Sherlock Holmes has always been one of my favorite fictional characters. I envied how he would notice each detail and use every one of his senses to solve the crime. 

When troubleshooting a hydronic system, the piping layout is often confusing. To understand the system, I sometimes sketch the piping to help me visualize the flow of water. 

It was such a simple project; replace the old cast iron boiler with a new condensing boiler. You knocked it out in a few days. 

Troubleshooting hydronic systems can be challenging, as the pipes are hidden behind walls. Your imagination has to help you “see” the routing of the piping. 

On the older hydronic systems, replacing the existing boiler with a new one was pretty straightforward. The installer connected the new boiler to the existing flue, piping and electric. The newer high-efficiency boilers are much different and require some additional planning.

The students in the dormitory started complaining of headaches and nausea. When the number of students with the same symptoms kept rising, the administration knew something was wrong. The maintenance department dispatched a service technician to investigate.

"According to the ASHRAE HVAC Applications Handbook, the estimated life of an air-to-air heat pump or a rooftop unit is 15 years while a boiler life expectancy is between 24-35 years, depending on the boiler type. So, you will install two heat pumps or rooftop units for every boiler. Where do you think those old units will end up?" I ask the class.

These towel bar accessories are meant to be paired with Ember radiant panel heaters (when installed vertically) to turn the devices into towel warmers as well as sources of supplemental heat.

NIBCO expands its Wrot Racer push fittings to include new configurations such as reducing and repair tees and couplings, additional sizes of male and female thread adapters, thread elbows and caps with drains.

Wheatland Tube's new black steel pipe coating, Ultra Z-Coat, provides enhanced protection to shield against corrosion and rough handling during transit and installation.

The Laars NeoTherm XTR condensing natural gas boiler or volume water heater is available in several MBH sizes all with Laars Linc.

The NFB-C is available in two sizes: NFB-301C (301 MBH) and NFB-399C (399 MBH).

The Noritz NRCB residential combination boiler allows simultaneous hot water and space heating.

Rheem’s ThermaForce Combi Boiler features a patented labyrinth heat exchanger.

Rinnai's RCB SERIES Commercial Wall-Hung Boiler is a compact building heat source that delivers reliable, energy-saving performance.

The Vitocrossal 200 CI2 is the most advanced, compact floor-standing gas condensing boiler designed for large residential and commercial applications.

Taco Comfort Solutions/Hydroflo VT Series vertical turbine submersible pumps provide excellent reliability and ease of installation.

The Weber Shandwick CEO talks about why she decided to retire — yet stay far away from “retirement” — this fall and discusses her agency’s success across categories at Cannes.

Ogilvy’s global CEO talks about award-winning work at Cannes, how different parts of her network contribute to client work and much more.

This week’s podcast is a rare interview with a true legend of the industry and a pioneer for the women in it: Barbara Hunter.

Finzel digs into his own experience at agencies of all kinds and as a political aide to discuss the biggest news stories of the past week.

General Mills’ chief communications officer talks about what he’s most looking forward to as chair of the next PRWeek U.S. Awards.

The PRWeek Hall of Famer stops by the podcast to talk about activist attacks on DEI programs and to detail his own firm’s story.

On this week’s show: Trump’s McDonald’s visit, agency earnings and much more.

As residential building codes and energy conservation standards continue to evolve, many are requiring proof of high quality air sealing.

 All boilers that burn hydrocarbon fuels such as natural gas, propane, oil or wood produce water vapor as a byproduct of combustion.

Although the market for solar thermal systems is a tiny fraction of what it once was, I still believe there are viable applications that could help in decarbonizing thermal energy systems.

Last month, we began discussing the HVAC system installed at my church’s newly-constructed parsonage. In this month’s column, we’ll complete the picture.

One of the best things about hydronic heating is there is virtually no limit to how piping systems can be customized. One of the worst things about hydronic heating is that there is virtually no limit to how piping systems can be customized.

Find out about piping options for retrofitting an air-to-water heat pump into an existing hydronic system.

There is a growing interest in adding air-to-water heat pumps to existing hydronic heating systems. While I support their use, I do not recommend replacing a perfectly good cast-iron boiler that still has a long service life.

I’ve written many PM columns discussing how air-to-water and geothermal water-to-water heat pumps can be combined with hydronic delivery systems to deliver efficiency AND superior comfort. This combination is a great solution for many consumers.

In rural upstate New York, residents harvest trees for firewood using chainsaws and hydraulic splitters. I burn about two face cords annually in my wood stove, enjoying its warmth during winter and relying on it during power outages caused by outdated utility lines.

Flow direction is crucial in hydronic systems. Most designs have a fixed flow direction, but there are situations where reversals can occur. It's important to address these proactively to ensure smooth operations.

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.

Many pieces of news go viral within the plumbing industry. However, every now and then, something happens that reaches far outside of our industry bubble. This was certainly the case as the tributes remembering legendary businessman Herb Kohler circulated throughout national news outlets and social media everywhere.

The National Kitchen and Bath Association had a monumental year in 2022. It kicked off with the first in-person Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) event since 2020. Last year also marked the 60th anniversary of the association and the 10th year since KBIS and the International Builders’ Show (IBS) joined forces to create what is now known as Design and Construction Week (DCW)’s NAHB Builders Show.

Kohler Co. recently introduced Sprig, a new wellness brand that elevates daily routines into premium self-care rituals. With countless breakthroughs in plumbing and a history of creating award-winning spa destinations, Kohler has used water to create transformative experiences for generations.

Over the past decade, society has been evolving. It is constantly rethinking discrimination, with growing social awareness of gender identity, differently-abled individuals and sensory sensitivity. The public restroom is one area that has come under fire during this social evolution.

Many people look for ways to update their homes to provide a sense of comfort and connection to the outdoors. Outdoor projects are currently flourishing, as people extend their living spaces to feel closer to their natural surroundings.

As businesses and homeowners across the nation wrestle with inflation and stretching their dollars for maximum value, one area that can’t be overlooked is the heating system.

Have you remodeled a bathroom recently? If so, maybe you’ve noticed problems with the toilet.
To get more specific: Is it rocking noisily when the homeowner takes a seat? Or maybe they've noticed water pooling at the base. Perhaps the flooring surrounding the toilet feels soft. Or water spots have appeared on the ceiling located directly below the toilet.

How is the aging population changing product design? Builders and designers have been hearing from clients that homeowners now want to age-in-place, and they also want to renovate their existing homes to accommodate various generations living under one roof. The lack of housing stock and current mortgage and interest rates have contributed to this phenomenon. This shift in living has been a boon to the renovation industry, and it has given rise to innovations and building processes that elegantly combine technology and health benefits in the service of independence for elderly or anyone with physical challenges.

RainStick Shower co-founders Alisha McFetridge and Sean McFetridge share a longtime passion for water conservation. In 2019, the two began building the North American Market’s first water circulating shower. Supply House Times Chief Editor Natalie Forster sat down with Alisha McFetridge to dive into RainStick Shower’s backstory and plans for the future.

Watts Water Technologies held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in April to celebrate the grand opening of its latest training center in Fort Worth, Texas. The new 250,000-square-foot facility is customized for training, administration and manufacturing, and joins five other Watts Works Learning Centers across North America.

In the United States, bidet sales have grown steadily at a year-over-year rate of 14% to 15%. According to Stephanie Ewing, director, Wholesale North America for Bemis Manufacturing Co., specifying bidets is “becoming a market need driven by market demand. The pandemic started the trend of increased consumer awareness that a solution other than toilet paper was available, as well as an increased focus on hygiene.”

In the third edition of the Bath & Kitchen Pro eBook you’ll find both residential and commercial product and design trends, showroom display trends, economic indicators and more!

The decision to build the first CO₂-neutral ceramic production facility in Canada is a significant investment for a sustainable future for the global brand and a vital step for climate neutrality by 2045.

Eight important factors to consider when selecting and installing a residential floor drain.

Multiple generations living together under one roof, has challenged traditional ideas about space utilization and functionality.