Articles
Best practices for maintaining water flow in plumbing supply systems
September 3, 2019 David DesjardinsMinimizing bacteria growth in plumbing supply systems has become increasingly important in the plumbing industry in recent years. This is done largely through the control of temperature and flow maintenance. Plumbing engineers, installers and facility operators are particularly concerned with…
Tips on major boiler retrofit options
August 28, 2019 Rakesh ZalaOne-third of a facility’s energy bill stems from the boiler room, and system inefficiency just adds to high energy costs. If replacing a boiler is not an option due to budget constraints, retrofitting an old boiler is one way to…
Top ten tips to getting paid
August 27, 2019 Dan LeducThe attention to prompt payment legislation at the federal and provincial level proves the ongoing and entrenched knowledge that the construction industry is premised on cash flow and therefore capitalization is, if not the primary, at least one of the…
IoT permeates market, contractors pushed to get on board
August 26, 2019 Curtis BennettI literally remember hearing that 9600 baud modem squeal for the very first time. Reerascheeeram, yes that is how you actually spell it, so do not try to look it up. It was weird – I thought why the heck…
How to select heat transfer surfaces
August 26, 2019 Dave DemmaThere are many textbook definitions for the term refrigeration, but one of the most straight forward and easy to understand definitions is as follows: “the achievement of a temperature below that of the immediate surroundings.” In this article, when the…
Dealing with the products of combustion: Part 1
August 26, 2019 Rob WatersContractors who install gas-fired condensing boilers know that dealing with the products of combustion is a big challenge when installing these appliances. Flue gases exiting the appliance are laden with moisture, and liquid condensing from the combustion chamber and vent…
Factors to consider when specifying boilers
August 23, 2019 John MillerWhether for a single-family home, large-scale apartment complex, or commercial or industrial facility, building owners, facility managers, engineers and contractors seek boiler systems that meet specification requirements, installation ease, serviceability, reliability, lower operating costs and higher performance. Once these major…
Think ahead: What will hydronic systems look like in 25 years?
August 23, 2019 John SiegenthalerAlthough I have 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. Fifty…
Online reviews are the new word of mouth for contractors
August 21, 2019 Jillian MorganFor mechanical contractors building their digital presence, online reviews are unavoidable. The potential customers searching for HVAC and plumbing contractors can be quickly enticed – or thwarted – by star rankings on websites such as Google, Yelp and Facebook. Positive…
Get smart about leak detection
August 21, 2019 Steve GoldieIt was a beautiful summer day when I got the phone call: “Steven, I hate to bother you but water is coming out of your house.” I was sitting on a patio enjoying a craft beverage, halfway through a well-deserved…
Is the Internet of Things an HVAC thing?
August 20, 2019 Ian McTeerI developed an intense interest in science and technology while watching the adventures of Captain Kirk and crew on the starship Enterprise on an old black and white television as a kid in the 1960s. Cruising through the heavens at…
Update: Measurement Canada to approve thermal energy meters within the year
July 12, 2019 by Kerry TurnerUpdate: The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada reports that the timeframe for implementation of thermal metering regulations has been altered. The new version is found in Bulletin V-31—Implementation of thermal energy meter requirements. It updates the timelines…
Cooling systems meet the challenge of power-dense data centres
May 28, 2019 Jillian MorganIt is no easy task to cool power-hungry data centres. Operators rely on efficient and cost-effective cooling systems to combat climbing power densities, which can reach upwards of 50 kilowatts per rack – the physical structure used to house the…
Is your client’s compressor ready for the summer heat?
May 28, 2019 Dave DemmaOther than the cost there are no serious arguments against performing preventive maintenance on air-conditioning and/or refrigeration equipment. And to the customers who would balk at paying a qualified technician to merely “maintain” their equipment, the only response to them…
Luxury plumbing sees wellness, sustainable technology and natural materials trend upward
May 27, 2019 Jillian MorganThe luxury plumbing market leaves no stone unturned. From the sink to the shower, manufacturers have taken a fresh approach to functionality and style in upscale environments. The trend towards wellness and sustainability has driven a demand for natural materials,…
The overlooked technology
May 27, 2019 Lance MacNevinBy its very nature, the engineering profession is based on the constant search for new and better ways of accomplishing a task. However, there is also a well-known human tendency to do things the way we have always done them.…
Expansion tank dos and don’ts
May 24, 2019 John SiegenthalerWhen water is heated the space required for each molecule increases. Any attempt to prevent this expansion will be met by tremendous forces. If a strong metal container is completely filled with liquid water and sealed from the atmosphere it…
Multiple condensing boiler plants come of age
May 24, 2019 Rob WatersInnovative features, along with new design strategies & installation techniques address previous issues. Multiple condensing boiler plants now provide countless buildings with reliable, efficient, integrated and effective hydronic heating systems. It has not always been this way. It has taken…
Service vehicle report: Heavy-duties get an overhaul
May 23, 2019 Jil McIntoshBefore you buy a service vehicle be sure the model you select does exactly what you need it to do. One of the toughest decisions any business owner has to make is knowing when to save and when to spend.…
Air conditioning system procedures
May 23, 2019 Ian McTeerEvaluating the performance of a cooling system requires the use of accurate tools and techniques. Many of you will be familiar with the proverb “the proof of the pudding is in the eating” meaning something can only be a success…
Faucets and fixtures facilitate flexibility, individuality
March 28, 2019 Jillian MorganFor homeowners, customization is key. In the residential space, individual flare takes precedence over the latest trends. Whether it’s for the kitchen or the bathroom, brands are increasingly offering products that allow the end-user to create a tailored space. “Combining…
Closing the gap in building strategy
March 27, 2019 John SheffPowerful trends in today’s marketplace demand new approaches to buildings–including calls for greater energy efficiency, health, comfort, and performance reliability. But the call for new approaches is also controversial, first and foremost because of cost. The marketplace is neither structured…
Augmented reality, virtual reality: industry game changers
March 26, 2019 Jillian MorganDespite being largely relegated to the classroom, augmented reality and virtual reality offer mechanical contractors a number of benefits in the field. Troubleshooting equipment with a smart phone and viewing the layout of a system on a construction site in…
Mechanical industry sees rise in wireless technology
March 25, 2019 Mike MillerWireless technology has been around in our businesses for at least three decades, or perhaps even longer. The first wireless devices I recall were thermostats that eliminated the wiring between the thermostat location and the mechanical equipment it controlled. Using…
Mechanical system stands the test of time
March 24, 2019 Robert WatersTwenty-two years ago, my wife and I built a house in the north end of Guelph, ON. At the time we had been married for almost five years, had one child with another soon to arrive and we wanted to…
Hybrid mechanical systems: here comes the future
March 23, 2019 Ian McTeerI had not had much to do with the concept of a hybrid anything before landing in the HVAC industry many decades ago. After a few years of learning about disparate topics stretching from gas heating to residential cooling, it…
Heat pump water heater potential remains unrealized
March 21, 2019 Steve GoldieI first wrote about heat pump water heaters (HPWH) almost a decade ago. At the time I was looking to highlight newer, innovative technologies and the HPWH seemed to qualify. After researching and writing that article I was impressed with…
Making the case for modular chillers
March 20, 2019 Dave DemmaModular, in terms of manufacturing, is not a new concept. There is a certain logic to it: manufacturing cataloged production models rather than custom models is certainly more cost effective, and building and/or assembling in a manufacturing plant versus onsite…
Mastering the art and science behind ideal environments
March 8, 2019 Robert BeanThis continues to shock many readers but as I have said repeatedly the construction industry does not exist to employing building professionals. The industry exists to create spaces for humans because without shelter for protection we would not be able…
“Pay for what you use” heat metering technology gains traction
March 7, 2019 John SiegenthalerBuildings such as apartments and condominiums are home to families with different comfort preferences or attitudes on energy use. Similarly, many commercial buildings are divided into spaces where tenants have different temperature requirements or usage schedules. In some buildings, the…