PM Engineer articles from March 2006

PM Engineer archives from March 2006

Specific about hot water.(PME Letters)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2006... I would like to question a statement in Julius Ballanco's article titled, "Hot Water Recirculation Systems," in the January issue. On the first page of the article (page 31), you stated that the IPC and the UPC don't specify the...

A personal percolating boiler story.(PME Letters)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2006... Dan Holohan's June 2005 column, "The Case of the Percolating Boiler," brings back some memories. After completion of a new medical office building, the hot water boilers had been in operation almost six months when a noise developed in one of...

On life safety systems.(PME Letters)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2006... Regarding Julius Ballanco's June 2005 column, I am scared of VHP air to the extent I would exclude replenishment systems from my contract. One problem about being an engineer is knowing all the things that can go wrong. One life safety system...

A good resource.(PME Letters)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2006... I just received PM Engineer today in the mail. What can I say but thanks, sincerely. I have made quite a few great contacts with suppliers, and saved a few bucks and labor hours. Time and money and great resources--all a winning combination....

The Home Depot to acquire Hughes Supply.(PME News)
March 1, 2006... The Home Depot[R] announced that it will acquire Orlando, FL-based wholesaler Hughes Supply for an aggregate consideration of $3.47 billion, including the payment of $46.50 per outstanding share and the assumption of $285 million in net debt....

Better your business with WQA Aquatech USA 2006.(PME News)
March 1, 2006... WQA Aquatech USA, March 28-April 1 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, will offer multiple ways for attendees to better their business. WQA Aquatech USA brings together 350 leading business suppliers, manufacturers and...

TFM Show offers free career-building education, CEUs through conference program.(PME News)
March 1, 2006... At the Total Facilities Management (TFM) Show April 10-12 at Navy Pier in Chicago, you will have the ultimate opportunity to gain a valuable career-building education and earn continuing education credits from IFMA, AIA, BOMI, IIDA and CEFPI,...

Gibson Sheet Metal.(In Memoriam)(Obituary)
March 1, 2006... Robert Z. Gibson, P.E., died peacefully Jan. 25 at home after a nearly year-long battle with cancer. The 77-year-old Gibson grew-up amongst and worked along side his father in the family-owned business at Gibson Sheet Metal. It was there that...

Sloan Valve Co.(Appointments)
March 1, 2006... John Aykroyd has been named national sales manager for Sloan Valve Co. Aykroyd's most recent post was national sales manager for Halsey Taylor, and prior to that, he was a district sales manager for Mueller Industries.

Danfoss.(Appointments)
March 1, 2006... Danfoss has appointed John Galyen president, sales and marketing for North American Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning, and Jamie Kitchen as training manager.

Bradford White.(Appointments)
March 1, 2006... Bradford White announced the retirement of Anthony Maglione, who had been with the company since 1966, finishing his career as director of international sales. That position will be filled by James Resnick, who has been with Bradford White...

New international and Uniform Codes: AAVs and plastic duct; With the 2006 editions of the plumbing codes, changes are in the works for AAVs and plastic duct.(Codes)
March 1, 2006... March is the traditional month for the model code groups to issue their new codes. The International Codes Council (ICC) will issue the 2006 edition of the Plumbing Code, Mechanical Code, and Fuel Gas Code. IAPMO will issue the 2006 edition of...

Just in case you were wondering: here are some hot questions from stifled readers.(Fire Protection)
March 1, 2006... Q. Why do sprinkler contractors try to use a drain and test valve assembly at the riser to test the flow switch instead of the inspector's test out in the system? I thought the purpose of the inspector's test was to be located off of the system...

What is reverse osmosis? Reverse osmosis is a relatively recent, but very effective, application of an established scientific process.(Water Treatment)
March 1, 2006... Anyone who has sat through a high school science class may remember the term "osmosis." This process was first described by a French scientist in 1748, who noted that water spontaneously diffused through a pig bladder membrane into alcohol. ...

New scald protection design: despite their best efforts to design a hot water system that will prevent scalding, there are still some factors outside of an engineer's control that need to be considered.(Cover story)
March 1, 2006... Scalding is a traumatic event that always happens to someone else, on someone else's project, or in someone else's facility. This is much the way misfortunes of others are viewed on the 10 o'clock news. It can't happen to us because the odds...

How well does CPVC piping perform under fire? Here is an analysis of how CPVC pipe impacts safety during a fire, along with the reasons for its increased usage in fire-restrictive construction.
March 1, 2006... The surge in new construction in this country has prompted specifiers to evaluate alternative building materials that satisfy a never-ending demand for the timely and economical completion of projects. CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride), as...

Control room fire protection: when seconds count; While water-discharging sprinklers are ideal for protecting building structures and occupants, they are unacceptable for guarding critical hazard areas.
March 1, 2006... What happens when a fire breaks out in a manufacturing facility? If the facility is code compliant, it is equipped with an integrated fire detection, alarm and sprinkler system. The detectors sense the presence of smoke, alarms sound and the...

A hydronic approach to high-capacity domestic water heating: with the popularity of luxury bathrooms, the need for high-capacity domestic hot water is on the rise, and hydronic systems are a perfect way to meet the load.
March 1, 2006... One of the distinct trends in custom residential construction over the last 20 years has been increased interest in luxury bathrooms. The North American plumbing industry has done a superb job of promoting such bathrooms as luxurious escapes...

Implications of health and safety in design for the hospitality industry: the design of bathrooms for the hospitality industry has to consider health and safety issues as well as technological advancements.
March 1, 2006... An industry white paper conducted by The International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH & RA), in 2000, stated there are approximately 301,423 hotels worldwide, and North America only accounts for 65,000; however, North America leads with the...

Innovative thinking 2006: plumbing industry strategies conference.(Raymond, William B..)(Gonzalez, Ricardo)(Levi, Al)(Calendar)
March 1, 2006... Conference Location: Lake Lanier Island, GA Set on the picturesque shores of Lake Sidney Lanier is Lake Lanier Islands--Georgia's most visited lakeside resort destination. Located 45 minutes from downtown Atlanta, the year-round 1,100-acre...

Bryan BH Series electric boilers.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... Bryan BH Series electric hot water or steam boilers are compact, completely packaged and wired units with automatic controls and featuring long-life Incoloy sheathed elements. Applications include hot water, steam and process heating, and...

Anvil introduces Klo-Shure[R] Insulation Couplings.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... Anvil offers Klo-Shure[R] Insulation Couplings in Clevis Hanger and Strut Mounted versions. The couplings are designed to reduce the cost of insulating HVAC/R copper lines for refrigeration, hot and cold water plumbing, and chilled water...

PRO-PAL is a winner!(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... The industry has spoken, and the new PRO-PAL line of step-saving valves available exclusively from Webstone is indeed making waves and turning heads. What can these valves do? A better question would be: What can't these valves do? They...

Crown Boiler's new Bimini series.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... The innovatively designed Bimini condensing boiler from Crown Boiler features a cast aluminum alloy heat exchanger with inputs up to 225 mbh. The Bimini also features a premix burner with modulation and low NoX emissions, and efficiencies up to...

Wax-Free Toilet Seal for closet wall carriers.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... Fernco's Wax Free Toilet Seal is the easy way to install commercial closet wall carriers, eliminating messy wax rings, foam and felt products. Made of PVC material, Fernco's Wax Free Toilet seal eliminates mold problems, providing a positive...

SuperBrute-a new standard.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... With SuperBrute wet rotor circulators by Grundfos, the simple turn of a switch selects one of three speeds. The wide choice in operating range allows the SuperBrute to replace many single-speed models. Pumps include an integrated, removable...

Harvel[R] CPVC fire sprinkler piping.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... Harvel[R] CPVC fire sprinkler piping offers proven performance, with more than 20 years of service in demanding installations around the world. It meets the requirements of all major model codes, is UL listed and FM approved, and is produced in...

The finest tankless electric water heaters available.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... Stiebel Eltron offers the finest tankless electric water heaters available. Its Tempra DHCE outperforms bulky hot water tanks and reduces hot water pipe runs. It offers the best warranty in the industry. For more information, contact Stiebel...

Protect your system: choose the right antifreeze.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... NOBURST AL is a propylene glycol (PG) based antifreeze that is compatible with all metals commonly used in hydronic systems, including brass, cast iron, steel, copper and aluminum. The inhibitors commonly used in PG do not protect aluminum...

Uponor commercial systems and large residential applications brochure.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... This 24-page brochure highlights a variety of commercial and large residential applications featuring Uponor (formerly Wirsbo) systems. The brochure contains color installation photos, along with ratings, standards, listings and codes....

Zurn PEX[R] Qickclamp[TM].(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... Zurn introduces the new stainless steel Qickclamp fitting. The Qickclamp is available in four sizes: 3/8", 1/2", 3/4" and 1". The position of the crimping ear allows for one tool for all sizes. The bridge feature provides uniform crimping...

tekmarNet[R]4 by tekmar Control Systems.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... In the spring of 2005, tekmar Control Systems introduced tekmarNet[R]4, "The New Standard in HVAC Controls." This spring, tekmar continues to expand the tekmarNet[R]4 product line. The new products being added allow for additional applications...

FlexHead industries.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... FlexHead is the premier manufacturer of flexible sprinkler connections. Because of the ease of installation, you can install at least four flexible connections in the time it takes to do one hard-pipe armover. The benefits include higher...

Viega introduces ProPressG[TM] ball valves.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... Viega introduces ProPressG two-piece ball valves--the first and only press ball valves designed exclusively for use with copper gas pipe. ProPressG ball valves are CSA approved for residential, commercial and industrial applications for natural...

Hydronic Heating training packages.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... BNP Media and John Siegenthaler, P.E., have released The Modem Engineering Concepts (MEC) Hydronic Heating Manual and CD Set. The manual is a 168-page spiral-bound workbook available for purchase for $45. The $99 CD set contains four discs and...

High-efficiency boilers are the rage.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... Rhomar products, both cleaner and treatment, will help maintain high efficiency and also help the homeowner enjoy lower fuel bills due to the resulting efficiency. Aluminum boilers are a special challenge as they should not be cared for like...

Armstrong ARMflo E-Series pumps.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... Armstrong is pleased to announce the launch of the next wave of the ARMflo E-Series circulator pumps, featuring an award-winning, compact design; cast iron or bronze construction; 120V or 208/240/277V motors; "one-for-all" silicon carbide seal;...

Weil-McLain Ultra boilers.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... The Ultra Gas, with efficiencies up to 98% and PhD technology, has a digital display for programming/viewing operations, is fully modulating and condensing, environmentally friendly, and uses low-cost PVC venting. The innovatively styled Ultra...

WILO North America offers expanded Web site.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... WILO North America has recently added some "Pumpen Intelligenz" to its Web site at www.wilo-na.com. The site now features easy-to-find product information on WILO residential and commercial HVAC pumps, submersible well pumps, downloadable...

Taco single-pipe hydronic system.(Information Showcase)
March 1, 2006... Taco, Inc. has revised and reissued its LoadMatch[R] System brochure, providing additional information and schematics on the innovative single-pipe hydronic system for use in commercial and institutional buildings. New to the brochure is...

ProSet systems: when your penetrations must be waterproof, ProSet Water Guard Sleeves provide the answer.(Product of the Month)
March 1, 2006... With more than 25 years experience, ProSet is the innovation leader and most experienced provider of cast-in-place devices. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We have used our experience to design and produce a penetration that could truly be...

Check valves.(PME Products)
March 1, 2006... Danfoss Flomatic Corp. has introduced the latest addition to the growing "Heavyweight Champ" family of 80DIX check valves. The new heavy-duty 12" Model 80DIX check valve (NPT female connection) is designed for larger submersible pumps for well...

Sensor faucet.(PME Products)
March 1, 2006... A new four-page, color brochure introduces Sloan Valve Co.'s Optima Plus" ERF Series sensor-operated faucet. The ERF-885 faucet, which uses patented RF technology for a wireless link between the spout and the battery-powered control module,...

Fire suppression aerosol generators.(PME Products)
March 1, 2006... Fireaway LLC offers Stat-X[R], a line of fire suppression aerosol generators. This fire extinguishing system is a wall-mounted, modular system that, when coupled to fast-acting detection, delivers a highly effective aerosol extinguishing agent...

Boiler.(PME Products)
March 1, 2006... HydroTherm now offers a six-page, full-color brochure featuring the complete line of KN-Series boilers. The publication provides detailed design and performance information for the popular KN-6, KN-10 and KN-20 commercial gas-fired, direct-vent...

New steam products brochure.(PME Products)
March 1, 2006... Watts Regulator Co. has announced the availability of its new steam products brochure. This brochure features detailed information on Watts' line of thermostatic, float & thermostatic, inverted bucket and thermodynamic steam traps and steam...