I’ve written several “Heating with Renewable Energy ”columns covering the benefits of combining modern hydronics technology with modern air-to-water heat pumps.

All hydronic systems designed around renewable energy heat sources — as well as those designed around conventional boilers — have at least one controller that measures and responds to temperature. Common examples are temperature setpoint controllers, outdoor reset controllers, mixing controllers and differential temperature controllers. Complex systems that operate in multiple modes, or use multiple heat sources, often have several temperature-based controllers.

 recently came across the December 1924 issue of Popular Science magazine. Reading stuff like that always makes me feel like I have a time machine.

I worked for a manufacturers’ rep when I was first learning about hydronics. A guy I worked with was 15 years older than me. He knew that I had absolutely no training as an engineer so he took a different tack with my education.

Steam and hot-water heating joined hands a long time ago to make up what we today call “hydronics.” 

Last month, we looked at a piping approach for adding a pellet boiler and panel radiators to an existing two-zone baseboard system. The system’s original oil-fired boiler was being retained as an auxiliary heat source. 

Thanks to folks like you, I’ve been able to delve into many forensic examinations of mechanical mayhem and then offer solutions based on solid engineering guidelines.

Over the last several years, I’ve been reviewing submittals for proposed heating systems using pellet-fired boilers. The submittals come from heating professionals ranging from contractors to professional engineers. They’re required for a state incentive program that offers significant rebates to encourage growth of the biomass heating market.