In 1971, Chicago native James Guercio, a musician and producer, purchased a 2,000-acre ranch in Nederland, CO, with plans to turn the property into a recording studio and rural escape for the biggest names in the music business. He modified the property’s old barn into a recording studio. In ‘72, Joe Walsh recorded “Rocky Mountain Read more
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In 1971, Chicago native James Guercio, a musician and producer, purchased a 2,000-acre ranch in Nederland, CO, with plans to turn the property into a recording studio and rural escape for the biggest names in the music business.
He modified the property’s old barn into a recording studio. In ‘72, Joe Walsh recorded “Rocky Mountain Way” while the barn still had a dirt floor. This was the first of many hits that would be produced at Caribou Ranch, as Guercio called the estate. Other stars followed, including Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Chicago, John Lennon, Michael Jackson and hundreds more.
The 3,300 square foot home was a guest residence for musicians recording at the Caribou Ranch Studio.
On a parcel adjacent to the ranch sits a 3,300 square foot home built in 1973, where many of the travelling artists took up residence while writing and recording music. Fast forward to 2022: the home – and the piece of music history it represents – was sold.
The new owner found one of the old boilers leaking and called Peak to Peak Plumbing & Heating.
“We’re one of only a few shops that regularly travel up the Peak to Peak Highway to serve rural customers,” said Joe Ryan, 33 years old and owner of the company.
Ryan found that neither the old cast iron boiler nor the electric boiler was leaking. Instead, the water came from a foundation leak. To address that issue, Ryan called a general contractor he works with on a regular basis, Tom Akins, who owns AP Construction.
After some deliberation, the owner decided to renovate the entire home.
Joe Ryan, owner of Peak to Peak Plumbing.
Ground-source or air-source
Plans were drawn to update the house as well as the dual-fuel hydronic system installed years earlier. The owner’s two requirements were that heat pumps be used and radiant heating be installed throughout.
“Our first conversation about the heating retrofit took place two years ago,” said Ryan. “Both the homeowner and I were torn between installing geothermal units or an air-to-water heat pump system. Whenever I have questions like that, I reach out to Tommy Carroll at Boulder Winnelson.”
“Tommy’s about my age, casual and humble, which can be misleading, because he’s an hydronic mastermind,” he continued. “He’s an engineer by training and he designs hydronic systems in his sleep.”
Nearby Boulder is one of the greenest towns in the country, so it’s no surprise that local supply houses might have someone on staff to design high-efficiency, high-comfort hydronic systems.
“We compared air-to-water heat pumps with a geothermal system,” said Carroll. “In the end, it wasn’t a hard decision.”
Using an outdoor design temperature of -2°F, the home required 81,000 BTU/H. Given the ground temperature at 8,700 feet above sea level, a geothermal system would have required five, 500-foot boreholes. That expense alone made air-to-water heat pumps more attractive.
(left to right) Tommy Carroll and Joe Ryan connect thermostat wires.
BTU Wrangler
“Air-to-water systems have come far enough along that they’re somewhat comparable in capacity and COP to geothermal heat pumps,” said Carroll. “In the long run, air-to-water just made more sense. Air-to-water adds some cost to the plumbing side of the project, but the overall cost is significantly less.”
Customers go to Boulder Winnelson with tricky hydronic projects. Carroll’s business card reads “BTU Wrangler” for good reason.
Installer Joe Ryan stands between the Ambient Heat Pumps.
Carroll conducted the heat-loss analysis based on the improvements that AP Construction was making to the building envelope, designed the heat pump system and put together a plan for the controls, allowing Ryan to install two air-to-water heat pumps with a condensing boiler for backup.
“Joe and I have worked together on a few projects in the past,” said Carroll. “He counts on us for experience and expertise, but he’s so competent that he doesn’t need help often.”
Quick pivot
Typical of old, custom homes, the renovation work proceeded slowly, thanks to surprises that kept coming up during construction. Ryan and Carroll had their system design finished in 2023 but were waiting until they could fully implement it. Not much changed until early 2024, when U.S. Boiler Company’s Dave Hansen called on Boulder Winnelson.
“Dave showed me their new Ambient air-to-water heat pump, and the specs on it matched what we needed perfectly,” said Carroll. “So, we changed the design. We’ve had a relationship with U.S. Boiler Company for decades. We knew we could count on them if we needed help.”
Almost a year before the release of the Ambient heat pump, Peak to Peak Plumbing & Heating had already piped many of the indoor components, including a 155 MBH condensing boiler, 70-gallon buffer tank, circulators, sidearm tank, HBX heat pump controller, and more. For this reason, Ryan didn’t need the complete Ambient heat pump package. He just needed the outdoor units.
Two, five-ton Ambient air-to-water heat pumps are used to heat the 3,300 square foot home, which was built in 1973.
“There was an old electric boiler here before I arrived, so the heat pumps didn’t require an electrical service upgrade,” said Ryan. “We just poured a slab outside and core-drilled through the wall to run water lines to the mechanical room.”
Akins, the builder, was mildly concerned that noise or vibration from the heat pumps would transfer through the slab and into the home, but only time would tell.
On the inside
The entire system is freeze-protected by a 35 percent Enviro-Frost glycol mixture. Supply and return lines run from the outdoor units to the large buffer in the mechanical room. This tank has an electrical element but plans to hook it up were discarded when the Ambient heat pumps were selected.
“The Ambient heat pumps are five tons in capacity each,” said Ryan. “They’re capable of supplying up to 140°F water and continue operating down to an outdoor temperature of -13°F. We designed the radiant system to require only 121°F supply water on a design day, and there’s a gas boiler piped to the buffer tank in the unlikely event the home needs supplementary heat.”
When operating at full capacity, 15.3 GPM is pumped through each Ambient heat pump and into the 70-gallon AltSource buffer tank, which also contains a reverse-indirect coil for DHW.
The mechanical room, designed by Ryan and Carroll, uses hot water from the heat pumps for the radiant system and to pre-heat domestic hot water.
“The buffer tank won’t cover the DHW load, simply because it sits at about 120°F on design day,” explained Carroll. “That’s great for radiant floors, but too cool to heat the DHW to final temp. Instead, the coil in the buffer tank just pre-heats the water on its way to the sidearm tank. We went with the reverse indirect coil because it is an easy way – requiring no pumps or moving parts – to use the heat pumps to cover some of the DHW load by preheating the incoming cold water on its way to the sidearm tank. The boiler will always have to raise the DHW to final temp.”
On the space heating load side of the buffer tank is a single Grundfos Alpha circulator distributing water to six zones, which are controlled by a bank of Taco zone panels and Zone Sentry valves.
The entire floorplan is heated with half-inch Uponor PEX, held in place by Legend Valve’s VersaTherm floating floor panel system.
The new mechanical room, wrapped in grey diamond plate aluminum and tongue-and-groove pine, occupies what had previously been a large closet. The 200-square foot room that used to contain the messy old mechanical system is now storage space.
“One of our big draws for making this a dual fuel system with a propane back-up boiler was that the gas boiler can be run off a battery back-up or small, cheap generator in the event of a prolonged power outage,” explained Carroll. “This makes the system more resilient than an all-electric system, which is important up in the mountains where the weather is unpredictable, and the power grid is less robust.
(left to right) – Chris Altenderfer, Tommy Carroll and Joe Ryan.
Evolution
Chris Altenderfer, manager of electric heating development at Burnham Holdings Engineering Company, joined Hansen, Ryan, Carroll and Akins onsite for system start-up. Watching through a Flir infrared device, they waited only a minute to see the heat pumps’ discharge fans turn purple, and the inch-and-a-quarter supply water lines turn red.
“I saw immediately that my concern about noise was unfounded,” said Akins.
“Even running at full speed, the Ambient units are quieter than any mini-split I’ve seen,” he added. “But this was completely new to me. This is the future of hydronics, and most of the homes we build have radiant systems. Peak to Peak Plumbing & Heating is on the cutting edge of the heating industry. Boulder is slowly forcing residents away from fossil-fuel appliances, so I’m excited that Joe is on the front end of the electric hydronic evolution.”
The homeowner is excited, too.
“As we undertook a big renovation, we knew that we wanted to plan for the future,” said the homeowner. “We went with this system for a combination of energy efficiency and the comfort of radiant heat. It helped that we have a great team, led by Joe Ryan and Tom Akins, who are both excited about the system. We couldn’t be happier.”
https://vimeo.com/1006933600 Welcome to our exclusive weekly update where every Friday we bring you the lates industry news, products and what’s trending on social media Read more
Welcome to our exclusive weekly update where every Friday we bring you the lates industry news, products and what’s trending on social media.
Written by Chris Carrier, RWC Senior Marketing Director The shortage of plumbers our industry is dealing with has become so serious, it’s making headlines in the business world. An article in Bloomberg Businessweek’s March 2024 issue puts the problem in a national context: “America’s Plumber Deficit Isn’t Good for the Economy.” The article elaborates with a slew of Read more
Written by Chris Carrier, RWC Senior Marketing Director
The shortage of plumbers our industry is dealing with has become so serious, it’s making headlines in the business world. An article in Bloomberg Businessweek’s March 2024 issue puts the problem in a national context: “America’s Plumber Deficit Isn’t Good for the Economy.” The article elaborates with a slew of stats that back up this subheading: “Young people are shunning an occupation that’s physically demanding and sometimes dirty, though well paid.
While the labor shortage isn’t new to those who have been in the industry long, it’s worth exploring the main cause of it and ways to get more people into the trade right now.
Understanding the plumbing recruitment crisis: The age factor
Age plays two roles in the plumber shortage. A large portion of the current plumbing workforce is nearing retirement age, and recruiting young people into plumbing is proving difficult. Although the recruitment pipeline is leaking at both ends, the jobs are there for the taking, with plenty of new opportunities opening. The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects there will be nearly 43,000 job openings for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters each year through 2032. These jobs mostly result from the need to replace workers who retire, change occupations or leave the workforce.
Knowing plumbing is one of the steadiest industries, how can plumbing business owners stay staffed with good plumbers? The truth is that it’s going to take some convincing.
Images courtesy of SharkBite Plumbing Solutions.
Repairing the leaky recruitment pipeline through education
If you run a plumbing company, the most concerning consequence of the labor shortage is the challenge of keeping enough good plumbers on your team. In the skilled trades, recruiting hinges on educating recruits. Raising awareness of opportunities is foundational. Many young Americans are simply unaware of the specialty options, job security and earning potential in plumbing. As an industry, we must invest more resources in promoting the plumbing profession. Just ask Mark Brown, a Philadelphia high school plumbing program instructor.
“There are so many people in our country who struggle with finding a suitable career path for them, and I believe it’s due to lack of exposure to career choices such as plumbing,” Brown said. After telling young people an opportunity exists, we need to convince them to explore it. To be persuasive, explain why plumbing is an excellent career option. Then dispel the myths and be open and truthful about the hard parts. Any recruiting efforts—whether joint or solo, online, printed or spoken—should start by selling the benefits, including:
Clint McCannon owns Cannon Plumbing in Braselton, Georgia.
Job security and stability
When you need a plumber, it’s rarely optional. Plumbing is an essential service with consistent demand, providing long-term job security and protection against economic downturns. For example, when the COVID pandemic put millions out of work, plumbers stayed on the job with a steady income.
“I was really nervous when COVID hit,” said Clint McCannon, owner of Cannon Plumbing in Braselton, Georgia. “I didn’t know what was going to happen. Our numbers were up over 35%, and it didn’t slow down. It sped up. Even when the economy is going down, if it’s something they can’t handle on their own, they’re going to call you.”
Given the plumber shortage, it’s highly unlikely that this career benefit will change anytime soon. Even as technological advances disrupt other trades, in plumbing, new technology tends to make the work easier rather than displacing the workers.
High earning potential
Plumbers enjoy competitive wages, and many have opportunities for overtime and bonuses. Their extent varies depending on the employer and specific job role. Even without pursuing overtime or bonuses, plumbers can enjoy a financially rewarding career free from the burden of student debt.
A high school diploma or equivalent is the standard education requirement for starting paid training or trade school. The BLS lists the 2023 median pay at $61,550 per year ($29.59 per hour), up from $60,090 in 2022 ($28.89 per hour), with plumbers at the high end of the spectrum earning a six-figure salary.
Geography greatly influences earnings, with average wages varying by state, based partly on the cost of living. According to Consumer Affairs, Illinois ranks highest with an annual average wage of $88,000, while Arkansas is at the bottom with plumbers earning $47,000 on average. Nationally, the top 10% of wage earners made more than $101,000 annually, and industry wages have been climbing steadily since at least 2012.
Paid training as an apprentice plumber
You don’t need any prior experience to start training to become a plumber, and once you apply for and secure an apprenticeship, it’s paid training on the job. Vocational-technical schools and unpaid pre-apprenticeships are the most common routes people take before getting on-the-job experience.
Choosing a paid plumbing apprenticeship over attending college with an unpaid internship can be a game-changer. With an apprenticeship, you’re earning money from day one while learning a valuable trade, rather than racking up student debt. You earn hands-on experience, real-world problem-solving skills and a direct path to a rewarding career in a high-demand field.
Apprenticeships also provide a structured learning environment where mentors are invested in your success, ensuring you gain both practical knowledge and industry credentials. For anyone looking to build a stable and prosperous future without the financial burden of college, a paid apprenticeship offers a practical and lucrative track.
Leslie McGlenen owns Pipe Wench Plumbing & Heating.
Career advancement opportunities
The plumbing profession also offers clear pathways for advancement, including opportunities to become a well-paid master plumber, start your own business or move into management roles. After finishing a plumbing apprenticeship, career advancement in the U.S. plumbing industry typically follows a structured path.
First, you become a journeyman plumber, gaining more responsibilities and independence. With experience and further certification, you can advance to a master plumber, which opens doors to higher-paying jobs and leadership roles. Any apprentice can become a master in this trade if they’re dedicated, and it pays to work your way up. An HR technology company called PayScale reports that in 2023, the median pay of a master plumber went up to $82,700—a jump of 21% from 2022.
Some plumbers eventually become contractors or specialize in areas like pipefitting, leading to even more career opportunities. Some of the most profitable plumbing businesses are owned or managed by plumbers who started as apprentices. Lesley McGlenen owns and operates Pipe Wench Plumbing & Heating in British Columbia, Canada.
“I got a lot of experience as a young apprentice,” she said. “Most of the time, I was the only apprentice at this company, so I got to work under three skilled journeymen who did different parts of the job. Depending on who I was working under, I learned different techniques.”
Successful franchise owners like Lesley can expand their businesses, creating a comfortable income and good jobs.
Kim Yeagley owns Gold Canyon Plumbing in Gold Canyon, Arizona.
Job satisfaction and community impact
Plumbers play a vital role in maintaining public health and safety. Being an essential part of your community’s workforce provides a sense of pride and fulfillment for those who appreciate making a tangible difference in people’s lives, homes and workplaces.
“When you leave, you’ve fixed their problem, you’ve made their day. That’s a good feeling inside,” said Kim Yeagley, owner of Gold Canyon Plumbing in Gold Canyon, Arizona. Despite the occasional dirty conditions, the satisfaction of solving problems and providing essential services to your community is genuinely rewarding. And like other skilled trades, plumbers take pride in their craftsmanship and enjoy building something from scratch. As a plumber, you can also choose to prioritize family and personal time.
“I don’t live to work. I work to live,” said Russel Sweeney, owner of Sweeney Remodeling and Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida. “Through the years, I’ve learned that there is a necessity for work-life balance.”
Flushing fears and reconfiguring perceptions of plumbing
While there are many benefits in plumbing, there are still a lot of misconceptions and valid concerns that must be addressed in recruitment, including:
Physical demands
Don’t sugarcoat it. Plumbing is physically strenuous, often involving heavy lifting, strong tool work, awkward positions and repetitive movements. But desk jobs aren’t for everyone either. Plumbing can be a great career fit for people who love working with their hands. Former plumbing apprentice Anna Pearson said an office job just wouldn’t suit her.
“Forty hours out of my life every single week, being stuck in a cubicle, it’s just my actual nightmare,” she said.
Modern equipment helps with the physically challenging aspects. Advancements in technology and tools have made most tasks easier and more efficient than in decades past. For example, push fittings like SharkBite Max make it easy for new plumbers to start repairing and reconfiguring pipes with minimal instruction, performing smaller jobs in just minutes. They also help plumbers get in and out of tight or uncomfortable spaces more quickly so they can put minimal strain on their bodies.
Russel Sweeney owns Sweeney Remodeling and Plumbing in Jacksonville, Florida.
Safety and working conditions
The job sometimes involves working in dirty and confined environments, which can be unappealing or seen as hazardous. Fortunately, plumbers of all types get paid to earn comprehensive safety training through their certifications that prepare them to handle potentially dangerous job site situations safely. Plus, safe working conditions are required by law. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces federally mandated safety standards that plumbing employers must comply with, which apply to both service and commercial plumbers. Employers provide all the necessary protective gear and equipment to ensure safety and comfort on tough jobs, including water-proof gloves, knee pads, safety glasses, hard hats and respirators.
Serious injuries are very rare for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters. Nonfatal injuries are also exceptionally rare for both residential plumbers and commercial plumbers who work on new builds, even though working in people’s homes is generally considered safer than plumbing on a construction site. In 2022, BLS data shows that out of 865 reported fall injuries, including slips and trips, only 27 involved plumbers (3%). The BLS lumped plumbers in with HVAC contractors. This group had no reported injuries that year from exposures to harmful substances or environments, and no injuries caused by contact with objects or equipment.
Social stigma and perception
The reality is that many college graduates have student debt and still earn less than the plumber they call to fix their toilet, but there’s a strong societal push toward college degrees in high school, leading many young people to overlook the trades as they’re considering a career path. In the absence of hard facts, students often view trades like plumbing as a less prestigious career compared to white-collar jobs.
However, plumbers earn competitive salaries with excellent job security because they’re essential to our homes, businesses and critical infrastructure. Remind recruits that this trade offers opportunities for entrepreneurship and a stable, upward career path, with the added satisfaction of helping people every day. Another perk is that you can live almost anywhere and still have excellent job prospects.
Job security concerns
Some mistakenly perceive plumbing as less stable compared to careers in rapidly growing tech and service sectors where layoffs are actually far more common. Layoffs are very rare in plumbing, even during recessions, and the labor shortage shows that’s unlikely to shift.
“It’s a very recession-proof job,” Sweeney said. Research firm IBISWorld reports that “constant demand keeps direct competition low.” Industry analysts expect a steady demand for plumbing services in new construction, and IBISWorld states that “refurbishment and maintenance of aging plumbing systems have remained steady streams of income for independent plumbers and companies alike. This will not change in the near future.”
If you encounter stability concerns as you do outreach, set the record straight and back it up with facts. The U.S. Department of Labor provides a helpful resource with its Occupational Outlook Handbook for Plumbers, Pipefitters and Steamfitters. This periodically updated handbook answers every question a plumbing recruit is likely to ask.
Training requirements
Extensive apprenticeships and on-the-job training can deter those looking to enter the workforce quickly. Plumbing apprenticeships can indeed last up to 5 years, but they allow you to earn a living while gaining hands-on experience in the field, providing valuable training without the high costs of a traditional degree.
Another option is vocational-technical programs that fast-track your plumbing career, offering practical skills, recognized certifications and employment immediately after graduating.
Mark Brown, a Philadelphia high school plumbing program instructor.
Take advantage of the facts
Whether it’s educational social media videos, partnering with trade schools or hosting open- house demonstrations in your community—whichever format, strategy or platform you choose for your recruiting efforts—take a fact-based approach. Reality is your ally in persuasion. With excellent job prospects and rising pay, it’s a great time to join the plumbing profession, and having the facts on your side can make recruiting a little easier. Take it from Pearson.
“I researched it for a few days, I saw nothing but good things,” the former plumbing apprentice said. “And so, I decided to go ahead and take the plunge.”
With 53 men on the Jacksonville Jaguars roster, practicing 5 to 6 days per week for 10 to 12 hours a day, the demand for hot water must be enormous. As the choice for the team’s practice facility’s hot water storage and water heating capabilities, here are the details. How about 1,880 gallons storage capacity Read more
With 53 men on the Jacksonville Jaguars roster, practicing 5 to 6 days per week for 10 to 12 hours a day, the demand for hot water must be enormous. As the choice for the team’s practice facility’s hot water storage and water heating capabilities, here are the details. How about 1,880 gallons storage capacity and 2,400,000 btu/hr heating the water?
The Miller Electric Center is a new state-of-the-art practice facility in downtown Jacksonville that serves as the Jaguars’ football operations headquarters. The $120 million dollar facility is 125,000 square foot and includes locker rooms, training and medical facilities, office space and a draft room. It also features two full-size grass practice fields and one indoor field, along with shaded public viewing stands, concession areas and a team store.
Big men need big spaces
Luckily, Lochinvar’s Armor Condensing water heaters are up for the job. The Armor’s stainless steel heat exchanger delivers hot water at 98% thermal efficiency and modulates at a 10:1 turndown ratio. That means the units can fire as low as 10% of their total capability and modulate up to 100% when the demand is greatest. The Jag’s facility has 3 of the AWH0800NPM units installed providing the ability to cascade which ensures the units operate with equal runtime and extends the life of the heaters. The Armor’s SMART TOUCH operating control makes adjusting parameters and troubleshooting a breeze— which is nice in Florida.
With a proven storage vessel like the Lock-Temp Round Jacketed Storage Tank,
making sure the stored hot water is ready for delivery is a given. These tanks
have the exclusive Lock-Temp baffle that keeps water evenly stratified and the
80% draw factor allows almost the entire capacity to be used at the designated
temperature.
With the help of local manufacturers’ rep firm, Harry Warren, the installing contractor, Touchton Plumbing out of Jacksonville reported that the whole experience went off without a hitch. “The installation went extremely well, and the units have been working without fail through the first year of the facility being in use,” said Parker Touchton, project manager. The equipment was installed and commissioned according to schedule and is said to be performing as promised—and at the end of a 12-hour practice, there’s no room for disappointment.
- Plumbing Contractor – Touchton Plumbing Jacksonville
- Manufacturers’ Rep – Harry Warren, Inc.
- Engineer – Henderson Engineering
- Architect – Rossetti
- GC – Haskell
- Jaguars Facility Manager – Geoff Deluca
To see more about the future at Lochinvar, click here.
With jobsite productivity and safety at the forefront of the construction industry, it’s important to know the innovations that are enabling faster, easier installs for contractors while providing end users with more efficient, sustainable systems. Check out a few of these solutions that can help make jobs easier and buildings more efficient. A first in Read more
With jobsite productivity and safety at the forefront of the construction industry, it’s important to know the innovations that are enabling faster, easier installs for contractors while providing end users with more efficient, sustainable systems.
Check out a few of these solutions that can help make jobs easier and buildings more efficient.
Heat-Interface Units
A first in the North American market, these prefabricated, self-contained, heat-interface units (HIUs) convert a building’s hydronic heating supply to on-demand domestic hot water (DHW).
Ideal in multifamily structures, hospitality buildings, dormitories, assisted-living centers, and healthcare patient towers, these HIUs (sold under the brand name AquaPort™) feature a proportional control valve (PCV) and double-wall heat exchanger to create the DHW from the hydronic heating supply.
This solution removes the centralized DHW and recirculation piping to provide numerous benefits, including energy and water savings, improved water quality, installation efficiencies, reduced maintenance, and reduced risk. The PCV does not require any utility connections and eliminates the DHW heat source, supply piping, recirculation network, pumps, and storage tanks. It also optimizes efficiencies of the hydronic heating supply.
For energy efficiency, it returns the lowest water temperature possible, enabling boiler systems to reach their maximum-rated efficiency. It also provides a more centralized location in an individual unit of a building, which leads to faster hot-water delivery times and reduced water waste, helping to reduce the whole-life carbon for the building.
Compared to traditional pipe-routing methods, incorporating this solution can reduce hot-water energy use by up to 35%, eliminate up to 40% of unnecessary piping, mitigate microbial growth in the DHW system, and remove more than 50% of the total DHW volume in a building for greater sustainability and hygiene.
The compact, in-wall design is only 25.6″ tall by 14.5″ wide and 5.4″ deep to maximize overall square footage, and it is extremely lightweight at 47 lbs. for the 100K BTU/hr. version and 57 lbs. for the 180K BTU/hr. version, which makes it easy for one person to maneuver and install.
Prefabricated Radiant Mats: Cleveland Health Education Clinic, Ohio | Radiant floor heating install with Radiant Rollout Mats
Introduced into the market about a decade ago, prefabricated radiant mats have become extremely popular in commercial radiant heating and cooling projects, helping to save up to 85% in installation time compared to traditional methods.
Ideal for radiant heating and cooling systems in large commercial spaces as well as turf conditioning, snow and ice melting, and permafrost prevention (cold storage) applications, these mats are customized, prefabricated, and pre-pressurized solutions that are designed and delivered to jobsites to speed commercial installs and maximize radiant system performance.
The mats feature oxygen-barrier PEX pipe, which is a flexible, durable material that protects ferrous components in a radiant heating and cooling system. Some manufacturers also include engineered polymer (EP) connections, which are approved for burial in a slab, that are included in a reverse-return header option. This design can help reduce required manifold ports by up to 80%, helping to save time and install costs.
Since the mats are customized to meet each individual project, the pipe sizes, loop lengths, and on-center spacing varies depending on the design. Once the mats arrive on the jobsite, installers simply move the mats into place, cut the zip ties, unroll the mats into place, and fasten.
The mats also can reduce fastening hardware by up to 40%, further increasing installation efficiencies and jobsite safety. Best of all, pre-pressurized piping and self-balancing circuits provide dependable commissioning and system startup for a seamless transition from installation to end use.
Flexible Underground Pre-Insulated Piping Systems
When it comes to underground piping distribution for radiant heating and cooling, snow and ice melting, turf conditioning, or permafrost prevention (cold storage) applications, the industry is discovering the benefits of flexible, PEX-based, pre-insulated piping systems, and the solution is beginning to dominate over traditional copper or steel.
With pre-insulated PEX systems, there are typically one or two service pipes surrounded by insulation and covered by a jacket or casing. This type of system offers numerous advantages over rigid systems, such as lighter weights, fewer connections, and significant installation efficiencies.
The lighter weight allows contractors to maneuver the piping around a jobsite much easier, faster, and more effectively with less impact on the body. The piping is also available in long, continuous coils (rather than straight, segmented pieces of rigid pipe), which eliminates the need to dig a straight or level trench (since the coils can curve around existing structures and obstacles). Additionally, longer coils mean fewer (or sometimes no) underground connections for faster installations.
Plus, because the insulation is already added to the pipe, it eliminates the two-step process of installing the pipe and then insulating after installation. All of these benefits add up to significant labor savings and maximum jobsite productivity.
It is important to note that there are two types of PEX-based pre-insulated piping systems: bonded and slip. In a slip system, the PEX service pipe is covered by multilayer polyethylene-foam or PEX-foam insulation and covered by a corrugated HDPE jacket. This design is more flexible because the different layers can move independently. Additionally, if an installer needs to access the PEX service pipe, it’s a much simpler process of cutting away the foam insulation rather than scraping off the glue that adheres the insulation to the service pipe in a bonded design.
When deciding to install a PEX-based pre-insulated system, it is important to understand the thermal performance differences between a single-pipe system and a twin-pipe system. Some code jurisdictions do not allow twin-pipe configurations due to the reduction in insulation thicknesses, which can result in greater heat loss in heating applications. However, because twin-pipe configurations significantly reduce the amount of surface area exposed to the ground, it can have a positive effect on heat loss.
Kim Bliss is the technical and marketing content manager at Uponor. She can be reached at kim.bliss@uponor.com.