Contractor articles from July 2003

Contractor archives from July 2003

California energy rules. (Court strikes down).
July 1, 2003... SPECIAL TO CONTRACTOR SACRAMENTO, CALIF. -- The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California has issued a permanent injunction enjoining the California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission from enforcing...

Contractor in focus.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... CONTRACTOR INFOCUS Drug use among male construction workers (Percent of users in month previous to survey) Age 18-24 Age 25 and older Any illicit drug 23.4 11.4 Binge alcohol use ...

Owens Corning remodeling biz growing.
July 1, 2003... TOLEDO, OHIO -- Owens Corning is rolling out HOMExperts Home Repair and Remodeling. The service includes plumbing service and kitchen and bath remodeling, in addition to electrical, painting, decks, carpentry and other general remodeling work....

Vo-tech students learn the ropes of radiant.(Career Institute of Technology)
July 1, 2003... EASTON, PA. -- The Career Institute of Technology vocational training school offers a wide variety of programs in everything from auto repair to cosmetology. But for those students in its building trades program--which includes plumbing, HVACR,...

Most on-site time is unproductive: expert. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- Most workers aren't goofing off. In fact, only about 5% of the time spent on a construction site is wasted, yet just 32% of a day is spent actually installing mechanical work, engineer Kerry O'Brien told mechanical contractors...

Last planner process aids construction. (Industry News).(Mechanical Contractors Association of America)
July 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- There's an awful lot of wheel-spinning that goes on at construction sites. Dennis Sowards offered attendees at the Mechanical Contractors Association of America mid-year educational conference in June here some alternatives with...

I=B=R schools offer hydronic training. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J. -- A total of 64 students in June attended classes on hydronic heating system design, installation and troubleshooting at four I=B=R schools, which have been reintroduced by the Hydronics Institute Division of the GAMA....

Lies, damn lies an construction projects. (Industry News).(Mechanical Contractors Association of America)
July 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- Contractors in the hallways here at MCAA's mid-year educational conference called the case study that was the centerpiece of the conference one of the best presentations the Mechanical Contractors Association of America has ever...

R.I. passes fire sprinkler retrofit law. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Rhode Island General Assembly has passed a new fire sprinkler retrofit law for nightclubs in response to the deadly fire at The Station nightclub that killed 100 persons (March, pg. 1). The legislation, the Comprehensive...

How to sell oil heat against other fuels. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... HERSHEY, PA. -- The similarity between oil heat and massage therapy may not be immediately apparent to many homeowners or even fuel oil dealers. Nancy Allen, sales manager of fuel oil dealer E.T. Lawson in Hampton, Va., made the connection May...

Amtrol has entered into a collaborative effort with the Rhode Island Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association to provide classroom facilities and educational assistance for the association's plumbing apprentice training program.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... * Amtrol has entered into a collaborative effort with the Rhode Island Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association to provide classroom facilities and educational assistance for the association's plumbing apprentice training program. The...

DECCO, a mechanical and process-related contractor in Brookline, N.H., has been selected as a recipient of the Safety Training and Evaluation Process award by the Associated Builders and Contractors.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... * DECCO, a mechanical and process-related contractor in Brookline, N.H., has been selected as a recipient of the Safety Training and Evaluation Process award by the Associated Builders and Contractors. DECCO was the recipient of the Gold STEP...

Legionella Prevention Training Course.
July 1, 2003... * The Legionella Prevention Training Course will be offered Oct. 29-30 in Dunkirk, Md. Matt Freije, author of Legionellae Control in Health Care Facilities: A Guide for Minimizing Risk, will be the instructor. He will cover government and...

Contractors Services will host a Cash-Flow Seminar Oct. 23-25 in Orlando, Fla.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... * Contractors Services will host a Cash-Flow Seminar Oct. 23-25 in Orlando, Fla. According to Contractors Services, the parent company of Plumbers' Success International and AirTime 500, the three clays will be devoted to information and...

Crane Co. announced in mid-June that its English subsidiary, Crane Ltd., has purchased the pipe coupling and fittings businesses from Etex Group.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... * Crane Co. announced in mid-June that its English subsidiary, Crane Ltd., has purchased the pipe coupling and fittings businesses from Etex Group, including the Victaulic, Viking Johnson, Helden and Wask branded products, for a purchase price...

Correction.(gas and electric water heaters)(Brief Article)(Correction Notice)
July 1, 2003... * Correction: The drawings of gas and electric water heaters in the CONTRACTOR InFocus chart on the front page of the June issue were switched inadvertently. The statistics reported for gas and electric water heater shipments were correct as...

Don't allow theft to infest your business. (Schmitt On Management).
July 1, 2003... IN THE MAY issue of CONTRACTOR magazine, Managing Editor Robert Mader did an outstanding job of summarizing a presentation on theft given at the spring Contractors 2000 Super Meeting in Boston. The examples that the speaker used were of a...

AMPAM board loses 5 directors. (Schmitt On Management).(American Plumbing & Mechanical)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... ROUND ROCK, TEXAS -- American Plumbing & Mechanical announced at the annual meeting of stockholders held at the end of May that Lloyd C. Smith and Stephen F. Turner were re-elected as directors of AMPAM. AMPAM also announced that Richard...

Buy, lease or rent? Contractors must weigh their options when acquiring jobsite equipment. (Cost Management).
July 1, 2003... WHEN IT COMES to paying for the use of equipment on a job, you can consider outright purchase, lease or rent. The decision is rarely a simple one. Many people in the industry believe the choice should be based on a combination of factors that...

Boiler selection for snow-melt systems. (Eatherton On Hydronics).
July 1, 2003... AT THIS POINT in my series of columns on snow-melt systems, we must begin to assemble the components to drive the heat from the heat source to the snow-melt areas. I'm assuming that the base load has already been calculated and the total Btuh...

Hydronics Roundtable targets new homes. (Hydronic Systems).
July 1, 2003... ACCORDING TO research studies presented by Burnham Hydronics at the First Hydronics Roundtable, held April 30 in Washington, the residential replacement market has carried the sales of hydronic equipment. That growth seems steady. However,...

Track and bill time on all your projects. (Feldmans On Computers).(advantages of BillQuick 2003 Time Billing Software for contractors)
July 1, 2003... A FAST, OUT-OF-THE-BOX solution, BillQuick 2003 Time Billing Software (www.BQE.com, 888/245-5669) provides several industry-specific features designed to help contractors easily and accurately track and bill time on all their projects. Features...

To be on not to be ... an S corporation. (Blackman On Taxes).
July 1, 2003... A READER, JOE, who had a mammoth tax problem (both income tax and estate tax) called me. I listened. Both problems would be solved easily by electing S corporation status. Joe agreed. On the other hand, his accountant, a fine CPA, was a bit...

Do your man-, womanpower evaluations now. (Craig On Project Management).
July 1, 2003... WHEN IT COMES to project managing, the whole ball game can be expressed by one sentence: You either make money on the jobs you're given, or you simply won't have a job as a PM. Money migrates to those who are efficient in its use, and flees at...

The new wobble light. (editor's choice).
July 1, 2003... THE NEW WOBBLE LIGHT is a breakthrough in portable lighting that is able to withstand heavy use and abuse. Designed with the job site in mind, the light has an impact-resistant body and a counter-weighted hemispherical base that quickly returns...

These tees. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THESE TEES complement installations where pipe is wrought, grooved or pressed elbows and couplings. They are ideal for fast-track installations involving domestic water, hydronics, refrigeration or fire sprinkler, and work with M, L or K...

This streamlined selection of gas water heaters. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THIS STREAMLINED SELECTION OF GAS WATER HEATERS is designed to maximize plumbing contractors' more profitable trade-up opportunities by presenting a clear choice of feature and performance options to customers. The line includes the...

Steamshower generators. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * STEAMSHOWER GENERATORS come in a variety of models to meet any sauna design or installation requirement. Features include quiet operation and constant steam at constant rate. Each stainless steel unit can be installed up to 50' from the...

The transitional widespread lavatory faucet. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE TRANSITIONAL WIDESPREAD LAVATORY FAUCET is pictured here with lever handles--optional cross handles are also available. The faucet features solid brass construction and is offered with a selection of 35 finishes and 41 handle trim...

Lab-metal repair and patching compound. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * LAB-METAL REPAIR AND PATCHING COMPOUND is now available in caulking tubes. The single component, aluminum-loaded compound requires no two-part mixing and hardens into a sandable, grindable, tappable metal. It withstands temperatures to...

The raupanel system for radiant heating. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE RAUPANEL SYSTEM FOR RADIANT HEATING is for retrofit and new construction applications. Lightweight and easy to install, its low 5/8" profile has minimal impact on overall floor height. REHAU CIRCLE 107 ON INQUIRY CARD ...

Interaktiv shower panels. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * INTERAKTIV SHOWER PANELS are an attractive and affordable way to upgrade any bathroom in a single step. Suitable for new construction but ideal for renovation projects, the panels are delivered pre-plumbed and pre-assembled, ready for...

The colt line of backflow prevention devices. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE COLT LINE OF BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICES are available in sizes from 2 1/2" to 10". Light and compact, the line includes the Series C200 Double Check Valve Assemblies, the C300 Double Check Detector Assemblies, the C400 Reduced Pressure...

The XR angle bracket fitting. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE XR ANGLE BRACKET FITTING is designed for use with Gastite corrugated stainless steel tubing. The adjustable bracket simplifies gas piping connections for applications involving an angle-mounted termination point. It creates a fixed...

The aquacenter valved manifold. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE AQUACENTER VALVED MANIFOLD is made from engineered plastic. It is fully serviceable and expandable in the field. Additional fixtures can be added at a later date, and it can be serviced right on the job. The system is quiet and...

The flexi-guard safety bubbler. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE FLEXI-GUARD SAFETY BUBBLER is infused with an antimicrobial agent for an extra level of sanitation and security. It is made of a tough polyester elastomer which flexes on impact before returning to its original position. Beginning in...

The H.I.D. work light. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE H.I.D. WORK LIGHT features a 250-watt Metal Halide lamp for powerful, daylight-quality illumination. It is ideal for temporary, portable lighting tasks in construction and maintenance. It provides four times the lumens-per-watt of...

The drain-rooter PH. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE DRAIN-ROOTER PH features a variable speed power cable feed and variable speed motor to make drain clearing jobs cleaner and easier. The cable feeds and retracts at 16' per minute. A 4' hose guide prevents cable whipping, dirty fixtures...

High performance butterfly valves. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * HIGH PERFORMANCE BUTTERFLY VALVES are offered for commercial, industrial and mechanical HVAC services. Typical applications include high-pressure treated water in high-rise construction and chemical process. They are fill lug-type valves...

The Crown II piston flushometer. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE CROWN II PISTON FLUSHOMETER is designed with a new handle assembly and an outside cover with accent rings offered in special finishes including brushed nickel, lustre gold, polished brass and satin. The inside cover isolates the threads...

The copper key hand tool. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE COPPER KEY HAND TOOL eliminates the need for sand cloth and fittings brushes in removing surface scale from copper tube and fittings. It uses a cranking motion to prepare copper surfaces for soldering. The process is faster than using...

The 5-pack cordless combination kit. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE 5-PACK CORDLESS COMBINATION KIT features the Hatchet Cordless Sawzall and the Job Site Radio. It also includes a circ saw, 1/2" drill/driver and professional work light. It comes standard with a soft-sided bag including blade pouches and...

The BST 15.6 plus cordless drill/driver. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE BST 15.6 PLUS CORDLESS DRILL/DRIVER is now offered in a package set that includes a free halogen flashlight, two battery packs and a charger. The 15.6-v. tool alleviates the need for center punching when drilling steel or tile. Its...

The fuseal 25/50 PVDF corrosive waste piping system. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE FUSEAL 25/50 PVDF CORROSIVE WASTE PIPING SYSTEM is now available with new 6" diameter PVDF Schedule 40 pipe in 10' lengths and all the necessary drainage pattern fittings required on most corrosive waste applications. Fittings are...

The Apollo 77C full-port bronze ball valve. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE APOLLO 77C FULL-PORT BRONZE BALL VALVE features an all-cast body and end caps for corrosion resistance and a chrome-plated machined brass ball for outstanding flow performance. It has a blowout-proof stem design, multi-fill PTFE seats and...

The 180-A cordless hammer drill/driver. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE 180-A CORDLESS HAMMER DRILL/DRIVER allows the user to move easily from one application to another, and to maneuver in hard-to-reach spaces without difficulty. The 18 volt drill/driver can drill a wide range of base materials; it provides...

The model 4630 drill/driver. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE MODEL 4630 DRILL/DRIVER features a variable speed 6.8-amp motor, 100% ball-and-needle bearing construction and precision machined and hardened steel gearing and clutches. Cast aluminum gear housing and magnesium bearing plates along with...

The premier gas water heater. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE PREMIER GAS WATER HEATER incorporates C3 Technology meeting the new requirements for flammable vapor ignition design. It features a money saving .63 energy factor, due to 2"-thick foam insulation, inlet/outlet heat traps and an internal...

The Lenox edge bi-metal utility knife blades. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE LENOX EDGE BI-METAL UTILITY KNIFE BLADES feature a high speed steel edge that stays sharp up to three times longer than traditional carbon steel blades. The blade has a flexible spring steel backing, making it shatter-resistant for safer...

The new residential line of faucets. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE NEW RESIDENTIAL LINE OF FAUCETS are offered in a variety of styles ranging from high, graceful arcs to sleek, practical double-jointed spouts with wristblade or lever handle options. Finishes include polished brass, polished chrome and...

The S-60 and S-65 self-propelled telescopic booms. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE S-60 AND S-65 SELF-PROPELLED TELESCOPIC BOOMS now include a four-bar linkage system to change the machines' centers of gravity based on boom elevation. The entire structure is moved forward as it elevates for greater stability. Genie...

The Celesta luxury glass enclosure. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE CELESTA LUXURY GLASS ENCLOSURE is designed for new and remodeled homes. Each enclosure is precisely measured and manufactured with high quality 3/8" or 1/2" glass. The hinges, pulls and towel bars come in six finishes to complement any...

This soft-sided tool bag. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THIS SOFT-SIDED TOOL BAG is constructed of high-strength 600D polyester which is lightweight, yet durable enough to bear the weight of a full load of tools. It features heavy-duty metal clasps, rubberized handles and a sturdy shoulder strap....

The champion toilet. (Products).
July 1, 2003... * THE CHAMPION TOILET features the America's Best flushing system, a flapper-free, gravity-fed technology that ensures thorough, quiet operation. The toilet has a 3" flush valve and a 2 3/8" siphon trapway. A flush tower releases 1.6 gal. of...

The Spirotop[R] automatic air vent. (Literature Showcase).
July 1, 2003... THE SPIROTOP[R] AUTOMATIC AIR VENT manufactured by Spirotherm has a low profile and a high-compression valve mechanism that combine to produce a leak-resistant high point vent that is suitable for a wide variety of applications. It resists dirt...

Drain-rooter PH with variable speed power cable feed makes the job clean and easy! (Literature Showcase).
July 1, 2003... DRAIN-ROOTER PH WITH VARIABLE SPEED POWER CABLE FEED MAKES THE JOB CLEAN AND EASY! The compact, portable Drain-Rooter PH from GENERAL PIPE CLEANERS features a variable speed power cable feed and variable speed motor to make drain cleaning jobs...

This pocket-sized industrial pipe and fittings dimensional catalog. (Literature Showcase).
July 1, 2003... THIS POCKET-SIZED INDUSTRIAL PIPE AND FITTINGS DIMENSIONAL CATALOG is now available from Charlotte Pipe and Foundry. The guide features dimensional data and product specifications for PVC Schedule 40 and 80 fittings, and Corzan[R] CPVC Schedule...

General introduces GEN-EAR advanced acoustical leak detection system. (Literature Showcase).
July 1, 2003... GENERAL INTRODUCES GEN-EAR ADVANCED ACOUSTICAL LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM The GEN-EAR[TM] blends the latest in filter, headphone and sensor technology for the most advanced acoustical leak detection available. Excellent for plumbing professionals,...

Vo-tech schools need federal funds, and more. (Editorial).(Editorial)
July 1, 2003... THE OUTCRY FROM members of our industry and a broad range of companies across the country may yet be enough to save federal funding for vo-tech schools. The real question, however, is whether we all can do more to promote vocational and...