A VERY interesting web site (ME)

Dave_78

What is the Beans web site address. The heatinghelp.com web site is a tremendous asset. Thank you.

[Deleted User]

www.healthyheating.com

If you haven't yet done so, you MUST go to the Beans website and check it out from top to bottom and side to side. This place is LOADED with great information for the comfort contractor. Mr Bean has poured his heart and soul into this place for US, the soldier in the field.

I'll be penning some guest articles for him in the near future. He's already recruited a plethora of talent to write informative articles for the contractor and the homeowner as well.

I referred a lady client of mine to the site the other day, prior to a planning meeting regarding her new dwelling. She thanked me profusely for getting her to go to this site and educate herself. An educated consumer is a GREAT consumer. Afterall, education is our first priority, and MR Bean has developed one heck of a tool for educating ourselves AND the consumer.

Check it out at www.healthyheating.com

You won't regret it.

ME

Scooter Libby

Any web site that repeatedly trumpets how you'll live longer if you install radiant heating is one I would stay far away from.

[Deleted User]

Then by all means...

please DO stay away...

Unless you have information to the contrary...

ME

Scooter Libby

Hmmm...sounds like you are saying that all claims are true unless someone has proof that they are not true.

rb_6

Interesting...

I’ve gone through the entire site and have tried to find where its says radiant systems make you live longer.

What it does say is... "radiant based heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems can be therapeutic to your health, wellness and comfort, which ultimately influences your aging process."

It is important to understand that the "H" in HVAC does not communicate "air heating" nor is the "AC" in HVAC always cooling. That is a big misunderstanding in the HVAC industry.

From our ongoing studies, we use this text from the World Health Organization as our guide to pursuing support for radiant based HVAC systems…

“For many years, the housing environment has been acknowledged as one of the main settings that affects human health. Living and housing conditions are the basis for many aspects that affect residential health: indoor air quality, home safety, noise, humidity and mould growth, indoor temperatures, asbestos, lead, radon, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), lack of hygiene and sanitation equipment and crowding are some of the most relevant possible health threats to be found in dwellings. Physical, mental and social health is affected by the living conditions, but no straightforward mechanisms have yet been established. Furthermore, the immediate housing environment and the neighbourhood represent an everyday-landscape which can either support or limit the physical, mental and social well-being of the residents. Although such impacts are broadly accepted, the concrete relationship between environmental quality and health / well-being has so far not been fully understood. The quality of housing conditions plays a decisive role in the health status of the residents, because many health problems are either directly or indirectly related to the building itself, the construction materials that were used, and the equipment or the size or structure of the individual dwellings.”


So Chuckles, we are very interested in studying research that is contrary to our message and at the same time are concerned that it is possible for some to read into the message that “radiant systems make you live longer”.

Aging is a complex topic and genetics plays a large role but physiological and psychological stresses created by poor interior environments contribute to poor health.

Poor health does not add years to ones life. Nor does it necessarily shorten ones life. But good heath and good genetics does influence aging…and good health is supported by good environments which are a function of the building and the HVAC system.

Does this clear up our position?

It is our intention to be clear, so we'd be happy to rewrite any text that you have read that led you to conclude, “radiant systems make you live longer.” Why? Because the meaning of the communication is the response you get...so where one person can misinterpret then it’s possible for others to make the same conclusion.

This we want to prevent.

Let us know.

RB

rb_6

Quality contractors and low bidders

Thanks Mark,

We have had several great stories about contractors using the site to support the message about conditioning body’s vs conditioning buildings. When the consumer understands the importance of this they tend to look for higher quality contractors and often stay away from the lowest bidder.

You are the perfect example of a high quality contractor.

Thanks,

RB

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Well Said RB

Have been through most of your site myself and am rather mystified by that statement.

I'm a skeptic by nature and find little if anything contentious at healthyheating.com

There is NOTHING wrong with saying that materials and comfort control methods affect the general health and well-being of occupants.

Here's a little subjective anecdote:

Since mid-spring, our weather has been extremely dry--the only significant rain came from hurricane remnants.

My front and side lawns and garden have soil moisture controlled irrigation systems with city water (HIGHLY chlorinated here).

The lawn stays green with irrigation, but does not grow until we have natural rain. The garden stayed alive but yield was dismal.

rb_6

The garden stayed alive but yield was dismal.

Mike,

Very good...when people undertand the difference between staying warm (alive) vs being comfortable (the yield) radiant based HVAC makes more sense (cents).

IAQ + ICQ = IEQ

RB

Dave Yates (PAH)

Stress is a known killer

Poorly performing heating systems can, and do, create varying degrees of stress. I've seen folks stressed out because the heating contractor simply could not achieve any degree of competency where overall performance was concerned and I've seen nice folks turn nasty - I mean, downright murderous - when the heating contractor dropped the ball and left them to fend for themselves and I've worked with folks who had a heating system that made them miserable - all of which gave them a great deal of stress.

And, I've seen plenty of folks who suffer great stress because they can't get comfortable in their own homes. I've also seen the joy and loss of stress for many of those same folks when their system blahs become ahhhssss following a comfort correction.

I've lived with hydronics in a 1600's log construction farm house that was converted to hydronics sometime in the late 1800's and lived, as a kid, through multiple renovations where things like hand-blown glass windows were discovered inside cavernous walls, and through it all - the hydronics remained. Low stress.

Then I moved on as all childen must and experienced furnace-driven air systems. So many, in fact, that I developed bad sinus problems. Our first home had scorched air too & I added a wood furnace to really dry out the air(G). Lots of stress there! Especially when touching a light switch.

Back to hydronics in our second home & much less stress. The ahhhhhh factor actually captured my attention this time. I'm a tad slow, not stupid - in spite of anything HB, HR, ME or RB says!

When it was finally time to build the home they'll carry me out in a box, there was no question it would be hydronic radiant heating. The low stress I experience during the heating season when I step onto delightfully warm tile floors is bound to add time - quality time - to my life. My kids will live longer too because they had less stress growing up in a radiant home. I'll have less stress each month when the utility bills arrive Chuckles (BTW, I do know your true identity from previous posts & Google searches where you posted on another forum under the same handle but forgot to hide your real e-mail address - oops), because mine will always be lower than anyone who packs their hottest air against their coldest greatest heat loss area - the ceiling.

Next year, I'll have even less stress than this year because my low temperature hydronic radiant system is an ideal marriage to solar. Next year, I'll be harvesting energy from the sun and, get this, you get to help pay for my system! Federal tax credits will be helping to offset my solar PV and hydronic syatem costs.

It's a stress and comfort issue where longevity and quality of life issues come into play. If you knew the date of your demise and were offered a reprieve for a day - what would that be worth to you? What if it were a week? Or a year? Or maybe, like smokers who quit early in life, a number of years?



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