Publications

Hydronics Know-How CD

Author: John Siegenthaler, P.E.
� Copyright 2003

Cost: $75 + 6 shipping

Hydronics Know-How brings together over 100 practical columns and feature articles from John Siegenthaler. The convenient CD-ROM collection is packed with over 353 full color pages of generic, state-of-the-art information on designing and installing modern hydronic heating systems.

All information in Hydronics Know-How is contained in high resolution PDF files to retain the clarity of its original appearance in PM and PM Engineer magazines. These files can be viewed on any computer with Adobe Acrobat software. If you don't have Acrobat, just follow the link on this site to get this free software.

All information is organized into simple-to-use folders by publication (PM or PM Engineer) and year. The Hydronics Know-How CD-ROM even includes a "Hydronics 101" section covering the fundamentals of hydronic Heating for those new to the profession. This unique summary of the fundamentals of hydronic heating technology is not available elsewhere.

This collection of articles contains no advertising, just solid information that will help you improve the systems you design and install. This CD-ROM provides a simple convenient way to archive John's articles and use them over and over again as questions arise.

View Sample Pages

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Hydronics 101(8 sections)
PM Article & Columns
1996 (3 articles)
1997 (10 articles)
1998 (10 articles)
1999 (12 articles)
2000 (12 articles)
2001 (14 articles)
2002 (14 articles)
2003 (5 articles)
PM Engineer Articles
1999 (1 article)
2000 (6 articles)
2001 (3 articles)
2002 (6 articles)
2003 (2 articles)

PREFACE

How it All Happened:

The columns and articles I've written for Plumbing & Mechanical, and PM Engineer beginning in July of 1996 were not the result of strategic business planning. In fact they started more as a "I'll give it a try and see what happens" undertaking.

Jim Olsztynski of Business News publishing and I were having a casual conversation at the 1996 annual meeting of the Radiant Panel Association. Unexpectedly he pops an unexpected question: Would I have any interest in writing for PM? Being a person who has trouble saying no to most things... just ask my wife... I agreed.

Seven years later I look back on that day as a real blessing. Working with the many fine folks at BNP has been a pleasure and a learning experience. Still, I must admit the best part of the whole endeavor has been hearing from readers who describe how they're putting the information they've read into practice. Many tell me how they've adapted a piping method, installation detail, or calculation procedure into the systems they design and install. Others have told me how they cut out the columns and article and file them away for future reference. This kind of feedback certainly inspires me to keep fresh information flowing.

Information Primes the Pump:

Success as a hydronic heating professional requires knowledge in many technical disciplines like fluid flow, electricity, heat transfer, and building construction. It's precisely this "diversity of disciplines" that makes this field so irresistibly interesting.

Because hydronic heating deals with so many technical issues, it never hurts any of us to go back and review what we thought we completely understood a few years ago. Why? Because sometimes our understanding of even the basics is incomplete. A mere tid bit of new information can often yield major benefits when applied repeatedly in future systems.

We've all met those who feel that since they've been installing hydronic heating "successfully" over the past umpteen years, they already know everything they need. These folks often look at any new technology as unnecessary or gimmicky. While it's only human to resist change, don't close your mind to innovations that, when properly applied, only make you better at your chosen profession. If you do, your competitors will eventually see the light you missed, and learn to profit by using it.

I've been involved with hydronic heating for about 25 years. My own opinions on what works and what doesn't, have changed over time. Sometimes market pressure forced the change (case in point - active solar heating in upstate New York). Other times the promised benefits of some new strategy just didn't meet expectations. Still other times I changed my approach because a new product or design strategy eliminated what had been a problematic detail. I expect my favorite hydronic heating strategies five years from now will differ from those of the present. It seems that the longer one is involved with hydronic heating the more they come appreciate the expanding possibilities. It's humbling, challenging, and always exciting.

How to use this CD:

This CD-ROM contains over 100 columns and articles from both PM and PM Engineer dating from my first column in July '96 to those published during the spring of 2003. They're all categorized by publication as well as the year when originally published.

All the articles are in PDF format. They can be viewed on any computer having Adobe Acrobat Reader software. They can also be printed in either grayscale or color. You can even use Acrobat Reader to zoom in on the details in the illustrations if you want a closer look.

This CD also contains a section entitled Hydronics 101. I wrote this to supplement the information contained in the columns and article, especially for those new to hydronic heating.

Some columns contain an in depth discussion of a topic, but, due to space constraints, don't give a novice all the background information they may need. Hydronics 101 provides more of this basic information.

Some of the subjects presented in Hydronics 101 aren't covered in any of the columns. Therefore, even if you've read all of them, you'll still want to read Hydronics 101 looking for that "tid bit" of information that could pay off big.

Please note that all material on this CD is copyrighted. If you wish to make multiple copies of any of the material on this CD, you need to secure permission through Business News Publishing.

An Invitation:

PM and PM Engineer have been great venues to share my experiences with others. I'll continue to make my points known, and provide support for why I reach the conclusions I do. I'll also listen openly and carefully to reader responses.

If you happen to think of a subject you would like to see covered in a future issue of PM or PM Engineer, please let me know. I'll do my best to get you the information you need. Send me your suggestions via e-mail at john@hydronicpros.com.

Enjoy.

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