Why Closely Spaced Tees?
Primary-secondary piping systems call for the tees that go off to the secondary circuit to be close together, ideally not more than six inches apart. Think like water and...
Hot-Water Heating → Piping and Pumps Help Topics
This section is your guide to hot-water heating systems with information about system design and piping, air elimination, pumping away, primary-secondary pumping, valves, radiators, troubleshooting tips, and more.
Recent Articles in Hot-Water Heating → Piping and Pumps
Pumping Away Piping
This is an excerpt from Dan Holohan’s book Pumping Away and other really cool piping options for hydronic systems. Since you've read this far, I figure you must be pretty...
How Many Times Can PEX Freeze Before Bursting?
A member of The Wall community asked this question and I thought the conversation that followed was interesting: "How many times can PEX freeze before bursting? At what t...
Toward More-Efficient Pumps
The pump industry is on the brink of change as new regulations governing pumps are nearing finalization. Driven by an energy conservation-minded administration, the Depar...
Types of PEX pipe
You have options when it comes to the tubing you bury or staple up on a radiant job. You may choose to go with a particular supplier and never question the type of tubing...
Primary-Secondary Systems Sometimes Overheat
The guy had told his architect to have a corner of his basement dug out so that he could play half-court basketball with his two kids. The ceiling was 14 feet above the p...
Loop System Hot-Water Heating Q&A
Q: What's loop hot water heating? A: It's the simplest method of heating with hot water. Each zone consists of a single loop made up of the pipe and the radiators.
The Point of No Pressure Change
In 1994, I wrote a book called, Pumping Away, which I began by remembering the late, great Gil Carlson. Here's what I wrote: When I knew Gil Carlson, he was never far fro...
The Hidden Costs of Hidden Pumps
If you're watching the news you probably realize that, these days, Americans are becoming more conscious of green things, as well as rising fuel prices. I think that's go...
Net Positive Suction Head
I was lucky to have had as one of my teachers the late, great Gil Carlson. Gil was Bell & Gossett’s Director of Technical Services and when he would come to New York City...