Hydronic heating and cooling systems rely on water (or a water/glycol mix) as the medium to transfer energy throughout a building. Whether paired with a high-efficiency condensing boiler or a …Read More
Heating 200,000-Gallon Open-Air Pools
Closer to the intersection of the Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland borders than any city, Farmington, PA is an unlikely place for a five-start resort, but the area offers a …Read More
Oil’s Well That Ends Well
I’m going to open this article with the very best piece of oil boiler advice I can give: Always check for oil leaks upon arrival and departure. Having said that, …Read More
Burnham Builds Cutting-Edge Electric Lab
In both the U.S. and Canada, federal, state and local agencies and policymakers are promoting the electrification of heating systems through incentives, rebates, and regulations. Meanwhile, advances in heat pump …Read More
Hydronic Electrification Leverages Residential Solar
Shortly after Keefer Rader wrapped up his most recent air-to-water heat pump installation, two feet of snow fell at the customer’s house. Rader’s company, Outlaw Mechanical, has built a reputation …Read More
U.S. Marine Resumes Family Boiler Business
Brian Balboni’s father, Tom, founded Balboni Plumbing & Heating in 1970. He ran the business in Wellesley, MA, for 37 years before giving away all of his work and retiring. …Read More
Executive Order: Unleashing American Energy
President Trump seems to be exercising his powers at blistering speed, signing more executive orders on the first day of his second term than any president in history. It is …Read More
New Mexico’s Radiant Renaissance
This is a tale of two radiant heating professionals in New Mexico: the first a pioneer, the second a perfectionist. Their efforts are separated by roughly three decades. What the …Read More
The Celebrated, Legendary Career of Dave Yates
F.W. Behler Inc., in York, PA, is one of the oldest continuously operating mechanical firms in the United States. Founded in 1887 by Franklin Washington Behler, the company was passed …Read More
What it Takes in 2023
The Right Components for Small Shop Success The past few years have been good for contracting businesses, barring component availability and skilled labor woes. For anyone in the trades, operating …Read More
Deciphering the Infrastructure Bill and the Effects on Small Business Contractors
By: Allie Perez Over the last few months, the term “infrastructure” has been thrown around by politicians and the media. By definition, infrastructure means the “basic physical and organizational structures …Read More
USB-Connect, A Deeper Dive!
by Tom Secondino Based on the response generated by our article on the USB-Connect and the influx of questions we’ve received, we felt it appropriate to provide a deeper look …Read More
Brooklyn Big Steam
There are few places in the world with a higher concentration of steam boilers than Brooklyn, NY. So it stands to reason that the borough – with roughly 3 million …Read More
One Tech’s Take on the New Citadel Condensing Boiler
by Rich Zalepa I’ve been in this industry for a while and I’ve installed boilers large and small in almost every scenario where water needs to be heated. It’s …Read More
Discovery Hill
Colorado Custom At 9,600 feet above sea level and only 75 miles from Denver, Breckenridge, CO, provides some of the best skiing in the US. The cool climate also means …Read More
24 hour Tech Support in a Box!
USB-Connect Tool-Features, Benefits and Application by Tom Secondino,Technical Sales Support Specialist This month’s article will cover the benefits and usage of our new USB-Connect app and Bluetooth adapter. What does …Read More
Women in Energy Grows, Expands Learning Opportunities
In the six years since its inception, Women in Energy (WE) has grown rapidly, providing women a variety of opportunities to strengthen their skillset and knowledge base as it relates …Read More
USB-Connect Service Tool-Application, Usage and Benefits
As our industry grows more complex, the role of the service technician becomes more challenging. After having a career as a service technician, contractor, and now as a member of …Read More
A Mountain Man Plumbing
Young and Ambitious The number of remote, full-time workers in the US has grown from pre-pandemic levels of 17 percent to 44 percent today. Densely populated and traditionally high-paying areas …Read More
HVAC Tactical Movement Sparks Industry Mindset Change
HVAC Tactical Movement Sparks Industry Mindset Change By Dan Vastyan When Ben Poole founded HVAC Tactical in 2018, he quickly found himself defending or explaining the brand’s name to curious …Read More
U.S. Boiler Company Introduces Condensing Boiler App for Installation and Service
Lancaster, PA. U.S. Boiler Company has introduced the new USB-Connect smartphone application to expedite and streamline installation, service and troubleshooting of all its current and recent condensing and combi boilers. …Read More
What is a Combination Boiler, and which is the Best in 2022?
A combination boiler, often called a “combi boiler,” providess both space heating and domestic hot water (DHW) in one package to save space, and in a lot of cases, money. …Read More
Alta Product Line Expands with Larger Combi & Heat-only Boiler Models!
U.S. Boiler Company has significantly expanded its line of condensing, gas-adaptive boilers with a larger combi size and several heat-only models. Introduced last spring, the high efficiency Alta Combi boiler …Read More
Griffiths Mechanical Expedite Hydronic Installations with the Alta Boiler
Ryan and Eric Griffiths took over Griffiths Mechanical Inc. in 2019. Their father, John Griffiths, founded the commercial refrigeration company in 1981. Since then, the brothers have been on a …Read More
Gas Adaptive Combustion: Advanced Technology for Condensing Boilers
By Jerry King, Technical Sales Support Specialist for Heating Solutions Sales Company (HSSC), representing U.S. Boiler Company A Brief History Gas adaptive combustion was developed in Europe. In 2001, the …Read More
The Profitability of PR in the Trades
By Tom Soukup, Principal of Patriot Water Heater Co. and Patriot Pool Heating Company Public relations (PR) is a term you don’t often hear associated with small HVAC businesses. But …Read More
Does a New Boiler Qualify for an Efficiency Rebate or Tax Credit?
If you’re considering a boiler upgrade in your home or business, you should know that many ENERGY STAR rated boiler models qualify for efficiency rebates and tax incentives, depending on …Read More
AHR Show Returns, Stoking Industry Excitement
The HVAC/R industry’s largest trade show made a solid comeback after a one-year, COVID-induced hiatus. Las Vegas hosted the 2022 AHR trade show January 31-February 2. The city, which depends heavily on …Read More
Comfortable, Quiet Steam Boiler Heat in NYC
New York City still runs on steam heat. From the countless Brownstones that line its streets to the high-rises and universities served by Con Edison’s steam utility, vaporized water reigns …Read More
Customer Boiler Rebates Made Easy with U.S. Boiler’s Rebates Center
Keeping track of every boiler efficiency rebate and incentive available to your customer base is a job in and of itself. It requires tedious research to find every reimbursement program …Read More
Boiler Servicing: Safety Considerations for the New Year
By Tom Secondino, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company Welcome to another edition of US Boiler Report Tech Tips. We’re glad you’re here to join us. After closing out …Read More
Navigating Supply Chain Challenges in the HVAC Industry
By: Allie Perez If you are looking for good news about the state of the supply chain, look elsewhere. The consequences of the supply chain shortages and delays are felt …Read More
Building Comfort at the Outlaw Mechanical Residence
Keefer and Dorian Rader, owners of Outlaw Mechanical (with tagline “The Boiler Experts”) could reasonably change their motto to “The Home Improvement Experts.” After all, they’re licensed mechanical contractors as well …Read More
Hydronic Snowmelt Systems 101
By Jason Ridgeway We installed our first hydronic snowmelt system in 1995. It’s not a huge part of our business, but the projects are typically large, and we do half …Read More
A Power Quality Primer for Service Technicians (Part 2 – Everything Else)
By Dana Lilly, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company A Power Quality Primer for Service Technicians Part 1 was a brief discussion of the most damaging and most …Read More
Recruit and Retain Tradeswomen Through Inclusivity
By: Allie Perez Inclusivity, a multi-syllabic word inundating the vernacular of today’s culture. The word implies including those who would otherwise be outcast or marginalized. Tradeswomen are no stranger to …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Central Comfort Perfects Oil-to-Gas Heating Retrofits
Challenge: Northern New Jersey is ripe for cast iron boiler replacements. The challenge in New Jersey is conducting the retrofits fast enough to keep pace with demand. Central Comfort, a …Read More
Is Installing a Hydronic Snowmelt System a Good Investment?
Whether or not you should invest in and install a snowmelt system on your property is entirely a matter of personal choice. Understand that the snowmelt systems being discussed here …Read More
Introducing the NEW SteamMax Gas-Fired Steam Boiler
We are proud to announce the release of SteamMax; a new benchmark for longevity, efficiency, and flexibility in cast iron, gas-fired, steam boilers! The all-new SteamMax boiler is offered as …Read More
Making the SteamMax – A Steam Boiler for Modern Challenges
By Ed Johann, Senior Engineering Advisor, U.S. Boiler Company – Aka Dinosaur Emeritus My email signature concludes with a tongue-in-cheek job title of “Dinosaur Emeritus,” accompanied by a graphic of a …Read More
Avoid Mad Max and Make Max Boiler Steam!
By Tom Secondino, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company We hope you all are as excited as we are about the release of the new SteamMax boiler! As with …Read More
Nature of the New Steam Beast
By Dan Vastyan Steam systems are not what they used to be, or at least so it would seem to some homeowners. The fact of the matter is that many …Read More
How do I make my boiler last as long as possible? Ensure it has fresh intake air!
How do I make my boiler last as long as possible? That’s not a rare question for homeowners to ask heating contractors. Once a boiler has been installed properly, there …Read More
Contractor Case Study: MacCo Energy Improves Heating Costs at Concord Academy
Challenge: MacCo Energy, a division of the much larger MacCormack Plumbing, in Billerica, Massachusetts, has handled HVAC service and replacement work at the nearby Concord Academy preparatory school for several …Read More
Mastering the Art of Multi-boiler Systems
For residential-only contractors, multi-family heating projects have a unique set of challenges. These jobs progress like commercial projects and need to be designed as such. Of course, they’re still residential …Read More
A Power Quality Primer for Service Technicians (Part 1: The Transient)
By Dana Lilly, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company As a qualified service technician, you are no doubt familiar with basic electrical circuitry and the testing of voltage, …Read More
The Grim Outlook for Plastics, Parts and Polymers
By: Allie Perez Contractors are no strangers to adversity. The pandemic started a snowball effect that still has HVAC and plumbing professionals reeling. Just as COVID restrictions loosened, Mother Nature …Read More
Prefabrication Raises the Bar
By: Tom Soukup I’ve been in this trade for 20 years. Much has changed in that time, but two things in particular are very different from when I lit my …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Mialek Mechanical, a Product-Specific Installer in Hoboken, NJ
Since Mia and her husband, Rich Szymanski, started Mialek Mechanical in Hoboken, NJ, they have turned down plenty of jobs simply because the homeowner wanted something that would not work. …Read More
The Importance of Clean Combustion/Intake Air
By Jerry King, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company Just like our bodies need an adequate source of clean air to function properly, so does a boiler. Its …Read More
Hydronics = Affordable Fresh Air
By Rich Medairos, Director of Engineered Products & Systems Training, Taco Comfort Solutions The scientific community now has a preliminary grasp on how large a threat the novel COVID-19 virus …Read More
TBros: 119 Years and Counting
Trethewey Brothers opened its door in 1902 on Washington Street in Roslindale, Massachusetts. Now, four generations later, it’s still family owned, but by two families. “I became a partner in 2010, …Read More
Chilled Beams: The Ideal Commercial HVAC Response to COVID-19
Hydronic chilled beam systems offer one of the best, most efficient means of heating and cooling interior commercial spaces. Currently, with broad concerns about improving indoor air quality (IAQ) in …Read More
The Most Efficient Heating System for New Home Construction
In a previous blog, we discussed selecting the correct boiler in a replacement situation. Similarly, how do you select the most efficient heating system for a new home? There are …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Husmann Plumbing Cuts School’s Operating Costs in Half
The boiler problems plaguing the Sierra Grande K-12 school in Fort Garland, CO were well known to more than a few people in the area, Matt Husmann included. He’s co-owner …Read More
Introducing the NEW Alta Gas-Adaptive Combi Boiler
We are excited to announce the introduction of our NEW Alta Combi boiler, the industry’s FIRST AND ONLY gas-adaptive combi boiler with 10:1 turndown! Gas-adaptive Technology The Alta Combi high efficiency …Read More
Windy City Custom
Reliable. Forward thinking. Solution oriented. This is how people describe B&D Heating & Cooling. Those traits, along with a powerful work ethic, were brought to the U.S. by Vasile Totorovici …Read More
Choosing the Right Size Circulator for the Job
By Rick Johnson, Applications Engineer for U.S. Boiler Company Remember when installing a boiler was easy? You put the boiler in place, hooked up some pipes, put a couple of circulators …Read More
Stating the (not so) Obvious – Label Your Drain Valves
By Mike Holmes, owner of Holmes Heating & Air Conditioning in Denver Colorado. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right? Let me share a lesson I learned the …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Phinncraft Provides Heat to the Wilds of Alaska
Tundra tradesman Dan Phinney serves a unique market. He owns Phinncraft, an unusual heating company. As far as he knows, he’s the only heating professional serving the wilds of southwestern …Read More
Snowmelt Solves a Challenge at Sight & Sound
Live Christian entertainment made a quantum leap in 1998, with Sight & Sound Theatre’s construction of the Millennium Theatre in Lancaster, PA. The original theatre, built ten years earlier, was …Read More
It Ain’t What You Don’t Know – Boiler Water Quality Review
By Tom Secondino, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company Two young fish were swimming along one day and happened across a much older fish swimming towards them. As …Read More
Fact or Fiction: Staple-Up Radiant Doesn’t Work
By Rocky DiTommasso, Northeastern Supply There is some debate that different methods of installing in-floor radiant systems provide varying levels of responsiveness, comfort and efficiency. Some purist installers think that …Read More
DOE-2021: What to Expect and how U.S. Boiler Company has Responded
As Earth begins another trip around the sun, the Department of Energy’s new boiler efficiency minimum standards take effect. The 2021 DOE regulations apply to residential boilers less than 300 …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Holmes Heating & Air Delivers Warmth for the Holidays
Mike Holmes founded Holmes Heating & Air, in Denver, CO, after nearly 20 years in the trade. He has intentionally kept the business small with tremendous attention to detail. In …Read More
What does boiler turndown ratio mean?
If you’ve been shopping for a new, high efficiency, condensing gas boiler, you may have seen “turndown ratio” mentioned in product literature. This can also be referred to as “firing …Read More
Boiler by Rail
The mid-1960s were the beginning of the end for many of the passenger railroads that spider webbed across the Mid-Atlantic. By that time, the personal automobile had been eroding the …Read More
The Ins and Outs of Antifreeze in Hydronic Applications
By: Richard Zalepa Using antifreeze in hydronic systems is a necessary evil, when the application calls for it. Our company, Patriot Pool Heating Co., uses antifreeze more often than most …Read More
Introducing the Series X-PV Gas Boiler
The Series X-PV gas-fired water boiler combines the best attributes of U.S. Boiler Company’s ESC and PVG boiler product lines. This new power or direct vent cast iron boiler is …Read More
The Skilled Trades are Essentially Essential
By: Allie Perez The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought new words into the average American vernacular. One such word, thrown around at every press conference or piece of proposed legislation; …Read More
Spooky Mansion Retrofit
Contractor Case Study: Kelleher Heating and Cooling “We’ve uncovered skeletons in the basement here, and there’s an old graveyard in the woods,” said the caretaker of the historic Brook …Read More
How Social Media is Changing the Trade With Eric Aune
Eric Aune and John Mesenbrink co-founded Mechanical-Hub.com in 2011. Their concept was to create an online-only news resource for tradesmen and women in the HVAC, plumbing and refrigeration industries. They …Read More
Uber for HVAC Parts
Grubhub, DoorDash, Uber and Lyft all have something in common, despite the fact that the first two companies move food and the latter two move people. These new(ish) services provide …Read More
Moving to the Mountains
As you read this, thousands of American families are considering a move to less densely populated areas. Towns and cities within the Rocky Mountain States – Idaho, Montana and Wyoming …Read More
Primary/Secondary Piping of Cast Iron Boilers: Should We Do It?
By Rick Johnson, Applications Engineer for U.S. Boiler Company As the condensing boiler market continues to grow, contractors are becoming more familiar with the requirement of primary/secondary piping. They are also …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Modern Heating and Air Completes an Oil-To-Gas Conversion
Challenge: For Modern Heating and Air, in Milford, CT, the overarching theme is to strive for 110 percent customer satisfaction. This particular customer’s home was built in the 1920s. It’s …Read More
Should I Replace my Boiler with a Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump?
Mini-split heat pumps, also called ductless heat pumps, are becoming more common in North America. Under the right conditions, these systems offer a variety of advantages to homeowners, but those …Read More
LP Conversion Fixes Comfort and Efficiency
Quarryville, PA, is home to a true hydronic savant. Tom Soukup, owner of Patriot Water Heater, Co., used to do general plumbing and a variety of HVAC work. However, over …Read More
Filling the Skilled Labor Gap with the Unemployed
By: Allie Perez Indisputably, the United States finds itself in the midst of a skilled labor shortage. Baby boomers continue to retire and leave skilled labor jobs unfilled. High school …Read More
Oil’s well that ends well! Oil system servicing and diagnostics.
By Tom Secondino, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company We will open this month’s article by saying “ALWAYS CHECK FOR LEAKS ON ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE!!” Having said that, …Read More
The Very Real Dangers of Heat Stroke
July of last year brought near-record high temperatures for half of the nation. That month, two HVAC technicians in the U.S. died from heat stroke. Both bodies were found in …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Around The Clock Heating & Cooling
Brothers John and Andy Montz own Around The Clock Heating & Cooling, Inc., and run the operation with a number of other family members in New Haven, CT. The area …Read More
What is Outdoor Reset Control?
So, your heating contractor suggests adding an “outdoor reset control” to your boiler and hydronic heating system. Would this be a good investment? Outdoor reset controls are relatively simple devices …Read More
High Efficiency Solutions Utilizes K2 Combi Boiler
The circa-1900 brick mansionettes that line the streets of Landisville, PA, are a remnant of the area’s early prosperity. At the turn of the century, Landisville was an industrial center …Read More
Strainers for Hydronic Applications
By Rick Johnson, Applications Engineer for U.S. Boiler Company I’ve never used a strainer before… why do I need one now? It’s a good question and one that most technicians have …Read More
Your COVID-19 Response Counts: Tips for Employee and Customer Safety
The COVID-19 virus is still spreading across the US as you read this, and the extent of its damage won’t be known for a long time. Suffice to say, this …Read More
Corona Consequences: The Virus’ Effect on the Skilled Trades
By: Allie Perez The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected every business and industry in the world. Whether business is considered “essential” or “non-essential,” all businesses have had to cope …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Michael Long Plumbing & Heating
Challenge: Michael Long, owner of Michael Long Plumbing & Heating, in Whitehall, PA, was building his own “forever home.” Having grown up in a house with hydronic heat, he knew …Read More
Emergency HVAC Service While Social Distancing
If there’s any good news associated with the global COVID-19 pandemic, it may come in the form of the virus’ timing. We can be glad that it didn’t arrive here …Read More
Tips for a Successful High Efficiency, Condensing Boiler Installation
By Ron Beck, Outside Technical Advisor and Manager of Training for U.S. Boiler Company A successful high efficiency, condensing boiler installation starts with proper planning and proper boiler sizing. Yes, …Read More
A Man for All Seasons
By Tom Secondino, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company Good morning, this is Tom. How can I help you? “Yeah, I got one of your boilers here we …Read More
Domestic Hot Water Recirculation
By Anthony Tosco, owner of Avanti Plumbing and Heating, Inc Step aside gold. Move along, crude oil. The most valuable resource on earth is… water. Or at least that’s what …Read More
Local For-Profit Companies Improve Life at Nonprofit Women’s Shelter
At Clare House, a non-profit transitional home dedicated to serving homeless women and their families in Lancaster, PA, it’s a typical day. Mothers are getting ready for work while simultaneously preparing …Read More
Trending Now: In-Law Quarters
The Boomer generation is retiring rapidly, outpaced only by the increasing cost of healthcare and retirement communities. Add to that, life expectancy is longer now than ever before. Amidst what …Read More
U.S. Boiler Company’s COVID-19 Response
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf ordered the closure of non-essential businesses for a minimum of two weeks (starting March 17). U.S. Boiler Company is designated …Read More
COVID-19 Update
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf ordered the closure of non-essential businesses for a minimum of two weeks (starting 3/17/2020). U.S. Boiler Company is designated as …Read More
Looking for a High Efficiency Oil Boiler?
Need to replace your old oil boiler? If that’s the case, you are probably hoping to find a high efficiency oil boiler that will last you a long time and …Read More
Educate Homeowners Prior to Installation
By Tom Secondino, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company Homeowner – “I wish I never bought this boiler!” Contractor – “I wish I never took this job!” How could …Read More
High Country Hydronics
Hydronic Country. What comes to mind? New England? New York? Maybe even the northern Mid-West, but likely not the New Mexico-Colorado border. You might be more surprised to learn that …Read More
The History of Apprenticeship and What We Risk Losing
By Allie Perez Apprentices may not affect daily life directly, but they are a pivotal component of the skilled trades industry and its future. Famous painter Leonardo Davinci reflected, “Poor …Read More