BIRD-IN-HAND, PA. — Rarely are circulators chosen based on their compatibility with off-grid photovoltaic solar systems, but Matt Lapp has done it. His company, J.M. Lapp Plumbing & Heating is located in Bird-In-Hand, PA; dead center of Amish Country. Here, a connection to utility lines is often considered a luxury.
When a building relies on solar power for electric power generation, he’s found that the electrical savings provided by ECM circulators is a big advantage. But using high efficiency pumps isn’t the only way that 14 professionals at J.M. Lapp have adapted the firm to its unique market.
“There are a lot of farmers and handymen in this area,” said Lapp. “So we have a small retail warehouse here, so they can buy a variety of plumbing and mechanical components. Our four service techs and four installers also scan material out every day. When a SKU gets low, the system notifies us, and we place an order with Hajoca’s Lancaster supply house.”
Hajoca trucks come daily, bringing everything from copper press fittings to K2 condensing boilers to Lapp’s 7,100-sq.-ft. shop. Having a service-oriented wholesaler nearby has proven valuable, in part because J.M. Lapp handles such a wide variety of work. Their hydronic projects alone include oil-to gas conversions in downtown Lancaster, custom residential construction and agricultural applications.
Manufacturing space
Intercourse, Pennsylvania, is known for Amish quilts, furniture and other crafts. A local lawn furniture manufacturer has a facility just outside of town, producing garden sheds and poly outdoor furniture. Lapp designed and installed a high-efficiency, in-floor radiant system for the 10,000-sq.ft. facility early last year.
Since it’s Amish-owned, the building’s power is all supplied by a solar array, or, if necessary, a generator. Zoning with variable-speed, ECM circulators offered a big power savings. They found LP savings, too, with a 180 MBH, stainless-steel K2 boiler made by US Boiler Company.
“We used to install three or four different condensing boilers interchangeably, but with the addition of the K2, the others have dropped off,” said Lapp. “We probably have 20 K2s in the field now. They do everything that higher-priced boilers do at a much better cost.”
Four zones of half-inch PEX heat the building through the bare concrete slab, and a 35-gal., stone-lined Burnham Alliance indirect tank is used for DHW. The entire system fits under a flight of steps, with room to spare for storage. Despite the high ceilings and big doors, the building remains extremely comfortable throughout the winter.
“Scott Fickes, at Hajoca Lancaster, is always a lot of help,” said Lapp. “He’s always helping us better utilize Hajoca as a resource, whether that’s using the Hajoca app, or bringing us new products, like various components of the K2 Boiler System.”
According to Lapp, once Hajoca showed them the K2 Fastpipe and Sage Zone Control, they found that the boiler’s flexibility and ease of installation was unmatched.
Plain & fancy
J.M. Lapp technicians travel within an hour-and-a-half, often toward Philadelphia. The bulk of their residential work is renovations, but custom new construction isn’t rare.
On residential applications especially, Lapp has found the Sage Zone Control to be a major advantage. Small bathrooms and other “mirco” zones no longer cause short-cycling, but rather call for the boiler to run at a lower input, meaning longer condensing cycles and higher efficiency.
Not far from the shop, in Honeybrook, a farmhouse from the late 1800s is being completely remodeled. The new owner wisely decided on a hydronic system to heat the stone home. The basement slab and first floor feature in-floor radiant, while the upstairs has hydronic fan coils.
Here, Lapp used the K2 Combi Kit with the 150 MBH, wall-hung boiler. It bolts onto the underside of the unit and provides ample hot water to the entire home, saving space in the process.
Just up the road, the previous owners of the beautiful farmhouse recently finished a project of their own: a new, 2,000-sq. foot ranch-style home. Radiant heat is used throughout, including the garage.
In the basement, a 120 MBH K2 boiler and 35 gallon Alliance sidearm tank were installed. Instead of large primary/secondary loops, Lapp used the K2 Fastpipe premanufactured near-boiler piping kit.
“The Fastpipe was a game changer,” said Lapp. “Since it was introduced, we’ve put it on every one of our K2 installations because it offers material, space and labor savings. When we find something that works, we stick with it.”
“It’s the same reason we stick with Hajoca,” continued Lapp. “Whether it’s PEX, boilers, bathroom fixtures or expertise, we know we can find it all under one roof. Hajoca is a one-stop-shop, and that’s a huge advantage.”