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Taco After Dark

Taco After Dark returns with its Fall Sessions for 2024! Get ready for an energetic, informative, and entertaining program that features practical, real-world solutions to Hydronics professionals’ daily challenges. As the program name suggests, Taco After Dark is designed for evening sessions that won’t interfere with workday schedules.

Attendees may register for each session individually, and each program will be recorded and archived for repeated viewing. Each session qualifies you for one PDH credit. YOU MUST ATTEND ONE OF THE THE LIVE WEBINAR SESSIONS (NOT THE RECORDED SESSION) IN ORDER TO RECEIVE YOUR PDH CERTIFICATE. The link to the PDH certificate, along with a link to the recorded webinar session, will be emailed to you approximately 24 hours after the end of each webinar session.

Individual Class Descriptions and Registration links:

Wednesday, September 18
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7 PM EDT

Part 1: Heat Loss for Hydronics

– Presented by John Barba, Dave Holdorf & Rick Mayo

Taco Comfort Solutions would like to help you sharpen your skills during this time. Together we are offering Taco’s full-day field training class to you one hour at a time.

In Part 1, join Taco’s John Barba, Rick Mayo, and Dave Holdorf as they discuss the importance of a heat loss analysis, what information you’ll need, and the very simple math behind it all. A heat loss is important for everything from a simple boiler replacement to a major remodel or new construction. This fast-paced, hour-long overview will give you the basics for simple heat loss as well as the resources to conduct your own heat loss calculations.

Topics will include:

  • -Calculating infiltration
  • -Heat loss through windows and doors
  • R-value vs. U-value
  • -Ceiling and floor loads
  • -What the totals mean

We’re looking forward to seeing you in Part 1 of Taco After Dark.

Wednesday, September 25
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7 PM EDT

Part 2: Heat Emitters

– Presented by John Barba, Dave Holdorf & Rick Mayo

Join Taco Comfort Solutions for Part 2 of Taco After Dark as we discuss Heat Emitters. In Part 1 we learned about simple heat loss calculations. In Part 2 we’ll now use that information to size various heat emitters, including fin-tube baseboard, cast iron radiators, and radiant floor heating. We’ll also look at boiler selection and learn the difference between a boiler’s DOE output and its net I-B-R/AHRI output. You won’t want to miss this fast-paced, fact-filled hour of non-stop hydronics.

Wednesday, October 2
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7 PM EDT

Part 3: Pipe Sizing, Air Control & Pumping Away

– Presented by John Barba, Dave Holdorf & Rick Mayo

Join Taco Comfort Solutions for Part 3 of Taco After Dark as we build on lessons learned in Parts 1 and 2, and discuss how to size boiler piping based on load, how and why different kinds of air separators work, and just what all the fuss is about circulator location and pumping away. You’ll also learn one of the cornerstones of our shared business: The Universal Hydronics Formula. You’ll learn how to use this formula to size pipe, size circulators and troubleshoot. It’s kind of handy.

You won’t want to miss this fast-paced, fact-filled hour of non-stop hydronics.

Wednesday, October 9
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7 PM EDT

Part 4: Figuring Flow & Head, and the Finer Points of Circulator Selection

– Presented by John Barba, Dave Holdorf & Rick Mayo

Join Taco Comfort Solutions for Part 4 of our ongoing series, Taco After Dark. In our first three segments, we’ve learned about heat loss, heat emitters, and boiler selection, all building blocks for the next phase of the program. In Part 4, we’ll use all that knowledge to take the next step, which is to actually determine flow and head loss and then use that information to make the best circulator selection possible. You’ll also learn where pump performance curves come from, as well as the importance of system curves and how those two little items will determine the overall performance of your hydronics systems.

Make sure to sign up! You won’t want to miss this fast-paced, fact-filled hour of wall-to-wall hydronics.

Wednesday, October 16
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7 PM EDT

Part 5: Zone Pumps, Zone Valves & The Great Debate

– Presented by John Barba, Dave Holdorf & Rick Mayo

Since the first amphibians crawled out of the slime, this debate has been raging: Which is better, zone valves or zone pumps? In Part 5 of Taco After Dark, we’ll examine that question by looking at the pros and cons of each. Whichever way you choose, you’ll learn how to make sure you have the right circulator (or circulators) for the job, and we’ll start taking a look at the wild and wonderful world of variable speed circulators.

You won’t want to miss this fast-paced, fact-filled hour of wall-to-wall hydronics!

Wednesday, October 23
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7 PM EDT

Part 6: Controlling your Hydronic Systems

– Presented by John Barba, Dave Holdorf & Rick Mayo

Following up on our debate from last week regarding the best way to hydronically control the zones, zone valves, or zone circulators (if you still don’t know which one is the best, make sure you watch the recording of Part 5). This session is going to explore the best way to now wire those systems, control them properly and explore the ways you can make your system the most efficient.

Part 6 is also going to show you the next generation of the new platform of controls. Join us for one of the quickest hours of the week for this episode of Taco After Dark!
Wednesday, October 30
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7 PM EDT

Part 7: DHW Indirect Sizing and Mixing Valves

– Presented by John Barba, Dave Holdorf & Rick Mayo

The previous 6 sessions of Taco After Dark were all about making sure your systems are supplying the heat as effectively and efficiently as your customers expect, but do they have enough hot water? DHW tank sizing can be taken for granted, but is it piped properly, and do you have the right circulator?


There are many little factors that we will discuss in Part 7 of Taco After Dark to make sure that you will keep your customers in hot water and keep you out of it!

You won’t want to miss the fast-paced, fact-filled event!

Wednesday, November 6
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7 PM EDT

Part 8: Mod-Con Boilers, Buffer Tanks and Zoning

– Presented by John Barba, Dave Holdorf & Rick Mayo


The right approach to piping a multi-zone system with a mod-con boiler can make all the difference. Do it effectively and you have a system that purrs like a kitten and provides your customer with years of optimal efficiency, performance, and comfort. Do it wrong, however, and you may have just planted a time bomb in your customers’ basement — and an inefficient one at that. In Part 8 of Taco After Dark, presented by Taco Comfort Solutions, you’ll learn the finer points of piping a mod-con boiler, including when to use a primary-secondary “moose-antler” piping arrangement, when to use a hydraulic separator and when to use a buffer tank (you’ll also learn how to size one).

Join us Wednesday night for another fast-paced, fact-filled episode of Taco After Dark.

Wednesday, November 13
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7 PM EDT

Part 9: DHW Recirculation Systems

– Presented by John Barba, Dave Holdorf & Rick Mayo


From last week’s webinar, we discussed making sure you are creating enough hot water, but do your customers have to wait for it?


That’s a golden opportunity to solve a problem your customers thought was just a fact of life. But Domestic Hot Water Recirculation is more than just sticking in a pump, plugging in, and going home. Oversized pumps can destroy a plumbing system in no time, whether it’s a PEX or copper system.

In this program, Taco will show you the right way to size a DHW recirculation pump (here’s a hint – bigger is NEVER better!). You’ll learn the dangers of over-pumping and how, in most cases, the circulator you need will be surprisingly small. You’ll learn strategies for retrofit installation, smart control strategies and how to make sure your customer gets hot water when they want it.

 

Trainers

John Barba

Director of Training, Taco Comfort Solutions

John Barba has been in the plumbing heating industry most of his life, growing up in his family’s plumbing and heating business in Harvard, MA. John’s practical experience includes everything from ditch digging and drain cleaning to boiler piping and PEX slinging, as well as business management and contractor sales. Since 1995, John has trained over 30,000 contractors on the fine art and subtle science of hydronic heating design and installation through highly interactive, entertaining and informative seminars.

John is Director of Training for Taco Comfort Solutions, the leading manufacturer of commercial and residential circulators, controls and accessories for plumbing and heating systems. He is the 2012-2014 recipient of the Carlson-Holohan Industry Award of Excellence, and was recently named the industry’s Best Trainer for 2015 by AHRI News Magazine.

David Holdorf

Residential Trainer, Eastern Region, Taco Comfort Solutions

Mr. Holdorf has been in the hydronic industry for 25 years, specifically in the radiant heating side of the business for the better part of his career. Starting out in the technical support/design role and then took over as Engineering Manager overseeing the Technical Support and Design Department. Later he took a position as a Field Technician; supporting training, designing, installing and troubleshooting.

Rick Mayo

Western Product and Application Instructor, Taco Comfort Solutions

Rick started his career in the hydronic heating industry as a plumber in 1977. In 1981, he transitioned into a wholesale role. Over the next 21 years, he worked his way up to a regional heating manager and left to pursue a training/technical support position with Uponor-Wirsbo. Seven years later, Rick took a western regional sales manager/corporate trainer role with Triangle Tube/ACV. Since joining Taco in 2015, Rick has made an impact as the Western Product and Application Instructor through his training that stretches from Alaska to San Diego, as well as four provinces in western Canada.

Richard Medairos

Director of Engineered Products and Systems Training

Mr. Medairos is a Senior Systems Engineer and Director of Commercial Training at Taco Comfort Solutions. He has over forty years of experience with demonstrated expertise in engineering, project management and planning. Throughout his career, he has worked on projects with major clients such as NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Disney World, Universal Studios Florida, Boston University, Rhode Island School of Design, First Data Corporation, and Taco’s Innovation & Development Center.

Brett Zerba

Applications Engineer, Taco Comfort Solutions

Mr. Zerba is an Application Engineer at Taco Comfort Solutions with over twenty years of experience at the company. He graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire in 1981, and in 2003 he earned his Master of Business Administration from Johnson & Wales. Mr. Zerba has demonstrated his skill and expertise in the field of hydronic systems as an ASHRAE and Hydraulic Institute member.

Webinar Library

Taco After Dark webinar recordings.

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