Technical Articles

Why do pumps use Feet of Head instead of PSI? Centrifugal pumps show flow in gallons per minute (in the US).  That makes sense, right?  So why are we showing the differential pressure created by the pump in Feet of Head? Why doesn’t the pump curve show pressure differential in PSI? In a sense, it…

With the current frenzy over “green” products lately, I thought I would give some well deserved credit to a product that really stands out in the “green” market. That product is nothing more than hydronic radiant floors. That’s right, no cutting edge technology, no sexy gimmick, just a well designed and installed hydronic radiant floor.…

Let the Sun Shine In Four major things motivated my topic this month: The rising costs of fossil fuels; My personal interest in conserving the environment; Tax time; and Spring. All of our budgets are being stretched by the rising costs of fossil fuels. There are many reasons for this, including geopolitical events like the…

Not all hydronic heating systems are water or glycol based. In this area, and on the East Coast, there are still a fair number of steam systems. Many of these systems are residential, and while they are not being designed and installed for new construction, they still represent an important niche in the hydronic market.…

Do you know enough to be dangerous? True or False: Hydronic heating systems offer the maximum amount of comfort and efficiency possible to their owners. The answer, of course, is False! What is True, is that properly designed and installed hydronic systems offer the maximum amount of comfort and efficiency. Hydronic or otherwise, improperly designed…

Don’t Just “Go with the Flow” Most modern hydronic heating systems use circulating pumps to move water through the piping system, to distribute the energy in the water to the radiation that heats the space. In previous articles, we have discussed one of the formulas we use most often when evaluating and designing hydronic heating…

Losing your marbles? Are air problems getting you down? The details surrounding expansion tank sizing and location, air separation sizing and location, and fill pressure result in more problems and seem to be shrouded in more mystery than all others I have run into combined. Here are the guidelines you need to do them properly:…

Hydronic systems, by their very definition, heat or cool using water, or some other heat transfer fluid like glycol. Many of the potential problems in these systems occur when something other than fluids are in the system. One of the most common contaminates is air. This is particularly because water contains air when it comes…

What is an Automatic Flow Limiting Valve? In a hydronic heating system, overflow can cause overheating, since the additional flow will cause additional heat transfer at the coil. The control valve should sense this based on leaving airside temperature of the coil, and modulate to keep the flow rate in line with the required heat…