As the move to electrification accelerates, and more state mandates are put in place, more questions arise relating to the highly-talked-about subject. Are we moving too fast? Is the move economically viable? Do we have the proper infrastructure in place to support such initiatives? According to Chuck White, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs PHCC—National Association, in Read more
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As the move to electrification accelerates, and more state mandates are put in place, more questions arise relating to the highly-talked-about subject. Are we moving too fast? Is the move economically viable? Do we have the proper infrastructure in place to support such initiatives?
According to Chuck White, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs PHCC—National Association, in some circles, the movement toward electrification will continue but it remains to be seen at what pace. “The industry can only manufacture so much product and there is only so much electrical infrastructure. It also remains to be seen whether the average consumer in a retrofit scenario can afford the costs related to fuel switching. Lastly, from a heating perspective, cold climate heat pumps must become mature products with a track record of reliable performance. Heating energy benefits from heat pumps will be greatest in the cold climates, poor performance, poor reliability, or high operating costs in cold conditions will impact consumer trust.”
There needs to be better collaboration between state legislators and electric utility companies to improve the overall grid capacity, says Mike Prencavage Jr., President/Owner – The Family Plumber, Los Alamitos, Calif. “Currently most local and state regions are at max power capacities. Add in varying conditions such as weather or EV charging across the nation, most communities would experience rolling blackouts on a regular basis if these electrification mandates were implemented without energy supply being increased.”
Infrastructure Questions
As it relates to California and New York, which are two of the states pushing the hardest to implement these electrification standards quickly, says Prencavage Jr., power companies are struggling as it is to keep the power going to homes across the state let alone add anywhere from 20-30% more demand to the grid. I don’t believe our current infrastructure can support the quickly moving legislation happening across the nation.
White says that the only logical way to move in this direction is to have electrical power come from renewable sources, maybe not 100%, but much higher than the current mix of generation sources. “If you look at the Energy Information Agency’s generating data for states, it is clear that significant new amounts of non-fossil power must be generated. That situation is for today’s business as usual, if one were to take only the heating energy derived from fossil fuels and move it to electrical sources, the demand for additional power skyrockets, add in EVs and it gets much worse.”
Today’s generation and distribution grid will need to change, perhaps that is adding transmission infrastructure or distributed power. “Maybe there is a new idea hiding out there that our physicists haven’t thought of, I’ve heard folks compare it to the urban legends of big business holding back on that 200-mpg carburetor (remember carburetors?). I do believe that if we woke up tomorrow and everything had moved to electric sources, we could not operate business as usual,” says White.
Feasibility
And, there is the question of economics. Is moving to one fuel source economically feasible? What I have learned in my time working in regulatory affairs, says White, is economic feasibility is in the eye of the beholder. There are a lot of factors that one could tap into to adjust the analysis. “On a micro-scale, for a single client, in warmer climates, it’s pretty feasible. Growing from that point, I think it becomes harder to justify. Heat pumps have some price premium, and while they offer efficiency tied to their COPs, the difference is the delivered cost of energy from various sources. Heat pumps replacing electric resistance heating is a slam dunk, but that is not so true when replacing natural gas,” says White.
Prencavage Jr. surmises that while funding for initiatives must come from somewhere, “what most homeowners would expect to find is that as the cost of electric products in the marketplace go down the cost of energy supplied by utility companies over the long-term to run those appliances will go way up. These utility companies, unless subsidized by government grants will ultimately extend all cost for grid upgrades directly to the consumer at a premium.”
White generally concurs, saying, “It is commonly put forth that the price of electricity will go down as we move to renewables, but there is a lot of infrastructure to pay to install and maintain, it seems counterintuitive, perhaps naive to think any form of energy price will go down. At the end of the day, each job is different, some will be more feasible than others, the factors should be considered case by case.”
Fuel Choices
Piggybacking back off of the opinions above, are multiple fuel choice options still a responsible path in today’s marketplace? Most contractors want to do what is best for their clients. It is important to understand the local conditions, what utility rates are in play, what construction types are typical, and what performance clients expect and demand.
“Having a one-size-fits-all situation takes away those important evaluations. Also, remember that heat pumps are not something new from last Tuesday. Established contractors probably have experience with products from years ago, and it is true technology has improved, but higher levels of technology do not always make products foolproof. Consumers should have options and information to make informed decisions about their comfort products,” says White.
Prencavage Jr. cautions against the one-size-fits-all scenario. “There are multiple fuel options currently available or under development for nationwide distribution; however, legislators are extremely fixated on electric only initiatives which I believe is horrible for homeowners. It creates a monopoly amongst the electric utility companies to charge whatever they want in the future for electric energy services. The energy sector must stay a competitive marketplace.”
Hello Heat Pumps, My Name Is
Finally, with all of this push toward electrification, are customers looking at heat pumps, for example, for their future comfort? “Here in California, clients are becoming more educated on heat pump technology, as we are seeing more clients today requesting units to be installed in their homes,” says Prencavage Jr. “Education on heat pump technology, as it relates to where the units can be installed in a home, often deters clients from having them installed to begin with. It would be advisable that all plumbing companies train their technicians to discuss installation requirements properly with customers before installing new units in their homes.”
From the contractor’s perspective, White has often said, “If you don’t know about heat pumps, you better learn.” Heat pumps are a growing market sector. “PHCC has members in states where this is today’s reality, they must be prepared. Consumers are also showing interest across the country, for the first time, according to AHRI data, heat pumps have exceeded gas furnace sales.
“I, myself am somewhat removed from the times when I talked to clients but when I speak at events, I ask for a show of hands for those seeing increased demand for heat pumps. The responses vary depending on where I am in the country but for the most part members are seeing more interest. As professionals in the industry, PHCC members seek to be the go-to resource for their clients. If this is what a client wants, PHCC members should be the very best choice,” says White.
While we might have had a mild winter, I’ve been wanting to share my thoughts on the Samsung Hylex™ universal heat pump installed at my house in Minnesota. Converting our 20+ year-old heating system over to dual fuel couldn’t have been easier, please watch the video for product details and my thoughts overall. https://youtu.be/jheuO29HJXc So Read more
While we might have had a mild winter, I’ve been wanting to share my thoughts on the Samsung Hylex™ universal heat pump installed at my house in Minnesota. Converting our 20+ year-old heating system over to dual fuel couldn’t have been easier, please watch the video for product details and my thoughts overall.
So far the Hylex™ unit is working perfectly. Since this video I’ve made a couple very minor adjustments within the thermostat settings to change when the gas furnace operates instead of the heat pump due to low ambient temperatures. The heat pump is more than capable of handling the load most of the time but that’s the beauty of a dual fuel system, I’m able to dial in controls to optimize comfort and fuel costs.
If you’d like to see the install video it to is on our YouTube channel, you can watch here too:
Like most add-ons and accessories, the boiler fuel conversion kit is another easy to forget item that stretches out the installation. In the third and final installment on Alta gas-adaptive technology, we’ll cover why fuel conversion is necessary, what was required to accomplish this in the past, and how simple it is to set the Read more
Like most add-ons and accessories, the boiler fuel conversion kit is another easy to forget item that stretches out the installation. In the third and final installment on Alta gas-adaptive technology, we’ll cover why fuel conversion is necessary, what was required to accomplish this in the past, and how simple it is to set the Alta up for either natural or LP gas.
As with most things in life, it’s best to start with the basics. Propane has roughly twice the BTU/ft3 when compared to natural gas. As such, the technician was historically required to replace or adjust certain gas train components to configure the boiler to operate safely, reliably, and efficiently with the selected fuel. Take cast iron boilers for example. The main orifices, pilot, and sometimes even the gas valve were replaced when transitioning from NG to LP, or vice-versa.
On 5:1 turndown condensing boilers such as the U.S. Boiler Alpine, technicians are required to adjust the throttle screw, and then set up combustion appropriately by tuning the boiler with an analyzer, and on occasion adjust the offset screw as well. On other 10:1 high efficiency, condensing products, a venturi replacement was required to switch from NG to LP, or vice versa. After the venturi replacement, combustion tuning is still required to verify optimal combustion settings.
With the Alta boiler, this conversion process is dramatically reduced to two easy steps, with no component replacement or kits required.
When purchasing a boiler, fuel selection is certainly a primary consideration, and there are a few options when ordering a boiler. Some models are available from the factory set up either for natural gas or propane, while others are shipped set for natural gas and must be converted to operate with propane in the field. The latter is true of all Alta boilers, but lucky for you, fuel conversion on the Alta is super simple!
To convert an Alta from natural gas to LP, the technician must turn the fuel screw on the gas valve 1/4 turn to the LP position. Note that on the fuel screw position one is for natural gas, position two is for LP.
Next, simply follow the process listed in the manual to make adjustments on the control.
At this point you may begin looking around for your fuel conversion kit, but as the Alta boiler begins tuning itself for optimal combustion you can simply sit back and relax. The Alta’s gas adaptive system will ensure that your boiler is set for the highest efficiency operation, and all you need to do is press a button.
Is this the end of the gas analyzer?! Don’t put yours up for sale on eBay quite yet. Once your Alta boiler has completed the tuning sequence, we recommend a combustion check just to be sure there is nothing wrong with the venting, combustion air intake, or any other field variables.
So as you prepare for this week there will be hundreds of things to worry about. Are the boiler installs natural gas or LP? Who cares? Skip the conversion kits. Just put in an Alta by U.S. Boiler Company and it will take care of itself.
By Kolyn “Coach” Marshall No matter where we go these days it seems as if there’s always someone trying to upsell us on something. Truth is, the art of upsell is nothing new. Walk into a fast food restaurant and you’re asked if you want to super-size it. Go to the theater and you’re asked Read more
By Kolyn “Coach” Marshall
No matter where we go these days it seems as if there’s always someone trying to upsell us on something.
Truth is, the art of upsell is nothing new. Walk into a fast food restaurant and you’re asked if you want to super-size it. Go to the theater and you’re asked if you want to make your popcorn a combo deal. Heck, even Amazon’s in on the program.
Ubiquitous upsells can be awfully annoying, especially when it’s something you know a lot about. But, what if it’s something you know nothing about? Or, better yet, didn’t know to even ask?
This last question is where I find a lot of potential radiant buyers. They simply don’t know enough about what’s out there to ask.
This is where you—Neighborhood Radiant Installer—come into play.
It’s your opportunity to throw out the option of radiant floor heating or snowmelting. Sounds easy, right? Well . . . sort of. In order for you to be able to effectively talk about radiant, it can be helpful to know what there is to talk about.
Understanding the want
Depending on the audience, say, home or a business owner, the want or need may vary. For homeowners, they may want to be more comfortable. There’s a factor of efficiency or cost savings, but those are typically secondary to comfort. People really don’t like being cold.
Comfort, however, takes on many forms. But, as the Neighborhood Radiant Installer, it’s important to know what comfort means. One aspect is keeping the room temperature between 68 and 70 degrees. The other facet is knowing how occupants interact with the interior space. The key driver for comfort is floor temperature.
Ever step out of the shower onto a cold tile floor? In that instant it’s pretty easy to connect to what cold is. Oddly enough, our feet dictate our comfort more than air temperature. It’s the main reason why we have slippers and wool socks. If our feet are warm we feel warmer.
So the easiest way to feeling comfortable is to keep the floors from being cold. Radiant heat does that with most radiant systems maintaining a floor temperature between 75 and 85 degrees.
Business owners tend to have a slightly different goal in mind. Their focus is more on customer safety, especially when the weather turns cold and the freezing rain and snow start to fall. Or: employee satisfaction, a great incentive in retaining, and attracting, employees.
As for safety, injuries due to slips and falls plague business owners constantly. It’s a seasonal risk, and source of concern.
Radiant snowmelting systems help keep walkways, parking lots, and access ramps ice and snow free all winter long. This means no more early morning labor; shoveling snow is a thing of the past. No more chemical ice melt. This alone eliminates another key concern: icemelt tends to get picked up by customer’s shoes and tracked inside, eventually taking its toll on the floor.
The upgrade package
So a spark is struck. Warm floors are something that wasn’t expected but is now very much wanted.
How are these once cold floors now warmed? There are two main ways to provide radiant floor heat: hydronically with water, or through electric resistance.
Hydronic systems rely on tubing being installed in the floor and connected to a heat source. Tubing options range from PEX, to PE-RT, to EPDM rubber. Tubing is connected to a series of manifolds, then those manifolds connect to a boiler, or other equivalent heat source.
If the area to be heated is small, say only a kitchen or bathroom, then an electric product may be best; these use electrical resistant wire or cable to generate heat. Wire is embedded in a lightweight concrete or thinset generally under tile or other masonry material. One of the advantages of electric is there is no need for a mechanical room and no need to physically run piping back through a home or facility. Electrical installations tend to be less invasive but also tend to be reserved for smaller areas.
With both electric and hydronic systems there are options for controls and thermostats. Most of today’s systems incorporate some form of connectivity feature, giving remote access to users.
Delivering the Goods
Congratulations Neighborhood Radiant Installer! The Enlightened Customer has decided to go with the radiant upgrade. Now what?
Now it’s time to figure out how to get all those tubes and wires where they’re supposed to go.
Hydronic tubing is generally installed in one of two ways, either in a concrete slab or under a frame floor. In a concrete slab, tubing is typically 6, 9, or 12 inches on center with the tubing approximately 2 inches down from the top. In a frame floor, the tubing is secured to the subfloor, often with heat transfer plates. These plates secure the tubing (usually PEX or PE-RT) to the subfloor while providing good conductive heat transfer to the floor.
Electric systems are installed in a similar fashion to hydronic slabs with the difference being the wire is generally installed on top of the floor in ½ inch thinset with tile or other stone material as the finished floor covering. An electric system is then connected a controller or thermostat.
Both hydronic and electric systems then operate in the same way any forced air system does. The controller or thermostat is set to the desired temperature and the system operates automatically.
Satisfied Customers
So how does our Neighborhood Radiant Installer know the system is working as expected and the customer is happy? It’s simple: our Honorable Customer won’t be able to stop talking about the most comfortable heat they’ve ever experienced.
Becoming the go-to radiant expert is the best way to keep the future looking warm and bright.
Kolyn “Coach” Marshall, based in Springfield, Mo., is Systems Engineering Manager at Watts Radiant.
When people think of Alaska, they think of cold weather, vast expanses of wilderness and small communities. While they’re correct about the wilderness and weather, there are a few communities in the state that can’t possibly be called “small.” Anchorage is home to almost 300,000 people, or roughly the size of Cincinnati, Newark or Pittsburgh Read more
When people think of Alaska, they think of cold weather, vast expanses of wilderness and small communities. While they’re correct about the wilderness and weather, there are a few communities in the state that can’t possibly be called “small.”
Anchorage is home to almost 300,000 people, or roughly the size of Cincinnati, Newark or Pittsburgh. But unlike its Lower-48 counterparts, the city stands apart with its weather.
While not the coldest region in Alaska, Anchorage typically experiences between 7,000 to 8,000 heating degree days per year. Cincinnati, for comparison, averages 3,000 to 3,500 heating degree days.
“We install about four boilers per week,” said Thomas Jurancich, plumbing manager at Extreme Heating & Air. The 40-person mechanical company is the largest contractor in the Anchorage area, and likely in the state.
The biggest little state
Like all big cities, Anchorage has its bedroom communities, such as Eagle River.
When Shane Thom founded Extreme Heating & Air in Eagle River in 2009, it was after serving a four-year Air Force enlistment, where he learned the HVAC trade.
Almost all of the residential boilers installed by Extreme Heating & Air are 180 MBH, a product of Alaska’s severe winter conditions.
“I was in the civil engineering department and left the service as a Senior Airman,” said Thom. “Our primary task was setting up temporary cities, whether in Okinawa, Japan, Texas or Alaska.”
When Shane hung his shingle in 2009, Extreme was strictly focused on HVAC installations. Two years later, he added a plumbing department, and in 2013, he opened the company’s service department, along with their supply house and retail store. They serve all sorts of customers within a 300-mile radius.”
A 180-MBH Alta condensing boiler is used to supply all heat and domestic water to the large home.
Alaska’s remoteness (from supply chains), vast coverage areas, and the extreme cold temperatures (often dipping below -30°F), are the greatest challenges. Boilers are quite popular, thanks to the severe winter conditions.
Custom residential
“Our plumbing division is the largest segment of the company,” said Thomas Jurancich, plumbing manager. “Boiler work is big business here, both residential and commercial.”
Extreme has great relationships with most of the custom homebuilders in the Anchorage area. One of those, Michelsohn & Daughter, is the source of half a dozen hydronic projects each year. These homes are typically $1 million or more.
Thomas Jurancich, plumbing manager at Extreme Heating & Air, opens the Alta 180 boiler.
“New homes in Alaska with a seven-figure budget typically feature in-floor heat, and maybe snowmelt, too,” said Jurancich. “Both were included in our most recent Michelsohn project.”
The 4,7000-sq.-ft. home includes an art studio and three bay-garage, one of which is large enough to park the family’s RV. In-floor heat is used throughout, and the front walkway accounts for one small zone of snowmelt.
“All told, we have 11 zones here, including the snowmelt and 85-gallon indirect water heater, which is needed for multi-head showers and a giant freestanding tub,” said Jurancich. “We added a Rheem air handler for AC and to circulate environmental air through a Lifebreath HRV, but the only source of heat is the boiler.”
Nate Uson, territory manager with Ridgeline Mechanical Sales (left), walks Thomas Jurancich through various features of the USB-Connect Bluetooth adaptor.
A 180-MBH Alta condensing boiler, made by U.S. Boiler Company, is used to supply all heat to the home and DHW.
“We’ve been installing the Alta since Nate Uson, territory manager at Ridgeline Mechanical Sales introduced it to us,” said Jurancich. “We probably have 200 of them in the field, almost all of which are 180 MBH. New product releases are always a little worrisome with our winters, but the Alta has been exceptional.
Jurancich is quick to admit that the gas-adaptive technology and the rate-based reset features of the Alta—both new to the hydronic industry in North America—felt “too easy.” It took a few installations before the Extreme technicians felt comfortable trusting the technology, but there’s never a second thought anymore.
Thomas Jurancich, plumbing manager at Extreme Heating & Air, connects his phone to the Alta boiler via the USB-Connect Bluetooth adaptor.
Hot water is distributed to remote manifolds throughout the house. The radiant zones require 80°F at outdoor design temperature, and the snowmelt zone, isolated by a heat exchanger, calls for 110°F water. Chad Moore, lead boiler installer, and Joe Potter, apprentice, built the entire boiler room in three days.
“The homeowner loves the system,” said Jurancich. “He told me he takes guests into the mechanical room to show it off. I can’t think of a better endorsement of our work!”
Supply chain: end of the road
Jurancich was an outside sales rep for Ferguson before joining Extreme in 2017. This put him in frequent contact with Uson and others at Ridgeline, and that relationship has served them both well for years.
“Shane and Thomas have been great customers, and we’ve done our very best to support them, especially through the pandemic,” said Uson. “Contractors in the Lower-48 had supply chain issues, but not as bad as those in Alaska. We’re at the end of the proverbial road. Extreme has never been one to complain about price. Availability is the key concern here.”
Ryan Beck, service technician, pulling product from the Extreme warehouse.
Ridgeline helped ensure that Extreme had boilers to install throughout the supply chain crunches of the past few years. Other times, Extreme reaped the benefits of their own deep warehouse. In 2016, Extreme opened their own supply house and retail store.
“We’re halfway between Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Valley,” explained Thom. “Alaska is different from other states in that people here are very independent, and there’s a long way to go between supply houses. Some of our competitors buy product from us. So do plenty of DIYers.”
Extreme Heating & Air has 40 employees that serve a 300-mile radius of Eagle River, AK.
With good manufacturer’s reps, a fleet of roadworthy vans and a stout supply of plumbing and heating products in-house, Extreme keeps a lot of Alaskans warm throughout the winter. And none so much as in their own little town of Eagle River.
Not all residential new construction
In the 1950s, back before the roads in Eagle River were paved, activity in town revolved around the grocery/general store. That building still stands, though it’s been expanded and modified an untold number of times. It’s now a strip mall, housing a tax preparation office, dry cleaner, and more, having been converted to the Eagle River Shopping Center in the 1990s.
Two, 399 MBH Alpine condensing boilers are used to heat the Eagle River Shopping Center.
Extreme Heating & Air has serviced the facility’s central hydronic system for almost a decade. Doing so has always been a challenge. Its two condensing boilers were a constant source of headache, requiring nearly $10,000 worth of parts over the years. Because the building had been remodeled, changed and retrofitted so many times, zoning was less than straightforward.
The USB-Connect Bluetooth adaptor connected to one of the shopping center’s modulating boilers.
In May of 2023, the shopping center’s owner decided to fix the problems for good. Extreme was hired to gut the mechanical room and replace it with a properly sized, newly piped system.
Extreme installed two U.S. Boiler Company Alpine 399 MBH modulating boilers in lead-lag operation. The entire building uses 15 zones of fin-tube baseboard radiation and a 119-gallon indirect tank supplies hot water to each retail space.
(Left to right) Nate Uson and Thomas Jurancich in the boiler room at the Eagle River Shopping Center.
“We’re fairly young guys, so we’re always looking for the newest technology to try,” said Jurancich. “Last year, Nate showed us the USB-Connect Bluetooth smartphone app, and the shopping center was the first job we tried it on. We connected the Alpine to the adaptor with a Cat 5 cable and adjusted the flow rates and supply temperatures on my phone. The guys love it for the Alpine and the Alta, so our service manager, Jacob Way, ordered eight more.”
Nate Uson, territory manager with Ridgeline Mechanical Sales (left), changes boiler setpoint temperatures using the USB-Connect Bluetooth adaptor.
Over the course of three days, four Extreme technicians straightened out the piping issues and replaced the entire mechanical system. The main challenge was that the boiler room was tucked in the back of the building, separate from the retail spaces. After a full season in operation, Extreme has only received good feedback.
“They love the system because it finally works as intended,” said Jurancich.
Steady growth despite challenges
Extreme Heating & Air is growing, keeping pace with the city.
“Our biggest challenges are procuring material and manpower,” said Thom. “We’ve largely resolved our material inventory by dealing with good reps and owning our own warehouse. The manpower struggle isn’t unique to Alaska, by any means, but we’re taking that challenge head-on, too.”
(Left to right) Nate Uson and Thomas Jurancich, their most recent custom home project with local builder Michelsohn & Daughter.
The company recruits in cold climates in the Lower 48, hoping to draw young adventure-seekers to Alaska. There are great opportunities for those looking to relocate.
Jacob Way, Extreme Heating & Air service manager.
“We’re booked out for more than a month.” said Jurancich. “Next week we have five combi boilers going into a 5-plex apartment downtown. It’s a good problem to have. Much better than the opposite.”