Stephen Minnich

Stephen Minnich

Stephen Minnich has nearly 40 years of experience in the heating industry, primarily installing and servicing hydronic systems. He most recently operated Minnich Mechanical Design, based in the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village. Minnich is currently an HVAC consultant for Elevate Energy, Chicago.
Articles

ARTICLES

phc07_minnich
Contractor Stories

Boiler Room Prefabrication

You can save money and effort — and have fun doing it — by prefabbing your own hydronic panels.
July 8, 2019
Stephen Minnich
No Comments
The way I see it, we have three ways to put together a boiler room. We can piece it together on site, fitting by fitting, following a piping schematic. We can buy a prefab panel from a manufacturer. Or, we can build our own prefab panel suited specifically for the job it’s intended for.
Read More
phc06_minnich
Contractor Stories

Energy Efficiency and Steam Heat

We can reduce the size of most steam boilers as well as reduce their carbon footprint.
June 4, 2019
Stephen Minnich
No Comments
Why aren’t we trying harder to make steam heating systems more efficient? It seems to me we can reduce the size of most steam boilers and, at the same time, reduce their carbon footprint.
Read More
phc05_minnich
Contractor Stories

Fire and Flow, Part 2

Be aware of what is going on with gas-burning equipment to keep yourself and your customers safe.
May 7, 2019
Stephen Minnich
No Comments
Be aware of what is going on with gas-burning equipment to keep yourself and your customers safe.
Read More
phc01_minnich
Contractor Stories

The Mod Squad

Tips and techniques on properly servicing and maintaining high-efficiency boilers.
January 5, 2019
Stephen Minnich
No Comments
When I say the Mod Squad, I’m not talking about the diverse trio of undercover police agents that gave television a breath of fresh air in the late-1960s and early-1970s. No, this is about so much more than the redemption of Pete, Julie and Linc’s past.
Read More
phc12_2018_minnich
Contractor Stories

Wired for Success

Best practices for setting up the electrical in the mechanical room.
December 5, 2018
Stephen Minnich
No Comments
The electric is typically one of the last things you do on an installation but you can’t treat it like a political conversation over Thanksgiving dinner. It can’t be avoided. Here are some tips for giving your clients professional-looking wiring.
Read More
phc11_2018_minnich
Contractor Stories

Hockey, Writing and Wiring

Don’t forget to pay attention to the electric side of hydronic systems.
November 6, 2018
Stephen Minnich
No Comments
All I wanted to be when I was a kid was a writer — a sports writer. But not just a sports writer; I wanted to be a beat writer for the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team.
Read More
phc10_minnich
Contractor Stories

'It’ll Never Work'

Converting an old church’s steam system to hot water involves patience — and math.
October 8, 2018
Stephen Minnich
No Comments
The job was at an old church, built in 1895, in historic Lemont, Ill. Its steam boiler had failed, leaking from the sections like a sieve. I must do the math and trust the math to make sure my design will perform up to, and beyond, expectations.
Read More

Most Popular

Right-Rail Promo

Featured Video

ThermOmegaTech

Industry Events

More Events

Subscribe & Learn More

More from PHCP Pros

Follow Us

© 2019 All Rights Reserved

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development | ePublishing