As energy costs continue to increase year after year, radiant heating and radiant cooling is becoming commonplace, especially in commercial installations.
The threat of increasingly stringent federal regulations is heating up the hydronics market as manufacturers unveil high-efficiency equipment in preparation of the pending government-initiated efficiency benchmarks.
Not only are modulating gas condensing boilers more efficient, but they’re easier to operate, as many come designed with Internet connectivity and controls. In turn, contractors are enjoying the simplified installation procedures and maintenance routines such new-age boilers provide.
The FlexCore 1.5 stainless steel, symmetrical fire tube boiler achieves 95.1 percent AHRI-certified efficiency and utilizes a precisely temperature-balanced FlexCore heat exchanger, which provides high efficiency and maximum durability.
To figure out which efficiency improvements make the most sense, owners usually turn to HVAC professionals to conduct comprehensive energy audits, which are used to thoroughly evaluate existing mechanical systems. While energy audits have traditionally occurred on-site, some firms are offering virtual energy audits.
Long before Americans had access to natural gas, propane, fuel oil, or electricity, and long before there were automatically controlled central heating systems, wood was the most commonly used heating fuel.
While the new efficiency standards do not require manufacturers to use any specific technologies to achieve the new EF (energy factor) ratings, they’ve already necessitated a significant redesign effort from manufacturers. Additionally, the increasing unit sizes pose transportation and installation challenges that have yet to be fully understood.