About

HeatingHelp.com is your source for information about heating systems.

Whether you’re a contractor with questions about heating equipment or a homeowner wondering how heating systems work, you’re sure to find answers here.

Technical writer and industry expert, Dan Holohan, founded HeatingHelp.com in 1997. It has since blossomed into a vibrant online community and trusted resource for heating information.

The story of HeatingHelp.com is in many ways the story of Dan Holohan. Dan began his career working with his father at a NY-based manufacturers representative. Big Ed Holohan encouraged him to join the heating industry saying, “Kid, this is the best business to be in because people are always going to need heat, especially in the winter.” Dan couldn’t help but agree and so he got to work.

While Dan worked he’d listen to the old-timers who stopped by and they became teachers of a lost art. They’d tell stories about old heating systems they’d come across. They’d also pepper in tips and tricks they’d learned on the job. Dan wanted to learn even more, so he went to the library and poured over books about how heating systems (particularly steam- and hot-water heating systems) were invented and how they’d evolved over time. Those long-gone authors, whom Dan fondly refers to as the Dead Men, told him the story of the industry.

Dan worked at that company for 19 years and spent a lot of time in the field working with contractors. There are so many older heating systems in New York City, and each job was different. Dan would figure out what that strange object in that dark basement was – that big, cast-iron device with the 19th-Century patent date on its side – and research how to make it work better. The goal was to undo what so many people who didn’t know what they were doing had done over the years, and to put it back to the way the Dead Men had intended it to be. And oftentimes, the fix was as simple as a clogged air vent.

Dan decided to share the knowledge he’d gathered from the Dead Men. He knew that while these older heating systems weren’t going away anytime soon, the stories behind them were in danger of slipping away. So Dan preserved this knowledge and shared it through his seminars, his books, and now HeatingHelp.com.

Dan’s daughter, Erin Holohan Haskell, is HeatingHelp.com’s Marketing Director. She’s been working behind the scenes at HeatingHelp.com since 2003, although she jokes that her industry apprenticeship began at birth. She’s got a keen eye for design, connects the dots with analytics, and is passionate about using technology to bring people together. Dan says she puts his words to music when they team up to send the HeatingHelp.com newsletter out each Thursday.

HeatingHelp.com is a beautiful blend of past, present, and future. It uses the latest technology to connect you with information and other individuals. Simply put, it’s where your questions meet answers. The Heating Museum preserves history and makes it accessible to all. If you encounter an unusual piece of heating equipment on the job, chances are you’ll find old literature about it here. And the Systems Help Center is an informative guide to both old- and new heating technology.

HeatingHelp.com thrives on the spirit of shared knowledge and community. The Wall takes the idea of old-timers chatting at the manufacturers representatives, and at the supply house counter, to a new level. Here, everyone is welcome to join in and the conversation can go on for years. Whether you’re an eager listener or an active participant, there’s much to learn from the experience of others (and a lot they can learn from you too).

And it is you, our dear visitor, who makes this place so special. Thank you for being a part of it. We hope you love what we’ve built for you, and that you find success through the knowledge you gain here and happiness through the relationships you build. Please take what you need and leave what you can.

Warm wishes,

The HeatingHelp.com Team