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1 week ago | 
pmmag.com | John Siegenthaler
That’s got to be one of the most frequently-asked questions from potential customers who are convinced they want the benefits offered by modern hydronic heating, but at the same time don’t want to sweat it out in summer.
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1 month ago | 
pmmag.com | John Siegenthaler
Radiant & HydronicsThe Glitch & The Fix I was recently sent a sketch for the system very similar to that shown in figure 1. When the system was operated the owner complained of flow problems. The heat emitters in any given zone were only marginally warmed when their associated zone circulator was operating. The owner questioned if another circulator should be installed in the area shown in figure 1.
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1 month ago | 
pmmag.com | John Siegenthaler
Radiant & HydronicsThe Glitch & The Fix I was recently sent a sketch for the system very similar to that shown in figure 1. When the system was operated the owner complained of flow problems. The heat emitters in any given zone were only marginally warmed when their associated zone circulator was operating. The owner questioned if another circulator should be installed in the area shown in figure 1.
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1 month ago | 
pmmag.com | John Siegenthaler
As electrification reshapes the HVAC market, hydronic-based heating and cooling systems stand ready to offer many design and performance benefits. One of them is the potential for thermal storage. After all, water is one of the best materials on earth for storing sensible heat.
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2 months ago | 
pmmag.com | John Siegenthaler
The availability of heat pumps has made it possible for those who design and install hydronic heating to expand their offerings to include cooling. One of the simplest approaches uses a single air handler with a chilled water coil, to supply a ducted forced-air distribution system. In “average” houses this approach, which provides single zone cooling, can be combined with multi-zone hydronic heating.
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2 months ago | 
pmmag.com | John Siegenthaler
Last month we began discussing direct-to-load hydronic heat pump systems. They combine a variable speed compressor with variable speed circulator to modulate both heat output and flow to match the needs of a distribution system without need of a buffer tank or hydraulic separator. Adding a boilerBoth air-to-water and water-to-water heat pumps are often combined with a boiler to serve as a supplemental and backup heat source.
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2 months ago | 
pmmag.com | John Siegenthaler
Radiant & HydronicsThe Glitch & The Fix The air-to-water heat pump has a nominal 4-ton (48,000 Btu/hr) heat output rating. It supplies an air handler as well as a heated concrete slab. At design load conditions the air handler is rated for 20,000 Btu/hr with a supply water temperature of 120 ºF. The slab is designed to release 20,000 Btu/hr when supplied with water at 105 ºF.
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2 months ago | 
pmmag.com | John Siegenthaler
The availability of heat pumps has made it possible for those who design and install hydronic heating to expand their offerings to include cooling. One of the simplest approaches uses a single air handler with a chilled water coil, to supply a ducted forced-air distribution system. In “average” houses this approach, which provides single zone cooling, can be combined with multi-zone hydronic heating.
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2 months ago | 
pmmag.com | John Siegenthaler
✕The GlitchA heating designer is asked to create a three zone radiant floor heating system using a single speed 5-ton (60,000 Btu/hr) geothermal water-to-water heat pump as the primary heat source, and a mod/con boiler as the auxiliary heat source. Because of the symmetry of the building, each zone will have a six circuit manifold station with nearly identical circuit lengths.
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2 months ago | 
hpacmag.com | John Siegenthaler
I’ve been known to throw out a rather sarcastic comment when the subject turns to using antifreeze in hydronic systems: “The only good thing about antifreeze is that it doesn’t freeze.” That quip was based on the facts that using antifreeze in a hydronic system: a.) adds to the cost of the system; b.) increases the pumping power required to achieve the given rate of heat transfer, relative to water alone; c.) decreases the heat storage ability of the system fluid; and d.) needs to be...
