It was such a simple project; replace the old cast iron boiler with a new condensing boiler. You knocked it out in a few days. 

An electrician walked into the equipment room to diagnose and repair an electrical problem in the school. 

Troubleshooting hydronic systems can be challenging, as the pipes are hidden behind walls. Your imagination has to help you “see” the routing of the piping. 

On the older hydronic systems, replacing the existing boiler with a new one was pretty straightforward. The installer connected the new boiler to the existing flue, piping and electric. The newer high-efficiency boilers are much different and require some additional planning.

The students in the dormitory started complaining of headaches and nausea. When the number of students with the same symptoms kept rising, the administration knew something was wrong. The maintenance department dispatched a service technician to investigate.

"According to the ASHRAE HVAC Applications Handbook, the estimated life of an air-to-air heat pump or a rooftop unit is 15 years while a boiler life expectancy is between 24-35 years, depending on the boiler type. So, you will install two heat pumps or rooftop units for every boiler. Where do you think those old units will end up?" I ask the class.

Taco Comfort Solutions has expanded its family of easy-to-use, high-efficiency ECM circulators with the addition of the 0026e.

REHAU’s proprietary compression-sleeve fitting technology expands with EVERLOC+ R-20 manifold connectors for hydronic applications. R-20 connectors support leak-free reliability in a one-piece assembly.

SunTouch ConnectPlus WarmWire Kits makes for a simple electric floor warming installation. Provide heat to warm floors and help keep bathroom, kitchen and entryway floors dry and safe.

Introducing Caleffi's New Vacu-Stop™ Vacuum Relief Valve (VRV). Available in ½” and ¾” MNPT, the Vacu-Stop is suitable for use in water and low-pressure steam services.

Charlotte Pipe’s large diameter fittings include injection-molded and fabricated fittings produced by experienced fabricators with the latest technology available.

NIBCO expands its Wrot Racer push fittings to include new configurations such as reducing and repair tees and couplings, additional sizes of male and female thread adapters, thread elbows and caps with drains.

REHAU announces the addition of CPVC and copper press adapters to their proprietary EVERLOC+ compression-sleeve fitting system.

Niagara’s Shadow 0.8 GPF with Stealth Technology is an award-winning toilet that is WaterSense certified and has a MaP Premium Score of 1000g.

The SANICOMPACT COMFORT is a self-contained dual-flush toilet system used to install a half-bathroom up to 9 feet below the sewer line or even up to 120 feet away from a soil stack.

Sloan’s Gravity Toilet features an innovative tank design with a slightly inverted taper for a modern aesthetic and a raised deck that eliminates rocking.

The NFB-C is available in two sizes: NFB-301C (301 MBH) and NFB-399C (399 MBH).

Rheem’s ThermaForce Combi Boiler features a patented labyrinth heat exchanger.

The Vitocrossal 200 CI2 is the most advanced, compact floor-standing gas condensing boiler designed for large residential and commercial applications.

Armstrong introduces Design Envelope Permanent Magnet pumps (up to 60hp), delivering 20% lower operating costs and highly accurate flow metering (+/- 5%).

The Little Giant 16G Series 1 HP grinder pump is designed for tough wastewater applications. It has a silicon carbide mechanical seal for longer life and a 1 HP motor to prevent clogging.

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

Finzel digs into his own experience at agencies of all kinds and as a political aide to discuss the biggest news stories of the past week.

Kuczkowski reflects what his firm has been up to since it launched 10 years ago and gives advice to others looking to start their own PR agency.

Jeff Hahn joins the podcast to talk about his firm’s unique Austin, Texas-based culture, surviving his own crisis and much more.

On this episode, Omnicom’s Foster talks about private equity’s influence on the PR industry and how his holding company approaches major issues.

One of Notified’s top executives joins the podcast to talk about trends in the space and the top marketing and communications news of the week.

Reid talks about her agency’s work as well as the 2024 presidential election.

As residential building codes and energy conservation standards continue to evolve, many are requiring proof of high quality air sealing.

The choice between ∆T and ∆P operation of a circulator has, at times, been the subject of rather “heated” debates. It’s almost as if a few Yankee fans are disputing superior pitching or batting performance with a few Red Sox fans. There appears to be some strong opinions involved.

 All boilers that burn hydrocarbon fuels such as natural gas, propane, oil or wood produce water vapor as a byproduct of combustion.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

Several years ago, I had the opportunity of visiting the Mostra Convegno Expocomfort show in Milan, Italy. It ranks right up there with the famous ISH show in Frankfurt, Germany, as a “bucket list” event for those who are passionate about hydronic heating and plumbing.

Although the market for solar thermal systems is a tiny fraction of what it once was, I still believe there are viable applications that could help in decarbonizing thermal energy systems.

The overall objective was to create a complete HVAC system, rather than just a heating + cooling system. The system would provide space heating, cooling, domestic hot water, and fresh air ventilation.

Hydronic-based heating and cooling systems stand ready to offer plenty of design and performance benefits. One of them is the potential for thermal storage.

Find out about piping options for retrofitting an air-to-water heat pump into an existing hydronic system.

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.

In rural upstate New York, residents harvest trees for firewood using chainsaws and hydraulic splitters. I burn about two face cords annually in my wood stove, enjoying its warmth during winter and relying on it during power outages caused by outdated utility lines.

Flow direction is crucial in hydronic systems. Most designs have a fixed flow direction, but there are situations where reversals can occur. It's important to address these proactively to ensure smooth operations.

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.

A little water conservation can go a long way.

And as the second-most visited space in commercial buildings — just behind the lobby — the restroom and its water-saving fixtures can help lead the way when it comes to cutting back consumption.

Many pieces of news go viral within the plumbing industry. However, every now and then, something happens that reaches far outside of our industry bubble. This was certainly the case as the tributes remembering legendary businessman Herb Kohler circulated throughout national news outlets and social media everywhere.

Many people look for ways to update their homes to provide a sense of comfort and connection to the outdoors. Outdoor projects are currently flourishing, as people extend their living spaces to feel closer to their natural surroundings.

As businesses and homeowners across the nation wrestle with inflation and stretching their dollars for maximum value, one area that can’t be overlooked is the heating system.

Have you remodeled a bathroom recently? If so, maybe you’ve noticed problems with the toilet.
To get more specific: Is it rocking noisily when the homeowner takes a seat? Or maybe they've noticed water pooling at the base. Perhaps the flooring surrounding the toilet feels soft. Or water spots have appeared on the ceiling located directly below the toilet.