Articles
Keep heat produced by auxiliary boilers out of thermal storage
December 13, 2018 John SiegenthalerMost hydronic heating systems that have renewable energy heat sources, such as solar thermal collectors, an air-to-water or geothermal heat pump, or a biomass boiler, also have an auxiliary boiler. Many of these systems also have one or more thermal…
Clearing the air on ozone
December 13, 2018 Aaron EngelTwenty years ago, consumers knew very little about indoor air quality (IAQ) and its effects on their health in the home. Subsequent media attention and contractor awareness, saw a flurry of manufacturers offering IAQ air treatment equipment for homeowners wishing…
Study shows virtual reality motion sickness can be predicted, counteracted
December 13, 2018 Jillian MorganMotion sickness is poised to throw a wrench into the seemingly unstoppable rise of virtual reality, including its use among mechanical contractors. A team of researchers at the University of Waterloo have a solution. Cyber sickness, or virtual reality motion…
Whole house ducted HVAC: The end is near?
December 12, 2018 Ian McTeerAutomotive analogies can be useful in explaining otherwise obscure HVAC concepts because many consumers of heating and air conditioning systems also have cars and understand the joys and sorrows associated with four-wheeled ownership. For example, suppose some car enthusiast purchased…
Step-by-step prep: Preparing condensing boilers for winter
December 12, 2018 Rob WatersEvery year the impending winter season prompts Canadians to prepare for winter. Safely storing summer gear, closing the pool or cottage, putting snow tires on our vehicles are things we know we have do before old man winter arrives with…
Protecting indoor air: Maintenance essential during wildfire season
December 11, 2018 Jillian MorganBritish Columbia is cooling off in the wake of its most devastating wildfire season to date. Scorching more than 13,000 square kilometres of the province, the wildfires prompted a nearly month-long State of Emergency in the summer of 2018. Smoke…
What to do about that pesky R-22 chiller: Part II
December 7, 2018 Dave DemmaIn Part I, which appeared in HPAC October 2018, the various considerations prior to undertaking a chiller conversion were discussed. What follows is a simple (or maybe not so simple) step-by-step procedure for actually converting a R-22 chiller. Systems not…
Retrofitting Robson Central
November 16, 2018 by Jillian MorganA Vancouver heritage building is overhauled with efficient heating and cooling systems and new technology
The keys to optimal radiant system performance
November 9, 2018 Mike MillerControls play an integral role in ensuring today’s hydronic radiant systems operate as energy efficiently as possible while still providing ultimate comfort to the consumer. Every system should, at the very least, be employed using outdoor weather compensating controllers or…
Cannabis legalization presents challenges new and old for employers
November 8, 2018 Diane LaranjaEffective October 17, 2018, recreational cannabis became legal in Canada. It is not surprising many employers fear the cognitive and psychomotor effects its use will present in the workplace. Cannabis is a generally impairing substance. Its effects can include diminished…
What to do about that pesky R-22 chiller: Part I
November 7, 2018 Dave DemmaWhile there have not been any widespread shortages of R-22 to date, the price has certainly been reflective of a reduced supply. With a complete ban on new R-22 (either imported or manufactured) beginning January 2020, the supply will continue…
What you need to know about electrical resistance
November 6, 2018 Curtis BennettThere are some facts about thermistors and resistance that cause confusion. Luckily that lines up with our topics on electricity. How you wonder? Once again it is all physics. V = I R, where the R is resistance. A story…
Radon, Canadianized
November 6, 2018 Jillian MorganAs uranium begins its cyclical decay chain in Canadian soil, homes on the surface act like a suction cup and draw in its deadly by-product: radon. Odourless, colourless and tasteless, radon gas is just one domino in a radioactive cascade…
When to use a three-pipe buffer tank configuration
November 5, 2018 John SiegenthalerWhen it comes to thermal storage tanks, there are many shapes, sizes and pressure ratings available, ranging from tanks that resemble (or are) domestic water heaters to larger ASME-certified pressure vessels. In most hydronic thermal storage applications, it is desirable…
Make the right choice: An overview of new plumbing and hydronic valves
October 26, 2018 Kevin Freidt and Mark OlsonSeveral manufacturers have introduced new balancing valve technologies into the market. Familiarity with these new valves, as well as traditional balancing valves, will assist you in selecting the correct one for specific hydronic and plumbing system applications. MANUAL BALANCING VALVES…
Boiler maintenance to-do list
August 30, 2018 Tim KaneOne of the biggest thieves of efficiency in boiler operations is the accumulation of soot and/or scale on heat exchanger surfaces. It does not take long for soot to start causing significant loss of energy efficiency. In a matter of…
Change of vision with differential temperature control
August 29, 2018 David ConnorsOver time the hydronic industry has changed the approach to system piping designs and temperature control as equipment efficiency and technology has evolved. In the late 1960s and early 1970s out-door air reset was utilized. This allowed for better temperature…
Growth of 20 per cent by 2025 predicted by propane industry study
August 29, 2018 by Jillian MorganCanada’s propane industry is expected to grow by over 20 per cent between 2017 and 2025, according to a study commissioned by the Canadian Propane Association (CPA). Results of the study, conducted by the Conference Board of Canada (CBoC) –…
How to align expectations of hydronic systems with reality
August 29, 2018 Mike MillerIt is not uncommon for contractors, and sometimes consumers, to call me to complain about the performance of a hydronic system. Many of these times, if it is not system settings related, it is because the consumer is expecting different…
How effectively are contractors integrating solar into hydronic systems?
August 28, 2018 Rob WatersThere is currently a lot of attention being devoted to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings. One of the primary methods that governments are using to meet their goals is to tighten up building codes to require super-insulated and…
The diminutive cost of operating a well-designed hydronic distribution system
August 28, 2018 John SiegenthalerMany hydronic heating professionals like to promote that the modern boilers they install are capable of operating with thermal efficiencies in the range of 95 +/- per cent. Professionals who install geothermal heat pumps often boast that their equipment is…
Contractors in the classroom: Business growth networks offer a venue to hone skills, compete in market
August 27, 2018 by Jillian MorganMechanical contractors remedy complex and critical problems in the field. The skills to run a small- to medium-sized business, however, may not come as easily. A contracting business can become stagnant without the acumen to handle operations tasks, such as…
The challenge of Category IV gas-fired appliance venting
August 24, 2018 Ian McTeerWhich 90 per cent AFUE furnace brand got into Canadian basements first? Perhaps it was Clare Brothers HEG series MegaSave furnace or maybe the Lennox G14 Pulse shared the limelight with Clare for first high efficiency gas furnace on the…
An abridged review of noise sources and methods to control sound transmission
August 24, 2018 Robert BeanSound complaints are the number one indoor environmental quality problem in buildings today, surpassing thermal comfort, indoor air quality (IAQ) and lighting quality in the hierarchy of occupant discomfort. Objections can be anything from chatter in offices, to the neighbour’s…
First Zero Carbon building design certification goes to Cora Group
August 23, 2018 by Jillian MorganThe Cora Group in Waterloo, ON and Mohawk College in Hamilton, ON earned Canada’s first and second Zero Carbon Building Design certifications from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC). The Cora Group was presented Canada’s first Zero Carbon Building Design…
Birds foul up atmospheric hot water tank
August 23, 2018 Steve GoldieI have the opportunity to visit many different jobsites over the course of my workweek. Sometimes it is to do some on-site training, sometimes it is to inspect and consult on an ongoing installation, and quite often it is to…
Electrical transformers: More than meets the eye
August 22, 2018 Curtis BennettI really hope that the title of this article is not lost on readers. When I say the word transformer two things come to mind. The first is Autobots and Decepticons because I grew up in the 80s and the…
A look at air-to-water heat pump systems
May 31, 2018 John SiegenthalerHeat pumps are destined to carve out an increasing percentage of future residential and light commercial HVAC market. This trend is based on the convergence of market drivers such as increasing electrical generation by utility scale photovoltaics and wind turbines,…
Sorting through the finer points of AC and DC voltages
May 30, 2018 Curtis BennettWe all know, young or old, what comes to mind when we see the word Thunderstruck: AC/DC. This serves two purposes here, one is that the band is awesome and two, it is a good segue into the next Electricity…
Thermostatic mixing valves: Applications in plumbing and hydronic heating
May 30, 2018 Robert WatersAre thermostatic mixing valves for plumbing or hydronic heating? Well it turns out they are for both. The same valve can be found in the domestic hot water supply system, as well as the control valve for a hydronic heating…