, including the burner and firetubes, for inspection or cleaning. Boiler Boilers should be inspected and serviced by a professional installer or technician at least once a year. The intense environment inside a high-efficiency boiler should be monitored and serviced to maintain peak efficiency. Retrofitting an active warehouse While forklifts were cruising the aisles of a warehouse in Grantsville, Maryland, a crew from BYCO Enterprises had to carefully retrofit that same space with 1,340 feet of gas line. 

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103425 Thu, 11 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103425-retrofitting-an-active-warehouse Forklift MegaPress G Viega’s MegaPressG press fitting system for carbon steel pipe is approved for use in gas and fuel oil applications, making it ideal for industrial, commercial and residential applications, Veiga notes.  Press Fitting System By using Viega’s press fitting system, BYCO was able to install the new gas line and heaters in less than half the time the project would have normally taken using welding.  Wet Sprinkler System In order to install a wet sprinkler system, the warehouse had to install heaters so the pipes wouldn’t potentially freeze in cold temperatures.  Gas Line BYCO installed the gas line along with 12 Reznor heaters in the 120,000 square foot warehouse.  The Glitch & The Fix: Heat, heat everywhere Figure 1 shows the piping layout for an actual installation. It uses two boilers, fired in stages, to supply three areas of a building. 

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103388 Fri, 19 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103388-the-glitch-the-fix-heat-heat-everywhere The Glitch The Fix PEX pipe and tubing freeze-break resistance and benefits addressed in new technical report The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) published a new technical report related to the break resistance of PEX pipe and tubing when fluid inside becomes frozen.

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103379 Fri, 12 Feb 2021 09:46:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103379-pex-pipe-and-tubing-freeze-break-resistance-and-benefits-addressed-in-new-technical-report Canadian farmer finds nest egg with fire tube boilers When HVAC work needs to be completed for agriculture applications in Ontario, Canada, Gleeson Plumbing & Heating has a reputation of delivering impressive results time and time again. 

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103354 Mon, 08 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103354-canadian-farmer-finds-nest-egg-with-fire-tube-boilers Chicken Barn Air Handlers Downblast hydronic air handlers are powered by Navien NFB-C boilers to heat the large chicken feeding barn. Fire Tube Boilers Three Navien NFB-C Commercial Condensing Fire Tube Boilers are cascaded together to provide heat for the chicken barn.  Touch Screen  The NFB-C features a 7-inch full color touch screen display. Gleeson Gleeson Plumbing & Heating handled the installation for the project. The Glitch & The Fix: Inadvertent flows An installer recently read about the benefits of piping a buffer tank in a “2-pipe” configuration.  

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103322 Mon, 18 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103322-the-glitch-the-fix-inadvertent-flows The Fix The Glitch Ray Wohlfarth: The importance of safety in mechanical rooms ray@fireiceheat.com (Ray Wohlfarth) An electrician walked into the equipment room to diagnose and repair an electrical problem in the school. 

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103286 Wed, 30 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103286-ray-wohlfarth-the-importance-of-safety-in-mechanical-rooms The Glitch & The Fix: Busy backup A heating designer is asked to create a three zone radiant floor heating system using a 5-ton (60,000 Btu/h) geothermal heat pump as the primary heat source, and a mod/con boiler as the auxiliary heat source. 

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103281 Tue, 22 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103281-the-glitch-the-fix-busy-backup The Glitch The Fix Happy as a pig? PP-R pipe excels in tough agricultural application A happy sow is a better sow. If you didn’t know that, don’t worry: The people who need to know it do. 

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103246 Mon, 07 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103246-happy-as-a-pig-pp-r-pipe-excels-in-tough-agricultural-application Aquatherm Pipe When a pig farm is occupied and operating, the indoor air quality can be very harsh, but Aquatherm pipe is unaffected by the corrosive environment. Contractor The contractor on this project was impressed that PP-R pipe doesn’t radiate heat like black pipe does. Pipes The pipe’s light weight and ease of handling made it easy to hang, and it now carries heated water to the four zones of this barn.  PP-R Pipe The PP-R pipe moves 1.2 million Btu/h generated by five 399,000 Btu/h condensing boilers at this pig barn.  Adventures in Hydronic Heating Volume 4 http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103235 Thu, 03 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103235-adventures-in-hydronic-heating-volume-4 The Glitch & The Fix: Share, and share alike An installer is asked to pipe up two larger commercial air handlers supplied by a dual boiler setup. 

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103218 Wed, 18 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103218-the-glitch-the-fix-share-and-share-alike The Glitch The Fix BoilerMag magnetic filter Installing the magnetic filter will increase energy efficiency, significantly prolong boiler life, protect pipework and considerably reduce maintenance calls, the company notes.

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103213 Mon, 16 Nov 2020 08:11:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103213-boilermag-magnetic-filter Webstone transition tees and unions These lead-free products are made of dezincification resistant brass, the company notes.

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103212 Sun, 15 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103212-webstone-transition-tees-and-unions Viega hosts online training seminars in November Attendees can earn credits and certifications.

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103203 Mon, 09 Nov 2020 11:57:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103203-viega-hosts-online-training-seminars-in-november More time, less mess When a crew in Maine needed to renovate the heating system in an elementary school, they were up against two challenges — time and cleanliness.

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103183 Mon, 09 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103183-more-time-less-mess radiator system Manchester Elementary School replaced its aging steam radiator system with a completely new liquid propane gas-fired hydronic boiler plant, including ceiling-mounted radiant heating panels. Radiator System 2 Heating Loop One large heating loop was piped around the perimeter of the building, branching off to the radiant ceiling panels in each of the classrooms. MegaPress fittings in sizes 3/4 inches all the way up to 4 inches were used on the project. Radiator System 3 Australia training facility chooses geothermal In order to achieve a more environmentally friendly footprint for its new education and research campus in Narre Warren, Australia, IAPMO and the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC) chose one technology rooted quite literally in the earth.

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103182 Thu, 05 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103182-australia-training-facility-chooses-geothermal The IAPMO/PICAC Narre Warren net-zero energy campus The IAPMO/PICAC Narre Warren net-zero energy campus is the first facility in Australia to utilize building foundation screw piling to source geothermal energy for the building’s heating and cooling requirements. fuel gas appliance test rig Oceana research center and product testing laboratory The state-of-the-art fuel gas appliance test rig at the IAPMO/PICAC Narre Warren campus. IAPMO 1 IAPMO 2 The state-of-the-art facility houses IAPMO R&T’s Oceana research center and product testing laboratory, itself a vital conduit for innovative manufacturers of plumbing products to gain certification to applicable code and standards for their fixtures, fittings and other new technologies. 4 reasons hydronic radiant heating promotes sustainability and indoor environmental quality kim.bliss@uponor.com (Kim Bliss) With remote work becoming the standard for many employees across the U.S. and homeowners spending even more time indoors as a result of the pandemic, a new focus is emerging on the need for sustainability and indoor environmental quality in homes. 

]]> http://www.pmmag.com/articles/103187 Wed, 04 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103187-reasons-hydronic-radiant-heating-promotes-sustainability-and-indoor-environmental-quality Clean Comfort In addition to its extreme thermal comfort that keeps warmth close to the body, hydronic radiant heating is also exceptionally energyefficient and helps promote a cleaner indoor environment with better air quality. tie-down method The tie-down method to wire rebar or the staple-down method to foamboard insulation are typical installations for embedding the radiant tubing in concrete slabs. QuikTrak Eden Prairie R cool College City FastTrak St Lambert Studioraum