Category Archives: Heating

Hydronic Air-Handlers- the alternative to “scorched air”.

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More fuel efficiant, quieter and more comfortable than a regular furnace, hydronic air handlers blow air across a heat exchanger of circulated hot water produced by a boiler or water heater.

Air handlers make your home feel more comfortable than air heated by a conventional furnace. This is because hydronically heated air is uniform and temperate, eliminating short blasts of hot air, along with hot and cold temperature spikes. Air flowing from your hot air vents will not feel as hot to the touch as air from a conventional furnace.

High efficiency air handlers qualify for tax credits of up to $1500.

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Green Energy- a case study. Solar Hot Water with Hydronic Air handler.

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Madeline loves her home in Berkeley with views of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.   As part of a kitchen and family room remodel it was necessary to relocate and upgrade the furnace and water heater.  Madeline, who is concerned about climate change,  sought the advice of her General Contractor, Paul Cerami of Cerami Builders and the plumbing contractor, Paul Gerrard of Pipeline Plumbing and Heating, to see which of the many energy efficient systems would be right for her home and her budget.

Madeline told us, “I already utilize solar PV for my electrical needs and I absolutley love it”.  She was very interested in solar thermal for her hot water needs.  ” I want to be a responsible citizen and reduce my energy costs as much as possible”.  Tax credits were another incentive.

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