Plumbing & Mechanical articles from April 2004

Plumbing & Mechanical archives from April 2004

Union vs. nonunion training.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... As usual, Jim Olsztynski's editorial ("Trash Talk Over Apprenticeship," February 2004) has brought up some thought-provoking points. I've been following the union vs. ABC discussion and thought I'd throw in my two cents worth. ...

MCAA convention discusses trends for mechanical industry's future.(Around the Industry)(Mechanical Contractors Association of America)
April 1, 2004... Changing demographics and the 'Wired Generation' will transform the workforce Renovation of existing infrastructure to comprise large portion of commercial construction market Sensor technology and breakthrough materials will play...

Kohler, American Standard join ISH North America in Boston.(Around the Industry)
April 1, 2004... PM has learned that Kohler Co. and American Standard have agreed to exhibit--for the first time--at this year's ISH North America trade show in Boston, Oct. 14-16 (American Standard's Canadian office did participate in ISH NA 2002 in Toronto)....

PHCC scholarships available.(Around the Industry)(Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Educational Foundation)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Applications are now being accepted for the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Educational Foundation, Bradford White Corp. and Delta Faucet Co. scholarship programs. More than $70,000 will be awarded to deserving students who are enrolled in...

EMCOR's Levy resigns.(Briefs)(EMCOR Group Inc., Jeffrey M. Levy, appointments, earnings)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... EMCOR Group announced that Jeffrey M. Levy resigned his position as its president and chief operating officer. Levy, who joined the company in 1992, will remain in an advisory role during the transition period before leaving to pursue other...

Comfort Systems reports reduced 2003 revenues.(Briefs)(Comfort Systems USA Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... For 2003, Comfort Systems USA reported revenues from continuing operations of $784.98 million, compared to $800.49 million in 2002. This includes divested units not reported in discontinued operations. The company also reported a net loss for...

IAPMO accepting Code Committee applications.(Briefs)(International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The board of the International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials is now accepting applications for the Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code Committee, as well as the Uniform Solar Energy Code Committee. The committees will...

'Modern Marvels' to showcase bathrooms.(Briefs)(television program)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The History Channel's "Modern Marvels" series will feature a show dedicated to the bathroom. The "Bathroom Tech" episode, which airs April 21, will tell you everything you wanted to know about the most used--and least discussed--room in the...

ARS/AMS revenues decline in 2003.(Briefs)(Ernie Mrozek)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... ServiceMaster Co. reported that, in 2003, revenues for American Residential Services and American Mechanical Services declined 5 percent and 9 percent, respectively. The decline at ARS was due to a decrease in plumbing and HVAC service revenues...

BFCA holds courses on Mechanical, Fuel Gas Codes.(Briefs)(Building & Fire Code Academy)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Building & Fire Code Academy is conducting two-day courses to help heating tradespeople understand the 2003 International Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes. Topics include general regulations, ventilation and exhaust, duct systems, chimneys and...

AMPAM sells Atlas, agrees to proposed plan.(Briefs)(Ben Lewis Plumbing purchases Atlas Maryland while Stephen Turner buys Atlas Virginia)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... American Plumbing and Mechanical closed the sale of AMPAM Atlas Plumbing LLC in two transactions. The assets of AMPAM Atlas Maryland were purchased by Ben Lewis Plumbing, and the assets of AMPAM Atlas Virginia were purchased by Stephen Turner....

Roto-Rooter completes Healthcare acquisition.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Roto-Rooter's Comfort Care Holdings subsidiary completed its merger with VITAS Healthcare Corp. Under the terms of the agreement, VITAS shareholders will receive cash of $30 per share. The transaction totaled about $406 million in cash, which...

Plumbing firms make Entrepreneur's Franchise list.(Briefs)(Benjamin Franklin Plumbing)(Rooter-Man)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Several plumbing franchise companies made Entrepreneur's 2004 Franchise 500 list, which ranks firms on factors such as financial strength, stability, growth rate, number of years in business and start-up costs. Mr. Rooter (with 178 franchises...

Service Roundtable presents Servant Leader Award.(Briefs)(Tom McCart)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Service Roundtable presented Tom McCart, a sales training and air-conditioning industry consultant, with its Servant Leader Award in recognition for a lifetime's service to others in the industry.

C-2000 transforms into Nexstar.(Around the Industry)
April 1, 2004... Some things haven't changed, such as the group's take on the Super Bowl in tying Roman numerals to its biennial gatherings. "Super Meeting XXIII," held Feb. 19-21 in San Francisco, resembled in many ways the previous 22 sessions of the service...

ASSE to develop mold standard.(Around the Industry)(American Society of Safety Engineers)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The American Society of Safety Engineers intends to develop a standard aimed at protecting workers when dealing with mold remediation. The purpose of the standard is to create minimum requirements and recommended procedures to be implemented by...

Truebro wins patent infringement lawsuit.(Vendor & Supplier News)(Plumberex Specialty Products Inc. and Futura Sales Inc. found guilty of false advertising)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Truebro Inc. on March 9, 2004, won its patent infringement and false advertising lawsuit against Plumberex Specialty Products Inc. Magistrate Judge Charles B. Swartwood III, of the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts, awarded Truebro $2.1...

Mansfield Plumbing sold to Columbian firm.(Vendor & Supplier News)(Corona SA acquired Mansfield Plumbing Products LLC.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Organizacion Corona SA, a privately owned Colombian company, recently acquired Mansfield Plumbing Products LLC. Mansfield will report through Corona's U.S.-based business unit, Ceramicorp Inc. The acquisition of Mansfield is part of Corona's...

Wisconsin Energy sells water systems maker.(Vendor & Supplier News)(Wisconsin Energy Corp. agreed to sell WICOR Industries to Pentair Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Wisconsin Energy Corp. agreed to sell WICOR Industries to Pentair Inc. for $850 million and the assumption of about $25 million in debt. WICOR manufactures water systems, filtration and pool equipment products under the brand names Sta-Rite,...

Granby Steel Tanks buys KamCo Products.(Vendor & Supplier News)(Bill McKinstry to join as COO)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Oakville, Ontario-based Granby Steel Tanks, maker of high-quality steel storage tanks for the North American plumbing, heating and air-conditioning market, purchased all the assets of KamCo Products Ltd. (Langley, British Columbia), maker of...

Conbraco completes sale of RP & C.(Vendor & Supplier News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Conbraco Industries completed the sale of its RP & C forged steel valve division to Bonney Forge Corp. The RP & C sales office, as well as all inventory, will move to Bonney Forge headquarters in Mt. Union, Pa. All sales inquiries should be...

ITT ends stock purchase of German water treatment firm.(Vendor & Supplier News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... ITT Industries announced that it has purchased 88.06 percent of WEDECO Aktiengesellschaft Water Technology, a manufacturer of ozone oxidation and ultraviolet disinfection equipment based in Dusseldorf, Germany. It will become a part of the...

MrHVAC divides business.(Vendor & Supplier News)(Easy Street Inc. and MrHVAC.com Inc. are newly formed companies headed by James R. Leichter and Amber MacDonald)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... MrHVAC.com is dividing its business into two companies: Easy Street Inc., which will manage the flat rate pricing, software and book publishing business; and MrHVAC.com Inc., which will focus on seminars, business coaching and personal...

Charlotte Pipe listed as 'Green' manufacturer.(Vendor & Supplier News)(Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Co.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Charlotte Pipe and Foundry is now listed in the GreenSpec[R] Directory, a guide to materials and building practices that contribute to environmentally friendly buildings. In order to achieve the listing, Charlotte certified that its cast-iron...

Jacuzzi reports increased sales for 1Q 2004.(Vendor & Supplier News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Jacuzzi Brands, parent to Jacuzzi, Sundance Spas, Eljer, Zurn-Wilkins, Sanitan, Astracast and Rainbow, reported net sales increasing in the fiscal year 2004 first quarter 14.3 percent to $303.8 million, with net income of $3.4 million. Bath...

Weldbend's Leibfried to retire.(Vendor & Supplier News)(Mark Flisk to replace Leibfried and Wade Baker named assistant director of sales)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Weldbend Corp. announced the retirement of Byron Leibfried, director of sales, who has been with the company for 37 years. Succeeding him is Mary Flisk, his longtime assistant. Wade Baker was named assistant director of sales. In addition,...

Gastite partners with Accubid.(Vendor & Supplier News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Gastite announced an agreement with Accubid Systems to have its entire 200-item product offering incorporated into the mechanical material database of Accubid's Estimation Version 6 software. Designers and specifiers will be able to calculate...

Checklists: help your company and employees look professional in the eyes of your customers.(Business Tips)
April 1, 2004... You could see and hear me coming from four blocks down the street. Just follow the smoke trail and listen for the coughing and chugging. My truck was in dire need of attention. Once the problem grew to an embarrassingly noticeable level, I...

Gypcrete vs. concrete overpour.(Off the Wall)
April 1, 2004... Original inquiry: We are installing radiant (hydronic) floor heat over an existing concrete slab. We are putting down 2X4 sleepers shimmed to level the floor. We then will fill the spaces between the sleepers with either gypcrete or concrete....

The long way around: one way to correct excessively long hydronic circuits.(Hydronics Workshop)
April 1, 2004... All hydronic distribution systems have strengths and weaknesses. Simplicity of installation is often traded off against thermal and hydraulic performance. Often times the designer is oblivious to such tradeoffs until they reveal themselves when...

Sand vs. concrete.(Radiant Forum)
April 1, 2004... Q: How about using sand or pea stone instead of concrete for a radiant thin-slab installation? Answer: This question has come up on several occasions. The person asking it usually is thinking there must be a simpler way of making a radiant...

Residential water heater energy requirements.(Plumbing Primer)
April 1, 2004... Irecently received a notice from my good friend John O'Reilly (former editor of our sister publication Supply House Times) regarding the introduction of the new Rheem Pronto water heaters. The Rheem Pronto units are instantaneous, tankless...

What's in your water? In this age of pipeline replacement and maintenance, are we prepared to secure our drinking water from harmful bacteria?(Cover Story)
April 1, 2004... Your customers want to trust that what comes out of their taps is the safest possible drinking water. And in the United States, they're probably right; the U.S. public water system--including more than 56,000 community water providers--is...

High-performance boilers: modulating boilers--from commercial use to residential applications.
April 1, 2004... Imagine driving your car in this manner: Stomp on the gas pedal, accelerate for about 10 seconds, then stop, accelerate, stop, accelerate, stop. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Your car would get really bad gas...

Viega is your best source for plumbing and heating solutions.(What's a Viega? (Pronounced "Vee-Gah"))
April 1, 2004... You might already know the Viega North America name. But you may not realize it's backed by a century of experience in engineering and manufacturing solutions for plumbing, radiant heating and snow melting installations. Worldwide, over 300...

Special PM survey: kitchen plumbing.
April 1, 2004... Stainless-steel sinks and pull-out sprays were a couple of the big winners in our recent survey of what the average PM reader installs in kitchen plumbing projects. We sent a survey to 1,500 PM subscribers in January and received a 27...

At the center of quality: Haws' new ActiValve[TM]; Drinking fountain actuation will never be the same.(Haws Corp.)
April 1, 2004... So, you step on up to the drinking fountain and give the button a push. You fully expect it to work... and it does! A refreshing drink of water squirts up four inches and out two. The commercial drinking fountain, as we know it, is almost 100...

Time for spring cleaning: this plumbing company takes tidiness to the next level.(PM's Truck of the Month)(Phillip Maurici Plumbing)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Clean Plumbers. No, it's not an oxymoron. It's this month's Truck Of The Month winner from Tampa Bay, Fla., chosen for its ingenious use of the power of suggestion on its trucks and uniforms. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Nearly four...

I can do that? Check what your techs are doing in the field; bad service can lose you customers.(Managing Your Business)
April 1, 2004... I was celebrating my first Thanksgiving in the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix. It was a peaceful morning until 8 a.m. when my doorbell rang and there stood a police officer who informed me they'd gotten a call that my alarm was going off. ...

Parallel Vs. series circuits: or, the difference between an electrician and a controls tech.(Hydronic Controls)
April 1, 2004... I bet you already know this: there are two types of basic circuits--series and parallel. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The heating industry doesn't do much with loads in series. But switches in series are the "safety committee" that makes...

Flat rate tune-up: review and reorganize your company's flat rate manual.(In the Field)(pricing)
April 1, 2004... Flat rate pricing is rapidly becoming the universal standard for pricing service and repair jobs. However, what I see happening in many businesses is complacency, a stagnant attitude toward this powerful business management tool. ...

How to score jobsite working foremen: a detailed job description will help effectively measure jobsite performance.(Practical Management)
April 1, 2004... I am quite certain that most of you will agree that the majority of jobsite foremen in every trade that you encounter are not properly trained for that critical position. Common sense tells you that foreman training is very necessary, but it is...

Innovation in plumbing ... Webstone strikes again.(Product of the Month)
April 1, 2004... For the past 50 years, Webstone has been at the forefront of innovation and technology in our industry. Dedication has been evident to its full circle approach of creating products that have better margins and sell-through for the wholesaler,...

Dual Flush W.C.(Products & Literature)
April 1, 2004... Dual Flush W.C.: WDI International introduces EcoFlush, a dual function, pressurized flushing system that provides the user a choice of 1.1 gallons for liquid waste and 1.6 gallons for solid. The result is a water savings of 40 percent. ...

No-Hub Couplings.(Products & Literature)
April 1, 2004... No-Hub Couplings: Ideal No-Hub couplings have a patented bi-directional shield design for reliable sealing, as well as floating eyelets to help eliminate leak paths. They use the highest quality, tested and certified materials. All metal...

Low-Temp Marker.(Products & Literature)
April 1, 2004... Low-Temp Marker: Sakura of America offers a new lower temperature version of its solidified paint marker designed to mark in temperatures from -40 degrees F to 212 degrees F. Available in six colors, it is ideal for everyday industrial use. For...

Portable Inspection.(Products & Literature)
April 1, 2004... Portable Inspection: Everest VIT Inc. offers the QuickView[TM] solution for quick, easy inspection of manholes, wasewater and storm water lines without physical entry. Includes rechargeable, belt-mounted battery and controls, with telescoping...

Modular Radiant.(Products & Literature)
April 1, 2004... Modular Radiant: Embassy Industries Inc. adds Comfort Track to its line of hydronics heating products. This new modular radiant flooring system delivers uniform, consistent heat with ease of control. Composed of medium density composite wood,...

Durable Rooter.(Products & Literature)
April 1, 2004... Durable Rooter: The new SpeedRooter 91[TM] from General Pipe Cleaners features a durable design with braced framing at key stress points, and tough FlexiCore[R] cable. One person can load it onto a truck without trouble, and drum changes are...

Track Your Truck [no photo].(Products & Literature)
April 1, 2004... Track Your Truck [no photo]: Vehicle Tracking Services (VTS) is the tracking of vehicles that improves your value to the customer by improving the level of service provided. It collects and transmits the tracking data via satellite and/or a...

If you know current or former owners of property in which Entran II hose was or is used for radiant heating or snowmelting: please provide them with the following information about this Class action Settlement.(Legal Notice)
April 1, 2004... There is a proposed Settlement of two class action lawsuits, Galanti v. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and Kelman v. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. The first lawsuit is pending in the United States District Court for the District of...

Just say no to reverse auctions: contractors, not congress, have the best chance to put a stop to the commoditization of their craft.(Editorial Opinion)(Editorial)
April 1, 2004... Do a Web search on "reverse auctions" and you'll find abundant commentary about what a bad idea they are. AGC, MCAA and a horde of other construction trade groups are rightfully indignant that reverse auctions reduce their members' hard-won...