Plumbing & Mechanical articles from April 2007

Plumbing & Mechanical archives from April 2007

Style and performance.(Products & Literature)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Style And Performance: Gerber Plumbing Fixtures offers a new expansive line of vitreous china bath suites that combine style and elegance with top-quality performance. The three new suites--the Allerton[TM], the...

Glad to be on my own.(Letters TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... In response to Randall Hilton's column, "Don't Even Think About Going Into Business," (January 2007) I was very impressed with the accuracy of the pitfalls of a mechanic attempting to put out his own shingle. As owner of a...

No miso paste in real life.(Letters TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... Great publication, and I enjoy every issue. I have to comment on the recent stories on water-saving fixtures and fittings, particularly "Questions And Answers On The EPA's WaterSense Program" (January 2007). I've been a journeyman plumber...

Savings exaggerated.(Letters TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... The article in the September 2006 issue of PM, "Why Wait For Water To Get Hot," has a subtitle implying that conventional water heating systems "can waste as much as 38,000 gallons of water each year just waiting for hot water." The article...

Housing slowdown may mean more practical home repairs.(Around THE INDUSTRY: Get Breaking Industry News at PMmag.com)
April 1, 2007... Longer-term owners choose to maintain the condition of their homes rather than updating Spending on improvements and maintenance averaged less than $1,000 a year annually from 2000 and 2005 The age of America's housing, rising energy...

MCAA 2007 convention: attracting tomorrow's workforce.(Around THE INDUSTRY)
April 1, 2007... The industry's labor shortage wears a white collar just as much as a blue collar, according to much of the discussion at just one educational session held during the Mechanical Contractors Association of America's annual convention, Feb....

HVAC Excellence goes Green.
April 1, 2007... HVAC Excellence, a founding member of the Green Mechanical Council, will add green technology and additional energy-efficiency questions during this year's review of its exams. It also has added a combustion analysis to its Professional Level...

2014: 55-and-over population to reach 85 million.
April 1, 2007... A recent report from the National Association of Home Builders' 50+ Housing Council predicts that 40 percent of all households will be headed by someone 55 or older by 2012. That population is expected to reach the 85 million mark by 2014. The...

Service Roundtable adds File Share Center.(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The Service Roundtable has added a File Share Center for its members to share digital business content with each other--spreadsheets, newsletters, advertising, calculations, posters, pictures--to enhance collaboration and improve business...

DOL awards grant to assist minorities.(United States. Department of Labor)(National Business Information Clearinghouse )(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The U.S. Department of Labor recently awarded a $3.3 million grant to the Denver-based National Business Information Clearinghouse to assist minority entrepreneurs in overcoming barriers to starting and maintaining a small business. Through...

QSC continues its 'Strive for Excellence'.(Around THE INDUSTRY)
April 1, 2007... The Quality Service Contractors held its Power Meeting XXVI in Scottsdale, Ariz., in February, where the enhanced service group continued its "Strive For Excellence" theme and additionally drew large crowds. This meeting boasted more than 250...

I=B=R School spring sessions announced.(Around THE INDUSTRY)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... GAMA's Hydronic Institute has scheduled a new round of I=B=R Schools for this spring, and includes a new one-day format. The course is developed by veteran instructor Bob Hedden in conjunction with GAMA's Hydronics Institute Division. In...

$100,000 in PHCC scholarships for 2007.(Around THE INDUSTRY)
April 1, 2007... In 2007, the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors--National Association Educational Foundation will award more than $100,000 in scholarships, made possible by generous sponsors who recognize the importance of attracting new talent to the PHC...

Top 10 housing technologies.
April 1, 2007... The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) announced its 2007 Top 10 Technologies to housing industry professionals at this year's International Builders' Show in Orlando. Among the top-rated advancements were solar water...

AHR Expo sets southwest record.(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... More than 47,000 HVACR professionals attended the 59th AHR Expo in Dallas, Jan. 29-31, making it the largest show ever in the Southwest. The expo covered 354,057 net square feet of exhibit space with 1,789 exhibitors from 32 countries. Notably,...

ESL for building industry.
April 1, 2007... NAHB's workforce development arm, the Home Builder's Institute, has created a self-paced, English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program to help the more than 2.5 million Hispanic workers in the building industry learn English. Sed de...

Mister Sparky begins national roll-out.(Clockwork Home Services)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Clockwork Home Services announced the national roll-out of its recently acquired Mister Sparky brand. In all U.S. territories, it will be branded as Mister Sparky[R] Electrical and marketed as "Mister Sparky: America's On-Time Electrician."...

Mansfield Plumbing sells brass products business to prier.(Vendor & Supplier: NEWS)
April 1, 2007... Mansfield Plumbing Products (Perrysville, Ohio) completed an asset sale of its brass fitting business to Prier Products Inc. (Grandview, Mo.). Mansfield is a 75-year-old company producing a wide variety of quality sanitary and bathware. Prier...

Mueller buys brass rod maker.(Vendor & Supplier: NEWS)
April 1, 2007... Mueller Industries has acquired the outstanding stock of Extruded Metals Inc. Extruded is based in Belding, Mich., and is a manufacturer of brass rods of various shapes, sizes and alloys for sale to OEMs, screw machine shops, service centers...

Viking expands to CPVC, names new CEO.(Vendor & Supplier: NEWS)(Tom Groos named as chairman)(Kevin Ortyl named as chief executive officer)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The Viking Group has created Viking Plastics, a new business unit dedicated to producing CPVC fire sprinkler pipe, manufactured in Huntsville, Ala., from the company's BlazeMaster[R] compounds. The Viking Group also announced that CEO Tom...

Metropolitan opens new HVAC division.(Vendor & Supplier: NEWS)
April 1, 2007... Metropolitan Industries Inc., Romeoville, Ill., announced the creation of a new HVAC division after appointed as the commercial HVAC distributor of PACO Pumps. Heading the division is Rob Brennan, formerly of Affiliated Steam Equipment Co.

InPro purchases bathroom fixtures manufacturer.(Vendor & Supplier: NEWS)
April 1, 2007... InPro Corp., a Milwaukee-based manufacturer of interior and exterior architectural products, acquired Lippert Corp. of Menomonee Falls, Wis., which makes cast-polymer bathroom fixtures and PRISM[R] solid-surface products used in commercial and...

J-M Manufacturing, PW Eagle announce merger.(Vendor & Supplier: NEWS)
April 1, 2007... J-M Manufacturing Co. (Livingston, N.J.) and PW Eagle (Eugene, Ore.), makers of plastic pipe, fittings and tubing products, announced that the two companies have signed a merger agreement under which J-M Manufacturing will acquire all of the...

Geberit to partner with Duravit on wall-hung toilets.(Vendor & Supplier NEWS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The Geberit Group announced a North American partnership with Duravit, a leading European manufacturer of bathroom products, to develop a North American concealed installation system and wall-hung toilet market. The partnership will focus on...

Kohler to open second retail store.(Vendor & Supplier NEWS)
April 1, 2007... Kohler Co. will open another retail store in the Chicago suburbs later this summer. The second Kohler Store will be located in the Abt Design Center, Glenview, Ill., and also will house a separate site for Canac, Kohler's cabinet line. The...

Lochinvar announces 2007 training dates.(Vendor & Supplier: NEWS)(Brief article)(Calendar)
April 1, 2007... Lochinvar has released its 2007 training dates for Lochinvar University. The courses cover various topics--service, sizing and boiler application--and take place at the company's stateofthe-art facilities in Tennessee. Register online at...

Viega broke ground at a ceremony in McPherson, Kan., March 14 to officially begin construction of its new 439,000-square-foot production, logistics and office complex.(Vendor & Supplier: NEWS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Viega broke ground at a ceremony in McPherson, Kan., March 14 to officially begin construction of its new 439,000-square-foot production, logistics and office complex. On hand at the building site was Viega owner...

NKBA networking breakfast.(Around THE INDUSTRY)
April 1, 2007... The NKBA--Manufacturer and Manufacturer Representatives Breakfast Networking Event will be held 8:30-10:15 a.m. May 9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. (Room to be announced.) This event is structured for manufacturers to network with...

The right price, part three: a few last tips on pricing.(Business TIPS)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the two previous issues, we have explored a few maxims that affect contractor pricing. (To read the February 2007 and March 2007 issues, visit the PMmag.com archives. Free registration is required.) As you begin...

Terminology tune-up: some industry terms send the wrong message about what a hydronic system does.(Hydronics WORKSHOP)
April 1, 2007... Over the years, I've heard terms used in our industry that don't accurately portray a concept or device. I confess to using some of these terms myself, usually before I understood exactly what they meant, or considered what they might imply....

Can you spot the errors?(RADIANT & HYDRONICS E-NEWS: THE GLITCH & THE FIX)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Overview: The schematic shown here is for a system that needs to supply higher temperature water to three zones of baseboard, and low- to medium-temperature water to three different types of radiant panels. These reduced temperatures are...

Controlling the selection process: Genz-Ryan Plumbing's design studio allows the company to be involved with its customers from product selectoin to installation to follow-up.
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] When you walk into the Genz-Ryan Plumbing and Heating building, you're walking into its one-year-old, state-of-the-art design studio. But turn to the right, and you get a glimpse of the company's 57-year history via...

Controlling your costs.(TRUCK OF THE MONTH: Sagamore Plumbing and Heating Inc., Weymouth, Mass.)
April 1, 2007... Sagamore Plumbing and Heating Inc. (Weymouth, Mass.) has been a successful plumbing, heating, new construction and service company for the past 15 years. As its service group grew to address increasing demand, Sagamore management--including...

Tools of the trade: a plumber's only as good as his tools, right? Here are some great gadgets and equipment to make completing your next job a lot easier.
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Power Tubing Cutter: Cut copper in three seconds, automatically! The UltraCut[TM] cordless power tubing cutter doesn't need adjustments. Just snap the tubing in and press the button for a fast, clean cut with minimal...

What's new in the steam radiator market? A look at panel radiators.(Q a)(Interview)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New construction steam systems may be a rare occurrence these days, but for home- and building-owners still fitted with the ancient steam rads from the early days of heating history, it may be too costly to change...

Backflow protection for drinking water: even filtered water systems require backflow prevention.(Plumbing: PRIMER)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This year, my hometown of Munster, Ind., celebrated its 100th anniversary. My wife and I have been residents of the town for a good number of those years. It has been a great community to raise our three children....

Anticipation: it's still a good idea to know how to tune an anticipator.(Hydronic: CONTROLS)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Anticipation is such an interesting word. It has an implication of excitement, possibility, maybe even thrills. The classic mercury-bulb thermostat comes with an anticipator. Hardly anyone in the business really...

Father knows best: my dad may have been soft-spoken, but when he talked people listened.(Managing: YOUR BUSINESS)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] My dad, Irving, grew up on a dairy farm--in Brooklyn! He was born in 1917. Brooklyn's changed a little bit since then. The farm life, I think, molded him and it gave him a soft-spoken manner and a gift for...

No results without a system: good ideas are only effective if they are monitored and measured.(In The FIELD)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ideas make businesses grow. But good ideas are only effective if they are implemented into the operation of the business. Once they are made a part of normal business activities, their success, or lack of it, needs...

Broken promises: respect your employees' other obligations outside of work.(Practical MANAGEMENT)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When you "just say yes" to teambuilding item No. 13--treat every employee as part of the family--you create profit-producing, company-man loyalty. (For more on this and other team-building items, look for Paul's...

Kitchen sinks: that's entertainment.(PLUMBING TRENDS)(Survey)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE OLD SAYING, "There's too many cooks in the kitchen," no longer rings true for American kitchens, as they have evolved into the most popular room in the home. With this increased popularity, watch for today's...

Bright idea.(FIRST PLACE)
April 1, 2007... When installing a toilet, I've found it very useful to lay a penlight, such as a Mini Mag, parallel to the two Joni bolts: 1) it helps align the bolts with the hole on the bottom of the bowl; and 2) it also illuminates the holes from the toilet...

Loose knuckles.(tool tips)
April 1, 2007... When tightening bolts on recirc pumps, anchors, etc., using a socket and swivel, wrap electrical tape around the loose knuckles of the universal joint. Twist to whatever angle you need, and it will stay there while you tighten. Michael...

Jeepers, creepers.(tool tips)
April 1, 2007... Due to high water conditions in our area, there are a lot of 2-foot crawl spaces. In these conditions, I have realized that a mechanic's creeper saves your knees and belly from the rough concrete. Abe Lopez ALP plumbing ...

Drain & Sewer Cleaner.(Products & LITERATURE: PRODUCT FOCUS: DRAIN CLEANING)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Drain & Sewer Cleaner: The Model D-5 drain and sewer cleaning cable drum machine from Electric Eel Mfg. cleans 3-inch to 10-inch diameter lines up to 100 feet. The high-density polyethylene drum and belt guard will...

Advanced Feed.(Products & LITERATURE: PRODUCT FOCUS: DRAIN CLEANING)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Advanced Feed: The K-39AF from RIDGID offers two-way AUTOFEED[TM] that clears clogs fast and retrieves the cable with the simple press of a lever--no need to stop and reverse the motor. Up to 25 percent lighter...

Mini-Rooter.(Products & LITERATURE: PRODUCT FOCUS: DRAIN CLEANING)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mini-Rooter: General Pipe Cleaners' improved Mini-Rooter XP features a new "up-right" frame design with roll bars to protect the motor when taking the machine up and down stairs, or loading it into the truck. A...

Root destroyer.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Root Destroyer: Root Away root destroyer from Utility Chemicals prevents and controls roots in sewer lines through individual water-soluble packets. The easy-to-use pre-measured packets eliminate the need for messy...

Backflow prevention.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Backflow Prevention: Wilkins, a Zurn company, has added model 460 Spill Resistant Pressure Vacuum Breakers to its line of backflow preventers. It is specially designed for indoor applications to protect against...

Bathroom suite.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bathroom Suite: Symmons' new Carrington[TM] Suite is the newest addition to its Elements[R] line of residential bathroom fittings. Carrington is built to withstand the abuse of time, and is guaranteed to provide...

Self-leveling camera.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Self-Leveling Camera: The new Gen-Eye GL[TM] video inspection system from General Pipe Cleaners now offers a self-leveling color camera and DVD recorder. The camera automatically keeps your picture right side up as...

Power-fin upgrade.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Power-Fin Upgrades: Lochinvar's Power-Fin offers several enhancements to its time-proven design including higher turndown ratio and a standard internal cascading sequencer. It also features new control technology for...

Elegant faucet.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Elegant Faucet: The Matco-Norca Positano line of faucets provides the style and elegance to enhance any kitchen and bathroom decor. Designed with quality workmanship and a keen sense of style, Positano still...

Air eliminators.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Air Eliminators: Spirotherm manufactures air eliminators for vertical installation in light commercial and residential hydronic systems. A patented coalescing medium scrubs out 100 percent of the free air, 100...

High-output water heaters.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] High-Output Water Heaters: Two new high-output residential gas water heater offerings from Bradford White feature the Defender Safety System[R] (FVIR technology). The M-I 60-gallon and M-4 60-gallon models offer a...

Sensing faucet.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sensing Faucet: Bradley Corp. introduces the Aerada[TM] 1200 Series CS faucet with capacitive sensing technology. Easier to use and activate, the faucet's capacitive sensing creates an omni-directional detection zone...

Contemporary pot fillers.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Contemporary Pot Fillers: Danze has added two new pot filler faucets to its kitchen offering--the Parma Wall Mount Pot Filler and the Parma Deck Mount Pot Filler. Both feature clean, sleek, minimalist lines. The...

Tool set.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tool Set: A new tool set from Channellock Inc. packs four tools in one convenient package. The GS-3T contains three pairs of the company's most popular tongue-and-groove pliers: the 426 (6 1/2-inch), 420[R] (9...

Floor warming.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Floor Warming: Stone and tile manufacturer LATICRETE International Inc. has launched an exclusive self-adhesive mesh and wire backing floor-warming program. Unlike traditional mats that require extensive stapling and...

Steam baths.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... Steam Baths [no photo]: Steamist offers a variety of steam bath generators, controls and accessories. All units feature stainless-steel construction, solid state circuitry and are designed to last for years of maintenance-free operation....

Stainless-steel sink cleaner.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stainless-Steel Sink Cleaner: The Elkay Stainless Butler[TM] is a powerful new citrus-scented, no-drip spray gel formula that cleans and polishes the surface of stainless-steel sinks in one easy step. For day-to-day...

High-efficiency boilers.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] High-Efficiency Boilers: Bryan Steam introduces the HE-AB Series of forced draft gas-fired "Flexible Water Tube" boilers with a guaranteed efficiency of 85 percent. The efficiency results from an integrated extended...

Indirect-fired water heaters.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Indirect-Fired Water Heaters: Burnham's new line of indirect-fired water heaters--the Alliance SL--comes in five sizes ranging from 27 to 119 gallons. They feature a seamless Hydrastone-lined tank, designed...

Solar system.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... Solar System [no photo]: The Baxi integrated solar heating system maximizes the sun's energy by using high-performance selective, prismatic solar collectors. They can provide domestic hot water, supplement pool heating systems, or...

Wet/dry vac.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wet/Dry Vac: Ridge Tool Co.'s new line of RIDGID[R] industrial two-stage wet/ dry vacuums are designed specifically for clean up of heavy debris and liquids. Two models are available, offering a 14-gallon and...

Stronger Megaloc.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... Stronger Megaloc [no photo]: Hercules' multipurpose thread sealant Megaloc is even stronger as it's now made with DuPont[TM] Kevlar[R]. Still with high performance, grit-free and easy to apply, it makes leak-free threaded joints on metal and...

Water-saving handshower.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Water-Saving Handshower: The Croma EcoAIR from Hansgrohe provides the full, drenching coverage of a conventional high-end handshower or showerhead, but at a water-saving flow rate of only 1.6 gpm--nearly a full...

Work gloves.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... Work Gloves: Klein Tools recently added work gloves to its Journeyman[TM] line that already includes pliers, cutters and other hand tools. The gloves feature a durable, supple and breathable synthetic leather palm that gives users a firm grip,...

Molded test cap.(Products & LITERATURE)
April 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Molded Test Cap: The Techno Flange[TM] from IPS Corp. is a molded test cap that will not fall down the drain line in 3- or 4-inch DWV pipe. The rigid web design and raised rim of the test caps knocks out in one piece...

The high cost of cheap labor: 'you get what you pay for' gets prove time and time again.(Editorial OPINION)
April 1, 2007... Feb. 5, 2007, was the coldest day of the winter in my hometown of Chicago. Temperatures dropped to minus 10. Pity the beleaguered travelers who had to pass through O'Hare Airport on that day--especially if they were booked on a United Airlines...