Latest US Census Data for Heating Systems

Mike T., Swampeast MO

More common A/C in the Northeast certainly accounts for some. Increased efficiency and sophistication of forced air almost certainly accounts for more.

Resistance to change by hydronic contractors likely makes up much of the rest. Hydronics (hydro-air doesn't qualify as it's still an "air" system) will ALWAYS provide superior efficiency and comfort but air systems are RAPIDLY approaching the efficiency of traditional hydronics. Stand still and the changing world will pass you by...

Mike T., Swampeast MO

This for new, detached homes:

By Heating System Type

Mixed message. Hot water & steam up both both in total number and percentage (in some regions), but still following a generally lower trend over the years--the farther back you go the greater the downward trend.

"Other" heating systems include:

"Electric baseboard, panel, radiant heat, space heater, floor or wall furnace, solar and other types."

So it's likely impossible to cull out just radiant but "other" has been decreasing in all regions...

Relative standard error of hot water/steam systems in the South and West is so high that it borders on being worthless. RSE is 94 in these regions with an RSE of 100 considered completely unreliable.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

You might want to write to the US Census Bureau and suggest some "updating" of their categorization.

Appropriate email address is:

epcd.nonemployer.statistics@census.gov

Steam in new detached single-family homes is effectively dead. Even if one-in-a-thousand it should be an "other".

Electric radiant as a whole-house heating system is likely just as "dead" as steam. Radiant should likely be classified with "hot water" instead of "other".

I'm sure that the census bureau HIGHLY (and rightfully) scrutinizes and tends to resist changes in classification, but these seem unchanged for generations.

Robert O'Brien

Only 20% in the Northeast? Not a very good showing,I guess they blew the budget on the important things like Jacuzzi's and granite countertops!

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

rb_6

stats

We'll be discussing these and other stats at the HCT convention and asking some very tough questions like:

If market share hasn't changed in 30 plus years

rb_6

Stats

say no more, say no more...nudge nudge...wink wink...know what I mean... (perhaps its not dead - just sleeping)


Dakota tribal wisdom says that when you discover you are riding a DEAD HORSE, the best strategy is to dismount.

...or you can try:

Buying a stronger whip.

Changing riders.

Saying things like "this is the way we always have ridden this horse.

Appointing a committee to study the horse.

Arranging to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses.

Increasing the standards for riding dead horses.

Appointing a tiger team to revive the dead horse.

Creating a training session to increase our riding ability.

Comparing the state of dead horses in today's environment.

Pass a resolution declaring the "this horse is not dead."

Blaming the horse's parents.

Harnessing several dead horses together for increased speed.

Declaring that, "No horse is too dead to beat."

Providing additional funding to increase the horse's performance.

Do a study to see if engineers/architects/builders/ distributors and contractors can ride it cheaper.

Declare the horse is "better, faster, and cheaper" dead.

Form a quality circle to find uses for dead horses.

Revisit the performance requirements for horses.

Say this horse was procured with cost as an independent variable.

Promote the dead horse to a supervisory position.
___________________________________________________

All in good fun of course but the message is loud and clear according to this Monty Python theme "...and now for something completely different."

I think it was Einstein who said, "The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them."

Nudge nudge
______________________________________________

The trend in hydronics since 1973 (last data we have on file). We have identified over 10 factors contributing to this picture...will be the focus of RadFest West and the HCT Convention.

Bob Sweet

My first thought is

Mike your 100% correct the resistance of contractors to educate themselves on providing a TRULY beneficial hydronic heating system is indeed the culprit.


I agree also that the FA manufactures have done their homework, and have given the average Joe contractor the ability to provide the end user with a FAIRLY efficient heating system that allows the contractor to simpy plug and play. The sad thing about this situation is that, again the end user is given ONLY, what the contractor feels comfortable putting in and doesn't reap the benefit's of what a truly well engineered system can provide.

But again, it comes down to the integrity of the contractor to educate themselves and provide the best system thats out there. It's about ethicical conscience, it seems hard to come by these day's.