Taco Comfort Solutions/Hydroflo VT Series vertical turbine submersible pumps provide excellent reliability and ease of installation.

Although I’ve worked with hydronic heating for four decades and designed systems around just about every possible heat source, I would be hard-pressed to predict what might be available as hydronic heat sources 25 years from now. 

Last month, we began discussing the HVAC system installed at my church’s newly-constructed parsonage. In this month’s column, we’ll complete the picture.

One of the best things about hydronic heating is there is virtually no limit to how piping systems can be customized. One of the worst things about hydronic heating is that there is virtually no limit to how piping systems can be customized.

I’ve written many PM columns discussing how air-to-water and geothermal water-to-water heat pumps can be combined with hydronic delivery systems to deliver efficiency AND superior comfort. This combination is a great solution for many consumers.

Primary/secondary piping is a way to achieve hydraulic separation by connecting multiple hydronic circuits with their own circulators to prevent interference. Using a pair of closely spaced tees is a common method to achieve this.

In 2024, the North American air-to-water heat pump market saw significant expansion, with nine new offerings introduced at the January AHR show by companies new to this category. By year's end, at least 18 companies either have or plan to offer these pumps in the U.S. Read the list of these companies as of mid-2024.

In 1986, I installed a 1.5-ton geothermal heat pump in my home using two 500-foot horizontal HDPE earth loops. After digging a trench, I connected the loops to the pump and opted for a 2 HP swimming pool pump to fill and flush the system, as a garden hose couldn't provide the needed flow rate.

Hands-on training supported over 2,200 students in The Philippines, Mexico and Thailand.

If I can learn to be a planner, then you can, too.

All three of these elements must be in place for a business to survive.

My shop teacher was a wiry man who loved hand tools. We spent a week making a buzzer base. He taught us how to saw, sand and varnish. He introduced me to a Brace & Bit hand drill and went on and on about how this was better than an electric drill. “Can you feel the wood? It’s alive!” he said, and I could.

Most hydronic systems have the boiler running up to 180° F with water returning from the system at 160°. This rarely happens in real life, but it’s the traditional way we do things.

I have heating (plumbing, fire suppression, etc.) shops in New York and New Jersey. This is very much steam country, and we repair and replace steam boilers and systems all week long and have been for decades. All that is fine, but what I find incredibly odd is the polarized perception of the automatic water feeder.

People who knew Capt. Montgomery C. Meigs said he was occasionally pompous, but when the job was done to his satisfaction, he said, “This was the most difficult piece of engineering and construction that I have yet to undertake.”

Nondairy milk may have begun as a lactose-free alternative for vegans or nondairy eaters, but the rise in popularity can be attributed to much more than being a must-have swap. The options are endless: almond milk, soy milk, hemp milk, rice milk, and more.

This relentless commitment to cleanliness is critical in navigating the complex regulatory compliance landscape, ensuring your facility stands out for all the right reasons. 

One of the most common OSHA violations is respiratory protection. Let’s dive into why and what’s required to be compliant.

The new Hygienically Clean Certification Portal launched on April 15 as part of the Hygienically Clean Certification Program Enhancement Initiatives. 

The OSH industry looks forward to A+A as a physical trade fair in autumn 2021. This is confirmed by the exhibitor registrations received to date. From October 26 – 29, 2021 over 1,000 companies will showcase their products, solutions and global innovations to predominantly European visitors at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.

The central theme of Safe + Sound Week is to promote the implementation and enhancement of safety and health programs in workplaces. 

This is the third serious incident involving the release of HF at the Louisiana facility in the last three years, official says.

This new rule from OSHA paired with dangerously high summer temperatures mean that heat safety will continue to weigh heavily for some time to come.

In this podcast, we discuss how the industrial hygiene professional has evolved over the years as well as AIHA’s rebranding, and even AI as it relates to safety.

No doubt the U.S. economy is in a boom, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The Conference Board reports the highest levels of job satisfaction in more than a decade. The ratio between the unemployment level and the number of job vacancies is at its lowest level in a half-century

Motion Industries, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company, announced that it acquired Hydraulic Supply Company (HSC). Execution of the transaction was completed on October 1, 2018. 

Connected Hydration is a sweat-sensing wearable biosensor and cloud analytics solution that measures sweat loss, sodium loss, skin temperature, and movement to provide actionable rehydration strategies in real time to industrial workers ahead of adverse dehydration events. 

Two studies demonstrate that older adults may be able to live longer, healthier lives by increasing physical activity that doesn’t have to be strenuous to be effective, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2020. The EPI Scientific Sessions, March 3-6 in Phoenix, is a premier global exchange of the latest advances in population-based cardiovascular science for researchers and clinicians.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recommends drinking up to 3 liters of fluid a day. Water is vital for all cell function. It helps your brain to produce hormones and neurotransmitters, supports the lubrication of joints, keeps your skin cool through sweating or respiration, and your body to excrete waste.

Whether in mining, construction, fabrication and assembly, equipment installation and repair, or other industries, there is a shortage of skilled tradesmen/ technicians to do essential work.

VelocityEHS, the global leader in cloud-based environment, health, safety (EHS) and sustainability solutions, announced today it has acquired Spiramid, developer of the most advanced and easy-to-use system for managing industrial hygiene (IH). The acquisition adds Spiramid’s occupational safety & health software and unparalleled IH expertise to the most trusted EHS platform in the industry.

In an exclusive interview with ISHN, ASSP Chief Executive Officer Jennifer McNelly points to several factors contributing to the influx of attendees.

Industrial hygiene began as a medical specialty in the early 1900s. Scope creep among OHS pros is occurring now and will expand in the future, too. The challenge for OHS pros, and others, is to know when to expand or establish limits of OHS capabilities.

Who is more empathetic e.g., better able to recognize pain in a person’s face, a professional industrial hygienist, or a professional historian? A person’s empathy capacity may be partly determined by Empathy Quotient (EQ) scores.

Toxic chemicals at Camp Lejeune creates ripple effect on OHS practice of tracking harmful exposure.

Menstruation seems like an odd topic to discuss as a workplace OHS issue as Menstrual Hygiene Day is in May.

The information in this article demonstrates that risk assessment for pregnant worker concerns has been known globally for decades, even more than a century ago within the U.S.

The foundation of an inclusive workplace is recognizing and embracing its evolution. That means re-defining inclusion organization-wide to instill a more modern and all-encompassing mindset.

While many factors have contributed to supply chain hurdles and economic woes, there are clear measures organizations can take to ensure progress toward more sustainable operations. 

Those working in industrial jobs face unique physical and mental health challenges that employers should be aware of. Most companies care about the well-being of their workers.

With plant-based ingredients in high demand, formulators oftentimes are turning to hydrocolloid solutions to deliver the stabilization these beverages need.

Clean label and better-for-you trends have elevated tea ingredients as beverage-makers look to deliver these attributes to consumers.

As consumers more closely scrutinize beverage labels, recognizable, from nature hydrocolloids have become an essential part of beverage development.

Although hydrocolloids do not provide specific health benefits, experts note that their functional attributes make many of the trendy, health-forward drinks possible.

Experts suspect that the future is bright for both the energy drink and sparkling water market, Phocus is looking to be the go-to solution for consumers seeking both.

Experts note that convenience, drinkability and protein content are key drivers of the performance beverage market.

On the heels of Kathy Hilton’s musical debut in SMASH TEA PARTAY: A Smirnoff ICE Musical, the reality TV star and Smirnoff ICE are back to spill the tea on the brand’s latest flavor offerings of Smirnoff ICE SMASH Tea.

Launched in 2020, Chlorophyll Water provides more than just hydration. The water is loaded with chlorophyll and vitamins, supplying plenty of potential health benefits while valuing sustainability.

Health considerations have impacted the beverage industry by way of fortified beverages.