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Site Visits & Photo Submissions
HeatLink® sales and technical staff are increasing their job site visits this year, with positive feedback on all sides. These visits allow us to aid in troubleshooting, answer installation questions, and build customer product knowledge at the same time our PEX-a, fittings, and tools are actually being used.
Not only have our customers benefitted, but so has HeatLink® - we have been able to better learn how our products are used, and what challenges are faced that we can better address, and use to help improve our products. It's also a great opportunity to see the level of craftsmanship and care that our customers take in their work, in all aspects of design and construction.
While we can't make it out to every project, we still want to see the work you do, and the pride you put into every HeatLink® potable or radiant system installation - send us your photos and your work could be featured in a future In The Loop newsletter.
Send your photos (2MB max) to [email protected] with the subject line Great Installations 2017
Radiant Cooling FAQs
With summer upon us and (in Calgary, at least) the usual switch from cries of “it’s too cold!” to “it’s too hot!” along with it, Radiant Cooling is on all of our minds here at HeatLink. In an effort to avoid brain freeze, we thought we would answer some of our most frequently asked questions about Radiant Cooling over the next few months, starting with:
What is the difference between designing and installing a radiant heating system and a radiant cooling system? Nothing! The systems and application behave exactly the same. The effects of floor coverings, tube size, tube spacing, constructions methods, and all of the hydraulics are exactly the same.
The only significant difference is the transfer coefficient from the cooling surface to the space. The transfer coefficients change because of the way that the surface affects convective currents and transfer. A heated floor creates a significant convective current as the air is heated and becomes buoyant whereas a cooling floor decreases convective currents as the air is cooled and becomes less buoyant. Convection at a ceiling is affected in a similar manner with cool less buoyant air dropping and warm buoyant air staying at the ceiling. A wall application remains at or near a constant as the air can flow past it in either direction without physical boundaries.
In the Field: TwistSeal Manifolds - 15 Years of Successful Service
Isn’t it great when things just work?
We know this isn’t always the case - whether it’s your toaster, car, or teenager, there are plenty of things that at 15 years of age tend to need a bit more encouragement to do their job.
Not needing such a boost, however, is HeatLink’s TwistSeal Manifold. A recent visit to the University of Calgary’s ICT building by members of our design and management teams showed that after over 15 years in service - installed in an inverted position, no less - our TwistSeal technology continues to be reliable and worry free.
Completed in 2001, the ICT building has radiant cooling running at an average of 61ºF (16ºC) throughout, which has been regulated by the manifolds without incident. The maintenance supervisor was glad to learn that if an issue ever arises, the manifolds are designed for field service with minimal down time.
Our team was pleased (though not exactly surprised #humblebrag) to learn of the incredible success the TwistSeal manifold has been for the maintenance team at the University of Calgary, and we look forward to visiting after another 15 successful years.
HeatLink Companies Acquired by Mueller Industries
HeatLink’s ownership and management team are pleased to announce that HeatLink Group Inc., and its affiliated PEX-a tubing manufacturing facility PexCor Manufacturing Company Inc., have been acquired by Mueller Industries Inc. [NYSE:MLI] . Co-owners Manfred and Garry Schmidt will continue to lead the Company with the goal of growing the company’s product platform and geographical footprint.
HeatLink and PexCor will complement the wide range of products that comprise the Piping Systems Group of Mueller Industries. The acquisition of HeatLink supports Mueller’s strategy to expand in the pressure plastic products arena with innovative piping and flow control solutions.
Mueller Industries is a publicly traded manufacturer headquartered in Memphis Tennessee that began operating in 1917 and has operations across the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Mexico, South Korea, and China.
“This is a unique opportunity to partner with an organization that has a similar family based history, and a record of successfully integrating acquisitions in a manner that leverages the capabilities of both parties over a long period of time”, says Manfred Schmidt, president HeatLink Group. “We can now accelerate our plan to introduce new HeatLink products, expand our proprietary PEX-a production, and access a range of new markets with quality solutions incorporating both HeatLink and Mueller products.”
Site Visit: Calgary's New Central Library
Select HeatLink® staff were recently invited to visit the new Calgary Central Library, which is currently under construction in the city’s revitalized East Village. There they had the opportunity to see our radiant heating and cooling systems in various stages of installation.
The striking design of the New Central Library presented several challenges, the largest being the windows which almost exclusively make up the exterior, creating high heat loss during the winter, and high solar heat gains in both winter and summer. In order to overcome these heat losses and heat gains, the system design required multiple configurations of interior and perimeter radiant heating and cooling, and ceiling cooling to manage the loads.
Quick Facts:
- The perimeter ramps carry tubing that can be used for heating or cooling.
- The ceiling cooling system is accented by hollow building-width cement “beams” containing a loop of tubing installed beneath the rebar and against the cement. (While this offered us a challenge in design, it was less taxing than the job of the installers who had to crawl into the space.)
- The theatre cooling is regulated both by the tubing in the slab (seats and steps), and by outside air flowing through the slab and out through venting in the steps.
Already an architectural focal point of our vibrant city, once finished the New Central Library will be a fantastic addition to the East Village, and to the city, and HeatLink® is proud to be a part of this piece of our future.
New! Electric Boiler Panels Models and Pricing
Our plug ‘n’ play Electric Boiler Panels just got better! New, lower pricing is now in effect on all models, including the NEW 6, 7, and 8 loop 30,000BTU panels.
The ELBP is perfect for plug ‘n’ play installations, or areas where alternative fuel sources aren’t available. These self-contained “all-in-one” panels are available with 11Kw or 18Kw boilers, primary pump, and StatLink base module (easy addition of thermostats and actuators for zoning), and can serve up to 8 loops to a maximum of 50,000 BTUs using the HeatLink TwistSeal manifolds*.
These all-in-one panels are quick and easy to install, saving contractors time and labor costs (and headaches!), and are covered by a single warranty for all components.
Download Canadian pricing sheet here.
Download US pricing sheet here.
*On select models.
HeatLink in the Community - 4H Youth Auction
HeatLink was proud to sponsor the purchase of a dairy calf through the Michigan 4H club. Whether from rural or urban areas, 4H is valuable opportunity for children from age 5-19 to learn youth life skills such as leadership, responsibility, serving the community, communication, and self-confidence.
Through our continued support of organizations such as 4H we believe it is possible to aid the youth of today in becoming the leaders of tomorrow.
HeatLink in the Community - Veteran's Food Drive
The HeatLink Group once again participated in the Calgary Veteran’s Food Drive, delivering 6 crates of canned and dried goods, as well as nearly $10,000 in cash donations to be used toward grocery gift cards, medical supplies, and more!
The Canadian Legacy Project runs the Veteran’s Food Drive every year to supply much needed food, medicine, and assistance to our community of veterans, as well as educating our youth about the role of veterans in our community, and encouraging students to raise funds and food for the Veteran’s Food Drive.
HeatLink Signs Licensing Agreement with Uponor
Company to Resume Manufacture and Sale of PEX Pipe, and Resolves
Intellectual Property Litigation in Canada and the U.S.
HeatLink Group Inc. today announced that it has signed a technology licensing agreement with Uponor AB that allows the company to resume manufacture and sale of PEX piping and resolves ongoing intellectual property litigation in Canada and the U.S.
The Federal Court of Canada issued a ruling in March 2016 that halted HeatLink and its associated companies from manufacturing and selling PEX piping in Canada based on infringement of Uponor intellectual property. Following the ruling, the two companies came to a licensing agreement that allows HeatLink to resume its manufacturing and sales operations. The agreement also settles pending litigation in the U.S.
"We’re pleased that we were able to resolve this issue in a way that allows us to continue to meet the needs of our customers and our employees," says Manfred Schmidt, CEO of HeatLink.
HeatLink Group Inc. is a leading supplier of PEX-a plumbing, potable water systems, and radiant heating and cooling systems for the residential and commercial building markets across North America. As a fully integrated plumbing and heating manufacturing company, they offer a complete system approach. HeatLink’s international reputation has been built on more than 25 years of experience, innovation and industry leadership.
HeatLink’s Appeal of Federal Court of Canada Judgement
Legal counsel for HeatLink believe several errors were made in Justice Manson’s March 16, 2016 Federal Court of Canada ruling in Uponor’s patent infringement case, and have lodged an appeal of the decision. Twenty five of the thirty claims of the Uponor patent asserted by Uponor were found to be invalid with the five claims that were considered valid focused on the travel of the pipe through the crosslinking zone. These claims do not relate to the quality of the pipe produced.
The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that no Uponor company in North America neither uses the process covered by the 376 patent, nor sells any PEX pipe in North America made by the process. HeatLink’s innovative product engineering team developed their own infrared technology process in 2002, and have been manufacturing high quality PEX pipe since then for a broad range of plumbing and heating customers across North America.
In compliance with the ruling HeatLink has halted the manufacture and sale of the products affected by the Canadian court’s judgement, but is conducting business as usual throughout North America with the continuing sales of other HeatLink products.
“We are a family owned and managed company and we care deeply about our customers and staff,” says Manfred Schmidt CEO of HeatLink. “Our focus is on meeting the needs of our customers, and ensuring they are able to run their businesses effectively. “We believe the matter will be resolved in our favour on appeal, and have asked that the appeal be heard in June of 2016.”
HeatLink Group Inc. is a leading supplier of PEX-a plumbing, potable water systems, and radiant heating and cooling systems for the residential and commercial building markets across North America. As a fully integrated plumbing and heating manufacturing company, they offer a complete system approach. HeatLink’s international reputation has been built on more than 25 years of experience, innovation and industry leadership.
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