Publisher

I'm not a contractor, and I'm not an engineer. I'm a writer and I have a passion for heating systems, especially those older ones. The bug bit me in 1970. What makes a steam system work? What do all those big pipes, valves, fittings and odd devices in the basement do? How does hot water heat work? How can it be more efficient. I asked lots of questions and read plenty of old books. And then I wrote a bunch of my own. You'll find them in our Store, along with a lot of other cool stuff. When the Internet happened, building a Web site to hold all the things I had collected over the years seemed like a natural. We started in '97 with a site that looked absolutely nothing like this one (trust me), and we spent a lot of time listening to what our visitors wanted. This is the result. HeatingHelp.com is loaded with information about heating systems, both new and old. I'm glad you stopped by this page, especially if it's your first visit to our site. There's so much information here that people sometimes get lost, so I wanted to offer some directions as you start out. Here are the key things you should know: We have a bulletin board called The Wall. It's the place where you can post questions and comments about any sort of heating system. Thousands of people visit The Wall each day and the heating professionals who participate on the Wall are very friendly and always willing to offer advice and opinions. And it's all free. To ask a question, you'll first have to open an account (it's free). This allows you to keep track of things and it's a quick process. Just give us your name and e-mail address. We don't share that information with anyone. There are so many people on The Wall that it doesn't take long to get the information you need. You'll see. Looking for a Heating Professional? Many of the regulars who post on The Wall also have mini-websites within HeatingHelp.com in the Find a Professional section. Click around and check out the work that those people do. Read about them and get in touch with them if they look good. There's no pressure at all. In fact, they won't even know that you're reading about them. Whether or not you decide to contact them is up to you, but I think you'll be impressed. There are some very sharp people here. Take a look and you'll see what I mean. If you're seeking plain-English information about different types of heating systems, look in Systems. There's a huge amount of information there and it's all good. The Hot Tech Tips area contains hundreds of technical (but very readable) articles. Use the search engine to find something specific, or browse and read at your leisure. Dan's Reading List is just that. I love to read, and most of the books on my list have nothing to do with heating. There's good stuff on that list, and if you choose to buy a book or two through the Amazon.com link that you'll find next to each book, we'll donate the commission Amazon.com pays us to New York Cares for their Literacy Programs. You pay the same price that you would if you went to Amazon.com directly, and you'll be helping others. Thanks. The Library is free, as any good library should be, and here you'll find information from long ago on the systems that are still in many people's homes. All the documents are pdf files and you'll need Acrobat Reader to access them. You can download that software for free in The Library. Look especially at the section for Homeowners and Builders. Fascinating stuff in there. You may download and print anything you'd like from The Library. It's absolutely free. If you're interested in Green issues, we have a section that's filled with information that's hard to find anywhere else. You're welcome to browse there. And if you're a heating professional looking for help, or looking for employment, be sure to use our Jobs There's more, as you'll see, and we'll be adding even more in the days ahead, so relax and poke around; you're among friends. And if you like what you see, please tell your friends about us. Thanks. By the way, my wife, The Lovely Marianne, is my partner. We've been married since 1972 and haven't had an argument since my hearing started to go. We have wonderful elves working for us and they are helpful and even magical. They are always happy to hear from you (800-853-8882). We all live on the Isle of Long, which is a small country off the east coast of New York City. We're in Bethpage, where Grumman built the Luna Landing Module, and less than a mile from the famous Bethpage Black golf course. From the moon to real frustration - that's Bethpage. My daughter, Erin Holohan Haskell lives in D.C. and she came up with the ideas that make us look this good. She, too, is magical. Oh, and if you're planning a trip to Long Island, stop by and visit us. If you're concerned about the language, there's a Rosetta Stone program for Long Island. Check it out. Hug your kids.