Memories of Starbucks
Not long ago, there was an article in The Wall Street Journal titled, “Ceiling Height Versus Performance: Sometimes It Can Make a Difference.” It seems that if you’re
Ceiling Height & Heating
Not long ago, there was an article in The Wall Street Journal titled, “Ceiling Height Versus Performance: Sometimes It Can Make a Difference.” It seems that if you’re
Comfort is Perception
Back when I was working for the manufacturers rep company we moved into this big new office on the Isle of Long that was split up into Dilbert-like cubbies. The place had
All Roads Lead From ISH
I first went to the big ISH fair in Frankfurt, Germany in 1991 with two buddies, and I think we three were joined by only about 17 other Americans that year. ISH was
A Customer Bill Of Rights
There’s a restaurant chain here in the east called Legal Seafood. They’ve been in business for years, and for good reasons. Their places are clean and attractive. They serve good fresh food at a fair price for the value delivered, and
Mini-CHPs
In August, 2003, the lights and everything else went out in a big part of America. I work at home so it was no big deal for me. I don’t do much to begin with, so being in the dark really isn’t a problem. The Lovely Marianne closed our storefront office in town and came home. We sat in
Measuring Hot Water Radiators
They built our house in 1950 here on the Isle of Long and it used to have a radiant heating system. In 1970, the previous owner noticed
Replacing Your Old Steam Boiler?
If your steam boiler leaks, or if you realize the old unit has the efficiency of a campfire, you’re probably going to find yourself interviewing heating contractors. Only the bravest do-it-yourselfer will tackle an old steam system. As you
After the War Is Over
One of the treasures that I have in my library is a booklet titled, “Trends in Heating Development” that Coal-Heat magazine published in July, 1942. K.C. Richmond, the Editor of Coal-Heat surveyed a group of
How to Size Circulators
In 1970 I went to work for a manufacturers rep on the Isle of Long and I fell in love with hydronics. We sold Bell & Gossett and
Domestic Hot Water Recirculation Systems
It’s really not your mother’s fault. How could she have known you would wind up in such a dilemma one day because of a check valve? Here you are, with sediment clogging up your
Gravity Hot Water Heating
It all started when a friend called to tell me about this old gravity hot-water system that
Gas Heat Knowledge
My friend Tim McElwain specializes in Gas Appliance Service Training and Consulting. When it comes to this, I think he’s the best in the business. Since 1994, he’s conducted training nationwide for everyone involved in the Gas Heating Industry. Tim has
The Top Ten Things Contractors Should Do For Themselves
Here are the top 10 most important things that I think a contractor can do nowadays. They’re in no particular order, although I have to admit I’m very
Broomell Vapor Heating
I was sharing a cold beer with my buddy Fred when the topic of concrete came up. This was inevitable because I had just spent an afternoon
Gaslighting
A friend sent me a booklet that New Jersey’s Public Service Gas Company (now Public Service Electric and Gas) published in 1917. This little gem appeared during a time when electricity was
Pipes in Concrete Can Corrode
We’re still in our first house, mostly because this is where all the memories are. That maple tree in the center of the backyard, the one that towers over the second-floor roof? I had that tree in the backseat of a
Wasted Energy
Somewhere in America an old friend of mine is hanging a low-NOX gas/oil burner on the side of this enormous steam boiler. This burner weighs 3,600 pounds and is the size of a Buick. It produces screaming
Products That Caught My Eye
Some good stuff for your consideration, products that can I think can really benefit you if you’re a contractor. In no particular order: Differential pressure regulators This is a standard item
Gold’s Mattress Radiator
I’ve owned one of Stephen J. Gold’s mattress radiators since the fall of 1989. It’s on a shelf in our office now, a part of the little heating museum that we maintain for the sake of wonder and amusement. Last spring, I got a
