heating and cooling

Can you believe we made it to 2025? This week we’ll talk AHR, because don’t look now, we’re a month out from the biggest industry event of the year. We’ll also talk hoarders or a messy work areas in a customer’s home. And, of course, new podcasts, which drop every Tuesday.

Weekly Links:

Solar-powered Evaporative Cooling

Solar-powered Evaporative Cooling Tower, Another Weapon in the Arsenal to Reduce Energy Costs

Heat Pump Water Heaters

Electric Water Heating – Heat Pump Water Heater – Rinnai

When Hoarders Strike?

https://www.instagram.com/p/DENJ69YR7_U/

Podcasts

Mechanical Hub Podcasts

HammerHead Trenchless, a leading manufacturer of trenchless installation, rehabilitation, and replacement solutions for underground utility infrastructure, has released the newest addition to their product line: The PortaBurst® PB30X.

The PB30X is a portable, cost-effective and efficient method of replacing 2″ to 6″ lateral pipes in a minimum amount of time, with up to 30 tons of pulling force. “Through extensive research and development, we were able to create a system that is 125 lbs. lighter than its predecessor, while maintaining the same power,” said Mark Randa, Sr. Manager of Research, Development & Engineering of HammerHead Trenchless.

Along with being lighter than HammerHead’s previous downhole unit, the PB30X prioritizes portability and breaks down into three components. According to Randa, this allows for easy carrying into basements and overall transportation of the unit.

Having the PB30X on a jobsite provides versatility as the unit can burst sewer laterals and slit water and gas services. “With a second jaw set and 3/8” cable, this unit can be used to slit plastic and lead water services,” said Randa.

To accompany the new PB30X, HammerHead Trenchless has also released the newest hydraulic control unit, the PB13X. The PB13X comes equipped with a new tethered controller or optional wireless controller to allow the operator to be close to the pit while the control unit is further away. “Our team spent time on with customers on their job sites and saw that flexibility is key to any job site and whether they use the tethered or wireless controller, we now provide that needed flexibility,” said Randa. “Our patent pending jaw system was created to increase speed and efficiency on the jobsite while making the unit versatile to allow for bursting and slitting,” he added.

To continue to provide flexibility to customers, HammerHead is now providing stackable extraction cages and an extended Quick Grip® Burst Head line covering 2-to-6-inch options. “The stackable extraction cages now allow to fully pull in a 6-inch burst head,” said Randa. “And the new burst head line can burst through any fracturable pipe and negotiate 45-degree bends,” he added.

The PB30X, PB13X, and additional components are all available for purchase at hammerheadshop.com

Nicole Harvey, a mechanical engineer at the Pacific Northwest National Lab, will be presenting an insightful Coffee with Caleffi™ webinar, focusing on ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) and their application in military and government facilities. Nicole will share her expertise on GSHPs and their energy-saving potential, detailed in U.S. Army base and General Services Administration (GSA) facility case studies.

→ How do GSHPs improve energy efficiency in government buildings?
→ What is the impact of combining GSHPs with solar thermal systems?
→ How does the Army Climate Strategy influence GSHP adoption?
→ What lessons have been learned from current GSHP installations?
→ How can these findings apply to similar facilities looking to improve energy and water efficiency?

In this session, Nicole will dive into a unique project involving an open-loop GSHP system combined with solar thermal panels for space heating and domestic hot water in Bozeman, Montana. She will discuss energy consumption, water efficiency, performance metrics, and cost savings. She will also discuss a wide scope of these GSHP projects, including regulatory drivers. Join to hear about her challenges and successes along the way.

Nicole specializes in ground source heat pumps and hydronic HVAC systems. With over 5 years of experience, she focuses on energy and resiliency planning for the GSA and the Army, conducting site evaluations and recommendations to optimize energy and water use.

Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5933163098707566935?source=evite1

We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and you are able to take some time to share it with family, friends and loved ones. This update is dedicated to some examples of those giving back. We’ll also tell you what’s cooking with our weekly podcasts as well.