Sorry, but the "find a contractor in your area" button didn't work for me...

Jason_44

I just bought a renovated farm house in Eden Prairie, Minnesota (near Minneapolis). The house has radiant tubing in the floors on the first floor, but is not connected to a boiler (the homeowner got rid of his electric boiler because it cost too much to run and never replaced it with a gas one). Gas is now available in the house, so I'm looking to get a new boiler to heat the first floor and convert the existing forced-air furnace to hydro-air (to heat the second floor, which does not have radiant tubing in the floors). I'd also like to have an indirect water tank added for potable water. Are there any hydronic gurus near me who might be able to help? Please email me at producerboy@mac.com.

Thanks!

Jason White
Minneapolis, MN

GW

Jason check with manufacturers reps, look at Bosch, Viessmann. Viessmann guys often have an excellent understanding with radiant. The rep should be able to get you some contractor names. Good luck

Rich_49

http://www.auneplumbing.com/contact-us.html

http://www.auneplumbing.com/

Robert O'Brien

Rich_49 said:

http://www.auneplumbing.com/contact-us.html

http://www.auneplumbing.com/

Ditto

DanHolohan

Missed opportunity for MN contractors. How many others are looking for good pros? Go figure.

GroundUp

Mr Aune may not be your guy if you want/need an indirect and multiple temperature zones. He will likely try to talk you into a combi and completely disregard the space heating load, which often ends up creating excessive short cycling for the poor boiler during heating if you have smaller zones. He does nice looking work though, I'll give him that but his design leaves a lot to be desired IMO.

If you're open to other recommendations, maybe give Morgan a call at Badger Boiler Service. He is a super knowledgeable guy with decades in the industry AND is based right in your backyard in Eden Prairie.

I would offer to check it out myself, but I have no time for more projects this year

Steamhead

DanHolohan said:

Missed opportunity for MN contractors. How many others are looking for good pros? Go figure.

This.

newinnj

hi Jason,
Homeowner here. GroundUp gave good advice. You have to go with an experienced radiant designer. I looked up Badger Boiler Service and he has loads of information and experience. The other recommendation looks like an installer. I personally went with an installer instead of a designer when my radiant system was redone. I am paying the price. Get it done right from the start. It will save loads of worry. Dan's Heating Help website is fantastic and this is the place to be!

DanHolohan

Thanks, but this is Erin Haskell’s site nowadays. I’m just a happy participant. 😁

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

DanHolohan said:

Missed opportunity for MN contractors. How many others are looking for good pros? Go figure.

Same with N. and S. Dakota and Wisconsin. And are there no Colorado contractors that would like more customers?

DanHolohan

I’ve been marveling at this for 20 years. Some people just don’t get it.

PerryHolzman

As a homeowner in one of the areas where there are no listed contractors "in my area" I often wonder about that as well.

Of course, the other side is that they better know what they are doing and follow "The Wall" if they list. While it seems that any contractor can list... that does not mean that they are actually knowledgeable or willing to learn... or even willing to show up at an annual service call with a combustion analyzer (I had that happen twice).

Have a great day,

Jason_44

Thanks, everybody! I've been visiting this site for many years going back to when I had an oversized steam boiler in Boston that ended up needing a total near-boiler repipe (big bucks, but it made a huge difference). I really appreciate all the great feedback!

One additional question: Somebody here made a comment about combination units. I think NTI makes a combination boiler and hydro-air unit. Should I avoid these kinds of systems altogether?

DZoro

I'm in Wisconsin, but I don't advertise anymore. If I ever find myself in need of advertising I would sign up. Currently if the phone doesn't ring from now until August, I will run out of work...BTW the phone keeps ringing. The need of technicians is getting to be a crisis, IMO.

If someone in my service area comes on the site and is in need of some help I would take them on, just because of this great site.
D

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

DZoro said:

I'm in Wisconsin, but I don't advertise anymore. If I ever find myself in need of advertising I would sign up. Currently if the phone doesn't ring from now until August, I will run out of work...BTW the phone keeps ringing. The need of technicians is getting to be a crisis, IMO.

If someone in my service area comes on the site and is in need of some help I would take them on, just because of this great site.
D

I think this is a great forum as well and the people on it have helped me out many times. That's the main reason I pay for a year-round ad: to support Erin and this amazing website.

Paying a small monthly fee to be a part of this knowledgeable community that educates me and helps me earn more money in my profession shows my support for those that work hard to keep this website going.

Paul Pollets posted here to tell us about the Viessmann HX recall. Did my supplier let me know about the recall? He hadn't even heard of it before I told him. Since I mostly do hot water heating, I come here to learn about fixing steam problems. And there's the resident hydronic encyclopedia in attendance here as well. You know who I'm talking about, no? Wow! How could you not love this place!

GroundUp

Jason_44 said:

Thanks, everybody! I've been visiting this site for many years going back to when I had an oversized steam boiler in Boston that ended up needing a total near-boiler repipe (big bucks, but it made a huge difference). I really appreciate all the great feedback!

One additional question: Somebody here made a comment about combination units. I think NTI makes a combination boiler and hydro-air unit. Should I avoid these kinds of systems altogether?

The combi referenced is combination space heating and DHW heating. Whether or not that is a good fit will require a heat loss calculation as well as a DHW load calculation, but more often than not the DHW load is far too high when compared to the space heating load and IMO a combi is a poor choice. The GF200 unit from NTI is neat and all, but is it worth the $$$$$$ when you already have the air handler and can easily add a W2A HX to it and simply add a boiler and indirect for $$?

Erin Holohan Haskell

Thanks, @Alan (California Radiant) Forbes!

NY_Rob

DZoro said:

....The need of technicians is getting to be a crisis, IMO.

A very well known/reputable plumbing/heating/AC firm near up has put out the "PLUMBING TECH WANTED" sign (right over their main company sign) pretty much every other month for the past two years now. But it's not just plumbing/heating/AC that is experiencing a Tech shortage, it's crossed over to almost every field where someone is required to think and actually do something other than press buttons on a cash register or remove the fries from the vat when the timer goes off.
Somehow, even Walmart is finding it difficult get new hires nowadays..

Steamhead

DanHolohan said:

I’ve been marveling at this for 20 years. Some people just don’t get it.

This.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

Thirteen out of 50 states are teal (I don't want to say blue for obvious reasons).
Turn your state to teal and you'll see how much better you feel.

DanHolohan

Nice slogan, Alan!

delta T

@Alan (California Radiant) Forbes I am in Colorado, and no I don't advertise here (or anywhere). I can't begin to keep up with the work that I have now. If that ever changes though I would never advertise anywhere but here!

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

@delta T Well, you must do excellent work and have a devoted clientele that use and refer your services.

I'm the same as you regarding advertising: I don't advertise; don't need to because I've been in the business so long. The money for "Find a Contractor" doesn't come out of my advertising budget. It comes out of my "Supporting a Website" budget.

I hang out on this website every day. I don't do FaceBook, Snap Chat, Pinterest or any of those others. I hang out here with Erin, Dan and you guys. It's all I need and want to show my support.

You could light up Colorado all on your own.

ethicalpaul

delta T said:

@Alan (California Radiant) Forbes I am in Colorado, and no I don't advertise here (or anywhere). I can't begin to keep up with the work that I have now.

Then you should raise your rates, and congratulations!

JohnNY

My plumbing and heating company is a smaller business currently with 18 guys and I can't afford any downtime at all. I've been advertising on HeatingHelp.com for many many years because it pays back several times over. It always has. I can't say that about any other advertising media I've ever tried.

DanHolohan

My thanks to all of you who get it, especially you @Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

Erin Holohan Haskell

DanHolohan said:

My thanks to all of you who get it, especially you @Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

Yes, thank you!

Robert O'Brien

> @Alan (California Radiant) Forbes said:
> Fourteen out of 50 states are teal (I don't want to say blue for obvious reasons).
> Turn your state to teal and you'll see how much better you feel.

NY leads the pack with 11!

Tinman

I used to be on Find A Contractor when I was a contractor. I not only got leads from Illinois, but surrounding states as well. The teal is the real deal.

Tinman

I did work in South Dakota because of Find A Contractor. They paid my traveling and lodging expenses on top of a premium cost for the system.

DanHolohan

@Dan Foley said something to me once about this that really struck a chord. He said that most contractors get qualified by their potential customers, and usually based on price alone. But because of his Find a Contractor ad, he gets to qualify the customers. They come to him.