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How Boilers and Radiant Heating Work · Cool Talk with Hartzell's | Your HVAC Questions, Answered!

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: So picture this.
• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: It is December in Enid, Oklahoma.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_01: Oh man, freezing cold.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: It is like fifteen degrees outside, and you are a homeowner in an older house, right?
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, I'm with you.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: And you head down into your basement and you immediately notice a puddle of water pooling on the concrete floor.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_01: Uh-oh.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_01: That is never what you want to see.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: No, definitely not.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: So you look around and over in the corner, there's this heavy cast iron tank mounted to the wall.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: And it is making this very distinct rhythmic metallic ticking noise.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_01: Ticking.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: And here's the real kicker.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: You look up to check the vents, and you realize your house does not have a single air duct anywhere.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_01: Zero ductwork.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: None.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: There are no grills on the floors, no vents in the ceilings, just these heavy metal radiators sitting quietly in every single room.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: You know, to the average person, I mean that sounds incredibly ominous.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, absolutely.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Right?
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Sounds like a horror movie setup.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: But to an experienced technician, that specific combination of clues paints a very clear, very specific mechanical picture.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Which brings us to the mission for today's deep dive.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_01: Because today we are exploring some fascinating source notes and field experience from Dave Hartzall.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and he is a master HVAC licensee out of Kingfisher, Oklahoma.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: And the guy has spent 47 years in the trade.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_01: So our goal today is to demystify boilers and radiant heat in a state that is just completely dominated by forced air.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, forest air is everywhere here.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_01: It really is.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_01: So you will learn how these systems actually work, why the people who have them absolutely love them.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_01: And um the critical safety rules you really need to know if you ever buy a house with one.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, let's unpack this because to solve that enid basement mystery, we first need to understand what that ticking tank actually is.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, why it does not use ductwork.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: Because when I hear the word boiler, my mind immediately goes to like a steam locomotive.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, sure.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: Like Thomas the tank engine or something.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe a massive industrial factory from the 1920s with guys shoveling coal into a furnace.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Ross Powell Well, the terminology is definitely a bit misleading.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: How so?
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: Modern residential boilers do not actually boil water and they do not make steam.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: Wait, really?
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: They do not boil the water.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_01: No, not at all.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: They are literally just hot water systems.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, wow.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_01: So they heat up water and pump it through pipes to radiators or baseboards or even tubing buried right in the floor.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell That is so wild.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: It's almost like a giant hot water bottle just gently radiating heat into the room without blowing any air around at all.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_01: That is a great way to think about it.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell Because a standard forced air furnace is basically just a giant hairdryer, right?
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_01: It blows hot air at you.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_01: But a boiler is more like um, well, a home-sized circulatory system.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell The house has veins.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_01: Pretty much.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_01: And if you talk about radiant floors, that is where warm water runs through tubing right inside a concrete slab.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell So the whole floor is the heater.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: You can walk barefoot on a warm floor in the middle of winter, and the room feels incredibly comfortable, even if the thermostat is set way lower than normal.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell Because it is heating you, not the air?
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_01: The objects in the room absorb the heat.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Okay.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: So if this gentle, quiet heat is so amazing and it saves energy, I have to ask.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_01: Go for it.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: Why doesn't every single house in Oklahoma have it?
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: Like what is the catch?
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Ross Powell Well, that comes down to the brutal economics of the Oklahoma climate.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: Ah, right.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: Summer heat.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the weather here is harsh.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_01: You absolutely need air conditioning to survive August.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Non-negotiable.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: And air conditioning requires duct work.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_01: It just does.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Right.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: To push the cold air around.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_01: So once a builder has already installed all those air ducts for cooling, adding a forced air furnace is just the absolute cheapest and simplest option.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell Because it just uses the exact same ducts in the same fan.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Ross Powell Exactly.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: It piggybacks on the existing system.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: Installing a boiler means you are paying for an entirely separate second climate control system.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell So does that mean boilers are basically just obsolete luxury items?
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Ross Powell Not at all.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell Or like relics of the past in those century-old historic homes?
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, they are common in older homes, sure.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: But Dave's notes show they are highly requested in new custom builds, too.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell Really?
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: Like new construction.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_01: Oh yeah.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_01: And specifically in specialized spaces like massive barns and mechanic shops.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell A mechanic shop?
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: Why would a greasy shop want a premium heating system?
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Ross Powell Think about it.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: People love them because they are totally quiet and they reduce blowing dust.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell Oh, allergy sufferers probably swear by that.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_01: They absolutely do.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: But for a shop, it is all about the radiant slab.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: Because the concrete floor.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_01: The concrete will hold its heat for a super long time.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I see where you're going when they open the giant garage door.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_01: You open a huge 12-foot door to the freezing cold, all the hot air from a regular heater vanishes instantly.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: But the warm floor is still there.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_01: The thermal mass of the slab keeps radiating heat, so the shop stays warm.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: That is brilliant.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: It really is.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so since these systems are popular in custom builds and shops, how do they integrate with newer technology?
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_01: What do you mean?
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: Like instead of just burning fossil fuels or natural gas all the time, can they be modernized?
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, for sure.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_01: There is one brief fascinating application from Dave's notes about this.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, what is that?
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_01: A water-to-water geothermal heat pump.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: Wait, geothermal?
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: Like using the dirt outside.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_01: It can actually feed these radiant floors.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: That is incredible.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, instead of burning fuel, it uses the steady temperature of a ground loop to make the warm water.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell So you just bury pipes in the yard?
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_01: Pretty much.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_01: And by the way, Dave actually handles this setup as an option in Oklahoma.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Really?
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: That sounds super complicated though.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, it is.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_01: He notes that it requires strict load calculations and custom design.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: So it is not just some off-the-shelf box you buy at a hardware store.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_01: Definitely not.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_01: It is highly engineered.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: Well, here is where it gets really interesting.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, yeah?
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: Because these systems are often custom or you find them in older homes, a lot of people end up buying a house and inheriting a boiler.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_01: And they have no clue how it works.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Exactly.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: And the source material makes it clear that being ignorant about a pressurized tank can be incredibly dangerous.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we are talking severe safety warnings.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell So what are the absolute golden rules, like the do nots of boiler ownership?
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_01: Well, first and foremost, every single boiler has a pressure relief valve.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Okay.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: To keep it from failing under pressure.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Powell Right, because heated water expands.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_01: If the valve is dripping or actively blowing water onto the floor, you never cap it.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Wait, people actually try to cap it?
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, all the time.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_01: People will plug it or tie it off to stop the leak.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell But that is the only thing keeping the tank from exploding, right?
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Ross Powell Exactly.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_01: You are essentially building a bomb in your basement if you plug that valve.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell That is terrifying.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_01: It really is.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: You also never drain the system yourself.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Why not?
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, if I have a plumbing leak, my first instinct is to drain the water.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Powell With a standard plumbing pipe, sure.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_01: But the water in a boiler has been in there for years.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_01: It has no oxygen left in it.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Oh, I see.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: It is dead water.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_01: If you drain it and refill it with fresh city water, you introduce tons of oxygen.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell, which causes the cast iron to rust out.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_01: You will destroy the system from the inside out.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell Wow.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: Good to know.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_01: Also, do not add store-bought leak chemicals, do not open the burner area to tinker, and never cut into pressurized pipes.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell Just keep your hands off, basically.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Ross Powell Pretty much.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_01: And we have to reiterate the life-saving basics here regarding the fuel.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: Trevor Burrus, Jr.: Right.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: Gas leaks and carbon monoxide.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_01: If you smell gas or if a carbon monoxide alarm goes off, get everybody out immediately.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Do not try to find the leak yourself with a flashlight.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_01: No, absolutely not.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_01: Get outside and call 911 or the gas utility from outside the building.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Okay.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: So with all those genuinely scary do-nots out of the way.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it sounds a bit intense.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell It does.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: But what can a homeowner actually do when the system acts up?
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: Like our person back in ENIT standing in the puddle.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Powell Right, the person in the basement.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell What are they legally and safely allowed to touch?
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Powell Well, there are a few safe steps.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_01: First, just confirm the thermostat is actually set to heat.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Okay.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: Basic stuff.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: And make sure the temp is set above the current room temperature.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Makes sense.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_01: Next, read the pressure gauge on the front of the boiler.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell But do not adjust it.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely do not adjust the water feed valves.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: Just write down the number you see.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Ross Powell You are just gathering clues for the professional.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_01: Third, look for water on the floor, but from a safe distance.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Don't go wading into a puddle near electricity.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_01: Please don't.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_01: Fourth, just listen.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_00: Listen for that ticking sound?
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_01: Gentle ticking is normal expansion.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_01: But listen for violent banging or gurgling.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, banging is bad.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, usually means trapped air or a blockage.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_01: Finally, you can check the electrical breaker.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Can I flip it back on if it tripped?
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: You can try to reset it exactly one time.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: And if it trips again.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_01: Walk away.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_01: It is doing its job protecting a short circuit.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so when do you wave the white flag?
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: What are the big red flags from Dave's notes that mean you definitely need backup?
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_01: Ooh, there are a few big ones.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_01: Cold rooms while other rooms are blazing hot.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, uneven heating.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_01: Why does that happen?
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_00: Usually a failed zone valve?
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_01: It is a motorized gate that gets stuck.
• 9:28
  unknown: Aaron Powell Okay.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: What else?
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_01: Rapid cycling burners.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Like it turns on and off every few seconds.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: We call that short cycling.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: Also unlit pilots that will not stay lit, or big wild pressure changes on the gauge.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: Basically anything mechanical or gas related.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Powell What's fascinating here is how transparent the local HVAC trade actually is when you find the right pro.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron Powell Right, because not everyone works on these older boilers.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_01: Dave Hartzel, who has 4.8 stars in over 15 years with his own business, requires you to tell him your brand and your exact issue up front.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_00: Before he even dispatches a truck.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_01: Right on the phone.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_01: Because he wants to tell you straight if he can actually help you or not.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: Which is great, so you don't waste money.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: Speaking of money, the notes actually lay out the exact costs so there are no surprises.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_01: I love that they included this.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: Me too.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: So a regular weekday call to Hartzell's Heat and Air in their seven county service area, which includes Kingfisher, Canadian, and Oklahoma counties, is$210.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_01: And that is broken down pretty clearly.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: It is a$99 dispatch fee, just to get the specialized truck out there, and a$111 diagnostic fee.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_01: Which is fair.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_01: You are paying for decades of expertise to safely evaluate a pressurized tank.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: And if it happens on a night or a weekend, the total jumps to$309.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_01: Honestly, worth it for the peace of mind.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: So to summarize this whole deep dive, boilers and radiant floors are basically the unicorns of Oklahoma real estate.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: They really are rare here.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: But the people who have them absolutely love them.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_01: They refuse to give them up.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are one of those lucky few, respect the pressure valve, look, but do not touch the plumbing, and call a pro like Dave at 405-375-4822 when things get weird.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: You know, even if you just have a standard forced air furnace, understanding these different heating paradigms just makes you a sharper, safer homeowner.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_01: It really does.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_01: And actually, it leaves me with a final kind of provocative concept for everyone to mull over.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: I am ready for it.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_01: Well we are so conditioned to think of home comfort as just heating the air around us, right?
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: We obsess over the air temperature on the thermostat.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Powell But if radiant systems heat the physical objects and the people directly, are we wasting massive amounts of energy trying to control invisible air?
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: That is a wild thought.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_01: Right?
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_01: What if the true future of efficiency isn't better fans, but focusing purely on the surfaces we interact with every single day?
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: Something to think about the next time you walk barefoot across a cold floor in December.