Frequently Asked Questions

Find Answers to All Your Solar Heating System Related Questions

Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about our solar heating systems. If you don’t find the information you’re looking for, contact the professionals at Heatmeister and they’ll tell you more about our solar heating systems.

Why is Radiant Heat the best?

Clean: Because radiant doesn't use blowers, it doesn't circulate dirt, dust, pollutants or allergens throughout the home.
Comfortable: Reaches every corner of the house. Even takes the chill out of kitchen, bathrooms and lower level floors.
Economical: It can reduce your heating bill dramatically and saving energy is good for the environment.
Practical: Radiant floor heating concentrates the heat near the floor where you and your family can benefit from it.
Versatile: Works with any kind of floor covering. Ideal for installations in concrete slabs: lower levels, basements, and garages. As the "heat source" radiant heating utilizes a large surface, thermal comfort can be achieved with lower temperatures compared to "concentrated" heat sources such as high-temperature baseboards. An even floor surface temperature provides a comfortable energy spread. For this reason, the room temperature can be set up to 4 degrees (°F) lower. This saves up to 12% of energy consumption annually.

What If I Have Non-Oxygen Barrier Tubing?

The homeowners face a lot of issues resulting by the use of non-oxygen barrier tubing, such as heating system failure, continuing repair bills, repeated expansion tank, or cast iron circulators change outs or poor delivery of heat.

In many systems, certain parts of the system are made of metal components - both ferrous and nonferrous. Heatmeister features the Triangle Tube 439 stainless steel boiler that can work with existing non-oxygen barrier tubing saving costly retrofitting.

We have knowledge and experience in integrating this boiler with your non-oxygen barrier tubing without voiding your warranty.

Buyers beware of "copy-cat" contractors which will void your warranty due to improper installation. Make sure your installer is competent and certified!

Does Plateless Staple-up work?

Staple-up tubing is attached to the underside of the existing subfloor. Aluminum plates can be used to spread the heat evenly under the subfloor.

Insulation is placed in the joist space beneath the tubing. In our harsh environment of the Rockies, it does not work most of the time as it can only distribute 15 BTU/sq.ft.; we have too much heat loss in our alpine environment or it must be running at a higher temperature (180°F) with plateless staple-up which can damage wood flooring, can off-gas floor covering, is not economical, safe or a sound environmental practice.

What are Panel Radiators and Towel Racks?

Panel radiators and towel racks can be a cost-effective method used in conjunction with your existing or new radiant heating system to supplement inadequately designed heated areas and or to provide added comfort of warmed towels.

Heatmeister features many lines of aesthetically attractive and affordable solutions to those "problem" heating areas.

Is Legionnaires Disease dangerous?

Yes, that is why Heatmeister recommends maintaining a minimum of 140°F inside the water heater to prevent problems in regards to bacteria or Legionella.

Furthermore, we recommend the importance of installing an anti-scald valve to prevent accidental injury from scalding water.

An anti-scald valve allows the water heater to maintain a higher temperature that kills bacteria while it helps preventing boiling water from coming out of the faucet; therefore, lowering your liability for a possibility of a person getting scalded or sick.

Can I Use an Instantaneous or Traditional Domestic Hot Water Heater As a Boiler For Space Heat of My House?

Heatmeister disapproves of such installation for various reasons: use the right tool for the job; boilers are designed to heat your home; you can mow your lawn with a line trimmer, however, a lawn mower will do a better job.

Traditional gas hot water heaters are at best 50% to 62% efficient and instantaneous are at best 82% whereas the latest high-efficiency boilers are approximately 95% efficient and modulate based on outside temperatures.

Further, instantaneous water heaters require frequent maintenance which reduces the overall efficiency of this product. Lastly, Glycol (anti-freeze additive to the heating distribution lines) increases the viscosity which inhibits the circulatory ability of the system and can result in serious problems with "Instantaneous" boiler installs.

Heating systems that are using instantaneous domestic hot water systems for their space heating have encountered many problems and many of our owners we represent have removed such systems due to its unreliability.

Many manufacturers are no longer supporting these inefficient installations. Heatmeister takes domestic hot water production one step further by using a high-efficiency boiler in conjunction with an "indirect fired" or side arm water heater.

Are There Tax Credits and Rebates Available?

The Governor’s Energy Office(GEO) established the Solar Rebate Program in response to the growing demand for renewable energy initiatives to allow homeowners and businesses to harness Colorado's abundant solar resources.

There are Federal tax credits available at 30% of the cost, with no upper limit through 2016 (for existing homes and new construction) for solar hot water heating, solar panels and geothermal heat pumps.

For the most up-to-date information regarding future solar incentives in Colorado, please visit the Governor's Energy Office website.

We provide a 3-year WARRANTY on workmanship. Call us at 970-513-0697 today.

Heatmeister can answer your heating questions and will always look after your best interests!