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CONTENTS O F
Large charge AND IN
104PROJECT PROFILE Built in 1955, the 1.6 million-square-foot Royal University Hospital recently found itself eyeing mechanical upgrades to increase energy efficiency and reduce operating costs. Greg Dalgetty
26THE HEATING The By Greg Da l get t y
is on
REPORT What can contractors expect from the coming heating season? Savvy consumers, Wi-Fi controls, heat pumps, and more. Greg Dalgetty
Delivering comfort, with
steam 72HVAC Adding humidity to a home can improve the health and well being of residents, and protect a home’s furniture and contents as well. Allen Haybarger
74HYDRONICS Large radiant heat systems place unique demands on a boiler, or series of boilers. Here’s what to look for in a boiler for big, high-mass, cold-start hydronic applications. Chuck O’Donnell
Installation innovations making plumbers’ lives easier
86PLUMBING What’s on tap when it comes to installation innovation? Here’s just a sampling of some labour-saving ideas you can find. Denise Deveau
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THROUGH
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M e c h a n i c a l
T A B L E F E A T U R E S 36COMMERCIAL PLUMBING
M B
When hot is too hot Eric Riml
O F
S P E C I A L I S T S
46
REFRIGERATION Using PLCs to improve performance Phil J. Boudreau Control systems have evolved over the past 50 years.
58
MARKETING Accessibility: A core of a strong brand Doug MacMillan Making your business accessible is the right thing to do.
62
PLUMBING Mother Nature’s influence Fred Bretzke From what I’ve seen, the hardest codes in the world are determined by good old Mother Nature.
92
HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC Your nose knows Gord Cooke About a third of the calls I get from homeowners or businesses who are concerned enough to have an IAQ assessment are motivated by the presence of unusual or obnoxious smells.
94
HYDRONICS Fire in the hole! Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr One critical process in the system that’s rarely written about is the combustion process.
50ROAD WARRIOR: LUKE COOK Greg Dalgetty
52HVAC Optimizing furnace efficiency and performance Ryan Coleman, Dan Bradley and Michael Wilkinson
56EVENT IN PICTURES HRAI finds success in Quebec
70EVENT IN PICTURES CIPH hosts party in the capital
80REFRIGERATION Propane stages a comeback Andre Patenaude
90QUATTRO’S CORNER Pipe protection problems Andrew Quattrociocchi
98HYDRONICS Ontario chicken farm has the warm and fuzzies Trish Holder
108HRAI ON HVAC EER vs SEER
110REFRIGERATION Blast, batched & flashed Kevin Gill
113GUEST COLUMN There’s no tomorrow Tye Leishman
1 0 . 1 7
CONTENTS
Cleaning up the kitchen garbage Denise Deveau
40HYDRONICS
B u s i n e s s
102 ASK ROGER Selling the best, with or without rebates Roger Grochmal Rebates have been in place for so long that contractors, as well as consumers, may see them as an entitlement, but we don’t need rebates to sell efficient, top-notch systems.
D E P A R T M E N T S 12From the Editor’s Desk 14News 24Profile: Bruce Passmore 84Find the FIx 119Tool Tip 122The Info Page 123Calendar 124By the Numbers M e c h a n i c a l
P R O D U C T S 28-34,120,121HVAC/R 66,116-117Plumbing 78,118-119Hydronics 115Stuff You Need
B u s i n e s s
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11
FROM Content Media Group Inc. 19 – 1525 Cornwall Road Oakville, ON L6J 0B2 Canada Tel: 905.465.2919 Fax: 905.465.2913 www.mechanicalbusiness.com Sept/Oct 2017 Issue Published 6 times per year. Editor: Adam Freill, ext. 224 adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com National Accounts Manager: Jeff Superle, ext. 221 jeff.superle@mechanicalbusiness.com Controller: Liz Mills liz.mills@mechanicalbusiness.com Office Manager: Caroline Bexfield, ext. 227 caroline.bexfield@mechanicalbusiness.com Art Direction: JJM Graphic Ltd. davem@jjmgraphic.com Circulation Manager: Shila Naik (905) 272-4175 shila.naik@mechanicalbusiness.com Publisher: Bruce Meacock, ext. 222 bruce.meacock@mechanicalbusiness.com PM:41536047 ISSN 1916-0674 MB (Print) ISSN 1906-0682 MB (Online)
We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada.
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DESK
Time flies when you are having fun! As this 10th anniversary issue approached, I spent quite a bit of time reflecting back on the past decade, and I kept coming back to the same question: Where did the past 10 years go? I guess what they say about time flying when you are having fun is true. It seems like only yesterday that our publisher, Bruce, our controller, Liz, and myself were sitting around a kitchen table sharing ideas and visions for what Mechanical Business could become.
How many covers did you recognize? Over the past 10 years we’ve had some interesting characters on our cover, but one of the covers in our salute to our first 10 years didn’t actually happen. Spot it, and send us your contact details by November 1, 2017, and you could win a great prize, courtesy of Mechanical Business!
We didn’t want to create something that was “just like all the other magazines out there.” We wanted to create something that changed the way that information was shared, and viewed, in our industry. From speaking with celebrities who have shared some interesting connections to our sector, to incorporating a very visual presentation of information, I like to think that we disrupted our market, and continue to do so. These ongoing evolutions are not done by any means, but what we have done to-date has afforded us a certain level of success in a media world where achievement is the exception rather than the rule.
Without you, we would have never gotten off the ground; or grown so quickly; or found our way to issue number 60. Some of our best article ideas have come from you, and I value the th he open relationshi ip that wee have with so many of our readers. relationship
Notice: Mechanical Business is published for owners, managers and decision makers with mechanical contracting firms and the sector’s supply chain partners in Canada. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information, Mechanical Business, Content Media Group Inc., its staff, directors, officers and shareholders (‘The Publisher’) assume no liability, obligation or responsibility for advertised claims, for errors and/or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. Manufacturers’ instructions take precedence over published editorial. The publisher reserves the right to publish a printed correction in a subsequent issue for editorial errors, omissions and oversights. Subscriptions are available for $90 plus taxes in Canada and the U.S. Single copies are $15.00. Outside Canada and the U.S., the rates are $150.00 (annual) and $25.00 (single copy).
I also appreciate appreciate th the advice and information that so many of our advertisers h have shared with us, and through our pages, with you. These supporters of our efforts allow us to work in service to th he industry that our team calls home – and the b be lieve me when wh I say that our team here firmly believes believe that the mecha mechanical trade is our industry too. Sure, we don’t tend to sspend our days designing systems or installing equipment, but we live the mechanicals every day.
From time to time, Content Media Group Inc. makes subscribers’ names available to reputable companies whose products or services may be of interest to readers. If you would like your name excluded from these mailings, please notify the publisher.
And o on that note, I would like to thank you for your continued support; for picking up our issu issues to read the articles we present, and for ssupporting the advertisers who help keep our keyboards busy and our pages in production. I look forward to the next decade, and all the stories to come.
© Copyright 2017. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of the publisher. Proud members of:
M e c h a n i c a l
EDITOR’S
And while I am proud of the growth our company has achieved – we publish more pages, for more readers, than any other magazine in our sector in Canada – the credit for our growth does not land on any one person’s shoulders. That credit goes to the many, many partners that we have in one of the finest industries I’ve ever known – and that includes the role that you, our readers, have in our structure.
Submissions: Copyright in material submitted to the magazine and accepted for publication remains with the author, but Mechanical Business and its licensees may freely reproduce it in print, electronic or other forms. Mechanical Business also reserves the right to edit said submitted materials to suit the editorial needs and mandate of the publication.
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10.17
News www.mechanicalbusiness.com
Rheem named HVAC Manufacturer of the Year Energy Star recently awarded Rheem with its HVAC Manufacturer of the Year award for 2017. A supporter of the Energy Star program since 1996, Rheem offers a full line of Energy Star qualified heating, cooling and water heating products. “We are pleased to receive this prestigious award as part of our commitment to the Energy Star program,” said Dave McPherson, general manager of Rheem Canada. “At Rheem, our product development pipeline is focused around creating efficient, high-performing products; we feel our vision perfectly complements the Energy Star program.” rheem.com
energystar.gc.ca
AtlasCare supports MS Society For the ninth consecutive year, mechanical contracting firm AtlasCare stepped up to be the title sponsor of a Golf Fore MS event in support of the Peel-Dufferin Chapter of the MS Society of Canada. This year’s event, held at the Royal Ontario Golf Club in Milton, Ont., attracted 80 golfers from throughout the Golden Horseshoe to raise $80,000 that will help the Peel-Dufferin Chapter deliver programs to people affected by Multiple Sclerosis. Pictured here on the green are, from left, AtlasCare president Michael Grochmal, Marlene McLeod, Adam Clarry (both also with AtlasCare), and company CEO (and a regular columnist with Mechanical Business) Roger Grochmal. atlascare.ca mssociety.ca
Hydronics conference returns InfraCanada 2017 on tap
The third edition of the Canadian Hydronics Conference took place in Edmonton on October 16 and 17. The two-day event, held in conjunction with the Edmonton edition of the CIPHEX Roadshow, included a variety of technical and sales training sessions with hydronic experts from across North America, including MB columnist Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr.
InfraCanada 2017 is set to take over the Banff Centre in Banff, Alta., on October 24, 2017, and the Marriott on the Falls in Niagara Falls, Ont., on November 3. The event will feature international thermal experts discussing the latest technologies and best practices. Attendees of the Niagara Falls stop will be entered into a draw to win a FLIR E6 infrared camera with Wi-Fi.
ciphexroadshow.ca
flir.ca
Follow Us on Twitter! It’s MB’s Twitter Roundup Caught the Twitter bug? We’ve got you covered with tweets about everything that matters to the mechanical trades in Canada. Follow us @mechbusiness.
14
GreenUP
Charlie Hurley
@ptbogreenup
@c_hurley321
#WaterSavingTip Changing a few bad habits & updating faucets with aerators can save up to 40% of a household’s water consumption!
I have told Americans before “Canada is the only place I know where you use a furnace at night and AC during the day,” lol. It’s true.
September 13, 2017
September 11, 2017
M e c h a n i c a l
B u s i n e s s
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James Barlett Bryan Baeumler
Envise
@James_Barlett @Bryan_Baeumler What do you recommend for protecting an air conditioner sitting outside during the winter? [Bryan’s Reply]: An AC cover, or a tarp should do it. September 4, 2017
A new report found Canada could reduce #energy consumption by 15% w/ lighting, computers & #HVAC.
@enviseco
August 31, 2017
Emerson offering CO2 training
Noble show, Fully Loaded Mechanical wholesaler Noble attracted around 1,000 contractors to its 2017 Fully Loaded Tradeshow in Woodbridge, Ont., on September 28. The jam-packed event featured more than 75 industry-leading hydronic, HVAC and plumbing vendors, educational seminars and great prizes, including powder room packages and furnaces. Here, Andrew Quattrociocchi, a building inspector with the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, and a director with the Ontario Plumbing Inspectors Association, leads an education session outlining what he’s looking for when inspecting a plumbing system. “Go above and beyond the code, and I’m not going to bother you,” he laughed, adding that his demeanour will change for those not installing to the minimum requirements of the code. Solid advice, for sure. noble.ca
Registration is open for a series of two-day training sessions on CO2 refrigeration from Emerson. Attendees will be introduced to best practices on servicing R-744 systems, and learn how to optimize system efficiency in warm ambient environments, among other topics. There are three two-day training sessions to choose from: October 25 and 26, and December 13 and 14, 2017; and April 4 and 5, 2018. All sessions will take place in Brantford, Ont. emerson.com
Gerber expands rewards program Gerber has expanded its rewards program for plumbing professionals. Contractors now have more prize options, including Visa gift cards. They can also use a mobile device to upload Gerber receipts from the field. To register for Gerber Rewards, visit gerberonline.ca/pros. gerberonline.ca
Top Lochinvar contractors receive VIP treatment
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Stanley Black & Decker lent a helping hand to Habitat for Humanity’s 34th annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in July. The company offered tools, volunteers and monetary support to build sites in Edmonton and Winnipeg. Both sites were visited by former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn. Every province and territory across Canada participated in this year’s Carter Work Project, with a goal of building 150 homes collectively to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation.
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Sixteen of Lochinvar’s top VIP contractors, including Canadians Wayne McNeely of Byron’s Plumbing in Calgary, Alta, and Darrin Durand of Durand Heating and Cooling, Ltd. in Hensall, Ont., were treated to an all-expenses-paid trip to Nashville, Tenn., earlier this summer after winning grand prizes in Lochinvar’s loyalty program. The prize package included the 2017 CMA Fest, as well as a chance to check out Lochinvar’s world headquarters and meet with the Lochinvar business team.
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Microsoft unveils smart thermostat Microsoft released a YouTube video in July unveiling a new smart thermostat called GLAS. Built by Johnson Controls, the thermostat is powered by the Windows IoT Core and uses Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform. It also features the company’s Cortana voiceactivated personal assistant technology. Microsoft has yet to disclose pricing information or a release date. microsoft.com
Master dealers meet up in T.O. The Master Group welcomed a group of more than 150 to its York Commercial meeting in Toronto in September. The event, held at Twenty 7 Automobile Club, attracted customers from all across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Southwestern Ontario for product presentations, news about Master’s global vision, development and expansion plans, as well as a bit of fun in F1 driving simulators. Chris Forth, director of HVAC product management for residential and commercial products, discussed York’s commercial products, including what’s new and what the company is looking to introduce in the future. Host of the event, Alain Fournier, Master Group’s vice-president of business development (centre in the photo) underlined JCI’s investments in product research and innovation.
ISH announces new schedule Say goodbye to those Tuesday starts. Going forward, ISH—the world’s largest biennial trade show for the plumbing and HVAC/R industries—will begin on a Monday and end on a Friday. The next ISH will take place in Frankfurt, Germany, from March 11 to 15, 2019.
master.ca
ish.messefrankfurt.com
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ClimateCare companies Baeumler Approved Canadians named to ASHRAE board Two Canadians were recently named to the ASHRAE board of directors and executive committee at the society’s annual conference in Long Beach, Calif. Tim J. McGinn of Calgary design firm DIALOG has been named a director-at-large and will serve a three-year term. Darryl K. Boyce of Carleton University in Ottawa was elected to serve a one-year term as an executive committee officer. Bjarne W. Olesen of the Technical University of Denmark was named president of ASHRAE. He will also serve as chair of the board of directors and the executive committee. ashrae.org
P.E.I. residents tour district heating system Residents of Tignish, P.E.I., got a firsthand look at an under-construction district heating system this past summer. The Tignish District Heating Project will use a boiler fuelled by wood chips to provide heating to 10 commercial buildings in the Tignish core. It’s estimated that the system will use approximately 500 tonnes of locally harvested wood chips each heating season, replacing 200,000 litres of furnace oil. princeedwardisland.ca
HRAI watching GreenON program In September, HRAI issued a press release about Green Ontario Fund (GreenON) and its Direct Install program for adaptive (smart) thermostats. While encouraged by the potential of the program, HRAI expressed some concerns about its delivery. “It is very important, for example, that products of this type are installed by properly trained professionals who understand how controls interact with existing heating and cooling systems in homes and buildings,” says the release. GreenON has yet to announce how it will be scheduling and managing installations.
The 36-location ClimateCare cooperative of independent HVAC systems contractors recently announced that the corporation is the first group of companies accepted into the BaeumlerApproved.ca professional program. BaeumlerApproved.ca was created to help homeowners connect with contractors, trades and home service providers. climatecare.com
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News www.mechanicalbusiness.com
Viessmann celebrating its next century As part of its 100th anniversary celebrations this year, Viessmann Canada opened its doors to more than 400 industry personnel for its Viessmann 100+ Tech Social 2017 on September 21. Held at the company’s Canadian headquarters in Waterloo, Ont., the full-day event featured product demonstrations, food trucks and an opportunity to learn about the company’s upcoming products. Here, Andreas Wintzer, Viessmann’s commercial and biomass manager, explains the operation of the 1.3 million BTUH Vitoex 300-UF biomass boiler that will be used to service all of the heating needs for the company’s head ofďŹ ces. viessmann.ca
Pair of “winnersâ€? in cross connection contest The Western Canada Section (WCS) of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) has selected a pair of winners in this year’s National Bad and Ugly Cross Connection Control contest – and in the spirit of providing clarity, the winners were selected for identifying problem systems; not for building systems with cross connections. These were systems found and identiďŹ ed for correction. Backow tester Glen Borth won for his submission of a system he found at a food processing plant; while Sylvain Boudrias, a cross connection control inspector, won for this picture of a problem connection that he spotted while doing an inspection. The intent of the annual contest is to increase the awareness of cross connections and educate water industry representatives in the ďŹ eld. wcsawwa.net
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DIGITAL ALERT Belimo unveils new website
Watts hits the Hall Watts Water Technologies and ATS Spec invited 150 engineers to Toronto’s Hockey Hall of Fame to talk about hydronic and plumbing system engineering in September. In addition to the fun, interactive activities in the hall of fame, the networking and education event included product demonstrations and overviews of mixing and recirculation systems, rainwater harvesting and storage, cross connection control, condensing water heaters, and hydronic system optimization. Pictured, Bob Pagano, president and CEO of Watts Water Technologies (left) and Charles Mann, vice-president of sales and marketing with Watts Water Technologies (Canada) pose with the Stanley Cup. onewattswater.com
Belimo has launched its new website, featuring simpler navigation, enhanced search capabilities and faster response times. The site also has a responsive design that optimizes the display on any mobile device, and offers users the ability to share posts on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Current customers will have to reset their passwords for the new website. belimo.ca
Bradford White offers new contractor resources Bradford White Water Heaters recently announced the launch of its new web-based contractor resource, For The Pro. It is tailored specifically for professional installers of Bradford White water heating, space heating, combination heating and storage solutions. The site includes links to a diverse set of product calculators, sizing applications and guides. forthepro.bradfordwhite.com
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Movers & Shakers www.mechanicalbusiness.com
Anvil acquires Grinnell mechanical lines North American manufacturer and supplier of products for the connection, hanging and supporting of piping systems, Anvil International, has announced that it has bought the Grinnell Mechanical Product suite for the North American mechanical segment from Johnson Controls. The acquisition includes Grinnell’s grooved couplings, fittings and valves, G-Press Systems, technical services and a foundry in Alabama. Johnson Controls will retain the Grinnell Fire Suppression business globally. anvilintl.com
M&G Group decouples companies M&G DuraVent and Security Chimney have announced that M&G DuraVent and Security Chimneys International decoupled from M&G Group on August 1. The separated companies will operate as DuraVent and Security Chimneys, having a primary focus on the North American market. The M&G Group will continue its current emphasis on supporting the European and Asian markets. The company reports that the change in organizational structure will not have an impact on how customers are currently serviced or supplied. mg-group.com duravent.com securitychimneys.com
Uponor expands manufacturing Uponor North America has purchased a 237,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and office space in Hutchinson, Minn. The facility is located 70 miles west of the company’s North American headquarters in Apple Valley, Minn. Uponor will use the building to increase its production capacity for PEX pipe and related products. uponor.ca
Bradford r White holds Canadian grand opening In August, local politicians, members of industry and key Bradford White executives joined Bradford White Canada general manager Paul McDonald and the rest of his crew to officially cut the ribbon on the company’s new Canadian headquarters, located in Halton Hills, Ont. The 75,000-sq.-ft. facility more than doubles the company’s warehousing space and offers convenient access to major transportation routes. The new building also includes a 1,000-sq.ft. training area where technicians can get hands-on experience with gas and electric water heaters and gas boilers. bradfordwhite.com
Construction underway for Viega HQ Construction is underway for the new Viega corporate headquarters and training facility in Broomfield, Colo. The 55,000-square-foot North American headquarters and the 24,000-square-foot training facility are expected to be completed by late 2018. Both buildings will feature Viega fittings, radiant heating and cooling systems, fire suppression systems, and carrier systems. viega.us
Sioux Chief opens distribution facility Sioux Chief held an open house at its new Canadian distribution centre in July. Located at 38 Bury Court, Unit 4, in Brantford, Ont., the 28,000-squarefoot facility will handle the shipping of all Canadian orders. Sioux Chief’s customer service and sales support services will continue to operate from the company headquarters in Peculiar, Mo.
Cambridge-Lee unveils new line Cambridge-Lee has unveiled its Readi-Protector line of copper coils featuring a corrosionresistant coating. The offering includes polyethylene-coated coils for natural gas, propane and fuel-oil lines. Cambridge-Lee introduced the product after acquiring manufacturing equipment from CuPRO, a Canadian manufacturer that formerly made the product.
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10.17
People in the news www.mechanicalbusiness.com
OS&B has announced the appointments of BRAD CORNELISSEN (1) to national sales manager, and CRAIG SMITH (2) 1 to eastern regional manager. Brad is responsible for all OS&B business and agents in Canada, as well as some areas of the U.S. marketplace. He reports to company president 2 Brent Cornelissen. Craig’s responsibilities extend to southwest Ontario, northern Ontario, eastern Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. He reports to Brad. JON SILLERUD has been named the new vice-president of operations for Uponor North America. Sillerud joined Uponor in 2015 and served most recently as the senior director of operations. He has more than 20 years of experience in operations management, strategic planning and executive leadership. Bradford White Corporation has promoted R. BRUCE CARNEVALE to president and chief operating officer. In his new role, Carnevale will manage all operational aspects of Bradford White Water Heaters, Laars Heating Systems and Niles Steel Tank. Carnevale joined Bradford White in 1996 as the product manager for international sales. He served most recently as executive vicepresident and COO. He also serves on the company’s board of directors.
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Bosch Thermotechnology has promoted DAVID LOPES (1) to the newly created position of sales director for commercial applications. In his role, he will be responsible for the sales of heating and air conditioning applications and their support teams, focusing on the commercial and “spec-bid” channels. Bosch has also hired MELVIN HARRIS (2) as the sales director for residential applications. Harris will oversee sales in the wholesale and retail channel, and develop online sales for the company’s full product range. He has extensive experience in HVAC sales. DAVE VOLTAN has joined the Rheem team as the Eastern Canadian sales manager for the company’s HVAC division. He has more than 16 years of sales experience, including eight years of national and district sales management experience in the HVAC business.
Danfoss recently named ASHWANI GIRDHAR its new regional sales manager supporting its heating business in Canada. Girdhar will focus on growing sales and supporting Canadian customers of Danfoss’ hydronic comfort controls portfolio. He will also work to support the company’s business in district energy.
COURTENEY MacNEIL has joined Novanni Stainless as the company’s new marketing coordinator. The recent University of Toronto graduate brings 2 a strong background in marketing and communications to the role.
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Polypropylene piping company Aquatherm North America recently announced that LARRY HOPE has joined the company as an area manager covering Alberta. A part of the plumbing and heating wholesale industry for almost 20 years, he has worked with the company’s product lines since 2006. ALAN ZANIDEAN has joined Axiom Industries Ltd., assuming the position of national sales manager for North America. Al brings 10 years of experience in the hydronics industry to his new role, and will be responsible for increasing the company’s market presence through its independent representative network. REBECCA MARTINEZ O’MARA has joined Grundfos as the company’s new vicepresident of service for the Americas region. In her new role, O’Mara will have oversight of a service strategy in line with the region’s overall growth plan. She has more than 25 years of experience leading operations, sales, product and service teams in a variety of industries.
A.O. Smith has promoted DAVID R. WARREN to president and general manager of the company’s North America, India, Europe and Export (NAIEE) water heater operations. In his new role, Warren will have profit and loss responsibility for A.O. Smith’s 10 water heater brands, and will oversee 4,500 employees at facilities in Canada, the U.S., India, Mexico, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the UK.
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10.17
Profile Bruce Passmore: Rolling along, and growing along the way
Asking newly minted HRAI chair Bruce Passmore about the history that has led to his current role in the mechanical industry is a bit like looking deep into an iceberg. What you see above the surface is just a small part of the whole picture. At 48 years old, Passmore’s background is impressive, surprisingly complex and, unlike that iceberg, ever-growing. Over the past 25 years, Passmore, the Ontario HVACR regional manager for wholesale firm Emco, has also been a tradesman as well as a salesman for an HVAC equipment manufacturer, but that’s just
Photo: Oleh Bozhyk
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part of the picture. He’s also taken a staggering number of industry courses, as well as earned an MBA, along the way. As he explained during a recent chat at the HRAI offices, one of the things that keeps him so engaged in the mechanical sector is the opportunity for constant development, stating, “Moss doesn’t grow on a rolling stone.” Given his love of discovery and life-long learning, that could be his personal motto as well.
Tell us about your start in the trade. In 1991, after graduating from the University of Waterloo, the job market was quite soft, so I returned home to Timmins, Ont., and got a job as a plumber’s helper. I was hooked in the first month. My grandfather was a millwright at the Hollinger Mine. It always fascinated me to see him working on a project, combining theory and practical application to turn a problem into a solution.
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What’s the most interesting development you’ve seen in your time in the mechanical sector?
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The evolution of our business has been really exciting. From leaps in efficiency to connected homes to innovative new technologies. Change creates opportunity, and in order to seize the opportunity you will need to be smart, fast, and flexible.
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If you were to have the ability to speak with 15-year-old you, what advice would you pass along?
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Surround yourself with great people. They will shape what you accomplish.
What do you enjoy most about the industry? It’s a cliché, but we have a wonderful group of people in our industry. Getting involved in HRAI and CIPH has been a real pleasure. Association staff and other volunteers come together, selflessly try to make our industry better, and have a lot of fun while doing it! Life is about learning and collaboration. It has been an incredible journey with amazing mentors and teammates.
BIO Name: Bruce Passmore Title: Region Manager, Ontario HVACR Company: Emco Corporation Location: Kitchener, Ont. Joined the industry: 1993 Family: Wife Kristina McDougall, and children Dana, Rebecca, Quinn and Calvin.
FAST FACTS 1. Bruce is actively chasing his bucket list, having attended such events as the Masters, Ryder Cup, US Open, Tour de France, Stanley Cup and World Series. 2. He loves two-wheeled machines, whether it’s his Harley or many bicycles. 3. If it is winter, you might find him on the ice. “Hockey has been part of my life forever,” he says. “I’m your typical Canuck. In the winter, there is nothing better than lacing them up as a player or coach.”
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buy it for the bottom line Some buy Moen® to enhance their properties. Others for installation that takes an average of 10 minutes less*. You? You buy it because your time adds up to real money. SEE MORE at MOEN.CA © 2017. See moen.ca for limited warranty details. *When compared to other leading brands based on a thirdparty administrated survey of property managers and maintenance personnel, commissioned by Moen.
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The is on
Gas Furnaces Goodman’s GMSS92 gas furnaces are available in sizes ranging from 40,000 to 120,000 BTUH and offer AFUE efficiencies as high as 92 per cent. They feature a tubular, aluminized-steel heat exchanger and a stainless steel secondary heat exchanger. goodmanmfg.com
By Greg Dalgetty
S
ince the dawn of time, man has waged an endless war against the elements. In the summer he is too hot; in the winter, too cold. And before long, Old Man Winter will once again have us firmly in his clutches. So what can contractors expect from the coming heating season? Well, for one thing, they will encounter homeowners who are savvier than ever when it comes to HVAC systems. “Homeowners don’t seem to be as concerned about their countertops anymore— they’re actually becoming more concerned about the mechanicals in the house,” notes Joe Cancilla, the Canadian regional sales manager for Napoleon.
Combination Boilers Lochinvar’s Noble fire-tube combination boilers are available in three models ranging from 110,000 to 199,999 BTUH. Offering a turndown ratio of 10:1 and AFUE efficiencies as high as 95 per cent, the boilers feature a backlit LCD display and a setup wizard. lochinvar.com
Consumers have become increasingly aware of the benefits of owning high-efficiency equipment—especially in the resale market. “A lot of homeowners have been disappointed with rooms that may not be conditioned adequately or get sufficient airflow,” Cancilla says. “The addition of a furnace with an ECM variable-stage blower motor or a two-stage furnace generally looks after that for them.” Homeowners are often willing to shell out for high-end equipment if they know it will keep them comfortable. “People will pay for value—they just need to know what it is,” says Darryl Singleton, vice-president of Aqua-Tech Sales and Marketing. “If you’re trying to sell people the cheapest things that exist, they may want something more.” And remote connectivity remains an attractive option for savvy consumers.
Heat Pumps Daikin’s VRV AURORA 575V heat recovery systems are designed specifically for the Canadian market. They are engineered to operate at 100 per cent capacity in heating mode at -18°C; 85 per cent capacity at -25°C; and 60 per cent capacity at -30°C. daikincomfort.com
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“Homeowners are opting to control many functions of their home, including their HVAC system, remotely via a smartphone,” says Jeff Underwood, vice-president of marketing for Goodman. “We are working to make our HVAC systems and control products more flexible for dealers and homeowners so that they can work with any thermostat and any home automation system.” On the commercial side, the ability to tie into building management systems is fast becoming a must. “The most recent advancements are in connectivity and communications,” says Chris Bellshaw, director of VRV product marketing with Daikin North America. “The Internet Of Things (IoT) is quickly becoming a common term in our industry when talking to consumers and building managers about how our equipment can tie in and be controlled by a centralized controller that can control many different types of equipment.”
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Heating Report
Pumped up for heat The market for heat pumps has continued to expand as technological advances have allowed them to operate in heating mode at ever-lower ambient temperatures.
Gas-Fired Patio Heaters Brant Radiant’s DST gas-fired low-intensity patio heaters are available with maximum inputs of 60,000 and 80,000 BTUH. The 119”, 150-lb. units can be mounted 8 to 15 feet above ground. Capable of running on natural or propane gas, they feature a BTU selector to toggle between high- and low-fire rates. brantradiant.com
“Continual strides are being made in the development of the advanced inverter compressor, fan motor, heat exchanger and refrigerant control technology that allow heat pump systems to be used in colder climate conditions,” says Daikin’s Bellshaw. “At first they were primarily used in the southern market for cooling, but now because of inverters and variable speed technology, we’re seeing more and more northern markets use them for heating as well,” observes Nick Shin, Haier America’s vice-president and business unit leader, Ductless and HVAC. Once limited during the winter to operation above 40°F, heat pumps can now deliver heating in extremely cold conditions, making them a more viable option for the Great White North. “It was traditionally understood that heat pump heating performance fell quickly as temperatures approached freezing,” says Bellshaw. “But heat pump technology has improved significantly over the past several years, providing strong efficiency performance at levels well below freezing.”
Condensing Boilers Viessmann’s Vitodens 100-W, B1KA gas-fired condensing combination boilers are available in sizes ranging from 94,000 to 125,000 BTUH. They have a turndown ratio of up to 7:1 and offer AFUE efficiencies of 95 per cent. viessmann.ca
And as governments throughout Canada consider phasing out the use of fossil fuels for home heating, it’s possible the heat pump market could expand further in the coming years.
What’s new in boilers? “In the residential market, the largest growth area we’re seeing is the combination boiler market,” says Darryl Singleton of Aqua-Tech. “I think the quality and longevity of these appliances have improved significantly over the last five years.” Setting up boiler systems is also easier than ever. “Our smart system is in plain language—there are no error codes or books to refer to,” Singleton explains. “It makes installations so much quicker than reading a 96-page manual in order to start a boiler up.”
Two-stage Gas Furnaces Napoleon’s Ultimate 9700 gas furnaces are available in six sizes with maximum inputs ranging from 40,000 to 120,000 BTUH. The units feature stainless steel tubular triple-pass heat exchangers and AFUE efficiencies of up to 97 per cent. napoleonheatingandcooling.com
Heating Products
Savvy contractors can also connect to boiler systems remotely using an app on their smartphone and view w system diagnostics before arriving for a service call. “Now you can diagnose a system before you arrive on site, so you can pickk up the right parts and tools that you ds. need beforehand,” Singleton adds. me “Contractors are spending their time poorly if they’re zipping back and arts forth to wholesalers picking up parts and pieces three or four times a day.”
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Selling high-end Top-of-the line heating equipment doesn’t come cheap—but that doesn’t mean people won’t buy it. Comfort, remote connectivity, fuel savings and payback period are selling points any contractor can leverage to move high-end product. “I like to use the analogy that when you go car shopping, you don’t see base models in the showroom,” says Joe Cancilla of Napoleon. “Don’t sell it on price—sell it on quality of product, first and foremost. Just because a contractor may not want to spend the money on it, doesn’t mean a homeowner won’t.
Hybrid Heat Pump ClimateMaster TRM hybrid water source heat pump systems operate as a fan coil in heating mode instead of using compressor heating. Seven models are available, with maximum heating capacities ranging from 10,800 to 31,200 BTUH. climatemaster.com
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“Start with the best piece of equipment you’ve got in your arsenal. It’s high-end equipment for a reason. It is going to give that homeowner more quality of use, and it will give them a more efficient package. I like to steer the contractors we work with to not be afraid of starting high, and working their way down.” And remember—home and business owners put a lot of trust in their contractors. “Research indicates that homeowners will take the recommendation of their HVAC contractor the majority of the time, since homeowners view the contractor as an ‘expert’ on heating and cooling systems,” says Jeff Underwood of Goodman. “When a contractor includes a high efficiency system in the proposal, homeowners are more likely to take their recommendation.”
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Looking to the future The trend toward high-efficiency, small-footprint heating equipment shows no signs of slowing down. “I think you’ll see a continued trend toward smaller BTU loads,” notes Joe Cancilla of Napoleon. “We’ve realized as an industry that people have been oversizing heating loads for years, so you’ll see a greater trend toward smaller, more efficient heating equipment.” Condensing technology—both in furnaces and boilers—is expanding its reach as well. “Demand for condensing furnace models continues to be strong and sales are up as compared to the prior year,” says Underwood.
Condensing Boilers IBC’s SL G3 series boilers offer a turndown ratio of 10:1 and AFUE efficiencies as high as 95 per cent. They come in five sizes ranging from 115,000 to 399,000 BTUH. They have an integrated four-zone pump control and the ability to connect an indirect water tank directly, without a primary loop. ibcboiler.com
Heating Products
With politicians putting a target on the reduction or elimination of fossil fuel use, marketplace choices of HVAC equipment are adjusting as well. “We’re selling electric products mainly in Quebec, and Manitoba is also a good market,” notes Mario Bouchard, director of sales and marketing for Granby. “If we do see a decrease in demand in the oil heat side, we can palliate that by having the electric products.” “As we transition to the further elimination of fossil fuels in homes and businesses, we expect the use of heat pumps to increase,” states Jimmy Karam, Canadian regional sales manager with Daikin North America.
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PRODUCTIVITY CASE STUDY
MAKING LIFE EASIER:
PACKOUT SYSTEM Meet the fully revolutionized, transportable job site storage system that’s now available in Canada Today’s jobs demand workers to be rugged and versatile; why shouldn’t it be demanded from a tool box? Workers needed a durable, portable solution to storage that will withstand any job site condition and Milwaukee has officially stacked the deck. Why the Milwaukee PACKOUT system? The systems currently available in market keep users bound to singular stacking designs and minimal versatility. The PACKOUT is the first multi-footprint system that allows boxes, organizers, and totes of multiple sizes and configurations to travel to any job site. What can contractors expect from Milwaukee’s PACKOUT system? Designed with a vast variety of trades in mind, Milwaukee set out to build an interchangeable system completely mobile, modular and customizable for each job’s needs and then some. Users can further adapt their system by adding, removing or redistributing compartments within organizers and locking them into place. When tools are properly transported and have assigned placement, users can expect to experience longer tool life and less tool loss as a result. What makes this system so unique? The system’s organizers feature No-Travel Bin seals keeping contents from wandering into adjoining compartments when stacking or removing. Once onsite, each organizer’s inner compartment can be removed and secured to any space with integrated screw slots for optimal placement. Also unique to the PACKOUT system are the soft storage totes. These totes are designed to attach to other compartments to stay secure in place or attach to an organizer freeing up hands when only a few tools or accessories are needed. Constructed of 1680D ballistic material with an impact resistant moulded base, these totes are 5x more durable protecting contents from water, abrasion and impact. Totes are available in 10”, 15” or 20” sizes to accommodate tools small to large. How does PACKOUT stack up on the job site? PACKOUT is constructed with impact resistant polymer and reinforced metal corners and with a IP 65 rating contents, are protected from spills, water, dust and debris. The rugged 9” wheels with metal through-axel base grants unrestricted access powering through any job site terrain.
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Visit www.milwaukeetool.ca/PACKOUT to find a local retailer.
HVAC/R Products P Heat Pumps Fujitsu’s J-IIS series single-phase Airstage VRF units are available three- and fourton sizes and are suitable for smaller residential, multi-housing and light commercial uses. They offer efficiencies of 11.4 HSPF in heating mode and 19.8 SEER in cooling mode. Eleven indoor units are available, with sizes ranging from 7,000 to 46,000 BTUH.
Low-GWP Refrigerant Honeywell’s Solstice N40 (R-448A) refrigerant for commercial refrigeration applications is designed for new supermarkets and R-404A and R-22 retrofits. It has a GWP of 1,273, and is suitable for lowand medium-temperature applications.
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honeywell-refrigerants.com
Combustion Analyzers Testo’s combustion analyzers feature built-in condensation traps and integrated magnets that allow for hands-free operation. Applications include measuring drafts in flue gas ducts, ambient CO measurements in heated environments, and measuring the flue gas parameters of a burner (CO, O2, temperature, etc.). www.
testo.com
Light Commercial Heat Pumps Suitable for light commercial applications, Haier’s FlexFit Pro single-zone heat pumps are available in 24,000, 36,000 and 48,000 BTUH sizes. They offer piping distances of up to 230 feet and are available with highwall large cassette or high static duct indoor units. They are engineered to operate in heating mode when ambient temperatures are as low as -24°C and can provide cooling in temperatures as high as 46°C.
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Venting Adapters and Elbows
haierductless.com
IPEX’s System 636 flue gas venting offerings include 2-1/2” by 2” appliance adapters and 2-1/2” 90-degree long elbows. The one-piece appliance adapter replaces a three-piece transition alternative for upsizing to 2-1/2”. The elbow fitting is designed for optimal air flow with minimal frictional loss. Systems are available in PVC and CPVC.
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Vacuum Pumps
www.
Hilmor’s dual-stage vacuum pumps are available in 3, 5 and 9 CFM models. Technicians can connect a hose to the 1/4”, 3/8” or 1/2” port (1/2” only on the 5 and 9 CFM models), open the leak-proof blankoff valve, and crack the gas ballast to start evacuating HVAC systems.
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hilmor.com B u s i n e s s
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CLEANING UP THE KITCHEN
garbage
he saying garbage in and garbage out is taking on a whole new meaning in large commercial kitchen operations. With everyone looking to cut costs, conserve water and recycle more resources, the food waste disposer is becoming an important part of commercial kitchen dishwashing and food prep areas.
T
“The back of the kitchen is something everybody wishes would just go away. The less you have to do, the cleaner things are, so the focus is on all things that make operations easier,” says Michael Keleman, environmental engineer at InSinkErator, Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions. “Much of that focus today is on reducing food waste, landfill usage and resource recovery waste, especially in institutional kitchens where they have to worry about water usage and clogged sewers.” Today’s food disposal installations can be a lot more than a commercial-grade sink that grinds food waste to a pulp. You just need to look at institutions like Lakeridge Health in Oshawa, Ont., which has found a way to incorporate food disposal into a new warewashing system, complete with a conveyor, grinder
and enzyme-free bio-digester that turns organic waste to water for disposal to the municipal water system.
In simple terms, here’s how it works: In the dishwashing area, food scrapping is done on a conveyor and transported to a grinding system. The ground particles are then sent to a digester where the food is broken down to a liquid that can be transported via an open drain to the city sewer system. While grinding and digesting can be done in separate areas, in the interests of efficiency, the entire system was incorporated into the dishwasher design.
GUIDELINES FOR INSTALLING AND MAINTAINING AN EFFICIENT INTEGRATED FOOD DISPOSAL SYSTEM • Check municipal bylaws for any wastewater disposal restrictions. • Ensure water is kept at a warm temperature in the trough to eliminate issues with food grease.
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• Clear out mineral deposits in the lines to keep the water clean. • Empty the digester tank and clean the filter box monthly.
• Only cold water goes into the disposer itself.
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• Snake out the lines that recirculate the water to the trough every few months to ensure the pressure and flow remain at their peak performance levels.
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Photo credit: Brandon Cote
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PLUMBING
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KEEPING WITH THE FLOW Institutions can have as many as 3,000 meals coming in on trays and dumped into a trough at any given time. “Rather than going to landfill, it makes much more sense to send it for wastewater treatment,” says InSinkErator’s Keleman. “That can be solved by a simple trough application. All you need is table space, electric power, a water supply and a waste line, which may already be established.” In high volume environments Keleman recommends a nine- or 10-foot trough to accommodate three users.
The trough/conveyor system at Lakeridge Health recycles fresh water at a rate of five to seven gallons per minute and recirculates it for rinsing. Waste water from the digester is disposed into a standard four-inch floor drain to the city sewer. Plumbing requirements were relatively straightforward. The setup required a 3/4” hot and cold line and mixing valve to keep the temperature between 95° to 105°F. The digester also has a designated 3/4” line, to ensure there’s enough water, even when the dishwasher is running. A pump sits under the grinder and transports the waste to the digester. A high-pressure, low volume spray type cleaner blasts 1.5 gallons of water four times an hour to keep the filtration part of the system clean. Lina Reid, manager of Nutrition Services at Lakeridge, says the project started when they needed to replace a 20-year-old warewashing system. At the time, food scraps were transported to a food waste disposer and then put in garbage bags for disposal. “The garburator had to be cleaned every day,” she says. “It was completely inefficient and labour intensive and used a lot of hot water. We had to be innovative with our next choice.” The hospital wanted a system that was environmentally friendly, would reduce overall costs, and fit with the existing flow of operations, she adds. “Our infrastructure was a bit old and we had to fit it into older plumbing systems.” The integrated trough, grinder and digester solution completely changed the way the kitchen interacts with food waste, Reid says.
TURNING OLD WAYS INTO NEW
A key feature of the trough system is that it allows the hospital to recycle water used to wash food to rinse dirty dishes. “That saved the need for a continuous stream of clean water,” she explains. “That water is used to push food waste to the grinder, which then pumps it into the room next door where the digester is installed. It takes 24 hours to break down the particles to greywater that can be released to the street system.”
It’s been a given for decades that commercial grinders are the easiest way for a kitchen to get rid of food waste. However, some cities still don’t allow that waste to be pumped to the wastewater system, leading to a number of disposal challenges. Adam Dewildt, a Toronto-based field service engineer, says an integrated trough and digester system is an ideal approach in a commercial kitchen space. In the case of Lakeridge, the trough was custom fabricated. Each day the trough is filled with fresh water at a rate of 70 gallons per minute. “When it’s filled up it recycles continually,” he explains. “As you wash off the dishes, food particles make their way to the trough, where a gear motor takes it into the grinder. The murky water can still be used for initial rinsing of plates so you’re not constantly filling it with fresh water. Within a typical day you only need three evolutions of fresh water.”
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The outcome is a dramatic reduction in soft costs, says Reid. Labour was reduced by four hours a day, garbage waste cut by 50 per cent and air quality improved within the working area. The self-cleaning system not only saves labour, it has reduced the amount of fresh water used. “Overall we have realized some significant financial savings.”
He adds that in most applications, once the waste is in the grinder, either a two- or three-inch centrifuge pump is used to transport it to the digester unit. “Depending on the trough layout and the location of the source water, it could change the way you run your piping.” Typically an installer will need to run an existing main line from a recirculation tank to the end of the trough using two-inch piping. The trough’s 3/4” water outlet includes two valves in case one needs to be
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shut off. The digester requires 3/4” piping from the hot/cold water source. “It’s all pretty straightforward. The biggest thing in installation is making sure you have adequate hot and cold water to make the water warm enough.” Otherwise you need to deal with typical wear and tear issues, such as clogs and utensils making their way into the trough. “It all works pretty well. The fact is, at least 80 per cent of the issues that arise with these systems is user error,” Dewildt says.
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HYDRONICS
B y E r ic R iml Eric Riml is a certified hydronic designer working in Calgary, Alta. He can be reached at hydronichelp@gmail.com.
When
HOT T is too
HOT T
he building occupants are complaining of not enough heat, but can you simply turn up the water temperature to satisfy them? The answer: Not always. There is a danger from simply cranking the system, and usually much better solutions can be found, like adding emitters or adjusting prioritization schedules in your system controls.
Design temperatures Here are some typical temperature maximums, also known as “design supply temperatures,” for some of the more commonly used emitters.
• High-mass baseboard: 180°F • Fin-tube (low-mass baseboard): 180-190°F • In-slab radiant: 140°F • In-joist radiant: 160°F • Fancoil: 160-190°F • Unit heaters/Force flows: 180°F Note that these aren’t hard limits - the true limits are given by the manufacturers of the emitters themselves. Ignore the manufacturer’s limits at your peril, as you’ll not only void the warranty, but you risk damaging any non-metal components, most especially gaskets and plastic connectors or supports. There may also be safety issues, where parts of the emitter change from uncomfortable to touch, to burning the occupants if they brush against it.
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The danger spots The most visible effect of too much heat often shows up in damage to flooring. The surface-temperature limit of 85°F to the surface of flooring is specified mainly as it applies to an occupant’s comfort. However, many flooring manufacturers have temperature limits in their literature. High temperatures can cause cracking in wood flooring due to rapid p drying y g out of the wood, or can affect gglues in laminates or ssub-flooring, such as a plywood. Thus, yyou might be limited b by non-hydronic components of co the dwelling when th you’re considering yo turning tu up the supply temperature. tem Most that M emitters i h are made d off metall will ill take extra heat, as their upper limit is mostly governed by when water turns to steam (212°F at atmospheric pressure). As such, upper limits near 200°F are usually possible, but forcing your boiler to perform in that range does terrible things to your system efficiency, especially for mod-cons, as you are leaving the condensing range entirely.
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HYDRONICS
continued from page 32
The danger spot for hydronic components usually lies in your delivery system. If you’re using PEX, the high limit is typically 180°F at 100 psi, and although you can run higher temperatures at a lower pressure, the limit is still around 200°F as an absolute maximum. I know I personally wouldn’t push the maximum for an extended period of time.
Priority vs. Temperature
Your boiler can easily exceed 180°F, especially when you consider differentials. That is, the boiler control usually allows a boiler to hover around the target temperature. For example, if your target is 180°F, a boiler differential of 20°F means 10°F above the target, or 190°F, and 10°F below the target, or 170°F. Plastic fittings could be another issue. Yes, there is such thing as hightemperature plastics nowadays, but all plastics will degrade when dealing with high temperatures over a long period of time, and it’s just generally not good design to push those limits. Another danger spot is your pressure relief valves – they are often set to pop not only with pressure, but also with temperature. An improperly-chosen T&P, with a temperature limit range geared to a typical radiant system, may not tolerate your turned-up temperature. Once a T&P pops, it’s never completely reliable because it will never properly re-seat. They are designed to leak thereafter to show that they have failed and that the system needs attention.
Not enough heat can also come from excessive use of Domestic Hot Water (DHW) during cold snaps. A great example of the timing of this problem is around Christmas, when we can end up with a ton of guests using our hot water, and
Adding emitters as features, If the budget allows, your best choice is always to add emitters when you need more heat. This keeps your supply temperature down, which keeps your efficiency up. If you place those emitters intelligently, you can also increase the comfort of the space by targeting the specific areas that need the extra heat. For example, a bathroom on an exterior corner could benefit from a heated ed adiant piping (think warm wall towel warmer, panel radiator or in-wall radiant tiles!), which can create bragging-rights features in an otherwise plain installation. Better yet, the client may even be willing to pay the extra cost when it’s a feature, and not viewed simply as a fix for a problem.
lots of exterior doors opening to let our heat escape. If a boiler is set to prioritize DHW absolutely, there may be few times when your heat is actually reaching the emitters. That said, most controls have a limit on how long they will ignore a heating call in favour of hot water, but it’s something to look at, especially now that every boiler manufacturer seems to be using their own controls, and the particular boiler you’ve chosen may suffer from a priority issue. Another possibility, aside from DHW priority, is a piping-priority issue where a fan-coil or other high-demand emitter is using more heat than expected, possibly because of a higher delta-T than you expected.
MID-CONSTRUCTION CHANGES:
The one cold room Post-design changes can really mess up your system, and it’ll be your problem to fix it. It may also be because theoretical characteristics of the dwelling do not match with the actual construction. The addition of a fireplace is my least favourite mid-construction change, because it can completely change the heating profile of a room. With hydronics, it’s easier to run a couple of PEX lines to add an emitter rather than trying to fit in another set of ducts, which might be impossible if all you have to work with is a hot-air system.
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The heated floor, which is later in the primarysecondary loop, may never really feel warm because it’s not getting the temperature it needs. In such cases, re-tooling the piping or changing the mixing might solve the problem. I won’t get into specifics here, as the number of combinations and situational considerations is just too high, but consult a designer for your specific case, and together you’ll likely discover a solution that doesn’t involve turning up the temperature to the whole system.
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REFRIGERATION
USING
PLCs TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE C
ontrol systems for commercial and industrial refrigeration and air conditioning systems have evolved significantly over the past 40 or 50 years.
Up until the early ’70s, components known as control relays were used to switch power relays which, in turn, were used to energize and de-energize electrical loads such as motors and heaters. It didn’t take much for a system to become extremely complicated. Control panels often became quite large since the many relays in a system had to be wired in such a way as to produce a sequence of operation (SOO). With the use of all of these components, troubleshooting could be rather complex. Furthermore, if any changes were made to the control wiring, troubleshooting became even more of a challenge. In order to help ease the troubleshooting process, component drawings were often provided in addition to the wiring diagram itself. In a quest for an easier solution, some systems made use of standalone non-programmable, proprietary controllers, while others turned to what has become a more familiar option, the Programmable Logic Controller, or PLC. In its simplest form, the PLC is a standalone computer that is basically programmed using an interface software development tool to include a sequence of operation. PLC software generally includes a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that includes a number of virtual components that can be added to a ladder logic diagram. With the software, the sequence of operation can be tested and adjusted before transferring the program to the PLC and putting it into service. This is much more efficient than having to rewire controls in order to alter the SOO. Although they are most commonly found in more complex systems, PLC use will continue to grow in the HVACR industry. As helpful as they are to the control structures used, it is important to remember that the PLC must never be used to replace required components, such as safety devices, that are mandated by local and national codes.
Phil Boudreau
M e c h a n i c a l
Although programmable logic controllers are being used more and more, they are predominantly used in industrial systems where the sequence of operation is considerably more complex than a system like a condensing unit that is connected to a couple of evaporators. Industrial systems, such as chillers, tend to have many more components, as well as a fairly sophisticated SOO, and are therefore good candidates for PLC use. PLCs have proven to be very reliable and provide for a compact control solution. There are many examples of systems that have been retrofitted with PLCs to improve the sequence of operation, and to clean up the control system in general. In fact, PLCs can be a very nice upgrade for existing systems. Of course, an upgrade will need the equipment owner to deem that the return on investment is reasonable, given that there are additional costs when retrofitting to this level of technology.
Phil is the Ontario sales manager for Bitzer Canada Inc. and provides training and technical support for Bitzer’s clientele. He can be contacted at
pboudreau@bitzer.ca. 46
SIMPLIFYING THE COMPLEX
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REFRIGERATION
INPUTS AND OUTPUTS The PLC contains a group of inputs and outputs. Inputs and outputs can be digital (on/off) or analogue. Manual on/off switches, limit switches and pressure switches are examples of components that can be connected to digital inputs.
A SAFETY CONTROL It is very important to remember that the PLC should never be considered a replacement for safety controls. In other words, safety devices must be present and wired in such a way to safely shut the system, or sections of the system, down.
Analogue inputs accept inputs from components that produce a varying signal that is proportional to a physical condition of the substance being measured. For example, this physical condition can be a temperature, pressure, level, etc.
For example, high pressure controls are required by various codes. These work to prevent conditions of overpressure that can present dangerous operating conditions. The pressure control must be wired so that it will take the compressor offline, independent of the PLC.
Thermistors, RTDs, thermocouples, pressure, flow, liquid level indicators and current transducers are examples of analogue components that can be connected to the analogue inputs of a PLC.
Pressure transducers provide the PLC with information regarding the magnitude of a pressure source. For example, a pressure transducer that is physically installed on the high side of the system will send a voltage reading to an analogue input on the PLC that is proportional to the compressor discharge pressure.
EASE OF
modification One of the major benefits of the PLC is the fact that it allows modifications to the sequence of operation without necessarily having to alter the interconnecting wiring. Troubleshooting is also simplified due the relative placement of sensors and loads to the PLC inputs and outputs.
THE HMI Since the PLC has digital inputs and analogue inputs, the display will typically provide an indication of the pressure levels within the system. The display also provides messages that indicate the presence of a failure or alarm condition. Since the PLC also includes digital inputs, it can be programmed to determine the position of electro-mechanical devices, such as high-pressure switches and the auxiliary contacts on contactors. Although this increases the number of inputs required on the PLC, it provides the user with clear information about the source of the problem.
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If a condenser fan fails, the evaporator becomes overloaded, or any other condition occurs that results in over-pressure, the PLC is generally programmed to respond by shutting the compressor down. However, if for some reason the compressor contactor is not actually de-energized, the electro-mechanical pressure switch will take the compressor offline, since it is wired in series with the compressor contactor coil.
Time-saving technology
Many PLCs include displays that provide information about the state of the system. There are also touchscreens that allow a user to interface with the PLC. This type of display is known as the Human-Machine Interface (HMI).
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The first PLC was created for use in the automotive industry in the late 1960s. Their use reduced the time necessary for production plants to prepare for the yearly model changeover. Being designed for use in manufacturing environments, they were designed to handle the shop floor environment. Although the automotive sector is still a major user of PLC technologies, their use has expanded greatly, into such segments as HVAC and refrigeration.
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Road Warrior By Greg Dalgetty
Name: Luke Cook Company: Cook’s Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning Location: Owen Sound, Ont. Job Title: Service Manager Age: 32
Luke Cook No Stranger to Danger S
ometimes it pays to have more than one Cook in the kitchen.
At least that’s been the case for Cook’s Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning in Owen Sound, Ont. The family business has been going strong for more than 30 years.
Photos: Christy Carson
“My father started it, and I’ve been hanging around doing service calls since I was a kid,” reflects service manager Luke Cook. “Right out of high school I went and got my gas and oil tickets.”
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After spending a couple years in Hamilton, Ont., working on furnaces and air conditioners, Luke returned to the family business and started a refrigeration apprenticeship under his father. He hasn’t looked back since.
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What parts of the country do you service? We cover an hour to an hour-and-a-half circle around Owen Sound. Tobermory is about an hour and a half away, and we’ll go as far west as Kincardine, east to Collingwood, and south to Dundalk.
If you could meet anyone—dead or alive— who would it be? Donald Trump. We get a lot of skewed views on Donald Trump and I’d like to sit down and have a chat with him.
What’s the most interesting part of your job? Multi-fuel hybrid systems are the most interesting things I work on. We’re a very diverse heating company and we’re big into geothermal and solar thermal. Our population density is low and our hydro rates are higher than what they might be in the city, so it makes sense for our customers to use more efficient systems so their utilities are more affordable. What’s your favourite area to be dispatched to? In the summertime, I like going out to Sauble Beach. Nobody ever complains when you get to do a job in sunny weather right on the beach. What’s your favourite part of your job? I like having a new challenge every day. We do the odd commercial job, and once I’ve been there for a month I’m itching to move on to the next thing. My personality needs to be doing something different every day. Favourite tool in your toolbox? It’s got to be my multimeter. I use it every day. I’d be totally lost without it. What do you do for fun? I’m a big-time outdoorsman. I’m into hunting, fishing and snowmobiling. Favourite band? My musical interests are kind of split. I grew up as a big Metallica fan. But a few years ago I got married to a country fan, so I’ve adapted a bit to country music. Favourite car? The first car I ever bought was a 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass with a big 455 block in it. I’ve owned it since I was 16. Back in high school I bought it for a couple grand and it was just a cool old boat of a car. It’s collectible and it’s got some meaning to me, so I’ve kept it around. What’s one place you’d love to visit? Coastal British Columbia. I’ve been snowboarding in the mountains, but I’d love to go to the coast. I’d love to do some fishing out there and see some rivers.
Rattler Battler We’ve heard our fair share of jobsite horror stories over the years, but Cook’s just might take the cake. “I was doing a service call on a ground-source heat pump,” he recalls. “I was lying on my side next to a gas-fired water heater when I noticed a rattlesnake under the water heater. I was lying inches away from it while it was rattling away underneath the tank. “So I went upstairs and asked the customer if she, by any chance, had a pet snake. She freaked out and jumped on the couch.” Unfazed by the potential danger of handling a rattlesnake, Cook decided to take matters into his own hands. “I proceeded to take down the curtain rod from the customer’s window and, like the Crocodile Hunter, I picked the snake up, walked it outside and let it go into the bush. I’d played with a lot of snakes growing up on a farm, but typically they were just milk snakes and garter snakes. I’d never handled a dangerous snake before.”
DID YOU KNOW? Massassauga rattlesnakes are the only venomous snakes in Ontario. They’re also the only snakes native to the province that have cat’s-eye pupils.
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B y R y a n C o leman, Dan Bradley and Michael Wil ki nson Ryan Coleman is the founder and CEO of Ecolighten Energy Solutions and can be reached at ryan@ecolighten.com. Dan Bradley is the energy utilization manager for FortisBC Energy and can be reached at dan.bradley@fortisbc. com. Michael Wilkinson is the building science research engineer for RDH Building Science and can be reached at mwilkinson@rdh.com.
Optimizing furnace efficiency and performan Replacing a standard or mid-efficiency furnace with a high-efficiency or condensing g model offers an excellent opportunity for homeowners to cut their utility bills and improve their home’s comfort. However, without ithout proper sizing, installation and commissioning, ng, the new high-efficiency furnace will not operate to its ts designed intent. To help encourage quality installations, FortisBC tisBC recently published a best practices guide designed to o support homeowners and HVAC contractors with general eneral information on completing high-efficiency furnace urnace replacements.
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The guide, High-Efficiency Furnace Installation on Guide for Existing Homes, provides an overview off key steps to achieve optimized furnace performance including uding best practices for pre-changeout, installation, commissioning mmissioning and consumer education and maintenance. A consortium of industry experts, including the Province of British Columbia, FortisBC, TECA, HRAI, RDH DH Building Science, Ecolighten Energy Solutions, and HVAC VAC contractors and experts in the field, all provided ided input and support in the development of the guide. de.
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A primary objective for the guide is to advance nce general understanding on the importance of installation ation quality and the benefits that improved practices provide. ovide.
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For HVAC contractors, applying quality installation allation rs their practices from the retrofit-centric guide offers business a significant opportunity to deliver a better te themselves overall customer experience and differentiate w-quality from competitors focused on least-cost, low-quality installations. Additionally, the guide helps educate consumers on the key characteristics associated with a quality installation.
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One of the challenges with replacement furnaces is dealing with existing ductwork and how the distribution system may impact overall performance, including thermal comfort, energy consumption and noise.
Although the publication is very general in nature, and is not intended to replace furnace installation materials developed by industry manufacturers and associations for contractors, it is an exciting development for the HVAC industry as it provides education and awareness on best practices and quality installations.
Changing out poor ducting and installing new duct fittings, like a tapered transition at the top of the return air drop, can reduce turbulent air flow and result in lower static pressure within the ductwork.
One of the main sections covers the installation phase, where furnace equipment is selected and integrated into the existing home and ductwork. Here is a “Top 7 List” of installation measures from the guide aimed at improving energy performance, occupant comfort and equipment longevity.
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Tapered return air drop
As an added benefit, reducing the external static pressure through proper duct fittings may also lead to lower electricity consumption since the furnace’s blower motor may not need to ramp up to deliver required system air flow.
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Sealed ductwork joints As part of overall system performance, sealed ductwork is required to ensure a furnace is delivering heated air to the design areas in order to maximize thermal comfort. If ai air is lost or leaked along the route, there may not b be enough static pressure or velocity for all the conditioned air to get to its desired location. T To address this, all joints and connections tthat are visible on the existing ductwork and potential new fittings should be air sealed using aluminum tape or paint-on mastic to improve overall system performance.
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Proper furnace placement and levelling g
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3 As part of the combustion process, high-efficiency 4 furnaces produce acidic ate condensate. This condensate 5 must be drained from the furnace so that it doesn’t build up inside the furnace over long periods of time and potentially cause premature equipment failure. Contractors should always refer to the manufacturer’s levelling requirements before installation.
As part of furnace placement, consideration should be given to potentially raising the furnace off the floor with isolation vibration pads to reduce equipment noise and protect the furnace in the event of a minor flood or liquid spilling on the floor.
Radius elbow and/or turning vanes An important ducting enhancement that is often overlooked is a radius throat that incorporates turning vanes in the return drop elbow. The radius throat at the return drop elbow can reduce turbulence and lower pressure drop at the fitting, which may decrease the load on the furnace blower fan and lead to electricity savings. Additionally, turning vanes are designed to spread the return air more evenly across the filter so that particulates do not accumulate in one section, which can reduce the filter’s performance and potential service life.
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Most manufacturers offer high-efficiency furnaces with a choice of two, three and/or variable stage gas valves with variable speed blower motors in their furnace offerings. To achieve the benefits of these features, high-efficiency furnaces require a matching thermostat that is wired correctly.
Filter cabinet & quality Incorporating a sealed, accessible filter cabinet with a quality filter is an important consideration to maximize overall furnace performance. The filter cabinet should accessible and non-obstructed, so the filter can easily be replaced by the homeowner as part of the service and maintenance of their furnace. The filter cabinet should also have a positive door seal and be well sealed to eliminate any air bypass around the cabinet or filter. In terms of filter performance and selection, a thicker, pleated media filter will have more surface area, which extends the service life of the filter since it takes longer to load up than thinner filters. Incorporating a high-quality filter should result in quieter operation, equipment longevity and reduced energy use.
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Matching thermostat & compatible wiring
A matching thermostat that incorporates an appropriate number of wires may reduce energy use, improve home comfort and enhance overall HVAC system performance.
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Double-pipe combustion Replacement furnace installations should incorporate a double pipe system with combustion air taken from the outside. In a single-pipe exhaust, combustion air is drawn from inside the home creating negative pressure which results in wasting energy to heat the resulting infiltrating outside colder air. Overall, a two-pipe system can reduce several common heating/ ventilation issues, including air leakage, incidence of unwanted smells and equipment performance problems related to building depressurization.
Learn more at flir.ca/flirone
HRAI Conference 2017 August 16-18, 2017
HRAI event a success in Quebec
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This year’s HRAI conference and AGM, held in Quebec City in mid-August, was filled with helpful industry advice, solid marketplace analysis and a surprise announcement from the association president Warren Heeley. During the organization’s annual review, director of programs and relations Martin Luymes expressed the desire to focus additional attention on the commercial segment of their membership, and discussed some of the rebate programs that may impact the HVACR segment in the coming months. In an announcement that caught many by surprise at this year’s conference, president Heeley revealed his intention to retire in 2018. Heeley plans on seeing the organization through the 2018 CMPX Show in Toronto before retiring in mid-2018. A succession committee is at work identifying potential candidates to become the next HRAI president. Next year’s event, HRAI’s 50th Annual Conference, will take place October 14 to 16 at Playa del Carmen in Mexico. hrai.ca
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1 HRAI president Warren Heeley welcomes attendees. 1. During the conference, Heeley announced his plan to D retire in 2018. 2. Speaker Tony Chapman talked about re the need to create stories when marketing. 3. Refrigerant th Management Canada chair Marie Li-Ying (Honeywell M FFluorine Products) discusses some of the changes taking place with refrigerant handling in Canada. 4. HVACR p instructor Tom Cates thanks the organization upon receivin ing a President’s Recognition Award. 5. Now past-chair in Rick Ellul of Belimo (right), with Glenn Moore (left) and Luis R SSifuentes, both of Braeburn Systems. 6. Scott Stevens was one of several industry veterans recognized with President’s o Recognition Awards. 7. Dave Derksen (Tech-Air), left, R receives re the Craig McCarty Memorial Award for leadership sh and dedication to the industry. Presenting the award is Contractor division chair Dave Weishuhn (Blue Flame Heating H & Air Conditioning). 8. HRAI chair Bruce Passmore and a his wife Kristina McDougall.
Marketing
with DOUG MACMILLAN
Accessibility: A core of a strong brand A
favourite client of mine suffers from severe hearing loss and carries a really cool amplifier. When we first met, she communicated several requests: sit directly across rather than beside her, look up when speaking (not at your notes) and enunciate. I tend to mumble, and fortunately she is very comfortable reminding me to speak more clearly.
IIn your business b i The first line of defense is your shop. If you haven’t already, think about these quick fixes: • Ensure access through the front door with a ramp or elevator. • Use strong lighting –
The majority of people, however, are less inclined to speak up if they have special needs. Yet more than 3 million Canadians live with some form of diagnosed disability. Some are visible – such as wheelchairs, walkers or a guide dog. Many other disabilities, from learning challenges to hearing or vision barriers, are less obvious. Canada’s demographics are experiencing a “grey shift” that is going to increase over the next 20 years. Your customers, and likely your employees, are aging and have different needs because of it.
white rather than yellow – in your outdoor and indoor spaces. • Declutter piles of boxes
All this is to say that making your business accessible is not only the right thing to do, and in most provinces the law, it can also be a significant competitive advantage for a business.
or other “junk” to allow greater mobility. • Have a retrofitted washroom and service counter. • Be watchful: Look for cues that someone may need help, and don’t hesitate to ask if you can or should approach the interaction any differently.
Doug MacMillan is president of The Letter M Marketing in Guelph, Ont. To reach him, email doug@thelettermmarketing.com.
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After all, millions of discretionary dollars are spent by people who, in one way or another, may have a special requirement. If you’re known as a business that is sensitive to their needs, those dollars will come your way.
Did You Know? As of this year, for the first time, Canada has more people over the age of 65 than under 15. Adults older than 50 represent 27 per cent of the population, compared with 18 per cent in in the 1990s.
As much as this column presents a bunch of handy checklists, bear in mind that accessibility is an attitude, not a list of boxes to tick. Be aware of people’s different needs. Tell customers the steps you’ve taken, and that you want to know what you can do differently to accommodate them. In ads, mention you’re accessible in your shop and on your website. Support charitable programs in your community that provide better accessibility or awareness on the issue. Hire people of all abilities, regardless of physical ability (that’s the law of course, but often discomfort discourages people from hiring someone who is different). Don’t be afraid to talk up your commitment – and prove it in your practices. B u s i n e s s
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It’s A Great Trick If You Can Do It. We Did.
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When in a customer’s home:
with DOUG MACMILLAN
• Ask this question: “Do you or anyone in your home have any special needs that we should know about? This will help us ensure you have the information you need, and recommend the right solutions for your family.”
• Carry magnified copies of print literature. This need not be anything fancier than a photocopy that enlarges the text and images. If there are signs of vision challenges, ask customers if they prefer the larger copy.
• Use visual tools whenever possible. An illustrated cutaway of a house or infographics, rather than words, may be a more effective communication tool for some people.
In your graphic design: • Emphasize strong contrast – white on black or navy, or the reverse. Avoid mixing muddy colours. • Don’t put text on a busy background such as a photograph. Instead, drop a dark box on the photo and use white text. • Use a plain, sans serif font and bump up the size – Helvetica or Arial work well. Use a minimum font size of 12 point, and make sure there is a clear difference between titles and the rest of your copy.
• Keep copy lean, and break up your sentences. Aim for no more than 14 words per sentence. Break up long passages. Make your text left justified rather than fully justified.
• Show diversity in your photography. People of all colours and abilities show your business welcomes everyone.
• Minimize glare with uncoated or matte gloss paper rather than a shiny stock that can look fancy but cause reading challenges.
NOT ACCESSIBLE
ACCESSIBLE
On your website: • Work with a developer trained in WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility standards. Your website will need to be at this level by 2020 if you’re in Ontario. They will ensure you meet core requirements like search engine optimization, proper image tags, acceptable contrasts, colours, fonts and sizes, and special tools that allow users to enlarge the font or listen to an audio version of text.
• Focus on a logical, intuitive navigation system for your website. In an effort to stand out and be different, sometimes we build a site that’s counter-intuitive and hard to figure out.
• Consider using video to replace text. Quick videos don’t need to cost a lot, and sometimes a “grassroots” look is a good fit.
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By Fred Bretzke
Fred Bretzke is a full-time pipe trades instructor with SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary and the general manager of A&B Plumbing & Heating. He can be reached at fred.bretzke@sait.ca.
PLUMBING
1995 In this ongoing series, Fred Bretzke plumbs the depths of the evolution of plumbing codes in Canada over the course of his 40+ years in the industry, as well as some of his trials and tribulations from his formative years to now. Keep your eyes peeled for future installments of Tales from the Code!
MOTHER NATURE’S INFLUENCE
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student once asked me what place had the toughest plumbing code in the world. Back when I lived in London, Ont., I was always told that Ontario had the best code in the world, or at least the country. When I moved to Alberta, it was made quite clear to me that we in the West have the best code. After visiting many technical schools throughout North America and teaching exchange students from around the world, I have come up with an answer based on my own observations. From what I’ve seen, the hardest codes in the world are determined by good old Mother Nature. The colder the weather, the more codes we have. In Canada we need to keep our pipes warm, which means no pipes on the outside walls. This creates a problem as people don’t like big plumbing pipes visible throughout their homes and offices, so most plumbers make drain and vent pipes as small as minimum code requirements will allow. Even outside of buildings, warmer countries only bury their pipes a foot or two deep, while Canadians bury their pipes eight to 10 feet deep so they won’t freeze. The 2015 Canadian National Plumbing Code is definitely one of the most detailed and all-encompassing codes in the world – thanks, in large part, to Mother Nature.
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A MOTHER NOT TO BE MESSED WITH Calgary is a beautiful place to live when the weather does what it’s supposed to do. It can be temperamental, to say the least. While driving from my northwest Calgary home to SAIT, I can experience sunshine, followed by almost tornado-like conditions, to rain, snow, hail and rainbows in just 30 minutes. Alberta’s Mother Nature cannot be messed with. This poses some intriguing problems for plumbing and heating systems. The 1995 and 2015 versions of the NPC both state that “plumbing, piping and equipment exposed to mechanical damage shall be protected.”
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BRETZKE
PLUMBING THE CASE OF THE CAVED-IN ROOF Heavy, wet droplets of snow had been piling up on a warehouse roof. It’s unbelievable how much snow can fall overnight in Calgary. Sometimes it’s as much as two feet. That’s just typical Calgary weather, and in a day or two a chinook may come through and melt the snow into water that escapes down the roof hoppers.
I was called in to figure out if there had been enough rainwater leaders installed on the roof. When I arrived, I asked several questions to get a feel for the mechanical history of the building. It was 20 years old and in fairly good condition. Except, of course, for the roof, and thank goodness no one was there when it had caved in.
When snow gets wet, it becomes heavier, and that was proving to be quite the burden for this particular roof. The sheer weight of the wet snow and pooling water had been putting an enormous strain on the roof. Finally, late at night, it succumbed to the pressure.
What I did learn was that a company had recently replaced some of the rainwater leaders because they had been leaking. I could still see parts of the long horizontal leaders that were hanging from the ceiling. They appeared to be new ABS piping.
A few days later, the insurance company still hadn’t figured out the cause of the cave-in. They had called in companies to check for plugged storm drains, but everything was clear.
Everything seemed fine. They had even sized the new storm leader piping correctly according to the most recent code. Since then, the NPC has changed, with clause 2.4.9.5.(2) of the 2015 code
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stating, “If the horizontal offset is more than six metres long, the leader shall conform to 2.4.10.9.” I measured the horizontal leaders and they were more than six metres long, but even if they had been heavy and laden with too much water, they would have just ripped off the ceiling and fallen to the concrete floor. They wouldn’t have pulled the roof down, plus there didn’t seem to be any plugs in the piping downstream, unless maybe ice had plugged it and then melted later. It didn’t seem that I had found the problem yet, so I kept investigating.
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dug through the scraps of the roof and found a roof hopper. Most roof drains look the same as this one did, although it was slightly mangled. As I pulled it apart, I discovered that there was an inner cone inside it. That’s when the light came on. I couldn’t believe it. Was this a flow-controlled roof drain with a parabolic weir? This device can be found in 4.10.4.(2) of the 1995 NPC and 2.4.10.4.(2) of the 2015 NPC. The codes are still the same in regard to these drains. I quickly looked for and found all the fallen roof drains and then checked the parts of the roof that had not caved in. I checked the roof hoppers on the undisturbed roof, and sure enough, they had normal roof drains with no cones in them. In order to fully appreciate this, you must understand the difference between these drains. A normal roof drain is a dome screen covering an open waste basket that will take the full load of roof storm water from the square metered area of the roof over a 15 minute period of rainfall, according to tables 2.4.10.11.
(2015 NPC) and 4.10.11. (1995 NPC). A normal roof can handle these types of drains and the storm water is quickly dispersed down them.
BRETZKE
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However, as it states even in the 1995 NPC in regard to flow control roof drains, the roof structure has to be designed to carry the load of the stored water. Ultimately, this proved to be the problem. The company that had upgraded the old leaky storm rainwater leaders with new piping and new roof drains had mistakenly replaced the existing roof drains with flow control roof drains. Flow control roof drains were designed to retain water on the roof in special situations where the existing storm sewers couldn’t handle the immediate flow of water from a roof. These could only be installed on engineer-approved, structurally sound roofs. Fortunately there hadn’t been anyone in the building when the roof collapsed. It only goes to show how important it is to have qualified trades work on buildings, as this oversight could have been deadly.
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1.28 GPF A PUMP COMPANY SINCE 1958
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Products
Booster Pump The Scala2 booster pump from Grundfos features a pump, motor, tank, sensor, drive and non-return valve all in one unit. Suitable for residential buildings with up to three floors and eight taps, it is designed to boost water pressure from city mains, tanks or wells.
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Water Heater Manifold System Navien’s Ready-Link manifold system for NPE tankless water heaters allows users to cascade up to 16 units in two banks of eight. Manifold accessories can be mounted directly onto a wall or installed on the company’s Ready-Link Rack.
www. navien.com
Smart Shower System Riobel’s Genius Shower electronic shower system allows users to set water temperature using a digital keypad. The electronic pressure-balanced thermostatic system uses a valve that is designed to be inserted between two 2”-by-3” studs. Flow is up to 16.5 litres of water per minute at 60 psi.
Threaded Th d d Ad Adapter t Fittings Fitti
www. riobel.ca
IPEX offers a full lineup of threaded adapter fittings in its AquaRise line of CPVC potable hot and cold water distribution systems used in commercial and high building construction. Available in 1/2” to 4” sizes, they are designed to provide a transition either to or from AquaRise pipes to metallic threaded accessories, such as valves and pumps.
www. ipexna.com
Kitchen Sinks Quartz kitchen sinks from Elkay, available through Dobbin Sales, are available in 26 different models with 16 colours to choose from. Models are available for a variety of undermount, top mount and dual mount installations. Quartz Luxe sinks (pictured here) are made from a combination of natural quartz with high-performance, UV-stable acrylic resins.
www. dobbinsales.com
One-Piece Handwashing System Bradley’s WashBar, now available on the company’s OmniDeck wash basins, combines soap, water and a hand dryer in a one-piece, stainless-steel, chrome-plated unit. LED lighting and easy-to-identify icons on the WashBar help to visually orient users through the handwashing process.
www. bradleycorp.com 66
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Think inside the box!
Quality look on the outside, uncompromising excellence on the inside. For over 150 years, Anvil International has been supplying our customers with a complete line of rugged and durable standard and proprietary mechanical, fire, oil and gas products: malleable and cast iron fittings, pipe nipples, forged steel, high pressure oil & gas fittings and pipe hangers and supports, Gruvlok fittings and accessories. We have the broadest assortment of domestic and import fittings offered in the Canadian market. Make Anvil International Canada your one-stop shop. Our quality products now come in new brightly colour-coded boxes that help reduce overall costs. That’s a bright idea inside and out.
www.anvilintl.com 1-800-661-8998
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CIPH hosts party in the capital Held on the cusp of Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations, CIPH attracted some 300 members of the industry to Canada’s Capital for the institute’s 2017 Annual Business Conference at the end of June. Being in Ottawa, a number of the sessions had a political tone, touching on everything from international trade to prompt payment legislation. Keynotes during the conference were delivered by former governor general Adrienne Clarkson and current Senator Don Plett, who outlined some of the steps that were taken to get Bill S-224, the Canada Prompt Payment Act, passed by the Senate, and the need for the federal government to take the lead on the issue. The next edition of CIPH’s ABC is set to hit British Columbia June 17 to 19, 2018 at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. ciph.com
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8 1 “If the feds lead, the provinces will follow,” stated Senator Don 1. PPlett about prompt payment legislation. 2. Touring the Library of PParliament. 3. From left: HRAI president Warren Heeley, outgoing CIPH chair Bill Palamar and his wife Laurie, and HRAI past-chair Rick C Ellul of Belimo. 4. ABC 2017 organizing committee chairman Allen E TTaylor of Taylor Pipe Supports does his best Alex Trebek impersonation. 5. Bill Palamar (right) passes the chair’s gavel to incoming so chair Joe Senese. 6. Uponor’s Charlie Harte (left) and Moen’s Jerry Fairborn chat with the Hon. John Baird. 7. Jason and Allison Boyd (Dobbin Sales). 8. Winners of the 6th annual Ed Hardison Memorial Golf Tournament. 9. Bill Palamar presents Plumbing Manufacturers International’s Barbara Higgens with the Order of the Bath and Bowl.
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Precision Plumbing Products “Specify with Confidence - Install with Pride”®
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B y A llen Hayb arger Allen Haybarger is the president Canadian General Filters, Inc. He can be reached at ahaybarger@cgfproducts.com.
Delivering comfort, with
steam A
dding humidity to a home can vastly improve the health and comfort of
inhabitants, and protect the home and
contents from damage. The dry air that accompanies winter can cause a variety of health issues, from dry skin, dry sinuses, and increased allergy and asthma symptoms to increased bouts of cold and flu. It’s also a time when a home can suffer. Dry air can cause cracks in expensive woodwork and drywall; chips in paint; damage to expensive artwork and musical instruments; and those annoying static shocks that can not only sting, but damage electronic equipment. Homeowners do not have to suffer these effects. Fortunately, there are solutions, and steam technology is one of the most effective and clean ways of adding this humidification. Of course, as with any product, it pays to do your homework ahead of time to ensure a successful installation the first time.
Approaching the homeowner Ask questions: • Do you suffer from dry skin or dry sinuses in the winter? • Does anyone in the home have allergies or asthma? • Does your woodwork or drywall crack in the winter?
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The role of an HVAC contractor has
Be observant. Look for cracks in woodwork.
changed a great deal in recent years.
If a homeowner seems to blow their nose
Beyond looking at the HVAC system,
while you are there, or sneezes often, ask if
homeowners look to you as an indoor
they have allergies, and then talk about what
air quality (IAQ) consultant, ready to
a humidifier can do for them.
discuss additional components that improve their comfort and health.
Share with them the fact that, for ideal
With fall and winter on the horizon,
health and comfort, the indoor relative
now is the time to re-acquaint yourself
humidity range should be somewhere
with the benefits of humidification,
between 40 to 60 per cent. Above or below
and how to approach the discussion
that range can compromise health and
with homeowners.
comfort.
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v
vs Whole house vs room units When dryness is experienced in a home, folks often purchase a room humidifier, but these are quite ineffective in remedying the issues. They also require regular filling and cleaning, can be noisy, and they take up valuable living space. Worse yet, they don’t treat the whole house, so homeowners could end up with multiple units throughout their living areas.
There are a number of options for whole-house humidification, but steam humidifiers can be an attractive solution. They work automatically to regulate humidity levels, require little maintenance and are nicely out of sight. Steam units work particularly well with larger homes, and offer clean humidification. Unlike evaporative models, they can provide humidification without requiring furnace activity.
Steam humidifiers can be a bit more expensive to install and maintain, but many homeowners feel the advantage of not having to run the furnace outweighs the additional upfront cost.
Test the water! An essential step in considering steam humidification is to test the water for conductivity. This is easily performed using a water tester that measures the microSiemens level. Water is measured in microSiemens per centimeter (μS/cm). For a steam humidifier to work, the water test result should fall into the following ranges: X 125 to 400 μS/cm requires a low-conductivity (LC) cylinder X 401 to 1,250 μS/cm requires a regular cylinder If the water conductivity is 125 to 400, select a low-conductivity model. If above 400, select a regular conductivity model. Most steam humidifiers offer a range up to 35 GPD, in regular and low-conductivity models. In order to get to 35 GPD you may require a unit that runs on 230V, which might require an upgrade to the electrical service. Since steam humidifiers require conductive water conditions, do not use treated or softened water. And do not use water containing corrosion inhibitors, or any chemically or biologically contaminated water. And finally, do not use a hot water supply.
How does steam humidification work?
Steam humidifiers use electrode or element technology that heats and evaporates water to generate the humidity for a residence. Electrode technology uses a pair of electrodes inside a cylinder which pass electricity between them to heat and evaporate the water. Passing electricity between electrodes requires water “conductivity.” This is provided by sediment in the water through which the electricity travels. Steam humidifiers aim to optimize cylinder life by minimizing the amount of water inside the cylinder, while at the same time maintaining humidity levels. Over time, sediment will collect on the electrodes, reducing conductivity. When the electrodes are fully covered, it’s time to change the cylinder.
How much humidity is needed? A positive experience for the homeowner is easy if you perform the necessary steps prior to installation. First, determine Gallons Per Day (GPD). Each home requires a minimum GPD to reach and maintain desired humidity levels. To determine the specific GPD needed for a home, use the following calculation: 1. Calculate the total cubic feet of the home, including the basement. (Total Home Square Footage X Average Ceiling Height)
Looking at an example of a 3,000-sq. ft. home with 8-foot ceilings and a fireplace, we see that we have 24,000 cubic feet. By multiplying the desired condition factor for 40% RH, and including the fireplace factor, we find the load to be 5.04 (24,000 X 0.00020 X 1.05 = 5.04). If we multiply by 2.88, we get a GPD of 14.52 to maintain humidity levels in this home. Several manufacturers offer online humidity calculators that automatically calculate the steps above for you. tom to Condition Facto r Chart
2. Calculate the load. (Total Cubic Feet X Desired Condition Factor) X 1.05 For Each Fireplace 3. Calculate gallons per day. Gallons Per Day = Load (lb./hr) X 2.88
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HYDRONICS YDRON
B y C h u ck O’Donnell
Large charge AND IN
L
arge radiant heat systems place unique demands on a boiler, or series of boilers. These
systems are typically characterized by cold starts with long boiler runtimes, high water volume, high mass, cooler required supply water temperatures, and short boiler cycle-times when the mass is at temperature.
Rapid reheat When it comes to radiant heat and snowmelt systems, proper function is all about heat transfer. As we well know, the pipes carry warm water, or a mixture of water and glycol, to transfer heat to the material that surrounds them – usually the floor. The floor warms, and then heats the rest of the space as hot moves to cold.
Snowmelting systems in particular pose the challenge of high demand and high mass with extremely cold water and glycol temperatures. In the past, thermal shock (AKA the “Perfect Storm”) would risk delivering a death blow to non-condensing boilers when freezing returnwater temperatures came crashing into the heat exchanger in a long, hard, cold start. As such, non-condensing equipment requires additional components to avoid critical damage. Condensing boilers, however, can usually take this brutal jab in stride. Here are a few thoughts about what to look for in a boiler for big, high-mass, cold-start hydronic applications.
With radiant floor heating, when a large garage or bay door is opened the warm air escapes. The floor’s mass, and other objects within the space, still have stored energy, however, so the space returns to temperature quickly when the door is closed.
Ease of maintenance
For this reason, many large aircraft hangars, storage facilities, warehouses and trucking distribution centres are heated with radiant floor heating. In a hanger, when large bay doors are closed, the space can reach the setpoint temperature in just 15 or 20 minutes.
Look for easy side panel removal for service, and a built-in condensate removal system. Controls, wiring and gas valves should also be easily serviceable. I like these to be accessible from the front of the unit. Also, look for stateof-the-art diagnostic controls. Burner inspection, gas train removal, HX cleaning – all should avail easy access.
So, go ahead – boldly promote the many benefits of hydronic heat for high-mass applications. If the customer doesn’t hear it from you, who then will they hear it from?
Chuck O’ Donnell is the director of marketing with Laars. He can be reached at codonnell@laars.com.
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HYDRONICS
Condensin boilers Condensing for large larg radiant The condensing condensin boiler is an ideal tool for low, and super-low su water temperatures at start-u start-up. The boiler’s heat exchanger constr construction transfers otherwise wasted exhau exhaust heat to the incoming water before it reaches the primary HX. At peak eefficiency, water vapour produced in the combustion process condenses back iinto liquid form to release stored latent heat. Also, its sealed combustion, positivepress pressure design means that the boiler can b be installed in many environments. Witho Without needing room air for comb combustion when ducted outside, the boiler is not affected by any limitations of air from within the building, or by negat negative pressures created by other equipm equipment. The ideal ide unit will be fully modulating – not ju just one or two stages of firing capacity, but an infinite variability of d l i between 100 and 20 per cent of modulation the input rate. Modulation will help reduce on/off cycling when holding a slab at set-point temperature. Since you know the system will be condensing, the boiler needs a heat exchanger that can effortlessly handle acidic condensate. With low temperatures, equipment also needs to be ready for glycol mixes. Condensing boilers are highly efficient, and many on the market have NOx levels under 10 ppm and low CO greenhouse gas emissions, which can be a strong selling feature to clients who have an environmental mandate.
HANDLING THE COLD, AND COLDER
Mechanical rooms aren’t getting bigger these days and locating a boiler indoors will help protect it and you (if service is needed in the dead of winter) from the elements, so a small footprint can also give your pitches a leg up.
While a boiler may require a minimum of 50- or 60-degree Fahrenheit return water temperature on an ongoing basis, initial start-up temperatures can be far lower. Peak operating efficiency for condensing equipment occurs when the return water temperatures are at their lowest temperatures. As system temperatures gradually increase, a boiler’s control system should respond accordingly, maintaining the desired output temperatures to achieve maximum efficiency from the boiler. So whether the distribution system includes placement of tubing in cold outside areas (snow melting), or traditional low-temperature indoor systems, condensing boilers will not generally be damaged by short periods of cold return water, even as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
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To help you and your installation crew, look for systems that fit through standard 30- and 36-inch doorways, and that can use vertical or side-wall venting. I tend to suggest units that can be vented up to 100 feet with up to five elbows. It is highly recommended to install these units indoors and to protect the condensate discharge from freezing. If it freezes up, condensate could back up into the boiler, shutting it down. As you search, compare costs by all means, but be sure to evaluate both the first costs and the comparable ongoing maintenance needs. Many of these mod-con systems offer AHRI-certified 95% thermal efficiency, which is a very important factor for fuel costs. Remember, these boilers will be running at 100 per cent of the maximum firing rate much of the time when getting a slab up to temperature.
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Hydronic Products Air and Dirt Elimination The Spirovent Air Eliminator and Combination Air/Dirt Eliminator from Spirotherm, available from Ontor, uses a patented coalescing medium to eliminate free air, entrained air and dissolved air from the system. The Spirovent Quad combines those features, adding the functionality of a hydraulic separator. All of Spirotherm’s 3/4” through 2” brass product lines are available for press connection.
www. spirotherm.com
Hydronic Ball Valves Designed for non-potable water applications, Viega’s ProPress Hydronic Ball Valve press x hose thread for copper systems are full-port valves that are available in 1/2" and 3/4" press sizes and 3/4" hose sizes. The valves feature NH threads and an EPDM sealing element.
www. viega.us ga.us
Wall-mount Boiler Lochinvar’s Knight wall-mount firetube boiler offers a heating range from 55,000 to 399,999 BTUH, with select models providing up to 10:1 turndowns. Models offer up to 95 per cent AFUE efficiencies, and the company’s Smart System control that is designed to facilitate setup and navigation of parameters now comes as a standard feature on all units.
Wet Rotor R t Circulator Ci l t
www. lochinvar.com
Engineered for hydronic systems zoned with circulators or zone valves, Taco’s 0015e3 variable speed, high-efficiency wet rotor circulator is designed to replace three-speed hydronic circulators. It features an ECM motor and three settings: low (5’ of head), medium (10’ of head) and high (18’ of head) at a maximum flow of 16 gpm.
www. tacocomfortsolutions.com
Tubing Connections SmartClick radiant tubing couplings from Legend are designed to allow contractors to connect PE-RT or PEX tubing without using any tools. Installers insert tubing into the coupling until they hear a click for a complete and permanent connection. Couplings are available in nominal tubing sizes of 1/2”, 3/4” and 1”.
www. legendvalve.com
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Press Connection Valves Watts offers its hydronic and mixing valves in models designed for press connections. Available in 1/2” and 3/4” sizes, the brass and bronze valves can be joined to copper tubing using a press tool. They are suitable for retrofit and new construction projects and have pressure ratings up to 150 psi.
www. watts.ca
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The VTECH is the newest dedicated hot water system on the market today and it is designed to provide you with continuous water temperatures all while lowering energy consumption. Its storage tank is available in sizes ranging from 60 to 119 gallons, and is constructed entirely of stainless steel. With inputs ranging from 80,000 to 499,000 BTU/hr, efficiencies of 95%, and a turndown of 5:1, the fully modulating VTECH is the right choice for new commercial builds and retrofits. And with its sleek design and quiet operation, you can be confident that you’ll never run out of hot water again. View our entire line of products at camus-hydronics.com
REFRIGERATION B y Andr e Pa te n a u d e
propane stages a comeback
HIGH EFFICIENCIES, LOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS TRIGGER AN R-290 RESURGENCE.
R-290 PROS & CONS AT A GLANCE
PROS
• Naturally occurring hydrocarbon. • GWP = 3, OPD = 0 • Readily available and affordable. • An acceptable refrigerant substitute in some commercial refrigeration applications. • High-efficiency, highperformance, reliable. • Safe to use when proper protocols are followed.
CONS
• Classified as an A3, flammable refrigerant. • Not a “drop-in” refrigerant; equipment and components must be designed for R-290. • Globally mandated lowcharge limits of 150g restrict application range. • Subject to local authorities having jurisdiction (fire and building codes).
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I
n a time when refrigerants are being closely evaluated for their environmental impacts, propane (R-290) is emerging as an increasingly viable alternative. With a global warming potential (GWP) of 3 and an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of 0, R-290 poses virtually no threat to the environment. In fact, in the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed R-290 as an acceptable refrigerant substitute under its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP), and recently exempted it from venting prohibitions. By some estimates, an average supermarket using R-404A will leak about 25 per cent of its refrigerant charge annually, resulting in approximately 1,556 metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions — or the annual energy from 165 homes. If you extrapolate that data across the number of grocery stores and other refrigeration applications in service globally, the magnitude of this impact quickly becomes apparent. As such, it should come as no surprise that an international wave of regulatory actions aimed at phasing down high-GWP HFC refrigerants is underway, including: the E.U.’s F-gas regulations, the EPA’s SNAP process, and the recent amendment to the Montreal Protocol. One net result of this regulatory activity is an increased interest in the potential of natural refrigerants, including R-290. According to Howell Feig, national sales manager of AHT Cooling Systems USA, a manufacturer of refrigerated supermarket merchandiser cases, 2016 was a turning point for propane adoption. “More and more of our customers are moving toward propane,” said Feig. “From a business perspective it just makes sense. Our selfcontained, R-290-based units are eco-friendly and energy-efficient.”
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Andre Patenaude is the director of CO2 business development for Emerson. He can be reached at andre.patenaude@emerson.com.
Performance Efficiencies R-290 has excellent thermodynamic properties — such as low back pressure, high volumetric capacity and coefficient of performance — that are very similar to R-22. In my company’s test labs, R-290 has consistently outperformed R-404A in energy efficiencies.
CHANGING PERCEPTIONS & BROADER ADOPTION
I
n many ways, the reintroduction of R-290 in refrigeration was born out of necessity. With many operators stating corporate sustainability goals and seeking to avoid regulatory entanglements, R-290 is one of the few options capable of meeting both strategic objectives. And, as modern refrigeration technology has evolved to ensure component and equipment safety, the stigma that R-290 is unsafe is quickly evaporating. “It hasn’t been overnight, but perceptions about propane are definitely changing,” Feig said, recalling that AHT’s focus on propane started with its European customers almost 20 years ago. “We started down the path of manufacturing bunker-style cases for our European customers in the late 1990s, and had deployed them by 2002,” Feig said. “These customers looked to propane primarily because of its negligible impacts to the
environment and higher efficiency.” Feig added that by 2010 some of AHT’s environmentally driven North American customers started asking for self-contained, R-290-based equipment. These early adopters served as a proof-of-concept for those who followed, including a number of large retailers who are now placing propane refrigeration applications in many of their stores. “At this point, we’ve installed AHT propane cases in more than 100 Whole Foods stores,” Feig said. He added that the retailer is known for evaluating every possible option to reduce its carbon footprint, explaining that propane-based spot cases, islands, frozen doors and multi-deck units can constitute a whole-store solution in many scenarios. Another one of the chief concerns for moving to R-290 systems is the question of serviceability. Feig said that this is yet another lingering misperception. “Not only can technicians quickly be trained to work on these units; any problem they might have is isolated, meaning they don’t have to worry about food loss across a whole department,” he added.
M e c a n i c a l
THE POTENTIAL FOR PROPANE There’s no question that recent regulatory activity has driven the commercial refrigeration industry to give R-290 another look. Although OEMs and operators alike are working within the 150g charge limit, Feig feels that even incremental increases would enable significant advances in system design and efficiencies. “Increasing the charge limit would have a huge impact on case designs and further improve propane’s performance efficiencies,” said Feig. He explained that an increase to 500g (or even 1kg) would allow one compressor to service larger cases. But even with the current 150g charge limit in place, Feig concluded that AHT will transition its entire product line to R-290 by the end of 2017.
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REFRIGERATION
Rejection and Redemption R-290 was a true “green” refrigerant long before science had conceived of such environmental problems as ozone depletion and global warming. Its use dates back to the early 1900s, when refrigeration systems relied solely on naturally occurring compounds (hydrocarbons) in n the compression cycle. From the beginning, it was characterized by its contrast of pros and cons — excellent thermodynamic properties on one hand; flammability on the other. The fact that these early systems were prone to leaking didn’t help alleviate concerns about the latter.
In the 1930s, the invention of synthetic, non-flammable chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants all but eliminated the use of propane in refrigeration refr applications. But B in the 1980s, when CFCs were found f to deteriorate the earth’s ozone layer, the refrigeration industry once again started taking a closer look at natural refrigerants. Then, in the 1990s, as synthetic HFCs were identified as sources of global warming, the stage was set for propane’s wider resurgence. European food retailers were among the first to deploy R-290-based systems in the early part of the 21st century. Ten years later, a handful of early adopters in North America
started using R-290 in commercial refrigeration. Momentum in the segment has been building as supermarkets are taking a much closer look at the refrigeration systems they are using. For the most part, R-290 has been limited to smaller, self-contained applications due to a longstanding low charge limit of 150g. Codes and standards groups are currently evaluating charge limit increases for R-290 applications; updates to these standards are expected within the next few years.
Re-Think Refrigeration. I
s your refrigeration OEM up to the task?
Emerging technologies, integrated systems and smart controls require a new kind of OEM partner. An OEM who is as comfortable in a processing plant, as they are in the CAD room. An OEM who understands that “field work” trumps “lab work”. And an OEM who delivers turn-key solutions that have been designed, tested and field proven in the real world. Never again get lost in a bid that specs 30-year-old technology. Let Oxford Energy help expand your opportunities and introduce your processing, industrial, commercial or institutional customers to the most technically advanced systems in North America. We take the lead. You take the credit.
Oxford Energy Solutions Inc. 519-532-6373 oxfordenergy.ca 82
M e c h a n i c a l
• Build/Spec • Design Engineering • Custom Control Systems • Heat Transfer & Recovery Specialists • Engineered Pump Packages
Re-Think with Oxford.
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63%
energy saving potential in today’s buildings and industrial processes
is realizing a more energy efficient city infrastructure Canadian infrastructure investments are on the rise, and with ambitious climate and energy targets in place, Danfoss has been helping make Canadian cities more efficient and sustainable for 65 years. Heating and cooling consume as much as 40 percent of a building’s total energy use. Danfoss solutions like AC drives, variable speed compressors and hydronic control valves help cut energy consumption and improve comfort and control. City-wide, Danfoss’ innovative district heating solutions amplify efficiencies — cost-effectively boosting energy productivity, minimizing environmental impacts and helping cities plan for a sustainable future. With Danfoss, our cities can get more out of less without sacrificing performance or reliability. Discover how we’re Engineering Tomorrow at danfoss.ca
Jeff House is an experienced industry professional and hydronics trainer. He handles the sales territory from the Niagara region to the Greater Toronto Area for Jess-Don Dunford, a manufacturers’ rep in Ontario. He can be reached at jhouse@jessdondunford.com.
Find the Fix
PROBLEMATIC PIPE SIZES We’re back on that call from the homeowner who thinks his boilers aren’t set up and programmed correctly. Looking at the schematic of his system, which started out as just Zone 3 (Zones 1, 2 and the domestic hot water were added as part of an addition to this large custom om home), let’s put some focus on the way that this ped. remodelled system has been piped.
1. The boiler outlet/inlet fittings er size are 1-1/4”. What is the proper pipe for the primary/secondary ry if all loads are calling? a) They should be 1-1/4”, as per the boiler size. b) They should be 2” if the delta T is 27°F or higher. c) 1-1/2” would be fine. d) Getting the three-curve pump size correct is more important than the piping size. 2. The indirect water heater is a high performance dual-coil model designed for maximum DHW production. A 15°F delta T and 260,000 BTUH is what the manufacturer says will deliver this maximum hot water. Your experience and know-how says the piping size should be: a) 1-1/4” b) 1-1/2” because the tappings are 1-1/4” each, so you go to the next size. c) 2” because you have to move about 35 gpm. d) It should have two separate 1-1/4” supply and return pipes because there are two coils, with each being 1-1/4”.
Email your answers to adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com. Please include your name and daytime phone number.
Looking for the July/August answers? If you need the answers to last edition’s quiz, you’ll find them on our home on the web, www.mechanicalbusiness.com. Just click the “Looking for Answers?” button on our homepage.
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3 Since the boiler has 1-1/4” fittings, and the desired delta T from the manufacturer is 25 to 30°F, what size would the boiler piping be? a) 1-1/4” if the delta T is 30°F. b) 1-1/2” would be a better fit. c) 2” would allow for a standard 20°F delta T. d) It doesn’t matter. The boiler modulates. e) Answers a, b or c would be appropriate. 4. The air handler, Zone 3, has 3/4” fittings and is supposed to deliver 100,000 BTUH using a 15°F delta T. What size would you make the supply and return lines? a) 1-1/4” b) 3/4”, just like the fittings on the air handler. c) 1” will work just fine. d) 1”, with a 20°F delta T
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PLUMBING B y D e ni se D e v e a u
Installation innovations making plumbers’ lives easier W
Grohe
RETROFITTING FOR STYLE Retrofit shower systems are becoming a popular option for customers and represent a good upsell opportunity for plumbers, Grohe’s Bosco says. “They are time and money savers because you’re not having to rip out an entire bathroom if someone says they want a hand shower.” Installers simply unscrew the shower arm and screw in the retrofit system and the diverter. Says Spectrum Brands’ Findlay, drill-less slidebar systems are as straightforward as it can get. “You just take off the old and screw in the new and your customer has a spa experience at home.” Several manufacturers, including Moen Canada, offer a common valve system. These make upgrading a faucet or shower as easy as changing a light bulb, says Garry Scott, vice-president of marketing and ecommerce.
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For one, faster and simpler installation can put you in a much stronger competitive position when bidding on larger contract jobs, since you can do more in less time and increase your margins. Even if you’re doing a residential home, the time saved on one job can easily allow you to add an extra stop or two to your work day.
Delta
While everyone likes to talk about the latest and greatest ideas, it’s not always easy to be convinced to change “what’s always been done.” The first reaction is often, “faster installation translates into less money.” But that’s just not the case, manufacturers argue.
Moen
hen it comes to bath and kitchen fixtures, manufacturers are bringing plenty of new ideas to the plumbing picture. In some cases, these advancements can cut the time it takes to install a faucet or shower in half or more.
You can always charge a fixed rate for an installation, says Adam Findlay, senior marketing manager with Spectrum Brands Canada. “Just because you can do it faster doesn’t mean you have to charge less. In fact, many customers prefer a fixed rate. It’s in everyone’s best interests to make the installation experience better.” One other misconception that installers often have is that new materials translate into cheaper parts and poorer results. Manufacturers often replace parts with lighter weight materials such as zinc or plastic to improve product performance, says Maria Bosco, director of marketing and training for Grohe Canada. “You may think people have cheaped out, but in many cases the manufacturer is actually improving the functionality of the product.” “Plastic isn’t necessarily bad,” Findlay likes to say. “A lot of the plastics used today are the same polymers that are used in making your lawn mower.”
A little twist Admittedly, any new approach takes a bit of adjusting. One thing that contractors need to bear in mind is that some of these innovations take a lighter touch. If you get too heavy handed, you can easily run the risk of over-torquing or breaking parts. If the natural urge is to pick up that wrench to do some tightening, g, stop p and consider co ons on nsid de err whether a simple twist with your hands will be enough to do the tri trick..
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Noisy Other hand dryers can be loud, unhygienic1 and bulky.
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PLUMBING hole and screw it back in.” Her
“Because you can simply click things in place you don’t have to
company has a system that uses
get under the sink with two wrenches,” Findlay says.
gaskets with built in tabs that keep the faucet steady while
Moen also uses a click feature on some of its newer installation
tightening, so you don’t have to
technology. Its faucets have what Scott calls a “quick connect
hold it in place when grabbing
wiring system – although its for plumbing.” A click lets you
tools.
know when you have a tight water seal.
RETROFITTING FOR STYLE
Several manufacturers have
“You don’t have to figure out how tight to get the nut, you
also introduced above-the-
know it’s secure,” Scott says. “And because you only use your
There are ideas a-plenty when it
counter installation features, so
hands, it’s great for getting to hard-to-access areas.”
comes to reducing the number
that contractors don’t have to
of parts and complexity of
crawl underneath to get things
installing faucets and showers.
aligned and in place.
Moen
Take alignment and connections Pfister offers a technology
for example.
for widespread tap systems “Often what happens when
that makes an audible click to
you’re tightening a faucet is
indicate when a connection is
that something will move and
secure. Colour-coded indicators
it becomes misaligned,” Bosco
show when everything is where
explains. “Then you have to
it should be.
unscrew it and realign it over the
Delta
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QUATTRO’S CORNER By A ndre w Qu a t t r o c i o c c h i
Pipe protection problems N
ew construction is always a fun time for an inspector. There’s so much to look for, and not everyone will interpret code requirements in exactly the same way, which can lead to some interesting discussions. These interpretations are why it is a good idea to contact the local building department if you have any uncertainty about how a code is going to be interpreted and applied. Of course, there are times when a plumbing issue goes beyond missing something in a code book. Logic and physics have ways of working together, and there’s no fighting the reality that water flows from a point of high pressure to low, and gravity wins most arguments. I was inspecting a residential new build a little while back and spotted something that was missed
d % te s 0 0 te
1
y or t c fa
during the occupancy inspection that falls into this category of infraction. Rather than trying to describe the issue, here’s a photo of the stop and waste cock that was installed within a foot or two of the exterior wall, to protect the outside hose bib and connected piping from freezing – and possibly bursting – when winter hits.
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THE CODE According to section 7.6.1.9. of the Ontario Plumbing Code (OPC), and section 2.6.1.4 of the National Plumbing Code (NPC):
OPC 7.6.1.9 Every pipe that passes through an exterior wall to supply water to the exterior of the building shall be provided with: (a) A frost-proof hydrant with a separate shut-off valve located inside the building, or (b) A stop-and-waste cock located inside the building and close to the wall.
NPC 2.6.1.4 Pipes that pass through an exterior wall to supply water to the exterior of the building shall be provided with: (a) A frost-proof hydrant, or (b) A stop-and-waste cock located inside the building and close to the wall.
QUICK INSTALL. QUALITY PERFORMANCE. The new Delta hands-free thermostatic lavatory faucet is the smart choice for applications requiring thermostatic temperature regulation. The mixing valve and solenoid are contained within the body of the faucet and the supply lines are factory-installed, making installation quick and simple, thus saving you time and money. Outlet temperature limits can be set easily from above the deck by the installer and a top mixer allows the user to adjust the water temperature to comfort. Now that’s smart. Backed by an exceptional 5-year limited warranty. deltacommercialfaucets.com
What’d the Plumber Miss? If you said that something was missed based on the code, guess again. There’s a stop-and-waste cock in an appropriate location, but let’s have a closer look at that valve. Sure, it will stop the flow of water going to the hose bib outside the house, but have a look at the drain port. Sure enough, it’s on the wrong side. The valve was installed backwards.
THERMOSTATIC CARTRIDGE
When the homeowner decides to turn off the water for the year and drain the line through that port, the water is not going to stop since the drain port is on the live water side.
ADJUSTABLE LIMIT STOPS
Sometimes both installers and inspectors are so focusdriven on the big things rather than the little that something as simple as a backwards valve can quickly turn into a mess. I’m happy we caught that one.
TEMPERATURE ADJUSTMENT
Andrew Quattrociocchi, C.B.C.O., is a building inspector with the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, and a director with the Ontario Plumbing Inspectors Association. He can be reached at quattroscorner@hotmail.com.
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HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC
your
knows
I
n my early days of trying to sell indoor air quality improvement devices, such as heat recovery ventilators, I came across an article reporting that the typical human nose could detect 10,000 different odours. More recently, I was surprised to see new research indicating that even the poorest of noses are capable of detecting tens of millions of odours.
About a third of the calls I get from homeowners or businesses who are concerned enough to have an IAQ assessment are motivated by the presence of unusual or obnoxious smells. While I find the odour calls to be the most challenging, they always offer the most interesting stories (well, interesting to geeky engineers like me, I guess). We have all been in houses that smell. Every house has a distinctive odour, even our own homes. Figuring out which smells are problems and which ones aren’t is a challenge.
My first official indoor air quality investigation under the CMHC Indoor Air Quality Investigators program was for an older couple who had lived in the same house for more than 40 years without any issues. Over the past 18 months, they’d been waking up in the middle of the night claiming they had breathing problems.They were concerned about
Gord Cooke
an odour that no one else could smell. They had already spent tens of thousands of dollars trying to solve the problem, completely overhauling their HVAC system, decommissioning their fireplace and chimney, and gutting their basement. They had removed all carpets and most of the old cabinets and furniture in the house, and tried all manner of filters and purifiers.
M e c h a n i c a l
They were very disappointed when I wasn’t able to confirm anything more than an “old house” smell. They were slightly encouraged when I explained that everyone’s nose is unique and it is not unusual for some people to become sensitized to an odour that others don’t easily notice. We know this intuitively in the HVAC business, where contactors can be highly tuned to even minute traces of the mercaptan added to natural gas to help detect leaks. After consulting with my mentors from CMHC, we decided to do extensive mould testing. We compared airborne samples from different rooms in the house, and to outside air, over a period of a few days. With the help of the leading mycologist at the University of Toronto, we determined that the master bedroom had very high airborne spore counts from a mould associated with allergy symptoms and breathing difficulties. We discovered that the original plaster ceiling had been, at one time, covered by
is a professional engineer who has spent 20 years helping builders and HVAC contractors implement innovative technologies into high-performance homes. He has particular expertise in IAQ and airflow management in houses, and can be contacted at
gcooke@airsolutions.ca. 92
Their siblings were about to move them out of the house and into a seniors’ facility, fearing that they were no longer able to make rational, reasonable decisions. When I arrived at the house they were anxious for me to “smell” the house, hoping desperately that I, as an indoor air quality consultant, would be able to detect the presence of an obnoxious odour.
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a fibreboard tile. Subsequently, the ceiling had been drywalled after a polyethylene vapour barrier had been installed under the fibreboard. A small chimney leak at the ceiling level was getting the fibreboard wet and large floral patterns of mould were growing in it, without any visible signs showing on the ceiling. This was one of the few cases where we found mould without first seeing visual signs of moisture damage. Indeed, it was one of only a very few cases where mould sampling made any significant difference to our IAQ investigation. In my mind, though, what I brought to the case was the recognition that everyone’s sense of smell is different. Just because I couldn’t smell what the clients could didn’t mean they were crazy.
FOLLOW YOUR NOSE As you approach the busy fall heating season, remember to take this important IAQ tool, your nose, to every visit. On every call, you bring a fresh nose to the customer’s home. While it might seem a tad offensive to say, “Boy, it sure stinks in here,” you can mention that you detect a musty smell or a chemical smell. You could say things like, “I’m curious, do you feel the need to use a plug-in air freshener from time to time?” You’d be surprised at the conversations you end up having when you gently remind homeowners of odours they may now be accustomed to.
Plastic Smell BOMBSHELL The property manager of an older small commercial building once asked me to investigate an odour complaint from an administrative operation. There were fewer than a dozen occupants, two of whom intermittently complained of an odour that induced headaches and nausea severe enough to send them home on occasion. Another three or four employees agreed they could sometimes smell something, but they didn’t associate it with any ill effects. The rest of the occupants didn’t notice a smell at all. My initial investigation didn’t reveal any obvious issues. Temperatures, relative humidity and carbon dioxide levels were all within acceptable limits, indicating proper ventilation and environmental control. Moreover, there were no signs or symptoms of moisture issues or unusual pollutant sources. When I interviewed the occupants, those who had noticed the smell struggled to describe it, saying only that it was a “chemical or plastic” smell. Since my own office was nearby, we agreed that the next time the odour was noticeable I would head over to experience it myself. On the first occurrence, I did detect a mild chemical smell but couldn’t determine any particular source. These visits went on over subsequent weeks and became increasingly frustrating. I suggested that the occupants keep a log of the odour events, noting office activities and environmental conditions surrounding the events. I fully expected to see some pattern of occupant activities emerge. Instead, what was most obvious was that each event happened on a clear, sunny day that wasn’t overly warm. I visited the building on just such a day and did a more thorough review, including another visit to the roof and the rooftop heating and cooling unit. I subsequently took a selection of the office staff up to the roof as well. They were all struck by a strong odour that one person was finally able to verbalize as the smell of a plastic swimming pool liner.
That was the aha! moment. It turned out that the 20-year-old thermoplastic roof membrane was starting to experience UV deterioration. Compounding the issue was the fact that the relatively new rooftop unit had a fresh air intake that was very close to the surface of the roof liner. The smell was less prevalent on hot days because the economizer dampers were closed on those days. Of course, the fresh air dampers should have been open to ensure continuous ventilation during all occupied periods. That was resolved as well, after the fresh air inlet was ducted to an inlet hood approximately four feet from the liner surface.
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HYDRONICS
B y B o b “ Ho t R o d” Rohr
FIRE
IN THE HOLE!
Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr has been a plumbing, radiant heat and solar contractor and installer for 30 years. A longtime columnist and trainer, he is manager of training and education with Caleffi North America. You can reach Hot Rod at bob.rohr@caleffi.com.
O
ver the years, trade magazines have printed countless articles about all of the components and options for the fluid side of hydronic heating and cooling systems. We talk about the plumbing or piping aspects of these installations all the time. Also well covered are controls, wiring, optimization of systems via thermostats and reset controls, and even pulling some Wi-Fi communications into the mix. One critical process in the system that’s rarely written about, however – perhaps because it’s not as glamorous or visible to the system owner – is the combustion process. Attention to the combustion readings is one component of installations that has become more relevant with the high efficiency equipment that we are embracing – or will be. While I don’t profess to be an expert on the subject, I’m always up for relaying what I have gratefully learned over the years from seminars and training sessions, as well as helpful contractors and industry pros. Before we get going, I feel that I should fess up and admit that I never owned a combustion analyzer before mod-con boilers arrived and all but demanded the use of one to start up, commission and maintain the burner. My experience has always been with natural gas and propane systems. I have not installed or worked on oil-fired equipment over my career, so NG and LP will be the focus of any discussion here. As with most topics, you can also learn a lot by viewing online videos. Videos produced by burner manufacturers, boiler installers and operators, and the manufacturers of combustion analyzing equipment are plentiful. Independent training groups and trade techs may offer classes as well. If you need hands-on help to get you started on the correct path, consult with a local supplier or rep agency. They are, or should be, factory trained and knowledgeable on the brands that they carry.
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SIMPLIFYING THE BURN To achieve a safe, clean and efficiently operating fossil-fuelled device, we need to have some understanding of combustion. The chemical reaction process of converting the energy in the fuel source to heat energy within the boiler heat exchanger involves burning (combusting) gas, oil or propane. In simple terms, the fuel reacts with the oxygen in the air to produce heat energy. Complete combustion would have all of the energy extracted with no carbon and hydrogen compounds left unburned. With heat losses involved in the process, 100 per cent efficiency is impossible.
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HYDRONICS They might also be able to refer you to a factory authorized start-up or repair contractor. I’ve found that the day-to-day, hands-on people are often the best teachers. These are the technicians who find and learn the idiosyncrasies of products, including any related local conditions that could save you some troubleshooting time on future jobs.
READ THE MANUAL REA Boiler manufacturers are adamant about the test and adj adjustment processes required to get the best efficiencies from their equipment. Their installation efficienc manuals will take you through the steps needed to confirm and a fine-tune the equipment.
WORK THE ANALYZER Before you take on the installation of combustion equipment, make sure your meters are calibrated, and loaded with fresh batteries. Once you are working on the system, decide on a way to easily and adequately log and document the data you are reading.
You may occasionally need their technical help to modify a system’s settings to outside of the standard parameters – for example, if you need to eliminate a noisy combustion issue.
Having an accurate record of the combustion analysis will help the next person working on the system and provide some protection from liability issues. Most combustion analyzing equipment is available with printers, or you can store the information electronically and keep it in a database at the office, or in the cloud. Remember to secure a printout or a tag on the equipment with the numbers that you recorded.
Sometimes it’s not the equipment From time to time, the quality of the fuel reaching a burner may vary. High demand conditions on the utility’s lines can cause problems, too. Several years ago, high demand on the natural gas lines in a western mountain area of the U.S. caused an oily sludge to enter many of the piping systems in buildings. In addition to a messy clean-up job, all the gas-fired equipment needed to be checked to confirm that it was still operating properly and efficiently.
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Manufacturers will usually list a tight range of Manufac condition conditions for the burners to operate within. Commonly, you will find data outlining the gas supply pressure ran range and the target, as well as the range for CO2 and O2 levels. If you have trouble adjusting the equipment to the numbers they list, consult the factory technical support teams.
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Be prepared when you call for assistance. Have the equipment data available, and your meters connected and reading, to help speed the process and maximize your (and your tech’s) time. Make sure the boiler is breathing healthy air. Any dirt, pollen, byproducts of combustion, chemical vapours, or other contaminant that the boiler is inhaling will affect its combustion.
STAY SAFE I would highly encourage you to install CO carbon monoxide alarms on your customers’ systems. Many jurisdictions require CO detectors in homes, which is an inexpensive life safety system. And don’t forget yourself. Invest in a belt-clip personal CO detector to warn you of dangerous conditions when you are out servicing equipment. This small, inexpensive item can be a lifesaver. Keep in mind that solid-fuelled appliances, stoves, wood-fired boilers and woodstoves are potential CO concerns as well, as are sewer manholes. Where there is smoke there is fire, and where there is fire there are byproducts of combustion. Stay safe out there.
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HYDRONIC CASE STUDY B y T ri sh Hol d e r
Ontario
chicken farm has the warm and fuzzies H ugh Haverkamp has 35 days to take a barn full of baby chicks from a weight of less than two ounces to five pounds. That not only takes a lot of chicken feed, it takes a lot of heat, especially when you raise more than 500,000 chickens a year.
As a chicken farmer in Listowel, Ont., Haverkamp knows all too well how difficult, costly, and even dangerous a challenge that can be. In recent years, Ontario livestock fires have resulted in as much as $35 million in losses per year, not including loss of equipment, agricultural products, or livestock.
Did you know? The Canadian chicken industry works to ensure that stringent regulations related to the care and handling of birds are met and followed.
Haverkamp experienced such a loss himself when one of his chicken barns went up in flames in 2016. Although the cause of the fire was never determined, he decided to rebuild with a new heating system that would not only reduce his heating cost but eliminate any combustion flame inside the broiler barn.
Opting for a hydronic heating system, Haverkamp chose to install hot water boilers in a service room adjacent to the chicken area. From boilers to terminal units, the entire heating system is piped with polypropylene-random (PP-R) piping. The heating system is not only safer but also cleaner and more efficient than any Haverkamp, a lifelong poultry farmer, has ever seen or used.
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NOTE: Always refer to pipe manufacturer specifications for recommended bevel.
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HYDRONIC CASE STUDY
Boilers for broilers Heating systems are necessary in poultry barns for the development and weight gain of broiler chickens that are raised specifically for the food industry. Poultry farmers adjust the heat of the barns as the chickens grow, typically starting out at a space temperature of about 91°F for newly hatched chicks, then gradually decreasing the heat to about 68°F over a period of five weeks. By this time, the broilers have neared their market weight of five pounds, assuming the barn temperature has been maintained properly. Chickens tend not to eat if they are too hot or cold. A consistent, evenly distributed temperature stimulates their appetites and encourages activity, both of which are necessary for optimum development. Brandon Gleeson, owner/ operator of Gleeson Plumbing in Moorefield, Ont., designed and installed the heating system for Haverkamp’s new barn. Gleeson, part of a family of chicken farmers himself, was intimately aware of the unique challenges associated with heating a broiler barn.
installed five 399,000 BTUH condensing boilers that stage on and off to maintain a 140°F supply water temperature. The boilers are connected to a 4” PP-R header pipe that supplies 3” pipes routed from the service room to the two-storey chicken barn. A pump with two motors circulates 130 GPM of water into the system, which is split between the upper and lower levels at 65 GPM. The water is routed through 1-1/2” and 1-1/4” PP-R pipe that supplies five airhandling units per floor. These units, designed specifically for the poultry industry, hang from the ceiling and include a water-to-air heating element and a fan to distribute heat into the barn. Had Haverkamp opted for traditional heaters, he would have had to install 10 units per floor.
Honouring Haverkamp’s desire to not use combustion flames inside the chicken area, Gleeson
In total, the project included around 2,000 feet
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Did you know?
of mostly suspended pipe, so weight was one of the factors considered when selecting materials for the job. The PP-R pipe used is relatively light, so Gleeson and one other worker were able to install the entire system in less than a week.
Over 480,000,000 kilograms of commercial chickens are grown each year in Ontario.
Recouping the cost
The crew of two used hand-held socket welders to create nearly 200 connections, and did all of the cutting and pipe fusing on the oor, then lifted the pipe in 200-ft sections for installation.
Poultry barns are notoriously expensive to heat, especially in cold climates. The high ventilation requirements, along with the high space temperatures, can peck away at a chicken farmer’s proďŹ ts. So even though hydronic systems have a greater installed cost than other options, they can be a good investment for professional farmers like Haverkamp, who raise several hundred thousand chickens per year. Haverkamp ran his own cost of performance numbers and anticipates a ďŹ ve- to six-year payback. “I like to make things better when I can. If you ask me if I’d do it again, I’d tell you ‘I would!’ It’s nice and clean, and I don’t have wires hanging all over the place,â€? Haverkamp said. “Brandon [Gleeson] did a fantastic job.â€?
Because Hugh Haverkamp, poultry farmer and owner of Haverkamp Chicken Farm in Listowel, Ont., previously had been the victim of a barn ďŹ re, he opted for a hydronic heating system as a safe alternative.
Gleeson is just as pleased with the appearance of the piping job as he is conďŹ dent of its performance. “It looks beautiful. And there’s no leaks once you pass the pressure test,â€? said Gleeson.
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with Roger Grochmal
Selling the best, with or without rebates
R
ebates have been in place for so long that contractors, as well as consumers, may see them as an entitlement. Without them, how will the market respond, and what will this mean for environmentally responsible choices?
Roger Grochmal is the CEO of AtlasCare in Oakville, Ont. To submit a question about your company, business practices, or the industry in general, send an e-mail too Mechanical Business Magazine’s azine’s editor, Adam Freill, adam.freill@ mechanicalbusiness.com. business.com.
Unfortunately, many contractors see no point in promoting higher efficiency units to their customers. It can be easy to fall for the perception that customers want the cheapest first-cost option when they need a new furnace, boiler or air conditioner. So, off we run to our favourite supplier to load up on the cheapest minimum efficiency air conditioners, furnaces and boilers we can find. In an effort to compete, we join the race to the bottom. bottom This does not need to be the ccase. Over the past 10 years, one of the byproducts of rebates is that we have all learned to better articulate the benefits of high efficiency H HVAC equipment to our customers. The rebates did no not bridge the entire gap between lower-priced pro products and higher efficiency choices, and yet we w were still able to sell them to our customers. Iw would argue that we became better at com communicating not only the benefits of higher effici efficiency equipment, but also the many improved features that manufacturers have built into their higherend units.
Putting my money where my mouth is I have always made it a practice to have our supplier’s top-of-the-line system in my own home so that I can speak to my customers from direct experience. My heating and cooling costs are half what one would expect from a base system. I also encourage my employees to do the same. It makes it so much easier to articulate the value these better units bring.
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We have air conditio conditioners today that are so quiet they are virtually silent. This is important to m many homeowners. Variable speed technology in fans and compressors produce tighter temperature bands, better humidity control and better ability to match cooling performance with the actual load on the home. This all speaks to improved comfort. I would encourage all of us to continue to promote the higher efficiency units to our customers. They offer not only “greenbates,” but significant advantages for a discerning consumer. Don’t automatically make the assumption that everyone wants the cheapest offering out there. The fastest growing segment in the automotive market is for upscale cars from automakers like BMW, Mercedes and Lexus. Consumers enjoy being able to have the best, and we can give it to them. Rebates of the future are going to be heavily influenced by “green” initiatives to reduce our
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carbon footprint, and we are seeing this as governments announce long-range planning initiatives. The future will have fewer fossil fuels in it, and incentives will drive this. It’s our job to use the other advantages to also drive environmental initiatives, as well as higher sales for us.
Are you going to join the race for the bottom, or are you going to provide the full range of your product offerings to your customers that want and need it? The choice you make will directly impact the future revenue and profitability of your company.
CHANGE IS IN THE AIR This past year, after about a decade of rebates, the provincial government in my home province of Ontario made significant changes to programs for consumers purchasing air conditioners.
The new threshold to obtain a rebate is 18 SEER – considerably higher than former reimbursements offered with equipment rated 14.5 SEER or higher.
At a higher price point, and given the effect the fickle summer climate had on consumer demand, to many, restricting the program to 18 SEER units seemed unnecessary and led to few rebate applications.
PROTECTING THEIR INVESTMENT Who says an air conditioner has to sell for $3,000, because that’s all your customer needs to provide minimal cooling for their home? The average price of a home in cities like Vancouver and Toronto now exceeds $1 million. Homeowners are prepared to spend money to preserve this valuable asset and install products that match the value of the home. There is also a significant segment of the market interested in making environmentally responsible choices.
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PROJECT PROFILE By Greg Dalgetty
Finely tuned in
S
askatoon k
I
f you live in Saskatoon, you’re no doubt familiar with the Royal University Hospital (RUH). The facility serves as the main trauma centre for the region. It also offers neurosurgery and cardiovascular surgery services, in addition to housing a maternity ward. Built in 1955 and expanded in 1978, the 1.6 millionsquare-foot hospital recently found itself eyeing mechanical upgrades in an effort to increase energy efficiency and reduce operational costs. So RUH partnered with Johnson Controls, who recommended a number of improvements to the facility’s HVAC and plumbing systems, while also tightening the building envelope and enhancing building automation. The upgrades were completed in June of last year and have so far exceeded projected operational savings by close to 50 per cent.
AN INSULATION INSTALLATION
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The heating and cooling at RUH is provided through an air handling system. Chillers operate cooling coils in the summer months. A steam plant at the University of Saskatchewan, which sits adjacent to the hospital, provides heating the rest of the year.
the pipes, so we insulated a bunch of the piping,” Randy Taylor, Johnson Controls’ account executive for building efficiency in Western Canada, recalled. “If you’re losing that energy to the outside environment, money is just going out the window.”
“The steam that’s provided to the hospital through the central distribution system had a lot of waste heat from
His team opted to install insulated covers on portions of the hospital’s steam distribution system to address
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the problem. They also found that air infiltration was an issue, so they added weather stripping and sealant to doors and windows. “When you have positive pressure in the building, you’re not leaking treated, air-conditioned air in the summertime or heated air in the wintertime.”
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Photos: Courtesy of Johnson Controls
KEEPING THE PLUMBING HUMMING
A
FAN-TASTIC VOYAGE
Prior to commencing work on the project, the Johnson Controls team conducted a detailed facility audit, collecting utility data on RUH’s gas, electricity and water usage, and looked at how the hospital compared to other facilities.
“A lot of things were running 24 hours a day, and we were looking to reduce the run time of that equipment,” explained Taylor. “The fan systems were running 24 hours a day and the pump systems were running continuously. That was just to maintain the temperature in the facility.” The ventilation system proved to be a prime candidate for upgrades. “There were these large, 200-horsepower fans that were providing supply air and return air,” Taylor said. “If you lost one of those fans, you’d lose a large portion of the hospital.” But going in and replacing the fans was no simple matter. “It’s a working, breathing hospital—you can’t just go in and shut equipment down, which you might do in a standard office building environment,” pointed out Vincent Russell, Johnson Controls’ strategic market accounts manager for Saskatchewan. To avoid future challenges, a wall of 15 high-efficiency fans was installed. These fans would both reduce energy use and provide redundancy capabilities if any of the fans failed or required servicing. “The fan wall is actually inside the ductwork and it provides airflow to the entire hospital,” Taylor said. “Installing it was a challenge, because the facility still had to operate. We had to keep the ductwork functional while we operated on pieces of it at a time. “It wasn’t like a rooftop unit where you worked on the outside—this was a large chunk of ductwork where you were actually working on the inside of it, right inside the chamber.”
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Another area in need of improvement was the hospital’s plumbing system. If the cars of yesteryear were gas guzzlers, you could call toilets from the ’50s “gallon guzzlers.” “The 1955 wing of the hospital had plumbing fixtures that hadn’t been touched since they were first installed,” Russell said. “They
were using a ton of water, and water costs money. Environmentally, it wasn’t the best thing either.” The hospital ended up installing low-flow toilet, faucet, shower and urinal fixtures, decreasing water use in the building by 60 per cent and achieving additional fuel savings by reducing hot water demand.
IMPROVING AUTOMATION Modern building automation systems go far beyond simply starting or stopping equipment based on ambient temperatures or set run-time schedules. The ability to more accurately match user habits and to have sensors help with predictive maintenance and troubleshooting made a system upgrade a must for the hospital. As such, occupancy sensors were added, helping RUH save on operating costs when parts of the building are unoccupied. “We added digital controls to variable air volume boxes that were previously pneumatic,” Russell said. “We also added control points and automation to some of the air handling equipment.” The upgrades have also made things easier for maintenance staff. “The big thing with a large facility like this is one of the maintenance people can sit at the building automation computer and view what’s going on with the various systems,” Russell added.
A TEAM EFFORT Taylor and Russell were confronted with various challenges on the project—not the least of which was the fact that another hospital was being built right next door to RUH at the time.
“It’s a hospital that operates 24/7,” Russell said. “A lot of the projects we’ve done in the past were schools. They empty out at 3:30 p.m. and then you can go do what you want.”
“That posed a real challenge— right from parking to offloading material,” Russell noted. “I’ve been working for Johnson Controls for 30 years and this was a very challenging job.”
Fortunately, the team of installers got a lot of cooperation from hospital staff, who helped coordinate things to ensure everything went off without a hitch.
Further complicating matters was the fact a complete system shutdown was out of the question.
“If it hadn’t been for the collaborative environment, it could have been a very difficult project,” Taylor said. “We could have still been working on it today.”
ON HVAC
EER vs SEER Two of the more commonly used energy efficiency ratings for cooling performance of air conditioners and heat pumps are Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) and Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). These ratings can be used to compare energy efficiencies for different models of equipment, but what do these ratings actually mean, and what is the main difference between EER and SEER? To put it simply, EER and SEER are used to express the ratios of output to input for a cooling system. As such, a more efficient cooling system will have higher EER and SEER ratings. The fundamental difference between EER and SEER is that EER tells you the energy efficiency of a system at one set of operating conditions, whereas SEER reflects the overall efficiency of the system on a seasonal basis.
EER
SEER
EER is the average rate of space cooling (in BTUH), divided by the power input (in watts) at given set of operating conditions.
SEER is the total heat removed during the annual cooling season, in BTU, divided by the total electrical energy consumed, in watthours (W*h), by an air conditioner or heat pump over the same season.
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In other words, an air conditioner with 18 SEER is expected to remove 18 BTU of heat annually for every watt-hour of electrical energy consumed over the cooling season. The higher SEER value indicates that the air conditioner or heat pump operates more efficiently over the cooling season.
For example, a 16 EER-rated air conditioner delivers cooling at the rate of 16 BTUH for every watt of input power at the specified rated conditions. Most air conditioner and heat pump manufacturers in North America participate in AHRI’s voluntary certification program and publish ANSI/AHRI 210/240 tested and certified EER ratings based on 80ºF indoor temperature and 95ºF outdoor air temperature when systems are running at full load.
When an air conditioner or heat pump is tested in a lab in accordance with the ANSI/AHRI 210/240 standard, the delivered cooling and energy consumptions are measured at different temperatures, airflow rates and compressor speeds.
In other words, when a manufacturer advertises a 14 EERrated air conditioner, it implies that the system can cool down a conditioned space at the rate of 14 BTUH for every watt of input power when it is tested for full operation at 80ºF indoor temperature and 95ºF outdoor air temperature. It is important to note that EER does not tell you about the overall performance of the unit over a cooling season. To express the annual performance of an air conditioner or heat pump, SEER is used.
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SEER is calculated by taking the weighted averages of space cooling provided and energy consumption over the year, using assumed climate data and interpolation and extrapolation.
AS TESTED It should be noted that EER and SEER are measured and calculated strictly under laboratory settings, and these lab testing conditions may not be the true representation of the actual operating conditions in the field. This may account for discrepancies between manufacturers’ published EER and SEER, and the actual field performance ratings.
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HOME RENO
REBATE YOUR CUSTOMERS GET UP TO
$5,000 BACK
HELP YOUR CUSTOMERS GET PAID TO SAVE ENERGY. Union Gas, in partnership with Save on Energy and the Government of Ontario, will give your customers up to $5,000, PLUS additional electric appliance rebates to build energy efďŹ cient upgrades into their renovation plans. Make sure they know about the program that will help them improve home comfort and save up to 20 per cent a year in home energy costs. Find out more at uniongas.com/homerenocontractor.
This Program is available to all eligible homeowners whether they heat their home with gas, electricity, oil, propane or wood. Some conditions apply. Please go to uniongas.com/homerenocontractor for complete terms and conditions.
REFRIGERATION By Kevi n G i l l
Blast, batched & ashed While we have a tendency to think of conventional refrigeration concepts when designing a blast freezer or chiller area, there are several considerations to take into account. Here are two types of blast freezing applications, and the respective formulas that are designed to provide relatively accurate load calculations, which allows for accurate equipment selection.
Batch load freezing
This is a process where a single product load enters the refrigerated space to be brought to its target centre core temperature in a short, specified time frame.
The primary product load values are at their peak at the start of pull-down. While frozen layers of product develop, these act as an insulator, and the rate of heat evolution decreases accordingly. To compensate for the load fluctuation, we add a factor of 1.5.
The daily rate formula for batch load freezing is:
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Continuous load freezing Unlike with batch load freezing, this process involves product that enters the room and continuously moves through the freezing space by using a feeding mechanism, like a conveyor. In this application, the product load doesn’t have the same magnitude of effect of the initial load calculation, but the load values from the conveyer system (motors, controls etc.) and the room size play much larger roles when determining the required refrigeration capacity.
We do not use any multiplier such as the batch load factor of 1.5 in this instance. Remember that the room design and layout, air velocity, and product loading times play the most critical role for the refrigeration system to create the desired result. Load calculations are extremely difficult to perform on packaged or boxed product, as the packaging adds significant insulation to the product itself, resulting in product that may not reach the target temperature in the allotted time.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
QUICK TIP Remember, due to significant load factors in process refrigeration applications such as these, some cases can result in insufficient space within the refrigerated area for both the product, and the equipment. You may find yourself sacrificing one, the other, or both in the event of restricted and allocated space.
IS ANOTHER REASON
TO LOVE THE
The daily rate formula for continuous load freezing is:
A sample room layout, using ceiling mounted cooling equipment.
EVERY STEP UP
In some cases, you may find your saturated suction temperature (SST) reaches ultralow temperatures, and may require compound two-stage compressor(s) specifically engineered to handle your application, so pay attention to design TDs and fins per inch (FPI) figures for your coil to ensure proper heat transfer. Weigh the pros and cons when selecting the appropriate defrost mechanism.
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Kevin Gill is an outside sales rep for refrigeration and commercial HVAC in Southern Ontario with The Master Group Inc. He can be reached at kgill@master.ca.
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Whether you’re a contractor in the mechanical room looking for installation pointers or a wholesaler explaining a component at the counter, Caleffi’s new installation tip videos just made your job easier! The brief YouTube videos are accessed by scanning the QR code that’s on the bright-yellow label placed on our product boxes. You just simply scan the code with your mobile device to access the video of the installation instructions.
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WAVE GOODBYE TO TWO HANDED PRESSING
WE ARE A CANADIAN MANUFACTURER
Designed specifically for one-handed use, the RIDGID® PEX-One™ 12V Battery PEX Tool presses half inch through one inch PEX tubing. It is 16.5 inches long and weighs 5.8 pounds, including battery and dies, which is over 25 percent lighter than other battery-powered PEX tools. Ideal for overhead connections and accessing tight spaces.
Bibby-Ste-Croix has two foundry locations in the province of Quebec and employs over 400 team members who are responsible for the production of cast iron soil pipe and fittings used in drain, waste and vent (DWV) plumbing systems. In addition, 80 team members are responsible for manufacturing street castings, manhole frames and covers, and municipal road castings in their Saint-Ours Laperle Foundry. The company is privately owned by McWane, Inc.
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GUEST COLUMN
B y Tye L eis hman
There’s no
tomorrow Most of us understand the importance of setting goals and establishing deadlines for important tasks, but how many of us follow through with the process? The act of setting goals has long been documented to create measurable results. If you read biographies or listen to podcasts of successful people, many will tell their story of success through goal setting. To set a goal, all you have to do is ask what have you been telling yourself over and over again. Any of these sound familiar? How do I get more organized at work? Increase my charge out rates? Take a vacation? Eat healthier? The list can go on and on. To get goal oriented, get those questions and thoughts on paper right away, and start on your own path to your next better step. Don’t put it off until tomorrow. In the classic movie Rocky III, there is a great moment where Rocky is training with Apollo Creed for his upcoming boxing match with Clubber Lang. Rocky tells Apollo, they will get back to it “tomorrow.” Apollo, in clear frustration, screams at Rocky, “There is no tomorrow!”
Tye Leishman is the owner of Tempco Heating & Cooling in Powell River, B.C., and was the cover person in our September/October 2016 edition. He can be reached at tye@tempcohvac.com.
PLANNING FOR SUCCESS In our company’s weekly
Putting pen to paper sounds
Wednesday morning
very easy, but I know from
meetings, we frequently
experience, most of us have
refer to a quote from my
never written down a goal.
10-year-old son: “What can I
Even now, after reading this,
do today, that will make me
some will still choose to not
successful tomorrow?”
write down a goal and make
It is such a simple statement
a plan for their life. There
and at the same time
is a big difference between
contains so much depth.
thinking about a goal and
Think about that for a
actually writing it down and
moment. Is there anything
committing to it.
you can do today, that
It is my strong belief that if
will make you successful
you take the time and write
tomorrow?
down one single goal you have been holding back on, it
Got something? Good. Now write it down.
will have a profound impact in your life, I know that it has in mine.
We all have the same 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Why are some people more successful than others? They have set goals. They have a plan. And they follow through, today.
Set S.M.A.R.T. goals A goal-related acronym that’s been used since the early ’80s is S.M.A.R.T., which stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-sensitive. But what does that mean? • Specific – Your goals must be clear and well defined. • Measurable – Include precise dates and information so you can keep track. • Attainable – Ensure the goal is challenging, yet realistic. • Relevant – The more relevant, the easier it will be to attain. • Time Specific – A deadline will keep you focused on your task.
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Cutting & Deburring Tool Reed Manufacturing’s Solutions Kit offers tools to cut and deburr 1/2”to 4” plastic pipe. The kit comes with two tubing cutters and two deburring tools designed for use with solvent cement weld applications using PVC, CPVC or ABS pipe.
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Flir’s C3 pocketsize thermal camera is designed to detect cold air leaks, plumbing issues and more. It features a 3” touchscreen with automatic screen orientation and is capable of capturing thermal measurements from -10°C to 150°C. The camera is Wi-Fi enabled for instant peer-to-peer image sharing.
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STUFF YOU NEED Crimping Accessory Malco’s TurboCrimper Impact accessory attaches to an impact driver to crimp 30- to 24-gauge galvanized round duct and black stovepipe. It works with the impact driver motor running in forward or reverse, making it easy to use for left- or right-handed technicians.
Aviation Snips Milwaukee Tool’s aviation snips feature forged blades with chrome plating engineered for rust protection and durability. Their bolt locks ensure that blades won’t loosen, and a one-handed metal lock secures the tool closed for storage.
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www. milwaukeetool.ca
Tape Measures Empire Level’s Autolock tape measures feature an autolocking brake designed to hold the blade in place and provide better retraction for improved life. Each measure has a five-screw housing for increased durability, as well as a belt clip. Measures are available in 12’, 16’ and 25’ lengths.
Follow Us on Twitter @MechBusiness
www. empirelevel.com
STREAMLINE PRS PRESS FITTINGS
• 1/2” - 4” including couplings, elbows, tees, adapters, fitting reducers, caps, and flanges • Leak detection feature identifies un-crimped connections • Compatible with most common pressing tools and jaws in the market • EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) seals are factory-installed & lubricated • Extensive offering of reducing tees • Packaged in common industry quantities
1-800-561-7119 • 519-455-9238 www.glcopper.com
1-800-265-3485 www.glcopper.com
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PLUMBING
Products
Condensing Water Heater American Water Heaters’ Polaris condensing gas water heaters offer thermal efficiencies as high as 96 per cent. Compatible with both natural gas and propane, they can be paired with recirculating systems or domestic space heating systems. Models are available in 34and 50-gallon sizes.
Wi-Fi Shower System The U by Moen is a Wi-Fi and cloud-based digital shower system that allows users to create up to 12 personalized shower presets using a mobile app. A digital valve offers precise, thermostatic temperature control. An in-shower five-inch LCD screen provides feedback on shower status through on-screen messaging and notifications.
www. americanwaterheater.com
www. moen.ca en.ca Prior to taking up mixed martial arts fighting, UFC champion Conor McGregor was a plumber's apprentice.
Ball & Relief Valvess Series LFBRVM1 all-in-one ball and relief valves from Watts can be installed in any orientation and feature nine end connection options. They are engineered for use as a water heater shutoff valve that also provides protection against excess water pressure caused by thermal expansion. They have a forged body construction, blowout-proof stem and an industry-standard white handle.
Grinder der Pump Saniflo’s Sanicubic 2, rated to IP68 standards, is a duplex grinder system engineered to handle up to 90 gpm of waste from multiple bathrooms and fixtures throughout a home or building. Its smartpump technology allows two independently operating grinders to work alternately or simultaneously.
www. wattscanada.ca
www. saniflo.ca
Root-Clearing Machine The Metro power drain cleaner from General Pipe Cleaners is engineered to clear roots and other tough stoppages in 3” through 6” lines. Users can choose between 75 ft. of 5/8” cable or 100 ft. of specially designed 9/16” cable for smaller jobs. The Metro can drive and retract cable at up to 20 feet per minute with a variable speed control.
www. drainbrain.com
Sump Pump Zoeller’s Model 95 sump pump features a hermetically sealed oil-filled motor and non-clogging vortex impeller, and is made from cast iron with a powder-coated epoxy finish. It offers a maximum flow of 80 gpm at 26’ of head.
www. zoellerpumps.com
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PLUMBING
Products
Pipeline Inspection Cameras Bathroom Faucets Abruzzo Collection bathroom faucets from Fortis feature an angular design with a tapered front and narrow handle. Available for single- and three-hole installations, they offer flow rates of 1.5 gpm and are available in polished chrome and brushed nickel finishes.
www. fortisfaucet.com
Elite USB with Wi-Fi drain camera systems from Ratech allow users to record footage to a USB drive or an SD card, or to upload it wirelessly via a Wi-Fi interface. The systems come with a 10” LCD monitor and a self-levelling camera, either the company’s Ultra Micro or Pan ’n’ Tilt push camera. Systems are available with cable lengths ranging from 100’ to 400’.
www. ratech-electronics.com
Kitchen Faucets Pfister’s Stellen one-handle kitchen faucets offer a flowrate of 1.8 gpm and can be installed with single- and three-hole sinks. They feature a pull-down head with spray, stream and pause functions. A deck plate is included for sinks with three holes.
Pipe H Handle The Straplock Strapl pipe handle from Ridgid is designed to simplify the installation and maintenance of large diameter plastic pipe maintenan by helping users securely grip the pipe and apply force in all directions. It is engineered to grip 3” to 8” diameter plastic pipe and features a fixed handle position to help align and hold joints jo in place while glue sets.
www. pfisterfaucets.com
www. ridgid.com
Water Treatment System Novo Water’s SimTan Plus Specialty System is engineered to reduce five major water problems: hardness, iron, manganese, tannins and ammonium. It features quick-connect fittings and a hands-free LED backlit display that shows system information.
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One-Piece Toilet Gerber’s Wicker Park decorative one-piece elongated toilet with a concealed trapway offers a 1.28-gallon flush. It has an ergonomic height of 16-1/2” and features a 3” flush valve for maximum water flow and flushing power.
www. novowater.com
www. gerberonline.ca
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Hydronic Products Venting System PolyFlue’s polypropylene gas venting system is rated to maximum flue gas temperatures of 230°F/110°C and offers a 0” clearance to combustibles. It is available in rigid and flexible pipe ranging from 2” to 4” in diameter.
www. polyflue.com
Butterfly Valves
Pressure-Reducing Valve Caleffi’s 535H pressure-reducing valve is engineered to deliver accurate pressure regulation under varying pressure and draw conditions. It offers a 180°F temperature rating at 300 psi and features a removable cartridge with a stainless steel mesh filter. Its scale-resistant internal parts are designed to minimize limescale formation.
www. caleffi.com
Belimo has expanded its line of butterfly valves to include models for applications that require 50 psi close-off pressure. Models in 8” and 10” sizes feature LU bodies for two-way configurations. Models in 3” to 6” sizes feature HDU bodies for two-way and three-way configurations.
Inline Pumps Wilo’s ILV/IPLV inline pumps feature sensorless variable speed drives. They are designed to support external control platforms, including BacNet, and offer flow rates of up to 1,600 GPM. They have a working temperature range of -20°C to 140°C.
www. belimo.ca
www. wilo-canada.com
Combination Boilers
Electric Boilers
CB combination condensing boilers from Noritz offer AFUE efficiencies of up to 95 per cent. They can deliver up to 9.2 gallons per minute of domestic hot water. The CB180DV has a maximum rating of 180,000 BTUH for hot water and 100,000 BTUH for space heating. The CB199DV has a maximum rating of 199,000 BTUH for hot water and 120,000 BTUH for space heating.
Conforto electric boilers from Granby are available in six sizes, ranging from 20,472 to 81,888 BTUH. Featuring four modes of operation, they are engineered to always use the fewest elements possible to supply the heating load, maximizing energy efficiency and reducing operating costs.
www. noritz.com
www. granbyindustries.com
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TOOL TIP
Reflective Insulation Covertech’s rFOIL Concrete Underpad, available from Ontor Limited, is a reflective insulation and puncture-resistant vapour barrier that also serves as a radon barrier. Offered in Standard and Ultra models, the underpads are composed of a double layer of high-strength polyethylene bubbles sandwiched between one layer of metalized foil, and a layer of clear polyethylene. They are designed to be installed with the clear side facing upwards.
www. rfoil.com
On the level
W
ith so many different trades and tasks having specific needs to keep things on the level, or on a specified slope, it should come as no surprise that there are so many different types and configurations of these rather essential tools. Box levels can be rather useful when checking the slope of drainage pipes or appliance venting runs, not to mention a whole lot of other materials that run on hangers, on their wn, or in raceways. own,
Opposing-port Tees Uponor’s ProPEX engineered polymer (EP) opposing-port tees are designed for PEX hydronic heating and cooling applications with back-toback installation spacing constraints. Available in 1”, 1-1/4”, 1-1/2” and 2” flowthrough sizes with 3/4” outlets, they are engineered to eliminate the need for additional tees and elbows when piping in two directions.
These hearty units are prone to getting banged around on a jobsite, so look for a level that has a good amount of reinforcement in the box, to help prevent it from getting damaged and losing its accuracy. Torpedo levels are great for pipe installations of all types. A number of these levels are equipped with magnets and a top V groove to sit on round surfaces better, and to stay attached to pipes. The magnets also work well for attaching a steel ruler for other measurements. Many levels have set 45 and 90 angle vials, and some have a 360-degree adjustable dial, which is great when seeking a code-required slope.
www. uponor.ca
Dirt Separator
FINDING THE BUBBLE
The MagFilter from Grundfos is engineered for residential hydronic systems and larger commercial applications with pipe sizes ranging from 3/4” to 6”. It is designed to remove virtually all of the suspended black iron oxide sludge buildup in a hydronic system.
Not all jobsites have great lighting, so a good level needs to have vials that are easy to read, and these vials need to be robust enough to survive damage from constant drops. Some manufacturers offer vials that light up, and several have put a focus on magnifying the bubble, so that it is easier to see from almost any angle. A number of name-brand companies are now using different fluid viscosities and acrylic vials on their more robust tools, with some even offering digital readouts.
www. grundfos.ca
Venting Accessories DuraVent’s PolyPro polypropylene venting system is engineered for use with ANSI Category II and IV gas-burning appliances, including high efficiency water heaters and condensing boilers. It is suitable for exhaust temperatures up to 230°F and a maximum positive pressure of 15 in-w.c.
Sponsored by Milwaukee Electric Tool – a proud partner with Mechanical Business. Look for video tips, tools and reviews at www.milwaukeetool.com.
www. duravent.com M e c h a n i c a l
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HVAC/R Products P Paddle Fan Adapters PFA Paddle Fan Adapters from Continental Fan are engineered to fit most conventional paddle-blade ceiling fans and reduce energy consumption in large spaces. Available to fit 48” and 56” ceiling fans, they are ideal for use in high-bay manufacturing and warehouse spaces.
www. continentalfan.com
Unit Heaters Nexus unit heaters from Sterling HVAC feature tri-metal stainless steel heat exchangers and offer AFUE efficiencies as high as 97 per cent. Multiple firing configurations are available, including single-stage, two-stage and full modulation utilizing outdoor air reset or indoor air reset modes. Units are currently available in 100,000 and 200,000 BTUH sizes.
www.
Ventilation Duct System
sterlinghvac.com
The All-in-One Ventilation Duct from Selkirk eliminates the need for separate fire-rated shaft wall construction and field-fabricated ductwork. An option for multi-storey tenant spaces that require the installation of clothes dryers, bathroom fans and range hoods, the modular ventilation system is prefabricated, which reduces installation time, and has a two-hour fire rating.
www.
selkirkcommercial.ca
Follow Us on Twitter @MechBusiness
Flaring Kit RectorSeal’s Pro-Fit Precision Flaring Kit is designed for use on copper and aluminum tubing in air conditioning and refrigeration applications. The kit contains five flaring bits for tubing sizes ranging from 1/4” to 3/4”. The bits can be used with a drill or impact driver.
www.
rectorseal.com
Inline Duct Blowers
UV Lamp Kit
Canarm’s IDL series inline duct blowers are suitable for commercial HVAC applications. They are available in five models with maximum flow rates ranging from 1,400 to 5,700 CFM at static pressure. They are made of galvanized steel and come in sizes ranging from 3/4 to 3 hp.
UV Resources’ Remote Lamp Mount Small Systems (RLM S/S) lamp fixture kit is designed to deliver ultraviolet energy to destroy coil and drain pan microbial infestations and disinfect moving air streams in hard-to-service fan coil units, package (PTAC) units and heat pump systems. It is engineered to generate 360 degrees of UV-C irradiation.
www. canarm.ca
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HVAC/R Products P Rooftop Units Foundation light commercial rooftop units from Trane are available in sizes ranging from three to five tons. They are engineered to fit common roof curbs used on commercial buildings. Contractors can access product information for Foundation rooftop units using the Trane 360° mobile app.
Replacement Refrigerant RS Cool’s RS-70 (R-453A) refrigerant is designed to be a drop-in R-22 replacement for high-, medium- and low-temperature applications, down to a -30°C evap temperature. It offers the same flow rate, similar pressures and energy efficiency as R-22, but with a GWP of 1,765. No oil change or system modifications are required.
www. rscool.com
Liquid Descaler ScaleBreak from Goodway is a biodegradable descaler engineered to dissolve calcium, lime, rust, lithium carbonate and other types of deposits. Suitable for use in chiller tubes, flywheels and heat exchangers, it is safe for use on steel, iron, brass, copper, plastic and rubber. It is available in 5, 30, 55, 275 and 330 gallon sizes.
www. goodway.com
www.
trane.com
Thermal Recovery Unit The Whalen Company’s Whispertherm integrated thermal recovery unit with energy recovery module is engineered to efficiently introduce outdoor air into an occupied space. Rather than directly discarding exhaust air from the occupied space, the unit transfers the energy to the incoming fresh air, reducing energy use.
www.
whalencompany.com
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M e c h a n i c a l
EVENTS CIPHEX Roadshow October 19, 2017 Regina, Sask. www.ciphexroadshow.ca ASPE Technical Symposium October 19-22, 2017 Montreal, Que. www.aspe.org InfraCanada October 24, 2017 Banff, Alta. www.flir.ca
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31%
have driven through a red light.
29%
have disobeyed road signs.
(And we appreciate every single one of you. Thank you.)
14%
A STRONG SEAL
3%
The Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) recently released its 2016 annual review of the Red Seal program. Here are some of the highlights.
of drivers have engaged in romantic activities while driving. of drivers have flossed while driving.
DECAGREATS
678,802 All-time total number of Red Seal endorsements since the program’s inception.
10 Not just the number of fingers we have, but also the basis of the decimal system of numbers, and the anniversary that we at Mechanical Business are celebrating with this edition. Here are a few other great 10s worth noting: • Soccer great Pele • Basketball’s Manute Bol, tallest player in NBA history • Former Montreal Expo Andre Dawson • The Flower, Guy Lafleur • 10 Downing Street – Residence of the British Prime Minister
2.3 BILLION
28,718 Total number of Red Seal endorsements in 2016. 1,767 Number of Plumber Red Seal endorsements in 2016. 976 Number of Steamfitter/Pipefitter Red Seal endorsements in 2016. 1959 Year that the first Red Seal endorsements were issued.
CHRONICLING COPPER Man’s oldest metal, the use of copper dates back more than 10,000 years. Here are some facts you might not know about the metal.
29 Atomic Number of copper and its position on the periodic table. 1,083°C Pure copper’s melting point. 570 (and counting) Number of copper alloys listed with the American Society for Testing and Materials International.
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TECH SPEC
Stainless Steel Lav Drains and P-Traps
New Life t War ime rant y
Lifetime Warranty against tarnishing and discolouring
Competitors brass Chrome Plated finish
OS&B® Commercial Stainless Steel (3700-SS or 3700WC-SS)
OS&B® Commercial Stainless Steel Lavatory Grid Drains and P-Traps. • • • • •
Polished to provide scratch and wear resistance Resistant to corrosion pitting from acetic, formic, phosphoric and tartatic acids Hybrid P-Traps (SS J-Bend and Brass Wall Bend) available for dissimilar metal installations cCSAus Certified Visit www.osbcommercial.ca for full SS offering and SS Spec Sheets
OS&B® Commercial Stainless Steel products are engineered to save your customers money and help keep their facilities looking good for years to come.
Specify OS&B® Stainless Steel products on your next commercial project.
www.osbcommercial.ca
Get customers Connected with our WiFi solution •
Access tekmar WiFi thermostats & controls remotely with tekmar Connect mobile app
Hydronic Zoning Just Got Smarter Zoning with RoomResponse™ Zone Valve Controls 304V & 306V Switching Relays 304P & 306P Automatically adjust the boiler temperature based on feedback from ANY brand of low voltage thermostat to: • Improve comfort & efficiency • Avoid customer callbacks
Visit tekmarControls.com to learn more
WiFi thermostats with optional floor sensor WiFi Thermostat The 561 One Stag Stage Heat
WiFi The Thermostat 562 Two Stage Stag Heat, One Stage Co Cool, Fan
WiFi Thermostat 563 Conventional 2H/2C or Heat Pump 4H/2C