Air Conditioning
For many years hydronic heating systems were installed without any provision for air conditioning. Two important reasons for not including cooling systems were:
• The location of the floor-mounted radiators and baseboard convectors would cause the heavier cold air to collect along the floor.
• It was impossible to capture and remove the condensation that forms when chilled water circulates through pipes /tubing embedded in floors, ceilings, or walls; or through baseboard convectors and radiators.
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Until very recently these two technical problems have placed hydronic heating systems at a disadvantage when competing with the forced-warm-air systems. Consequently, hydronic systems have been limited to a much smaller share of the residential heating and cooling market. As homeowners have become more energy conscious and houses more tightly sealed against air infiltration, central air conditioning has become a necessity for houses heated by hot-water/hydronic heating systems. The methods used to add air
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Figure 7-32 Baseboard radiator unit. |
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Drain Fitting |
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^_________________________________ ^ 41 ^——— Enclosure ^n Screw-On Flange •<—Wall or Drapes _ . . _ a. Enclosure for Exterior |
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Usual Location of condensate drain outlet is thru side wall |
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Conditioning to hot-water/hydronic heating systems are covered in Chapter 10, “Central Air Conditioning” in Volume 3.
Posted in Audel HVAC Fundamentals Volume 1 Heating Systems, Furnaces, and Boilers