Smart Tank

When the Anchorage Housing Authority approached Bittner Plumbing and Heating to upgrade the heat and hot water for their 44 unit apartment building, they wanted a system that would be efficient and reliable.  Paul Bittner of Bittner Plumbing and Heating worked with Mark Herrington at Heating and Ventilation sales to design in a Triangle Tube Prestige Cascade boiler system with Smart Indirect Water heaters to do the job.

The 44 units are heated with baseboard radiation and the hot water for all units is provided by the twin 120 gallon Smart tanks.  ThePrestige Cascade Condensing Boiler unit is built with three 399 MBH boilers.  This provides a highly efficient and effective boiler plant.  By combining the three boilers, a turndown of over 10 to 1 is achieved.  This helps the plant run efficiently with parallel modulation.  With three boilers, the building has the reliability of redundancy in the event of a boiler error or maintenance.  The three boilers are vented with a common vent manifold to minimize the vent piping and provide a single vent pipe.

The Smart Indirect Water Heaters are also both highly reliable and efficient.  The inner stainless steel tank is designed to expand and contract as the water temperature changes during use.  This tank expansion eliminates scale build-up which reduces efficiency and leads to tank failures.  The unique tank-in-tank design provides a large surface area for heat transfer which reduces the amount of time required to heat the water.  These two Smart units replaced conventional direct fired water heaters.  The Smart tanks have 2" of foam insulation completely surrounding the tanks, keeping heat loss down to less than 2 degrees F per hour.

The Housing Authority's decision to upgrade their cast iron boilers and conventional water heaters with Triangle Tube's efficient Prestige and Smart models is saving money every day. As the heating season progresses I will post the savings data. 

The new Challenger Solo Condensing Boiler joins the Challenger Combi Boiler in providing high efficiency hydronic heating in a compact package.  The Challenger Combi boiler provides both heat and domestic hot water, eliminating the need for a separate water heater.  The Challenger Solo boiler provides heat and can provide domestic hot water when paired with an indirect water heater.

The Challenger Solo boiler features a copper tube heat exchanger with an aluminum combustion block.  This unique design is durable and suitable for glycol applications because the system water or glycol flows only in the copper piping.  The aluminum block efficiently transfers the heat from the combustion air and it's light weight makes installation easy.

The Challenger Solo is available in 85, 105, and 125 MBH sizes.  These models are sized to meet the needs of today's homes.  By modulating its output to match the radiant heating needs, the Challenger Solos will operate longer at lower temperatures, which improves efficiency.  These sizes of the Challenger Solo have an AFUE of 95% and operate on either natural gas or propane. 

The Challenger Solos can provide domestic hot water when paired with a Smart Indirect Water Heater.  The Smart can be sized to fit the needs of the residence, providing the instant hot water response that is expected from traditional tank water heaters, with the efficiency of an instantaneous water heater.

Click here for information about the Challenger Solo Condensing Boiler or other Triangle Tube products.

There are rapid advances in the use of the sun's energy that are making it attractive to a growing number of homeowners.  While solar power has been available for decades (even the White House had panels in the 1970's), the activity in this market is reaching a fever pitch.  These advances are reducing the costs of installation, which is driving new business, driving new investment, further reducing the costs.  That is the power of progress.

One of the best paybacks today in the solar market is solar thermal - using the sun to heat a home's hot water - and even help with some space heating.  The concept is actually very simple.  Circulate water or glycol through rooftop tubes that heat the water and then transfer that heat to domestic water.  Of course it is more complicated than it sounds and there are a lot of ways to get this done.  But the bottom line is that these relatively simple and compact systems can offset much of the energy used to heat the hot water in a home.  And this is significant because hot water heating makes up 25% of household energy costs.

Triangle Tube offers a solar hot water solution for homes with hydronic heating.  The Smart Multi-Energy (SME) Indirect Water Heater is designed to integrate solar energy into the complete hydronic system.  The  SME contains a heat transfer coil that transfers the heat from the solar panels to the hydronic system water that surrounds a domestic water tank.  This large volume of water (both hydronic system and domestic) is able to maximize the  heat energy from the solar panels.

When the solar panels are not able to meet the demand, the hydronic system provides heat from a boiler.  Triangle Tube's Prestige and Challenger natural gas or propane boilers are green choices as their AFUE's are 96% and 95% respectively.  They feature low NOx emissions and modulating controls using outdoor reset to minimize their carbon footprint.

It is safe to say that most people do not give much consideration to the type of heating system when they are considering a house purchase.  But people who have experienced the benefits of radiant floor heating are certain to have this on their list.  

Radiant floor heating's growth is one of the most positive trends in the HVAC industry in recent years.  These systems have the unique feature of being energy efficient, comfortable, invisible, and silent.  In nearly every aspect they are a clear winner. 

Radiant floor heating systems are a modern alternative to the traditional cast iron radiators or the more recent hot water baseboard systems.  In a radiant floor system water (or glycol in some cases) is heated by a boiler and circulated through tubing that is installed under the floor.  This water warms the flooring and the heat then radiates throughout the home. 

There are many benefits to this process.  First, it is extremely energy efficient as the warmest part of the room is the floor, which is the part of the room people use.  A hot air furnace heats the air which enters the room through registers on the floor, but then quickly rises to the ceiling, making it the warmest part of the room.  In comparison, a room heated by radiant flooring can be kept at a lower overall temperature yet feel warmer than a room heated by hot air.

Second, the system is invisible and silent.  The tubing is under the floor and out of the way.  There is no sound of air moving through ducts.  Third the system contributes to a healthy home by minimizing dust and keeping the room at a more comfortable humidity level.  Fourth, the system is multi-functional.  A well designed hydronic heating system can heat your home, hot water, swimming pool, and even melt the snow on your driveway or walkway.

Triangle Tube is an industry leading provider of hydronic heating equipment.  The Prestige boilers lead the market with a high efficiency, reliable heat exchanger and use either natural gas or propane.  The Smart indirect water heaters heat water twice as fast as a traditional gas fired water heater and feature a unique stainless steel tank-in-tank design backed by a limited lifetime warranty.  Maxi Flo pool and spa heat exchangers enable you to use your high efficiency boiler to extend your swimming season.

Consider upgrading your home with Radiant Floor Heating.  There's no need to move to install radiant floor heating.  A certified contractor can replace your hot air system with a radiant system in many cases without disturbing the existing flooring.  Contact Triangle Tube to find a certified contractor in your area today.

 

Combination boilers are a popular option for many households, especially where there is limited space for heating equipment.  Combination boilers are so named because they are a combination of a boiler and a water heater.  This is a relatively new term even though boilers have long been used to provide hot water directly from the boiler. 

Traditional cast iron boilers often used a hot water coil that was inserted into the water reservoir in the boiler.  Domestic hot water was heated as the water passed through the hot water coil.  Triangle Tube had been a significant supplier of these inserts for over 60 years. 

Today's high efficiency boilers are designed with much lower water content than traditional boilers which eliminates the space for a hot water coil.  Instead, most high efficiency boilers are paired with a seperate indirect water heater such as Triangle Tube's Smart Series.  These water heaters provide hot domestic water by circulating boiler system water around the domestic water. 

Many homeowners desire to produce both space heating and domestic water heating from the same appliance.  The product that does this is a Combination Boiler, such as Triangle Tube's Prestige Excellence model.  Most combination boilers on the market today utilize a small heat exchanger built into the boiler to produce domestic hot water.  These boilers do not store hot water and are designed for homes where domestic hot water use is limited.

The Prestige Excellence combination boiler is unique in that it contains a 14 gallon hot water tank that provides fast and reliable hot water.  The unique tank-in-tank design rapidly heats incoming water to ensure a continuous flow of up to 180 gallons of hot water per hour.  Unlike instantaneous water heaters, the Prestige Excellence can provide immediate hot water from its integrated tank.

The Prestige Excellence is the perfect solution for homeowners looking for a high efficiency boiler, with an AFUE of 95%, with plentiful hot water in a compact, reliable appliance.  The Prestige Excellence uses natural gas or propane and works with residential radiant heating systems.

Energy Efficiency is important to everyone these days. Whether you are striving to save money, or are simply looking to minimize your carbon footprint, green products have a bigger following than ever. Heating the hot water consumes up to 25% of the energy use in your home, so it is important to look at your water heater efficiency to minimize your energy consumption.

Many people are considering combination or instantaneous water heaters to reduce their energy costs. Instantaneous water heaters heat hot water directly, eliminating the storage tank, and therefore eliminating the standby heat loss that occurs while the hot water is not used. This is a good solution, especially if your house has only one or at most two showers. If you have a larger family with more extensive hot water needs, a Smart Indirect Fired Water Heater may be more appropriate.

Triangle Tube's Smart Indirect Water Heaters work with homes that have an existing boiler. These water heaters use the boiler system to heat the hot water through a unique tank-in-tank system.   The large surface area of the inner tank allows for rapid heat transfer, allowing for a small tank to replace much larger traditional water heaters. 

But the most important factors in the Smart’s energy efficiency are its insulating jacket and the boiler efficiency. When a SMART tank is paired with a high efficiency boiler,, like Triangle Tube's Prestige boiler it can heat the water using nearly 25% less energy than a gas water heater. In addition, the Smart tanks are surrounded by 2 inches of foam, which limits heat loss to less than ½ degree F per hour. The result is that standby losses can cost less than $0.05 per day.

With no moving parts, Triangle Tube’s Smart indirect fired water heaters are very reliable. In fact they come with a limited Lifetime residential warranty. The efficiency and reliability of the Smart indirect water heaters make them an excellent choice for today’s green homes.   

“It’s hot, but it’s a dry heat,” is something that we often hear about the weather in the Southwest. A dry heat in the summer may be considered a good thing, but in the winter, an increasing number of homeowners are opting for “wet” hydronic heat. Hydronic heating systems use water instead of air as the heat transfer medium.     

For decades, millions of homes have been heated by boilers, baseboards, and radiators by water circulated from a central boiler. The result is a silent, clean, and reliable heating system that is energy efficient and hygienic. Without the need to circulate air throughout the house, there are fewer drafts and less dust, while the humidity is maintained at a much more comfortable level. 

In addition to radiators and baseboards, radiant floor heating systems have become very popular in recent years. Radiant floor systems circulate hot water through tubes that are attached or embedded under the floor. Radiant floor heating delivers heat where it is most needed, at the coldest part of the room. Hidden underneath the floor, it is invisible and allows the maximum freedom in furniture placement.  Radiant floor heating can be used under carpeting, wood floors, tile, or even embedded in concrete slabs.

The heart of the hydronic heating system is the boiler. While traditional boilers were large objects consuming space in the basement, the modern high efficiency boiler is more compact and much more efficient. Modern boilers such as Triangle Tube’s Prestige high efficiency boiler use advanced control technology to maximize their efficiency. Advanced features such as outdoor reset and modulation enable the Prestige to best match its output to the heating needs. And the use of advanced materials allow the modern boilers to maximize the heat extracted from the fuel being used. The Prestige boiler uses a high grade stainless steel heat exchanger to extract heat by condensing the combustion gases, which was not possible in older cast iron boilers resulting in a 10% improvement in efficiency. 

Finally, hydronic heating systems can heat not only your home, but your domestic hot water, and even your pool as well. Indirect fired water heaters are recognized as the most energy efficient and reliable domestic water heating options available. Triangle Tube’s Smart indirect fired water heaters lead the group in efficiency with their unique stainless steel tank-in-tank design. And Triangle Tube’s Maxi Flo pool and spa heat exchangers allow you to extend your summer using the efficiency of the Prestige boiler.

Whether in new construction or renovation, today’s hydronic heating systems are leading the way in efficiency. Contact Triangle Tube today to discover the benefits of hydronic heating for yourself.

The Federal Government is now providing tax rebates of up to $1500 to homeowners replacing their existing water heater with a qualified energy efficient model.  While most of us wouldn't consider replacing a water heater until it begins leaking, with the incentives set to expire at the end of 2010, it may make sense to make the replacement now, especially if your existing model is long past its warranty period.  

When selecting a replacement water heater there are more choices than ever.  If your house is heated by a boiler, one of your options is an Indirect fired water heater, where the domestic water is heated by the boiler system.  This post will discuss some of the advantages of these water heaters.  Some of the important features to consider are Energy Efficiency, Hot Water Production, and Longevity.

Energy Efficiency – In a water heater comparison, Indirect fired water heaters are recognized as the most energy efficient and longest lasting design by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.  This energy efficiency relates both to the ability of the water heater to retain its heat, and to the efficiency of heating the water. Triangle Tube's Smart indirect fired water heaters are completely surrounded by 2 inches of expanded foam insulation. This provides a blanket so efficient that standby heat loss is minimized to less than ½ degree F per hour – or in dollar terms – less than 5 cents per day.

Traditional gas fired water heaters are much less efficient because they contain an un-insulated flue pipe through the center of the water tank. The tank loses heat through this flue, as well as the surrounding insulated jacket.  In addition, gas fired water heaters burn much less efficiently than the Prestige Boiler that would heat a Smart water heater. 

Hot Water Production – Nobody wants to be in the shower as the hot water runs out. It is important that your water heater is sized to meet your needs.   As your needs change, will the water heater be able to keep up? Triangle Tube's Smart models feature a unique tank-in-tank design that maximizes the heat transfer from the boiler to the domestic hot water.  This allows for more hot water output from a smaller tank, which saves money not only on the initial purchase but also on the on-going energy costs.

Other indirect water heaters feature a heating coil which generally has less heating area and is prone to limescale build-up.  Over time, this build-up can increase the heating time by over 30%.   And traditional gas and electric water heaters can’t compare to the production of the Smart, which produces four times the amount of hot water of an equivalent electric model, and twice the amount of a standard gas model.

Longevity – Who wants to come home from vacation to find a flooded basement from a leaking hot water heater? It is important to consider the reliability of the water heater when making your choice. Traditional electric and gas models are sold by the length of their warranty, generally 3, 6, and sometimes 12 year warranties.  With the Smart series, you have the confidence of a lifetime replacement warranty. 

With the many water heating options available today, it can be difficult to select one model from another.  When you consider the Energy Efficiency, Hot Water Production, and Longevity of the Triangle Tube Smart indirect fired water heater, it is clear to see why it is the preferred brand of so many contractors and homeowners.  Click here to see an animation showing the unique Smart design.  Contact Triangle Tube today to find out more.