Plumbing and Mechanical

Last month, the Biden-Harris Administration announced it is proposing the first-ever national drinking water standard for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The proposal, if finalized, would regulate PFOA and PFOS as individual contaminants, and will regulate four other PFAS — PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS and GenX Chemicals — as a mixture.

Recent LinkedIn studies show that more than half of the workforce is open to exploring new employment opportunities. That means there is a good chance that as you read this article, you have people assessing their employment options in your company.

It was August 2019 when I was last published in PM magazine. I wrote about the failure of cast iron soil pipe, which now has customers often waiting two weeks or often longer for a plumber. As the plumbing instructor at Ultimate Technical Academy, the administration is adding classes to accommodate the need for plumbers as quickly as possible.

"According to the ASHRAE HVAC Applications Handbook, the estimated life of an air-to-air heat pump or a rooftop unit is 15 years while a boiler life expectancy is between 24-35 years, depending on the boiler type. So, you will install two heat pumps or rooftop units for every boiler. Where do you think those old units will end up?" I ask the class.

Scalding in the home or burns from hot liquids is dangerous to anyone, but is a particular concern to the youngest and oldest Americans. Plumbers are charged with protecting the health of the nation. Thus, plumbers can play a key role in reducing the risk, starting with homeowner education.

Attending trade shows both large and small have always been an integral part of keeping our business abreast of changes within the PHVAC industry. Our employees knew that upon my return, there would be new innovative products joining the tried and true offerings we provided for our customers.

In order to be an effective leader, you need to first understand what leadership actually is. Many people mistakenly believe that leadership is simply overseeing a group or organization. However, there's much more to it than that. Effective leaders possess a number of qualities that allow them to successfully navigate through challenges and inspire others to do the same.

In 1885, when you could still buy a milk cow for $29.70, Albert Butz, a Swiss immigrant living in St. Paul, Minnesota, invented what he called the damper-flapper. He patented it the following year. The flapper opened a damper that allowed outside air to enter a coal-fired home furnace. This increased the oxygen in the furnace and made the fire burn hotter. When the temperature rose to a desired point, the damper closed.

More and more hydronic heating and cooling systems are being designed around air-to-water and water-to-water (geothermal) heat pumps. When the heating distribution system is extensively zoned, a buffer tank is typically installed between the heat pump and that distribution system.

When you talk about water scarcity and the lack of clean drinking water, most people think about third-world countries. They don’t realize that there’s a growing threat to clean water right here at home in the United States. Look at the February train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, where a fire forced the controlled release and burn of toxic chemicals to avoid an explosion. The resulting contamination killed thousands of fish in nearby streams and ignited concerns over soil and water quality.

Can you spot at least six design or installation details that are going to create problems?

Armistead is being honored with a “New Jersey’s Leading Capital Construction Award,” for its role in the hospital’s crucial Cogeneration Plant Replacement project.

Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning is celebrating both World Plumbing Day on March 11 and World Water Day on March 22 by reminding Americans how important plumbing is to human comfort, proper sanitation and water preservation.

The showcase demonstration will run from March 13-17. 

How is the aging population changing product design? Builders and designers have been hearing from clients that homeowners now want to age-in-place, and they also want to renovate their existing homes to accommodate various generations living under one roof. The lack of housing stock and current mortgage and interest rates have contributed to this phenomenon. This shift in living has been a boon to the renovation industry, and it has given rise to innovations and building processes that elegantly combine technology and health benefits in the service of independence for elderly or anyone with physical challenges.

The benefits of indirect water heating systems are well-known throughout the industry and include system versatility and aiding in electrification to lower utility costs (if it is used in co-generation environments). Other advantages are higher operating efficiency, lower maintenance costs and longer system life.

When plumbing emergencies inevitably happen, plumbing contractors have to act quickly and make pipe repairs swiftly so they can mitigate water damage for their customers. There are several methods you can use for pipe repairs — soldering, gluing, crimping — but only one offers the quickest fix and long-term reliability: Push-to-connect fittings.

The very first installation of the Mikrofill 3 hydronic pressurization unit in North America took place recently in a mechanical room of an assisted- and independent-living community in Southwest-suburban Chicago. You might say the flower of this innovation grew from the soil of an old industry friendship.

Have you ever started your day thinking, “Ahh, coffee!” only to have it turn into “ouch!” as the steaming hot beverage hits the roof of your mouth? If so, you have experienced scalding. Luckily, the scald you experienced was (most likely) mild and, while quite painful, healed quickly and without the need for hospitalization or the prolonged medical treatment that is required for the nearly half a million people who experience scalding each year.

UV CIPP provides additional installation flexibility and environmental advantages. Vortex has introduced a comprehensive UV CIPP system that includes everything needed — curing equipment, liners and custom truck builds.

Pressure monitoring capability is now standard on Watts large diameter (2 1/2” or larger) Series LF007 and LF709 backflow preventers with NRS gate valves for non-fire applications.

Uponor's Commercial Stainless-Steel Manifold handles 48 gpm total flow with up to 4 gpm flow meters, 1 1/2" distribution ball valves, and 1" loop isolation ball valves that reduce loop pressure drops without impact to pump head pressure for improved system performance.

NIBCO’s line of large-diameter butterfly valves offer enhanced performance with pressure ratings of 232 to 250 psi, depending on the size range.

Providing maneuverability in small lines, the 100’ Flexible Pipeline Inspection Reel has a flexible push cable built to navigate tight bends and traps in 1.5” – 4” lines, up to 100 feet.

The unique design of the RANGER enables it to assemble onto multiple ranges of nominal pipe diameters from CTS up to PEP and is applicable for underground and aboveground potable water systems.

The compact EZ Series is designed to speed replacement of conventional storage-tank water heaters, offering a Uniform Energy Factor of 0.96 and a 25-year warranty.

Navien’s NPE-2 series condensing tankless water heaters feature an EZNav upgraded advanced multi-line control panel with Setup Wizard, high efficiency up to 0.96 UEF, 2” PVC venting up to 75’, cascade capability up to 32 units and common vent capability up to 12 units.

HTP Everlast Elevate is a flexible capacity water heater that includes an adjustable thermostat paired with an ASSE 1017-certified mixing valve.

With stainless steel heat exchangers and multiple venting options, the ENERGY STAR-compliant Infiniti GS and GR tankless water heaters combine reliability with flexibility to meet the demands of both residential and commercial applications and accommodate a variety of installations

The Aura Hybrid heat pump water heater from American Standard Water Heaters offers premium efficiency and performance along with app connectivity for remote programming.

The Voltex AL (anit-leak) features a high Uniform Energy Factor (UEF) of 4.02 with the 66-gallon unit and 3.8 with the 50-gallon unit.