Good things might come in small packages, but when it comes to residential construction, an opulent project simply commands attention – especially when it comes to the design of the mechanical footprint.

Meilich Heiman recently completed the signature project of his decade-long career in the plumbing and heating business when he designed and installed a radiant system for a newly constructed 10,000-square-foot house in a New York City suburb.

‘A Lot of Challenges’

“This was a fun project, but there were a lot of challenges,’’ Heiman says. “Everything is automated and there were a lot of special features in the house. It’s the most unique project I’ve ever worked on so far.”

Heiman, a technician with Garfield Plumbing and Heating in Monroe, New York, faced unique challenges because there were many special features in the house that required extensive calculations and adjustments for the plumbing and heating fixtures. 

The spacious mansion, constructed for a member of the region’s extensive Hasidic community, includes six bedrooms, a dining room, a kitchen dinette, a Passover kitchen, a two-story book room, a wine cellar, a recreation room and a snowmelt system for the driveway. It also includes two mikvahs, which are baths specially designed for ritual immersion.

Two NTI boilers provide the heating power for the home, which was a complete rebuild by The Eastgate Group of a four-bedroom, 2,100-square-foot home.

“It took some time to figure out how we were going to design the boiler room,’’ explains Heiman, who used six different sized pipe – ranging from a half-inch to 3-inches in diameter – to complete the set-up. “We had a split unit because of the size of the boiler room. Then I had to consider how I could separate the rooms. There is a gym in the basement, but we also had the mikvahs, a Passover kitchen and a wine cellar. They all need special treatment for plumbing and heating.”

A wine cellar, for instance, requires stable temperature and humidity levels to prevent damage to corks. Drying, shrinkage and cracks will lead to oxygen exposure, which alters flavor. Mold and mildew could also arise. A vapor barrier, framed walls and insulation are also required for wine cellar construction. Wine cellars need to remain around 55 degrees, maintain humidity levels between 50 and 75 percent and protection from direct sunlight. 

Mikvahs are another unique room that need tremendous attention to detail from the contractor. Central to the home for Orthodox Jews, mikvahs must contain a minimum of 200 hundred gallons of rainwater. The water is gathered and siphoned into the mikvah pool in accordance with a specific set of regulations. Most mikvahs contain multiple pools. 

The pools share a common wall with a hole – a minimum of 2 inches – which allows for the free flow of water, making the immersion pool an extension of natural rainwater. This design meets the religion’s requirements for the mikvah, which are often equipped with water and purification systems. 

A Passover kitchen is also prepared in accordance with the laws and customs recorded in the Torah, which includes all Jewish laws and traditions. Separate from the everyday kitchen, a Passover kitchen is cleaned extensively prior to the holidays. To maintain cleanliness, many Passover kitchens have multiple pipes, faucets and sinks to reduce the risks of contamination.

In designing the house, Heiman needed to ensure he had the proper setup for the Passover kitchen, which includes an oven and stove, microwave, sink and refrigerator.

Just Radiant

The homeowner selected radiant heating for the expansive home, and Heiman also ensured each room had proper thermal temperature.

For this application, Heiman needed three different temperatures for the radiant floor that were lower than system temperature. He installed electronic high-flow, low-heat mixing valves to take the boiler supply temperature (which varies based on outdoor temperature) and reduce it using the return water from these zones.

The design will allow for the radiant zone to meet the required temperature based on the outdoor temperature. Floor and wall sensors will also help keep rooms at the proper thermal temperature.

System Backbone

The NTI boilers provide the heating power for the mansion. The units are from the company’s flagship TFTN Series.

The boilers have a thermal efficiency of 95.4, which inputs up to 399 mBH, and a 10:1 turndown ratio. This is the highest BTU input of all NTI wall mount products. 

The boilers feature onboard touchscreen controls for improved precision and set-up efficiency. They also include onboard Wi-Fi capability to provide contractors with more functionality and diagnostic ability from anywhere. 

The unit sets up quickly with top and bottom plumbing connections and an EZ Setup Wizard for easy programming. TFTN series boilers include a stainless-steel heat exchanger, 2-to-4-inch venting, a built-in low water cutoff and a factory supplied 120-volt convenience outlet.

“They are the backbone of the heating system,’’ Heiman says. “They’re good products and I know I’m going to get great customer service. I have a tremendous relationship with them. If I want to figure out a diagram for a system, I know if I call them, they’ll help me out. It has all the features, and you can do so many things with it. The original plan was to install less expensive units, but we thought these units were the best choice for this house.”

Signature Moment

The system design and installation are Heiman’s highlight so far in his career. From concept to completion, the project required meticulous planning and coordination with the general contractor and other mechanical teams. 

The final step for Heiman included the installation of the snowmelt system, which will ensure the driveway stays clear of snow and ice during the winter months. 

In a tight knit community that is renowned for its commitment to family and faith, it’s important to work with a contractor with whom homeowners feel comfortable. Heiman has established that trust, and a complex assignment of this magnitude will further endear him and his business to the community. 

“It was such a big project, we had to work on it in phases,’’ Heiman adds. “It just depended on what was required at the time. But when it came for us to install, we had to move quickly. We were under a time constraint, but we got it completed on time and it was certainly a special project for us.” 

Thomas Renner writes on building, construction and other trade industry topics for publications throughout the United States.