This is Stephen Minnich’s last column for PHC News. In it, he talks about his love of hydronics, hockey and writing this column. Steve also talks about why he’s hanging up his tools and laptop.

Read on to find out about modulating-condensing boilers, fire-tube heat exchangers, water-tube heat exchangers, hydraulic separation, pumping away/pumping toward, and keeping hydronic systems clean.

For a hydronic system to provide the efficiency promised, it is crucial to put in the work and ensure the design is proper for the application. 

John Siegenthaler’s “Modern Hydronic Heating” is now its fourth edition, with 867 pages describing the cutting-edge technology found in the industry today. 

Hydronic systems — heating with hot water — are very versatile, yet they are used in only a small fraction of homes in the United States. 

Sometimes it isn’t easy to sell a hydronic heating concept to a homeowner — even if it’s the right option to save money, conserve energy and increase comfort.

If you’re a subscriber to PHC News — as you should be — and reading this right now — as you most certainly are — you’ve probably been involved with a radiant floor design, radiant floor installation or, at least, wish you had.  

If you do a quick search of the phrase “required reading,” you’re likely to see the names of classic books such as “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Of Mice and Men,” “Catcher in the Rye” and “Fahrenheit 451.” 

We have so many options to consider these days when designing or installing hydronic systems. 

I got my Sheet Metal Worker’s Journeyman card from Local 73 in Chicago in 1987.