What with modern environmental concerns, there are new ways to utilize or retrofit older technologies for use in conserving energy, reducing carbon emissions and at the same time providing people with comfortable living conditions. Radiantec (http://www.radiantec.com/index.php ) of Vermont, offers a simple, yet effective means of converting that antiquated boiler system to a system that utilizes the household water tank for both personal usage and as a radiant floor heating device inexpensively. This system can be used in any home actually.

 The basic principal is to install flexable pipe by looping it between the floor rafters (and/or wall studs) and then creating a feedback loop to the water heater.  A small pump is also required to circulate the hot water feed egressing the tank into the piping. Cooler water at the end of the feed is recirculated back into the tank, where it is re-heated for personal and radiant home heating.

The system is adds efficiency at less cost and it can be incorporated into a solar water heating panel for more efficiency.  This is one of a series of blogs I'll be writing about such technologies and the importance of addressing indoor pollution and global warming issues.