Plumbing & Mechanical articles from January 2008

Plumbing & Mechanical archives from January 2008

Two for Dan.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... It would mean a lot to me if you would print this. It's my way of saying thank-you to Dan Holohan. I would like everyone to remember kinder times in life not so long ago when people helped each other. I'm sure we all remember what that...

Correction: Michigan, not Minnesota.(Letters TO THE EDITOR)(Correction notice)
January 1, 2008... We incorrectly identified Stephanie Suzor in our November letters section as hailing from Twin Lakes, Minnesota--she is actually from Twin Lake, Michigan.

A Fix of 'The Fix.(Letters TO THE EDITOR)(Correction notice)
January 1, 2008... The "Fix" diagram of the November 2007 The Glitch & The Fix featured improper piping. The correct image and operating modes as explained by John Siegenthaler can be found online at www.RadiantandHydronics.com. We apologize for any confusion....

DOE's boiler efficiency standards under fire.(Around THE INDUSTRY)
January 1, 2008... Congress asked to establish new federal minimum efficiency standards for residential gas, oil boilers "Regionalization" issues inserted in energy bill could cost homeowners The U.S. Department of Energy has increased the energy...

Who will be the next Carlson-Holohan Industry Award of Excellence winner?(Around THE INDUSTRY)
January 1, 2008... Nominations have begun for the 2008/2010 recipient of the Carlson Holohan Industry Award of Excellence. Sponsored by Plumbing & Mechanical parent, BNP Media, this award recognizes an outstanding industry volunteer who contributes to the...

PHCC turns 125.(Around THE INDUSTRY)
January 1, 2008... At ceremonies held during its 2007 national convention in Anaheim, Calif., the PlumbingHeating-Cooling Contractors-National Association launched a year-long celebration of the organization's 125th anniversary. The pinnacle of the celebration...

EMCOR Group buys Performance Mechanical.
January 1, 2008... FMCOR Group acquired Performance Mechanical Inc., a privately held industrial mechanical construction and maintenance company headquartered in Pittsburg, Calif. Terms of the transaction were not disdosed. Performance Mechanical was founded...

House, Senate override presidential veto of water bill.
January 1, 2008... On Nov. 6 and Nov. 8 respectively, the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate overrode a presidential veto in strong support of the Water Resource Development Act, legislation that calls for investment in critical water infrastructure...

Upcoming events.(Brief article)(Calendar)
January 1, 2008... * The AHR Expo PlumbinglHydronics Symposium--PM Live is set for Jan. 22 in New York City. Join PM columnists John Siegenthaler, Dan Holohan, Ellen Rohr and AI Levi for the all-day conference. To register, visit www.pmmag.com/pmlive or...

Wetstock returns in 2008.(Around THE INDUSTRY)(Dan Holohan Associates Inc.)(Conference news)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... After a few years' hiatus, Dan Holohan's Wetstock will return in 2008 in Denver. This popular radiant and hydronic networking event is slated for Saturday, April 12 at the Radisson Hotel Denver Southwest. Attendees will be invited to...

A nationwide green remodeling program will be launched by the U.S. Green Building Council in partnership with the American Society of Interior Designers.('Green' News Roundup)
January 1, 2008... A nationwide green remodeling program will be launched by the U.S. Green Building Council in partnership with the American Society of Interior Designers. The program is called Regreen and offers a set of best practices to guide contractors and...

In anticipation of a greener future, the Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago has formed a steering committee to set and accomplish green building objectives.('Green' News Roundup)
January 1, 2008... In anticipation of a greener future, the Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago has formed a steering committee to set and accomplish green building objectives. This committee makes recommendations to the association on what contractors...

William McDonough.('Green' News Roundup)
January 1, 2008... In recognition of the phenomenal growth of green building, the National Association of Home Builders will celebrate "Green Day" on Feb. 14, 2008, at the International Builders' Show in Orlando, Fla. For registration information, visit...

The Massachusetts legislature announced joint legislation to promote advanced biofuels as a way to reduce dependence on foreign oil, capture clean-air benefits, and capitalize on clean-fuel research for economic growth and jobs.('Green' News Roundup)
January 1, 2008... The Massachusetts legislature announced joint legislation to promote advanced biofuels as a way to reduce dependence on foreign oil, capture clean-air benefits, and capitalize on clean-fuel research for economic growth and jobs. The bill will...

The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials recently announced a promotional partnership with the EPA WaterSense program.('Green' News Roundup)
January 1, 2008... The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials recently announced a promotional partnership with the EPA WaterSense program, distinguishing IAPMO as the first association of code officials to be accepted as WaterSense...

Sloan Valve Co. received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Leadership Award for the company's green power purchase.('Green' News Roundup)
January 1, 2008... Sloan Valve Co. received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Leadership Award for the company's green power purchase. Sloan offsets 100 percent of the energy used in its Franklin Park, Ill., facility with renewable energy....

A new brochure available from FlexHead Industries shows that the choice of commercial sprinkler connections can impact a building's qualification for LEED certification.('Green' News Roundup)
January 1, 2008... A new brochure available from FlexHead Industries shows that the choice of commercial sprinkler connections can impact a building's qualification for LEED certification. Copies of the brochure, which covers six LEED-related areas, are available...

Grundfos buys Peerless Pump.(Vendor & Supplier NEWS)
January 1, 2008... Denmark-based pump manufacturer Grundfos Group recently acquired Peerless Pump Co., a U.S.-based manufacturer of pumps and fire protection systems. It is Grundfos' largest acquisition to date; Peerless has more than 400 employees and annual...

American Standard Americas closes Ohio plant.(Vendor & Supplier NEWS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Officials of American Standard Americas on Dec. 5 issued a formal notice to the GMP Local 7-A, its employees and local government officials that it anticipates that its plant in Tiffin, Ohio, will close, eliminating 165 hourly production jobs...

Doosan completes Bobcat acquisition.(Vendor & Supplier NEWS)
January 1, 2008... Doosan Infracore has completed the acquisition of the Bobcat, Utility Equipment and Attachments businesses from Ingersoll Rand Co. Ltd. Doosan paid $4.9 billion for the businesses, the largest overseas acquisition for a Korean company. ...

Grinnell offers help for design-to-build process.(Vendor & Supplier NEWS)
January 1, 2008... Grinnell Mechanical Products launched its new design services offering to mechanical contractors: Grinnell Mechanical Services, which provides engineers and contractors with a complete piping solution for the design-to-build process. Working...

On Nov. 17, members of the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute donated and installed high-efficiency plumbing fixtures for the citizens of Orme, Tenn., who have been without a water supply of their own for some time now due to drought conditions in the Southeast.(Vendor & Supplier NEWS)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: On Nov. 17, members of the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute donated and installed high-efficiency plumbing fixtures for the citizens of Orme, Tenn., who have been without a water supply of their own for some...

The Entrepreneur as Systems Thinker: getting down to basics: an entrepreneur sees the world through a telescope, the technician looks through a microscope.(The Successful ENTREPRENEUR)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There is a unique quality that makes world-class entrepreneurs different than simply owners of businesses. They are Systems Thinkers. Systems Thinking is holistic thinking. It puts the pragmatic and the idealistic,...

Selecting the right business tools, Part 1: before committing to any business tool, make sure it will achieve its primary goal--helping you earn a profit.(Business TIPS)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the mechanical trades, we pride ourselves on our tools and proficiency with them. Having the right tool helps us get the job done better and faster. Having no tool may keep us from accomplishing the task but, more...

Whatever's on the truck ... it's not the professional way to select a circulator.(Hydronics WORKSHOP)(Formula)(Column)
January 1, 2008... Im writing this column in mid-November In upstate New York, as in parts of the county, the annual between deer and hunter is swing. Lot's of folks can't wait up in their tree stands by 5 a.m. patiently, sometimes for hours, until the perfect...

Are you an ace troubleshooter?(RADIANT & HYDRONICS: E-NEWS)
January 1, 2008... John Siegenthaler, P.E., has been challenging heating profossionals to take a closer Iook ar how radiant and hydronic systems should be designed to fit today's effciency-minded world. His Web site, www.HydronicPros.com, offers some of the...

Hybrid gone wrong.(THE GLITCH & THE FIX)
January 1, 2008... Overview: A system for supplying several zones of space heating using series-connected fin-tube baseboard is shown below. The intent also is to supply lots of hot water from the large (80-gallon) indirect water heater. The installer feels that...

PM's 2007 best contractor to work for.
January 1, 2008... "We're really honored to be chosen for this award. We have a great group of people who are good at their jobs and enjoy what they do. We recognize that in order to be successful, we have to find the best and most talented people to get the job...

Making the Internet work for your plumbing company: from consumer watch-sites to search engines, the Internet is changing the way plumbers market their business online.
January 1, 2008... Plumbing business owners have always counted on customer referrals as a reliable way to generate new business. However, word-of-mouth is not only a win for plumbers. Studies have proven that consumers consider it their most trusted form of...

A shift toward 'holistic' building design.(Combining Green and Universal Design)
January 1, 2008... According to the 2007 Autodesk/AIA Green Index, 90 percent of U.S. architects expect to incorporate some sustainable elements by 2012. This move to green design is being driven by owners, who are calling for reduced operating costs, the study...

The softer side of service.(Truck of The Month: Cranney Home Services, Danvers, Mass.)(Unicell Body Co.)(Cranney Home Services)
January 1, 2008... This month's Truck Of The Month is an E350 (the one-ton version of the Ford chassis) with a Unicell body owned by Brian Cranney of Cranney Home Services. He says it's one of the "ugliest" truck bodies around, but he means that in a good way....

No lead is good lead: California 'WAG' legislation is certain to cause upheaval.(Plumbing PRIMER)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This month marks the two-year countdown until the Great State of California enacts its lead in plumbing legislation. To many, including myself, this bad legislation enacted by uninformed legislators. California...

Triangle of communication: showing how different functions at work get the job done is as important as creating operations manuals.(Managing YOUR BUSINESS)(Personal account)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most of the clients I work with today have contacted me because they think Operations Guy or the "Statting Guy," but when they work with me over time, they come to realize who I really am: the "Sales Guy." When...

Rainy days: in an economic downturn, business strategies and practices come in to play.(In the FIELD)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Not as many people venture out when the weather is foul compared to when the weather is good. When the TV weather person predicts rain, people cancel events. Similarly, when the media high-lights data that...

In-company value engineering: use the new year to take a detailed look at your business.(Practical MANAGEMENT)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There is always a better way! The construction industry adopted a new process to assure that we analyze every and situation to determine that way. NaWic's construction dictionary defines value engineering as of...

All-Purpose Cap.(FIRST PLACE)
January 1, 2008... Tired of wrestling open your ABS/PVC glue container? I place an inch and a hall Fernco cap on the brush cap, tighten the clamp and presto! Put your Channellocks away. Used or new, your glue container will open by hand every time. Stan...

No discharge.(tool tips)
January 1, 2008... When replacing/servicing a dishwasher, try using a large, red-colored, round wire nut pushed into the rubber dishwasher drain hose to stop any discharge water from running out while you are servicing the unit. Twist the wire nut onto a piece of...

Auger Rx.(tool tips)
January 1, 2008... I have found that when I use my auger machine, air tends to bleed out of the air bulb. When this happens, I have to stop, disassemble the hose to let the air back in, and then reassemble the unit before I can continue. To remedy this, I...

Dressing up the laundry room: it's not just washing clothes anymore.(PLUMBING TRENDS)(kohler sterling)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Think the laundry room is just for laundry? While we can't say with certainty that the laundry room is going as upscale as the bathroom and kitchen, we have seen products at trade shows that suggest the laundry room isn't just for laundry...

Adjustable wrench.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Channellock launches an addition to its Code BluE[R] product line--the WideAzz[TM] 6-inch adjustable wrench (6WCB). It is durable while at the same time compact. Features include a tapered jaw profile and shorter...

Root cutter.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Maxi-Rooter[TM] from General Pipe Cleaners combines root cutting power and big capacity all in a portable machine. Driven by a 3/4-horsepower motor, the drum carries 125 feet of 3/4-inch cable or 150 feet of...

Water mixing brochure.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... The New Generation High Low Systems with dual thermostatic water mixing valves is described in a new brochure from Leonard Valve Co. The six-page color brochure includes photos, tables and graphs that highlight the systems, which are designed...

Mini electric water heaters.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The SHC Mini-tank electric water heater from Stiebel Eltron frees up precious space while providing plenty of hot water. Installation is quick and easy--once filled with water, simply plug into a 110-120V outlet...

On-screen estimation.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... With the new On-Screen Digitizer from FastEST Inc., users can import plans of many different digital formats directly into FastPIPE[TM] and FastDUCT[TM]. By having the digital plan interface with functions on the takeoff screen, estimators and...

Hybrid water heating.(Products & LITERATURER)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Eternal[R] GU32 is a hybrid water heating system that uses patented counter-flow design and two-pass heat exchanger technology. It maintains an 86 percent thermal efficiency rating with consistent pressure. This...

Rotation adapter.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With the new ProPEX[R] Auto Rotation Adapter from Uponor Inc., installers no longer need to rotate the expander tool or the tubing itself by hand when making ProPEX connections on Wirsbo AQUAPEX[R] and hePEX[TM] plus...

Antimicrobial protection.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... Saniguard antimicrobial-protected plumbing and hardware products inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold and fungus on surfaces and help prevent the spread of infection for the life of the product. It uses a patented, proven inorganic silver ion...

Check valve.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Danfoss Flomatic Corp.'s new heavy-duty 12-inch Model 80DIX check valve (NPT female connection) is designed for larger submersible pumps. Features a double-guided poppet with a ductile-iron body and has anti-poppet...

CPVC manifold.(Products & LITERATURET)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The FlowGuard[R] MultiPort CPVC manifold system offers a flexible solution for use with potable water piping materiais. Available in 1-, 1 1/4-, 1 1/2- and 2-inch sizes for residential and commercial applications, it...

Decorative safety bar.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JACLO has created a luxury grab bar collection tailor-made for the most elegant of homes. Offered in seven styles and 16 finishes to coordinate with JACLO's full line of fixtures, no longer will safety accessories...

Rugged work light.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The new Husky 84-Watt Portable Tripod Fluorescent Work Light with 360-degree illumination provides lighting solutions for various jobsite needs. In operation, it stands 5 feet, 4 inches tall and can light up large...

Scale remover.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Clearwater Enviro Technologies Inc. offers ScaleBlaster. It removes scale without the need of maintenance and chemicals. The system produces a unique modulating frequency waveform that hits the resonant frequency of...

Enhanced modulex.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... AERCO International Inc. has enhanced its Modulex line of condensing boilers. Each unit is now equipped with a boiler communications module to enhance communications and support integration with building automation systems. Retrofit existing...

Combi control.(Products & LITERATURE)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hydrolevel's new Model 3150 HydroStat[TM] for oil boilers combines a universal temperature limit and low water cut-off in one control. Can be mounted on existing immersion wells for field replacement of common...

Time to make lemonade: hard times are back, so make the most of it.(Editorial OPINION)
January 1, 2008... The party is over for many of you, especially if your business is tied to the housing market. Commercial work is still strong in most of the country, but there are signals that sector may peter out a bit before long. Many of you have only a dim...