Air-to-water heat pumps and water-to-water geothermal heat pumps provide warm water for space heating, domestic water heating, and chilled water for cooling. Switching a hydronic heat pump system from space heating to cooling and vice versa seasonally is relatively simple. The system operating mode is changed at the thermostat or a dedicated system mode switch with heat, off, and cool settings.

The author reflects on a recent trip to South America and Antarctica and discusses the topic of identifying back-feed potentials within domestic hot water risers, drawing from an article by Miles Ryan, PE, about typical issues found in high-rise residential buildings.

Attending trade shows both large and small have always been an integral part of keeping our business abreast of changes within the PHVAC industry. Our employees knew that upon my return, there would be new innovative products joining the tried and true offerings we provided for our customers.

Through this program, professionals can build their knowledge base, collaborate with experts, and challenge traditional thought processes to effectively respond to issues impacting our industry.

An installer is asked to provide a 4-ton-rated (48,000 Btu/h) geothermal heat pump system that can provide space heating and domestic hot water.

A technician installs a system to provide domestic hot water to a high end house with several bathrooms. Can you spot at least five details that are incorrect, and recommend how to fix this situation? 

The age-old question of function versus form has confounded experts in every field for countless decades.

Jeff Sweenor, president and CEO of Sweenor Builders in Wakefield, Rhode Island, looks at it differently. He asks, why not both? Function certainly comes first, but when the dust settles, his projects look as good as they work.

Scald protection valves are the last line of defense in protecting occupants from dangerously hot water in plumbing systems. Point-of-use mixing valves keep building occupants safe and enable a variety of important domestic hot water recirculation applications. How are designers using scald protection mixing valves to advance the broader topic of DHW recirculation?

The owner of a 107-year-old home sought an advanced hydronic heating solution for a major basement finishing project and to alleviate his existing heating woes on the first and second floors of the residence. The installation of an innovative and highly efficient boiler from Weil-McLain helped make the basement remodel a success and the family’s home comfortably warm throughout.

An installer is asked to provide a system that supplies two zones of fin-tube baseboard and two zones of floor heating.