Hydronic Heating
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An Avoidable Downside to Heat Pumps
Heat pumps have an Achilles' heel in the form of improper pairing with electric resistance auxiliary heat
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Where to Install the Heat Source in a Radiant Floor
In a whole-floor system, should the tubing be integrated with the rebar, or embedded in a topping slab?
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Open-Loop vs. Closed-Loop Ground Source Heat Pumps
Some basics on the two types of GSHP systems and cautionary advice against a side-by-side comparison
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Why Pipes Freeze and How to Prevent It
The science behind frozen water pipes and recommended measures for avoiding that headache
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Heating and Cooling with Heat Pumps
Three types of heat pump systems—how they work, their performance properties, and suggested applications
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The BS* + Beer Show: Hydronic Heating and Cooling
A technically rich overview of the role of air-to-water heat pumps in hydronic space-conditioning systems
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Warm Floors and Energy Efficiency
In-floor radiant heat—especially in bathrooms—is a popular home improvement but is it wasteful?
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The Value and Limits of Manual J
These basic energy models can teach us more about our plans than what heating and cooling loads to expect
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A Code-Minimum Case Study
Following current code requirements and making small but important upgrades improves performance
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Air-to-Water Heat Pump Retrofit
A mechanical engineer shares lessons learned after replacing his propane boiler with an air-to-water heat pump to heat his home
