Contractor articles from July 2002

Contractor archives from July 2002

`Horns get sprinkled.(tire sprinkler retrofit project at University of Texas at Austin)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... SPECIAL TO CONTRACTOR AUSTIN, TEXAS -- The University of Texas at Austin is in the midst of a major tire sprinkler retrofit project that is scheduled to be completed in 2006. The school has installed sprinklers in six residence halls with...

U.S attorney indicts 19 N.Y. City inspectors.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... NEW YORK -- Federal prosecutors have indicted 19 current and former New York City inspectors on bribery charges. Alan Vinegrad, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Rose Gill Hearn, commissioner of the New York City...

Female face trade bias, report says.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Young women and girls face widespread sex discrimination in high school vocational and technical education programs across the country, according to a report issued by the National Women's Law Center. Females face pervasive sex...

Conservation group seeks toilet flapper standard. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... WHEN IS A 1.6-gal.-per-flush toilet not a 1.6 gpf toilet? As soon as the homeowner replaces the flapper, according to the California Urban Water Conservation Council. The conservation group has appealed to the American Society of Mechanical...

At its first New England convention NAOHSM sets attendance mark. (Industry News).
July 1, 2002... HARTFORD CONN. -- At its first-ever annual convention in New England, the National Association of Oil Heating Service Managers set best-ever records for attendance and exhibitor space. The convention took place May 15-17 here and attracted...

Miodonski named publisher of Contractor. (Industry News).(Bob Miodonski)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... DES PLAINES, ILL. -- CONTRACTOR Editorial Director Bob Miodonski has been named publisher of the magazine. He succeeds Jim McDermott, who is retiring after 37 years in the publishing business with Penton Media Inc. "For 48 years,...

MCAA writes CSI, opposes spec changes. (Industry News). [Mechanical Contractors Association of America and.Construction Specifications Institute].(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... SPECIAL TO CONTRACTOR ROCKVILLE, MD. -- MCAA President Robert W. FitzGerald is urging the Construction Specifications Institute to not abandon Division 15 as part of its proposed revision of its MasterFormat. "We fear that the proposed...

Tyco in turmoil. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... SPECIAL TO CONTRACTOR NEW YORK -- The day after Tyco International announced that Dennis Koslowski had resigned for personal reasons, Koslowski was indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau on charges of allegedly evading...

PEX [plastic plumbing pipe] makers sue California. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... SACRAMENTO, CALIF. -- Manufacturers of PEX water pipe are suing the California Building Standards Commission and other state agencies responsible for adopting the California Plumbing Code for not allowing PEX in the code. The lawsuit,...

Contractor infocus. (Industry News).(residential energy costs)(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... Residential energy costs decline (Cost per 1 million Btus) 2001 2002 % change $8.37 $6.56 -22% $11.28 $9.53 -16% $8.86 $7.79 -12% $9.41 $9.11 -3% $24.30 $24.27 0% Note: Table...

Plumbers' Success International recognized several members for being featured in the national trade press during a special presentation in mid-May at the PSI Summit in Tampa, FLA.
July 1, 2002... * Plumbers' Success International recognized several members for being featured in the national trade press during a special presentation in mid-May at the PSI Summit in Tampa, FLA. David Ratliff of Midway Plumbing & Heating in Abilene, Texas,...

The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association has formed a partnership with the national charity Rebuilding Together to help repair the homes of low-income homeowners.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association has formed a partnership with the national charity Rebuilding Together to help repair the homes of Iowincome homeowners. PHCC will encourage its 3, 700 members to volunteer at...

Hansgrohe Inc.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Plumbing manufacturer Hansgrohe Inc. sponsored a special dinner May 14 to pay tribute to New York and New Jersey law-enforcement officials who died last Sept. 11 during rescue operations at the World Trade Center. The event, held at the Four...

The state of Iowa.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * The state of Iowa now requires that all appliances be "demanufactured" before being disposed of or recycled. Water heaters, air conditioning units, furnaces, thermostats, dishwashers, and anything else containing PCB capacitors, refrigerant...

Roger Peugeot, owner of Roger the Plumber in Overland Park, Kan., has been named a contractor founder of the Plumbing-Heating Cooling Contractors-National Association's Educational Foundation Board of Governors.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Roger Peugeot, owner of Roger the Plumber in Overland Park, Kan., has been named a contractor founder of the Plumbing-HeatingCooling Contractors-National Association's Educational Foundation Board of Governors. The board of governors consists...

Demand for water was up 1.6 times over normal June 9 in Yokohama, Japan.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Demand for water was up 1.6 times over normal June 9 in Yokohama, Japan, during halftime at a Japan-Russia World Cup match there. Water demand in the city reached 85,000 cubic meters during halftime. If the increase is attributed entirely to...

Kinetics sets IPO on manufacturing unit. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... MILPITAS, CALIF. -- Kinetics Holdings Corp., parent of mechanical giant Kinetics Group Inc., has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to take its semiconductor manufacturing equipment business public. ...

Jacuzzi names Devine CEO. (Industry News).(U.S. Industries Inc., Donald C. Devine)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. -- U.S. Industries Inc. in mid-June said that its Jacuzzi subsidiary has appointed Donald C. Devine president and chief executive officer. Roy A. Jacuzzi, who has been chairman, president and CEO, will remain as chairman....

People can equal profits or problems. (Schmitt on Management).(Brief Article)(Column)
July 1, 2002... WHEN I ASKED for suggestions on future columns that might be helpful to you, the overwhelming request, couched in many different forms, had to do with people. The old equation P = P, People equal Problems, is out there, as alive and...

`Skinny and Pearl' not alone in their ignorance. (Letters).
July 1, 2002... Washington, MO -- Dave Yates' "Skinny and Pearl" column in the May issue of CONTRACTOR (pg. 32) was very illuminating. Maybe some creative plumbing firm will copy it (with permission, of course) and insert it in their monthly invoices to...

Unclogging the filtration business: customers will spend a fortune on bottled water but not call their plumber. (Water Filtraton).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Water filtration is an odd market. On one hand, national surveys show Americans are increasingly concerned about the quality and purity of their tap water. Sears hired Harris Interactive to conduct a survey for it, mostly to help promote...

Locating under-floor leaks can be challenging. (Eatherton On Hydronics).(Brief Article)(Column)
July 1, 2002... I received a frantic call the other day. The worried homeowner asked me if we replaced boilers. I asked him what made him think he actually needed a boiler replacement. "There's water running out from underneath the boiler? That's a pretty...

Computer solutions enhance productivity. (Feldmans On Computers).(Brief Article)(Column)
July 1, 2002... WINEST PRO PLUS (www.winest.com, 800/950-2374) is a multi-user estimating software that uses a spreadsheet-plus-database interface and Construction Specification Institute coding format for all database items. The solution lets you customize...

The tide is turning on retainage. (McGreevy On Law).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... FOR DECADES contractors and subcontractors have borne the brunt of having money that they have earned held back from them to provide the owner with the funds necessary to complete their work in the event that the contractor fails to do so. The...

Articad-pro. (editor's choice).(Advertisement)
July 1, 2002... ARTICAD-PRO approaches CAD tasks from a designer's perspective. It is able to create stunning photo-realistic presentations (pictured right) alongside quotations and orders for suppliers in a matter of minutes. An intuitive input method...

These kitchen and bathroom installation kits. (Products).(Advertisement)
July 1, 2002... THESE KITCHEN AND BATHROOM INSTALLATION KITS are available for wall or floor hook-ups and are packaged in reusable plastic storage boxes. More than 10 kits are offered, including kits for disposers and dishwashers. Keeney Manufacturing ...

The literature room CD-ROM set. (Products).(Advertisement)
July 1, 2002... THE LITERATURE ROOM CDROM SET features literature from several, company divisions, including brass and tubular, drainage and OEM. Each section contains submittal sheets, sales literature and other materials in PDF format for ease of use. ...

This porcelain showerhead. (Products).(Advertisement)
July 1, 2002... THIS PORCELAIN SHOWERHEAD is inspired by those found in classic European hotels. It is extremely durable and provides a wide, generous spray. It features solid brass construction, and is offered with a choice of 33 finishes. Watermark...

These sight glasses. (Products).(Advertisement)
July 1, 2002... THESE SIGHT GLASSES have Teflon PTFE connections for use in stainless steel piping systems. They permit safe, quick viewing of the clarity and color of process liquids and immediately show the presence of foreign matter. Plast-O-Matic...

The leister welding pen s. (Products).(Advertisement)
July 1, 2002... THE LEISTER WELDING PEN S features a protected heating element for operator safety, dial-adjustable temperatures from 68[degrees]F to 1,100[degrees]F, and a combination speed-welding and swing-back tacking tip that screws on. Malcom Hot...

The CI-series end-suction pumps. (Products).(Advertisement)
July 1, 2002... THE CI-SERIES END-SUCTION PUMPS come in 19 different models. They are suitable for such applications as heating, A/C, pressure boosting, cold water transfer and water supply. They are available in both 125 psi and 250 psi working pressure. ...

The J-2950 gas-powered water jet. (Products).(Advertisement)
July 1, 2002... THE J-2950 GAS-POWERED WATER JET is able to slice through grease, sludge, sand and ice stoppages. It comes with an 11 hp Honda engine connected directly to a 3,000 psi 4 gal./min, pump. It features a 300" capacity hose reel with drag brake and...

Forefront software. (Products).(Advertisement)
July 1, 2002... FOREFRONT SOFTWARE is designed for use in construction management by plumbing and mechanical contractors. It now features an enhanced job inquiry that provides detailed job progress, including job-to-date costs and billings, change requests and...

The subsite 300SR/ST electronic locating system. (Products).(Advertisement)
July 1, 2002... THE SUBSITE 300SR/ST ELECTRONIC LOCATING SYSTEM is designed to quickly locate buried telephone, power, CATV, gas, sewer and water lines. It includes both receiver and transmitter, which operate on normal alkaline batteries. The system's rugged,...

Powerspec software. (Products).
July 1, 2002... POWERSPEC SOFTWARE makes valve sizing and specification easy. It utilizes Hunter's curve method and the full flow method to calculate water demands and find the right valve selection for a given application. The program also includes submittal...

Quickstop coupling and quickstop anchor. (Products).
July 1, 2002... QUICKSTOP COUPLING AND QUICKSTOP ANCHOR are part of a new line of firestop products that allow piping and fire protection to be installed at the same time. The coupling is available in 1 1/2", 2", 3" and 4" diameters. The anchor is available...

The sandblaster SBX. (Products).
July 1, 2002... THE SANDBLASTER SBX commercial gas water heater combines a self-cleaning design with a fan-assisted combustion system for low emissions. Sealed combustion also eliminates the effects of negative air pressure that can impair performance. Eight...

The NAOS air bath. (Products).
July 1, 2002... THE NAOS AIR BATH combines clean lines with the benefits of hydro-massage in a single tub. Featuring a Roman-inspired base, it measures 72" X 40" X 26" and has 40 air jets. A heated backrest and electronic control come standard. Ultra ...

Think all pipe and fittings are the same? Think again. (Literature Showcase).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... THINK ALL PIPE AND FITTINGS ARE THE SAME? THINK AGAIN. You've seen it before. A joint in the plumbing system leaks, causing damage and construction delays. The pipe manufacturer blames it on the fitting maker--who blames it on manufacturer. It...

New edition of the copper tube handbook available. (Literature Showcase).
July 1, 2002... Do it proper. Do it copper. The all-new edition of The Copper Tube Handbook is your step-by-step guide to copper tube selection, system design and installation guidelines. It contains critical technical and performance data updated to reflect...

The CADDY TPC tube and pipe clamp. (Literature Showcase).
July 1, 2002... THE CADDY TPC TUBE AND PIPE CLAMP from Erico provides quick positioning of pipe and tube. The TPC combined with CADDY's and TSGB brackets are perfect for jobs where many different pipe and tube sizes are used, and they permit the horizontal and...

Pipe joining products. (Literature Showcase).
July 1, 2002... Gentec soldering, brazing and heating products include a complete line of air gas apparatus. The line includes quick and screw connect tips with soft and swirl flames, auto-ignite torches, utility gauges, refrigerant manifolds and accessories....

New pipe hanger catalog release first since company name change. (Literature Showcase).
July 1, 2002... NEW PIPE HANGER CATALOG RELEASE FIRST SINCE COMPANY NAME CHANGE. The most comprehensive catalog of pipe hangers and supports available to the industry has been published by Anvil. Anvil, formerly known as Grinnell, is the recognized world...

New Universal Control for mechanical draft systems. (Literature Showcase).
July 1, 2002... NEW UNIVERSAL CONTROL FOR MECHANICAL DRAFT SYSTEMS. The Universal Control Model UC1 is the new standard interlock control for the company's full line of power venters, draft inducers and combustion air in-forcers. It can be interlocked with...

Fast Pipe[R] is an advanced mechanical estimating software system. (Literature Showcase).
July 1, 2002... FAST PIPE[R] IS AN ADVANCED MECHANICAL ESTIMATING SOFTWARE SYSTEM designed to make your estimating projects fast, simple and accurate. FastPIPE is user-friendly and easy to learn. Just install the software on your IBM-compatible computer and...

This four-color brochure describes the aquasafe fire safety system. (Literature Showcase).
July 1, 2002... THIS FOUR-COLOR BROCHURE DESCRIBES THE AQUASAFE FIRE SAFETY SYSTEM. The combined system uses an interconnected grid of tubing to feed both the fires safety system and the plumbing fixtures. The sprinkler head is attached to a stainless steel...

Your integrity is a bottom-line issue.(customers' opinion of contractors)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
July 1, 2002... THE MOST STARTLING statement that I heard during a trip in June to a convention in Las Vegas was this: In the next 10 years or so, contractors will be at the top of the list of companies that rate high on integrity. The clear...