November/December 2010 by Mechanical Business

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Nov/Dec 2010 $6.95

M e c h a n i c a l

TA B L E

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CONTENTS O F

GETTING TECHNICAL

ON ERVS AND HRVS

24HVAC The goal of humidity control is to achieve a comfortable and healthy moisture balance in buildings. Gord Cooke

IS GREYWATER use legal in Canada yet?

28PLUMBING Dissecting the nitty-gritty of greywater standards, guidelines and codes in Canada. Christopher Adam McLeod

A PRV

Primer 56HYDRONICS

46COVER STORY Fixing disasters and building houses with HGTV’s Bryan Baeumler Adam Freill

Taming 68 a potable tsunami

PLUMBING Trouble-shooting water hammers and vibrating, noisy pipes. Dan Vastyan

Where height, pressure and gravity come together. On the cover: Host of HGTV’s Disaster DIY, contractor Bryan Baeumler turned the tables on himself last year as he became his own customer, building his own custom home and filming the process for his other show, House of Bryan.

Takes grinding to unheard of levels. Presenting The Evolution Series.

Simply put, the Evolution Series food waste disposers are the best we have ever created. Enhanced with MultiGrind™ technology, they quickly eliminate almost any food waste, from rib bones to artichoke peels. While innovative SoundSeal™ technology can reduce noise by up to 60%. For more information contact your local plumbing wholesaler or visit www.insinkerator.ca.

TA B L E M O R E F E AT U R E S 44MCAC Event in Pictures

CONTENTS O F

P E R S O N A L I T I E S 26

ASK ROGER Hiring the right candidate Roger Grochmal Most of us take hiring very seriously, however; we often falter when it comes to the hiring process.

HYDRONICS Warming up to some cool panel rads Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr Not just an option for shoulder season heat distribution, panel radiators are a plus in many areas of the country. We look at how they can be used as a stand-alone heat emitter, or in conjunction with radiant floor systems.

MARKETING Social media primer Doug MacMillan It seems as though everyone is on Facebook. Are you? Don’t let the sheer volume of Social Media scare you away. Treat it just as you would any other business tool and tailor it to suit your needs.

REFRIGERATION Avoiding the short cycle Phil Boudreau An excessive number of starts per hour will lead to over-heating of the compressor.

WORLD VIEW Venting without stacks Jeff Patchell London’s The O2 arena proved to be quite a plumber’s challenge. The main obstacle: engineering a venting system for 548 toilets without a stack in sight.

48HVAC/R Keeping cool in the server room L.M. (Rob) Robertson

52PLUMBING Unlocking the ICI potential Adam Freill

60HVAC/R Commissioning: 10 steps to get it right David Underwood

66ROAD WARRIOR Ontario’s Travis Gairy

70TOOL TIP: RECIPROCATING SAWS 72FIND THE FIX

74HVAC/R Finding balance at Kwantlen Polytechnic Denise Deveau

82CIPHEX WEST Event in Pictures

P R O D. U C T S 32,88Plumbing 38,84Hydronics 76,86HVAC/R 85Stuff you need

M e c h a n i c a l

D E PA R T M E N T S 08From the editor’s desk 10News 22Profile: Rusty Jennings 78The Info Page 81Calendar 90By the numbers

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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 Nov/Dec 2010 Issue Published 6 times per year. Editor: Adam Freill, ext. 224 adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com U.S. Sales Manager: David Gerchen (314) 878-3939 david.gerchen@mechanicalbusiness.com Office Manager: Chris McKay, ext. 227 chris.mckay@mechanicalbusiness.com Controller: Liz Mills, ext. 221 liz.mills@mechanicalbusiness.com Assistant Editor: David Janzen, ext. 225 david.janzen@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)

Postmaster – Please send all address changes or undeliverable copies to: Mechanical Business, 19 – 1525 Cornwall Road, Oakville, ON L6J 0B2. 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. 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 $90.00 (plus tax) 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).

So it should not come as a big surprise that the theme of several new product introductions at Chillventa was designing for specific applications, rather than aiming to be capable of handling a wide range of duties. Says Mechanical Business refrigeration columnist Phil Boudreau, who attended the recent German trade fair that covers the air conditioning, refrigeration and ventilation trades, “A compressor cannot do everything, so if it is designed for a narrower range of conditions, it can be designed to have higher efficiencies.” Looking a little more local, like in Gord Cooke’s look at the HRV/ERV debate that starts on page 24, it can pay to look at the specific application to decide what products would produce the most efficient package – one which weighs both the up-front and operational costs. Also in the current issue, don’t miss our chat with Disaster DIY host – and topnotch contractor – Bryan Baeumler (our cover story on page 46). Bryan has a ton of experience pulling projects from the brink of disaster, and often these disasters have been the result of someone lacking the most important tool on the jobsite: the knowledge necessary to get the job done right the first time round. To help with the goal of getting it right the first time, we’ve added a few extra tools to our website. In addition to our training listings, we have just recently introduced a new careers site – and it’s definitely the right tool if you are an employer looking for somewhere to advertise a need for a few new staffers. Enjoy the issue, and have a safe and happy holiday season. Until next time,

Adam Freill, Editor

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It is a poor carpenter who blames his hammer, but without the right tool for the task at hand even a pro will have a tough time making optimal use of his time and efforts, and the end product will stand a much lower chance of living up to expectations.

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EDITOR’S

The right tool for the task

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.

THE

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Watts opens training centre Watts Water Technologies (Canada) Inc. recently opened the doors of its new, state-of-the-art training room at its head office in Burlington, Ont. The facility includes everything from a seethrough wall showing carrier installations in a functioning washroom, to a hands-on backflow testing area. Cutting the ribbon to officially open the training room are, from left, Charles Mann, vice-president of sales and marketing; Dan Bowes vice-president and general manager; and George Darnowski, vice-president of operations.

Noble expands into western Canada Noble has acquired MPH Supply Ltd., a plumbing product supplier operating five branches in Vancouver, B.C., and the Lower Mainland. The transaction also includes the acquisition of Better Bathrooms, a finishing plumbing product retailer. The purchase builds on the company’s recent acquisition of Don Park Limited, an Ontario-based HVAC product manufacturer and distributer. Don Park operates 14 branches with more than 400 employees, as well as three manufacturing facilities and one distribution centre in Ontario. Noble has 23 branches and a distribution centre in Ontario, as well as two retail locations and two distribution centres in Quebec.

wattscanada.ca

Madok expands operation Madok Manufacturing, a producer of custom designed heating and cooling coils for new and replacement applications, has undertaken a major expansion at its manufacturing facility in Brantford, Ont.

“The combination of plumbing and HVAC allows us to offer a much wider range of products to our diversified industrial, commercial, institutional and professional customers, and will give Noble a presence in Ontario markets that we currently do not serve,” said Michael Storfer, Noble president.

Madok has completed the construction of a new 25,000 sq. ft. building next to its existing head-office and manufacturing plant. With both buildings operational, Madok now has over 37,000 sq. ft. of space. Company president Allan Antcliffe reports that the new structure was built with the greenest footprint possible.

noble.ca

Manufacturing in Canada Jaga Climate Systems is now manufacturing casings for its radiators at a facility in Saint Laurent, Que. Together with Artmetco, a precision sheet metal manufacturer, Jaga will produce components for its two most popular radiators, the Strada and Mini Canal.

“We have a rainwater collection system that feeds our test tanks, the irrigation system and even our toilets. A highefficiency furnace and air conditioning system heats and cools the office and a tankless water heater feeds all washrooms; we use two-stage infrared heaters and fans throughout the factory; we insulated the walls and roof to R21 and R20 and use T-5 lighting throughout the building,” he says. “We invested in additional coil fabrication equipment that will enable us to substantially expand our product line and the added space allows more efficient workflow so that we can maintain the fast service people have come to expect from us.” The company’s offices have moved to the new 82 Morrell Street location; all other contact information remains the same.

jaga-canada.com

madok.com

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Eden Energy Equipment celebrates 30 years A member of HRAI and the Canadian Geoexchange Coalition (CGC), Eden Energy Equipment’s story began in 1981, when the company started as the first wholesaler of vanEE air exchangers from a 1,200 sq. ft. facility in Guelph, Ont. The company moved to a 15,000 sq. ft. facility in 2009, and this year, became a Canada-wide Rehau radiant heating systems distributor. “Despite the fact that we are a large distributor, we pride ourselves in the ability to provide a personal touch to every one of our customers,” says Grant Blackmore, president. Looking forward, the company is currently working on a WaterFurnace project for an upcoming episode of the television program Holmes Inspection, and is a sponsor of the Cycle for Autism event. To date, the cycle has raised $35,000, and donations are still being accepted. edenenergy.com

Rehau opens training academy The doors are open at Rehau’s Training Academy in Burlington, Ont. In late September, James Clavel, Ontario sales director (left); Dale Hanscomb, account manager building technology and Lance MacNevin, academy manager were among the personnel hosting the academy’s open house. The centre will offer training sessions in snow and ice melting, radiant floor heating and geothermal piping systems.

Don Park re-opens with renovations Don Park unveiled its renovated Oshawa, Ont. branch in September. The site underwent a redesign to make the shopping experience more customer friendly. Of the 14 Don Park branches in Ontario, this is the fifth to be renovated over the past two years. “It’s very customer-oriented and we’ve added screens to display our current video-flyer,” said David Bergeron, vice-president operations. Don Park Oshawa is at 380 Marwood Drive. donpark.com

Hydronics campaign prepares to launch Sources close to Mechanical Business report that the Canadian Hydronics Council’s “Beautiful Heat” campaign, a national marketing initiative supporting the hydronic heating sector, is getting very close to launch. At a meeting held during the recent CIPHEX West trade show in Calgary, a final push was put forward to secure the last few key participants, which will allow the endeavour to move forward. Once formally approved, the program would be financially supported by the hydronic manufacturer members who have committed to the program, with a marketing fund committee overseeing the use of the funds to benefit the hydronic heating sector as a whole. Beautiful Heat has been in the works for several years, and this most recent development builds on the report generated in 2007 that announced a goal of increasing the hydronic sector’s market share in Canada. Watch for more on this developing story in our upcoming issues, and be sure to sign up for the Mechanical Business e-newsletter (available at mechanicalbusiness.com) for breaking industry news. ultimatecomfort.ca

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Catching up on codes in Barrie An award winning public privy The International Downtown Association has awarded the city of Victoria with a Pinnacle Award for an innovative public urinal. Garry Gilchrist of Aral Construction, the company who built the facility, describes the project as a “unique engineering challenge” as a large portion of the plumbing had to be completed in a confined space. The $75,000 urinal at the corner of Pandora Ave. and Government St. was installed last year to help reduce urination in public spaces after food establishments had closed for the night. The urinal is plumbed to the city water and drainage services, and was recognized for both its form and function. “By the end of construction, it emerged as a piece of art,” says Gilchrist. Victoria.ca

Mohawk launching hydronic certification programs Mohawk College, in Hamilton, Ont., has partnered with the Canadian Hydronics Council and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology to launch hydronics certificate programs. Two programs are available; Hydronics Designer and Hydronics Installer. Each program is three modules in length, consisting of 180 hours. Student can also take a fourth module to receive both designer and installer certifications for a total of 240 hours. The next modules start in January 2011. mohawkcollege.ca

The Ontario Plumbing Inspectors Association’s 80th annual meeting and educational symposium was held at the Kempenfelt Conference Centre in Barrie, Ont., in September. The event, which featured sponsored displays, educational seminars and code discussions, attracted almost 100 industry personnel and companions. Courses at the event covered the topics of backflow prevention, and plumbing inspection for houses and small buildings, and a college curriculum advisory committee meeting was held with representation from the province’s colleges and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Next year’s event will be held September 11 to 14, in Burlington, Ont. opia.info

Hydrocarbon refrigerant replacements targeted HRAI is working with provincial and federal agencies to find a solution to the issue of companies selling hydrocarbon drop-in replacement refrigerants that target homeowners and do-it-yourselfers. Over the next few months, HRAI will be developing a communications strategy to ensure Canadians are aware of the safety and environmental concerns of servicing their own air conditioning system with hydrocarbon drop-in replacements. “Right now there are no real regulations and we hope to get something moving on this before the 2011 cooling season,” said Andrew Hall of HRAI. hrai.com

Looking to hire? Check out MB’s online career section, home of the latest industry job postings. mechanicalbusiness.com M e c h a n i c a l

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A decade of RMC

Mobile refrigerant ruler

The tenth anniversary of Refrigerant Management Bitzer has introduced an iPhone app Canada (RMC) that allows the user to calculate highlighted the pressure and temperature variables. organization’s annual A digital ruler displays metric and general meeting, held in imperial units simultaneously and Mississauga, Ont., in can be configured for any desired November. One of the combination of refrigerants. The app is available to speakers at the event, download for free from the iTunes store. Bernard Madé of Environment Canada, praised RMC stating that the organization has become the yardstick for extended producer bitzerus.com responsibility by which others are measured both domestically and internationally. M h i i

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During the meeting, Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, (pictured above) presented the RMC Environmental Achievement Award to Jim Thomas of Refrigerant Services Inc. in Dartmouth, N.S., for his contributions to the HVAC/R industry and producer responsibility programs. refrigerantmanagement.ca

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Warming up to our Heritage In late October, the HVACR Heritage Centre Canada held its annual meeting in Mississauga, Ont. Secretary Dave Tayler chaired the meeting, noting Dave Tayler the development of the centre’s online museum is “a crowning achievement.” Building on that momentum, Ron Shuker, executive director, presented a preview of the organization’s next online exhibit, Warming Up – Automated Heating and Social Change. hvacrheritagecentre.ca

Automating inspection documents HazardManager is a software package designed to automate the management of hazards for workplace safety inspection agency requirements. It can be used in conjunction with CAD, GIS, and database systems through the export of hazard data as .csv files. An iPhone app version was recently launched, making the software available to smartphone users. Check it out at the iTunes app store.

Holt receives Seidner Jim Holt (holding award), of the Halifax Regional Municipality, was presented with the tenth J. K. Seidner Award at the annual Canadian Advisory Council on Plumbing meeting this past summer. In presenting the award, Plumbing Industry Advisory Council Chair, Paul McDonald (right), of Bradford White-Canada Inc., noted that the honour acknowledges the outstanding commitment of a plumbing industry volunteer who has devoted their time, knowledge and expertise to improving plumbing codes and standards.

hazardmanager.org

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Movers and Shakers www.mechanicalbusiness.com

Oatey Canada gets larger Oatey Supply Chain Services unveiled its new 45,000 sq. ft. head office and distribution centre in Brampton, Ont., earlier this month. The new facility is twice the size of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former location, and will allow the company to expand lines and stock more product. Pictured here at the new location are, from left, Natalino Divona, warehouse associate; Gary Cramer, DC manager; Manny Barbosa, DC supervisor; Howard Huss, director of sales; Rick Hibbert, warehouse associate; John McMillan, president; Chris LeBlanc, warehouse associate; John Bruce, director of corporate distribution; and Doug Nash, warehouse associate. The new facility is at 145 Walker Dr. Unit 3 in Brampton, Ont. They can be reached at 905-451-1312 or 800-321-9532. oateyscs.com

Carrier sells heating operations Carrier Corp. has sold its Dettson residential heating operations in Canada to the Ouellet Group, a Quebec based manufacturer of electric heating systems. Dettson generated revenues of $20 million in 2009, has 125 employees and has a 150,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Sherbrooke, Que.

Eden adds Rehau Eden Energy Equipment has added Rehau radiant heating systems products to its line card for Canada. Eden can be reached at 800-665-3336. edenergy.com

Refrigerant Services Inc. on the move Refrigerant Services Inc. recently moved to a new facility in Dartmouth, N.S. Here, company president Jim Thomas helps Stephanie Poole cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the new refrigerant processing facility, which contains recover and reclaim equipment. The facility also collects refrigerant as part of the Refrigerant Management Canada stewardship program. The new location is at 15 Williams Ave. in Dartmouth, N.S. rscool.com

carrier.ca

New location for Bardon Supplies Bardon Supplies Limited has moved to a new facility at 405 College Street East in Belleville, Ont. The new HQ incorporates a 100,000 sq. ft. distribution centre, a 4,800 sq. ft. kitchen and bath showroom, and a 4,000 sq. ft. sheet-metal shop. The showroom is set to open in early December, and a grand opening for the entire complex will be held in early 2011. bardonsupplies.com

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Goodman opens new location Goodman Canada has opened a new branch in Edmonton, at 18043 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 111th Ave. Located just off Anthony Henday Drive in the western portion of the city, this is the second Goodman location in Alberta. The other branch is located in Calgary. The new branch can be reached at 855-443-3072. goodmanmfg.com

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FOR EVERY BRADFORD WHITE MAGNUM SERIES COMMERCIAL WATER HEATER YOU INSTALL!* From October 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010, for every Bradford White Commercial Water Heater you install we’ll send you a Best Buy or Future Shop Gift Card.* And when you replace a competitors model, we’ll DOUBLE the value of your gift card!

DOUBLE THE GIFT CARD VALUE! by replacing a competitor’s model INSTALL A BRADFORD WHITE MAGNUM SERIES COMMERCIAL WATER HEATER* AND GET A BEST BUY OR FUTURE SHOP GIFT CARD!

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SUBMIT FORMS BY JANUARY 14, 2011 Send this completed coupon along with the original invoices to: Bradford White-Canada Inc. | 1869 Sismet Road | Mississauga ON, L4W 1W8

RULES: Offer valid on commercial gas or electric models purchased between October 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010. Light Duty Electric Models not included. Offer not valid on products replaced under warranty. Competitor's rating plate must be submitted along with entry to qualify for double value gift card. No mechanically reproduced invoices will be accepted. Only original invoices, submitted in their entirety, will be accepted. Original invoices can be used one time only. Incomplete orders will not be processed. Bradford White-Canada Inc. is not responsible for the lost, late, misdirected, damaged, illegible, incomplete or postage due mail or orders. Sponsor reserves the right to offer substitution of item of equal or greater value if item specified by sponsor becomes unavailable. Please allow 3 to 6 weeks for shipment. Forms must be received by January 14, 2011. Forms received after this date will be void and will not be honored. Offer void where prohibited. Bradford White-Canada Inc. reserves the right to audit all invoices and order forms submitted to question, and/or disqualify purchases/sales made or claimed that are not in accordance with program rules. Any submitted form or order, as determined by Bradford White-Canada Inc., that is not compliant with the rules of this program will not be honored. The decisions of Bradford White-Canada Inc. are final in all matters relating to this program. Copyright 2010, Bradford White Corporation. All Rights Reserved. *Light Duty Electric Models not included.

12.10

People in the news www.mechanicalbusiness.com Wolseley Canada has appointed JIM DUPLISEA to vice-president waterworks for central and eastern Canada. Duplisea has 20 years of industry experience and joined the company in June 2007 as business development manager â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Atlantic waterworks.

Watts Water Technologies (Canada) Inc. recently added two new sales representatives. KEN CURRY (right) joins the team as a drainage specialist. Ken brings with him more than 30 years experience in the drainage industry. JIM REECE (left) joins the team as a sales representative and will be responsible for the sales of Powers product to the wholesale market across Southwestern Ontario. He has more than 25 years of technical sales experience. Moen Canada has recently made a number of personnel changes to its wholesale and commercial sales force. New senior territory managers, ADRIAN St. AMAND and PETER BREWDA have joined the Ontario sales team representing Southwestern Ontario and GTA north respectively. ANNAL RAMNARAINE, who joined Moen in July 2007, has been appointed senior territory manager of the Greater Toronto Area, focusing on commercial business. TINA TURNER has been promoted to quotations analyst for commercial business.

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Victaulic Company has promoted TIM MEADOWS (right) and BRIAN PINNOCK. (far right) Pinnock, who has been with Victaulic 28 years, is now Canadian sales director. Meadows has been promoted to vicepresident and general manager for Canada. He has worked at Victaulic for 23 years, and was formerly vice-president of sales.

MARIO BOUCHARD is now director of sales and marketing with Granby Industries, l.p. Bouchard brings significant experience in the Canadian oil-heat sector to his new role. Goodman has added RUSSELL PIPKE as its territory sales manager for Edmonton. Pipke is certified in HVAC and building environmental systems.

MIKE NOBLE has rejoined EnerWorks as vice-president, corporate development. Noble founded EnerWorks 1999. MARTIN FAUCHER has joined Ventes Techniques Nimatec Inc. as sales representative for Quebec City. Faucher comes to the mechanical sector from the propane industry.

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Maax has added several new members to its management team. STEVE C. STEPHENS is now the corporate vicepresident of commercial operations; SAM RAMADORI is vice-president of business development and corporate affairs; PATRICIA DIAMENTE (right) is vice-president of channel and brand marketing; and VINNY LUPENSKI is vice-president of wholesale sales, North America.

Hired someone lately? Let the mechanical world know through the pages of Mechanical Business. To have your companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personnel announcements included, free of charge, in an upcoming edition of Mechanical Business, simply send a note and a few details, to adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com. 1 2 . 1 0

Innovate. Evolve. Advance. Zuba-Central. The revolution in whole-home comfort continues. You already know Zuba-Central as the ground-breaking Canadian innovation in year-round residential HVAC. This year, the evolution continues with impressive improvements, including Energy Star compliance and a new user-friendly digital thermostat. So make the intelligent choice. Give your customers the advanced level of comfort and dramatic savings that only Zuba-Central can provide. Get all the details at www.RethinkHVAC.ca

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12.10

Profile www.mechanicalbusiness.com

From the factory floor to the executive suite With more than 40 years of industry experience, Rusty Jennings, the recently named chair of HRAI, brings a wealth of knowledge to his role with the organization. And he is a rarity in the business world – he’s a one-company man. He started in the factory at Carrier straight out of school before earning his way up the ranks from department to department to his current role of vice-president, sales and marketing for Carrier Canada.

Q A

Q A Q A

To be perfectly honest, I needed a job and Carrier seemed like a good choice. Back when I started you didn’t have the luxury of going to a website and researching a company before you sent in your resume, so it was a bit of a flyer that happened to work out okay.

I have always had a passion for the HVAC industry. The industry has been very good to me and I feel I wanted to give something back. What better way to do that than contribute to positive change within our industry?

As the incoming chair of HRAI, what are the top three things that you’d like to see accomplished?

What do you enjoy most about the industry?

What intrigues me about the industry is that very few people leave. They move around from company to company, but they generally remain in the sector.

Who have been some of your mentors over the years? There are a lot of people in this industry past and present that I hold a great deal of respect for. I worked with Dennis Moyer, president of Carrier Canada for almost 30 years. He had one of the best business minds. He had a keen sense for reading the customer, and knew what to say and when to say it.

What’s the biggest challenge for a company with such a recognizable brand?

As technology continues to evolve we need to make sure we stay ahead of the curve. When I started in this industry I think there were about six brands. Now there are over 50. It is not as easy as it use to be.

Q 22

How did you get started in the industry?

. We need to market our brand to consumers. Consumers need to know that when they select a company with an HRAI logo they are selecting the best of the best; . We need to attract new members with new ideas. Emerging technology like geothermal, solar, wind, etc., all of these segments will impact our industry in the future; and

. We need to acquire more members outside of Ontario and develop a truly national association.

RUSTY on RUSTY:

Name: Rusty (Colin) Jennings Titles: Vice-president, sales & marketing, Carrier Canada Chair, HRAI Age: mid-60’s Born in: Parry Sound, Ont. Resides in: Oakville, Ont. Joined the industry: 1967 Family: Wife, Gabriella, 4 children, 7 grandkids

• I have been trying to learn how to golf for 20 years; • I enjoy woodworking; and • I am a committed grandfather (and a great babysitter).

A FEW NOTABLE CARRIER PROJECTS • • • •

What motivates you to be so involved?

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BIO

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The White House in Washington, D.C. Complexe Desjardins in Montreal Rockefeller Plaza in New York The Sistine Chapel in Vatican City

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HIGH PERFORMANCE HVAC

By Gord Cooke

GETTING TECHNICAL Since I last wrote about energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) in the spring (see Mechanical Business, March/April 2010, page 28), I have had a number of people ask for more information so that they can make a more informed technical decision for specific applications. Ventilation and humidity control issues are neither simple nor trivial in the world of building science, so here is a second and deeper layer of conversation that may empower you to make more informed decisions.

ON ERVS AND HRVS he goal of humidity control is to achieve a comfortable and healthy moisture balance in buildings. We want enough moisture so as to avoid symptoms of dry air, such as dry skin, cracked hardwood floors or static electricity shocks, but not so much as to result in excessive condensation on windows in winter, damp basements or clammy, sticky air in summer.

In attaining a moisture balance we must also maintain consistent and continuous ventilation in occupied buildings to ensure adequate control of other indoor air pollutants. In the illustration of the psychrometric chart, looking at Line 2, air at 10 °C and 100% RH, and air at 20 °C and 50%, both have the same humidity ratio of 0.8 L/100 m3. Conversely, Lines 1, 2 and 3 all show air at 50% RH, and 10 °C, 20 °C and 30 °C, respectively, each with its own humidity ratio. The -10 °C is very dry with only 0.1 L/100 m3, and the 30 °C air has 14 times more moisture in it than the cold outside air, and almost twice as much as air at 20 °C and 50% RH. A typical 1,200 sq. ft. bungalow with a full basement would have a volume of about 20,400 cu. ft., or about 578 m3. At 20 °C and 50% RH, there would be 4.6 litres of water evaporated within the air of this modest home – that’s about a gallon of water for those still in Imperial mode. Of course there PSYCHROMETRIC CHART

THE RULES OF PHYSICS Heat moves from hot to cold – within a heat exchanger of any type, energy moves across the medium from the warmer air stream to the colder air stream. Moisture, in vapour form, moves from higher vapour pressure to lower vapour pressure. Moisture also moves from hot to cold.

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• The moisture balance challenge • Check your app Gord Cooke 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 air flow management in houses, and can be contacted at gcooke@airsolutions.ca.

CHECK YOUR APP

BY DEFINITION RELATIVE HUMIDITY: The amount of moisture in air compared to how much moisture that air could hold at any given temperature, expressed as a percentage. 50% RH means there is half as much moisture in the air as that air could hold at that temperature before being saturated.

is also moisture held within furniture, furnishings and the building itself. And occupants will be generated moisture as well. At a ventilation rate of just 30 L/s (60 CFM), replacing 20 °C, 50% RH air with -10 °C, 50% air by ventilation will remove 18 litres of moisture from the air each day. Similarly, on a hot humid 30 °C, 50% RH day, 30 L/s of ventilation will introduce 15.6 litres of moisture. Using ERVs with a moisture transfer effectiveness of 0.5 would cut these moisture transfer rates in half. For applications where you are trying to remove the highest possible amount of moisture in winter, specify HRV technology. In applications where summer humidity loads are an issue, or when ventilation loads in winter are high enough to remove more moisture than occupants can generate, use tools such as the psychrometric chart to select ERVs and the accompanying cooling and/or humidification capacity needed. ERVs and HRVs both provide valuable solutions to the ever more complex and demanding control of indoor environments. The best solution for a specific application should be directed by the physics of the application.

ABSOLUTE HUMIDITY OR HUMIDITY RATIO: The actual amount of moisture contained within a volume or mass of air. In Imperial units it is expressed as grains of moisture per pound of dry air. In metric units it is expressed as kilograms (Kg) of moisture per Kg of dry air or litres of moisture per 100 m3 of dry air (L/100 m3).

Deciding between an ERV and an HRV is entirely dependent on the application. For example, take a 600 sq. ft. indoor pool, with a goal of maintaining an indoor RH of under 50% in winter, with as much as 350 litres evaporating into the air per day, an HRV would be a very good choice since you are trying to get rid of as much moisture as possible. For an office building in Southern Ontario with 100 employees and a ventilation rate of 7.5 L/s per person, that could mean the introduction of 390 litres of moisture that would have to be removed by air conditioning or mechanical dehumidification. An ERV would eliminate half of that load compared to an HRV. In houses where occupants are using a humidifier in winter to maintain comfort and yet need or want more fresh air, an ERV at 30 L/s would reduce humidifier loads by nine litres per day.

A typical core-type ERV has transfer effectiveness of 0.4 to 0.5. Wheel type ERVs offer 0.65 to 0.75 effectiveness.

In air conditioned houses, at 30 L/s, an ERV reduces latent loads by approximately seven litres of moisture removal per day. While this is just about a quarter-ton of air conditioning capacity in most parts of Canada, it does help maintain lower, healthier RH levels in summer.

THE MOISTURE BALANCE CHALLENGE Maintaining the “right” moisture level is a challenge that has changed over time. We used to build really leaky houses with high rates of natural infiltration throughout the winter. This resulted in consistently dry houses in winter. Air tightness now varies quite widely from house to house, but in general we now use mechanical ventilation to control excess humidity in winter. Homes are also now built 365 days per year, and that presents moisture challenges in newly constructed homes with the embodied moisture in building materials and drying capacity of the weather varying throughout the build schedule. We also use buildings differently than we used to. We are inside more often, and produce more moisture within buildings. And we also have much higher expectations with respect to comfort and relative humidity. This equates to a narrower band of control for contractors to design within.

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with Roger Grochmal

Hire learning: Attract candidates who fit your company values Staff turnover continues to be a problem for me – we can’t seem to find the perfect fit for the position. What am I doing wrong? Frank W., Vancouver, B.C.

Most of us take hiring very seriously. After all, we are in the service business and are only as good as our people on the front lines. However, we often falter when it comes to the hiring process. Normally, an ad gets placed listing all the educational background and skill sets we’re looking for; a detailed interview process ensues, and the “best” candidate gets hired. Then six months later that person is let go because they aren’t working out. The cost in dollars and to the company is substantial – probably as much as that person’s annual wage. You’re left wondering what went wrong?

internet, it’s pretty easy to find out about a company. If they aren’t prepared for something as important as a new job, they definitely won’t be prepared for your customers. We tend to hire people we like and interviews can turn into popularity contests. It’s also hard work so we tend to quit the process as soon as we see someone we like.

As my father used to say, “We hire for skills and fire for attitude!” When contemplating that statement, it occurred to me that we should be hiring for attitude, and if they already have some skills, that’s a bonus for us. We can train skills. We can’t change attitudes. Anyone with children can tell you that. We look to hire people who hold our values. For example, if an individual lists a value of continuous learning, and can demonstrate that, you can be pretty sure they are going to be up-to-date in their field and will need less hand holding and management time to be successful with your customers. Never hire an individual who shows up unprepared, or who did no homework to learn about your company in advance! With the

Defining Our Values

We all want to hire people who have positive attitudes, people who are just like us. What we really want them to have is what we all cherish – our values. When we went through the process of developing our brand we took a lot of time to establish the values we hold dear at AtlasCare. They are:

As my father says, “If you haven’t got time to get it right the first time, when do you have time to do it right the second time?”

• Trust • Family

The Follow-up Question

• Passion

Most candidates interviewing for a job can usually figure out what you want them to say in the interview. For example if you ask them what’s the most important thing in their lives, most will answer their family. What’s important is the follow-up question: What do you do with your family?

• Building Relationships • Technical Excellence • Continuous Learning • Health

A recent search at AtlasCare attracted 250 candidates. After an exhaustive interview process only one candidate fit our value set. They were lots of other candidates, some with better skills and experience, and they weren’t bad people, they just didn’t share our values. They wouldn’t have fit in or lasted.

In a recent interview one candidate told me he takes his father to a baseball game once a week. That’s a person who understands the value of family.

Roger Grochmal is the president of AtlasCare in Oakville, Ont. To submit a question about your company, business practices, or the industry in general, send an e-mail to Mechanical Business Magazine’s editor, Adam Freill, adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com.

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The RGH Series Package Gas Electric Rooftops: Highly EfďŹ cient, Simply Smart The new KeepRiteÂŽ RGH Series Package Gas Electric single package rooftop is easy to install, easy to service and built to last. s #ONVERTIBLE FROM DOWNm OW TO HORIZONTAL AIRm OW NO SPECIAL ADAPTER curbs required s 2EDUNDANT GAS VALVE UP TO TWO STAGES OF HEATING s 3INGLE OR DUAL SCROLL COMPRESSOR s %XCLUSIVE )'# SOLID STATE CONTROL FOR ON BOARD DIAGNOSTICS WITH LED error code designation s !CCESS PANELS WITH EASY GRIP HANDLES hNO STRIPv SCREW SYSTEM s &EATURES A VARIETY OF FACTORY INSTALLED OPTIONS INCLUDING STAINLESS STEEL HEAT EXCHANGER Fifteen year limited warranty applies to optional stainless steel heat exchanger. Ten year limited warranty on aluminized heat exchanger. See published warranty for complete details. To learn more about these limted warranties, go to GoKeepRite.com ÂŠ2010 International Comfort Products, LLC

Many models of KeepRiteÂŽ products have some of the hightest EER ratings in the industry and are ENERGY STARÂŽ qualiďŹ ed. For details, visit energystar.gov.

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PLUMBING

By Christopher Adam McLeod

IS GREYWATER use legal in Canada yet? s greywater use legal? This question can only be answered by navigating the players that have positioned themselves to be decision makers on this question. The issue of who controls the vast resource of post-use water has attracted CSA, Crown corporations and governments. These far-sighted players have already laid the legal groundwork for greywater use, and yet the most important key is still missing to unlock manufacturing opportunities for this completely new field of plumbing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; clarity in the codes that may permit its use.

A fundamental dichotomy exists in greywater use: to go tank or tankless. The venerable and various greywater guerrilla groups maintain a list of commandments for greywater use with respect to amateur greywater use, one of which is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thou shalt not store greywater in a tank.â&#x20AC;?

The National Plumbing Code serves as the model code to structure provincial codes where they exist, and as the practical code where they do not. The NPC allows for greywater use for toilet flushing and sub-surface irrigation. Provincial codes embellish the NPC to suit local needs and conditions, but there are times when the differences between the national and provincial codes can cause headaches in the field. The Ontario Building Code, for example, is vague.

A word about codes Codes are general documents that are optimally objective-based. Codes often lack detail, in which case codes may reference standards, many of which stem from the work of standard-making corporation CSA. CSA organizes manufacturers with a selection of other players to gather industry knowledge about the target technology in a package to which plumbing and building inspectors can refer when in doubt about the legality and safety of an installation.

To tank or not to tank, that is the question...

The purest of water becomes dangerous when stored in a tank unless advanced systems are installed to filter and sterilize. The better the system, the more safeguards there are against such issues as cross-contamination with water supply, disinfection, overflow and blackouts. In fact, B128 is a standard that sets microbiological targets that only some tank systems can attain.

If the system in question involves a tank, Health Canada has set microbiological limits and testing schedules that need to be followed. This will be code once Standard B128 is referenced by the National Plumbing Code and the provincial plumbing codes. B128, if it gets referenced by the codes, could be a powerful document for those manufacturers wanting to demonstrate that their technology is street-legal. This is especially important for LEED building. The LEED program awards a significant number of points for greywater systems. Despite all of the greywater standards, guidelines and codes, in the end the ultimate decision maker of continued on page 30

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When you purchase a Little Giant GP Series grinder pump from Franklin Electric, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re getting an industry-proven product, trusted by professionals. With a unique patented cutter assembly, the GP Series shreds materials HIÃ&#x20AC; FLHQWO\ DQG HIIHFWLYHO\ ZLWK PRUH WKDQ FXWV SHU PLQXWH DQG HDVLO\ DFKLHYHV KLJK KHDG DSSOLFDWLRQV ZLWK PD[LPXP KHDGV JUHDWHU WKDQ IHHW /LWWOH *LDQW EUDQG SXPSV IURP )UDQNOLQ (OHFWULF ZLOO DOZD\V EH WKHUH SURYLGLQJ VXSHULRU SHUIRUPDQFH LQ WKH Ã&#x20AC; HOG

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PLUMBING

Join The Green Scene

continued from page 28

legality is the plumbing inspector. If a disagreement arises, the builder will appeal to the code. Canadian plumbing codes are largely objective-based, meaning that if an unfamiliar plumbing system adheres to objectives of the plumbing code, there is a pathway for the builder and inspector to negotiate acceptance of novel engineering. Unfortunately, for those installing greywater systems, there is no objective in the NPC and sister codes stating, “Water should be conserved.” The influence of this missing objective may hinder the development and acceptance of safe, cost-efficient, and convenient greywater recovery technologies in Canada.

GREYWATER standards Two CSA Standards are players in greywater, the vessel drain fitting standard B125.2 (since most used water passes through a vessel and a drain fitting), and a standard for greywater tanks, B128.

Infectious risk and system size New WatcoFlex Bath Waste ...installs faster/easier TM

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For large multi-user buildings the importance of chlorine disinfection becomes obvious when we are sharing used water. For this reason, resources must be invested in multi-user greywater systems, and hard questions will need to be asked about the economics of such installations. In direct contrast are single family dwelling households. It has been shown in study after study, for the past half-century, that aerosols emanating from the flush toilet ensure a continual cross-vaccination of pathogens within a family. Accordingly, the risk within a family from sharing a bathtub or even tub water is negligible. This fact underlies the safety of using greywater for garden irrigation.

A Division of WCM Industries, Inc.

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GREYWATER IRRIGATION Greywater-positive States in the U.S. and Australia have carried out extensive surveys of the health risk of, in particular, the use of greywater for irrigating gardens in single family dwellings, and have found that this practice was not worthy of the expense of regulation. So, for smaller systems, they don’t regulate. In other words, it’s okay to irrigate one’s lawn with bathwater (surface spray irrigation excepted). Health Canada indirectly recognized this through omission of irrigation in its recent guidelines on the use of greywater use for the flushing of toilets.

How can a greywater system not have a tank? When looking at a purge of a washing machine cycle, there’s no way soil percolation could handle such a pulse of greywater without some void volume, right? One method is to split up the greywater volume amongst specially-designed voids buried into the garden. Greywater can be immediately distributed to accessible voids to be percolated at pace.

The colour purple In many parts of the world, the colour purple or a purple stripe in a piping system denotes that it is being used exclusively for greywater.

Chris McLeod, PhD, LEED AP, is the research and development manager at OS&B, and is an associate member of the CSA B128 committee. He can be reached at chris@osb.ca. M e c h a n i c a l

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PLUMBING Zurn’s Z-5708 Nano Pint ultra-low consumption urinal is part of the company’s EcoVantage series of commercial fixtures. Designed for lowwater consumption, the sensor-operated urinal is rated at 0.5 Lpf (1/8 gpf) and has chloramine-resistant internal seals.

zurn.com Designed to reduce water usage, the HydroRight dual-flush converter from MSJI allows a standard flush for solids and a reduced-water flush for liquids and paper. No tank removal is required for the drop-in installation, and it is compatible with all standard flush valves.

gomjsi.com

Sensor-operated Ecos flushometer retrofit kits from Sloan Valve are designed for commercial restroom renovations. Running on batteries, the dual-flush unit has a green button on top for initiating a four-litre (one-gallon) flush for liquids, and a chrome button for a six-litre (two-gallon) flush for solids.

sloanvalve.com

Elkay’s EZH20 bottle filling station, available from Novanni, features a touch-free sensor with an automatic 30-second shutoff time. Flow rates are 4.16 litres (1.1 gallons) per minute for refrigerated units and 5.67 litres (1.5 gallons) per minute for non-refrigerated units.

novanni.com

Available in chrome or nickel finishes, Raindance E showerheads from Hansgrohe have spray faces available in three sizes from 10” by six-inch to an extra-wide 17" by 8-1/2". The over-sized 420 model features two spray modes, 206 spray channels and requires two supply lines. All showerheads include a brass shower arm.

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INNOVATIVE WATER CONDITIONING PRODUCTS

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NSF certified pressure tanks. 0.00% failure rate on past 500,000 tanks! Control valves are NSF tested to NSF 44 standards for structural integrity. Cycle testing exceeds 82 years equivalent life! Blow molded brine tanks & cabinets made with NSF approved high density polyethylene. No cracks or pinhole leaks. High-efficiency settings allow for up to 65% less salt & 45% less water usage*

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Back Row (l to r):

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HYDRONICS

by Bob ‘Hot Rod’ Rohr

Warming up to some

cool anel radiators provide both radiant energy transfer and, in many cases, convection output. They can be used as a stand-alone heat emitter, or in conjunction with radiant floor systems.

panel rads

HOT ROD’S NOTEPAD

The panels can be a nice shoulder season heat distributor, with the ability to quickly bring a room up to temperature, as well as quickly shut down. That’s a plus in many areas of the country.

We often think of Europe as the leader in radiant floor installations, but if the places I’ve visited during my trips over there are anything to go on, it appears that panel radiators are the predominate heat emitter used “across the pond.”

Where I live, the fall and spring season presents evenings in the single digits (Celsius) and daytime temperatures are typically in the 15 °C range. It is hard to get my concrete slab radiant system to behave responsibly under those conditions. The panel radiators fill this important wide-temperature-swing niche. Panel rads are not new. Savvy contractors have been embracing their features and benefits for years. Predominate name brands in this sector include Runtal, Myson, Buderus, DiaNorm and Jaga, among others. Runtal, for one, offers considerable choice when it comes to custom designs and colours, making them quite versatile when it comes to meeting continued on page 36

The next edition of ISH takes place March 15-19, 2011, at the trade fair grounds in Frankfurt, Germany. www.ish.messefrankfurt.com

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Bob ‘Hot Rod’ Rohr has been a plumbing, radiant heat and solar contractor and installer for 30 years. A long-time RPA member and columnist, he is manager of training & education with Caleffi North America. You can reach Hot Rod at bob.rohr@caleffi.com. 1 2 . 1 0

HYDRONICS continued from page 34

MAKE SOME TRAVEL PLANS We often credit European influences when it comes to unique hydronic products in North America. With a much stronger and more diverse market for “wet heat” than North America, this comes as no surprise. You owe it to yourself to visit the ISH Expo in Frankfurt, Germany, at some point though. Such a pilgrimage will give you a first-hand glimpse into just how large this market is, and the number of players involved.

the requests and demands of interior designers and decorators. You often see their radiators incorporated into commercial settings blanketing large glass walls with gentle warmth. On my last visit to ISH, I would estimate several hundred manufacturers from virtually every country displayed panel radiators, and the rads are taking all shapes, sizes and styles. Some of the products on display could easily be described as sculptures that also served a space heating function.

Perhaps one of the cleanest and simplest installation methods is to use home run piping. We examined this concept an issue back (See Expanded thoughts on piping possibilities, Sept./Oct. 2010, page 38, available in our online archive at www.mechanicalbusiness.com). A manifold is used to provide supply and return piping ease. Zoning can be accomplished with actuators on the manifold, or with thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) on each radiator. Another clever product for panels is a setback TRV control from Heimeier. This add-on device provides the user with the ability to setback the temperature at each radiator. And the unit is serviceable and battery-powered, both plusses in my book.

Beyond art, panel radiators also present themselves as towel warmers and other clever dual-purpose products, as noted by this staircase railing radiator I spotted one year on the show floor at ISH.

At the recent Mostra Expo in Milan, Italy, Wilo displayed another interesting product, micro circulators mounted at the radiator. With variable speed pump control this regulates the heat output via flow instead of temperature function.

Panel radiators are installer-friendly for retrofit installation, and work well in new construction projects as well. Small diameter PEX, PAP or copper tube can be used to pipe the rads into the system. In Europe, I noticed many installations that were done with 15 mm copper using press fittings. I visited several older buildings in Germany that had panel radiator retrofits with nicely crafted, exposed copper piping.

There’s a lot going on in the world of panel rads. Get creative, and consider incorporating some of the latest innovative rad technologies and add-ons into your next product. Panels, they are a great product to have in your hydronic arsenal.

ADDING FANS TO THE WORKS An interesting concept from Jaga is its ”dynamic boost effect” (DBE). The company manufactures rads with a small group of fans mounted inside to increase convection and output. Myson used this concept in the 1980’s with their fan-assisted SolarVector product. Jaga has embellished the concept with small fans controlled with an on-board microprocessor to provide indoor reset control. With the boost package, excellent output is possible with supply temperatures below 37 °C. Working with low supply temperatures, these match well with heat sources like solar and geothermal. The low operating fluid temperature plays well to condensing boiler efficiency as well.

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HYDRONIC Circulator The Alpha from Grundfos Pumps is a 115‐volt circulator featuring a permanent magnet motor designed to minimize power consumption. The pump can modulate its performance to match system demand. It features a flow range of zero to 21 gpm and a head range from zero to 19 ft. It can handle fluid temperatures from 2°C to 110°C with a maximum working pressure of 150 psi.

grundfos.ca

Zone Sentry valves from Taco are designed for baseboard, fan coil, radiator, convector, heat pump and radiant applications. They use microcircuit based logic to control a gear-driven electronic actuator that drives a ball-based body design. They are available in 1/2”, 3/4”, and 1” sizes.

taco-hvac.com

RE-VERBER-RAY TWO-STAGE INFRA-RED HEATING TECHNOLOGY MEANS MORE OPTIONS FOR YOU! “Two-stage technology” for infra-red heating was introduced through the HL Series to the Canadian market in 1994 by Brant Radiant Heaters - a Canadian manufacturer of infra-red heating for four decades. Independent testing has documented a minimum of 12 percent additional energy savings – and a 25 percent reduction in on and off cycles – when the HL Series is compared with “single input” infra-red heating systems.

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Brant Radiant Heaters announced in 1999 the release release of of the the LD Series and HD Series –evolution natural of evolutions two-stage Re-Verber-Ray LD – a natural two-stageoftechnology technology. The LD Series targeted smaller areas and lower ceiling heights specifically targeted at smaller areasat and lower ceiling heights. Another and the HD Series designedproduct for areas with large amounts of air infiltration, or example of the value-added solutions to meet specific market demands, where cold mass is documented frequently introduced to thethat building envelope, suchyear as in conjunction with energy savings continue year after loading docks. (ASHRAE Paper #4643). Continuing to expand on the industry-proved two-stage technology, Brant Radiant Heaters released in Fall 2002 the Re-Verber-Ray two-stage engineered vacuum heating system. This HLV Series provides the benefits of two-stage technology in custom-engineered infra-red heating and features condensing or non-condensing technology accommodating one to six burners with overall input from 50,000 to 750,000 BTU/h. We invite you to learn more about the complete product line available for your customers and how Re-Verber-Ray two-stage technology can mean proven energy savings up to 50 percent when compared with conventional forced air heating. Contact one of our factory-trained distributors that serve the Canadian market - call us on our toll free 800 number - or view our comprehensive on-line catalog at www.brantradiant.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

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HYDRONIC Commercial boilers The Ultra series of commercial boilers from Weil-McLain Canada feature direct vent and direct exhaust options. The units offer 20 to 100 per cent modulation, 11 pre-set applications, fully-integrated multiple boiler control and real text LCD display. They are rated up to 94.7% efficient and come in two model sizes, 550,000 and 750,000 BTUH.

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Condensing boiler The wall mounted, gas-fired Vitodens 200-W condensing boiler from Viessmann is equipped with a Lambda Pro combustion management system and a stainless steel Inox-Radial heat exchanger. It is available in seven sizes from 31,000 to 370,000 BTUH with a modulation range of 1:4.

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Look to Runtal for INSPIRED RADIANT heating solutions. Comfort, style, durability, versatility and ENERGY EFFICIENCY are the hallmarks of residential and commercial building spaces designed the Runtal way. The worldwide LEADER in standard and custom designed radiators for over 50 YEARS our ENGINEERING ASSISTANCE takes the guess work out of every job. And when it comes to off-the-shelf solutions, you can rely on our IN-STOCK solutions.

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by Doug MacMillan ocial media. It’s everywhere. It’s on our computers, our phones and our televisions. Our kids are using it, but so are our parents. It’s become a pervasive part of our daily lives, but with so many different channels and so much information being produced, it can all be a little daunting for a company looking to dip its toes in the water. Social Media is a feature of what we now call Web 2.0. In the old Web world, information was published and read much like a digital version of a newspaper. Communication was a one-way street between writer and reader, not a conversation. In the Web 2.0 world, the conversation becomes two-way. Everyone can now be both a reader and a writer as we actively communicate with each other, create and share new information, and combine that information in new and unexpected ways. Figure out which tools work for your business and then commit the time and resources needed to get the most out of them. Check out the websites below, and be sure to pick up the January/February 2011 edition of Mechanical Business where we’ll explore how Social Media can work for you.

Social Media Tools Personal Social Networks Personal social networks like Facebook (www.facebook.com) allow individuals to connect with people they know, share personal information and upload content such as video, images and links. Connecting people to your story humanizes your company. Rather than make it about yourself or your company, make it about the human experience. Capture your story from the perspective of the real people who were involved.

quently (some blogs are updated dozens of times a day). Check out Blogger (www.blogger.com), a great example of a free blogging tool.

Microblogs Miniaturizing the blog concept, users of microblogs like Twitter (www.twitter.com) can post news, commentary and links, except that they place a limit on the amount of information a user can publish with each post. Twitter, for example, limits posters to only 140 characters per post.

Video and Photo Sharing Websites Professional Networks Similar to their more social cousins, professional networks are geared toward a business audience. Sites like Linkedin (www.linkedin.com) are used to post resumes, work experience and other credentials and connect with colleagues and clients.

Photo and video sharing sites have become immensely popular, with top content receiving thousands (or millions) of views in a matter of days. Flickr (www.flickr.com) and Youtube (www.youtube.com) are prime examples of sites that allow users to upload photos and videos, “tag” them with descriptive information and share them with others.

Social Bookmarking Blogs (or WEBLogs) Blogs are online journals where individuals, organizations or companies can post news, commentary on events, or other material such as images, videos and music. Personal or corporate, blogs are normally updated fre-

Doug MacMillan is president of MacMillan Marketing Group in Guelph, Ont. To reach him, e-mail dmac@macmillanmarketing.com.

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There’s a lot of information online and Social bookmarking sites like Digg (www.digg.com) and Delicious (www.delicious.com) are helping to organize it by allowing users to find and share useful, entertaining, or informational links. More importantly the sites allow users to vote up or vote down the links, so that it is the community of users and not the site’s administration that decides which information becomes most popular. User-directed content sites such as www.homestars.com also allow for unfiltered – and many will say, unreliable – judgement on a company’s product or performance. This is an especially important development to watch. Word of mouth has reached a whole new realm.

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PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada 1

The Gathering of the MCAC Clans The Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada’s annual national conference brought out the Scottish in everyone as delegates donned kilts and tams and challenged each other to Highland Games as part of “The gathering of the MCA clans” in Halifax in September. Next year’s event takes place September 14 to 17 at the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City. mcac.ca 2

1. CIPH chair Russ Morgan brings greetings from CIPH. 2. Doug Hill of HVC Canada (left), Gary Carew of SkyHigh Canada and Bill Patterson of Comstock. 3. Craig Stanford of Modern Niagara Toronto (left), and Susan and Harry Grant of Antlantica Mechanical Contractors. 4. “Bravephart” eludes the Red Coats (not the British, but rather, several of the MCAC directors) during the Highland Games. 5. Keynote speaker Gordon Graham discusses making changes, for the better. 6. Danielle Coleman prepares for the lobster dinner. 7. Checking out some new equipment at the Milwaukee Electric Tool booth during the Suppliers Innovation Showcase. 8. James “Shamus” Derksen and Brad “Shamus” Diggens anchor the Mechanical Contractors Network (MCN) awards breakfast. 9. Monica and James Derksen in their Scottish garb. 10. Stephanie Parker of VPI explains the need to define and measure expectations so that everyone on a team can meet or exceed them. 11. Halifax’s Pier 21. 12. Outgoing MCAC chair Bob Hoare (left), receives a plaque of appreciation from incoming chair Brad Diggens. 13. Dave Griffiths plays the washboard during the kitchen party and lobsterfest at Pier 21. 14. The MCAC Executive Committee.

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Catch Bryan on the web: www.hgtv.ca/disasterdiy

DID YOU KNOW? Bryan earned a degree in political science before starting Baeumler Quality Construction. And he has won a Gemini Award for hosting Disaster DIY.

By Adam Freill

Cover Story

Bryan Baeumler President & CEO, Baeumler Quality Construction Television host of Disaster DIY and House of Bryan Age: 36 Family: Wife, Sarah, children Quintyn and Charlotte, and a baby boy due any day now. Shows: Disaster DIY: Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on HGTV House of Bryan: In syndication on HGTV

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s a kid, Bryan Baeumler was forever taking things apart to see how they worked. Sometimes he even figured out how to put the items back together. “I learned early on that if you don’t know how to do something, you can learn through research, trial and error,” he says.

It’s a lesson that stuck with the young man from Oakville, Ont., and it helped him forge his own business, Baeumler Quality Construction, a company that uses the motto: Design, Destroy, Rebuild. The lesson also gets put to good use on his television show, Disaster DIY, where he helps homeowners whose renovation projects have gotten the better of them.

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Q. So, what made a kid from Oakville, who went to a private school, want to take on the construction trades? A. I was always the kid that ditched the penny loafers and tie the minute I got home, and it was tough to get me inside. My Dad owned his own company at the airport modifying private, commercial and military aircraft, and was very technical and hands on. When it came to working around the house, he was the ultimate DIY’er. Going to private school was a great experience, but who doesn’t like to play with machinery and tools when the tie comes off? Q. When did you get your start in contracting? A. I started a small handyman company when I was 14 with a friend of mine at the cottage, and it just grew from there every summer. After taking courses on renovation technology and the building code at George Brown College, and getting my renovation licence, there was no looking back. Q. What are a few of the mechanical Disaster DIY projects that stand out for you? A. I’ve seen a bit of everything – plumbing without vents or ptraps, pot lights wired with speaker wire, lights hardwired and buried behind walls, basements finished with no heat runs or air returns, even leaking gas lines installed by a homeowner. Q. On the mechanicals side, where do homeowners tend to bite off more than they can chew? A. Plumbing and electrical are the big ones. For some reason, most people avoid – or totally ignore – HVAC, but they’re more than willing to play with electricity or water. We once tore apart a basement after finding out that 14-2 was improperly run through steel studs, leaving every wall in the basement live. Q. Does it amaze you how far some people will go before they admit defeat and call in a professional? A. It’s unbelievable. If a trade did half as much damage to a home as some of the homeowners I’ve met, there would be riots in the streets. Q. Any HVAC disasters that you can let us in on? A. We’ve seen a few hardwood floors laid over air registers, and basements drywalled and primed before vents and returns were cut out. In most cases, we’ve been able to turn on the furnace and locate them with the FLIR camera – although there have been a few cases where it turned into quite a search with lots of patching to do.

HVAC Check On the heating, air conditioning and ventilation fronts, Bryan’s new home is equipped with a gas-fired forced-air furnace, a three-ton air conditioning unit, three power-vented skylights in the vaulted ceiling of the master en suite, an HRV, and an air filtration unit designed to keep particulate to a minimum.

Plumbing the Plumbing From marble and glass tile to granite countertops, and even a soapstone shower in the mancave, the home is a kitchen and bath designer’s dream. The powder room features a comfort height toilet and a widespread faucet, while the master en suite has a free-standing bath, vessel sinks and tall faucets. In the shower of the en suite, a rain head showerhead is augmented with both water tile body sprays and a contemporary handshower kit.

A television show about Do-It-Yourselfers who have failed at their own home renovations and are in desperate need of some onthe-job training. Host and contractor Bryan Baeumler shows the DIY-er his or her mistakes, and then teaches the safe and proper way to fix them. Catch it Thursday nights at 9 p.m. (ET) on HGTV.

Bryan’s House BY THE NUMBERS 4,000 sq. ft. 9-foot ceilings in the basement and on the main floor 4 bedrooms 5 bathrooms And a master walk-in closet designed to be easily converted to a 5th bedroom if needed in the future Build time: 6 months, 3 weeks

THE HOUSE THAT BRYAN BUILT Q. Tell me about your personal renovation project. A. Our old house was a 900 sq. ft. double-brick bungalow built in 1952. There was no insulation in the walls, and R12 in the attic if we were lucky. We replaced it with close to 4,000 sq. ft. And the attic is at R50. Q. I understand that there are a ton of mechanical “toys” in the home. What are a few of the highlights? A. All five bathrooms have in-floor electric heating, including the soapstone steam shower in the basement. And I put a Kohler waterless urinal in “The Mancave.” Q. How happy was your wife with that inclusion? A. Sarah doesn’t love it…but it is in the mancave, so she doesn’t have to! Q. Are there any aspects of the home that you’d change, now that you are living in it? A. Believe it or not, there’s very little we would change in this house. Of course being a builder, I’m always thinking of what’s next… Q. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate yourself as a customer? A. I’d have to say 10. I never withheld a payment; I made decisions on the spot; and I let my trades do their job. I even cleaned up at the end of every day. M e c h a n i c a l

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COOLING

By L.M (Rob) Robertson

KEEPING COOL IN THE SERVER ROOM

What’s the capacity?

Every air conditioning coil is rated on the total capacity of heat that can be removed. It is also

erver rooms provide a challenge that many air conditioning

is given a “sensible ratio” which expresses the

contractors steer away from. In large complex installations

they will be designed by consulting engineers, but in smaller

actual amount of sensible heat that can be

installations they are often left up to the installing contractor.

removed. If a coil has a sensible ratio of 75 per

And providing air conditioning cooling to commercial clients

cent, it means that only three-quarters of the

can become a profitable portion of your business, especially

capacity of the coil can be used to remove

since commercial cooling must be provided 24/7.

sensible heat. This means that an air conditioner rated for 24,000 BTUH would have the

To have successful projects, you’ll have to properly survey the

capability of removing 24,000 x 0.75, or 18,000

site and the equipment placement, and make sure the load is

BTUH of sensible load.

calculated properly. If your customer wants to add equipment later, a discussion about whether it is more practical to use larger equipment at this time, or to add an additional machine at that later date is best done before the project is started. And if your customer is using the

Working with two types of heat

cooling system on “critical

Server, telephony, WAN and LAN rooms pose a major problem in sizing, as the load is almost exclusively sensible load.

power” IT systems, make sure the outdoor unit

The total load seen by air conditioners is composed of two energies:

from the cooling

1. Sensible Heat – This is the actual energy that changes the temperature of the air.

equipment is also on this system. If the

2. Latent Heat – This is the “hidden” or latent energy that is in the air from the water vapour contained in the air about to be conditioned.

outdoor unit is not on critical power supply it won't work if the power

Recognizing that there is little or no humidity in modern computer rooms is very important. This means that the load is almost all sensible heat. Humidification is only used where high speed printers are used to keep the paper from jamming, or when older static-sensitive main frame computers are still being used.

fails – meaning that the computer room will get hot. Do your survey right, design your

system properly, install quality equipment and add profit to your bottom line. Simple!

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COOLING

continued from page 48

DETERMINING YOUR LOAD The first, and most important, step is to carefully survey the room to determine load and carefully discuss the future of the room. Be very careful of comments like, “We will be adding some stuff later.” Carefully discuss this statement and determine how much “stuff” will be added, and when. In some cases it may be more practical to add a second unit right now. An added benefit is that this will also provide some redundant capability if one of the systems should happen to have a service problem.

PRO Tips

Make sure you are familiar with British thermal units and watts, since both are measures of heat that you’ll run into. Since computer power supplies are rated in watts, you will need to convert to BTUH (to convert, multiply by 3.413).

Providing cool in the cold Make sure that the cooling equipment manufacturer has certified its machine to function correctly at the extra-low ambient temperatures that the machine will have to provide cooling in, and also ensure that the condenser has been protected against prevailing wind.

Obtain the load of the existing units, as well as those of future units. Be sure to have your customer sign off on this to protect both you and your customer. Don't forget to add in other loads that may be in the room, such as ventilation, solar gain from lights, operators or other sources of heat. If the ventilation air is untreated you must allow for the latent heat load in your calculation.

Be aware that many servers have two power supplies, and they can have different values.

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â&#x20AC;˘ Determining your load â&#x20AC;˘ Location, location, location L.M (Rob) Robertson is the national training manager with LG Electronics Commercial Air Conditioning Division. He can be reached at rob.robertson@lge.com. When you have completed your survey, it is time to calculate the size of equipment needed. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use a sensible equipment load of 4,500 watts, and equipment with a sensible ratio of 78 per cent.

4,500 x 3.413 = 15,358 BTUH sensible load Use a small â&#x20AC;&#x153;bucketâ&#x20AC;? for unforeseen loads. In the case of a 0.78 ratio (78%), you could use 0.72 to give you this buffer. As we are basing this on the sensible heat calculation, for this system it would be 15,358 BTUH divided by 0.72, giving us 21,330 BTUH equivalent total load. We select the system based on this figure, so this project would most likely require a 24,000 BTUH system.

Location, location, location The layout of the room will influence the location of the cooling equipment. If the room layout has yet to be designed, insist on a racking floor plan. Too many times I have seen the indoor unit installed and later racks mounted two feet away. (see photo) You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be forced to move the cooling equipment at your expense in order to get paid. If you are using a wall-mounted unit, ensure it can throw its air sufficiently far away to prevent short cycling. In some cases it may be better to use a ceiling cassette or a floor-mounted free standing unit to ensure it can throw the air safely without recirculation.

If you had designed the room based on 15,358 BTUH as the load, the room would not have cooled properly.

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ICI PLUMBING

By Adam Freill

Seeking savings in the ICI retrofit market T

here’s considerable potential for water savings, and profitable retrofits, in the commercial, institutional and industrial market. But outlining these opportunities can be a challenge as building owners will rarely accept a recommendation to rip out fully-functional systems without some evidence that the up-front costs will result in a net gain within a reasonable time period. So what are the best targets for renovators looking to sell their clients on highefficiency plumbing products? We turned to a number of industry experts to see what they would target.

THE URINAL

Waterless – not fluid-less Waterless urinals do save a considerable amount of water from the lack of a need to flush after use, but waterless does not mean fluid-less. Most water-free urinals operate on the principal of liquid density. They make use of cartridges that contain a fluid with a lower density than that of urine. This “sealing” fluid floats above the urine, trapping both the urine and any related odour in the trap. Rather than flushing with water, as the urinal is used the additional urine causes the fluid in the trap to flow down the drain. Although some models require an occasional water flush as part of the regular maintenance schedule, or a pre-charge of water, it is generally recommended to not dump water down the cartridges, since this can dilute the cartridges, reducing their lifespan.

Did you know?

Older technology to seek out for retrofits includes manual valves and handles that can be held open.These can waste a great deal of water. Ongoing concerns with older equipment include the high cost of maintenance, which is greater since older fixtures will need more upkeep, and don’t forget that sourcing parts can be problematic with some older models. Units operating at 1 gallon per flush, or even 1.5 gpf – and sometimes higher – are common. High-efficiency packages that deliver precise volumes with each flush are where technology has advanced to, and water use can be as low as 0.125 gpf. In some cases, the existing valve and stop can be left in place with retrofit kits. And don’t overlook water-free options, but keep in mind that water-free does not mean maintenance-free. Be sure to discuss a maintenance schedule if your client is considering a package that includes water-free technology. In the hands-free realm, options range from easy-to-install side-mount units to complete flush valve head replacements. A definite plus with sensors is that the fixture gets flushed 100 per cent of the time. Advanced electronic technology helps limit “false-sensing” and overflushing. The biggest benefit of swapping out old for new is improved efficiency from lowering the volume of water used with each flush. Secondary benefits include improved hygiene and overall cleanliness, especially with hands-free options. Also, newer technology means less maintenance and down time.

Human male urine is approximately 96% water.

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MAINTENANCE. MEET YOUR MATCH. Delta’s redesigned 81T Series Electronic Flush Valves are loaded with Smart Solutions like our innovative H2OpticsTM Technology, one of the most advanced sensing technologies in the industry today. Designed to limit maintenance hassles, this series features an easy to read battery life indicator, as well as a battery pack that allows for simple access to the batteries without exposing the electronics of the flush valve. All these features make Delta’s 81T Valves ideal for any busy public facility. And they’re backed by a 5-year limited warranty. What more could you ask for? deltacommercialfaucets.com

ICI PLUMBING

continued from page 52

THE LAV FAUCET Manual faucets with lever handles have always been a target of vandalism, leading to costly maintenance and repair parts. And faucets in public facilities are often left on which, combined with a flow rate of 2.2 or 2.5 gpm, can waste a considerable amount of water. By replacing an older unit with sensor-operated faucets, some of which operate with a 0.5 gpm outlet, more than 75 per cent of the water will be saved when the user is washing their hands, and 100 per cent of the excess flow will be saved when the faucet automatically shuts off when hands are removed from the sensor’s view. Lav faucets are also now available with a wide range of renewable power options, including solar and regenerative batteries, cutting down on battery changes and overall maintenance. The newer technology in lavs provides higher levels of hygiene with hands-free operation, less chance of vandalism due to fewer moving parts, less maintenance, and most importantly less water consumption.

THE FLUSH VALVE Water closet flush valves have traditionally been 3.5 gpf or 1.6 gpf and are a huge source of excess potable water usage in commercial buildings. If the manual valves can be held open, even more water can be lost unnecessarily. And the risk of costs associated with related vandalism cannot be overlooked. The standard for commercial closet flush valves is quickly moving to 1.28 gpf. Sensor-operated flush valves ensure that the fixture is flushed at every use, and lower flow rates (some of which are even lower than the 1.28 gpf standard) provide a 20 per cent water savings over 1.6 gpf units – and even more if you are quoting on a job replacing 3.5 gpf units. For retrofit buildings with older piping systems dual flush valves are an option worth considering.These generally flush at 1.6 gpf for solid waste and 1.1 gpf for liquid waste. Dual flush provides both efficiency and performance. Water efficiency is key, especially in buildings where consumption is monitored as part of a certification protocol like LEED or Go Green. Valves and bowls must be designed to deliver precise amounts of water per flush at low volumes so calculations are matched to actual amounts.

THE SHOWER Non-pressure-balanced lever handle shower valves, with showerheads operating at 2.2 gpm, or higher, are not uncommon in older dormitory, gym and swimming pool shower rooms. Many manual showers can be left in the “on” position, wasting water until someone comes along to turn off the shower after the user has left. On the operational front, push-button or sensor-operated metering showers cut down on overall shower water usage. They can also lead to reduced vandalism and maintenance, as they are fewer exposed moving parts. A lot of research and design attention has been paid to spray patterns and water droplets over the past decade.Water drops now twist and spin, and may use air to increase the size of the droplet, all of which helps make the user experience much more enjoyable despite using less water for each shower. New, reduced-flow showerheads operating at 1.5 to 1.75 gpm allow the user to enjoy the shower with no noticeable difference in water flow, yet the building owner/operator will know that the flow per minute reduction is saving both water and energy consumption. And electronic showers will ensure the water is shut off in a fixed period of time, and remove the chance of showers being left on, wasting water and energy.

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With thanks to our panel: Bryon Keats, Zurn Industries Limited Jason Boyd, Dobbin Sales Steve Dunn, Masco Canada Limited Jerry Fairborn and Tim McDonough, Moen Canada

HYDRONICS This article was provided with assistance from Bell & Gossett. For more information about PRVs, contact B&G at 1-888-488-4033, or e-mail bill.hooper@itt.com.

Introducing feed water properly reduces callbacks

A PRV

Primer A

PRVs and low water

on’t think of a feed

pressure-reducing or “feed” valve’s job is to fill valve as a safety device. It’s not there to protect the the system with water and to keep that water boiler against a low-water condition.The only thing that can under a few pounds of pressure at the top floor. effectively protect a hot water boiler from low water is a How much pressure is needed to push the water up to low water cut-off. the top of the system and hold it there under pressure A feed valve’s job is to set the initial system pressure.That’s takes a bit of calculation, but the math is more it. For safety’s sake, you should close the supply valve to the straightforward than you might think. feeder once the system pressure is established.This is The PRV takes the high pressure from the city water important because a feed valve that’s left open can mask a system leak. Systems leaks that go undetected can lead to main and lowers it to the amount needed to lift water to air problems and boiler corrosion problems. the top of the building. Once you fill a closed system with water, it will have the same static pressure effect at the bottom as was created with the open gravity systems of old. But if you’re filling from the bottom of the system, how do you know how much pressure you’ll need A column of water 2.31 feet high (that’s about 28 inches) will exert one pound per to fill the system to the top? square inch (psi) of pressure down on the bottom. And it doesn’t matter how wide If you set a feed valve for one pound per or narrow that column of water is. It could be a 3/4” pipe, or it could be a swimming square inch, it will lift water into the pool. If the water is 2.31 feet deep, there’s going to be one pound per square inch of

1 psi = 2.31 feet

pressure at the bottom. continued on page 58

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The reason you can be so sure of this is because you’re measuring a pound per square inch (psi).

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HYDRONICS

continued from page 56

system exactly 2.31 feet above the feed valve. Any piping lower than the feed valve will, of course, also be filled with water. Gravity takes care of that. So calculate the height from the feed valve to the highest point in the system to figure out the fill pressure. It’s important to mention here that this fill pressure has nothing to do with the number of fittings or valves or the width of the building's piping network. Those things affect the circulator. The only thing that determines static head pressure is the height of the water in the system.

IN THE beginning... e haven’t always had feed valves on hot water systems.Years ago, systems were filled from the top instead of from the bottom. Back in the days of gravity hot water heat, an old timer would use an open expansion tank up in the attic. Since the tank was the high point of the system, he knew he could fill all the pipes from there.

The WEIGHT of WATER ater has weight, and the higher you stack it, the more it will weigh at the bottom. It’s like bricks. The higher the pile, the more it weighs, right? Same thing with water, and since weight exerts pressure downward, you could put a pressure gauge in the boiler and read the weight of the column of water in “pounds per square inch.”

Why 12 psi? Most standard feed valves come factory-set at 12 psi (they’re adjustable between 10 and 25 psi). Why is this? Well, let’s look at a typical installation in a home. The feed valve gets installed in the basement, naturally, at a convenient height, about four feet below the basement ceiling. Let’s add another foot of lift to get through the basement ceiling. That puts you on the floor of the first storey. Let’s go with a 10-foot ceiling, so add 10 feet to get to the ceiling of the first storey. That’s 15 feet above the feed valve. Throw in another foot for the first-floor ceiling and an additional three feet to get to the top of that old cast-iron, water-tube radiator. That’s a grand total of 19 feet from the feed valve to the top of the system. If you need 1 psi to lift water 2.31 feet, how much pressure do you need to lift water 19 feet? That’s simple! 19/2.31 = 8.23 psi That gets the water up to the top floor radiator, but once it’s up there it won’t be under any pressure. Static pressure reflects the weight of the column of water. But if you’re at the top of the column, there’s no weight at all. And since no weight means no pressure, you won’t be able to vent much air from that top-floor radiator. Also, suppose someone should set the high-limit aquastat higher than 212 degrees F in this system. When that hot water gets to the top where there’s no pressure, it can flash to steam. That’s not only noisy, it’s also destructive and dangerous. So, to avoid these problems, you should always add three or four more pounds of pressure to the feed valve’s setting to give you a positive pressure up at the top of the system. That’s why standard feed valves are set at 12 psi. But if the building you’re working on is taller than two stories you’ll have to increase the fill pressure to reach the top floor.

The weight created by the height of the water in a heating system is called “static head pressure,” or static pressure for short. Static pressure is pressure that’s there all the time. The further down in the system you go, the higher the pressure will be. As you go lower, there’s more water above, and more water means more pressure. The taller the building, the higher the pressure on the boiler. This means that the height of the system dictates the working pressure needed of the boiler. If the boiler were rated for 30 psi, for instance, the relief valve would pop if there is too much water stacked above it. Very tall buildings have to use boilers with higher working pressures.

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HVAC TOP 10

By David Underwood

By Definition The commissioning process is a quality-oriented process for achieving, verifying, and documenting that the performance of facilities, systems, and assemblies meets defined objectives and criteria.

COMMISSIONING: 10 steps to get it right While commissioning certainly is no magic bullet to cure all building ails, implementing a commissioning process does provide numerous benefits to ensure a building operates as designed. A good commissioning process also means that the owner’s project requirements are complete, feasible and well-documented; the design team’s solutions adequately address the owner’s requirements; construction is complete and of appropriate quality; and the owner receives the training and project documentation to successfully operate the project. Commissioning is also extremely beneficial for HVAC/R systems and assemblies. In my experience, a hidden benefit on fully-commissioned projects is that the commissioning authority’s assistance in scheduling and trade interaction can help bring a project in on time and within budget.

System verification reduces final punch list items and can reduce warranty calls. The commissioning process is a quality-oriented process for achieving, verifying and documenting that the performance of facilities, systems and assemblies meets defined objectives and criteria. Using this integrated process results in owners receiving the expected, including a fully functional, fine-tuned facility.

Here are 10 tips to guide you when commissioning HVAC/R systems:

Pre-design

ooking to ensure a smoother installation process, maximize energy and cost reductions, and provide a facility that operates as intended? Then look no further than commissioning.

Phase 1.

Assist or advise in developing an owner’s project requirements (OPR) document. This forms the basic requirements from which all design, construction, acceptance and operation decisions are made. Specific to HVAC/R systems, the OPR should include commissioning process scope and budget; restrictions and limitations; occupant/space requirements; equipment and system maintainability expectations; energy efficiency goals; systems integration requirements; and vibration, to name just a few.

Identify the scope and budget. The focus of the commissioning process for HVAC/R systems typically include energy supply, heat generation, refrigeration, HVAC/R distribution, terminal and package units, and HVAC/R instrumentation and controls, in addition to other special HVAC/R systems, equipment and controls. Ideally, commissioning begins at project inception and continues for the life a system.

The term commissioning comes from shipbuilding. A commissioned ship is one deemed ready for service.

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COMMISSIONING

continued from page 60

Phase 3.

Recognize commissioning process responsibilities for the construction manager, general contractor, design-build contractor, financial manager and attorney. While their individual responsibilities vary, these key players must build and maintain cohesiveness and cooperation. They need to assist the owner in preparing requests for project services that outline the commissioning process roles and responsibilities developed in the commissioning plan. And they need to develop the scope and budget for project-specific commissioning process activities.

4. During the design phase, it is critical to update and document key milestones relative to the HVAC/R systems. Some of these milestones include submission of automatic control and building automation controls software; training program implementation plans; construction checklist completion and tracking; equipment placement review; testing, adjusting and balancing; and verification.

5. Work also should begin on a systems manual, which is needed to

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It is also important to begin design reviews by parties who are not part of the formal team-of-record. This provides an independent perspective on performance, operations and maintenance. Design reviews also allow the team to identify potential system performance problems, and to solve those problems before the project is declared complete.

Phase 7. Verify and document – those are the two most important elements of commissioning at this stage. It’s the last opportunity to get things right before the owner takes occupancy of the building. Are systems functioning as installed? Is everything functioning correctly? Has your systems manual been completed? Has the facility staff received necessary training?

Another vital step in the construction-phase commissioning process is system testing and performance verification. The team should test systems operation and function during normal operation, through each of their sequences of operation, and all other modes of operation and conditions.

Operations Phase 9. Take care to identify any outstanding performance issues and resolve them before warranty expiration.

10.

And finally, evaluate your evaluation. Review your commissioning process. What went well? What could be improved? What would best be done differently the next time?.

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David Underwood, P.Eng., Fellow ASHRAE, Life Member, ASHRAE-Certified Commissioning Process Management Professional, is retired and resides in Oakville, Ont. He serves as a vice-president on ASHRAE’s Board of Directors. 1 2 . 1 0

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REFRIGERATION

By Phil J. Boudreau

CONTROLLING COMPRESSOR SHORT-CYCLING T

here are several, very important consequences that result from compressor short-cycling. An excessive number of starts per hour will lead to over-heating of the compressor motor windings, terminals, starters/contactors and perhaps even the interconnecting wiring. This overheating will eventually result in some form of electrical breakdown. The most damaging type of electrical failure is a motor burnout. The motor cannot be easily changed with a hermetic or semihermetic compressor. In fact, it is simply cost prohibitive in most, if not all cases. Aside from the motor failure itself, it is quite likely that the technician will be faced with the challenge of cleaning up the acidic oil that circulated throughout the system as the motor insulation was breaking down. When there are circumstances where short-cycling can occur, an anti-short-cycle timer may be considered. A minimum interval timing of five minutes after the compressor shuts off will tend to reduce the number of starts while giving the motor a little time to cool down. All systems have the potential to experience short-cycling where lock-out control circuits and manual resets are not present. The differential pressure setting of low-pressure controls must be appropriate for the operating temperature requirements of the system. In other words, the differential must be low enough to minimize temperature swings in the space or process, but high enough to prevent short-cycling. Low-pressure controls may be used in a variety of ways. It is important to consider the purpose of the low pressure control when selecting the control and establishing set-points.

Setting the

LP CONTROL Where low-pressure controls are used as an operating control, we must consider whether a pump-down circuit is used or not. In a pump-down application, it is very common that a temperature control is used to cycle the liquid-line solenoid. On a call for cooling, the temperature control energizes the solenoid to permit refrigerant flow to the evaporator. As the pressure within the evaporator increases, it eventually reaches the cut-in pressure setting of the LP control. In this case, the low-pressure cut-in point is usually set to a pressure that is lower than the saturation pressure of the refrigerant that exists when it is at the space or process cut-in temperature. For example, an R404A freezer that is maintained at 0 째F may be permitted to increase to 2 째F before the compressor is energized. In this case, the LP control would be set to a pressure that is sufficiently lower than 35 psig. However, if the cut-in is set to a pressure that is higher than 35 psig, the compressor will not start until the room temperature increases high enough to drive the saturation pressure of the refrigerant to a point that will cause the LP switch to close. Of course, this means that the room temperature will be permitted to rise above 2 째F, in this case. The cut-out point is the easy part. Keep the cut-out pressure low, but not so low that a vacuum can exist inside of a hermetic or semihermetic compressor. In extreme cases where a pump-down cycle is not used on a system employing electric defrost, it is possible that the compressor will be overloaded on start-up. This is especially the case with low-

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• Setting the LP Control HOW MANY STARTS? So how many starts per hour are considered acceptable? The lowest number of starts per hour should be a goal during system design and commissioning. In fact, the number of starts should be limited to a maximum of six per hour. This is accomplished through proper heat-exchanger, compressor and component selection, along with proper balancing of system components, control set-points and refrigerant charge.

AVOIDING

AUTOMATED FAILURE In addition to refrigerant-side issues, electrical controls may also lead to short-cycling. Safety and operating control set-points must be set correctly in order to ensure proper and safe operation of the system while minimizing the possibility of short-cycling. Additionally, these controls must be correctly applied.

Phil Boudreau, is the Ontario sales manager for Bitzer Canada Inc. and also provides training and technical support for Bitzer’s clientele. Phil is also a refrigeration instructor at Humber College in Toronto, Ontario. Phil may be contacted at pboudreau@bitzer.ca

For example, manual-reset, not automatic reset, high-pressure limit switches should be used as much as possible. If a high-pressure situation arises, this requires the attention of a technician. Why let the compressor repeatedly cycle itself until it eventually fails?

temperature compressors that have motor horsepower values lower than medium temperature compressors of the same displacement. If the temperature of the space is controlled solely by the LP control, cut-in and cut-out pressures must be carefully chosen. The temperature difference or TD between the desired cooler or freezer temperature and the boiling refrigerant in the evaporator will be determined by how the compressor and evaporator are matched up. In order to maintain a specific cooler or freezer temperature, the evaporator temperature must drop to a certain level. Let’s say that we have a cooler that operates at 36 °F and is designed such that when the cooler is at 36 °F, the evaporator will be at 22 °F. We must now determine the TD. The TD selected depends on the allowable temperature swing within the room. For example, we may want to start the compressor once the room reaches 39 °F. In this case, the cut-in pressure for R507 would be approximately 87 psig. If we decide to allow the room temperature to drop to 34 °F before shutting the compressor off, then our temperature swing within the room will be limited to approximately five degrees Fahrenheit.

The lower the pressure difference between the cut-in and cut-out, the higher the cycling rate, and vice-versa.

In this case, we would simply set our LP cutout pressure to the pressure that exists once the space reaches 34 °F. When the LP control is used to protect the compressor against low refrigerant charge, dirty evaporator or poor evaporator airflow, and low pressure, it should be set to take the compressor off-line once the suction pressure has dropped enough to indicate a sure sign of trouble. Of course, this approach is not used on pump-down systems.

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ROAD WARRIOR

By David Janzen

Photos: David Chidley

Service area: “Newmarket south to Richmond Hill and north to Sutton. Markham to King City for east and west.” What attracted you to the trades? “I knew from the start that I wasn’t the university type, so my guidance counsellor recommended HVAC. I like how it combines different trades, how you’re constantly doing a variety of different things from day to day.”

Travis “Caliph” Gairy is the embodiment of dedication. As an HVAC technician he’s committed to providing excellent customer service, and as a musician, he’s committed to preserving the “golden era” of hip-hop. We caught up with the poetic lyricist after a day of work in Newmarket, Ont.

Can you summarize younger peoples’ attitude towards the trades? “At the end of high school

there’s so much pressure to buckle down and start a career and not everyone can be exactly sure which way to go. Money can be a big thing, and there’s money to be made in the trades. But there’s so much more to it, like learning how to run a business.” What, in your mind, would attract more students to the trades? “Awareness. Students need to be aware of all the different trades out there and co-op is the key for success. I wish there were more hands-on classes, because I think more people would enjoy it. In my case,

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Name: Travis Gairy Company: Canco ClimateCare Title: Install and service technician Born in: Prince George, B.C. Resides in: Newmarket, Ont. School: George Brown Age: 22 on December 23 Pets: “A cat named Cali.” Years in the mechanical industry: Two

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co-op definitely helped.” Favourite TV Show: “Entourage. I find it absolutely hilarious. Ari makes the show for me.” Favourite Band/Performer: “There are so many. My top three are Mos Def, Common and Jay-Z.” Blackberry or iPhone? “Definitely Blackberry.” Work ride: “Fullyequipped 2006 GMC Savanas with rearcab shelving units. They run on gasoline and natural gas. We have a natural gas refuelling station at the rear of our shop that we use every morning to minimize gasoline use.” Kilometres logged per day: 50 to 100. Favourite thing about the job: “I like that it’s hands-on. Even after a long day and you’re tired, you always feel like you’ve accomplished something. I love making people happy, so providing good customer service is important to me.”

Nickname: Caliph. “Caliph means ‘successor’ and I feel the need to keep the essence of hip-hop intact from the ‘golden era’ during the mid-80s and 90s.”

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WATER HAMMER

By Dan Vastyan

Got ghosts in your pipes?

Taming a potable tsunami Are your customers hearing sonic waves? Catching the culprit may be an easy arrest . . . and you’ll be an instant hero. At some homes and buildings, there’s an annoying echo that sounds long after the last hammer is swung. In some instances, it’s as forceful as a sonic boom. Another variation sounds like ghosts rattling chains in the wall. Water hammer, and a variant of somewhat lesser annoyance – water chatter – are terms that describe the audible, rock n’ roll world of piped systems big and small. After a sudden valve closure, a shockwave passes back and forth through the water column at roughly 4,500 fps, like a mini tsunami, causing the vibrations known as water hammer. “When water hammer happens, energy forces may cause damage throughout the piping system by the sudden shaking, pipe expansion and contraction,” says Steve Hamoen at Zonelife Inc., a mechanical installation and engineering firm based in Cambridge, Ont. Damage can happen all along the piped system, not just at the point of stoppage. The weakest points in the system, typically where fittings are soldered, are most affected by the impact. If left unchecked and leaks develop, water hammer can move from being a simple annoyance to an expensive hazard. According to Bob Bilodeau of Watts Water Technologies, the most common cause of water hammer is the quick closing of a valve within a plumbing fixture – most often

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Water Hammer Water hammer is the term used to define the destructive forces, pounding noises and vibration that can develop in a piping system when a column of liquid flowing through a line is abruptly stopped. The tremendous forces generated at the stopping point can be compared to an explosion.

a fast-acting solenoid valve inside a dishwasher or clothes washer. “When a piped supply of water, at 50 to 70 psi is in motion and then suddenly stops, a sonic wave surges backwards toward the supply,” says Bilodeau. The problem can be especially challenging if the water piping is made of rigid copper. PEX systems tend to be more forgiving because the tubing is pliable and the shock is absorbed to some degree, but similar to copper fittings the crimped and coupled fittings can be weak links. “There’s never an absolute, 100-per cent elimination of the problem,” he says. “The best solution is proper placement of a water hammer or ‘shock’ arrestor,” continued Bilodeau. The most effective location for the device, he says, is in the supply line as close to the fixture as possible. “Typically, these are mounted in the wall very near where the line protrudes from the wall, going to the fixture.”

continued on page 70

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TOOL TIPS

A cut above kay, it’s demolition time, and what better tool for the task than the reciprocating saw?

When it comes to reciprocating saws, there are corded and cordless options. Corded tools tend to be lighter, which can be a big benefit by the end of the work day, but cordless tools are not tethered the way that their corded brethren are, which means more versatility in where the tool can be used. On the power side, these are designed for some heavy-duty cutting tasks, so power is important. Pro corded tools tend to start at the 10 amp level and move higher. On the cordless front, 18 volt is typically a good level of power for professional use, but there are more powerful batteries available – and lithium ion battery technology is where things have moved because of some of the benefits they bring to the table, like consistency of power. A tool with a 3/4" stroke will offer better control and less vibration than a 1-1/8” or 1-1/4” stroke, but the cutting speed will be reduced, so weigh those considerations carefully. If you are into straight demo, then the faster stroke may be desirable. If you want more control, say for plumbing and HVAC applications, a shorter stroke may be for you. Reciprocating saw blades come Also consider vibration control in a variety of sizes, materials mechanisms, like counter weights, and and tooth designs. To pick the don’t overlook the importance of quality right blade, consider your seals and gaskets in the tool. The saw is application and then choose going to be exposed to a considerable based on the number of teeth amount of dust, and any debris that enters per inch, the durability of the the internal mechanics can affect its blade material, and the pattern lifespan. of the teeth.

Don’t forget the blades

con’t from 68

Water hammer problems became so pervasive in the province of Quebec that the installation of water hammer arrestors was mandated. For the past two years, building codes in the province now demand that all new homes must include the devices. Mike Breault, product manager with Watts Water Technologies (Canada), based Mike Breault in Burlington, Ont., says that the mandating of water hammer arrestors stems chiefly from the need to solve widespread water hammer problems in new home developments. “Quebec is a fast-growing area,” explains Breault. “There are large, new subdivisions that place a strain on the water supply infrastructure. That leads to water pressure irregularity, so pressure-boosting stations are being installed. But this introduces a new challenge: higher-than-normal water pressure with some homes getting 80 psi or higher. We’ve learned of some homes receiving water pressure in excess of 105 psi.”

Whoa: 600 psi! The speed of the valve closure, especially during the last 15 per cent of the valve’s closing, is directly related to the intensity of the surge pressure. An approximate pressure rise of 60 times the fluid’s velocity is produced. So, water traveling at 10 fps could produce a shock pressure of 600 psi!

The higher the pressure within the piped system, the greater the need for system shock absorbers.

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Temporary relief of water hammer shock can be achieved by installing a correctly-sized air chamber,

generally a standpipe. Although effective for a short amount of time, air chambers lose their effectiveness rather quickly, either during the flow cycle, when water travels both ways, or by the air being absorbed through turbulence. Short of draining the entire pipe system and removing the chamber, there is no way to replenish the air in the chamber. “The only true, permanent solution to lessen the damage caused by water hammer is to install an engineered water hammer arrestor,” says Breault.

A Quick Fix “We don’t run into water hammer issues frequently, but they do come to our attention from time to time,” says Steve Hamoen of Zonelife Inc. in Cambridge, Ont. On a recent trouble-shooting mission, Hamoen said that water hammer noise in a home was traced back to a well pump creating too much pressure, and a bathroom valve closing too quickly. A quick installation of a water hammer arrestor and that was the end of the problem.

Journalist Dan Vastyan writes for trade professionals. He is employed by Common Ground, a Manheim, PA-based trade communications firm with clients in the radiant heat, hydronic, geothermal, HVAC and solar heat industries.

The original plumbing solution since 1958

1-800-363-5874 -8 8 800 800-363-5874 363 5874 | w www.saniflo.ca w w.saniflo.c a

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The next generation of gray water pump, pre-assembled and easy to install All-in-one check valves, 3 inlets, pre-assembled Compact smaller than similar products y

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This Month’s Quiz: THE PROBLEM INSTALLATION A simple retrofit to upgrade to high-efficiency modulating condensing boiler technology is a great way for building owners to save on utility costs and do their part for the environment. With outdoor reset and DHW priority, the tenants should be comfortable and have plenty of hot water. Although this recent upgrade is working, what can you suggest to improve the system?

Answer and win! ARE YOU EXPANDING?

Get your fix online For more puzzles from our archives, visit us on the web, www.mechanicalbusiness.com.

Send us your solution to this month’s puzzle by December 21st and you could find yourself with one of the newest, and most coveted, tools on the hydronic jobsite – An M12 ProPEX Expander, courtesy of Milwaukee Electric Tool. Send your solution to adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com.

Save time and save money. That’s what HPSI hydronic manifolds do. We take the guess work and manifold fabrication time out of every job, leaving you time to get the system up and running smoothly ... and on to the next project. Every CSA-certified HPSI panel is predesigned, pre-assembled and fully tested to meet your specifications. Whether you choose one of our many standard-engineered stations, or a custom design, our panel systems give you professional looking results and no manifoldrelated call-backs to worry about.

Talk to us before your next project, and be sure to visit us online. HPSI – Hydronic Panel Systems Inc. 12A – 50 Paxman Rd. Toronto, ON M9C 1B7 Tel: (416) 845-2587 Fax: (416) 622-5127

www.madok.com 72

Mechanical

Business

12.10

The Sept/Oct Fix: THE PROBLEM: What should have been a simple conversion of electric baseboard to hot water baseboard turned into a small nightmare. The contractor installed five new zones of baseboard, and piped it with 1/2" PEX to minimize the amount of retrofit damage. Three of the new zones worked fine, but two of them just never seemed comfortable to the owners. The basement zone was the coldest, so the contractor added 10 feet more baseboard to the 54 feet already installed on that zone. That didn’t help the comfort, and the boiler system wasn’t saving any energy. The near-boiler piping was 3/4" to a five-loop 3/4" manifold, with actuators to the 1/2" lines going to each zone. How would you fix this job? And could you do it while giving the owners DHW as well?

THE FIX:

Here is how our quizmaster, Jeff House, would set things up:

Never reduce the near boiler piping. At 140,000 BTUH, the piping should have been 1-1/4” to carry the 14 gpm. To add DHW water, why not add an indirect DHW tank complete with buffer tank. The buffer tank allows the small zones (micro loads) to call, but the boiler will stay off until the buffer tank calls. This allows the boiler to charge the tank with an extended call, improving efficiency instead of short cycling for the small loads. The indirect coils inside the buffer tank allow DHW as well.

Jeff House is an experienced industry professional and hydronics trainer, and handles the Golden Horseshoe territory for Jess-Don Dunford, a manufacturers’ rep in Ontario. He can be reached at jhouse@jessdondunford.com.

The two zones that were uncomfortable – the basement and the second floor – had exceeded the capacity of the 1/2" PEX by almost double. These zones were reworked and two more zones were added. Half-inch piping will carry about 16,000 BTUHs with a 20 degree delta T. The piping could have been changed to 3/4". A variable-speed delta T circulator would be a great fit for the seven zones. It would allow a consistent 20 degree delta T as well as change speeds to accommodate the opening and closing of multiple zones. Always do the math. Remember, there are many ways to pipe a hydronic system. Find one that is easy and repeatable. Mechanical

Business

12.10

HVAC CASE STUDY

By Denise Deveau ABOUT KWANTLEN POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

Initially established by the government of British Columbia in 1981, Kwantlen, now Kwantlen Polytechnic University, has four campuses located in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia. Kwantlen offers bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations in more than 120 programs. More than 17,000 students annually attend Kwantlen campuses in Surrey, Richmond and Langley. kwantlen.ca

ir A FINDING BALANCE v

at Kwantlen Polytechnic GOING VARIABLE FOR EFFICIENCIES By going variable with the minimum flow set points, the Langley Campus is now of the most efficient air-based systems of all Kwantlens’ buildings, says Mark Dorini. “By reprogramming we could ensure that supply air could become cold enough to satisfy the high-load areas, while not overcooling sparsely occupied spaces. In September, as occupancy increases, the boilers are activated and minimum ventilation rates increase automatically. Both conditions are automatically balanced.”

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ark Dorini of MDT Systems Ltd. in Langley, B.C., has his own views on what air balancing is really all about. “It’s not just measuring air flow out of an outlet, adjusting the damper and away you go,” he says. “What makes it interesting is the control of it. The real art is in automating balance and control to change supply temperatures and volumes to meet the needs and space requirements. Programming systems to self-balance is more interesting than measurements used to determine air flow.”

Dorini’s philosophy was put to the test when he was asked to address an airflow issue at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Langley Campus. The 20year-old campus facility is fed by 14 main air handling systems serving classrooms, labs, libraries, food service areas and an industrial shops wing. Classroom and administration areas are fed by three variable air volume (VAV) air handling units rated at over 105,000 CFM distributed through 175 VAV boxes. Each VAV box is fitted with a programmable delta controller, hot water reheat coil, modulating damper, attenuator section and several supply diffusers. The VAV boxes were initially designed to operate between full cooling volume and the minimum air flow set points (typically 50 per cent of the full cooling volume). As the space temperature increased, the air volume at the VAV box would open to provide the required cooling air flow to offset the room load and maintain the room temperature set point.

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heatfab

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Main VAV zones that had cycled to full volume and were unable to meet the room temperature set point sent a reset signal to the air handler to lower the supply air temperature for the entire system. Thus the heavily loaded computer labs tended to constantly run warm due to increased computer densities and high room occupancies, while less occupied spaces ran cold. In a move to reduce energy consumption and reduce costs at the facility, the building owners decided to shut down the three 3,600,000 BTUH natural gas boilers during the summer months. “We had a building with VAV boxes scattered throughout with min. and max. volumes set up to provide the required cooling or ventilation rates respectively. The challenge for the owner was that the supply air temperatures were driven down by the requirements of the computer labs. So while the plan led to immediate gas energy savings, it also led to over-cooling in certain areas,” explains Dorini. “We needed the low supply air temperature to maintain the computer labs at the right temperature without overcooling adjacent areas.” continued on page 77 M e c h a n i c a l

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HVAC/R Jackshaft linkage Belimo’s ZG-JSL linkage can be used with any jackshaft from 1/2” to 3/4” in diameter. The galvanized steel linkage has a built-in shaft which allows direct coupling to Belimo actuators. An installed actuator has the ability to be rotated 90 degrees for space saving applications.

belimo.ca

Equipped with a variable-speed ECM blower motor with up to 12 airflow selections, the Synergy3D geothermal heat pump from Eden Energy offers a heating COP rating up to five. It uses R410A refrigerant and is rated for cooling up to 27.8 EER.

edenenergy.com

Coil coating Heresite baked phenolic coatings, available on custom coils from Madok, are designed to withstand exposure to various corrosive atmospheres. Maximum temperature resistance is 250 °C (450°F), and the coatings can be applied to coils up to 3,500 lb. (1,591 kg).

madok.com

Gas monitor Variable-speed furnaces Sized from 46,000 to 115,000 BTUH, Whirlpool’s Gold series WGFM29 (upflow/horizontal) and WGFD29 (downflow) furnaces offer up to 96 per cent AFUE ratings.The two-stage gas furnaces have variable-speed circulator blower motors and have provisions for 120- or 24-volt humidifiers.

whirlpoolcomfort.com 76

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Bacharach’s GDX-350 low-temperature monitor/transmitter detects CO2 from zero to five per cent, in 0.1 per cent increments, and NH3 from zero to 500 ppm in 1 ppm increments. The device has heated sensors and electronics for low-temperature operation down to -55°C and can display a 30minute data trend.

mybacharach.com

ALTERNATIVE THINKING

Every Moment Deserves Coleman Comfort!

Sometimes fan diversity creates issues that can be handled by reprogramming, Mark Dorini says. In one campus project, high fan diversity drove the main air handling unit to operate at maximum speed, yet it was unable to maintain the duct pressure set point. A spot check on the air balancing revealed that the VAV boxes near the fans’ main ductwork were operating near the design flow requirements; while the VAV boxes near the end of the system were fully open and very low on air flow (some less than 10 per cent of the required flow). The most remote spaces were typically under-ventilated and experiencing room temperatures of over 27°C. Dorini used software re-coding to reduce the problem. “Most of the VAV boxes maximum volume set points were written as a variable rather than a fixed constant,” he explains. “If the supply fan speed was over 95 per cent and the duct static pressure was 50 Pa below set point, then each of the VAV box volume maximum set points were reduced to 85 per cent of the full cooling set point. Additional reduction of duct pressure by 50 Pa further reduced the VAV box set points to 75 per cent.” The result was a balanced 75 to 85 per cent flow equally distributed through the campus during the shoulder season without chiller operation. “After our code modification, the chiller operation was reduced, short cycling time minimized and building comfort improved,” he says. “A balance of energy savings and occupant comfort was achieved”

Echelon Furnace

continued from page 75

The solution was to target the control programmer and reprogram the minimum flow set points as a variable rather than the more commonly used “Kwantlen” means “Tireless fixed set point. Runner” and is derived from the The fully First Nations people who programmableestablished their home in the box controller region served by Kwantlen. allowed Dorini to recalculate a minimum set point based on the supply water temperature of the heating water system. If the heating water was below 28°C, then the entire minimum box volumes for that reheat zone were automatically reset down to 10 per cent. Sample CO2 sensors were installed to ensure proper ventilation as the air flows were reduced. “The result was greatly-improved temperature control and more air flow for the high load zones,” he explains. “The reduced total flows and air flow mass significantly improved the building energy performance. In effect, automatic balancing of the air flow provided for better comfort at reduced energy consumption for both gas and electrical services.”

Highest Efficient Gas Furnace in Canada with up to 98% efficiency: • Fully modulating in 100 stages for the ultimate in home comfort • Multi position for any application • Only 33" high Shipton’s Heating and Cooling has been providing comfort to customers in the greater Hamilton, Ontario, region since 1924. Today, Tim and Dave Shipton, grandsons of the company’s founder, continue the tradition of first-rate service backed by quality products. Products like Coleman. “We’ve been selling and servicing Coleman products for decades but this new Echelon has moved things to an entirely new level. Our customers love it. It’s fully modulating which means they’re always comfortable and it’s 98% efficient. What more could they ask for? Thanks, Coleman.”

Please visit us at www.colemanac.com, or call Toll Free:

1-800-668-2389 ext. 5486

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EVENTS

ISH 2011 March 15 - 19, 2011 Frankfurt, Germany www.ish.messefrankfurt.com F.A.S.T. 2011 April 6, 2011 Vaughan, Ont. www.wolseleyinc.ca CaGBC Nat. Symposium April 13 & 14, 2011 Toronto, Ont. www.cagbc.org

KBIS 2011 April 26-28, 2011 Las Vegas, Nev. www.kbis.com

GOT AN EVENT? SPREAD THE WORD! If your organization has a conference, trade show or other event coming up, send details to adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com See it all online at www.mechanicalbusiness.com

MCEE 2011 April 20-21, 2011 Montreal, Que. www.mcee.ca

www.ciphexwest.ca A stampede of visitors Approximately 3,000 guests came through the gates of the BMO Centre at Stampede Park in Calgary to take part in this year’s CIPHEX West and Buildex trade shows. Visitors had the chance to see about 200 exhibitor booths showcasing new product innovations and technology. In addition to the trade show, guests were treated to training sessions and keynote speakers, including featured guest Richard Trethewey, of This Old House, who spoke to a packed audience about contemporary hydronics and lessons learned from his lifetime of HVAC experience. ciphexwest.ca

9 13

1. CIPHEX West chair Matt Robinson, of B.A. Robinson with Manfred Schmidt, of Heatlink Group Inc. 2. Volunteer award recipients at the CIPH reception. 3. Russ Morgan, CIPH board of directors chair, delivering his opening remarks. 4. Sidney Manning, of Alberta Municipal Affairs, speaking about the implementation of code B149. 5. Chris Thompson, of Project Innovations, talks greywater. 6. Discussing submersible pumps at the Franklin Electric booth. 7. Ralph Suppa, CIPH president, sporting a CIPH toque at the show entrance. 8. Mechanical Business contributor, Carol Fey demonstrating how a switch functions. 9. Josh Cox, of Milwaukee Electric Tool, puts a drill through its paces. 10. Richard Trethewey, of This Old House, talks about hydronics and the lessons he’s learned from his experience in the trades. 11. Kim Butts and Blue Rider provide music at the end of day one. 12. Arnold Knapp, of CCBDA, discusses copper. 13. Sean Giberson, of Taco Canada, presents a controls seminar at the manufacturer’s corner.

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CON TRAC TORS

& SPECIFIERS

COAST TO COAST

ARE GIVING

AQUARISE

A THUMBS UP!

Ask Richard Grenier of Ingémel Experts Conseils “AquaRise® is faster to install than copper piping, and I am confident that it will last for a long time. We have been using the product for about three years, and we believe it is the

ully-inantedgratvaedlves. f a rs ffe o e is AquaR of pipe, fittings t and system ise solvent cemensy assembly. AquaRer allows for fast, ea prim ®

better choice for our customers.” For the full case study story visit www.ipexinc.com/aquarise

Non-Metallic Potable Water Systems for Commercial & High-Rise Construction The colour of the AquaRise ® pipes and fittings is a trade-mark of IPEX Branding Inc. AquaRise ® is a trade-mark of IPEX Branding Inc.

Call 1-866-473-9462 or visit www.ipexinc.com/aquarise

HYDRONIC Near-condensing boilers

Floor panels Creatherm radiant floor panels offer a solution for slab-on-grade, snowmelt and retrofit heating. The finished floor panel size is two by four feet and features a staggered snap-tight grid. On-centre points are spaced every three inches. The panels are available in 1.8”, 2.8” and 3.3” thicknesses.

Near-condensing DFX DynaFlame boilers from Camus are sized from 500,000 to six million BTUH. Featuring thermal efficiency up to 88 per cent, the modulating boilers automatically adjust output based on system demand. They offer a maximum allowable working pressure of 160 psi and a maximum operating water temperature of 121°C (250°F).

camus-hydronics.com

Mixing stations

creatherm.com

Caleffi’s 171 and 172 Series manifold mixing stations are designed for use in manifold-based hydronic distribution systems. Both series come with a motorized threeway mixing valve, a three-speed pump, supply temperature and pressure gauges, return temperature gauges, a purge valve, and three to 13 supply manifolds equipped with flow meters and balancing valves.

caleffi.us

Residential control Variable speed pumps

Designed for indoor use from 0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F), tekmar’s 400, 401 and 402 water temperature controls can regulate up to four zones. The controls work with outdoor reset and indoor feedback, and can control a boiler, plus DHW and setpoints.

Armstrong Intelligent variable speed (IVS) pumps are designed to be efficient and conserve energy. The IVS system monitors the system requirements from the speed of the pump and varies its flow to meet system demand. The pumps are available in sizes from two to 10 hp.

tekmarcontrols.com

armstrongpumps.com

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Tool vest Stanley’s FatMax tool vest is designed to carry a variety of tools and personal items and has reflective light strips for safety and better visibility in low-light conditions. Inner pockets provide a place to store documents, or mobile devices and adjustable straps allow the vest to expand to accommodate heavier, winter clothing.

Adjustable pliers Irwin’s Vise-Grip GrooveLock line of pliers are available in six- to 20-inch lengths with jaw sizes ranging from 1-1/8” to six-inches. Designed to grip flat, round, hex or square surfaces, the smooth jaw, straight jaw and V-jaw pliers feature a press-andslide button to adjust the lower jaw.

stanleyhandtools.ca

irwin.com

Impact drills Featuring eight-amp motors delivering up to 150 rpm, SDS rotary hammers from DeWalt generate 2.5 ft/lbs of impact energy. Weighing 3.3 lbs, they offer handles designed to reduce vibration during use and have 1/2” keyless chucks.

dewalt.com

Compatible with all M12 and M18 series of tools from Milwaukee, Red Lithium batteries are designed to operate down to temperatures as low as -18 °C (0 °F). They are designed to run with fade-free power and no memory effect.

Gear transfer

milwaukeetool.com

General Pipe’s Closet Auger Bag is designed to protect your gear while keeping the job site clean and dry. The widemouthed case has three vent holes to allow components to dry between jobs and a shoulder strap for carrying.

drainbrain.com M e c h a n i c a l

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HVAC/R The IntilliCon-FA, forced-air heating system fuel economizer from Intellidyne is designed to reduce fuel consumption, electrical usage and wear and tear on parts. By monitoring the out-flow air temperature in relation to the ambient and in-flow air temperature, the economizer determines an ideal burner run pattern. It can be installed on new or existing furnaces. The 4” by 4” unit operates in temperatures ranging from -23°C (-10°F) to 49°C (120°F).

intellidynellc.com Fantech’s light commercial SHR series of HRVs are rated from 250 to 1,150 CFM and have reversible door panels. The units have motors mounted on a removable sliding base and offer washable electrostatic filters.

Ventilation system With removable duct collars and adjustable hanging straps, the TrueBreeze balanced ventilation system from Honeywell is designed to balance the exchange of a home’s interior air with outside air, while recovering as much of the heating or cooling energy as possible. The HRV/ERV systems are available in 150 CFM or 200 CFM models.

fantech.net

honeywell.com

High-efficiency furnaces Having input sizes from 60,000 to 120,000 BTUH, Echelon variable-speed gas furnaces from Coleman Heating and Air Conditioning are rated up to 98 per cent AFUE efficient. The cabinets stand 33” tall and access doors are sealed with a gasket.

Line cleaning kit The Nitrogen Purge Kit from TurboTorch has tools to pressure check HVAC and refrigeration lines, flush drainage lines and to blow components clean. The kit has 10 pieces, including a blow gun, three-foot and six-foot adapter hoses, 1/2” and 3/4” cone plugs, and a CO2 adapter.

colemanac.com

turbotorch.com 86

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HVAC/R Rated from 40,000 to 220,000 BTUH, TA/TX/TXR series two-stage, gas-fired infrared tube heaters from Superior Radiant Products are designed for commercial and industrial applications. They are available in 10- to 70-foot lengths and operate on natural gas or LPG. The LT/LTX/LTXR series has been designed for low-clearance applications, offering 40,000 to 100,000 BTUH heating capacities in 30 to 50 foot lengths. KeepRite’s C9MVX series of gas furnaces are 95 per cent AFUE efficient and are sized from 40,000 to 100,000 BTUH. Equipped with ECM variablespeed blower motors for two-stage heating operation, they can be installed with either one- or two-pipe venting.

superiorradiant.com

High-efficiency filter Camfil Farr’s Hi-Flo ES pocket style air filter is designed for commercial and industrial applications. It is available in efficiencies of MERV 11 to MERV 15 and allows a maximum continuous operating temperature of 70°C (158°F).

keeprite.com

camfil.ca

Unsurpassed Serviceability, First-Rate Performance in a Shorter, Smaller Package • Certified to NSF/ANSI 61-G (No Lead) • Shorter lay length – fits in smaller valve box • Top access to test cocks, shutoff valves, and check assembly – easy to test • Entire flow housing is removable to facilitate check access for cleaning or repair • Easy to winterize by removing wetted components between shutoff valves • Simple design – composite housing and check modules resist corrosion

375XL 350XL

Reduced Pressure Principle Backﬂow Assembly

Double Check Backﬂow Assembly

Zurn Industries Limited 3544 Nashua Drive, Mississauga, ON L4V 1L2 Phone: (905) 405-8272 Fax: (905) 405-1292 www.zurn.com • zurn.mail@zurncanada.com

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PLUMBING Alson’s Amplifying Showerheads are available with efficient flow rates of 1.5 gpm to two gpm. An adjustable model allows users to switch between the two flow rates. The showerheads are available in chrome, satin nickel and oil-rubbed bronze finishes.

alsons.com

Able to meet flow rates from 0.5 to 450 gpm, the OneFlow scale control system from Watts is designed to prevent scale formation by transforming dissolved minerals into microscopic particles. Models are available in tank and cartridge style housings for commercial applications on both cold and hot water lines.

wattscanada.ca

DI VI SI O N

Chrome-plated, supply line push fittings and stops from SharkBite are designed for jobs in tight spaces. Push fittings come in 1/4" to 1/2” (3/8" OD) sizes and are compatible with 1/4” PEX tubing. Stops are available in 1/2" by 3/8" or 1/4" compression sizes.

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RLDVIEW Jeff Patchell

Venting without stacks

The redevelopment of London’s The O2 arena provided a huge hurdle for plumbing engineers to overcome. Built originally as a temporary structure for the millennium celebrations in Greenwich, London, UK, the Millennium Dome has developed into an amazing permanent venue. It was initially intended to have a one-year lifespan, but was quickly considered for a long-term purpose and ultimately renamed The O2. The O2’s owners, AEG Europe, claim to have alleviated the “50minute queue for the loo” by installing 548 toilets, and therein lies part of the problem faced by some of the UK’s best plumbing engineers – the venting of the system. For the massive redevelopment, the local Greenwich Council dismissed the use of open stacks within the tented area because of perceived threats of SARS and other airborne viruses. Enter Studor, a global manufacturer of products for venting drainage systems without the need of roof penetrations. “Basically, the entire structure underwent a complete rebuild," says Studor technical manager Steven White, “and this introduced a drainage design problem.” With the new design, there weren’t many options left to the developers but to run ventilation to the outside – which happens to be around 180 metres away – a distance equivalent to the height of a 60-storey building.

About The O2 The O2 has an overall diameter of 365 metres, an internal diameter of 320 metres, a circumference of one kilometre, and is 50 metres high at its central point. Apart from the huge music and sports arena with a seating capacity of 23,000, The O2 includes 667,000 sq. ft. of restaurants, bars, retail outlets, night clubs, even a skating rink and exhibition space. When at full capacity, the entire building is able to hold 60,000 patrons. www.theo2.co.uk

The solution to this has been to use AAVs (Air Admittance Valves) and P.A.P.A.s (Positive Air Pressure Attenuators). Originally developed for high-rise buildings and comprising a large bladder within a cylinder, the P.A.P.A. unit acts like a shock absorber, attenuating pressure waves and stopping them from affecting the plumbing system, hence eliminating the need for vent piping and, in the case of The O2, roof penetrations. Studor, together with the Drainage Research Group at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, In March of 2011, The O2 will led by Prof. John A. play host to the first NBA regularSwaffield, worked togethseason game in Europe when the er to develop a suitable Toronto Raptors take on the New system for The O2 and to Jersey Nets. prove to the building control department that the system would work. It was a difficult project because this was breaking new ground for all parties. This type of project hadn’t been done before, so no typical model existed. A major design concern was the potential sewer gas build-up when the arena area was not in use. White explains how the problem was overcome. “The university team determined that any gas build-up would follow the water flow. By placing all urinals on a 12-hour flush cycle this greatly alleviates the potential of any gas build-up problem.” Active control is a relatively new concept. Although AAVs have been available for around 25 years to deal with negative transients, a whole system had to await the development of the Positive Air Pressure Attenuator – a variable volume containment device that reacts to positive air pressure transients within the system.

Jeff Patchell is managing director of Connection Magazines Pty Ltd. He operates www.worldplumbinginfo.com, an online plumbing industry knowledge bank. M e c h a n i c a l

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Compiled by Mechanical Business

1,000 YEARS 30 YEARS A miscalculation in the Royal Society’s Climate Change: A Summary of the Science report has been caught and corrected. It would take 30 years for all the CO2 in the atmosphere today to disappear, not the 1,000 that was originally reported.

SO YOU WANT TO START A BUSINESS, EH? What motivates entrepreneurs to take the plunge?

43% express a desire to work for themselves. 35% see it as a means to a better quality of life. 43% want control over their own destiny. 43% just want to start something new. A QUICK CUT

CHECK THOSE BILLS!

96.529 mph

22% 18%

The land speed record for a riding

of businesses say they have received counterfeit notes at some point.

lawnmower. Okay, we know that it’s not industry related but think how quick that would take care of your lawn after a long

stated counterfeit bank notes are a “problem.”

day dealing with toilets, furnaces and boilers.

A LOT OF HOT WATER HEAVY DUTY TOILET SEAT

1,000,000 Residential water heaters shipped in Canada each year.

1,200 pounds

57% electric 41% gas-fired 2% oil-fired

The load-bearing capacity of the extra-wide Big John toilet seat. It sits two-inches higher

20,000

than standard seats and is designed to help

Commercial water heaters shipped in Canada each year.

reduce the chances of toilets separating from walls during use.

40% electric 56% gas-fired 4% oil-fired SOURCE: NRCan

PM# 41536047 Postmaster: Please send all address changes or undeliverable copies to: Mechanical Business, 19 – 1525 Cornwall Road, Oakville, ON L6J 0B2

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