Tag Archives: Heating

On Schedule

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pipe

The first time we came across an ad for pipes with a schedule number, we wondered: prompt pipes? We knew that most of the piping advertised with us includes a diameter, but every once in a while, we’ll get an ad for, say, schedule 40 PVC  pipe. What does that mean?

Since pressure is very important when it comes to heating & plumbing, the schedule of a pipe is an indicator of the thickness of the pipe wall. In other words, it’s used to determine the specific use for that pipe. As you might have guessed, a thicker pipe (with a higher schedule number) would be suitable for heavy-duty (or high pressure) applications.

Find pipe of all sorts, along with threaders, benders & cutters, in our Heating & Plumbing and Machinery & Tools categories.

Getting it Right (or Left)

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Drain

Sure, the left-handed may comprise 15% of the population. And southpaws might tend to excel at abstract and creative thought. But these aren’t attributes that apply to the lefties we’re talking about here. Unless you’ve got some kind of magical plumbing, chances are your left-handed tub keeps its talents to itself.

Yes, we said left-handed tub. And, yes, they’re a thing that exists. A rather common thing, in fact.

The right- or left-handedness of a tub tells you which side has the drain – a rather important detail if you’re shopping around for a tub to fit in a particular spot (remember that most tubs have one side to a wall). If you stand facing your tub (as if you were about to get into it), you’ll see that the drain is either to your right or to your left. If it’s to your right? Right-handed. To your left? Lefty.

So when you notice tubs of the left-handed variety in our Heating & Plumbing section, you aren’t … well, left wondering what that means, right? Right.

Pellet like it is.

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pellet

Funny-looking little things, aren’t they? If you’re the owner of a pellet stove (or even someone who’s done their homework & considered buying one), you’ll recognize them immediately: fuel.

It might shock you to know that pellet stoves burn pellets (we know! Completely floored us, that one did). Sarcasm aside, here’s the really interesting part: those pellets are made from biomass. Biomass is basically compressed sawdust and other wood products; in other words, those little pellets are fuel that’s produced from waste wood that would otherwise end up in landfills. The pellets are poured into a hopper and an auger gradually feeds them into a burn pot area of the stove where they’re burned to produce a steady source of heat.

Pellet stoves were developed in the ’70s in reaction to fuel shortages caused by the Oil Crisis, and they’ve steadily increased in popularity ever since. With current rising heating costs, they’ve become a very viable option for home heating. There’s a wide range of types and grades of pellets, and the stoves can be either stand-alone or installed as a fireplace insert.

And, yes, we’ve got ‘em. You’ll find pellet stoves in our Heating & Plumbing category; if you need to consult with a professional about pellet stove installation or if you’d like to find a source to buy pellets, we’ve got those, too.

Heating Up

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radiator

We don’t need to remind you how cold it is out there. And we probably don’t need to remind you that we’ve got a wide variety of heaters to make you more comfortable. Our Heating & Plumbing category’s got fireplaces, wood burning stoves, water heaters & pellet stoves. If you’re shopping around for a heating source, however, it’s important to mind your BTUs.

You’ll often see a BTU number in ads for heaters and air conditioners. BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, and it’s a standardized measurement of heat. In the case of heating units, it indicates the amount of energy needed to heat one pound of water 1° Farenheit. Because it’s a standard measurement, it’s a great way to compare the capabilities of various heating systems.

BTUs are also used to measure the amount of heat generated by different fuels. For example, propane is approximately 15,000 BTUs per pound, while charcoal is just about 9000 and wood is around 7000. If you happen to be of a scientific bent, you can figure out exactly how much fuel you’d need to, say, grill a hamburger.

The Heat Is On …

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radiator

… well, hopefully it is, considering temperatures will be right around the freezing mark for the foreseeable future.

We’re a fantastic source for furnaces, boilers (both residential & commercial), baseboard heaters and other heating systems and accessories, but when you check out our Plumbing & Heating category, you’ll find quite a few ads for that workhorse, the (sometimes) humble cast iron radiator.

Those radiators – mostly antique – are surprisingly good sellers, likely for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they’re a perfect fit for an authentic remodel of an older home. Other times they simply provide the most workable update for another cracked or damaged model. Even if a radiator is a century old, chances are that it still provides a gentle, even heat (its amazing ability as a reliable mitten dryer & warmer might help, too).

We bet you hadn’t thought much about the humble radiator. But we have. And we know that you never really know what might be a hot seller.