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Grundfos Alpha Comfort HWR

Hot water recirculation systems are nothing new, decades-old code regulations are in constant flux as states around the country adopt new editions of plumbing codes. Grundfos, one of or the largest pump manufacturers in the world is now offering what they’re calling the very first pump engineered from the ground up specifically for hot water recirculation applications, the Alpha Comfort System or pumps.

The Hub’s Eric Aune and Andy Mickelson were able to catch up with the Grundfos team in Orlando at the AHR Expo:

Usually, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, well, most of the time. The Mechanical Hub team was in Las Vegas for the IBS/KBIS show. Check out this weekly update with some highlights from the show.

This Weekly Update is powered by our partners at Milwaukee Tool.

For one lakeside condo, hot water isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity. The unit serves dual purposes: a recreational retreat for its owners and a rental property for guests. That means hot water needs to be dependable, ensuring comfort for everyone, every time.

When the new owners of the condo purchased the property, one of the first orders of business was to have a whole-unit inspection prior to completing the transaction. What the inspector found was that while running the water throughout the condo, the water ran hot after only a few minutes of use, making its way for turning the shower into what is essentially known as a cold-water sandwich, and nobody wants to experience that.

After further “inspection,” the culprit was a nearly 30-year-old water heater, which—in terms of water heater life—had made a really strong run. But it was time. Time to replace with a similar unit in terms of reliability. “We were so impressed with the longevity and durability of the existing water heater, we decided to swap the unit out with a nearly identical one, with new and improved features,” said the condo owner. “If we can get even similar or even better performance out of the new unit, we’d be extremely happy.”

The upgrade included the swap out of an aged State Courier 510 unit with a residential 48-gallon State ProLine Lowboy Electric Water Heater, which is a residential product built to commercial-grade standards, and is only available for purchase through professional wholesalers and contractors.

As one might imagine, for a one-bedroom condo, space is at a premium, and you guessed it, the mechanical space resides in a small storage closet, which makes it ideal for a low-profile unit with top mount access. Due to the size of the working mechanical space, and because all appliances in the condo run on electric, the choice was simple.

Because the ProLine’s compact lowboy design and top water connections, it was ideal for this tight space. The installation—with a cramped working area and low-height clearance—was seamless for the local plumbing contractor. But the real advantage? The ProLine’s advanced features which include:

• Consistent hot water delivery with a first-hour rating of 60 gallons
• High efficiency with a 0.93 Uniform Energy Factor (UEF) rating
• Commercial-grade durability, featuring a long-lasting lower Incoloy stainless steel element
• State’s industry-leading tank protection, including:
• CoreGard™ stainless steel anode rod
• Blue Diamond® glass lining for corrosion resistance
• DynaClean™ automatic sediment-cleaning system to extend tank life

And while the previous State unit lasted for more than a quarter of a century, the condo owners have the peace of mind knowing that with dual 4,500-watt heating elements, the ProLine delivers powerful, reliable hot water—ensuring no more cold-water surprises. And with State’s 6-year limited tank and parts warranty, the condo owners also can rest easy knowing their investment is protected.

Finally, because the residential ProLine unit was a recently swapped in, the condo owners have had somewhat limited use, but are extremely satisfied with the hot water production. The owners are confident in the ProLine—in the end, it was the reliable choice when looking to maximize hot water output while seeking energy savings. “We’ve used it multiple times, and BOOM! There is no better feeling knowing that we, and our renters, will have consistent hot water and comfort while bathing or showering,” said the condo owner.

Welcome back everyone, we are in the midst of our busy traveling schedule, just returning from the WWETT Show in Indy. We’ll check in from the show with some highlights from our friends from Milwaukee Tool and General Pipe Cleaners. We’ll also visit with Dan Foley, the most recent recipient of the Carlson/Holohan Industry Award of Excellence.

This Weekly Update is powered by our partners at Milwaukee Tool.