The adoption of R-410a and R-22 left the market flooded with low-cost equipment, driving pricing through the floor.
n The Blue Pages
n Hydronics conference wrap-up
n A2L training needed
n Rural water treatment options
(PAGE 37) AND OUR (PAGE 13) THE BLUE PAGES HYDRONICS SUPPLEMENT DIVE INTO
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Your support has been invaluable to us, and we’re truly honored to serve you.
Wishing you a joyous Christmas lled with warmth, and a New Year lled with prosperity and success. We look forward to an exciting year ahead, and to growing our partnership in the years to come.
Thank you for being a cherished part of our journey! www. ocor.ca
This year, I started out the very first edition of the magazine declaring, in big letters, that this was going to be the “Year of the Heat Pump.” And, while that might not have been super revolutionary or groundbreaking, that doesn’t make it any less true. This year was truly the Year of the Heat Pump. This might become more and more prevalent as more manufacturers enter the Canadian market and technology’s efficiencies continue to rise.
For this editor, the biggest surprise that happened in the past 12 months, relating to heat pumps, was probably the city of Vancouver’s announcement to allow gas-fired equipment back into the new build market. Oftentimes teased as the California of Canada, I have found that B.C. tends to be on the forefront of adopting legislation in favour of heat pumps or electric equipment. It was very out of character for the city. I suspect that there might even be updates to this before this magazine finds itself into the mailboxes of our readership.
The refrigeration market saw quite a bit of advancement this calendar year. With the anticipated adoption of CSA B52 in every province by the end of 2024, there was something new in almost every issue of the magazine. Now that we’ve finally caught up with the U.S. on legislation, we’re now sitting in a bit of limbo as we wait to see what is going to happen south of our border.
Personal politics completely aside, I think its safe to say that there is going to be lots of change and even more question marks as we have to sit and wait for the Trump administration to be sworn in. Our economies are so closely tied together that we must make sure we keep up with what is going on down there as it will certainly affect the direction Canada takes moving forward.
I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the exciting innovations that we launched this past year as well. This was the first full calendar year for our Technical Training Days. We launched four different technical training events in 2024: hydronics, plumbing, refrigeration, and heat pumps. We are excited to be hosting five training events for the 2025 season, starting with a session on plumbing systems on Feb. 19. A special supplement will be published in our March/April edition to kick off the season.
I hope each and every one of our readers enjoys the holiday season. I know I will be. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2025 to everyone.
November/December 2024 Volume 34, Number 7 ISSN 1919-0395
Publisher Mark Vreugdenhil Cell: (416) 996-1031 mark@plumbingandhvac.ca
Editor Leah Den Hartogh Cell: (289) 830-1217 leah@plumbingandhvac.ca
Assistant Editor Francesco Lo Presti Cell: (647) 531-5697 francesco@plumbingandhvac.ca
Contributing Writers Glenn Mellors, Greg Scrivener, Michael Ridler, Ron Coleman
Design and Production Samantha Jackson production@plumbingandhvac.ca
All articles and photos by Plumbing & HVAC staff unless noted.
PLUMBING & HVAC Magazine is published seven times annually by Marked Business Media Inc. and is written for individuals who purchase/ specify/approve the selection of plumbing, piping, hot water heating, fire protection, warm air heating, air conditioning, ventilation, refrigeration, controls and related systems and products throughout Canada.
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• Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating
• Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada
• Ontario Plumbing Inspectors Association
• American Society of Heating Refrigerating & Air Conditioning Engineers
• Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada
• Refrigeration Service Engineers Society of Canada
Ontario is developing new legislation aimed at improving energy affordability through distributed energy resources and deep retrofits.
Currently sitting at its second reading, if passed, Bill 172, 2024, which is called the Affordable Energy Act, would establish Affordable Energy Ontario as an agency. Its objects would relate to the “development, oversight, financing, facilitation, and delivery of specified programs,” according to the province. This would include programs for deep retrofitting of buildings and providing opportunities to benefit from distributed energy resources.
A vote as part of its second reading was held on April 15, which lost on division.
An example of a distributed energy resource would be rooftop solar photovoltaic units. “The cost of distributed energy resources is dropping every year, and this trend is expected to continue. Meanwhile, the cost of conventional resources such as natural gas will continue to be volatile,” according to the preamble of the bill.
“Energy efficiency measures, especially deep retrofits, have always been the best way of reducing energy bills. Deep retrofits involve extensive overhauls of building systems that can substantially reduce energy costs. By decreasing building heating and cooling loads, such retrofits also reduce the impact of electrification on energy bills and the grid, ensuring that the full benefits of distributed energy resources are realized.”
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Social housing and low-income rental housing are expected to be prioritized through the bill.
According to the legislation, when carrying out its objectives, “The Agency shall, in accordance with the regulations, ensure that unionized workers are hired to carry out necessary work where a project is financed or facilitated by the Agency.”
The legislation looks to establish an integrated energy plan, which would introduce a new framework for integrated energy planning that would coordinate all energy resources. In addition, nuclear power in generation build-out would be prioritized. More electric vehicle chargers would be built under the proposed legislation.
This act would come into force six months after the day it received royal assent.
Wait times for water licences under the Water Act in Alberta have decreased by 57 per cent over the past four years, according to the Alberta government.
“We are seeing real improvements that help communities grow and businesses succeed, but this is just the start. We are going to keep finding ways to increase transparency, and speed up and improve all of our regulatory processes,” shares Rebecca Schulz, minister of environment and protected areas, in a press release.
On average, approvals are now being delivered by 253 days sooner. At the same time, the average wait time for approvals under the Water Act has fallen by 31 per cent. On average, approvals are being delivered 70 days sooner, while the backlog of open applications longer than six months declined by 68 per cent.
As of February 2024, water licenses issued under the Water Act and precedent legislation by the Alberta government before November 2021 will move to the digital regulatory assurance system. This online platform was designed to help licence holders compile and view all parts of their licence and activities subject to environmental regulation, according to the provincial government.
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas has also established mandatory service targets to speed up reviews and prevent unnecessary delays.
Staff will now be required to assess each application and make a decision based on its deemed risk — low-risk decisions must be made within 60 days, medium-risk decisions must be made within 90 days, and high-risk decisions must be made within 120 days.
These targets include the time required for public consultation, where necessary. The department adds that it will work to continue lowering these targets in the future where possible.
To apply for a licence, approval must be obtained before the diversion of water or before undertaking an activity, as defined in the act, in or around a water body.
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By Leah Den Hartogh
It’s never a good time to go to training. Those lost billable hours make it difficultto justifylosingouton thepotential work.Andthen,tomakemattersworse,whensomeonethinks they are participating in some type of technical training, it turns out to be a glorifiedsalespitch.Itshouldbenotedthat there are plenty of high quality training courses available and areworthit.
The training session held at Taco Comfort Solutions' headquarters in Cranston, Rhode Island, from Oct. 17-18, was a great example of technical training at its finest.
Every chair in the training room was full, with most hailing from Canada. A smaller delegation of contractors and wholesalers were from the U.S. John Barba, director of training at Taco, made the joke that, “If a fight breaks out, I amCanadian.”
The training class was led by Taco’s trio of technical training legends: Dave Holdorf, residential trainer for the Eastern region, Barba, and Rick Mayo, Western product and application instructor; each with their own style of leading technical training sessions. The one element that linked each trainer together was their abilitytotakeatopicthatwasn’tthemost thrilling in nature and make it engaging and fun. To encourage participation, attendees were given Taco bucks for asking questions or making comments. At the end of the two
days, a prize was given to one lucky attendee.
When the group was going through a lull in their attention span, Barba came up with a fun little chant to get the group’s attention back and energy levels up. The little game started with an “ooh” and “ahh” followed by an “eh” to appease the Canadians in the room. Once everyone chanted along together, it finished off with an aggressive “hoi” that felt like the room was accepting the teachings from some type of sensei, which I guess isn’t too far off what was going on in that training room.
To kick off the technical training, the sessions started by looking at heat loss calculations, proper pipe sizing, and proper circulator selection. “Hydronics is a science, and science is based on math.”
The group took a step-by-step approach with the calculations to showcase exactly how each figure was reached based on infiltrations, windows/doors, ceilings/floors, and walls. After the heat loss was determined for the mock house, the group calculated the heat gain.
A good portion of the afternoon of the first day focused on the calculations important for reading pump/circulator curves and determining the correct size for a pump/circulator. We
Taco expands its Fall River, Massachusetts facility by almost double the amount of square footage.
During Taco’s tour of its Cranston, Rhode Island, facility, everyone was able to explore the operational mechanical room for the building.
learned that the two elements of the relationship that are key to determining are the flow rate (GPM) and length of the head. Once both have been determined, the Y (header) and X (flow) axis meets at a single point that will help figure out which pump is best for that specific application. One of the attendees mentioned that based on what was learned during the training, they had previously always been oversizing their pumps.
We learned that it is immensely important to make sure that the pumps are sized correctly. “Now that you know, you can’t not know. You can not care, but you can never now know again.” This knowledge will help anyone in the industry, it is vital to be able to simply and eloquently talk to your customers about the best way to approach the task and help them understand what they need to know. “A pump has a pretty simple function, but you have to size it correctly.”
One of the areas of pump knowledge that has always been a bit elusive is determining the proper mode — constant pressure vs. proportional pressure vs. fixed speed. “Just getting the mode right is important,” shares Mayo. Constant pressure is ideal when the pressure doesn’t change; proportional pressure is great when the valves or pumps are out somewhere in the building.
I have only touched briefly on everything that was taught over the two days of lessons. Training sessions lasted eight hours each day and went into depth on many important topics relating to hydronics.
To get the group moving around, everyone was split into groups where we were able to walk the manufacturing floor. We got to see the manufacturing process of even the smallest of components that make up a Taco product.
Wrapping up the two-day event, the entire group of Canadians made its way to a local go-karting course, where the group competed for bragging rights. Things got a little competitive and there was plenty of smack talk before the gas was even on the floor, much of which might have come directly from the editor writing this article.
Following the race, people gathered in a party room where they enjoyed food and beverages. To end the festivities, an axe throwing competition was held, where again there was plenty of fun competition.
I was invited to exclusively visit Taco’s Fall River, Massachusetts, a newly expanded plant. The project will allow the manufacturer to build larger buffer tanks, heat exchangers, and other products. Groundbreaking began in early September 2023 and the project is expected to complete around March 2025.
The previous footprint was 60,000 sq. ft. and with the expansion, Taco will be adding 52,000 sq. ft.
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Technology Spotlight: hydronics industry gathered in Edmonton, Alta, for two full days of training.
n Buffer tanks 101
n Outdoor reset
n ECM essentials
n Selling hydronics in a forced air world
By Leah Den Hartogh
The theme for this year’s Canadian Hydronics Conference (CHC) was “igniting a sustainable future by thriving and growing in a changing market.” It kind of feels like I’ve stressed the amount of change that is coming to this industry a bit too much, so I won’t be touching base on that element of the theme too much. But I will touch base on the growth in the industry.
Held on Sept. 25-26, the conference featured many educational opportunities for the 280 attendees. I suspect this is the type of growth the conference meant in its theme tagline — growth of knowledge. Many of the technical seminars were insightful. I wish I could have attended them all, but due to the fact that most of the sessions were held in conjunction with one another, I was only able to attend a handful of them.
Our hydronics writer, Michael Ridler, held a session on Applications of Airto-Water Heat Pumps and Buffer Tanks during the first day of the conference. This presentation was probably one of the most well-attended sessions over the two days. This session, alongside many others are featured as part of this special Canadian Hydronics Conference supplement.
Another session I wanted to mention was Erin Deibert’s presentation on Selling Hydronics vs. Air Systems. The reason I wanted to mention this specific session was because this was one of the other most attended sessions that I went to over the two-days. It was interesting to get to see some dialogue between
the various wholesalers in the industry during his presentation. When tackling questions from the audience, people from competing companies aided each other in their expertise. Rather than fighting dirty, I find this industry to be one of the best at coming together to try and better the industry.
We are hoping that this supplement can aid in this task as well. The goal behind this special segment of the magazine is to allow for the content produced by the CHC to live on and to help reach a larger audience. The hydronics industry does some fantastic work and it's about time we learn to celebrate it together. The next CHC Conference will be in Montreal and will run from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, 2025.
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Each application will require its own mode of operation and its essential to understand which mode is ideal.
By Rick Mayo
Today’s high efficiency electronically commutated motor (ECM) circulators can have anywhere from one to five modes, maybe more. Wouldn’t it be nice if the industry had a better idea of what mode made sense for each application?
My goal in putting together the ECM essentials circulator sessions is to add clarity to which mode of operation makes the most sense; and to take away from some of the marketing ploys and misconceptions that are out there on what these supposed “smart pumps” do, (there’s no such thing as a smart pump) but more importantly, what they won’t do.
There’s nothing that takes the place of a project specific point-to-point pressure drop calculation. These results will give the designer the information needed to understand which mode to set the ECM circulator.
When the near boiler piping is done in a particular way, there is an ECM mode that typically works best for that piping configuration or scheme. In Canada and the U.S., there are several different strategies that are common — fixed speed (sometimes called constant speed), constant pressure, proportional pressure (fixed pitch), zero to 10 vdc input (external third-party control signal), and adaptable auto mode (auto adjustment of either a proportional pressure or constant pressure mode).
Since I will be using the term zone quite a bit, I want to explain what I mean by this term — a zone is an area controlled by a dedicated thermostat to that area. Here are a few important terms that you should be familiar with: system
“Home
Here is an example of a home run piping design, which is a great example for when to use constant pressure mode.
Understanding the pumps mode is important to determine which function is best for the given system.
pumping — a single system circulator serving all the zone valves or actuators in the system; group pumping — multiple circulators that each serve multiple zones in the structure; zone pumping — every zone has its own circulator; indirect (water heater) pumping — typically each indirect has its own circulator; and boiler primary pumping — the designated boiler circulator in a boiler piped in a primary-secondary configuration.
Some other terminology to list is what the industry tends to call the near
Continued on page “19”
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Continued from page “17” boiler piping layout or design. A "home run" system is when all the parallel supply and returns (out to the zones) start and end at the boiler and system pump’s location, typically the boiler or mechanical room, while an extended header design is when a single supply and return pipe (serving multiple zones) start and end at the boiler and system pump’s location, typically the boiler or mechanical room.
When a hydronic heating system is piped in a home run configuration, the designer must determine which of the multiple zones has the worst case, or the highest pressure drop (PD). Once they know what the highest PD is, they will use that figure (in feet of head) along with the PD for near boiler piping and components like air separators and magnetic dirt separators.
This will give the final setting for the ECM circulator in constant pressure mode. The reason that constant pressure mode tends to be best for this piping configuration is that when the zone valves on the home run header close, the circulator will feel this hydraulic resistance change and slow down or lower its RPM but will not let the circulator’s differential pressure drop below the pressure required to satisfy the zone with the highest PD requirement.
When a hydronic heating system is piped in an extended header configuration, the zone or terminal unit with the highest PD is only one part of the total head calculation. The designer must also calculate the PD for the entire extended header under a design load condition (full flow). Then, they must also add for the PD of near boiler piping and components like air separators and magnetic dirt separators.
Now, the reason that proportional pressure mode tends to be best for this piping configuration is that when zones within the system close, the circulator will feel this hydraulic resistance change and slow down or lower its RPM. As it slows down, the flow in the entire system decreases and when it does, the PD in the extended header drops. This is why the pitch or slope of the proportional pressure operating range decreases as the GPM in the system is reduced.
Generally, the circulator manufacturer sets the proportional pitch as an algorithm in the circulator control logic to approximately 50 per cent. This pitch is measured from where the operating range meets the circulator's performance curve at maximum speed, then back down to where it meets at zero GPM on the Y axis of the circulator’s performance curve chart.
The indirect pump’s job is fairly simple, when powered on for a call from the DHW tank sensor or thermostat, it pumps the appropriate GPM to satisfy the domestic hot water demand as quickly as possible, and then shuts back off. The GPM required for the indirect’s coil is stated in the manual of the indirect manufacturer.
Finally, for the boiler primary pump, we need to understand how important this circulator’s role is in achieving the highest boiler efficiency. Modulating condensing boilers need to have low return temperatures at 130 F before they begin to condense. Of course, the lower the temperature the better. So, when a boiler primary circulator is oversized, the return temperature to the boiler’s heat exchanger is raised due to the heated water from the supply side flowing backward and mixing with the cooler return fluid coming back from the system. That’s not good. Making sure the boiler primary pump is properly sized helps ensure a lower return temperature to the modulating condensing boiler and can raise its combustion efficiency.
An oversimplification of mode settings would look something like this:
Here is an example for an ideal zone pumping piping design.
system pumping on a home run or group pumping on a home run means constant pressure; zone pumping and indirect pumping means fixed speed; boiler primary pumping equals fixed speed or zero to 10 vdc input (choose widest Delta T allowed by boiler manufacturer); system pumping on an extended header means proportional pressure or adaptable auto mode, if the system has long run times; and group pumping on an extended header equals proportional pressure or adaptable auto mode, if long run times.
Of course, these simplified mode settings are only when the installer/ commissioning contractor doesn’t have the time required to do the point-to-point PD calculations.
To quote my boss, John Barba, "These circulators are not smart; they are obedient." They will do what you tell them to do but if you get it wrong, so will they.
Each application will require its own pump mode of operation.
Rick Mayo is the western product and application instructor at Taco Comfort Solutions. He started his career in the hydronic heating industry as a plumber in 1977. He runs regular training sessions that stretch from Alaska to San Diego and into four provinces in Western Canada. He can be reached at RicMay@TacoComfort.com or Rick@advthesys.com.
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Buffer tanks can enhance the overall efficiency and lifespan of an air-to-water heat pump, which allows it to operate longer within optimal performance ranges.
By Michael Ridler
Buffer tanks bring specific advantages depending on the application.
Forthefirsttimeever,heatpumpsarenowthemostpopularsystembeinginstalled inCanada,accordingtoa2024reportbyNaturalResourcesCanada.Inaveryshort period,wearegoingtoseeair-to-waterheatpumpsdisplaceboilerinstallations.In a hydronic heat pump system, whether it is air-to-water or water-to-water, buffer tanksplayacriticalroleinmaintainingsystemstabilityandimprovingefficiency.
During my recent presentation for the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH), I explored the technical benefits and drawbacks of buffer tanks, offering insights to help design more effective systems. I also discussed different system Delta T's, flow rates, and anti-short cycle protection, which are critical
Continued on page “23”
Continued from page “21”
considerations for optimizing system performance and how important your buffer tank will be.
There is currently a debate on whether we actually need buffer tanks. The reality is that we don’t choose whether we need a buffer tank, the application does. The manufacturer also can't just blanket statement say, "You do or do not need one," without knowing deep details about your system design. Buffer tanks serve as a thermal reservoir in hydronic heat pump systems, helping to smooth temperature fluctuations, prevent short cycling, and maintain system performance during varying load conditions.
By adding thermal mass, buffer tanks enhance the overall efficiency and longevity of the heat pump, allowing it to operate within optimal performance ranges. A properly sized buffer tank will not only ensure ideal comfort in the home but it also ensures that your equipment will perform efficiently.
One of the most critical issues buffer tanks resolve is short cycling, where the heat pump turns on and off rapidly due to low system load or insufficient thermal storage. I recently saw an air-to-water system where a buffer tank was used and during cooling, due to the buffer tank, the cooling did not operate as efficiently as it might have. In another scenario, I saw a system where no buffer tank resulted in the air-to-water short cycling due to the selection of a very low flow convector. Again, the system decides when you do and do not need a buffer tank.
Short cycling not only increases wear on equipment but also reduces efficiency. Properly managing system Delta T and maintaining appropriate flow rates are essential to avoid short cycling and ensure efficient operation. Anti-short cycle protection is also key to reducing unnecessary wear on the system components.
During my CIPH presentation, I used an analogy: a short cycling hydronic
Continued on page “25”
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"There is currently a debate on whether we actually need buffer tanks. The reality is that we don’t choose whether we need a buffer tank, the application does."
Continued from page “23”
heat pump is like driving a car aggressively from stop sign to stop sign, compared to driving at a steady, calm, moderate speed. The second approach results in less maintenance, better efficiency and fewer issues with your car or air-to-water heat pump. Buffer tanks help prevent short cycling by providing additional thermal capacity, ensuring the heat pump runs longer and more efficiently during each cycle.
Correctly sizing buffer tanks is essential for your airto-water heat pump system efficiency. Additionally, understanding the system's Delta T and flow rates is crucial for determining the appropriate buffer tank size and ensuring optimal system efficiency.
During my CIPH presentation, I emphasized that the buffer tank size must match the system load requirements, and factors such as heat pump capacity, flow rates, and demand cycles must be considered. I recently talked with some talented designers in the U.S. and Europe and there was a good debate on one side saying you never used a buffer tank and the other group saying, sometimes. Again, I am in the category of not never, not sometimes, but when the system requires it.
Oversized buffer tanks can result in excessive system cost and space requirements, while undersized tanks may not provide adequate thermal buffering, leading to inefficiencies.
Buffer tanks bring specific advantages depending on the application. For example, in multi-zone systems, buffer tanks help manage varying heating or cooling demands across zones, preventing temperature swings and maintaining comfort. Air-to-water heat pumps modulate, but do you know if it will modulate low enough to accommodate your smallest load? I have seen firsthand where this was not the case despite best efforts.
With low-load applications, such as in highly insulated buildings or during shoulder seasons, buffer tanks help store excess heating or cooling capacity, preventing frequent system cycling. If you are using very low flow high performance convectors like I do, you can end up with an emitter that has a flow rate that is far below the minimum modulation of the air-towater. This is great for how many BTUs you are getting per watt into the building, but you must recognize what that might be doing to your equipment.
In renewable energy systems, buffer tanks offer a stable thermal reserve to manage variability. A missed
buffer tank on an air-to-water heat pump may still limp along with performance, maintenance, and longevity issues. On a geothermal heat pump, you are going to get your best efficiency and performance with a buffer tank and the least amount of maintenance issues.
While buffer tanks can improve system stability, they also introduce some complexity into system design. The additional piping, controls, and space requirements can be challenging, especially in retrofit projects or buildings with limited mechanical room space.
One of the biggest challenges and advantages of an air-to-water heat pump is the ability to chill water. So, as we move away from boilers to air-to-water heat pumps, we are no longer going to need to do a boiler with a second cooling system; instead, our air-to-water heat pumps will do heating, cooling and domestic hot water. This means that when we pipe the buffer, we need to be aware of where the hot water goes and where the chilled water goes. I am not interested in costly piping configurations that are not reproducible. For me a four-pipe or three-pipe piping configuration is the ideal sweet spot.
During my CIPH talk, I also touched on how new technologies, like phase change batteries, are going to introduce a new layer of innovation to what we do. There are systems being designed right now where the air-to-water heat pump charges a PCM battery for stored heating and cooling. Unlike traditional electrical batteries that store energy in watts, PCM batteries store energy in BTUs, allowing for effective thermal energy storage. This enables load shifting and peak shaving by storing excess heat or cooling energy when it's convenient and using it when needed. This flexibility means we can choose when to run the heat pump at the lowest possible utility rate, or better yet, the highest COP, optimizing efficiency and cost savings. A game changer for homeowners and utilities.
Michael Ridler, is the general manager at Eden Energy Equipment. He started out working for a Ont-based HVAC company and now focuses on providing field support and technical training to contractors, engineers, and builders on heat pumps, boilers, and all things hydronics. He can be reached at edenenergymike@gmail.com.
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The introduction of the condensing boiler was a big factor behind the mass adoption of outdoor reset.
By Thomas Heckbert
About 30 years ago, very few hydronic systems in Canada operated with outdoor reset control. Today, practically every system does, or at the very least, the controls being provided always give the user the option. So, what changed to drive such a massive shift in the way we control one of the world’s oldest heating technologies?
Besides the cost of digital controls generally plummeting, and the integration of boiler controls into boilers slowly becoming standard design policy, the big driver was the advent of the condensing boiler, which benefits greatly from reducing the boiler water temperature. Outdoor reset delivers precisely this outcome, but its benefits actually go well beyond improvements to boiler efficiency.
First, a couple of things to keep in mind. For one, every structure has a total amount of heat energy contained within it, known as thermal mass. A typical hospital will have an enormous thermal mass, while a typical school can be expected to have less. What any heating system is trying to do is to add heat back into this thermal mass at the same rate that it is losing it to the outdoors.
Thomas Heckbert, right, and Michael Ridler, left, inspect the outdoor unit of an IBC air-to-water heat pump unit outside Ridler’s home.
This can vary widely for many reasons, including how tight the building envelope is. In theory, the hospital and the school can have the same rate of heat loss, even though the hospital has more mass.
Indoor temperature targets typically don’t change, usually 22 C or 72 F, but a structure is going to lose heat much faster when it’s -40 C or -40 F outside than when it’s 10 C or 50 F. Think of a building like a water balloon with a pinhole leak. If you squeeze the balloon with your hands, the water will jet out faster, but if you hook the balloon up to a garden hose, you can keep it inflated anyway and replace the lost water to maintain the size of the balloon. A drop in outdoor temperature is like thermal pressure, trying to extract heat from a structure with increased speed, and the heating system must make up this rate of loss to maintain the structure’s thermal mass and maintain occupant comfort.
Traditionally, the only way to stop a hydronic system from delivering heat
Continued on page “29”
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into the space was to interrupt it with a thermostat, which is there to stop a heating system designed to keep a space warm even when it’s extremely cold outside from overheating that space whenever it’s warmer. Most hydronic heat terminal units (the technical name for where the heat leaves the water and enters the space) have been designed to supply water temperatures for the coldest day of the year, but still work to deliver some heat at cooler temperatures. Fin-tube baseboards may deliver the required design day heat load at 80 C or 176 F, for example, but while cooler water reduces its efficiency, it will still deliver about half as much heat at 60 C or 140 F.
So, if on a given day, you only need about half as much heat as you do on the design day, why not just supply the heat terminals with cooler water? That’s the reset part, automatically supplying cooler water to the system because the weather is warmer.
The rate of heat loss has dropped, and less heat is needed. Then, when a thermostat closes to allow flow into a zone, the water that arrives from the system is cool enough to replace only the heat the room is actually losing, and the room temperature stabilizes. In single zone systems, an outdoor reset controller working like this can actually replace the need for a thermostat entirely if it’s controlled well enough.
In multi-zone systems, outdoor reset will add value in that it will tend to cause more thermostats to be closed and more zones open at any given time. This reduces cycling on all of the equipment in the building, on top of increasing comfort. If the heat is coming from a single central source, it would typically just be programmed to supply water hot enough for whatever zone is the coldest and needs the highest temperature. For this zone, you may never stop supplying heat, while in every other zone where this supply temperature is too high, thermostats will step in to limit its overheating.
There is a way for supply temperature reset to be based on indoor temperatures; the problem is just that you only know your supply water was too hot when it gets back to the mechanical room without losing as much heat as you expected. Outdoor reset is proactive instead, anticipating increases and decreases in the rate of heat loss based on what’s happening in the environment. The best systems will use both, however, because the ratio between the rate of loss and thermal mass will determine how long it will take for a change in outdoor temperature to cause a change in the indoor temperature, known as the structure’s thermal inertia. If the hospital and school have the same rate of loss but the hospital has more mass, it will take longer to start cooling perceptibly, meaning it has more inertia.
Once you determine what supply water reset temperature you want to deliver, there’s a couple of options for producing it. One is mixing reset, where a valve or circulator is used to blend the supply and return water together to knock down the supply to the level needed. Another option to consider is what used to be called boiler reset, where the boiler supply temperature itself drops down. This will tend to increase the boiler’s thermal efficiency, especially if the return temperatures can get into the condensing range, typically below 50 C or 122 F. This is where boiler efficiencies start to climb into the above 90 per cent range.
In multi-zone systems it may be necessary to do both mixing and boiler reset. For example, if more than one supply temperature is needed because
Outdoor reset is proactive and can anticipate any increases or decreases in the rate of heat loss based on what’s happening in the environment.
of the use of different heat terminals, the hottest supply requirement could be met with boiler reset, while cooler zones drop further down with mixing reset. This is more common in commercial design where the systems are more complicated. In residential systems, typically one temperature is needed for heating, but the system may also have an indirect water heater, which typically requires very hot water to allow a quick recovery.
Thomas Heckbert has over 14 years of experience in the mechanical and hydronic industries, working in various technical and sales roles with manufacturers agents, spec-writing firms, and manufacturers of boilers and water heaters. Tom has been with Rheem for three years and is currently the senior sales manager. He can be reached at Thomas.Heckbert@rheem.com.
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Eco-King, Surrey, B.C., introduces its latest tankless water heater to market. The Heet 199 runs at 199,000 BTU and provides continuous hot water with an internal pump that eliminates hot and cold temperature fluctuations. Operating at 97.5 per cent efficiency, the Heet 199 features a stainless steel heat exchanger and a 10:1 turndown ratio. This tankless water heater has two vent connectors with analyzer test ports and is rated for up to 150 ft. of combined vent lengths. Eco-King u www.kingheatingproducts.com
Rheem, Atlanta, Georgia, unveils its fifth-generation ProTerra hybrid water heater to customers. These water heaters use up to 75 per cent less energy and supply hot water up to an 87-gallon first-hour delivery. The new ProTerra features universal side and top water connections, a new duct-ready design, and zero side clearance. The water heater is also certified quiet, with a rating of 45 dBA, which is similar to a refrigerator hum. Rheem u www.rheem.com
Bradford White, Halton Hills, Ont., debuts its latest high-efficiency condensing boilers, the Brute FT 301 and 399. Both models are designed to meet various applications, are available as wall-hung units or floor-standing, and feature a robust stainless steel fire tube heat exchanger. The condensing boilers feature top and bottom connections for both system and gas piping, flue gas recirculation monitoring, multiple pump control, two independent heating curves, onboard 24v mixing control and exclusive conditional DHW priority technology. The Brute FT series are 95 per cent AHRI certified and have a psi of 30. Bradford White u www.bradfordwhite.com
Commercial boiler Triangle Tube, West Deptford, New Jersey, introduces its latest innovation, the Ionic floor standing boiler. The commercial boiler is easy to install and features a robust stainless steel heat exchanger, bright coloured display, simple installation and maintenance, and modulation up to 8.5:1. The boiler has models ranging from 1,250 to 4,000 MBH as well as the option to cascade up to 16 boilers. Triangle Tube u www.triangletube.com
Gastite, Portland, Oregon, unveils its Python 35-inch mini-split kit to its customers. The Python is a PE-RT/AL/PE-RT line set and compression fitting system designed for both split system and mini-split system applications. It comes in insulated and non-insulated forms for use in industrial, commercial, and residential HVAC systems. All kits include a liquid line, suction line, female compression fitting assemblies, and a Python chamfering tool. Gastite u www.pythonls.com
Navien, Vaughan, Ont., introduces its new series of condensing combi-boilers, the NCB-H. These boilers feature a BTU/h output for DHW of 5.4 GPM at 70 F rise, a 15:1 turndown ratio, a new DHW module with flow control, and enhanced controls with multi-line text display. The NCB-H series are cascade capable with up to 15 NPE tankless water heaters, and their built-in zone controls can serve up to three-zone valves or zone pumps.
Navien u www.navieninc.com
Viessmann, Waterloo, Ont., debuts its Vitocal 100-AW total hydronic heat pump for heating, cooling and domestic hot water. The heat pump is an all-in-one kit that features an outdoor unit, an indoor unit and a steel buffer tank (20 gal). The Vitocal 100-AW is available in 1.5, 3.0 and 4.3 tons for cooling and 20.5, 34 and 58 MBH for heating. Viessmann u www.viessmann.com
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Hydronics is thriving in Canada and quickly becoming the baseline system for comfortable, efficient homes.
By Erin Deibert
Many people think of me as a passionate advocate for hydronics. I have been selling hydronics in Southern Alberta for over 25 years and I was recently asked to speak on how to successfully sell hydronics in a marketplace that is dominated by forced air systems. The reality is that hydronics are thriving in Canada and are quickly becoming the baseline system for comfortable, efficient homes.
The true story is how hydronics can operate as a stand-alone system or be added to complement forced air systems to improve efficiency and comfort. Outside of North America, hydronics is the market leader in residential heating. Hydronics have science on our side, however we have been slow to understand what makes forced air systems popular with consumers. I cannot cover everything in my presentation here, but I can cover some of the highlights.
Where I live in Alberta, the 2021 National Census reported that 82 per cent of people stated that the primary heating system was a forced air heating system. While that is true, hydronics sales reported by the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH) member wholesale sales topped $120 million in 2023. What is changing? As people have started to seek out better comfort and efficient options, they are finding solutions in hydronics. Building code changes have encouraged more zoning in homes and higher efficiency equipment. People are looking for better options than the same old systems, and are looking for equipment that delivers better function, durability, and comfort. Modern boilers fitted into hydronics systems make sense.
Modulating boilers and tankless heaters have better turn-down than furnaces, which allows them to match heating loads more closely. Coupled with a
hydronic furnace (fan coil), these systems can easily work to backup air-toair heat pumps. Fan coils heat the air stream with heated water instead of a flame, which reduces their overall maintenance requirement. These equipment choices turn what looks like a traditional forced air system into a highly efficient and comfortable system.
These combination systems use forced air heating in the above-grade areas while heating basements with heated floors and producing domestic hot water. They also reduce the least amount of flue penetrations in the building envelope. Open floor plans and highly insulated homes need even less heat but also reduce space for mechanical systems with ductwork. These systems effectively use the equipment you heat your domestic hot water with to heat your home. They can do this while using smaller pipes instead of larger ducts, reducing the mechanical space distributed throughout your home.
Engineers and building scientists have also been working on standards which identify what conditions make us feel comfortable in our homes. Although these standards have been around for a while, they are now being used more effectively to benefit homeowners. We have been made aware of the indoor air quality movement (IAQ), especially after COVID-19 lockdowns. This has now expanded into IEQ (indoor environment quality).
We know that many factors are part of our perception of comfort. These are much more than just a 21 C setting on the thermostat. Lighting, noise, vibration, air velocity, air quality, humidity and temperature all contribute to our feeling of comfort. This is transient, as this is based on our perception at any given moment. Comfort is the solution that either prevents or results from when we feel discomfort and how we react to the fleeting feeling of discomfort. This means we need systems that can be adjusted by the occupant intuitively. This is why combination systems with both air and radiant heating deliver
This combination boiler system, located in Calgary, Alta, is a great example of how hydronics can be used in partnership with a forced air system. Photo provided by RJB Bathroom Renovations
some of the best comfort results. ASHRAE standards 55, 62.2, and 90.2 can be our guides to designing systems in the home that work to maximize the comfort homeowners crave.
Dedicated forced air systems and stand-alone radiant systems have similar functions using parts and pieces that look different but provide the same functionality. Once we recognize these, we can design systems that interface with each other. Integrated systems complement their strengths and minimize their shortfalls. These systems are not new, as I have personally been selling them for 25 years.
What has changed is the quality of the equipment and its affordability. Wall-hung high-efficiency boilers, fully modulating fan coils with ECM motors, high-efficiency wet rotor pumps, and balancing manifolds with PEX tubing are reliable and low maintenance. My fully radiant heated home has required less than $1,000 of maintenance on the heating system in 13 years of ownership. Combination systems can give homeowners fast reaction times for many of the comfort criteria mentioned. They can cover heating, cooling, humidity, and ventilation loads with common thermostat controls.
Radiant large surface heating can be applied in places where forced air does not work as well. These areas are typically basements, entryways, bonus rooms and bathrooms. We can add a radiator in a dropped entryway, ensuring we are greeted with a warm welcome when we come in from the cold. Warm floors in a basement mean no frozen feet and heated towels in the bathrooms make it feel like a spa. We want to turn places where we often have moments of discomfort into places where we expect to find moments of comfort.
Here is a system schematic that is quite simple to understand. This system would provide many of the features discussed without having to change much in the construction of the home.
This system is homeowner controlled with thermostats and basic room balancing.
This system is homeowner-controlled with thermostats and basic room balancing over a range of conditions. These are remarkably effective, scalable, and replicable systems. Contractors who learn to work with builders to set proper expectations of what the system will do, with clear consistent communication, find hydronics less challenging and more profitable. By not reinventing the wheel or creating an experiment in the basement, their designers and installers hit the mark with fewer callbacks. Understand that we are the experts that the homeowners expect to advise them. We need not default to non-descript open-ended specifications that muddy the waters. Know what you are good at doing and have a good team behind you. If you need more expertise, know where you can get the help you need. Most distributors have dedicated designers and technical experts on staff to help you. Build your brand with manufacturer brands you know and trust. There is truth in advertising, so practice what you preach and install hydronics in your own home. This consistency and authenticity will reward you with happy content customers.
Erin Deibert has been a certified radiant designer since 2006 by the Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI), has been a Canadian Hydronics Council (CHC) board member since 2011, and has been the CHC liaison for the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH) for the southern Alberta region since 2011. Currently, he is the technical specialist at Robinson Supply and has over 25 years of experience selling and designing hydronics. He can be reached at erin.deibert@barobinson.com.
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The Canadian water quality industry will be gathering for several events over the next 12 months. The 2025 H2O Innovation Summit will be held this year at the Living Water Resort & Spa in Collingwood, Ont. Held from May 28 to 30, the three-day event will include an 18-hole scramble golf tournament, trade show featuring companies within the water quality industry, a welcome reception, new product showcase, and a learning forum.
“Held at the picturesque Blue Mountain, this event combines informative sessions, expert panel discussions, and interactive workshops to provide valuable insights and updates to attendees,” shares the CWQA in a press release. “With a diverse range of expert speakers and industry leaders, this conference offers unparalleled opportunities for networking and collaboration. Join us for an immersive experience tailored specifically for professionals in the water quality field, where knowledge and connection converge within the scenic atmosphere of Blue Mountain.”
To kick off the Canadian Water Quality Association’s events, the organization will be hosting its Groundwater Expo in Truro, Nova Scotia, in collaboration with the Atlantic Water Well Association (AWWA), New Brunswick Ground Water Association (NBGWA), and Nova Scotia Ground Water Association (NSGWA). This event will be held from March 20 to 22. A welcome reception will be held on the first day of the conference. To kick off the second day, education sessions will run from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., which will be followed up by a trade show. To end the conference, the trade show floor will be open while educational sessions pick up again.
The speaker forum includes topics on Business - Rising cost of doing business, Safety - What is required for your company, Succession Planning - Are you wanting to sell your company, is it ready, Water Treatment Valve
Training - programming, servicing, and troubleshooting, Drilling seminar, Pump installation seminar, PFAS removal, and others related to drilling, pumps and treatment. Registration is expected to open by the end of December.
The Plumbing & HVAC team will be hosting two Technical Training Days that will be of interest to the water quality sector. On Feb. 19, the completely virtual Plumbing Systems Technical Training Day will feature education sessions and networking opportunities. On June 4, we will be hosting a water quality specific Technical Training Day. The events start at noon and usually run until 5 p.m.
Early bird tickets for these events are free for the first select number of attendees. Anyone is welcome, so make sure to register.
Understanding
By Jeff Wahl
Water quality is a principal factor that affects the lifespan and performance of appliances, boilers, ondemand tankless heaters, electric, propane or natural gas heaters, hydronic HVAC systems or any other system in which water is used. Understanding the potential impacts of hard water, corrosion, sediment build-up, and other water quality factors allows for proactive steps to be taken to provide water quality that ensures the installed fixtures, piping, and systems operate efficiently. This prevents frequent maintenance and adds value and cost savings.
A water treatment system extends the life of a home or business’ plumbing, piping, fixtures, and waterusing appliances. Properly treated water will assist with maintaining equipment efficiency and save on energy costs, which are negatively affected by water quality scaling or adhering. This, in turn, prevents flow restrictions and proper heating transference in systems.
When considering water treatment equipment, testing the water for four common parameters is a good practice to identify potential issues such as scaling, discolouration, systems failures, and costly maintenance calls for service. In my experience, this testing practice is not commonly conducted and can have significant impacts in rural areas with no municipal water services.
Total dissolved solids (TDS) refer to the amount of minerals, metals, organic material, and salts that are dissolved in a certain water volume expressed in mg/L or parts per million (ppm). TDS in water can come from many sources, including natural water springs, runoff from roads, industrial wastewater, agricultural fields, and plumbing distribution systems. TDS is usually comprised of calcium, magnesium, sodium, road salts, potassium, carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, sulfate, and nitrates.
The second parameter to test for is hardness. This is commonly expressed as milligrams of calcium carbonate equivalent per litre (mg/L). Another common method of measuring water hardness is known as grains per gallon or GPG. Hard water is commonly found in areas that are composed of limestone. Calcium and magnesium are absorbed into the water as it encounters the limestone. Over time, these minerals can accumulate and form a layer of scale inside appliances like dishwashers, washing machines,
"Rural water sources without any regulation, authority, or jurisdiction, have a greater likelihood for the presence of bacteriological, particulate or scaling elements."
and water heaters. Scaling restricts water flow, reduces energy efficiency, and can result in breakdowns and repairs. For more information, please check out the Water Hardness article on page 48.
The third parameter to evaluate for is iron; deposits can accumulate in pressure tanks, water piping and water heaters. If significant amounts are present, they should be drained or flushed regularly to remove the deposits. This is critical in plumbing disinfection systems to prevent the release of iron corrosion by-products.
The fourth parameter to evaluate is pH, which is a measure of how acidic or basic the water is. It is expressed as a number from zero to 14. Neutral water, which is neither acidic nor basic, has a pH of seven. As pH values decrease from seven to zero, the acidity of the water increases similarly, pH values from seven to 14 show increasing basicity. If no water testing is conducted prior to any work starting, how can these four parameters affect HVAC, plumbing and boiler systems?
Often overlooked or not considered is that most manufacturers specify hardness requirements for proper operation efficiency and to maintain warranty requirements. To understand water hardness values in greater detail, the commonly accepted value of less than seven GPG is widely used by manufacturers of appliances, heating devices, and some water treatment equipment to ensure proper operation. Installing a properly sized water softener at the entry point of a building reduces hardness levels to acceptable levels, preventing calcification.
Low values of pH less than six will result in corrosion occurring at any place in the water system where water contacts metal. Constant exposure to corrosive water will noticeably shorten the life of household plumbing and installed fixtures, eventually causing pinholes to appear in piping and water heating devices. Raising the pH using specialty media's can prevent future problems with piping and equipment when low values are present in the water.
Levels of TDS (above 500 mg/L), according to Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, can present an issue for consumers, resulting in excessive scaling in water pipes, water heaters, boilers, and household appliances. Treating high levels of TDS in water can be complex and requires a more detailed approach prior to installing any water treatment equipment.
Iron levels above 0.3 mg/L can accumulate in pressure tanks, water piping, and water heaters. Iron filtration via cartridge or backwashing units can prevent build-up and the requirement to flush tanks and piping. Water testing for these four parameters can identify when the water quality can have an impact on the
Continued on page “43”
A routine water test in a rural well discovered levels of hardness, iron, and dissolved solids, which would have significant impact on the home's plumbing and installed water based equipment. Graphic provided byWahlWater.
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The amount of scale collected can affect the overall loss in heat transfer. Graphic provided by Ball-Tech Energy.
Continued from page “41”
installed plumbing, fixtures, and equipment.
By creating a barrier at the bottom of your water heater’s tank, hard water and sediment will significantly decrease the efficiency of your water heater or heat exchanger. This is because your unit will have to work harder and longer to keep your water warm. This leads to an increase in water heating bills and can also mean that water will not be hot enough when required for use in homes and businesses.
The stress that poor water quality places on water heaters, appliances, and piping takes its toll over time. Not only will you need to make more repair calls throughout their lifespan, but they will require replacement due to a failure in a quicker fashion.
Sediment (such as sand, silt, or rust particles) can impede valves, filters, and water lines. This effectively results in restricted water flow and puts unnecessary strain on water-based appliances and equipment, leading to reduced efficiency and potential breakdowns.
Corrosive water can cause the deterioration of internal components, leading to leaks, malfunctioning valves, and premature failure of appliances. Over time, the risk of flooding is elevated due to the degradation of piping, which often starts as pinhole leaks.
Calcification build-up in piping can result in reduced water flow at fixtures and adherence to water heater elements and heat exchangers. When cumulative over extended periods of time, this can result in the failure of the appliance or water device; replacement units are often having to be installed well before the manufacturer’s suggested
life expectancies.
Legionella is a type of bacteria that can cause a serious and potentially life-threatening form of pneumonia. The bacteria is found naturally in water and can grow and multiply in systems such as hot water tanks, cooling towers and large plumbing systems. When these systems are not properly maintained and disinfected, the bacteria can thrive and be spread through the air in the form of small droplets or mist.
Understanding the water source in an application is important to identify the potential risks. Do not assume that because a water supply originates from a regulated source that it does not contain hardness or other contaminants.
Rural water sources without any regulation, authority, or jurisdiction, have a greater likelihood for the presence of bacteriological, particulate or scaling elements. Water testing results can be obtained directly through municipalities and rural water sources should always be sampled prior to the start of any installation of water-based equipment or plumbing work in buildings. Testing can be facilitated with local laboratories, using portable test kits or through water treatment dealerships in your local region.
Jeff Wahl is the owner of Wahl Water with more than 25 years of experience providing water treatment solutions and education for rural water. He is the contributing author for Wahl H2O and a certified installer technician for the Canadian Water Quality Association (CWQA) Jeff can be reached at jeff@wahlwater.com.
Exposure to PFAS can cause potential risks to human health and the environment, and we are only just understanding these chemicals.
By Jason Jackson
Exposure to PFAS, or scientifically known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, can occur from any number of consumer products, outdoor and indoor air, food, or drinking water. This exposure, along with the limits of exposure, is only now being understood as sampling and monitoring are required.
According to Health Canada, new PFAS are continually being developed and reported to the government of Canada. This can cause potential risks to human health and the environment. But like many innovations or technologies, the full understanding and long-term effects are still to be determined.
We know that PFAS can affect a person’s liver, kidney, thyroid, metabolism, immune system, and reproductive systems. Each person will have different levels based off exposure, general health, and their unique individuality.
PFAS can be excreted from the body in several ways. While testing and research is ongoing, what is understood is that it can leave the body through
urine, blood during menstruation, and breast milk. However, for those who have kidney disease, it may be difficult to excrete PFAS in urine as compared to healthy individuals.
PFAS is a group of thousands of synthetic chemicals that are used in industry and consumer products. The most common types are perfluoro octane (PFOS) and perfluoro octanoic acid (PFOA). What we know about PFAS is that it doesn’t breakdown easily and persists for long periods of time. When applied to textiles, it repels dirt, water, and grease. These base properties created products that include non-stick cookware, sunscreens, textiles, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, vehicle components, fire-fighting foams, fire retardants, packaging materials for food, pesticides, and electronics.
It's important to understand that PFAS doesn't breakdown in nature readily and stay in the environment for long periods of time, thus dawning the term forever chemicals.
Recommended treatment
In 2024, Health Canada published the Objective for Canadian Drinking Water Quality – Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances that recommends a treatment-based value for a group of PFAS in Canadian drinking water. This objective sets a goal for a maximum level of contaminants in drinking water while accounting for current treatment technologies and testing
Continued on page “47”
Those working with PFAS need to fully understand the risks, implications, exposure, and requirements of providing the consumer with a system that will remove PFAS consistently.
Photo provided by msu.edu
The Objective for Canadian Drinking Water Quality – Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances sets a goal for a maximum level of contaminants in drinking water while accounting for current treatment technologies and testing methods.
Continued from page “45”
methods.
The objective outlined by Health Canada sets the value at 30 ng/L. This value is the sum of 25 specific PFAS and is to reduce PFAS exposure in drinking water with a test result of “non-detect."
There are various options available when looking at PFAS treatment. Ion exchange resins, high-pressure membranes, and granular activated carbon adsorption can all be effective. These technologies have advantages and disadvantages depending on the composition and concentration of the PFAS substances. The selection of the technology requires an understanding of the source water chemistry and the treated water goals or objectives. Separately selected or configured together, correctly designed and applied, these technologies can be effective municipal drinking water treatment plants, institutions, and point-of-entry or point-of-use for homes.
According to a study published by the U.S. EPA, granular and powdered activated carbon treatment is the most studied treatment for PFAS removal. Adsorption captures PFAS both by physical and chemical processes and accumulates PFAS in the highly porous surface area provided by activated carbon. Carbon is effective in
"Those who are working with PFAS need to fully understand the risks, the implications, exposure and the requirements of providing the consumer a system that will remove these chemicals consistently."
adsorbing long-chain PFOS and PFOA but not as effective with short-chain PFAS like perfluoro butane sulfonate (PFBS).
An alternate treatment option is anion ion exchange resin. Ion exchange resins are made up of highly porous, polystyrenic materials. Positively charged anion resins attract negatively charged PFAS ions. Ion exchange resin removes PFAS through two mechanisms — ion exchange and adsorption. With ion exchange, there is no regeneration of the resin, therefore no contaminant waste stream.
High-pressure membranes, such as reverse osmosis and/or nanofiltration are effective at removing PFAS. Applied research has shown that these types of membranes are typically greater than 90 per cent effective at removing a large range of PFAS; this includes short-chain PFAS. Reverse osmosis suits point-of-use type applications. One disadvantage is the waste stream concentrated with PFAS and may require additional considerations.
For residential consumers, any of the discussed treatment technologies can provide a cost-effective point-of-entry or point-of-use option. Points to consider for both the installer and consumer include: Will this be a whole home or one tap installation? What are the costs (installation, maintenance, water consumption, disposal)? What monitoring or testing requirements are needed? How long will the application treat water before service? Is the system NSF or CSA certified? What qualifications will the business selling, installing and eventually servicing need to deal with PFAS?
The water treatment industry has well qualified businesses and individuals, but PFAS is new to many. Those who are working with PFAS need to fully understand the risks, implications, exposure and requirements of providing the consumer with a system that will remove these chemicals consistently.
As PFAS awareness increases and testing for these contaminants increases, consumers and municipalities have real decisions to make. The cost of infrastructure and treatment at a municipal level is one option, but so is the consumer's point of entry or point of use. To clarify, consumers could be anyone, any business, institution and or even a municipality looking for a cost-effective user-based solution.
Jason Jackson, the senior technical sales specialist for Purolite Ontario and Eastern Canada. With over 25 years of experience in the water/wastewater and energy sectors as a business owner, licensed plumber, licensed pump installer mechanic, municipal water system operator, backflow and cross connection specialist, well technician, CWQA master water specialist, fuels technician, and refrigeration plant operator. He can be reached at jason.jackson@ecolab.com.
When it comes to bad smell or taste, the problems homeowners detect can almost always be attributed to chlorine or chloramine.
Homeowners tend to decide in-home water treatment based off what they can see, smell, or taste in their water.
By John Cardiff
If you’re installing water softeners to tackle hard water but not talking about whole-home carbon filtration, you’re leaving your customers with unwanted chlorine, chloramines, and disinfectant byproducts in their water.
Homeowners typically decide they need inhome water treatment based on what they see, smell, or taste. The effects of water hardness are easy to see around the home: limescale on plumbing fixtures, cloudy spots on dishes and glassware, dry hair and skin, soap scum in baths and sinks, and dull, stiff laundry. When it comes to bad smell or taste, the problems they detect can almost always be attributed to chlorine or chloramine.
Chlorine and chloramine are used by municipalities as water disinfectants and unless removed by a treatment system in the home, remain in the water. Chlorine has been used by water treatment facilities to kill bacteria, viruses, and harmful organisms in water for more than 100 years. It has almost eliminated waterborne bacteria and disease in water supplies worldwide.
According to Health Canada’s Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality Technical Document – Chlorine (2009), nearly 3,600 Canadian drinking water facilities in 2005 showed that 78 per cent used sodium hypochlorite (bleach) for disinfection, followed by chlorine gas (19 per cent) and calcium hypochlorite (bleach powder) by nearly two per cent of facilities.
More recently, water treatment systems have also started using chloramine, a combination of chlorine and ammonia, as a disinfectant to protect the water from microbiological recontamination or bacterial re-growth during the distribution process. Chloramine provides longer-lasting disinfection as water moves through pipes to consumers.
Potential health risks
Health effects created by water treatment disinfection are generally attributed to the disinfectant byproducts (DBPs) — the reactions between chlorine or chloramine and the organic matter in raw water — more than the chemicals themselves. Two of the most common types of DBPs found in chlorinated drinking water are trihalomethanes (THMs) and halo acetic acids (HAAs). Experts agree that long-term exposure to DBPs in drinking water is a health concern.
Chlorine and chloramine can also have costly and unwanted effects on homes.
Corrosion of pipes and fittings can corrode certain metals, including copper and galvanized steel. Chloramine can cause pinhole leaks in copper pipes, as well as corrode lead and brass components. Chlorinated water can prematurely degrade rubber
seals, gaskets, O-rings and water softener resin. The corrosive properties of these disinfectants can lead to costly repairs or early replacement.
For homeowners who want to remove chlorine and chloramines from their water, the first step is deciding on their filtration goals. Do they want chlorine-free, chloramine-free water throughout their home or just for cooking and drinking?
The benefits of whole home filtration are great tasting, healthy drinking water, protects plumbing and water-using appliances, and no chlorine/ chloramine exposure from showering or bathing.
Drinking water or point-of-use filtration systems can be the right solution for homeowners who want a lower upfront investment or want the added security of membrane filtration for their drinking water. These systems can also be simple for the homeowner to maintain if they offer quick-change cartridges.
To remove chlorine or chloramines from water, the contact time required between the incoming treated water and the carbon bed, the home’s water flow rate, as well as the type of carbon are all crucial considerations in choosing the right solution. Granular activated carbon is the most widely used media for chlorine removal and catalytic activated carbon is the most effective for chloramine removal. Choosing a system that is third-party certified to NSF/ANSI 42 is also important.
Whole-home carbon filters are best placed before a water softener to remove chlorine or chloramines. Chlorine levels of about one ppm can cut the life expectancy of water softener resin in half. Some systems offer softening and carbon filtration in a single unit through dedicated carbon and softening resin tanks or as a mixed bed unit. If you’re recommending a mix-bed unit, be sure that the
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To ensure performance, the recommended system should be third party certified for chlorine and/or chloramine removal.
carbon bed offers enough contact time to effectively remove the chlorine or chloramines for the wholehome and take the time to understand if the carbon media and softener resin have different required replacement lives. For example, if the carbon needs to be replaced in two years but the softener resin should last 10 years, your customers could end up re-bedding their softener resin far more often than necessary or relying on carbon that is no longer working.
Another consideration is choosing between backwashing and non-backwashing carbon filters. Backwashing filters are more expensive upfront but can handle higher flow rates than non-backwashing filters. They also extend the life of the carbon by backwashing, which prevents it from packing. Nonbackwashing filters are well suited to customers looking for upfront affordability.
However, non-backwashing filters tend to have a shorter carbon bed life so the media will need to be replaced more frequently. Smaller, cartridge-based whole-home carbon filters are also available. While they have a lower upfront cost, they have the added cost of frequent cartridge replacements which can result in a higher annual expense for the life of the system.
Warranty and certification differences between all units being considered should always be presented to the customer before purchase.
Customers who have decided that they only want filtered drinking water have three options: reverse osmosis (RO), ultrafiltration (UF), and carbon cartridge filtration.
Reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration both offer the most comprehensive contaminant removal. Reverse osmosis is the best option for homeowners who
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are sensitive to chlorine or chloramines (in which case, they will also want a whole-home carbon filter) or who want the best possible removal of contaminants from their drinking water.
Before installing a RO for your customer, be sure they understand that a separate drain line is required. Ultrafiltration offers a very high level of filtration but doesn’t require a dedicated drain line. Again, checking that the system you recommend has third-party certification for chlorine and/or chloramine removal is the only way to ensure that the system will deliver on its claims.
When recommending a cartridge-style pointof-use filter, be sure that the carbon media matches the chemical (chlorine versus chloramines), that it’s properly sized for the flow rate (the contact time is sufficient for chlorine and chloramine removal), and that the homeowner understands how often the cartridge(s) will need to be replaced. While these systems are the most economical upfront, their annual maintenance costs can add up for homeowners.
What to recommend?
That answer goes back to the homeowner’s goals and the water composition. Whole-home systems are great solutions for homeowners who want the benefits of chlorine-free or chloramine-free water throughout their home, who have chlorine or chloramine sensitivities, who don’t want the hassle of annual maintenance, or who consider the
lifelong cost of the filter more important than the upfront cost.
Homeowners who are primarily concerned about ingesting high-quality water or who are looking for an affordable way to remove chlorine or chloramines from their water will be most interested in point-of-use filtration like RO, UF or cartridge systems.
Helping your customers find the right carbon filtration system for their home will build your reputation as a water expert and help your customers feel good about the water they use every day.
John Cardiff , has been in the water treatment industry for 42 years, starting with Water Conditioning Canada ltd., now known as Canature WaterGroup (CWG). He is the executive vice president of sales and business development for North America. John can be reached at john.cardiff@ canaturewg.com.
Non-backwashing carbon filters are very affordable but have a shorter media life than regenerating filters.
Neglecting scale control is never a good option because eventually the cost of repairs or replacements will offset any initial savings.
By Benjamin Irwin
Water softeners, reverse osmosis (RO) and ultra-violet (UV) systems are normally considered part of traditional water treatment options. However, nontraditional, or alternative technologies, have made their way into mainstream markets due to the benefits they offer, especially with energy, resource, and costefficiency.
Ultrafiltration, or UF, is a relatively recent water filtration process that falls somewhere between reverse osmosis and micro filtration in the filtration spectrum. UF capably removes fine sand/particles, viruses, and bacteria. For reference, reverse osmosis will filter sand, viruses, bacteria, but also ions and proteins down to 0.0001 um.
UF came along in the 1970s as a pretreatment for high purity water
applications in microprocessor and semiconductor manufacturing, then moved on to seawater pretreatment for large RO systems. UF has come into its own in the last decade or so with stand-alone, point-of-entry and point-of-use undercounter drinking systems. The advantage of using UF for residential applications is the relatively low rinse line requirement for point-of-entry whole house systems, and the zero discharge for the point-of-use drinking water systems, which use an accumulative UF membrane that is replaced annually.
For many years, ion exchange water softeners were the only proven method for residential scale protection. These can be identified by the classic brine tank and salt bags required to perform the ion exchange on the media. The systems also require a backwash cycle — using a significant amount of water, and with a high concentration of salt in the discharge (over time becoming a real burden, and source of contamination, for septic systems) — to bring the media back to a point where it can, once again, effectively remove calcium and magnesium.
Homeowners, property managers, chief engineers, and facility maintenance personnel all face the same challenge in battling the ill-effects of hard water. Neglecting scale control is never a good option because eventually the cost of repairs or replacements will offset the initial savings.
The accumulation of scale is well documented as a source of considerable energy loss, making water heaters and boilers use more electricity, natural gas or other fuel to create the same energy/thermal transfer to achieve setpoint temperatures.
Water softeners, however, present their own set of challenges. They require electricity to operate. They take up precious space in already cramped mechanical rooms. They demand, and then waste, hundreds of gallons of water to drain during
backwash and regeneration cycles. And they require regenerants like salt or an even more expensive alternative (potassium chloride) to maintain performance.
Even in the best of circumstances, when a water softening system is performing as it should, achieving clean, improved water bears considerable cost coming in, and then must also be paid for as it makes its way into the waste treatment stream.
Recently, though, chloride discharge from softener brine has been rejected by municipalities that refuse to accept chlorides in their waste stream. This now represents a new waste stream for facilities in impacted areas; no doubt, those facilities will need an alternative.
Physical water treatment (PWT) technologies work by changing the physical characteristics of the solution being treated, though with little or no change in the solution’s chemical composition. PWT is chiefly used to reduce the negative effects of water hardness in plumbing systems, appliances, valves, and equipment (boilers, water heaters, dishwashers, automotive, and process wash equipment) and other components that generate or use heated water.
The vast majority of PWT devices work to promote hardness crystallization (mostly CaCO3) in the bulk solution, so it’s not possible to scale on downstream surfaces.
Media is subject to water chemistry limitations like other resins, such as chlorine, iron, manganese, phosphates, tannins, and pH.
It’s important to stay up to date on the latest training to ensure the whole building water treatment system is performing at anticipated levels.
Media assisted crystallization (MAC) is technology that influences the water solution at localized sites (on the media surface) such that hardness ions and their counter-ions (bicarbonate) combine to form inert nanometer-size seed crystals. Called nucleation, this is where dissolved molecules or ions dispersed throughout a solution start to gather to create clusters in the sub-micron size range. When the remaining dissolved ions reach their solubility shift, they attach to the seed crystals and continue harmlessly downstream, eventually being consumed or end up to drain.
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Media assisted crystallization is technology that influences the water solution at localized sites such that hardness ions and their counter-ions (bicarbonate) combine to form inert nanometer-size seed crystals.
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While closed loop boiler systems technically don’t qualify as MAC applications because there is no flow-to-drain, systems that incorporate a bottom blow down with scheduled daily discharges have been successful in controlling scale, while reducing or eliminating chemical additives.
MAC media is used in an up-flow design, which eliminates the issue of low flow channeling or high flow pressure drops. The pressure drop (as measured at peak flow rate) is less than four psi. The media is subject to water chemistry limitations like other resins, such as chlorine, iron, manganese, phosphates, tannins, and pH.
The effective life of the MAC media is three years and is dependent on neither the volume of water or the hardness level.
Electrically induced precipitation (EIP) is a physical water treatment process that uses an electric field to precipitate dissolved scale forming particles in the water. Precipitate forms on an electrode that must be cleaned periodically. The device in one noteworthy study required cleaning after treating 3,000 litres (800 gallons) of water and reduced scale formation by approximately 50 per cent.
Magnetic water treatment (MWT) is a physical treatment in which the water is subjected to a magnetic field to alter calcium carbonate adhesion properties. Most devices use a series of wires wrapped around a pipe, and a voltage transformer controls the current through the pipe. By controlling the
current, the magnetic field induced by the current can be reversed, causing cations to move to the center of the pipe and anions to the wall of the pipe. MWT also achieved an approximate scale reduction of 50 per cent (so, results similar to those with EIP were achieved).
Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a commercial electro-chemical water treatment process in which ions in the water adsorb to charged electrodes with a high surface area, effectively removing them from the water stream. A few different designs of CDI devices have been developed which all include a forward flow adsorption/regeneration process and a periodic backward flow cleaning and recharging process. Due to the high upfront capital investment and relatively high energy requirement, CDI is currently only viable as a commercial physical water treatment option.
Benjamin Irwin is the technical sales director for Watts Water Quality at Watts Water Technologies. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri-Rolla in mechanical engineering and a master of business administration from Valparaiso University School of Business. He has worked in water treatment and chemical sales for over a decade supporting food plants, data centers, and manufacturing sites across North America. He can be reached by e-mail at benjamin.irwin@wattswater.com.
Have you noticed some staining or scale build-up appearing on your bathroom fixtures? Is your tap water cloudy? Do you have a cottage or rural property and wonder if the water is safe for drinking? Did you know that 85% of Canadian households have hard water?
A residential water treatment system can solve all these problems, and more:
•reduce hardness, turbidity, colours, taste and odour in water
•create potable water that is safe for drinking
•reduce chemicals used in municipal water treatment
At Water Depot we have been providing water treatment solutions since 1989. Our line of water treatment equipment includes:
This outdoor unit utilizes R-32 and will be subject to any and all regulation changes associated with A2L refrigerants.
The possibility of Canada becoming the dumping ground for the old R-410A inventory is real.
By Glenn Mellors
The transition towards environmentally friendly refrigerants has become a pivotal focus for industries worldwide, particularly in the context of climate change and global warming. In Canada, the adoption of A2L refrigerants has gained momentum, driven by regulatory changes, industry standards, and environmental considerations. I would like to share with you the significance of A2L refrigerants, the factors contributing to their adoption in Canada, the challenges faced during this transition, and the future outlook.
A2L refrigerants are categorized under the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) classification system, which categorizes refrigerants based on their flammability and toxicity. A2L refrigerants are mildly flammable, non-toxic, and have a low
global warming potential (GWP). One of the most significant benefits of A2L refrigerants is their lower impact on the environment compared to traditional high-GWP refrigerants like hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
Common A2L refrigerants include R-1234yf, R-1233zd, and R-32. Equipment manufacturers may/will privately brand these refrigerants. These refrigerants are considered suitable alternatives for air conditioning, refrigeration, and heat pump applications, particularly as industries attempt to comply with stricter regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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Canada's commitment to the Paris Agreement and its subsequent efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly contribute to the push for A2L refrigerants. The federal and provincial governments have established regulations that aim to limit the use of high-GWP refrigerants. For instance, the Federal Ozone-depleting Substances and Halocarbon Alternatives Regulations restrict HFC usage, encouraging the adoption of low-GWP alternatives like A2L refrigerants.
In line with these regulations, various funding programs and incentives have been introduced at both federal and provincial levels to support the transition to sustainable refrigerant options. These measures significantly influence businesses’ decisions regarding which refrigerants to adopt.
The adoption of A2L refrigerants in Canada is also supported by various industry standards and guidelines. The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and ASHRAE have developed several standards focused on safety protocols and operational guidelines involving A2L refrigerants.
For example, CSA B52 outlines safety requirements for refrigerating systems, ensuring that systems utilizing A2L refrigerants are designed and installed correctly to mitigate any risks associated with their use. For more information, please check out the article on our website.
Additionally, ASHRAE 15 provides guidelines on the safety of refrigerant use in various applications. These industry standards help ensure that stakeholders are equipped with the necessary knowledge and protocols for handling mildly flammable refrigerants safely.
The HVAC and refrigeration sectors in Canada are witnessing a significant shift towards A2L refrigerants due to the need for compliance with environmental regulations and consumer demand for sustainable products. As these sectors look to modernize their systems, A2L refrigerants offer a viable solution without sacrificing energy efficiency.
Manufacturers have started to invest in research and development to create more efficient A2L-based systems. Significant advancements in technology have made it possible to utilize A2L refrigerants effectively, integrating them into new HVAC systems and retrofitting existing ones. This trend has led to an increase in the number of certifications and training programs focusing on A2L refrigerant handling, further promoting their usage.
Despite their advantages, the adoption of A2L refrigerants in Canada has not been without challenges. One of the primary concerns is the perception of safety surrounding mildly flammable refrigerants. Many stakeholders, including contractors, engineers, and end-users, may hesitate due to the flammability aspect, which can impact their willingness to transition from traditional refrigerants.
Moreover, the availability of A2L refrigerants and the necessary infrastructure to support their widespread use can be a limitation. For effective adoption, the supply chain needs to be established, ensuring that manufacturers, distributors, and service providers can access A2L refrigerants easily.
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Training and education are also critical components of the transition. The HVAC industry must invest in training programs to ensure technicians and engineers are well-versed in the handling and installation of systems using A2L refrigerants. Building this expertise is essential for mitigating risks and maximizing efficiencies in new systems.
Looking ahead, the future of A2L refrigerants in Canada appears promising. As regulatory pressures increase globally, Canadian industries will likely continue to adapt and invest in low-GWP alternatives. The government's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions will further compel sectors to embrace environmentally friendly practices.
The expected growth in the use of A2L refrigerants aligns with global trends aiming to phase out high-GWP refrigerants, supporting Canada’s climate goals. Technological advancements may also lead to the development of new refrigerant blends that enhance energy efficiency while maintaining low environmental impact.
What is our reality for 2025? There is a high percentage of people who
If we look back at the adoption of R-410A and the abundance of R-22 units left in inventory, Canada’s market was flooded with low-cost equipment and drove pricing through the floor.
The byproduct of this strategy was to leave homeowners with units that would become very expensive to maintain. We were selling obsolete equipment at the expense of the homeowner.
Twenty years later, we are about to do it again; flooding the market with low-cost obsolete equipment for uneducated consumers. Once again, damaging our industry’s image as the ones not to trust.
I am hopeful that many of us reputable HVAC retail service providers will educate our consumers about low-cost obsolete equipment that is on the street and do the right thing by training your service technicians now. Let’s let another country be the dumping ground for this equipment for a change.
Glenn Mellors was born into a plumbing family and started in the industry in 1973. He entered the HVAC side of the business in the 80s, working in wholesale, and then
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The HVAC/R industry is heading to sunny Florida for this year’s Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition, or more commonly known as the AHR Expo. From Feb. 10 to 12, the annual show will see the HVAC/R and plumbing industry come together to network and showcase the latest technology.
The show will have a jam-packed schedule filled with educational sessions, new product showcases, panel discussions, live podcasts, and more.
Attendees will have a choice of over 80 free industry seminars. Each day, sessions will be hosted every hour on various topics. For day one, some sessions include System Air Leakage and Duct Systems Inspections, The Power of Hybrid Solutions, Flammable Refrigerants (A2s and As), and Electrification and Heat Pumps.
Day two’s sessions include topics such as In Defense of Building Materials, CO2 Refrigeration High Ambient Strategies, Thermal Batteries, and Decarbonizing Commercial and Industrial Heating with Hydrogen Part One.
The last day of the AHR Expo’s session list includes topics such as Thermal Storage and Heat Pumps, BAS 101: Fundamentals of Modern Control Systems, Growth Through Acquisition, and How to Sell More and Build Unshakable Customer Loyalty.
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In addition to the free sessions, the show will have seven panel discussions, three on days one and two, and one on the final day. These panel discussions will cover topics such as AI and Plumbing, 2025 State of the Industry, Understanding Business Opportunities Based on Your Region, and Everything You Need to Know About the Refrigerant Transition and A2Ls.
During the show, ASHRAE will also be offering 100 sessions across eight different categories and 20 courses through its winter conference, which runs in conjunction with the expo, from Feb. 8 to 12.
The AHR Expo will also offer over 30 credit sessions. These sessions include free and paid courses from organizations, such as ASHRAE, and will provide participants with accreditation to the hosting organization. These sessions will begin on Feb. 8 and will run till Feb. 11.
Of course, the big selling point of the show is the access to hundreds of booths showcasing the latest technology. There will be over 100 new product presentations for guests during the show. As always, the show will host its Innovation Awards, which recognize manufacturers inventing the future of HVAC/R.
Award winners will be selected from ten industry categories: building automation,
cooling, heating, indoor air quality, plumbing, refrigeration, software, sustainable solutions, tools and instruments, and ventilation.
This year’s winners include: Distech Controls (building automation), Climate Control Group (cooling), Aerco (heating), Senva Inc. (indoor air quality), Grundfoss (plumbing), Danfoss (refrigeration), Radian Professionals Alliance (software), LG Electronics (sustainable solutions), PassiveLogic (tools and instruments), and Rosenburg (ventilation). These products will be showcased at their respective booths.
From this list of winners, one overall product of the year winner will be announced during the show.
Nov. 27 – 30:
MCAC Annual National Conference 2024, Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa, Austin, Texas. For more information, please visit www.mcac.ca.
Dec. 4 – 6:
The Buildings Show, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building, Toronto, Ont. For more information, please visit www. informaconnect.com.
Feb. 10:
AHR Expo, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida. For more information, please visit www.ahrexpo.com.
Feb. 19:
Plumbing Systems Technical Training Day:
Virtual event. For more information, please visit www.accelevents.com/e/ Plumbing-Technical-Training-DayFeb-19.
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