PLUMBING Tools and technology take some of the pain out of renovations

By Fred Bretzke

PLUMBING

Fred Bretzke is a full-time pipe trades instructor with SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary. He can be reached at fred.bretzke@sait.ca.

TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY

TAKE SOME OF THE PAIN OUT OF RENOVATIONS

It is often said that the two most important rooms in a house are the kitchen and bathroom as they are used and featured most frequently. Kitchen and bathroom remodels continue to be two of the best investments homeowners can make. We will add one more room, and that will be the mechanical room as these sometimes need updating as well. When it comes to plumbing updates, we should also include the outside water service and building sewer. Three-dimensional technology has changed the renovation experience.

TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN TO THE RESCUE

It is very difficult to estimate renovations as each one is unique and has its own complications to update it to current code. One might ask how much time to allow for labour as most plumbers have different speeds. Now if you have a cost-plus job, it’s a plumber’s heaven on earth, but some plumbers take advantage of this, hence this is not fair to the customer. On the other hand, if you have a customer who keeps changing their mind and they have no general contractor in charge, it is better off being cost-plus, otherwise the plumber may be taken advantage of. The ideal situation is having a good general contractor running the job with plans, and then you should be able to quote most of it. How would you quote and do a renovation like this? If the plans are accurate, the plumber basically would have to have a good knowledge of the plumbing code and some advice on the building code. My first approach would be to figure out time to gut everything unless the contractor is taking care of that. If the contractor is taking care of it then make sure he knows where and what lines to properly cut and cap. After the space has been gutted, it is a little easier to visualize what to do. Let’s start with the outside services. I met with the city’s chief plumbing inspector and his senior inspectors again to go over codes, so we are on the same page. Their message for me was to tell my classes of apprentices they make sure to inform customers of upgrading water services. This is especially true when a small house is being renovated into a large one. People often add one or two bathrooms and another laundry. Once you exceed 16 fixture units

IS THE WATER SERVICE UP TO THE TASK?

of water volume (table 2.6.4.3. SIMPLIFIED METHOD), the water service must be upgraded from ¾ in. min. to 1 in. or 1 ¼ in. in size. This means the city or a private company indemnified with the city would have to upsize the city water service on the city side of the property line at the customer’s expense. This price could range anywhere from $20,000 to $44,000 (prices a year before COVID) depending on the landscape. That’s just the tail piece, you still have to upsize the service through the front yard and into the house. As you are changing the water service, it is expedient to also change the old black coal tar or bituminized fibre pipe, clay tile, or cast iron building sewer. I have changed many of these. The old way was to allow for a front yard excavation and breaking out an inside hole in the concrete floor in the basement. These prices varied depending on length of front yard and what was in the way. Now with new technology we can sometimes pull a new water line and sewer line with just two holes, one outside and one inside. This proves to be more economical than overhauling a front yard and or garage front pad.

WHAT KIND OF HEAT?

Now let’s go to the basement mechanical room. Let’s say the renovation is making the house 1.5 times larger. You added two bathrooms and upgraded two bathrooms and a new kitchen was in the mix. You will need more hot water. Back in the day we added another normal 40 US gallon gas HWT in series and that did the trick. Today there are all sorts of options. You could do the same thing, which would now cost at least $1,000 to $1,200 compared to $500 25 years ago. Or you could opt for a wall hung hot water exchanger, which is great for continuous hot water, that’s an additional $2,000 to $3,000. You could use some larger electric hot waters that are LEED-type energy efficient tanks and they range from $1,500 to $5,000. The more expensive options are typically more energy efficient over the long term. As for heating upgrades, it depends if the customer wants forced air heating, a geothermal heat pump or hydronic heating. I’m not going to throw out general pricing on heating as there is such a variety of options. That being said the geothermal and hydronic infloor heating would be the most expensive but also the most economical over the long term. Forced air heating is the cheapest, but once again in the winter you then have dry air blowing through the house, or one can install a humidifier to offset this problem. Adding a bigger furnace to augment heat for the extra space is something plumbers/gasfitters are qualified to do in Alberta, yet they will still need a qualified HVAC specialist to install the duct work beyond the gas, supply and return plenum. Speaking of the gas line, it will probably need upsizing also. Back in the day this was a pain as we did this in black steel piping, which required more time and space to install. Now it is much quicker as we can upgrade with yellow gas tite flex, which doesn’t require threading. Typically, people like to add a gas fireplace or two to their renovation. Finally, let’s get to the show off stuff. I used to hate doing kitchen renovations, usually the architect and/or interior designer had no idea about the hidden mechanical and this caused major problems. Of course, this is where my love of new technology comes into play. Three-dimensional technology has changed everything. You can now see the renovation in advance, which helps greatly with the mechanical system design.

Most kitchen renovations have a kitchen island in the design. People love their kitchen islands complete with new in-counter sinks, fancy taps, stainless steel dishwasher and even in-counter ranges. Reverse osmosis is also an option for tastier water. Back in the day kitchen islands were a pain in the butt, but (no pun intended) now it is much cheaper and easier. Now we can legally use an air admittance valve (cheater vent) instead of an island vent, which required a lot of collateral damage (AIR ADMITTANCE VALVES Section 2.5.9. of the NPC).

Photo: Canature Water Group

Many people are concerned about how safe their drinking water is and how it tastes. This has led to advancements in reverse osmosis systems for residential. The old reverse osmosis systems used to require up to 10 gallons of water to get just one gallon of clean tasty water. Now the new systems use only one to three gallons of water to produce one gallon of reverse osmosis water.

The use of an air admittance valve on the right instead of the traditional island vent, definitely saves time and money.

MODERN KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS

It shall be rated for the same size of pipe to which it is connected to

Sleek looking bathrooms have residential wall hung toilets that offer easier access for cleaning.

EVERYBODY IS IN THE KITCHEN

Most people like to entertain in a beautiful kitchen. The stove is an integral part of that, with gas ranges being popular with those who love to cook. Whatever location the gas stove is in, whether it be in the wall or in an island or floor-standing, it is not too hard to extend a new gas tite flex line to it depending on the BTU gas rating of the range. The actual installed price of the appliance can be costly.

There are many different jacuzzi style tubs, and most new bathrooms are four or five piece bathrooms with separate jetted tub and showers. Even the bidet is making a big comeback as part of a toilet seat.

I would say the main difference in regard to modern bathrooms and kitchens are the energy and water saving fixtures. They may cost more but they use less power or water.

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By Kevin Barrington

HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PNEUMATIC AND MECHANICAL PIPE PLUGS: FOUR FACTORS TO CONSIDER

In 1953, while working on an institutional job, Lloyd Cherne vulcanized a tire’s Schrader valve to a child’s inflatable rubber ball to create the pneumatic plumber’s test plug. Since their inception nearly 70 years ago, pipe plug offerings have expanded to include testing, maintenance, and repair equipment for Canada’s plumbing and municipal sewer markets, and are offered in two types: pneumatic and mechanical, covering a range of pipe sizes.

But the question remains: How do you decide between pneumatic and mechanical plugs? There are four questions or factors that will likely impact this decision. Once you have determined the I.D. of the pipe you need to plug, what you need the plug to do, the back-pressure the plug needs to withstand, the media that needs to be blocked, and how long you need to keep the pipe plug in place, you can determine which plug to use based on your findings.

PNEUMATIC PLUG SAFETY TIPS:

• Never enter the danger zone • Monitor the placement and pressure of the plug during operation • Clean with mild soap and water • Store the plug in a dry place, below 110ºF

Mechanical cleanout plug

2

What do you need the plug to do?

Pneumatic and mechanical plugs can be used for various purposes. To determine which plug to use, you have to nail down the purpose of the plug by asking: do I need to block a pipeline or an opening; bypass effluent that is running through a live pipeline; pressure test a new pipeline before placing it into service; or test a pipeline already in service for leaks?

As mentioned above, pneumatic plugs are used for blocking, bypassing, conducting line acceptance, or leak-location testing using air. Most mechanical plugs are designed for blocking. However, there are mechanical plugs available with or without a bypass that can be used for bypassing or air testing.

What is the inside diameter of the pipe you need to plug?

The first step in choosing a pipe plug is determining the pipe’s I.D. (inside diameter). It’s important to check the I.D. of the pipe to be plugged and match it to the usage range of the plug to make sure it will work in the intended pipe. Pneumatic plugs come in sizes ranging from 1 in. (25.4 mm.) to 96 in. (2438.4 mm.). Plumbing and municipal sewer workers can use them for blocking, bypassing or redirecting effluent, or conducting line acceptance or leak-location testing using air. Pneumatic plugs are designed to fit one pipe size or multiple pipe sizes. Mechanical plugs are available in sizes ranging from .39 in. (9.9 mm.) to 18 in. (457.2 mm.) and do not need to be inflated. They are expanded to fit tightly within a pipe or open mechanically. Most only require hand-tightening.

3What is the point of access size you need to install the plug, and what is the maximum back pressure the plug must withstand?

The size of the point of access into which you need to install the plug will likely impact the plug required for the job. Back-pressure is the pressure (air or liquid) in front or back of the plug that it must restrain or hold back. The total force exerted on a pipeline plug is directly proportional to the pressure and the pipeline area. It’s important to check the back-pressure rating on the plugs to ensure the pressure you need to block does not exceed the plug’s capabilities.

4What media does the plug need to block, and how long does it need to be kept in place?

The type of plug needed will depend on the media the plug needs to block; for example, air, water, sewage, or something else.

Pneumatic plugs:

Pneumatic plugs are meant to be used in short-term applications. If a pneumatic plug needs to remain in place for longer periods, its inflation pressure must be checked every four hours and adjusted as required. Pneumatic plugs can be inflated with air, water, or inert gas (nitrogen). It’s crucial never to overinflate, or under-inflate plugs. When pneumatic plugs are in use for safety reasons, the work area has to be cordoned off so that nobody gets in front of the plug. For this reason, an extension hose must be used to inflate and deflate pneumatic plugs from a safe distance.

PRIME

Mechanical plugs:

Mechanical plugs do not need to be inflated. They are expanded to fit tightly within a pipe or open mechanically. Most mechanical plugs only require handtightening. Mechanical plugs are the correct choice for long-term or permanent installations. Some offer specialized features such as chemical resistance, the ability to lock in place, or are designed for specific applications, such as pipe hubs and clean out coverings.

BE MINDFUL

Pneumatic plugs can be inflated with air, water, or inert gas (nitrogen).

It’s crucial never to overinflate, or under-inflate plugs.

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IS INVOLVED PIPING