Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Smoother?
The Smoother is a circulator control for hot water radiator heating systems that:
· Improves heating comfort
· Increases energy-efficiency
· Reduces noise, wear and maintenance of your pump.

2. What Types of Homes Need the Smoother?
Homes with traditional single-zone, hot water heating need the Smoother to maintain evenly heated radiators in all rooms without running the circulator pump continuously. The Smoother works with all types of hot water radiators (baseboard, cast-iron and steel/fin tube) and most standard boilers.

3. Why is the Smoother Needed?
A hot water heated house has a circulator pump that moves the heated water from the boiler around the house. The pump is controlled by a temperature switch or a relay, which prevents the boiler from overheating by turning the pump on at intervals, but does not provide evenly distributed heat to all radiators.

Many heating professionals, realizing that the standard circulator controls cause uneven heating, simply bypass them and leave the circulator running continuously. This does achieve even heating, but it has significant drawbacks: constant pump noise, increased wear, and surprisingly high electricity usage. A standard 2-amp circulator running continuously uses over 2000 kWh per year of electricity, as much as FOUR full-size refrigerators!

The Smoother is a circulator control that runs the pump exactly when needed to provide even heating and shuts it off the rest of the time. It provides the same comfortable heating as continuous circulation but without running the pump continuously – saving both energy and money.

4. Why is Even Heating so Important
Small radiator temperature differences cause much larger effects on comfort: in a 25°C room, a radiator heated to 35°C will give out less than half the heat of the same radiator heated to 40°C. When homes are unevenly heated, homeowners may compensate by using dangerous space heaters, cracking windows or turning up the thermostat - significantly reducing heating efficiency.

5. What About Adjusting the Radiator Valves?
Standard radiator valves cannot be used to solve the problem of unevenly heated radiators. Due to the different pipe lengths leading to each radiator, the valves would have to be re-adjusted with every outdoor temperature change. That's why no amount of adjustment ever seems to be "just right." The Smoother operates the circulator pump at the exact times needed, eliminating temperature variations between radiators regardless of radiator location or outdoor temperature changes.

6. How Much Money Can I Expect to Save with the Smoother?
The Smoother typically saves 75% of the electricity used by continuous circulation. With a standard 2-amp pump, at Ontario’s 2005 electricity costs, that’s savings of approximately $165 off your electricity bill every year compared to continuous circulation – without sacrificing comfort. Over the 20-year lifespan of a boiler, the electricity savings alone are $3,300! If you’re not already using continuous circulation, then you will see savings from improved overall system efficiency – evenly heated radiators help to eliminate the need for space heaters, open windows and cranked thermostats.

7. How Does the Smoother Extend my Pump’s Life?
The Smoother has two preventive maintenance features that extend your pump’s life and reduce future service calls. The Pump Exerciser will run your pump a few minutes a day to prevent pump seizure over the summer months. The Soft-Start eliminates the jolt when starting up the pump, ramping it up smoothly to reduce pump noise, stress, and pipe rattles.

8. How Is the Smoother Installed?
Any heating contractor can install the Smoother in under an hour. The Smoother mounts quickly to the exterior of the boiler and requires just a few simply electrical connections - no valves, plumbing or temperature probes required. Once installed, no adjustments or maintenance are required. The Smoother will maintain its setting even during a power outage.

9. What is The Warranty on the Smoother?
The Smoother comes with a two-year warranty. Every Smoother is 100% factory-tested and because it is all solid-state, there are no relays or wearing parts. Proudly designed and built in Canada, the Smoother is designed to outlast your boiler.

10. Where Can I Get the Smoother and How Much does it Cost?
Ask your favorite heating contractor to install a Smoother or contact one of New Current’s Registered Smoother Installers. Your heating contractor can order the Smoother through any heating and plumbing wholesale location in Ontario. A Smoother costs less than $300 and can be installed in less than one hour on a standard, easily accessible boiler.