In-floor radiant heating systems have become very popular over the last decade.  This relatively new trend is not limited to new construction.  In fact, many existing heating systems can be rather easily replaced by a new radiant system.  In-floor heating can be installed in existing homes where there is access to the sub-floor from the floor below, usually the basement. 

There is no limit to the potential installations with some creativity and commitment.  Such is the case in this 18th century farmhouse renovation by F.W. Behler.  The team took on the task of installing in-floor radiant in a stone farmhouse with original wide plank wood floors and hand-hewn beams. 

The F.W. Behler team designed and installed a hydronic heating system that was energy efficient in all aspects.  The heart of the system is a Triangle Tube Prestige propane boiler, with an AFUE of 95%.  They combined this with Triangle Tube's SMART 40 indirect water heater, with less than $0.10 per day in standby heat loss.  Finally, they took advantage of the very low pressure drop of the Prestige boiler and installed extremely energy efficient ECM circulators.  This system design is expected to reduce the electric costs by nearly $5000 over the life of the system.

Please click this link to read the complete article.  www.greenmechanicalcontractor-digital.com/greenmechanicalcontractor/winter2010?fm=2#pg20

Triangle Tube's Prestige boilers are used extensively in residential installations.  But the benefits of upgrading to a modern, fuel efficient boiler are not limited to homeowners.  Significant opportunities for energy savings exist in light commercial buildings such as churches, schools, offices, and apartments.

St. John Church and School in Aurora Indiana had the opportunity to replace its 50 plus year old boiler and chose the energy efficient combination of Triangle Tube's Prestige Solo 399 boilers and a Smart 40 water heater.  The church and school was able to use most of their existing piping even as the new wall-mounted Prestige boilers freed up significant floor space in the boiler room.

The radiant heating system was designed to maximize the condensing efficiency of the Prestige boilers.  One new Smart indirect fired water heater replaced two electric water heaters, improving efficiency and reliability.

Through the replacement of the boiler the church was able to save over $6500 in heating costs.  And they are not finished yet.  Paul Kuhlmeier, the heating specialist at St. John plans to replace the existing thermostats with more advanced programable versions for further savings.  Larry Dillard, of Dillard Electric Heating and Cooling, is so satisfied with the performance of the Triangle Tube system, that he plans to install several more over the next year.  Pat Linhardt of the Habegger Corporation provided product and system design assistance

For the complete article, please use this link.     http://www.triangletube.com/documents/1/STJohnCase_1210.pdf

It is safe to say that most people do not give much consideration to the type of heating system when they are considering a house purchase.  But people who have experienced the benefits of radiant floor heating are certain to have this on their list.  

Radiant floor heating's growth is one of the most positive trends in the HVAC industry in recent years.  These systems have the unique feature of being energy efficient, comfortable, invisible, and silent.  In nearly every aspect they are a clear winner. 

Radiant floor heating systems are a modern alternative to the traditional cast iron radiators or the more recent hot water baseboard systems.  In a radiant floor system water (or glycol in some cases) is heated by a boiler and circulated through tubing that is installed under the floor.  This water warms the flooring and the heat then radiates throughout the home. 

There are many benefits to this process.  First, it is extremely energy efficient as the warmest part of the room is the floor, which is the part of the room people use.  A hot air furnace heats the air which enters the room through registers on the floor, but then quickly rises to the ceiling, making it the warmest part of the room.  In comparison, a room heated by radiant flooring can be kept at a lower overall temperature yet feel warmer than a room heated by hot air.

Second, the system is invisible and silent.  The tubing is under the floor and out of the way.  There is no sound of air moving through ducts.  Third the system contributes to a healthy home by minimizing dust and keeping the room at a more comfortable humidity level.  Fourth, the system is multi-functional.  A well designed hydronic heating system can heat your home, hot water, swimming pool, and even melt the snow on your driveway or walkway.

Triangle Tube is an industry leading provider of hydronic heating equipment.  The Prestige boilers lead the market with a high efficiency, reliable heat exchanger and use either natural gas or propane.  The Smart indirect water heaters heat water twice as fast as a traditional gas fired water heater and feature a unique stainless steel tank-in-tank design backed by a limited lifetime warranty.  Maxi Flo pool and spa heat exchangers enable you to use your high efficiency boiler to extend your swimming season.

Consider upgrading your home with Radiant Floor Heating.  There's no need to move to install radiant floor heating.  A certified contractor can replace your hot air system with a radiant system in many cases without disturbing the existing flooring.  Contact Triangle Tube to find a certified contractor in your area today.

 

There are four keys to successfully replacing your boiler.  By following these keys, you will ensure a fast trouble-free installation and much lower utility bills.  

1)  Selecting the right product - Craftsmen will tell you that building a fine piece of furniture starts with selecting the right wood.  The same is true in boiler replacement.  By selecting a reliable, highly efficient boiler, you will ensure that the project will be a success if the three other keys are followed.  Choosing a poorly designed product will ensure long term dissatisfaction, even if the other keys are correct.  Triangle Tube's Prestige and Challenger boilers are industry leaders in reliability and efficiency.  For more information on this, see the end of this post.

2)  Select the right contractor - Once again, a good contractor will make or break the project.  There is much more involved in replacing a boiler than simply removing the old boiler and inserting a new one.  The boiler must be sized and the piping layout reviewed to ensure that the heating system works in harmony.  A good contractor will have experience and proper training to know how to join all of the parts of the heating system into an efficient, effective, heating machine.  Click here to find certified Triangle Tube contractors in your area.

3)  Size the boiler properly - A lot has changed in your home since the last boiler was installed.  Perhaps you have new windows and/or doors.  Perhaps radiant floor heating was installed.  An addition may have been added, the attic has been insulated.  A proper heat loss analysis must be performed to select the proper boiler for the house.  An boiler that is too large will cause excessive cycling and drive up energy costs.  One that is too small will not keep the house warm on the coldest days.

4)  Use outdoor reset - One of the biggest efficiency gains in new boilers is the ability to use computer technology to adjust the hydronic system to the heating load.  As the weather gets warmer, less heat is required.  By lowering the system temperature, the house is able to be heated much more efficiently.  Please make sure this important feature is being used.  For more information on outdoor reset, click here.

Triangle Tube's Prestige and Challenger boilers are modern, highly efficient, natural gas or propane boilers that have excellent track records in reliability.  With AFUEs of 95% or higher, and low NOx emissions, these are responsible, green choices for both the environment and your budget.  When paired with a Smart Indirect Fired Water Heater, they form the right solution for your residential heat and hot water needs.  

The unique TriMax control on Triangle Tube's Prestige Condensing Boilers reduces boiler programing time to a matter of seconds.  By simplifying the process for the most common applications, a typical setup can take less than 60 seconds.

The Prestige TriMax control is customized for the Prestige Boiler and is designed to first sense the availability of sensors such as an outdoor reset sensor.  If the outdoor reset sensor is attached, then only the control options relating to outdoor sensors will be presented.  This minimizes the amount of menu options to scroll through, and reduces opportunities for errors. 

The most common selections in each menu are presented at the top of the list, reducing scrolling.  A present menu of six outdoor reset curves handles most heating applications from residential radiant floor to fancoils.  The space heating setup can be reduced down to a few simple steps.  Domestic hot water production through indirect water heaters can also be set up in three simple steps.  Should you want to return to the factory settings, there is an icon for that as well. 

Settings can be customized in the installer menu if desired.  Even this has been simplified with easy to read and understand graphical menus.  By giving the installer the ability to modify the settings as much as needed, each setup can be completed in the minimal amount of time.  Click here to see a video showing a complete boiler setup.

The Prestige TriMax control uses advanced technology to make life simpler.  Now the leading High Efficiency Boiler also has the leading High Efficiency Setup.

The largest Challenger Condensing Boiler, the CC150s,has an input of 145 MBH, making it the highest output model in the Challenger lineup.  The Challenger CC150s is perfect for homes looking for a little extra heating capacity than the Challenger 125 or Prestige 110 can provide. 

With a compact, lightweight design, high heating capacity doesn't require a lot of space.  With a modern design that was styled to be installed in European kitchens, the Challenger 150 is quiet and attractive.  Standard twin pipe or optional concentric venting provides venting solutions for every need, and the Challenger 150s is designed to work with the Smart Indirect Water Heater to provide space heating and domestic hot waters.  The standard outdoor reset maximizes energy efficiency to achieve an AFUE of 93%.  The Challenger can work with traditional cast iron radiators or in slab or wood floor radiant heating.  The turndown ratio of nearly 4.5 to 1 minimizes boiler cycling, especially in the warmer months.

Try Triangle Tube's Challenger 150s boiler for maximum output with minimal space, cost, and energy bills.  Click here for literature on this boiler.  For more information contact Triangle Tube or your local Triangle Tube installer.

When the snow is falling the last thing you want to think about is shoveling the driveway.  But no matter how nice the falling snow looks, and how much fun it can be, eventually the driveway, sidewalk, steps, and patio need to be cleared.  Today's hydronic heating systems can solve this problem with Radiant Snow Melting. 

Radiant Snow Melt systems circulates warm water / glycol solution through flexible tubes just under the surface.  Advanced systems monitor the moisture and temperature and automatically turn on to melt the snow as it falls.  These systems have been used for many years at ski resorts, hospitals and nursing homes where it is critical to keep surfaces clear to minimize falls.

Radiant Living Magazine recently examined a unique snow-melt application in Greenwich, CT. Click here for the entire article (Spring 2012).   Triangle Tube's Prestige 399 condensing boilers were used in this featured application.  The Prestige Condensing, Modulating Boilers will operate at peak efficiency in snow melt applications.  Snow melt systems operate at low temperatures which maximize the efficiency of condensing boilers. 

Triangle Tube Condensing Boilers provide for all of your heating needs,  The most common use is for space heating with traditional radiators, baseboard, or radiant floor installations.  Pairing a boiler with a Smart Indirect Water Heater provides efficient domestic hot water.  Snow Melt and Pool Heating are perfect for the condensing boilers as they operate at maximum efficiency.

Triangle Tube's Prestige Condensing Boiler and Smart Indirect Water Heater are key hydronic heating system components in a new Green home in New York state.   Malcolm Rowe has constructed a new Energy Star rated home that features the latest technology for environmentally friendly comfort.

Rowe selected the Prestige Condensing Boiler and Smart Indirect Water Heater not only for their energy efficiency, but for their reliability.  The unique design of these two components ensures high efficiency throughout the life of the product while minimizing their maintenance costs.

Click here to read more about the total system approach featured in this home.  By combining the system design practices with the latest technology, the home minimizes its environmental impact.    The low NOx Prestige Boiler works in conjunction with a geothermal system to heat radiant floors.

When looking for ways to reduce heating costs a high efficiency boiler is an obvious place to start.  Advances in heat exchanger design and burner control technology allows high efficiency boilers to use up to 30% less fuel than their traditional counterparts.  Triangle Tube specializes in high efficiency boilers and produces three models.  Challenger models feature a unique copper water tube design in an aluminum heat exchanger.  Keystone models feature a stainless steel water tube design for larger residences and light commercial applications.  Prestige models feature a stainless steel fire tube heat exchanger with the unique TriMax control.  All Triangle Tube boilers are designed to run on either Natural Gas or Propane.  They feature efficiencies of between 90% and 95% AFUE.  

When looking for maximum efficiency, there is no need to stop with the boiler.  It is important to look at all of the parts of the system.  For example installing radiant floor heating instead of traditional radiators can deliver both energy savings and a more comfortable home.  Significant energy savings can also be achieved by installing an indirect water heater.  Water heating accounts for 14% of the typical home's energy use so savings in water heating can add up quickly.  Triangle Tube's Smart Indirect Water Heaters feature a unique stainless steel tank-in-tank design that provides maximum efficiency throughout it's long life.  And the Smart Indirect Water Heaters are designed to have a long life, backed by their lifetime replacement warranty.  The energy savings combined with the lifetime guarantee make the Smart Indirect Water Heaters a Smart Choice ! 

Radiant Floor Heating is one of the fastest growing heating methods.  The benefits of radiant floor heating are obvious to anyone who has been in a home with this heat.  The warm floors provide an even, comfortable heat.  The heat radiates throughout the entire space, is silent, and does circulate dust.

Triangle Tube's Prestige Condensing Boiler and Smart Indirect Water Heater were selected for Hometime's recent home remodel.  The Prestige was chosen for the project for its energy efficiency, reliable performance, and ease of installation.  The videos illustrate the energy efficient Prestige TriMax Boiler control, which can operate with two different temperatures.  This allows the boiler to operate at a lower temperature for radiant floor heating and a higher temperature for domestic water heating with the Smart Indirect Water Heater.  

Operating at the lower temperature for space heating allows the boiler to operate at peak efficiency while operating at higher temperature allows for rapid domestic water heating.  This is just one example of the energy efficient operation of Triangle Tube boilers and water Heaters.

There have been significant gains in the energy efficiency of hydronic heating systems in the last decade.  Many of these gains have been made possible by the use of microprocessors to better control the boiler's function.  Modulation is one of the functions that modern boiler controls have made possible that is driving energy efficiency gains.

Modulation is the term used to describe the ability of a boiler to fire at varying rates.  If you think of a gas stove, modulation is your ability to control the burner's heat output - anywhere from "warm" to "full boil". 

Traditional boilers do not have the ability to modulate.  They are either at "full boil" or they are off.  Now, think how efficient it would be to cook your dinner with this type of control.  You would be constantly turning the stove on and off, trying to maintain the right temperature.  If you consider that boilers are inefficient during the start-up periods and are actually least efficient at "full boil" otherwise known as "high-fire", you will quickly realize that this is not the best way to run a boiler.

Modern controls such as those in Prestige boilers, use a variety of sensors to monitor the boiler system and adjust (modulate) the output of the boiler to meet the heating needs of the home.  This modulation allows the boiler to run longer (fewer on and off cycles) at lower fire rates (for improved efficiency) while still maintaining the desired temperature in the home.  Modulation is effective in residential radiant heating applications.   This is especially true in modern radiant floor heating, where the system temperatures are lower. 

Triangle Tube's Prestige Solo boilers utilize modern features such as modulation, outdoor reset, low NOx burners, and a unique stainless steel heat exchanger to deliver outstanding efficiency with an AFUE rating of 95%.  The Prestige Excellence combination boiler provides both heat and up to 180 gallons per hour of hot water from within the boiler, eliminating the need for a seperate domestic hot water tank.  All Prestige Models are available for natural gas and propane.

If a seperate hot water heater is desired, Triangle Tube's Smart Indirect Water Heaters are the perfect companion to the Prestige Solo.  With a unique stainless steel tank-in-tank design, the Smart indirect water heaters heat water quickly, with standby heat loss costs as little as $0.05 per day.  With a limited LIFETIME residential warranty, the Smart indirect water heaters are a sound investment.

Radiant Floor Heating is one of the fastest growing heating methods.  The benefits of radiant floor heating are obvious to anyone who has been in a home with this heat.  The warm floors provide an even, comfortable heat.  The heat radiates throughout the entire space, is silent, and does not circulate dust.