A hydronic heating system is a type of heating system that uses water as a medium to transfer heat. The system is comprised of a boiler, which heats the water, and a network of pipes that distribute the hot water throughout the building. The hot water can be used to heat the air via radiators, baseboard heaters, or even underfloor heating.

Why You Should Choose Hydronic Heating Systems?

Hydronic heating systems are efficient, quiet, and provide consistent warmth throughout a space. 

They can also be zoned to allow for customized temperature control and can be used for both heating and cooling. 

Additionally, they have a long lifespan and are environmentally friendly due to their use of water as a heat transfer medium.

Why is Water Pump Important in Hydronic Heating Systems

A water pump is essential in hydronic heating systems as it circulates hot water from the boiler to the radiators or other heat emitters, ensuring even heat distribution throughout the space. Without the pump, the water would not flow and the system would not work efficiently.

To keep your hydronic heating systems working all the time here are 3 ways to check and maintain its water pump efficiency.

How to Check Water Pumps in Hydronic Heating Systems

1. Check the Water Pressure 

One of the first things that need to be done when checking a water pump in a hydronic heating system is to check the water pressure. The pressure can be checked using a pressure gauge. 

A pressure gauge can be attached to a valve on the system to get a reading. The ideal pressure range for a hydronic heating system is between 12-15 PSI. 

If the pressure is too low, then the pump may not be able to operate correctly. If the pressure is too high, the system may have been overfilled, or the pressure relief valve may not be working correctly.

2. Inspect the Pump Housing

The next step is to inspect the pump housing. Look for signs of corrosion, rust, or cracks. If the housing is damaged, then the pump will need to be replaced. 

It is also essential to inspect the impeller, which is responsible for moving the water through the system. The impeller should be free of any debris or buildup that could impede its operation.

3. Check Electrical Connections

The electrical connections to the water pump should be checked to ensure they are tight and free of corrosion. Loose or corroded connections can lead to a loss of power to the pump, resulting in reduced efficiency or complete failure. 

If any connections are loose, they should be tightened or replaced as necessary.

Overall, hydronic heating systems are an effective and energy-efficient way to heat buildings. They are particularly well-suited to larger buildings or those with unique heating requirements such as historic buildings or homes with radiant floor heating. Just be sure they are in tip-top shape so hot water will regularly flow into your home.

When it comes to choosing a tile for home or even for businesses, the easiest options to go with will automatically be ceramic tiles and porcelain. Among other floor tile types, these two are best known to be the ones that are durable, commercially ubiquitous, easy on the purse yet still stylish. These two tiles fair decently against their other counterparts like wood and stone tiles, but how well do they match up against each other?

Today, we study the pros and cons of ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles.

Ceramic

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Ceramic might be the most popular of all the floor tiles in that it is known to be the cheapest (price varies with the distributor). Ceramic tiles are typically cut to a thickness ranging from 1/4 to 3/4 inches, depending on intended use.

Ceramic is best known for being affordable and second-best known for its variety. It may be purchased in very many styles and colors (terracotta, quarry, clay brick, etc.), even in imitation of wood and stone (stone-looking ceramic tiles are more durable than actual stone tiles, too).

Its glazed variety is relatively water resistant, but the same cannot be said for its unglazed form. Unglazed ceramic tiles are great for adding a touch of warmth to an area’s aesthetic, but it is “soft” and easy to damage if placed where there is heavy foot traffic. However, it will last a very long time if only used for households.

Porcelain

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Porcelain is made of the same basic materials as ceramic but blasted in the kiln at hotter temperatures making them more durable, long lasting, and almost completely water resistant with a water absorption factor of less than 0.5. Almost all other tiles, including ceramic, have a factor of more than 0.5.

As a floor tile, porcelain is very well known for its hardness, even in its unglazed form. It is denser so it can be cut thinner while having the same hardness as a thicker glazed ceramic counterpart. The only catch is that it is a little more expensive than ceramic in general.

Porcelain, since it’s very durable, is a good material to invest in spite of cost if to be used for commercial spaces where heavy traffic is expected. It is scratch resistant, easy to maintain, and, in its unglazed variety, is also resistant to stains.

The Verdict

When it comes done to it, it is better to decide on whether to go for ceramic or porcelain using two factors: usage and budget. Ceramic is still the top choice when it comes to households because it gets the job done for less (around half) the cost. Ceramic is also the perfect choice if you’re prospecting to do DIY repairs—it’s easier to cut, modify, attached, and so on. Porcelain is a great investment for both home and business. It has a relatively higher PEI rating than ceramic counterparts of the same thickness, has all the floor tile benefits of ceramic and more, but at a greater cost.

Not all tiles are created equal. Some of them are perfect to be stepped on daily by a lot of people (like in malls, parks, and places of business), some can only take very little weight at a time like bathroom tiles while others can’t take weight at all.

Today, we’ll be discussing the Porcelain Enamel Institute (PEI) Rating and what purpose it serves in determining what tiles to use for your specific purposes.

To start off, the PEI rating is an internationally used scale of hardness or toughness specifically for commercial tiles. PEI rating ranges from a value of 1 (least hard) to 5 (hardest).

PEI 1

You may not under any circumstance use tiles with a PEI of 1 as flooring. These tiles may only be used on walls or any other decorative purposes. These tiles are very prone to wear, tear, and breaking so never use them to be stepped on.

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PEI 2

Harder than PEI 1 but not completely hard, these are tiles that may be used in very low traffic areas like bathroom tiles, pantry flooring, or supply closet tiles.

PEI 3

Tiles that can take light to moderate traffic only are categorized under PEI 3. These include domestic kitchen floors, commercial kitchen & domestic countertops, and most residential flooring for about 3-8 inhabitants. Such tiles are available at FC Floor Center or FC Tile Depot.

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PEI 4

This is a lot sturdier than PEI 3 in that it may be used between moderate to heavy foot traffic. This is good for any residential flooring, but if it will be used for commercial flooring, it is best used for heavy traffic where people do not stay for prolonged periods like clothing boutiques or service centers.

PEI 5

This is the hardest among all the tiles perfect for very heavy traffic like as public bathroom tiles, airport tiles, park & mall flooring, or restaurant, food court, and events area tiles.

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Aside from the PEI rating, there are other factors that affect the contextual usability of tiles like coefficient of friction, to name one. Make sure to learn more about your tiles before you decide to buy them.

One major consideration of both architects and engineers when building homes are what materials to use for different parts of the project. These materials matter on several levels like what material should the exterior of the building be if it’s going to be in the city where the temperature is hotter than it is in rural areas. For tropical homes, however, there are fewer design variables and the major consideration is ambient temperature as well as humidity above all else.

In today’s article, we try to explore 3 wood materials that are great floor tiles for tropical homes especially if you are constructing on a tight budget.

Basic Hardwood

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In tropical countries like the ones in most of South East Asia, there are numerous hardwoods that are well adapted to a specific climate. In the Philippines, for example, Narra is both popular for furniture as well as flooring because it expands and shrinks (depending on humidity) very minimally making it suitable for tropical homes.

Reclaimed Hardwood

If you’re on a really tight budget, then this might work for you. Reclaimed hardwood comes from structures that are already for demolition so not only can you avail of them cheap (or buy them from owners of the to-be-demolished building yourself), you can even salvage your own. The only thing is that you must also know a thing or two about repurposing wood or have them re-milled so that they fit in properly for your home.

Wide-plank Hardwood

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Wide-plank hardwood might be a little bit of the more expensive tropical home choice but it’s definitely the best on this list. Not only is it stylish and easy to manage (clean, maintain, polish, etc.), it is also very breathable and it feels good barefoot on hot days and cold nights. It’s as versatile as it is comfortable.

Aside from hardwood floor tiles, however, there are a number of other different types of floor tiles that are climate appropriate (especially for tropical homes that do not have air-conditioning or humidity controls). We will touch on them on our next articles.