by Dan Vastyan When people think of Alaska, they think of cold weather, vast expanses of wilderness and small communities. While they’re correct about the wilderness and weather, there are a few communities in the state that can’t possibly be called “small.” Anchorage is home to almost 300,000 people, or roughly the size of Cincinnati, Newark, or Pittsburgh. But unlike its Lower-48 counterparts, the city stands apart with its weather. While not the coldest region in Alaska, Anchorage typically experiences between 7,000 to 8,000 heating degree days per year. Cincinnati, for comparison, averages ..read more

by Duane Breneman and Lee Mowery In several weeks, the cycle bay used by U.S. Boiler Company and other Burnham subsidiaries will be complete.  This space, located within our engineering lab, is used to perform accelerated lifecycle testing on boilers before we release them to our customers. As production at U.S. Boiler Company has increased and new models are continually in development, we found our need almost exceeded our testing capacity.  That was enough incentive to expand the cycle bay. In the cycle bay, which is operated by Burnham Holdings Engineering Company, we vet control ..read more

by Chris Decato, Product Manager, HSSC In the quest for sustainable living and energy efficiency, air-to-water heat pumps have emerged as one of the most promising technologies. These systems utilize ambient air to extract and transfer heat into a water-based heating system, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional heating methods. However, to harness their full potential, it is important to keep a couple things in mind. Keep your air-to-water Heat Pump Uncovered Year-Round One common mistake made by homeowners is covering their air-to-water heat pumps, particularly du ..read more

The Ambient Air-to-Water Hydronic Heat Pump is introduced by U.S. Boiler Company for residential customers looking to upgrade their hydronic systems with the most efficient electric option available. The new heat pump has a 5-ton capacity (rated at 60 MBH) and provides reliable space heating with outdoor temperatures as low as -13°F. Offering a COP of up to 3.95 (395% efficiency) and delivering supply temperatures of up to 140°F, the Ambient Heat Pump offers significant energy savings over conventional electric heating systems. Installation is simple, whether the monoblock heat pump is install ..read more

AHR Expo 2024 is in the books! Early reports stated that roughly 50,000 attendees travelled to Chicago from January 22 through 24 to see the latest and greatest technology that the heating, cooling and plumbing industry has to offer, and they weren’t disappointed. For those of you who stopped by our booth (we displayed our newest products in booth N2024), thanks for stopping by! For those who couldn’t make it, the strong attendance numbers paint a good picture of how the show floor felt. On Monday, it was sometimes difficult to move from booth to booth. On Tuesday, traffic thinned out enough t ..read more

By Steve Fernandez   Hydronic Country. What comes to mind when you hear that? New England? New York? Maybe even the northern Mid-West, but likely not the New Mexico-Colorado border. You might be more surprised to learn that southern Colorado is full of steam systems. Steam showed up here in force just a few scant decades after the Colorado Territory became the Centennial state, and it never left. I own Twin Peaks Plumbing & Hydronics in Trinidad, CO, and wet heat runs in the family. My childhood consisted largely of Holohan books, green chili, and rides in my father’s service van. My ..read more

By Justin Holland, Technical Sales Support Specialist for Heating Solutions Sales Company (HSSC), representing U.S. Boiler Company. With the constant demand for improvements in comfort we provide to our customers, we need to strive to come up with solutions to accommodate our markets and keep up with our competition.  The introduction of mainstream condensing boilers over twenty years ago opened new doors to how we can improve efficiency, lower utility bills and continue to revolutionize central heating applications.  I want to discuss an important tool we can use to expand our oppor ..read more

Jimmy Anderson has been a boiler technician in Burnley, Lancashire, UK for 26 years. His story is unique. While he’s made appearances in the United States on social media, to my knowledge, his story has never been told among the skilled trade community in North America. I believe it’s worth telling, especially now, during the holiday season, while we’re reflecting, spending time with loved ones, and enjoying the warmth that our heating systems provide. – Dan Vastyan   A promise made It was 2013. William Edgar James Ward Anderson, only 16 weeks old, lie in a hospital bed dying. Bedside on ..read more

“Commercial Condos” are gaining popularity nationwide for small businesses in the service industry. These spaces, typically found in large post-frame buildings, offer a workshop atmosphere perfect for a company with a small fleet of vehicles that’s in need of garage bays, storage space and an office. Property developers and managers have seen increased demand for medium-sized commercial space, and that constructing a large, simple building and dividing it into several smaller spaces has presented a new development option for bare commercial property when a town is already saturated with storag ..read more

 By: Allie Perez Over the last few months, the term “infrastructure” has been thrown around by politicians and the media. By definition, infrastructure means the “basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for operation of a society or enterprise.” Most can agree that the United States needs to invest in our roads, buildings and energy infrastructure improvements. The Infrastructure Bill will supply plenty of funds and resources for improving bridges, piping systems and electric wiring. This seems like a win-win for the construction industry. Once it’s broken down ..read more