Case History: Economical Installation
HYDRONIC RADIATORS LOWER INSTALLATION COSTS FOR NEW CONDO COMPLEX
Brooklyn, New York
The builders of the new 12-unit condominium complex in the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, had specified Hydronic Heating from the start. They had Hydronic Heating in their own homes and wanted only the best for their new development. For the installation, they brought in Kal Rotenberg of Iceman Mechanical and Moses Fichman of ENY Mechanical.
“They wanted a quality heating installation, but they also wanted to keep the cost as low as possible,” said Mr. Rotenberg. “In each condo unit, we installed a wall mounted modulating condensing combi-boiler in a closet. This boiler provides plentiful domestic hot water as well as hot water for the cast-iron radiators we put in throughout each condo. This is a very economical and a highly efficient and high-comfort heating system.”
The heating system is barely noticeable in the condo units. Each condo has a boiler in one of its closets, with PEX tubing run within the walls and to the radiators. The radiators are placed under the windows, in hallways and in each condo’s bathrooms.
“These condos have a two-zone system,” said Mr. Rotenberg, “but we could have placed a thermostat on each radiator if they had wanted it. They have excellent heating comfort and are saving a lot of money.”
Mr. Rotenberg and Mr. Fichman install several different types of Hydronic Heating delivery systems, depending on the needs and budget of the project. “We install a lot of radiant floor heating, but we also put in finned tube baseboard or radiator heating when low installation cost is paramount. However, in any installation, I strongly recommend three things: a modulating condensing boiler, Hydronic Heating (radiators, baseboards, or radiant floor heating), and blown-in insulation in the walls. This is our formula for a guaranteed-happy customer.”
And how do the Brooklyn condo owners like their Hydronic Heating system? “My neighbor’s daughter has one of the condos,” said Mr. Rotenberg. “She says the heating system is like non-existent; it’s perfectly comfortable at all times, but you aren’t even aware that it’s there doing its job. She says that’s what a heating system should be.”
Installers:
Kal Rotenberg, Iceman Mechanical, Brooklyn, NY
Moses Fichman, ENY Mechanical, Brooklyn, NY
The dining room in a Hydronically Heated condo in Brooklyn, NY.
Reproduced with permission from Iceman Mechanical and ENY Mechanical.