October/November 2007

I S S U E

OCT/NOV 07 $6.95

PM #41536047

P R E M I E R

THE NEXT GENERATION ®

PRESENTSTHENEW CHAMPION4FLUSHING SYSTEM PURE PERFORMANCE. PERIOD. ENGINEERED TO PERFORM MORE POWER IN MORE POWER OUT. • INDUSTRY’S LARGEST FLUSH VALVE The 4" Accelerator™ Flush Valve allows more water to enter the bowl faster for a more powerful flush. It helps keep the bowl clean and eliminates streaking.

• INDUSTRY’S LARGEST SIPHON TRAPWAY At 2-3/8", it’s the industry’s largest, fully-glazed siphon trapway.

• EVERCLEAN™ ANTI-MICROBIAL SURFACE This permanent surface helps the toilet keep itself clean by continuously inhibiting the growth of stain and odor-causing bacteria, mold and mildew.

• 10-YEAR WORRY-FREE™ WARRANTY* Covers everything for residential and commercial installations, including china and tank trim, inside and out.

THE NEW BENCHMARK

N

THE NEW BENCHMARK FLUSH COMPARISON ANALYSIS Published Flush Valve Diameter

Published Trapway Diameter

American Standard Champion 4

4”

2-3/8”

1000g

Standard

Standard

10 Years

10 Years

American Standard FloWise (HET) 4.8 Litres

4”

2-1/8”

750g

Standard

Standard

10 Years

10 Years

Eljer Titan

3”

2-1/8”

1000g

N/A

N/A

Lifetime

1 Year

3-1/4”

2-1/8”

800g

N/A

N/A

1 Year

1 Year

3-1/4”

2-1/8”

800g

N/A

N/A

1 Year

1 Year

3”

2-1/8”

900g

N/A

N/A

5 Years

1 Year

Kohler Cimarron

MaP Testing*

EverClean Speed Antimicrobial Connect

Chinaware Tank Trim Warranty Warranty

Kohler Cimarron Eco-Smart (HET) 4.8 Litres

Toto Drake

* Based on 10th edition MaP testing report - August 2007.

CHAMPION® 4 FLUSHING SYSTEM — VIRTUALLY CLOG-FREE. No other flushing system can match the capabilities of this one. With the industry’s largest 4" Accelerator™ Flush Valve and 2-3/8" trapway, your customers will never have to use the plunger again—and you won’t need to worry about callbacks.

ENGINEERED TO PERFORM This flushing system is engineered to do more and do it better. Not only does the Champion 4 Flushing System achieve the maximum MaP rating for bulk removal (1000g), but it also offers a surprising amount of water power—power that’s fully realized due to the novel design of the toilet itself.

MORE POWER IN The larger valve opening (4") of the Champion 4 pushes water into the bowl three times faster than a standard 2" flush valve. That’s also one-third faster than a 3 1/4" flush valve and almost twice as fast as a 3" flush valve.

MORE VOLUME OUT The wide-open, fully-glazed 2-3/8" trapway can move a 40% larger mass than a 2 1/8" trapway can, and an almost 70% larger mass than the industry-standard 2" trapway can.

®

Ingenuity at Work Visit the all new www.americanstandard.ca for complete details on the Champion 4 and all our new products.

And there’s lots more;

including an AC/DC converter so you can operate just with truck power, built-in voice over unit, an on-screen distance counter, and a date and time stamp.

The Gen-Eye GL system gives you all the options you need to inspect lines from 2" through 10", depending on your choice of push rod and reel size. If you’re

looking for a more compact monitor to fit a smaller space or budget, we’ve got that, too.

All this, and an honest two-year warranty as well.

For more information, see your wholesaler or call the Drain Brains® at 877-273-7246 or 412-771-6300, or visit www.drainbrain.com/geneye.

For a distributor in your area: Alberta – Tom Donaldson Co., Calgary 403-287-7933 • Edmonton 780-486-2288 British Columbia – West-Am, 877-600-0210 Manitoba – Tom Beggs Agency, 204-953-1900 Ontario – Newgen Sales, 905-895-5999 Quebec & Atlantic Canada – Rafales Agency, 514-731-3212 Saskatchewan – Asta Sales, 306-933-4125

© General Wire Spring 2007

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CONTENTS O F

The future 20Richard Trethewey leads a discussion with Robert Bean, Dan Holohan and John Sigenthaler regarding the renaissance of the hydronic heating sector and the new products, technologies and theories emerging at an impressive rate.

of hydronics

SAFETY and your sewer machine

30No matter what safety features any machine has, it’s no safer than its operator.

Check out 14 reliable safety tips. Marty Silverman

34Starting up equipment for a new season involves a number of rules, so here’s a checklist to help you as you serve your customers this season.

ELECTRONICS invade the final frontiers

60Manufacturers are scrambling to provide high-tech features in new places in the home, and contractors are being asked to ‘wire up the plumbing’ to allow users to pamper themselves in the bathroom and kitchen. Adam Pletsch

Keeping your ice nice 42Water filtration is an essential step in keeping an ice machine running properly and troublefree for many years. However, what works in one part of the country might not be the best option in another. Jeff Biel

On the cover. Richard Trethewey is the master plumber and HVAC technician on the television shows This Old House and Ask This Old House. The new seasons of both shows premier this month on PBS stations across Canada. A special thanks to Richard for volunteering for our first cover!

Atmospheric Venting TTW Venting

The Convenience of Combined Space and Water Heating The Combi2™ is the ultimate system for

Combi2™ models heat the potable

home space heating and potable hot

water in the tank. Heat from the hot

water from a single energy-saving

water is then efficiently transferred

source. The secret lies in the new

through the heat exchanger to the

double-walled, heat exchanger coil.

fluid within the coil for use in radiant

Each Combi2™ model features a

heating applications. The result is a

patented double-wall, carbon steel heat

highly effective combination system…

exchanger coil that is Vitraglas -coated

and another great idea from

for corrosion resistance and long life.

Bradford White.

®

™

Built to be the Best

www.bradfordwhite.com • 866.690.0961

COMBI2™ FEATURES • Double wall 11⁄2" O.D. glass coated (Vitraglas® ) steel coil heat exchanger • Up to 10 GPM flow, with less than 5 ft. of head loss • Vitraglas® lining provides a tough, corrosion resistant interior surface • Heavy gauge steel tank automatically formed, rolled and welded to assure a continuous seam for glass lining.

• Thermostatic Mixing Valve supplied with unit • Defender Safety System® on 50-gallon models

Bradford White is proud to be ranked “Highest in Subcontractor Satisfaction among Water Heater/Boiler Manufacturers”

by J.D. Power and Associates.

©2007, Bradford White Corporation. All rights reserved.

Bradford White received the highest numerical score among water heater/boiler manufacturers in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates/ McGraw-Hill Construction 2006 HVAC and Water Heater/Boiler Subcontractor Satisfaction StudySM. Study based on 882 responses measuring 3 water heater/boiler manufacturers and measures opinions of subcontractors. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of subcontractors surveyed in May through July 2006. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com

TA B L E

F E AT U R E S 36PUMP SELECTION How to tell what you are replacing Bill Hooper

CONTENTS O F

P E R S O N A L I T I E S 24HVAC/R Five things to know about condensing furnaces Mike Butler Mike Butler is with Desco Plumbing & Heating Supply Inc. An industry veteran, he’s Mechanical Business’s go-to person for all things related to HVAC.

26ASK ROGER 38SEASONAL START-UP GUIDE Firing up for infrared radiant heating season Adam Pletsch

40ROAD WARRIOR Ken Verniest

44TWO VIEWS The contractor/wholesaler relationship: The view from both sides Adam Pletsch

46GREASE TRAPS Neglecting maintenance can lead to clogs Randy Martin

Customer service plans and hiring Roger Grochmal Roger Grochmal is the president of Atlas Air ClimateCare in Oakville, Ontario. He will answer questions about companies, business practices, and the industry in general in every issue of Mechanical Business.

52HYDRONICS Can’t get enough of a good thing?

Expand the hydronic system Bob ‘Hot Rod’ Rohr ‘Hot Rod’ has been knee deep in plumbing, heating and solar work since he was a kid. He’s learned a lot of simple ways to install, repair and update hydronic systems. Look for his advice and tips in every issue of Mechanical Business.

72MARKETING Just brand it! Doug MacMillan Doug MacMillan is president of MacMillan Marketing Group in Guelph, Ontario. He looks forward to helping you reach your customers in an effective fashion.

77WORLD VIEW 48DEHUMIDIFICATION Ice at the ACC gets a helping hand Adam Freill

Born with a global view Jeff Patchell Jeff Patchell is the publisher of Australian based World Plumbing Review. He brings his international point-of-view to every issue of Mechanical Business.

P R O D U C T S 54Oil products 56COHA Today’s oil heat, tomorrow’s choice

58CIPH ABC Harnessing the tides of change

64HRAI Creating quality environments

D E PA R T M E N T S 8Publisher’s comment

62Focus on faucets

10From the editor’s desk

63Plumbing products

12News

68HVAC products

18Profile: Mike Dennis

70Hydronic products

75Calendar

74Refrigeration products

76List of contacts/ In the next issue

66MCAC

78By the numbers

A capital affair

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P U B L I S H E R ’ S Content Media Group Inc. 1– 2200 Speers Road Oakville, Ontario L6L 2X8 CANADA

A Team of Veteran Rookies

www.mechanicalbusiness.com Premier Issue: Oct./Nov., 2007 Published 6 times per year.

Editor: Adam Freill (905) 334-2931 adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com National Sales Manager: Dave Shaw (416) 737-9367 dave.shaw@mechanicalbusiness.com Controller: Liz Mills (416) 602-5746 liz.mills@mechanicalbusiness.com Publisher: Bruce Meacock (416) 457-9563 bruce.meacock@mechanicalbusiness.com Art Direction: JJM Graphic Ltd. davem@jjmgraphic.com Circulation Manager: Shila Naik (905) 272-4175 shila.naik@mechanicalbusiness.com Contributors: Jeff Biel, Barry Bowman, Mike Butler, Roger Grochmal, Bill Hooper, Doug MacMillan, Randy Martin, Jeff Patchell, Adam Pletsch, Bob ‘Hot Rod’ Rohr, Marty Silverman Publications Mail Agreement Number: 41536047 Postmaster – Please send all address changes or undeliverable copies to: Mechanical Business, 352-117 Lakeshore Rd. E. Mississauga, ON L5G 4T6 Subscriptions: Canada & US: $95.40 / year $15.00 single copy Outside Canada & US: $150.00 / year $25 single copy 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. © Copyright 2007. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of the publisher.

Someone called me a ‘veteran rookie’ the other day and I couldn’t have coined the phrase better. It not only accurately describes my personal situation, but also that of the collective 50-plus years of industry experience the staff of Mechanical Business has under its belt. It is also the perfect descriptor for this new concept in trade magazine publishing that you are holding.

Mechanical Business is a new magazine, with a veteran’s heart and experience.

Think of us as the Jacques Villeneuve of the NASCAR series (only without the attitude). More importantly, think of us a new direction for magazine publishing.

Gone are the lengthy articles that require you to set your business aside while you dedicate 30-plus minutes of reading time. In its place, you’ll find all the relevant information – and more – presented in a format that allows you to read at your own pace, when and where you want. Our goal is to provide you with hit-after-hit of information, specific and relevant to this trade, but in a format that allows you to read – and take value – for five minutes, or fifty-five.

Before you turn the page and begin to experience what Mechanical Business is all about, you should know an important truth about trade magazines. Despite this wealth of specialized information arriving in your mailbox without an invoice, they’re not free. In fact, they are incredibly expensive.

It is only through the goodwill of the companies that have placed advertisements that this (or any) magazine can exist. Like you, their long-term goal is to market their products and services. But given the number of marketing options available these days, their decision to place ads in trade magazines like Mechanical Business tells you a lot about these companies. They place ads in magazines because of the business value the magazines deliver to their readers. That is a deliberate choice, and one that should be acknowledged.

To each and every advertiser and friend in this premier issue of Mechanical Business, I sincerely thank you for the leap of faith you took in supporting a magazine that you had yet to even see. I hope we have lived up to, and exceeded, your expectations. Without you, none of this would have been possible.

Sincerely,

Bruce Meacock

Proud members of:

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V E N T I L AT I O N FA N S D E S I G N E D T O B E V I R T U A L LY I M P O S S I B L E T O H E A R , S E E , O R R E S I S T.

When it comes to upgrades, it’s the details that make the difference. That’s why Broan and NuTone QT Series ventilation fans are not only attractive, but also engineered to run nearly silent without sacrificing power.

They’re available in a number of Energy Star-rated models. Whichever you choose, you’ve got one easy-toinstall HVI-certified fan and one very happy customer. To locate a distributor nearest you or for additional product information, call 1-888-882-7626 or visit our Web sites: www.Broan.ca or www.NuTone.ca ©2007 Broan-NuTone, Canada Inc. is a subsidiary of Broan-NuTone LLC. Patents pending.

F R O M

T H E

E D I T O R ’ S

D E S K

Our first steps I would like to welcome you to the inaugural issue of Mechanical Business magazine. As the magazine’s first editor, the task facing myself, and the rest of our team, was to create a new style of magazine to serve the mechanical trade, one which provides the information needed by the industry, packaged in a way that you, the reader, will hopefully find interesting and entertaining.

In the time since the first business-to-business magazines entered our culture a century ago, the world has changed. Everything moves faster now. We all have less time to spend on any one task, and more tasks to tackle. We all need to get the information we are looking for more quickly and easily, so that we can move onto the next item on our to-do list. We have tried to take that into account with our articles and how we present them.

And it is not just media that is changing. The trade is changing, too. From programmable thermostats that can do everything but start the coffee maker in the morning, to computerized system design software packages, modern technicians need to have a firm grasp on technology, and need to be able to multitask like never before.

Unfortunately, perception does not always keep in step with reality, and the mechanical sector continues to face this problem.

While putting together the cover feature for this issue, Richard Trethewey commented, “I wonder if I'll live long enough for this industry to get the respect that it deserves. We are magicians bringing comfort to the building, fresh air into the building, clean hot and cold water to the fixtures, and proper removal of sewage. We provide so much towards what is considered the North American way of life. Most people take it for granted.”

Not understanding that this is a modern, vibrant industry is just another barrier that makes it difficult to attract the young people that our industry needs, especially as more experienced personnel look towards retirement. And it is unfortunate that many parents don’t understand the opportunities that lie within the trades. It would be great to hear parents brag to their friends saying, “My son is an HVAC tech,” or “My daughter just completed her plumbing apprenticeship.”

There are a lot of little steps that are necessary to change perceptions, and to get parents onside to make this happen. I like to think that the modern presentation in the pages of our magazine is one step on our journey to showing that this industry is quite advanced, and is a great place for a young person to make a career. I hope you think so, too.

Enjoy the magazine, and please let me know what you think of our efforts.

Adam Freill Editor Mechanical Business adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com

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Practically untouchable.

If you’re looking for exceptional performance with a style that your customers will love, check out the new lineup of electronic products

Electronic Soap Dispenser Model #DES-550

from Delta Commercial. We have EcoWISETM products that can help you attain LEED certification. We offer faucet flow rates from 0.5 USGPM (1.9 L/min.) and reduced flow showerheads that help to maximize water efficiency.

Electronic Gooseneck Faucet Model #3000T3470

Electronic Lavatory Faucet (Model #590T1150)

Electronic Flush Valve Model #81T201BT

To get your hands on Delta electronics, visit www.specselect.com or call 1-800-567-3300.

Products designed with the environment in mind.™

10.07

News www.mechanicalbusiness.com

American Standard to sell bath and kitchen business American Standard Companies Inc. has agreed to sell the company's worldwide bath and kitchen products business to funds advised by Bain Capital Partners, LLC, a global private investment firm, for $1.755 billion U.S. in cash.

Upon completion of the sale, Bain Capital will acquire all of American Standard's bath and kitchen business. American Standard Companies will put its focus on its HVAC division, changing its name to Trane, while retaining the American Standard brand name for its products. www.americanstandard.ca www.trane.com

Thousands raised Golfers raised more than $15,000 for the Canadian Mechanical Contracting Education Foundation (CMCEF) during the foundation’s third annual golf tournament, held in July at the Willow Valley Golf Course, just outside of Hamilton, Ont. The winning team of Jim Allison, Keith Large and Karl Cookson posted an impressive -9. On the other end of the scorecard was the most honest foursome of Dan The most honest foursome of Dan Millette, John Gellatly, Steve Payne and Chris Cuddihy receive their awards from Millette, John Sally Ross and Richard McKeagan.

Gellatly, Steve Payne and Chris Cuddihy. Others picking up hardware included Wendy Tomlinson, women’s longest drive; Julia Trinder, women’s closest to the pin; Dan Millette, men’s closest to the pin; and Bruce Passmore, men’s closest to the pin. www.cmcef.org

West continues to drive forward

OS&B selects Maritime agent Darren Ross of Ancamna Sales has been named Oakville Stamping & Bending Ltd.’s (OS&B) agent for the Maritime Provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Ancamna is located in Moncton, N.B., and can be reached at 506-863-9862. ancamna@nbnet.nb.ca

British Columbia’s construction sector is booming, and that’s not expected to stop for a couple of years yet. According to the Construction Sector Council’s (CSC) third annual edition of Construction Looking Forward: Labour Requirements from 2007 to 2015 for British Columbia, major construction projects will continue to flow into the province for the next couple of years, causing increased growth in construction employment and increased demand on the labour market. A decline in construction activity is forecasted for late 2009, which will ease labour markets back to a more manageable state, although they will remain above 2006 levels.

The full report is available on the CSC website,

$580 Million The overall venue development budget for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. Source : VANOC

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www.csc-ca.org.

Fast hands land in Niagara

Making travel plans

Kirk Simms posted the fastest time in Taco Canada’s FastHands Championships, held in Niagara Falls, Ont., in September. Simms, a technician with Ace Plumbing & Heating in Saskatoon, Sask., set the pace by replacing a pump cartridge in just 42.57 seconds.

Contractor Grant Dexter and his wife are looking forward to an Alaskan cruise after his name was drawn as the winner of Beckett Canada’s “Escape the Chill” contest. Dexter is a senior service technician with Pye Brothers Fuels in Owen Sound, Ont.

The company flew 15 regional champions from across the country Kirk Simms competes in Taco’s FastHands Championships. into Toronto, transporting them by limousine to the national championship event at the Hilton Fallsview hotel. Derrick Knee, of Sheehan Plumbing in Coquitlam, B.C., placed second, and Montreal’s Jean Marc Pitchen, of T.M. Briggs, rounded out the top three.

The top three finishers, Jean Marc Pitchen, Kirk Simms and Derrick Knee, ready for their limo ride home.

“We called the contest ‘Escape the Chill’ but we wanted the winners to have full control over how they receive their prizes,” said Garth Hunt, general manager of Beckett Canada.

“This was certainly a good idea since in the end, it seems that neither of our winners will be escaping to a sunny Caribbean island as we might have thought!” he laughs.

www.taco-hvac.com

WPC working with WHO John McBride is now the World Plumbing Council’s (WPC) liaison officer to the World Health Organisation. McBride, who has worked with the Australian Plumbing Commission for the past 10 years, will help to coordinate the development of projects that promote safe water supply and sanitation in developing countries.

"We have long felt that it is vitally important for the whole world to benefit from the latest plumbing principles and standards,” stated WPC chairman George Bliss. “Our global community had a wake-up call a few years ago with the SARS outbreak that was traced to poor plumbing and could so easily have turned into a pandemic. If we want to help prevent something like that happening again, we have to help developing nations improve their knowledge of basic plumbing principles.”

Wholesale counter representative Greg Stigge, of Bardon Supplies, Owen Sound, is also making travel plans, as the contest awarded a trip to a contractor, and his wholesale rep.

Moving Notices A.M.T.S. Limited has moved to 1425 Osprey Drive, Ancaster, Ont., L9G 4V5. The company’s phone number remains 905648-1832. www.amtscanada.com COHA Ontario has moved to 1100 Burloak Drive, Suite 300, Burlington, Ont., L7L 6B2. Contact numbers are: tel. 905-336-8943, and fax. 905-331-1768. www.coha.ca Bradford White-Canada and Laars Heating Systems Canada are now located at a single distribution centre.

The location, 1869 Sismet Road in Mississauga, Ont., offers distribution of all Bradford White and Laars products and includes a state-of-the-art training centre for both brands. They can be reached at tel.

905-238-0100. www.bradfordwhitecanada.com

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News www.mechanicalbusiness.com

Wolseley aligning North American operations Wolseley Canada is being integrated into Ferguson, the largest wholesale distributor of mechanical and industrial supplies in the United States. Both companies are part of Wolseley plc, and are well aligned with regards to product and service offerings, as well as the types of customers served, reports the company.

Spreading ‘Hugs’ in Midwestern Ontario In August, Roy Inch & Sons Service Experts celebrated the company’s 80th year with the culmination of its Home Comfort Hugs Program. Rather than having a party, company manager Peter Inch and his employees decided to provide free furnace and air conditioner maintenance services for deserving families in the region.

In addition to the 33 service calls performed, Peter, Tim and Gearld Inch had informed Mary Ann Wrona, of Sparta, Ont., that she would have her furnace serviced, but surprised her instead with a new furnace, air conditioner and fridge.

“By leveraging resources and becoming aligned operationally, we can grow more profitably, add value to our vendors and customers, and provide growth opportunities for our associates,” says Keith VanderVennet, vice-president of Canadian integration.

Wolseley Canada operates more than 270 branches across the country, with sales of over $1.3 billion. www.wolseleyinc.ca

In Ingersoll, Ont., Peter surprised another family, Paula and Wally Todd, with a new air conditioner.

Thermostat update program launched The Switch the ‘Stat program is aiming to replace the majority of older thermostats with new, energy efficient models, and to responsibly dispose of the mercury switches.

It only takes one gram of mercury to contaminate a 20-acre lake to the point where the fish are not edible for a full year. www.switchthestat.ca

Countdown to Calgary Looking for information about the 2009 WorldSkills event that will be held in Calgary? Look no further than www.worldskills2009.com.

The WorldSkills Competition is the biggest skills competition in the world of its kind, attracting 850 competitors from 47 countries.

The competition will take place September 2 - 5, 2009 in Calgary.

Launched in September, Switch the ‘Stat is a province-wide program run by the Clean Air Foundation, a Canadian not-for-profit organization, that connects home and business owners with local contractors to install energyefficient, programmable thermostats, and to ensure the safe removal and disposal of the mercury switches found in old mechanical thermostats.

“Switch the ‘Stat helps home and business owners conserve energy, save money on their energy bills, and ensures mercury switches are responsibly disposed of,” says Peter Love, Ontario’s chief energy conservation officer. “This is an important program that will contribute towards Ontario reaching its provincial energy conservation goal of saving 1,350 MW by 2010.”

Peter Love (left) assists a contractor in replacing a mercury-containing thermostat with a programmable unit.

According to Cara Sweeny, Switch the ‘Stat program manager, the program has launched initially in Ontario, but plans are in place to expand to other jurisdictions across the country. www.switchthestat.ca

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CO tests now mandatory Ontario’s Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) has re-issued a director’s order requiring G1, G2 and G3 certification holders, performing service, maintenance and/or emergency response work, to perform a CO check in the flue of gas-fired residential natural draft boilers.

carbon monoxide

The test should be performed between the heat exchanger and the draft hood, and the technician will be required to take action when the CO level is above 100 PPM. The check will be required whenever a technician enters a home with this type of boiler regardless of whether the homeowner has requested service on that boiler. The gas technician will also be expected to visually examine the boiler and take action if there are signs of spillage or poor operation.

Where a gas technician is unable to take CO measurements, the TSSA considers the boiler installation to be an unacceptable condition that does not pose an immediate hazard.

If there is a tag on the boiler, stemming from this order, no CO check is required if the tag has not yet expired. A CO check is only required if there is no tag or the tag has expired. www.tssa.org

Are you charging enough?

The Mechanical Contractors Association of Alberta recently surveyed service contractors in the province to determine an hourly costing for service work on jobs of 20 hours or less. Keep in mind that the costs do not include any level of profit. Here’s what they found: Journeyman Wage $31.73 Vacation/Stat Holiday $ 3.17

Rent/Phone/ Utilites $ 5.19 Office/Mgmt Staff $ 9.27

EI $ 1.04

Office Supplies $ 1.32

CPP $ 1.49

Vehicle cost/op depreciation $ 9.53

Workers Compensation $ 0.76 Health Care/Ins/ Medical Plan $ 1.35

Tools/Equipment $ 2.68 Advertising $ 0.58

Pension/Bonus $ 3.38

Seminars/ Education $ 0.82

Direct Labour Costs $42.92

Bad Debt on Receivables $ 0.63

Business Taxes/ Lia Bus Ins $ 5.43

Accounting/ Legal $ 3.47

Interest on Loans $ 2.45 Promotion/ Donations $ 0.67 Travel/Sales Estimates/ Inventory/ MeetingsSafety/ ProductTraining/ Call Backs $ 5.01 Overhead Costs $ 47.05 Total average hourly cost: $89.97

RMC receives international recognition HRAI received the Best-of-the-Best Stratospheric Ozone Protection award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States in September. The second such award for HRAI, this accolade recognized the institute for its Refrigerant Management Canada extended producer responsibility program.

"The 2007 Best-of-the-Best Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award winners have demonstrated sustained commitment to protection of our global environment," says Bob Meyers, principal deputy assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. "Environmental leading organizations like HRAI demonstrate that global environmental protection can go hand in hand with economic growth."

From left: HRAI chair Pierre Martin; Drusilla Hufford, director of the Stratospheric Protection Division; RMC manager April Gucciardo; and Warren Heeley, RMC president.

"These waste materials – chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) – are the principle contributors to global ozone depletion," stated Warren Heeley, president of HRAI. "We are extremely proud of the initiative and leadership shown by our members. We have led Canada’s implementation of the Montreal Protocol." www.hrai.ca/rmc M e c h a n i c a l

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People in the news www.mechanicalbusiness.com ANDREW CLARK has been promoted to national marketing manager for all product groups at Watts Industries (Canada) Inc. He will also continue to serve as product manager for a number of product groups with the company.

INDUSTRY VETERAN SWITCHES GEARS JOHAN BOUWER has retired from SFA. A 20-year veteran with SFA Saniflo Inc., Bouwer served as president of Saniflo in Canada since 1987, and held the same post in the United States from 1998 until 2006.

After operating his own electrical contracting business in Edmonton, he Bouwer forms launched Euro Sales Inc. Sanitary For All Ltd. in Toronto in 1987. Over the next two decades, he obtained approvals for the then-unique line of macerating toilet and grey water systems from various code bodies — first in Canada and then in the United States. He also helped develop the ANSI standard for macerating systems.

“Macerating systems have come a long way since the early days, when there were no standards and no plumbing codes that addressed these products,” says Bouwer.

“In fact, nobody in the plumbing industry had even heard of these systems.”

In January 2004, Bouwer changed the name of the company from Sanitary For All to SFA Saniflo Inc. Bouwer will continue to work as a consultant to SFA through his newly-formed company Euro Sales Inc. www.saniflo.com www.eurosalesinc.com

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Mike Reimer

Les Walker

Kevin Sawyer

Viega LLC has added a number of new personnel as part of the company’s business development program for Canada.

MIKE REIMER is district manager for British Columbia; LES WALKER has been named district manager for the Prairie provinces; KEVIN SAWYER is district manager for

Nico Nirschl

Olivier Roberge

Christopher Wilbur

Southwestern Ontario; NICO NIRSCHL is now district manager for Southeastern Ontario; OLIVIER ROBERGE is district manager responsible for Quebec; and CHRISTOPHER WILBUR is now the district manager for the Atlantic provinces.

GREG LAWLER has joined Uponor North America as vice-president of supply chain and as a member of the Senior Management Committee. He will provide strategic leadership to supply chain and materials management in North America, with specific responsibilities in inventory control, warehousing, transportation, purchasing and logistics.

DAVE MCPHERSON is now general manager of Rheem Canada Ltd., succeeding Dan Robertson, who has retired from the company. A 25-year veteran with the company, he most recently served as Canadian market manager for Rheem Canada. His new duties extend to all of Rheem Canada’s home and commercial comfort products.

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STEPHEN ROELL has been elected chief executive officer of Johnson Controls, Inc. The former executive vice-president and vice-chairman of the company was also elected chairman of Johnson Controls' Board of Directors.

A 25-year veteran with Johnson Controls, Roell was named vicechairman in 2005 and executive vice-president in 2004. He served as senior vice-president and chief financial officer from 1991 to 2004.

Martin Luymes

April Gucciardo

Glenda Mulligan

Tammy Stevens

HRAI recently announced a number of staffing changes at the organization. MARTIN LUYMES has been promoted to vicepresident; APRIL GUCCIARDO is now manager of Refrigerant Management Canada; GLENDA MULLIGAN is the manager of HRAC; and TAMMY STEVENS has joined HRAI as a member services representative for contractor (HRAC) and associate members.

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Identify an unpressed connection during pressure testing when water or air flows past the sealing element.

1

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Tools and jaws for ProPress and ProPressG fittings

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RIDGID is a registered trademark of Ridge Tool Company.

SL-AD-PP42

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Profile www.mechanicalbusiness.com

Dennis recognized for industry contributions We sat down with Michael Dennis, president of Moen Inc., Canada and Latin America, a 26-year veteran of the plumbing industry in Canada, to find out a little bit more about what makes him tick, and what he sees as pressing issues facing this sector. Dennis has become the seventh recipient of the Joseph K. Seidner Award. Presented during the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating’s Annual Business Conference, the award is in recognition of Dennis’ contributions to Canadian plumbing codes and standards.

Q

Professionally, you did not start in the plumbing sector. What prompted you to change industries?

A

I was in the paint industry for several years, but left for an opportunity to work with a leading brand in the plumbing industry.

Q A

What do you enjoy most about this industry?

Q A

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I enjoy the challenge. We are not involved just in faucets for the wholesale side of the business. We lead in marketshare in wholesale faucets, retail faucets and bath accessories across the country. There’s a fair amount of diversity in that; meeting a variety of people and working with a number of people to help grow those businesses.

I’ve also enjoyed working with our folks in Latin America to turn that business around and get it moving in the right direction.

A

Issues like sustainability are on the horizon now. Depending on where you live, be it by country or region of a country or city, sustainability will be an issue. And if you are in an area, such as a desert or a part of Canada where there are fairly serious fresh water supply issues now, I think that’s going to come at you that much quicker.

A

Everybody in the industry acknowledges that we are facing those issues, and I think everybody really wants to work hard to make sure that we manage it properly and implement programs and changes with standards that everybody can manage and deliver the very best for the consumer and for the environment.

A

What are some of the changes that you have observed over the past 26 years?

There have been lots of changes.

Domestic manufacturing has become secondary to our industry. We are now dealing in a global economy. We are dealing with customers that are global customers. The retail impact on driving the sales of plumbing products is tremendously different that what it was in 1981.

A

In finished plumbing, it has really become a fashion business. Our product line has expanded tremendously to meet the ever-changing needs and tastes of the consumers and end-users.

Q

What challenges do you see approaching the plumbing industry?

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There’s going to be a lot of people retiring over the next seven to 10 years, and I’m not sure that we have the stable of backup horsepower needed to take some of those jobs and move the industry forward. I love it when I see new people come into the industry, and take a different approach.

What do you enjoy at work?

Developing new business; be it with a builder, with a plumber or a retail customer. We are very much focused on growing our business. Anything that we can do to grow, I like to get involved in.

What do you do to unwind from business?

I come from a large family. Although I have two kids, I come from a family of nine, and my wife has a family of five, plus all the extended family, so we do a lot of family stuff. I work out every day. I try to spend as much family time as I can, and as much time that I can with my nephews.

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CIPH chairman Ken Webster (Viessmann Manufacturing Inc.) presents Michael Dennis (Moen Inc.) with the Joseph K. Seidner Award.

ABOUT MIKE Mike Dennis, president, Moen Inc., Canada and Latin America.

BIO Mike Dennis has been involved in the plumbing sector in Canada for 26 years, serving with Jacuzzi and American Standard prior to joining Moen in 1991. He started with Moen as vice-president of wholesale sales in 1991, was appointed vicepresident and general manager in 1993, and president in 1997. In August of 2003 was appointed president of Moen’s Latin American subsidiaries.

FAMILY Wife: Julie Children: Two. Son Sean is 25 and daughter Jennifer is 22.

He grew up in Etobicoke, Ont., and currently resides in Oakville, Ont.

EDUCATION Mike Dennis attended Wilfrid Laurier University, doing all of his postsecondary schooling at night to earn a diploma in business administration.

He is also a graduate of the Executive Program at the University of Western Ontario.

HOBBIES Enjoys golf, reading and travels a lot for business.

BOARDS, COMMITTEES, ASSOCIATIONS & AWARDS Is currently, or has been, a member of: Canadian Advisory Council on Plumbing; CSA B125 Committee; CSA Strategic Standards Steering Committee; CIPH’s Plumbing Industry Advisory Council, including serving six years as its chair; CIPH Board of Directors, where he served for 11 years including two years as chairman of the board; and CIPH Charity Committee, serving as chair from 2001 to 2003. In 2006, he received the Outstanding Service Award from CIPH.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

CANADA

B R A N D S O F A N V I L I N T E R N AT I O N A L Anvil® product lines include malleable and cast iron fittings, unions and flanges; seamless steel pipe nipples; steel pipe couplings; universal anvilets; forged steel fittings and unions; pipe hangers and supports; threaded rod; and engineered hangers.

AnvilStar™ offers a complete line of products for the fire protection industry, including Gruvlok® couplings, fittings, flanges; valves, and roll groovers; steel pipe nipples and couplings; cast and malleable iron threaded and flanged fittings; pipe hangers and supports; Merit tee-lets, drop nipples; steel welding flanges; SPF grooved couplings, fittings, and flanges; SPF cast iron and ductile iron threaded fittings, o’lets, steel pipe nipples; and Mueller valves and indicator posts.

The Gruvlok® product line consists of couplings for grooved and plain-end fittings, butterfly valves and check valves; flanges; pump protection components; pipe grooving tools; as well as copper and stainless steel system components.

Anvil-Strut™ products include a complete line of channel in stock lengths of 10 and 20 feet, with custom lengths available upon request. A variety of fittings and accessories are also offered.

All products can be ordered in an assortment of finishes, and material choices of Supr-Green, pre-galvanized, hot-dip galvanized, stainless steel and aluminum.

JB Smith™ is the leading manufacturer of oil country tubular fittings, swages and bull plugs – all meeting API specifications.

Offering tubing nipples, casing nipples as well as a full line of traditional line pipe and oil country threads in every schedule, JB Smith is the resource for all your oilfield needs.

Catawissa™ NACE and API approved wing unions for Standard and Sour Gas Service are offered in non-pressure seal ends as well as threaded and butt weld, and are interchangeable with most leading union manufacturers.

Fully traceable and available with complete mill certifications, Catawissa’s oilfield wing union product line includes the standard ball-and-cone design plus our unique Figure 300 Flat Face design, where space and pipe line separation are a consideration.

The SPF/Anvil™ product line includes a variety of internationally sourced products such as grooved couplings, fittings and flanges, cast iron, malleable iron and ductile iron threaded fittings, steel pipe nipples, as well as o’lets.

The Merit ® product line includes a variety of tee-lets, drop nipples, and steel welding flanges for fire protection applications. Most Merit® products are UL/ULC Listed, FM Approved, and rated from 175 to 300 psi.

Beck steel pipe nipples and steel pipe couplings are manufactured in accordance with the ASTM A733 Standard Specification for Welded and Seamless Carbon Steel and Stainless Steel Pipe Nipples. Steel pipe couplings are manufactured in accordance with the ASTM A865 Standard Specification for Threaded Couplings, Steel, Black or Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) Welded or Seamless, for Use in Steel Pipe Joints. Beck API couplings are manufactured in accordance with the API Specification for line pipe.

The Leaders Hydronics

The future of hydronics: With Robert Bean, Dan Holohan, John Sigenthaler and Richard Trethewey The renaissance of the hydronic heating sector has been going strong for quite some time now, with new products, technologies and theories emerging at an impressive rate. Mechanical Business turned to some of the biggest names in the business to get their views on the industry, what they have seen in their time in hydronic heating, along with a bit of helpful advice.

Robert Bean, R.E.T., is a Registered Engineering Technologist and the author of the Residential Radiant Hydronics Design Certification Course delivered by the Heating Refrigeration Air Conditioning Institute of Canada. He is the developer and moderator for www.healthyheating.com.

Dan Holohan is the president of Dan Holohan Associates. He has been involved in the heating sector since the early 70’s, and currently operates www.heatinghelp.com. A well-respected author, he has written more than a dozen books covering almost every aspect of hydronics.

Richard Trethewey is the master plumber and HVAC technician on the television shows This Old House and Ask This Old House. He is a licensed master and journeyman plumber in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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John Siegenthaler, P.E., is a licensed professional engineer and principal of Appropriate Designs. He is also an associate professor of engineering technology at Mohawk Valley Community College and is the author of Modern Hydronic Heating. His company can be found online at www.hydronicpros.com.

• Robert Bean • Dan Holohan • John Siegenthaler • Richard Trethewey

How long have you been involved in radiant heating?

RB First studied it in school back in 1981.

JS To grow the market share of homes and commercial buildings using hydronic heating.

DH Since ’91, when I did a joint seminar called “Something Old – Something New” with Richard Trethewey.

RT It is a shortage of new talent entering the industry. Who will install, fix, adjust and build when the current generation is retired?

JS 28 years.

RT I first saw the radiant renaissance when I went to Germany in 1986. The first radiant job I did was the same year, in my own kitchen that I was remodelling.

What is the most significant advance/ change that you have experienced during your career in this industry?

RB The role of the computer in facilitating design, communication and education.

DH The Internet.

JS The use of PEX and PEX-AL-PEX tubing in place of previously allmetal piping systems.

RT The level of sophistication in residential heating appliances and heating systems is mind boggling. When I first got into this game, heat was a very hot boiler or an oversized furnace with bad ductwork. Consumers want and expect a higher level of comfort and efficiency these days.

What is the biggest challenge facing this industry?

RB After 30 or more years the market share has essentially remained stagnant at six per cent, and the number of skilled contractors is declining.

DH I think that contractors must learn how to explain complicated

JS Promote the "greeness" of properly done hydronic systems, along with their superior comfort.

things in simple terms of plain English to customers.

RT Fuel costs will force consumers to look for more than a clock thermostat or a little more insulation.

The HVAC contractor must be a comfort doctor understanding humidity, building science and true energy efficiency.

What can be done to address this challenge?

What are some of the emerging trends or technologies that contractors should be investigating?

RB The CEO’s and their PR/ marketing/sales teams need to study the role collaboration plays in this new era. Organizations are collaborating on key industry initiatives and demonstrating success. There are more other right steps to take though.

RB I’m a firm believer that addition should come from subtraction, in other words any useful trend or technology must eliminate, simplify or reduce the current number of trends and technologies. That’s why I’m a big fan of boiler rooms in a box. A single SKU replaces hundreds of others, simplifies everything from inventory management to service calls.

DH A 2 X 4 upside the head comes to mind.

JS In the U.S., there needs to be a coordinated and well-funded marketing campaign to promote the benefits of hydronics. Such an effort is already underway in Canada.

DH Modulating-condensing boilers, variable-speed pumping and micro-CHPs.

RT It's a paradigm shift about what success is. Parents need to be proud to say, "My kid installs heating and cooling systems," or "My kid delivers comfort and efficiency; he's a PHD – plumbing, heating doctor!"

JS 1. Variable-speed pressure-regulating circulators. 2. Internetaccessible control systems. 3.

Hydraulic separation as a replacement to primary/secondary piping. 4. BTU metering. 5.

Residential and light commercial chilled water cooling systems.

How can this sector grow its market share?

RB The challenge of market share is complex and compounded. To put it into perspective, calculate the hydronics market share as a percentage of annual consumer spending instead of a percentage of HVAC systems. Consumers spend more money on their outdoor living environments and pets than on indoor environments.

DH By thinking in terms of the customer’s self-interest. It’s our story, but it’s got to be about them.

RT Renewable energy has to be part of our future. We are running out of fossil fuels and need to make solar and geothermal a viable part of our offering. This requires specialized training that is more than a two-hour seminar at a trade show.

Micro-CHP Combined heat and power (CHP) technologies produce both electricity and steam from a single fuel at a facility located near the consumer. A micro-CHP system is a professionally-installed space and water heating appliance for residential and commercial application. www.uschpa.admgt.com

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The Leaders Hydronics What is the most expensive residential system you’ve ever seen? How much did it cost?

RB I get to visit a lot of great architecture all over North American so that’s a difficult question to answer. I’d say it’s a toss-up between two estates, one in the Virginia area and the other In Montana. These mechanical systems were both over $850,000.

DH I’ve seen a bunch, and some went for more than a million bucks.

JS A custom residential system for hydronic heating and cooling in the range of $150,000 U.S. – installed.

RT We do a lot of design work on many monstrously large houses, particularly on the moneyed islands local to us. Some of these mechanical contracts have exceeded $500,000. It’s kind of crazy really. Many of these homes are second and third homes as well. The paradox is

that we save more fuel with great equipment and system design for the people that don't really seem to care about operating expense.

If you could only offer one piece of advice to contractors who are involved in the sales, installation and servicing of these systems, what would that be?

RB My challenge to industry participants is before taking another class on boilers, controls, pipe, pumps and valves, become grounded in principals of human factor design.

DH Read every day.

JS Don't install plate-less, staple-up radiant floor heating systems.

RT Say what you'll do and then do what you say. It is simple advice obviously. Word of mouth travels fast and far when you are a man or woman of your word.

Time to get a little serious... or not.

What’s your favourite movie of all time?

RB Don’t have one. How about favourite series of books: King Rat, Tai-Pan, Shogun, Noble House and Whirlwind all by James Clavell.

DH The Godfather, Part II. “Leave the gun; take the canolli.”

JS The Ten Commandments with Charleton Heston.

RT Can't seem to click by the original "Godfather" when it's on. Just the trials and tribulations of a small family business I guess.

What’s your favourite leisure time activity?

RB Reading.

DH Reading.

Comfort without Compromise

JS Cycling.

RT I am a boater. I love it out on the water. I have sailed out and back to Bermuda a bunch of times and like the challenge of getting the sailboat safely to and from. It is an engineering, organization and logistical challenge. Some folks call it crazy too. My wife and kids joined me this year and they actually liked it. Not sure how leisurely it is, however.

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Dog or cat person?

RB K9.

DH Catwoman.

JS Dog, for sure.

RT I grew up a dog person until my boys brought home a cat that won me over. Simon is the ultimate "Cat-dog." Jumps up on my lap; always wants to cuddle like a puppy. I'd have to say, cat guy now.

HVAC

By Mike Butler

Five things to know about The first forced air furnaces were very basic machines with a heat exchanger, a series of ribbon burners, and a blower to move the heat through the duct system.

AFUE defined: The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, or AFUE, is Fast forward to today and a measure of a gas furnace's even the most basic furnace efficiency in converting fuel to has an efficiency of 80 per energy. The higher the rating, cent AFUE and a reasonably the more efficient the unit. sophisticated control system – for the money, good value. Going a few steps further, a condensing furnace produces up to 95 per cent AFUE, meaning that it is considerably more energy efficient.

But what differences are there when one steps away from the conventional 80 AFUE unit to a condensing furnace? Here are a number of things to consider.

exhaust, causing condensation within the vent pipe, hence the term ‘condensing furnace.’

The primary heat exchanger may be a clam shell type, a tubular design, or a combination of the two. It is usually fabricated from aluminized or stainless steel. The secondary heat exchanger can be fabricated from aluminized steel, stainless steel or plastic.

2. FAN SECTION The next biggest development in the furnace can be found in the fan section.

Originally, furnaces used a belt-drive blower motor with various combinations of pulleys and belts to achieve the desired air flow.

In the 1970s, this changed to a directdrive, multi-speed motor. More recently, however, the variable-volume DC motor appeared. Introduced and manufactured

by General Electric, this is now the motor of choice as it offers both performance and energy efficiency.

1. HEAT EXCHANGER SECTION The heart of any furnace system is the heat exchanger. The conventional 80 AFUE furnace uses a single heat exchanger, usually made from aluminized steel, to heat the air. This allows 80 per cent of the heat produced to go into the home, while 20 per cent goes up the chimney with the products of combustion. This furnace requires combustion air, which comes from the home itself.

A quiet and efficient ultra-low continuous fan speed helps maintain an even temperature throughout the home by making hot spots cooler and cool spots warmer. By gradually increasing and decreasing the fan speed, air sound is significantly reduced.

Most manufacturers also offer an insulated blower On the other hand, with a compartment for further sound reduction. high-efficiency condensing furnace, the manufacturer uses a primary heat exchanger With the sophistication of the condensing furnaces, manufacturers developed more with 80 per cent comprehensive warranties. The consumer wants assurances that the manufacturer believes efficiency and a in their product. secondary heat These warranties need to be compared very carefully. Primary and secondary heat exchanger that adds exchangers may have limited lifetime coverage (sometimes this is only to the original up to 15 per cent more.

A word about warranties

This second pass takes more heat out of the exhaust to add more heat to the home.

This process lowers the temperature of the

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homeowner). Some offer a free replacement furnace if the heat exchanger fails within the first 10 years. Some have a seven-year warranty on all other functional parts. Some offer only five years on functional parts.

The consumer will want to fully understand the warranty coverage, so the contractor must know – and be able to discuss – this topic in great detail or risk losing the sale.

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• Heating economically and efficiently

CONDENSING FURNACES 3. GAS SECTION The big story in today’s gas heating is multistage heating.

Conventional furnaces had a basic on/off gas valve to deliver heat to the home. Now, consumers have an option of either a two-stage gas valve or, in some cases, a fully-modulating valve.

The jury is still out on this one as to which is the best choice, but clearly both are significantly better than the old on/off valve.

The old 80/20 rule applies here. In a city like Toronto, only 20 per cent of the heating season requires full output of the heating compartment (high fire). The other 80 per cent of the time, a low-fire furnace would suffice. This saves energy and drastically reduces temperature swings.

4. VENTING All gas furnaces require venting of the exhaust gases from the home.

The old method, still used today with conventional furnaces, is a metal pipe running up through the house to the roof.

Known as a one pipe exhaust system, combustion air is drawn from the home – usually in the basement area. A downside to this method was that this air must be replaced by infiltration of outside air through cracks around windows, doors, etc.

The new high-efficiency furnaces are designed with a two-pipe system that brings all the combustion air into the furnace from outside and then exhausts the spent gases outside.

This does not put the house under a negative pressure and stops conditioned air inside the home being used for the combustion process.

5. CONTROL SYSTEMS Today, sophisticated systems integrate all the various controls to harmonize with each other in the operation of the furnace.

State-of-the-art electronic controls constantly monitor and control the system operation A variable speed motor costs about as and allow for much as a 75-watt lightbulb to operate. advanced diagnostics. Should a problem occur, a trouble code will be retained. This is a great time saver for service technicians. Two-stage gas valves, twospeed induced draft blower assemblies, and direct hot surface ignition systems all help to make the furnace operate at maximum efficiency.

SYSTEM 636 As of this past summer, all gas furnaces and water heaters must use System 636 flue gas venting demanded by the code. This is a fully-certified system of pipe, fittings and cement.

System 636 PVC (white pipe) is rated for temperatures up to 65 degrees C. System 636 CPVC (grey pipe) is rated for temperatures up to 90 degrees C.

High efficiency furnaces are vented by means of a plastic pipe generally run through the side wall of the home. Until recently, this plastic pipe was primarily black ABS. As of this past August, all installations must use white PVC 636 or grey CPVC 636 venting material. (See sidebar on System 636.)

Mike Butler is with Desco Plumbing & Heating Supply Inc. To send him comments or questions, send an e-mail to sales@desco.ca.

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with Roger Grochmal

Customers, service plans and hiring Customers treat our product and service like they would a trip to the dentist. How do I help them feel like this is a valuable service to them?

In my experience, customers respond best to people who are passionate about what they do. Most of us in this business are very strong technicians. Those who illicit the best responses from customers are those who are truly passionate, not only about what they do but the companies they work for.

Your energy, enthusiasm and commitment will shine through. I’ve found that participation on industry boards and committees is a great way to draw on the passion of your peers as well, while staying abreast of what’s happening.

The second thing that usually gets a good response is to communicate well.

Spell out the expectations a customer can have as you take them through the process, whether it is a service call or an installation. Be an active listener to ensure that you address the customer’s concerns. If they know what to

Roger Grochmal is the president of Atlas Air ClimateCare in Oakville, Ontario.

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expect, there is a positive sense of anticipation. After all, if the dentist can make you appreciate when the drill is coming, there is less apprehension about the drill actually arriving.

The buzz words today are experiential marketing. We need to create an experience for the homeowner that is better than what they get from other service providers in their home. We need to be on time, respect their home, give them options, spell out expectations, reassure them at every step and be passionate about what we do.

If they enjoy the experience, they will value the service. And, most importantly, they will talk about it.

Should I be selling service plans? Do you have any tips that will help us develop a service agreement that is in everyone’s best interests – the customer and my company?

We have an obligation to our customers to get them into the maintenance habit. With so many warranties today, many consumers think they don’t need maintenance because if something breaks they will just have it fixed under warranty. Of course, maintenance encompasses far more than good repair.

It is about keeping the filters clean, avoiding an emergency situation, managing energy consumption and keeping things safe. These benefits for homeowners sometimes get lost in the discussion about extended warranties.

The advantages to the contractor are considerable, too. We ensure steady work for our technicians, generate regular cash flows and create opportunities to be in front of customers. I think service contracts are an opportunity for us to be a true partner in our customer’s HVAC requirements. I suggest to our technicians, when they talk to customers with older equipment, that they should tell them to begin budgeting for replacement. This is a great phrase. People should not feel forced into having to buy today, but merely that they should begin preparing to make a replacement purchase in the next

The Astro Express Hot Water Re-Circulation System beats the competition in every category – hands down.

IT’S STRONGER. With a precision-engineered forged-brass valve and a rugged circulator with the capacity of anything else on the market, it’s a clear winner for quality, durability and strength.

IT’S FASTER. Our retrofit system doesn’t require a dedicated line, so you can install it in as little as 30 minutes flat. Quality parts and an adjustable flow rate mean zero maintenance, and our one-size-fits-all solution ensures you’ll always have the right model in your truck.

IT’S SIMPLY BETTER.

Designed to be the highest-quality, most dependable system on the market, the pump can handle the widest range of homes, from a small bungalow to a sprawling ranch-style house. The quality, comfort and convenience factors make it an easy upsell – and a great way to boost your sales and profitability.

For more information please contact your local distributor.

www.armstrongpumps.com/astroexpress 10.304

couple of years. This means there is no surprise when the time comes. Prepare a long-range needs sheet so you can help customers plan.

RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX, the knight is engineered to the highest standard, with up to 98% low temperature efficiency, full modulation with 5:1 turndown, and a lineup of built-in features UNMATCHED BY ANY OTHER MODULATING-CONDENSING BOILER... > Outdoor Reset > LCD Display Uses Words, Not Codes > Cascade up to 8 Boilers > 3-Pump Control > 0-10 Vdc BMS Input > PC / Pocket PC Software Capable

Finally, I think it is important to offer convenient monthly payments – it takes a little effort with a bank to set this up, and there may be a small fee involved, but the advantages far outweigh these issues. Twenty-five dollars a month is a lot more attractive to most consumers than paying $300 all at once, and the renewal is automatic so there is less risk of losing plan members each year.

> Circulating Pump (models 80-285) > PVC Venting up to 100 Ft. > Natural to LP Conversion Kit > Condensate Removal System > 7 Models from 80,000 to 500,000 Btu/Hr CONSIDER ALL OF KNIGHT’S BUILT-IN EXTRAS, AND YOU MIGHT THINK WE NEED A BIGGER BOX.

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4390 Paletta Court • Burlington, Ontario L7L 5R2

Phone (905) 631-5815 • Fax (905) 637-8655 www.aquatech.ws

The industry’s largest selection of 4-position fixed and variable capacity gas furnaces that deliver 95% AFUE High Efficiency Two-Stage Variable Speed Furnace

High Efficiency 4-Position Gas Furnace

Call today or visit our Web site to find a distributor near you. Ask for the Olsen HVAC line CD-ROM!

At my company, we strive to be an employer of choice, by celebrating our people, compensating our field staff at the highest levels in the industry, through profit-sharing, and by involving them in other areas of the business, such as marketing. They are permanent staff, not contractors who work only when there are service calls, so there is more job security.

?

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I believe this is one of the most pressing concerns for any skilled trades-related business. Supply is simply not keeping up with demand. Contractors need to actively recruit, and by this I mean we need to participate at the high school level, both in talking to classes of students and in hiring co-op students. We can participate in the technical colleges by being involved in advisory boards, as well as speaking to classes and participating in career fairs. If you do that, you will find it is not a crowded field and that young people are looking for someone who shows an interest in them when they look to choose a career.

Three other pieces of advice: training, training, training. I like to think of training as an investment. We think nothing in this industry of spending $30,000 on a truck that depreciates the minute we drive it, and only serves to get one man to one job.

When you invest in your people’s skills, they appreciate in value and deliver this to every customer, every day, as long as they continue to work for you. I believe it is money well spent.

Keeping families warm for more than 60 years.

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The shortage of skilled workers is affecting my business, and I’ve got two guys ready to retire next year. Where do you get good people, and how do you keep them?

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To submit a question to Roger 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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SAFETY & SEWER EQUIPMENT

By Marty Silverman

SAFETY and your s A HORROR STORY: A man tells his helper to put a drain-cleaning machine in a ditch filled with water. The frayed extension cord lies across the wet ground. The helper, wearing rubber boots, tries to use the machine but complains he is getting shocked.

The man calls his helper a sissy and gets in the ditch wearing street shoes. When he turns the machine on, he is electrocuted.

This story could have been avoided. The following is a list of 14 simple safety precautions. Read them. They may not prevent all accidents, but following them could help to keep you from suffering the same fate as the men in this story.

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1

Rule one is, and always will be: The simple use of common sense will keep you out of most dangerous situations. Think about where you are using this equipment before you turn the machine on.

7

Wear only leather gloves. Never use any other type of glove, such as cloth or rubber when handling the cable as these can get caught between the coils of the cable and take off a finger.

2

Machines should be checked for damaged power cords, pulled out strain reliefs, damaged switches and missing ground prongs.

8

Drum-type machines and sectional machines designed for close-up operation should be placed within two feet of the drain. If you can't get the machine this close, run the cable through a pipe to prevent cable whipping.

3

All machines should have a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). The GFCI should be integrated into the power cord, so that not only the machine is protected, but the cord as well.

9

Don't force the cable through the blockage. Let the cutter do the work. You won't get the job done any faster and you could damage the cable or injure yourself.

Excessive torque on the cable can cause it to whip and kink, and injure the operator in the process.

4

The machine must be plugged into a properly grounded outlet. If the ground wire is electrofied, the operator can be electrocuted just by touching the machine. Be sure to use a UL/CSA approved tester to make sure the outlet is safe.

5

Ensure that all machines use a pneumatic foot pedal, an air bubble connected to the machine through an air hose, so that there's no electricity running from the pedal to the machine.

The wires and switching should take place at the motor, several feet above the wet floor.

6

If the power cord supplied with the machine is not long enough, be sure to use a three-wire heavy-duty extension cord that is in good condition. Using lighter cords can result in severe power loss and motor overheating.

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• Common sense for sewer safety solutions

r sewer machine 10

If using a sectional walk-behind machine, don't touch the cable at all while it's spinning. There's no need to. Use a cable-feeding tool if you are having trouble getting the cable started in the drain. If you try to force the cable in by hand, you could lose a finger.

11

Always wear safety glasses when operating the machine to protect your eyes from debris that may spray from the drain.

12

Drain cleaners are designed for one person operation only. The person controlling the foot pedal or ON/OFF switch should also be the same person controlling the cable.

13

Make sure your machine has a belt guard.

14

Read the instructions provided with your machine.

Follow the maintenance procedures outlined in it.

And replace worn or lost safety decals.

No matter what safety features a machine has, no machine is safer that its operator. Make sure that you and your personnel are well-versed in the proper safety procedures for your machine.

Does operating a drain-cleaning machine have to be dangerous? No. Just like driving a car, don't run red lights, pay attention to what you're doing, and use common sense.

Marty Silverman is the marketing manager with General Pipe Cleaners. For more information about drain cleaning equipment, e-mail info@drainbrain.com.

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www.lyncar.com M e c h a n i c a l

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The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating L’institut canadien de plomberie et de chauffage invites you to attend

Fill’erupto $1.5million A Gala Evening in support of Habitat for Humanity Canada

With Brent Butt from

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto Your ticket includes • Dinner • Silent Auction • Live Auction • Black Tie Optional The Gala Evening takes place on the eve of CMX-CIPHEX 2008, CIPH's and HRAI's trade show and conference for the air conditioning, heating (forced air and hydronic), hearth, plumbing, piping, refrigeration and ventilation industries.

CMX-CIPHEX 2008 takes place March 27, 28 & 29th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto.

The 8th Gala Evening is produced by the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH). Since 1994, CIPH members have contributed more than $3.5 million in cash and products to Habitat for Humanity Canada. Tickets on sale now at www.ciph.com or by faxing CIPH at (416) 695-0450.

For more information on CIPH and the Gala Evening, visit www.ciph.com.

For information on Habitat for Humanity Canada, visit www.habitat.ca

CONCERNS ABOUT DISEASE TRANSMISSION THROUGH WASTEWATER There has been an increasing concern about disease transmission through waste water, particularly HIV and HBV (hepatitis).

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The study HIV and the bloodborne pathogen regulation: implications for the wastewater industry concludes, "It appears unlikely that transmission of HIV could occur in a wastewater treatment setting."

In the U.S., the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers of healthcare workers to have their employees inoculated for hepatitis B. A number of large plumbing contractors are already doing the same for their employees.

Healthcare workers use a solution of one part chlorine bleach to twenty parts water when they get blood on clothing. The cable can be cleaned the same way.

Standard precautions for cleanliness around wastewater should be followed. Never touch a cable with your bare hands, and wash your hands after completing a job.

Tetanus, dysentery, and many other maladies have always been around and should be protected against.

– Marty Silverman

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FURNACE START-UP CHECKLIST

By Barry Bowman

Starting up equipment for a new season involves a number of rules, so here’s a checklist to help you as you serve your customers this season.

There are some things that seem to always get forgotten. The first is to check the rating information on all of the appliances to make sure that they are approved for use in your jurisdiction, and that they are properly installed.

THE LIST Vent termination

1

Check the vent termination or chimney. If it is connected to a lined chimney, or B vent, verify that it has not deteriorated over the years. Liners corrode, birds build nests, and caps fall off or rot away. Make sure it meets code and/or manufacturer’s specs. If the equipment is mid or high efficiency, verify that the termination meets manufacturer’s specs and/or code, as well.

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Pressure Check the gas pressure in the house piping, as well as the manifold pressure.

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• Barry Bowman recently retired as an instructor from HRAI’s SkillTech Academy

Thermostat

Ignition On older gas appliances, check the pilot flame and clean the pilot burner if there is not a perfect flame. Also, check the thermocouple readings and dropout. Remember, a closed-circuit test is the only one that is important.

On newer gas appliances, check the hot surface or spark igniter and flame rod (if required), and don’t forget to check the wiring between the igniter and module. Some appliances may have a pilot, so make sure that both the pilot and main burner light properly. If the unit has direct ignition of main burner, really make sure that the burner ignites properly.

3

Electronics

6

Depending on the condition of the appliance, testing for proper electrical voltage and/or amperage may be necessary. Some buildings don’t have 120 volts. If there is a flame safeguard, check the reading at the flame rod.

7

Other equipment

3.

If you are there to check the heating appliance, have a look around at other appliances, such as gas fireplaces and domestic water heaters. You might find a small problem now, before it becomes a large problem.

Millivolt systems

8

If part of the building heating system is a gas fireplace, it will likely be controlled by a millivolt system. Millivolt systems operate on a very low voltage that is more complicated than an appliance with just a thermocouple (some fireplaces have both), so understanding how to check these low-voltage appliances is critical (and sometimes not easy). Proper training on millivolt systems will help with these appliances.

Communicate

10

Talk to your customer again, before you leave. Explain what you have done, and about the condition of the equipment. Don’t lie, and don’t hide anything you have found. Customers appreciate early warnings more than making emergency calls to their friendly neighbourhood contractor.

Check the thermostat. Adjust the setting, so that it starts appliance. Do not let the customer perform this function. They will turn it up by a degree or two – but not enough to actually start the unit.

4

Operation

5

To properly inspect the operation of the appliance, this process should be much more than checking to see that the burner ignites and the fan starts. Look at the fire to determine if the burner is operating properly. Check around the burner area for signs of faulty performance. Inspect the blower for any build up of dirt on the impeller. And check the filter or filters. Dirty filters are the single most common problem with forced air heating.

Run the appliance through a complete cycle, checking for proper operation of the burner and fan cycles. Look for carbon build up in the burner compartment. Even the smallest amount of carbon (soot) is an indication of poor combustion and could result in a plugged heat exchanger and/or the production of carbon monoxide (CO).

Carbon monoxide Before you pack up, get out your CO tester and check for carbon monoxide. Around the appliance, through the house, whatever it takes to make you comfortable that CO is not being produced in the building. Nothing is more important than this step. If CO is found, follow your company policy and any code requirements that might come into play. Never ignore CO. Your life may change if you do.

9

All about CO Carbon monoxide (CO) is odourless, colourless and tasteless. In most situations when CO is being produced from fuel burning appliances, aldehydes are also produced. Aldehydes tend to irritate the eyes and nose, but they may not always cause these symptoms. As such, unlike when dealing with fire or smoke, one cannot always tell when CO is present.

This makes it very dangerous.

CO detectors can decrease in ability over time, so there is only one way to protect oneself from CO, and that is to not produce CO. The best defence against producing CO remains having every appliance that is capable of producing CO checked by a qualified person before the start of every heating season.

Rule 11 (supplemental) Don’t forget to get paid before you leave.

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PUMP SELECTION

By Bill Hooper

How to tell what you are replacing pump, your parts supplying life gets easier. Most of the time, however, you need to don your detective hat and pull out the magnifying glass to get things right.

Okay, tell the truth, have you ever ordered a part that did not fit, and now you are stuck with it in your stock? To make it worse, nobody wants it back. Not only is that no fun, it is not very profitable either.

With all that dust, a myriad of different parts, and the five layers of paint, that pump on site can be harder to identify than the crazy math stuff your kids bring home from school – you know, when they count on you WHAT’S IT USED FOR? for some help.

I can guarantee that you are not alone, and it is getting more difficult to get parts selection right on “mystery” pumps.

There are fewer plumbers out there who remember these three-piece boosters, and it seems like there are even fewer who like to fix them too!

A

Is the original colour gold? If so, this is a bronze pump for domestic hot water service, and could have different parts than a cast iron version. Cast iron is not suitable for domestic hot water service.

C B F G D E

PUMP DATA Why are plumbers so reluctant to enjoy a good and profitable replacement parts and labour business? Is it only based on the parts cost? Maybe not. Perhaps some of the reluctance to keep the old pumps running is due to the difficulty in getting the right parts, or the hassle involved in getting it right.

Overall Length (A): 2 or 4-bolt flange (B): Space between flange bolt holes (C): Flange-to-flange measurement (D): Motor HP Size (E):

In some of these older systems, it can be a real benefit to leave the existing pump in the system and repair it.

After all, the newer wet rotor pumps run faster and have different capacity curve characteristics in most cases, so why risk a call-back?

Voltage (E):

So again, we find ourselves back at, “How can we cut down on parts selection errors when trying to figure out what this customer has on-site?”

If the pump tag is still in place, or the owner kept excellent records on the

Casting Number (G):

Single Phase or Three Phase (E): Pipe Size: Bearing Assembly: Part Number (F): Sticker (F):

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Pumping into or away from the expansion tank: Original Pump Colour:

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WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR ‘EXTRA’ PARTS? First of all, get a list of all those parts you have collecting dust, and ask the manufacturer for a ‘where-used’ list for the part. If you know what pump these parts are used on, you can either use them for a specific request, or you can see if one of your customers will take them as spares for a pump they have on site that matches the part. Even if you sell the part to them at a discount, it is better than not selling it at all!

I believe that there is a less painful solution than multiple phone calls, and the associated re-visits to the site.

To get the right part, the first time, it is important that you begin with the end in mind. Gather all of the data you can, and once you are properly armed, your pump supplier can help you track down the part you are looking for. Use the chart to simplify your detective work.

Bill Hooper, is a territory manager and national market development manager with Bell & Gossett Hydronics, ITT Industries of Canada.

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SEASONAL START-UP GUIDE

By Adam Pletsch

Firing up for

INFRARED radiant heating season If, when the cold weather settles in, you try to fire up your customer’s radiant tube heaters and they don’t co-operate as they did the year before, don’t despair.

The good news is that there are some explanations for your troubles and, if your maintenance practices are thorough and regular, the heaters should last for many, many years.

Step one: Clean thoroughly According to Pat Caruso, vice-president of engineering at Superior Radiant Products, a common heater problem is dust and dirt accumulation. “Tube heaters use a blower, and these blowers build up dust and, for lack of a better term, crud, on the wheel,” he explains. While the heater still works and may perform fairly well, performance will be lost.

Fortunately, the easiest thing you can do is clean out the wheel using compressed air. “It’s a very simple thing,” says Caruso, “and the frequency of the cleaning will be a function of how dirty the environment is.”

Also, if the heater’s environment is open to the outside, remember that rain outside brings dampness, which also sticks to the wheel and encourages dust and dirt to do the same. The result? The wheel stops performing well a lot sooner, and you will get more vibration because the dust and moisture will imbalance the wheel.

“A lot of times people will see that it’s vibrating and think that it’s getting old. The truth most of the time is that it just needs a bit of cleaning,” Caruso explains.

And when you do clean the wheel, he adds, since you’re working up there anyway, it is a good idea to blow any dust off of the top and the underside of the reflectors, because the cleaner the reflectors are, the more efficiently they will work, too.

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Step two: Insect awareness Caruso says when a heater is turned on in the fall and experiences problems, “99.9 per cent of the time somebody calls us and says, ‘the heater was working fine last year and I started it this year and it is not giving me any heat. Do they wear out?’”

Almost every time, the problem is spider nests in the heater. If the heater is commissioned at the beginning of the season and doesn’t seem to be putting out the heat that it should, check around the orifice area for nests – not to be confused with webs. “They’re those little white balls that you find between the treads of your tires sometimes,” says Caruso.

For some reason, and it’s not unique to any one manufacturer, spiders just seem to like dark, humid areas where gas comes out, such as in barbeques or other gas appliances – except of course hot water heaters. This is because hot water heaters are used periodically through the day throughout the season, so there isn’t a quiet enough time for spiders to make a home there.

Heating equipment, on the other hand, is off all summer long.

Caruso says he gets numerous calls about this at the beginning of the season and once he tells clients what to look for they don’t call back. “This is by far the one cause that’s least expected and by far the biggest culprit.”

• Clean thoroughly • Insect Awareness • Nest Removal • Check for wasps • Lubrication

Heat basics Tube heaters are certified to a standard that says the gases going out the end of the heater cannot be hotter than 480 degrees plus ambient temperature.

The tube itself is usually cooler because the heat is being transferred to it. So the tube might be 1,000 degrees at the burner end, and 380 degrees at the vent end.

Users must apply this characteristic so that it best suits the layout.

Unfortunately installers sometimes ignore the rule.

“They just think ‘Oh it’s a tube heater. Make it 10 feet longer and I’ll get 10 more feet of heat out of it.’ That’s not the way it works,” explains Pat Caruso, vice-president of engineering at Superior Radiant Products.

Step three: Nest removal Heaters, especially ones that are being vented from a side wall, also tend to attract birds nests. They build through the spring and summer months, so by the time you turn the heater on, the nest has probably been abandoned.

But if you start the heater in the fall without checking for nests, you are sure to cause major problems.

One way to tell you have a problem with birds’ nests is if you notice the heater is starting up and quickly shutting down. There’s a switch that monitors the airflow through the heater and if there’s a bird’s nest in there, the heater will likely try to light, run for a little bit and then shut off. It will keep repeating this cycle over and over.

Step four: Check for wasps Wasps can get inside the heating orifice, though they don’t do it nearly as often as birds. Unfortunately, they are harder to find. Though most terminals have a screen preventing the insects from getting in, wasps can and do fly through the screen easily and get behind it. The only way to be sure wasps are not causing a problem is to remove the terminal and look inside with a flashlight since they may have nested quite deeply inside.

Heater types You’ll most likely be dealing with one of two basic types of radiant tube heaters: a low-intensity or a high-intensity heater.

In the low-intensity types, the burner typically burns inside a tube and a reflector over top redirects the heat to the floor.

Often you’ll see the high-intensity types (with a ceramic, open flame-type burner) at places like ice rinks and being used for spot heating or space heating. Others are used primarily in spot heating; for example, in a large steel warehouse where heat is only required over a shipper/receiver desk and the doors are open all year round.

Step five: Lubrication Most of the manufacturers of heaters use permanently sealed ball bearing fans, but a few heaters out there use a bushing with oil points on the motor.

Caruso says for these heaters the big oversight is that the oil points are upside down, so to oil the motor you have to take the burner off and turn it the other way around.

“Gravity is working against you.”

If you’re not using permanently lubricated ball bearing type motors and oiling is required, don’t forget to do this on a regular basis. Check your product manual for the proper frequency.

Summary Thankfully, if you check on the radiant heater at the beginning of every season and at regular intervals after that, you will be able to stop most problems before they start. If you start them up and hope for the best, you’re taking the chance that either dust and dirt, or one of mother nature’s creatures will make you pay for your laziness.

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ROAD WARRIOR

the

fissure KING

Name: Ken Verniest Title: Journeyman plumber Company: Derksen Plumbing and Heating Age: 34 Status: Married with a 3-month-old daughter Born: Treherne, Manitoba Live: Winnipeg, Manitoba Joined mechanical trade: 1997 Alma Mater: Red River Community College Favorite thing about the job: The variety. Every day is an adventure. I never know, one day to the next, what's going to happen. That's what I love about it. That's what I hate about it.

Current ride: 2003 Ford E-250 Cargo Van Favorite car of all time: Pontiac Trans-am with the T-tops... the old ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ one Kilometres driven per day: 100 Time behind the wheel per day: 3 hours Radio station currently tuned to: Power 97 (97.5 FM) – Rock station in Winnipeg Radio Presets: CITI 92.1, Q 94.3, Power 97.5, Bob FM 99.9, Hot 103.1, Freq 107.1 Wish list: MP3 for truck

Photos: John Woods

3 albums to take to a desert island: Def Leppard – Pyromania Slaughter – Stick It To Ya Shania Twain – The Woman in Me Favorite band/performer: Fergie, Black Eyed Peas Three Days Grace Last movie seen: Transformers Favorite movie of all time: Old School

Favorite actor/actress: Angelina Jolie, Jim Carrey or Mike Myers Favorite restaurant: You can't go wrong with The Keg, or Tony Roma's

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Ken Verniest

Lunch: I probably should pack a lunch, but I normally just hit a drive-through. For the most part, it's Wendy's that I hit.

Local haunt: Blondie's – they have these ridiculously huge monster burgers. Half-pound, after it is cooked.

Grocery store – paper, plastic, or cloth: I always end up with the plastic, but I like the recyclable cloth ones.

Favorite magazine: Maxim Last book read: Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison Favorite sport: Slo-pitch Ideal vacation destination: Anywhere in the tropics, but would like to see Europe Favorite TV shows: CSI - Las Vegas Engineering an Empire TV stations: Discovery Channel and TLC – "Two channels that I just could not live without."

Biggest pet peeves: Buses and cyclists Pet preference: Dog and cat Most useful tool in his toolbox: Small pair of channel locks Tips and tricks: “Try and make it look professional. One of my mentors used to say, 'Make it look like a plumber did it.’”

Hobbies: PS2 Favorite game: Rise of Nations Words of wisdom: “Go trades.

They are underappreciated.”

On customers: “They like to see us, but they they don't want to see us for a while.”

What brought you to the trades: “Plumbing's something that I found interesting, and it is something that I can do for the rest of my life.”

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ICE MACHINE FILTRATION

By Jeff Biel

Keeping your ice nice Many filters filter out chlorine which is effective as a sanitizing Water filtration is an essential step in keeping agent. Some filters allow chlorine to pass through the membrane an ice machine running properly and trouble and therefore effectively sanitize the ice machine. This is free for many years. The quality of water especially important in ice machines located in areas where there supplied to the machine will have an impact on are a lot of yeasts and similar materials in the environment (a the time between cleanings, the life of the sandwich café that bakes its product and, of course, on the own bread, for example). flavor of the ice produced.

IN SUSPENSION AND IN SOLUTION There are now filters that Ice machine filters are installed Water can contain impurities in two incorporate anti-microbial outside of the ice machine in ways: in suspension or in solution. agents in their filters so connection to the water inlet Suspended solids can be filtered bacteria cannot multiply and supply. The first type of filter that water will pass is out using standard filtering media. grow inside the filter. If the called a “pre-filter.” This type of filter consists of a In-solution (dissolved) solids cannot bacteria is allowed to grow it membrane that has 10 micron pore sizes that will be easily filtered, so they must be can affect the performance of allow water to easily pass through, while removing diluted or treated. the filter. larger particles that could plug the subsequent filters and cause them to have a very short lifespan.

Typically it is advised to change filters every six months. However This filter is necessary in areas where there is a high amount in areas that have poor water conditions, or where the ice machine of suspended solids in the water. is in a harsher environment, it may be necessary to change filters every two to three months. The important thing is to change After the pre-filter, water flows to the filters where membrane them. The filters accumulate contaminants and eventually the flow pore sizes can range from 0.5 to 1 micron. Here, particles get of water will be restricted. Filters typically have pressure gauges trapped in the filter membranes, preventing them from reaching that show the water pressure exiting the filter. the ice machine components. A removal rate of 99.9 per cent is achievable.

It is important to find out what the water quality is before making a filter system recommendation. What works in one part Suspended particles RELATIVE SIZES of the country might not be the best option in another. can cause a multitude of 100 microns – However, wherever you are, it is important to have the right problems with the diameter of a human hair system and keep it maintained regularly. ice machine. These 30 microns – The cost of replacement filters is include blocking the diameter of the smallest particle a fraction of what it costs to distribution holes visible to the naked eye replace major components where water begins 0.2 to 30 microns – of the ice machine. Also, to flow over the diameter range of bacteria regular maintenance will evaporator plate, ensure that the ice is fresh blocking the sump and tastes great. where water accumulates and, Jeff Biel is a product probably most manager with Scotsman importantly, getting Ice Systems. For more in the ice, causing it information about ice to be dirty looking machines, send an e-mail to and foul tasting. marketing@scotsman-ice.com.

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We talked to a wholesaler and a contractor (neither knew who we were going to call on the opposite side) about their wish lists and their pet peeves. Here’s what they had to say:

The contractor side: Bruno Rossi, vicepresident and partner of Gimco Ltd., of Markham, Ontario.

Mechanical Business: What’s at the top of your wish list when dealing with wholesalers?

Bruno Rossi: The most important thing from our perspective is service – the ability to get a hold of the wholesaler, and, once you get a hold of them, dealing with a person you feel comfortable dealing with.

Bruno Rossi

By Adam Pletsch

o n C t rac e h T to

TWO VIEWS Information Exchange

MB: What constitutes good service, in your opinion?

BR: The way they deliver on promises. So if we put in an order or we’re asking for pricing or technical assistance and they actually come through, they tend to get the business. You can probably go out to two or three suppliers and get prices that are within a couple of points, so how do you differentiate between the two? Service. They should know that. On our side, we know that suppliers need to make money too, and [if we like their service] we try to give them enough business to make things worthwhile.The second part of good service is to get the product to you in a reasonable amount of time. It is important because we have men waiting on sites for materials and we don’t know what materials they need until they actually start doing the installation. If [the crew] doesn’t get it the next day, let’s say, then you could have maybe several men, at a cost of $60 an hour, in lost productivity.

MB: What about the wholesaler’s technical proficiency?

BR: We don’t expect them to know the technical details of everything, as long as they get us the information.

For example, some wholesalers carry a certain pump line and, for technical reasons, I’d like to deal with the pump manufacturer or distributor, but just have the ability to get it ordered through the wholesaler. The supplier that allows us to do that gets our business. If they isolate you from doing that by trying to be the technical person you can waste a lot of time going back and forth.

MB: Do you run into any limitations from your suppliers in terms of products?

r

BR: In our case, the type of supplier or wholesaler we need to deal with has to carry extra heavy fittings and materials. So that is really important, that they have the proper stock.

Probably 80 per cent of the wholesalers out there can’t supply the material because they’re not in that market.

MB: Any final items on your wish list?

BR: I should mention that back orders are really important. The fewer back orders the better.

TRAINING TOOLS

w

Contractors sometimes need reminding that whole-

e

salers provide training on the products that they

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carry. Very often this is quite specific to a single

n

product and product line, and the sessions can prove

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to be especially helpful for a contractor’s more recent hires.

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For example, Chris Nangreaves, who handles

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customer service at the London, Ont. Noble Trade

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counter, says the Noble Trade University recently

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offered a session on servicing GSW water heaters that

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included tips on servicing electric water heaters, gas

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nt

at

holes a l e eW r Th

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owners, but their employees – and know what they need for the next day. A lot of times you get the owners showing up later to pick up stuff that their guys should have picked up before.

They may not make a proper list or they might just forget to bring it.

When this happens we spend more time shipping things out to them, and we could just deliver to the site once instead of five times.

MB: What else could employees of contractors do better?

CN: Things go more smoothly when these new guys learn what stuff is. A lot of times they come in and they don’t know what they’re talking about. They’re improvising and they’re motioning with their hands and you’re trying to figure out what they want.

The wholesaler side: Chris Nangreaves and Jeff Nichols, customer service, at the London, Ont. Noble Trade counter.

Mechanical Business: What do you wish your contractor customers did more often to make your job easier?

Chris Nangreaves: When they come in they’re organized – not so much the

water heaters, FVIR water heaters, Polaris high-, efficiency heaters, Noritz tank-less units and commercial units. It also included a session on the new UL S636 PVC vent piping and what it means to GSW water heaters.

“They’ll book a conference room in a hotel and get 30 or 40 plumbers in there and teach them all about the product, how to repair it and how to order it properly,” explains Nangreaves.

Check what kind of training your wholesaler offers and if it makes sense, sign up some of your staff. It

Jeff Nichols

Jeff Nichols: A newer person will sometimes end up buying products that don’t fit together. But [mistakes happen and] that goes both ways. It’s just a communication issue. I have the information at the counter anyway, so if they’re ordering a non-stock item, usually I have the books.

MB: Should customers expect you to know about code?

CN: We know a little bit about code, but not a whole lot. They should know the code. We can suggest a product they can use, and it’s up to

When a contractor deals with a wholesaler, he expects its counter and phone staff to possess specific skills and operate with a high level of efficiency. If not, he risks receiving orders late and, as a result, losing out on revenue opportunities. On the flipside, wholesalers require their contractor customers do certain things in order to keep their day-to-day operations running smoothly. them. If they give me an idea of what they’re trying to do, I can give them a product that will suit the situation.

Sometimes we have to ask the employee or apprentice many questions about where the job is and what they’re using it for before we can determine what his boss is really asking for.

MB: What can you say about missed payments on accounts? Is it a common problem?

JN: We do get [messages appearing that indicate that customers aren’t up-to-date on their payments]. If it’s a person with an account we’ll just call head office. Nine times out of 10, they’re going to accommodate the customer because they forgot to send their cheque in or make a payment.

CN: Generally our customers are pretty good, and anyway our HQ has probably already told them by mail or by phone that they’re overdue by 30 days.

They just forget.

MB: Anything else you would ask incoming contractors to do on a regular basis if you had the chance?

JN: Well, especially with big orders, I’d ask them to call in ahead of time so they don’t come in and back up the counter for 20 minutes. That’s the worst, especially first thing in the morning. It saves a ton of time. That’s the thing with the counter, you want them to get in and get out so you can get to the next guy.

could pay dividends in the long run.

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GREASE TRAPS

By Randy Martin

Neglecting maintenance can lead to clogs If your customer has a grease interceptor (or grease trap), they may be under the mistaken impression that since nothing’s gone wrong recently, everything will be fine.

They might be in for an unpleasant surprise, and you might end up with a frantic phone call, however. Grease traps have the ability to function properly, but only if they receive the proper maintenance.

Grease traps range in size from four to 500 gpm, and depending on the size of the grease trap and the level of usage, they will have to maintained either weekly or bi-weekly.

One thing is certain: a strict maintenance schedule must be adhered to if they are to keep functioning properly over the long haul.

REPERCUSSIONS FROM BAD CARE Recently, a bakery shop I’m familiar with noticed that its kitchen’s pot sinks were backing up. After contacting a plumber, they found the grease trap had a build-up of flour and fats that had to be cleared out. After the trap was cleaned, it became clear that the lines beyond the outlet internal trap were experiencing a similar, serious build-up. The owner now had an additional expense to deal with: getting these lines cleaned.

This is something that would never have occurred at the bakery if only a simple maintenance program had been in place. And, since the identical problem occurred twice in a three-year span, it most certainly should have been avoided the second time.

First of all, a grease interceptor is designed to retain grease. Since grease is lighter than water, it will rise to the surface and allow the wastewater to flow out of the outlet external trap.

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For optimal performance, interceptors should be installed as close as is practical to the fixture(s) being serviced. They can be installed on the floor, fully recessed, or partially recessed but there must be sufficient clearance for removal of the cover and internal baffles, for cleaning purposes.

There are two methods for sizing interceptors for various job applications.

One is by using the sink dimensions; the other is by using the volume of all sinks going into the interceptor.

Installation, location and size are some key factors in getting high performance from grease traps.

But remember, they are like anything that serves a function in the workspace: they will only perform well if, in turn, they are well maintained.

Randy Martin is the customer service manager with Zurn Industries Limited. For more information about grease traps, visit www.zurn.com.

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BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES The following are some simple overall guidelines for restaurants and food preparation businesses for achieving maximum success in capturing kitchen grease, courtesy of PDI: • Train kitchen staff on grease handling practices.

• Hang grease handling posters in the kitchen.

• Food waste should be disposed of in the trash not the sanitary sewer system.

• Identify grease recycling containers.

• Provide ample paper towel dispensers for dry wiping grease from spills, pots, frying and grilling equipment.

• Contract with grease haulers/recyclers.

• Use strainer baskets in sinks to catch food waste.

• Direct all drains from grease producing sources to a properly sized grease interceptor.

• Avoid food grinders. If grinders are approved, discharge them to a solids interceptor upstream of a grease interceptor.

• Schedule regular maintenance and cleaning of grease interceptors, keep a log.

• Have a copy of the recommended grease interceptor cleaning procedures on site.

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Woodstock 1200 Seagrave Road Phone (519) 421-1550

DEHUMIDIFICATION AT THE ACC

By Adam Freill

caseSTUDY Improving conditions at the ACC with desiccant system If the Toronto Maple Leafs seem to be skating a little faster this year, the team might want to give an assist to the building operations department. As part of an effort to improve the quality of the ice surface, and of the fan experience, the staff at the Air Canada Centre, the Leafs home arena, spent the off-season installing a new dehumidification system.

Desiccate: To dry up.

To remove moisture from something.

The biggest challenges, prior to bringing in this new system, would always happen during the shoulder seasons, since the outside air has a high level of humidity. This is where the new system will pay off the most for the team.

The system is actually a pair of desiccant dehumidifiers supplied by Munters – one on the west side and the other on the east. The units share the load and provide built-in redundancy, should the operations staff need to shut down one of the units for such reasons as maintenance.

The units, which together can remove up to 8,600 lb. of water from the air each hour, use large desiccant wheels that turn eight times per hour to draw moisture from the occupied portion of the arena, exhausting the vapour through rooftop ventilation units.

“The advantage of this over a regular chilled dehumidification system is that this can bring it down to six grains per pound of air,” explains Bryan Leslie, director of building operations at the Air Canada Centre. And that humidity level can be Bryan Leslie brought down rather quickly. The system is designed to be able to dehumidify the main seating area of the arena, the bowl, in as little as two hours.

Prior to the installation of the new system, that process could take 24 hours.

“If you don’t have dehumidification, to dehumidify using air conditioning is a real challenge,” he says. The building had been using its air conditioning to control humidity for the past 10 years, but that process requires that the temperature be brought down carefully, in stages, making it far more time consuming and difficult to achieve desired results.

The ideal conditions for game-time, as prescribed by the National Hockey League, are 40 per cent relative humidity and a temperature of 60°F. “As a consequence of having dehumidification, we can make the bowl 60° without any issues at all,” says Leslie. “Even at 60, we can decide what our dew point is going to be. We can decide what the relative humidity comfort zone is going to be, separate to the temperature. Before, we were handcuffed to the temperature.”

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Rooftop vents on Air Canada Centre In colder months, when low-humidity air available from outside, the dehumidification effect is available for free with standard ventilation. “We will still try to do that NHL Recommended as much as we can, but you can’t Conditions for Ice: supercool the building just to dehumidify either,” explains Leslie.

“You can’t make everybody sit in 50°F air just because it is less humid.”

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caseSTUDY In addition to enhancing fan comfort levels, the ice plant will not have to work as much to produce top-quality ice, and the ice is going to be faster, due to the humidity levels in the rink.

“We’ve had issues in the past with humidity issues. Not that it was a factor, but it was higher than what we would have preferred. And we had steps we could take, but it was an arduous process,” states Leslie. “We want to have the best ice in the NHL. The company has invested a lot of money into making this happen, and we are doing what we can to be onside with that.”

Through the roof it goes: Workers guide the placement of one of the dehumidification units.

THE SYSTEM FACTS ABOUT AT THE ACC • It takes 2 hours to dehumidify the arena’s main bowl.

• Over a 15-year period, the new systems will reduce the ACC’s CO2 emissions by 9,100 tons.

DESICCANT SYSTEM Desiccant dehumidifiers use a desiccant material to produce the dehumidification effect. Desiccant materials have a high affinity for water vapour, drawing in moisture from high-humidity air and releasing moisture when exposed to an air stream with a lower relative humidity.

The first air stream brings the air being dehumidified into contact with the desiccant material, while the second air stream is used only to regenerate the desiccant material, making it available for another cycle.

Desiccant dehumidifiers consume heat energy to produce a dehumidifying effect.

There are generally four major components in a desiccant dehumidifier: The component that holds the desiccant, in the ACC this is a desiccant wheel; a fan to move the process air through the desiccant holder; a fan to move the low-humidity air for drying the desiccant through the desiccant holder; and a heater to heat the air that will be used to dry the desiccant.

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• Each dehumidification unit will remove up to 4,300 lb. of water per hour from the atmosphere at the ACC, for a total of 8,600 lb. per hour.

• 7,700 pounds of water are emitted into the atmosphere each hour during an event at the ACC. 1,500 from spectators.

6,200 from fresh air intake.

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HYDRONICS

By Bob ‘Hot Rod’ Rohr

Can’t get enough of a good thing?

Expand the hydronic s A blower door (infiltrometer) test would nail down the infiltration number for your load calculation and will point out where any building leaks are. It is also a very ‘customer friendly’ activity, showing without any doubt where the owner’s fuel dollars are escaping.

With the proper equipment you can nail down the numbers that are typically guesstimates. In addition to the infiltration number, often you will learn the amount and quality of insulation in the attic, crawl spaces and other areas. The down side of using a blower door is that it is a bit cumbersome to trot around and can take a few hours to set up and use. Make sure you include these hours in your pricing. If you have one, use it. If you don’t, consider one if you have the sales skills to incorporate the additional costs in your pricing.

Here are a few tips and processes that might help as you tackle the project.

It is wise and prudent to always start by performing a room-by-room load calculation on the current building. With this information you will be able to access the current equipment’s potential.

An up-to-date load calculation would take into account any upgrades to the structure. Has additional insulation been added to the building, for example?

Perhaps the windows have been upgraded. Even a good weather stripping upgrade will affect the load numbers.

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BLOWER DOOR TEST

You will be in a much more knowledgeable and competitive position when you calculate a heat load on an existing building before you start offering options.

I’d be willing to bet 80 per cent of the time you will determine the current boiler is over-sized for the attached load. The ‘CYA’ fudge factor used years ago – and sometimes currently – will surprise and astonish you. You may discover that you have plenty of BTUs to work with for an assortment of add-ons.

A blower door is a device for testing the air tightness of a building.

A blower door consists of a calibrated fan for measuring an airflow rate and a pressure sensing device to measure the pressure created by the fan flow. A blower door is a powerful fan that mounts into the frame of an exterior door.

The fan pulls air out of the house, lowering the air pressure inside. The higher outside air pressure then flows in through all unsealed cracks and openings. These tests determine the air infiltration rate of a building.

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Photo: Jen Duggan, thereep.ca

Are you considering adding some emitters or loads onto an existing hydronic system? Perhaps the most common expansion would be a remodel project with to-be-added living space. Or the decision to heat the basement for some additional conditioned space. Another common add-on would be to provide heat for a shop or garage area.

Now that you have the updated load calculations, and the BTU per hour output data from the current equipment, on to step two.

Just as you calculated the current spaces, you need to calculate the proposed additional loads.

I like to use the quick and simple design software offered by www.hydronicpros.com. These programs will provide a generic load calculation, size the piping and circulator, calculate the expansion tank size and determine the system volume. A buffer tank sizer and fuel cost comparison are two more of the features.

The fuel cost calculator is a good program to show the homeowner when helping them decide on equipment upgrades or different fuel options. It provides you with a very professional bid presentation.

• Load calculations • Upgrade options • Green solutions If the current heat source is undersized for the loads, I suggest an upgrade to the equipment package. Modulating condensing (mod con) boilers are quickly becoming the hydronic heat source of choice.

I’ve counted about 35 brands currently in the North American market.

The efficiency numbers, venting options, and standard control features make these hard to ignore. Certainly the traditional copper, steel and cast iron boilers have also seen upgrades over the years. I’d suggest offering upgrade options to any customer who has equipment that is 10 years old or older.

c system.

If the current boiler and load are in line with the current loads, and if the equipment is in good working condition with appropriate working safety features, you might consider an additional heat source for a ‘small load’ addition. I have used some small electric hydronic packages to handle a small addition or garage. The electric has some benefits in that no

fuel line piping, combustion air or venting is required.

If the additional hydronic emitters proposed require a lower supply temperature, a radiant floor load for example, a small separate heat source could simplify the job.

If the existing heat source has additional output capacity available, and the condition and efficiency is acceptable to the owners, then move on with the project – and don’t forget upgrade options.

&Options

Upgrades

Outdoor reset controls • By closely matching the boiler output temperature to the ever changing load, boiler cycling can be minimized. This translates into extended boiler and component lifecycles.

Solar options • How about a DHW preheat?

• Or perhaps a dual-purpose DHW source and hydronic supplement?

PHOTOVOLTAICS Also known as PV for short, it is technology that uses solar cells or solar photovoltaic arrays to convert light from the sun directly into electricity.

Future planning

A rule of thumb is if the low temperature load is more than 25 per cent of the total boiler output, on a traditional non-condensing boiler, be sure to include appropriate boiler-return temperature protection. Many of the prefab mixer panels include this feature.

Bob ‘Hot Rod’ Rohr has been knee deep in plumbing, heating and solar work since he was a kid. He’s learned a lot of simple ways to install, repair and update hydronic systems. Check out his new, download-able ‘Cool Tips from Hot Rod’ at www.showmeradiant.com.

• Consider offering solar-ready options. How about offering an insulated pair of copper lines from the mechanical space to the attic or rafter space for future connection to a photovoltaic panel?

• Radiant-ready slabs are another option – you can always add the boiler Helpful Hint: and controls later.

Most of today’s heat load • Just don’t forget to calculation software will also perform leave a drawing in a system design estimate. This would the mechanical include required supply temperatures, room. pump spec and installation data based on the emitters chosen. Brand-specific heat load and design programs will even spell out model numbers, and most will build a parts and price list.

“Hot Rod” - Hot boots

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1

1 Condensing furnace Distributed by Dragon Fire Distribution Inc., the Adams AHEO 75 condensing furnace offers a rated output of 70,950 BTUH. The unit has an AFUE of 94.6 per cent, with a factory-set firing rate of between 0.40 and 0.65 USPGH. It uses an Adams InterBurner Mark 10 oil burner and a three-inch flue pipe. Shipping weight is 275 lb.

edragonfire.com

2

2 Forced-air furnace The NV2-77 oil-fired, forced-air furnace from Newmac offers 77,000 BTUH output and has an AFUE rating of 84.8 per cent.

Available with Aero HF-US-2X, Beckett AFG or Carlin EZ1 burners, it has a firing rate of 0.65 USGPH. Its shipping weight is 350 lb., and it measures 46-1/2” x 24” x 44-1/2” (l x w x h).

newmacfurnaces.com

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3 Multi-positional furnace Kerr Heating Product’s K4CEM-090 Compact Multi Max is a high-efficiency, oil-fired, multi-positional furnace. Heat outputs range from 74,000 to 88,000 BTUH, with 0.61 and 0.73 USGPH inputs. The direct vent model is equipped with a Riello BF3 burner, while the natural vent has the Riello 40F3 burner. The furnaces have AFUE ratings of 85.3 per cent.

kerrheating.com

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4 Water-heating boiler Part of a line of home heating products from Viessmann, the Vitorond 100 boiler is oil-fired and offers inputs ranging from 91 to 245 MBH. It can be outfitted with either a Beckett NX burner or a Riello F-Series burner.

viessmann.ca

5 Cast-iron boiler

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Weil-McLain’s Ultra Oil boiler features a three-pass cast iron heat exchanger, a reversible swing-out access door and an optional control system that provides indoor/outdoor reset, low-temperature mixing, DHW priority and stage firing for multiple-boiler applications. It is powered by a Becket NX oil burner and may be direct or chimney vented.

weilmclain.com

6 Safety control

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The Beckett GeniSys 7505 Advanced Burner Control is a 120 Vac primary safety control designed for residential and light commercial oil burners. It is used with a cad cell flame sensor to control the oil burner motor, igniter and optional solenoid valve.

beckettcorp.com

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PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES 1

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COHA: Today’s Oilheat – Tomorrow’s Choice The Canadian Oil Heat Association brought its annual symposium, Oilheat 2007, to St. John’s, N.L. this past summer. In addition to being a networking opportunity for oil heat professionals from across the country, the event afforded the association a chance to recognize the efforts of a number of its members with the annual Delivering the Goods awards program. Other highlights included business sessions, a pub crawl on George Street and the annual general meeting.

4 1. Darin Ryan receives a Delivering the Goods award from Garth Hunt of Beckett. 2. Attendees chat during lunch. 3. Incoming chairman Steve Wilson (Kerr) and outgoing chair Dave Frittenburg (John Ebos Fuels). 4. Ian Brooker (Bradford White Canada) and Dave Frittenburg (John Ebos Fuels).

5. Symposium organizer John Butt, of COHA. 6. Robert Callow (Budget Propane and Oil). 7. Robert Bean, R.E.T., (healthyhomes.com) discusses healthy heating and healthy living.

8. John St. Amour (Riello) discusses burners during the manufacturers workshops. 9. Brian Rosebush tackles a pump swap under the watchful eyes of Sean Giberson (Taco). 10. Delegates enjoy the hospitality of an East Coast Kitchen Party.

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PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating CIPH ABC: Harnessing the Tides of Change The Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH) held its 75th annual business conference in Charlottetown, PEI, over the summer. More than 250 delegates, companions and guests attended the event, which included business sessions, golf and fishing excursions, and the association’s annual general meeting. Next year’s event will be held in Whistler, B.C.

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1. Incoming chair Barry Raycroft (Bardon Supplies) presents a ceremonial gavel to CIPH Charlottetown Habitat Home Build Chair Darryl Branch (Guillevin International). 2. CIPH chairman Barry Raycroft, his wife Jill, and their children Kallan and Liam. 3. Winners of the mixed fun golf tournament were Peter Smith, Sian Smith (Emco), Robyn Fletcher and Dave Fletcher (Uponor Ltd.). 4.

Lise Wareham (Usines Giant Factories Inc.), John Wareham (Usines Giant Factories Inc.), Vivian McKoy (NCI Marketing) and Cliff Sarjeant (NCI Marketing). 5. The 2007/2008 CIPH Board of Directors. 6. Barry Raycroft, Marcia Webster and 2006-2007 CIPH Chairman Kenneth Webster (Viessmann Manufacturing). 7. Paul McDonald (Bradford White Canada), Gail McDonald and Gail Brooker. 8. Wednesday Fun Night Lobster Feast. 9. Kenneth Webster presents an Honourary Life Member plaque to Brian Hildreth (American-Standard). 10. Celebrity golfer Rocky Racoon lays up between holes at Brudenell River Golf Course to sample the lunch menu.

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HIGH-TECH PLUMBING

By Adam Pletsch

ELECTRONICS

invade the final f

Top 5 iTunes downloads* 1. Gimme More – Britney Spears 2. 1234 – Feist 3. Stronger – Kanye West 4. The Way I Are (featuring Keri Hilson and D.O.E.) – Timbaland 5. Apologize (featuring OneRepublic) – Timbaland *On October 1, 2007

Perhaps it was inevitable, as electronics got smaller, audio went more mobile and consumers became more adventurous in their bathroom and kitchen design choices, that manufacturers would start providing high-tech features in places where people have never seen them before.

Increasingly, contractors are being asked to “wire up the plumbing” to allow users to pamper themselves in the bathroom, or make things easier to operate in the kitchen.

At the beginning of the year, Masco Canada announced one such innovation. The Pascal Culinary Faucet with Smart Technology actually combines hands-free and touch-control technology. The faucet with a high-arc, pull-down spout can be activated by either tapping the faucet or using a hands-free option.

This is especially useful when you have your hands full, and even more so when you’re holding and washing something like raw chicken and don’t want to touch the spout to turn off the water.

And, if users pre-set the flow and temperature manually beforehand, by setting the single-handle manual valve, they can have a consistent water flow and temperature each time the hands-free or touch capabilities are activated.

But the Pascal isn’t the only member of this emerging pampered plumbing set.

Another product, this one for the bathroom, that offers simplicity of installation for the plumber is the Neptuner, from Neptune.

The Neptuner uses tiny acoustic transducers to turn a bathtub into a speaker, so consumers can listen to their CDs, DVDs or other music sources – such as iPods or computers – while they relax in the tub.

And Neptune isn’t the only one combining washing with audio. For a more complete – and necessarily more complex – set of features, consumers are catching on to a couple of impressive products by Kohler designed to enhance the showering experience.

The DTV II, introduced this year, offers music, ambient lighting, chromatherapy and steam for “a complete sensory experience in the shower, all operated by an intuitive digital interface.”

Kohler’s Michael Wandschneider, senior product manager, Performance Showering, admits that there was some concern as to whether consumers would be open enough to having so much technology in the bathroom. Luckily, he says, the timing seems to have been correct and the idea of music, steam, lighting and chromatherapy in the shower were “not as far out for the homeowner as maybe we might have thought.”

“We’re not to the point where people necessarily want a telephone or email or calendar access in their shower, but certainly if they’re going to sit down and relax they might want to listen to Internet radio or a playlist and really create a tailored, multi-sensory experience in the shower.”

DTVII

According to Michael Wandschneider of Kohler, the DTV II digital control panel brings water, sound, light and steam together for a personalized, “choreographed showering experience.” With it, wife and husband, for example, could each program their own customized showering experiences to include water, sound, light and steam features and then call them up instantly when they are entering the shower.

The installation offers varying degrees of difficulty.

Wandschneider says the original DTV, which controls water flow and is still offered as an alternative to DTV II, was designed to be easily installed by a plumber. It has a rough-in valve that plugs into a standard, threepronged 120V outlet. Between the valve and the interface that resides in the shower there is a low-voltage cable that can extend about 25 feet, allowing for some distance between the power source and the shower itself.

“The consideration that one would need in that situation would be to ensure that you’re working with a general contractor and the electrician to make sure that there is an outlet installed nearby where the valve will be installed,” says Wandschneider.

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• Bathroom and kitchen space invaders

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CO-OPERATION IS KEY WHEN ADDING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO THE PLUMBING

PASCAL Anita Griffin, marketing brand manager at Masco Canada Ltd., says installation of the faucet is easy, and the Pascal even comes with an instructional DVD. However, she says she’s seen the faucet installed twice in her office kitchens and the plumber “never even looked at the DVD,” because the process is intuitive.

The electronics are simply two colourcoded, plug-in wires that go to the four C-cell battery-powered deck. Or, the faucet could just use a hardwired deck with a plug cord going into a regular 110 outlet. Even better you can use both, so that the hands-free feature works even during a power failure.

As Kohler has moved to DTV II and added integrated audio, lighting and steam, installation is more complex – although you don’t have to install all features because the system is modular.

The valve still installs and plugs in the same way, but now it involves the integration of a steam generator, which is a 220 dedicated circuit. “And in those situations, just as when installing a whirlpool bath, you’re probably going to want to have a licensed electrician working alongside a plumber,” Wandschneider warns.

On the audio side, he recommends plumbers deal with a home integrator for the running of low voltage speaker wire and the Ethernet cable, which runs between the media server, part of the DTV II, and a home computer.

Homeowners have become a lot more savvy when it comes to implementing technology. This also applies in the home design area. Consumers are doing far more research today to discover which cutting-edge ideas others are implementing and since much of this research is on-line, they are able to learn about innovations happening halfway across the world. Then they are pressing their contractors to bring it all home.

Kohler’s Michael Wandschneider says builders should keep an open mind about such demands because what the homeowner is really offering is the chance to provide more value-added features – which, of course, represent a source of revenue.

It means, too, that a lot of the responsibility for completing the work properly falls back to the general contractor, who must make sure that all of the parties are working well together.

“We recognize that it is a challenge to co-ordinate all these different trades, and for the plumber to have to co-ordinate his work with someone else adds a level of complexity that he’s not necessarily used to, but the homeowners are starting to have that expectation” says Wandschneider. “If the general contractors are efficient, it shouldn’t be a major heartache for any of the individual trades.”

For homeowners and contractors alike, convenience is key.

It’s all part of this new trend of making things easier in the kitchen and bathroom, and helping consumers get what they want – no matter how unusual the request.

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Pullout faucet Available in chrome or steel optic, or in steel optik with black or chrome with black, the Allegro Gourmet kitchen faucet from Hansgrohe features an ergonomic pull-down spray with two spray modes – full and needle. It has single control operation, is constructed from solid brass and uses an M2 ceramic cartridge. The pullout uses a nylon hose designed for quiet operation.

Pull-down operation

hansgrohe-usa.com

Designed with sleek lines and minimalist styling, the Grail pull-down faucet from Delta Faucet Canada features a high-arc design and a pull-down wand with a patented twistand-lock system to direct water flow. The twofunction, pull-down wand switches from stream to spray with a simple touch. It is available in chrome and the company`s brilliance stainless steel.

deltafaucet.com

Hands-free operation Soft modern styling Available in a single-hole mount, Moen’s new Medora kitchen pullout faucet blends beautifully into granite and other solid-surface countertops for an upscale, clean look.

The single lever offers temperature and flow control, and the pullout wand is designed with the ergonomics of the user in mind. Users can switch between several water flow patterns with the touch of a button, including stream, rinse, veggie spray or a patented pause feature, which instantly stops and starts the flow of water.

moen.com

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Pullout kitchen faucet Offered in three finish options, polished chrome, vibrant polished nickel and vibrant stainless, the Evoke faucet from Kohler is available in two sizes, one for primary sinks and the other for prep/secondary sink applications. It features a single-lever design that is intuitive to use and minimal in its form. The sprayhead has three different functions to provide for multiple needs: aerate, spray and pause.

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The Pascal culinary faucet with Smart Technology from Brizo is engineered to act like a personal assistant in the kitchen, bringing a hands-free capability to activate water flow, freeing up both hands for hygienic and efficient food prep. The faucet is also equipped with touch-control technology. Its high-arc, pull-down spout is activated by either tapping the faucet or using the hands-free option. Users pre-set delivery flow and temperature with its single-handle manual valve.

brizo.com

Supply stops

Fast connections

Watts KwikStop 1⁄4-turn water supply stops feature the company’s QuickConnect technology that works with any 1⁄2” copper, PEX or CPVC pipe, and is available in both angle and straight patterns.

The contractor simply snaps the stop onto the pipe, and it's ready to go.

The stop can be removed and reused if needed.

The SharkBite connection system from Cash Acme connects copper, CPVC or PEX in any combination, without tools and with no soldering, glue, unions or clamps required.

The fittings can be rotated after assembly, and in case of an installation error, disassembly is simplified with a disconnect tool, and the same fitting can be re-installed after disassembly.

cashacme.com

wattscanada.com

Mechanical joint connection

Pre-sleeved tubing Uponor has added high-density polyethylene (HDPE) corrugated sleeves to its 1/2" Wirsbo AQUAPEX tubing for use in hot and cold water distribution systems. The corrugated sleeve provides protection for installations in concrete slabs or soil. In addition, the red and blue color-coded sleeves easily identify hot and cold water lines.

Zurn’s Stab-Lock is a mechanical joint connection that requires no special glues or grooving tools to install. It features a polyethylene sealing ring and stainless steel grab ring. It can be used with the company’s existing combination fittings for either polypropylene or PVDF systems.

zurn.com

uponor.com

Leak detection system The Gen-Ear LE from General Pipe Cleaners is a water leak locator that provides noise-free amplification with built-in preset audio filters. It can be used to pinpoint water leaks in residential and commercial water lines, whether they are under concrete slabs, in walls, swimming pools or hot tubs.

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

Backflow preventers Sized from 2-1/2” to 8”, Apollo 4SG Series double-check valves and double-check detector assemblies from Conbraco combine a short lay length with low pressure loss and a flat flow curve. The assemblies feature grooved end-connections designed to reduce weight and length. They also allow for the use of lightweight grooved-end butterfly valves as shut-offs.

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PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Association of Canada 1

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HRAI: Creating quality environments in Victoria Over 230 delegates and companions were in Victoria in September for the HRAI annual general meeting. The event included a keynote address from intrepid traveller Colin Angus, as well as business sessions on everything from business and marketing strategies to solar collector technology.

Manufacturer and wholesaler delegates also took part in product section meetings. HRAI's 40th Annual General Meeting will be held at the Delta Quebec in Quebec City from August 21-23, 2008.

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1. Caroline Czajko, Warren Heeley, Erin Sullivan and Marilyn Robinson form part of the conga line at the Chair’s Reception that extended far beyond the dance floor. 2. The Mechanical Business team and friends: Dave Shaw, Scott Stevens, Liz Mills, Bruce Meacock and Steve Wilson.

3. The receiving line: Nancy McKeraghan, Bob McKeraghan, Mike Latreille, Warren Heeley and Maureen Heeley. 4. Three generations of Bakers were in attendance: Allison, Deneige, Brian and Denise. 5. Mario Bernardi, Roger Grochmal and Wayne Langford. 6. The Delta Victoria.

7. Barry Bowman receives congratulations from Nancy McKeraghan for many years of service.

8. Al Bates of the Profit Planning Group. 9. Jim McLellan of Schwank. 10. Ed Seaward, Nancy and Bob McKeraghan, and John Franklin. 11. Canadian adventurer Colin Angus brought exotic tales of travelling some of the longest rivers in the world. 12.Breakfast with Mr. Bean – Robert Bean.

13. Outgoing chair Nancy McKeraghan.

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Canada's National Trade Show for the Air Conditioning, Heating (Forced Air and Hydronic), Hearth, Plumbing, Piping, Refrigeration and Ventilation Industries.

Make it big with 500+ exhibits showing new products & systems Connect with 13,000+ peers & customers 24 exclusive seminars on new technologies, trends, codes & regulations

METRO TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE THURS-SAT. MARCH 27- 29 PRE-REGISTER TODAY & SAVE

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WWW.CMXCIPHEXSHOW.COM

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1.800.282.0003

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada 1

MCAC: A Capital Affair The Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada (MCAC) held its 66th annual national conference at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa in September. The event drew attendees from across the country, mixing business and pleasure in just the right combination. Comedian Ron James got the event off on the right foot, and equally impressive was a special guest appearance by one of Canada’s legendary speakers and social commentators, Rex Murphy. Next year, MCAC brings the event to Calgary, Alta.

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4 1. Delegates were in stitches during An evening with Ron James. 2. Flo Bartoli, Emily Marshall and John Fornari were ready for Western Night. 3. Del Pawliuk, Monica Derksen and James Derksen. 4. Tania Johnston, Daryl Sharkey and Dave Ross were decked out in preparation for next year’s event in Calgary. 5. The Dennis Whitty Band.

6. Al Prowse tees off during the John Bradshaw Memorial golf tournament. 7. Charles Vander Kooi challenges delegates to create profitable businesses. 8. Trish McKeagan, Ron James and Richard McKeagan. 9. Rex Murphy brought analysis to breakfast. 10.

As a warm up to his anthem singing at that night’s Ottawa Senators hockey game, constable Linden Slewidge got the day going with O’Canada. 11. Al and Kathy Prowse. 12. Brian McCabe, Monica Derksen, James Derksen, Jen McCabe and Bruce Laing. 13. Companions Amazing Ottawa Race participants. MCA Ottawa donated $2,500 to the Canadian Cancer Society on behalf of the participants.

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No one knows the PVF markets & products better than Mueller Flow Control.

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Visit us online at www.muellerflow.com

Hybrid system The York Hybrid Comfort System uses an electric heat pump as the primary heat source during mild winters. On the coldest days, when outdoor temperatures drop to a point where the heat pump is no longer efficient, a gas furnace, instead of electric resistance heaters, provides supplemental heat. This hybrid or dual-fuel system helps ensure comfortable indoor temperatures while at same time balancing the utility load for the economical operation. The system consists of an Affinity 8T Series heat pump and matching Affinity furnace.

yorkupg.com

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Controls package A Windows-based, internet-ready package, iWorX from Comfort Control Solutions, is designed for buildings up to 50,000 sq. ft. It allows for centralize control of almost everything from one location, including over-ride and set occupied and unoccupied periods for HVAC comfort, lighting, appliances, machinery, equipment, and secure access. On-site communication occurs at the system’s touch pad, or with an optional PC. Connection is also available on-line.

comfortcontrolsolutions.com

Introducing Danfoss Hago A complete range of high quality steel nozzles, brass nozzles and fuel pumps t )BHP 4UFFM /P[[MFT HQI *OEVTUSJBM #VSOFS /P[[MFT UP HQI t %BOGPTT #SBTT /P[[MFT o HQI

Danfoss Inc. #VSOFS $PNQPOFOUT $PSQPSBUF %SJWF #BMUJNPSF .% 64" Telephone:(410)931-8250 Fax:(410)931-8256 burner.danfoss.us

Infrared radiant heaters

Danfoss Inc. 6711 Mississauga Rd. Suite 410 Mississauga ON L5N 2W3 Canada Telephone: (905) 285-2050 Fax: (905) 285-2055 burner.danfoss.us

11096

Danfoss Hago Inc. 1120 Globe Avenue .PVOUBJOTJEF /+ 64" Telephone: (908) 232-8687 Fax: (908) 232-7246 IBHPOP[[MFT DPN

t %BOGPTT #'14 ** %PVCMF $VU™ GVFM QVNQT featuring revolutionary new technologies t %BOGPTT #'1) GVFM QVNQT o GPS BQQMJDBUJPOT where a solenoid is not required

Designed to stand up to severe conditions encountered outdoors or in harsh environments, Superior Radiant Products’ infrared radiant heaters are available in single-stage or hi-lo; 40,000 to 220,000 BTUH models. The heaters feature totally enclosed burner construction that is resistant to wind and the elements. Aluminized tube and reflector are standard.

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Gas furnace Offering variable speed two-stage heating, the 92.1 per cent AFUE QuietComfort VS 90 from Heil features easy on/off doors and built-in diagnostics. To reduce installation time, most hose and clamp connections are pre-made by the factory.

Additional features include 24- and 115-volt accessory connections for humidifier attachment; troubleshooting LED fault indicators; and remote flame sensing.

Radiant construction heater Engineered for the harsh conditions encountered on jobsites, the HeatPro radiant construction heater from IR Energy uses internal reflectors to control the 360-degree focused heat band of a modulating burner with rates from 60,000 to 100,000 BTUH. Features include built-in piezo ignition and heat control, quick-connect hose connection and thermostat.

goheil.com

Aluminum chimney liner Flexi-Liner aluminum chimney liner tubes by Selkirk incorporate an offset two-ply seam, uniquely located on the shoulders of corrugations rather than in the valley of corrugations.

They are available in 3” to 8” sizes, in 15’, 25’ and 35’ kits. Larger sizes are available as special orders, and 10’ extension lengths.

irenergy.ca

Modulating gas furnace The Luxaire Acclimate modulating gas furnace is designed to match the comfort needs of a home by maintaining a constant temperature, rather than fluctuating between two and six degrees, like standard furnaces. The 95 per cent AFUE unit suffers less wear and tear on the heat exchanger, as it does not turn on and off as frequently. Available in a constant speed blower configuration and a variable speed blower configuration.

luxaire.com selkirkcanada.com

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Solar water heater Stainless steel circulators Grundfos recented added three stainless steel pump models to its line of UP circulators, the UP15-29, UP(S) 15-35 and UP(S) 15-55. The three models are offered in thirteen variations, including one single-speed and two models offering multi-speed operation. Pump performance ranges from zero to 18 feet of head, from zero to 25 gpm. All models are available in 115v, including three with the option of 230v operation.

grundfos.ca

The Pheonix solar water heater from Heat Transfer combines domestic hot-water storage with a gas-fired backup, all in one unit, to meet the hot-water demands of residential and commercial solar thermal systems. The sealed-combustion, direct-vent unit offers 97 per cent thermal efficiency.

htproducts.com

Boiler controls Beckett’s HeatManager fuel economizer is an advanced boiler control for residential applications. It works with any fuel, and is designed to reduce heating fuel consumption by automatically adjusting the burner run pattern to match the system's heat load. It can be used with boilers up to 300,000 BTU.

beckettcorp.com

Radiant panel system Designed for both retrofit and new construction applications, the RauPanel system from REHAU consists of 3/8” RauPEX cross-linked polyethylene (PEXa) pipe, aluminum panels and wood return bends. The system’s 5/8” profile minimizes impact on overall floor height. It can be used over new or existing subfloors, or concrete slabs.

rehau.com

Radiant heating tube Five-layer DuoPEX-c S5 from Roth Canada is chemical-free PEX-c tubing that incorporates a protective EVOH-barrier layer. This oxygen barrier is locked between two layers, protecting it from mechanical damage and wear caused by the elements.

roth-canada.com

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www.heat-timer.com www.taco-hvac.com Hydronic controls www.customer.honeywell.com www.beckettcorp.com The set-point control (SPC) series Digi-Span, from Heat-Timer, senses temperature, pressure or humidity and provides a single pole, double throw output. It is designed for use where on/off or two-position control is desired.

Features include 1/2" LED display of sensed and set point values. In addition, the set point and differential are adjustable. It uses solid-state sensors that can be located up to 500' from the control.

heat-timer.com

Hydronic circulator Condensing boiler Viessmann has added a Comfort Saver Series option to its line of condensing boilers with the Vitodens 100. It uses the same Inox-Radial heat exchanger design as the company’s premium series Vitodens 200 boilers, and offers an AFUE of 95.1 per cent. It uses a full-modulation natural gas stainless steel cylinder burner and comes factory-calibrated.

The 00R 3-Speed radiant pump from Taco is designed for the flow and head requirements of today’s radiant heat systems. Its threespeed switching capability provides fine tuning control to match a wide combination of tube diameters and run lengths. The pump incorporates a removable, high-flow integral flow check that prevents gravity flow. The company’s 0010 3-Speed service pump is designed to replace most commonly used circulators.

viessman.ca

taco-hvac.com

NL/NV SERIES

Keeping You in Comfort Newmac has a reputation for developing high efficiency furnaces and boilers that our customers demand. Our multi-fired units are competitively priced and built under strict ISO 9001 standards to ensure years of dependability.

All units are backed by the best warranties in the business and Newmac offers technical support that you can count on. Call today or visit our website for more information.

*Highboy and horizontal models available

Benefits • High combustion efficiency • No chimney required • Reduced installation time

NBR SERIES

Ontario Office P.O. Box 545, Woodstock Ontario, N4V 1P8 Phone: 519-539-6147 Fax: 519-539-0048 Email: newmac@ca.inter.net

w w w . n e w m a c f u r n a c e s . c o m

Benefits • High combustion efficiency • Reduced fuel consumption • Easy installation of piping • No chimney required • Ideal for large or small homes • Ease of servicing

Combination Wood/Coal and Oil Furnaces*

Features • Firing range 86,000 to 170,000 btu/h • Preheated combustion air • Thermostatically controlled Forced Draft Fan • Ceramic fibre combustion chamber • Large firedoors • Single flue

M e c h a n i c a l

Emerson UltraTech™ New! Variable Speed Motor • Better efficiency than existing PSC motors • Improved comfort in re-circulation mode • A large selection of CFM points, for improved cooling and heating comfort • Long term air filtration at minimal energy consumption • Smooth reliable starting characteristics ensure the motor starts and turns in the right direction

Oil Fired Boilers

Features • Firing range 90,000 to 300,000 btu/h • Sealed Vent approved to 155,000 btu/h • Wet base and wet back • 12 ga SS Chamber A.F.U.E. rating up to 86.7% • Swing mount burner door

CL SERIES Head Office P.O. Box 9, Debert Nova Scotia, B0M 1G0 Phone: 902-662-3840 Fax: 902-662-2581 Email: newmac@ca.inter.net

Low Boy Oil Fired Forced Air Furnaces*

Features • Firing range 77,000 to 326,000 btu/h • Sealed Vent approved to 177,000 btu/h • A.F.U.E. rating up to 86.1% • Ceramic fiber corbel combustion chambers • Direct or Belt Drive models

Benefits • Ideal for new or old homes • Increased combustion efficiency • Easy servicing • High air filtering capacity • Easy loading • Single Chimney connection • Power failure operation *Add-Ons and boilers also available Energy Star designation applies to the CL 86/96 C/G Only

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Doug MacMillan

According to marketing mythology, the earliest logos were designed in the 1900s when products were first being packaged and mass produced. Their purpose was to help illiterate consumers identify a product by recognizing a symbol, rather than having to read a name. This was called ‘branding’ for its similarity to a rancher burning his mark on cattle.

Despite the fact that pretty much every consumer today can read, branding is a thriving and increasingly important industry. Hundreds of new companies and products are introduced into the Canadian market every day, and we are bombarded with more advertising messages than society has ever experienced – quite literally everywhere we go. To the lay-consumer, it seems that everyone is promising the same thing. Only the strong stand out. Only the best survive for the long term.

Most of us know which office and school supply chain makes it “Easy”; which airline’s employees care because they are also owners; and the brewery that makes your choice “clear.”

Each brand statement is easy to remember, and makes a bold promise. “One hour.”

“Trust.” “Easy.” Being this clear and simple is the golden rule of effective branding.

Spending the time and/or money to articulate your brand can be difficult, especially in what is (mis)perceived to be a commodity industry where everyone seems to Doug MacMillan is president of MacMillan Marketing Group in Guelph, Ont. To reach him, e-mail dmac@macmillanmarketing.com.

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Another fine example is “Dave Lennox.” The original furnace manufacturing pioneer died in the 1940s, yet actors kept the brand alive for many more decades, because the name and face were well established and synonymous with one word: trust. Even today, the company leverages its Dave Lennox reputation in a “signature” series of products. I believe it’s one of the century’s most successful marketing stories in the heating industry and well beyond. Only a certain chicken-shilling colonel has a more recognizable face.

Photo: Lennox International

As a result, today’s brand is more than just a symbol. It is everything a company has at its disposal to differentiate itself – it is the entire personality of an organization. It encompasses the products, the people, the pricing, the service, and more – all in a neat little package. The best brands make a simple, memorable promise to customers, and stand by that promise.

Consider “One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning.” The name itself is the promise. In a business where homeowners are used to being home for a “four hour service window,” their commitment is a significant brand differentiator. Customers are told what to expect, from the very first impression.

promise the same things. Understanding what people think of you can be perplexing, but really, it is not. My advice is to ask your long-time customers. Who can better tell you why you’re the contractor, manufacturer, or wholesaler of choice? Host an informal customer gathering and get them talking. Hold another one with employees. Together, they’ll define who you are. The results are always compelling, surprising, and an accurate picture of your brand.

Once a company establishes its unique persona, the challenge is to create the message and visual identity to communicate it and the specific promise effectively, each and every time contact is made with the outside world. More than just customers, this encompasses suppliers, staff, neighbours, etc. It takes a commitment that every truck, ad, letter and brochure will be consistent in look and message, every time. This takes effort, it’s true, especially for a small business owner with equipment to sell, technicians to train, and books to balance. But once a general brand message and look are established, it actually makes the marketing job considerably easier than starting from scratch each time.

Your Corner Your corner invites readers to engage in the discussion or debate. This issue, we’ll draw a name from all entries and award a MacMillan Marketing golf prize package valued at $100+! So, off with the gloves. It’s time to shine a light on the mechanical companies that are doing this well. And so this month’s “Your Corner” question is:

What are the best brands in our industry?

We’ll review all feedback and in a future issue of Mechanical Business, we’ll share the results.

E-mail dmac@macmillanmarketing.com with your vote, and why.

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Air-cooled condensers Bohn’s Monarch and Ambassador air-cooled condensers have incorporated design elements engineered to lower sound levels, while increasing energy efficiency and capacity. The Monarch Series uses EC motor technology, and offers the benefits of variable speed without the complexity that is usually associated with variable speed drives. The Ambassador Series uses 830 and 540 RPM motors, and uses specially-designed swept fan blades to reduce noise levels.

thecoldstandard.com

Leak detection lamp Spectronics Corporation’s Micro Discharge Light (MDL) ultraviolet lamp enables maintenance technicians to identify refrigerant and industrial fluid leaks. The Maxima ML-3500S lamp can be used with fluorescent dyes and has an inspection range of up to 30 feet.

Refrigeration valve Ecotherm has introduced its STF 4-way reversing valve for R410a refrigerant. It is pilot operated for reliable changeover operation, and has a capacity range from one to 80 TR (ton refrigeration). The valve also includes a drip-proof resin encapsulated solenoid coil, and offers instantaneous operation under small pressure differential.

ecotherm.ca

spectroline.com

Leak sealants All three Super Seal leak sealants from Cliplight Manufacturing Company are designed to permanently seal micro leaks in condensers, evaporators and lines, in both air conditioning and refrigerant systems. They are compatible with all oils and refrigerants, and include disposable charging hoses.

cliplight.com

Defrost controller The Hot Gas Defrost System, available on Heatcraft Refrigeration Products, Bohn, Larkin, Climate Control and Chandler branded products, uses a dedicated electronic controller to optimize the hot gas defrost cycle. The system is designed to operate in all outdoor ambient temperatures without the use of water tanks or other thermal storage devices.

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2007 Solar Conference 2007 November 18-21, 2007 The Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) will hold its annual conference at the Holiday Inn on King Street in Toronto.

For details, visit www.cansia.ca.

Construct Canada November 28-30, 2007 Canada's largest annual exposition and conference for the building design, construction and renovation industries will once again be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building. Visit www.constructcanada.com.

2008 ASHRAE Winter Meeting January 19-23, 2008 The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) will hold its 2008 winter meeting in New York City, at the New York Hilton. www.ashrae.org.

AHR Expo 2008 January 22-24, 2008 Organizers of the International AirConditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) have moved the show days to Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for the 2008 edition of the show, which will be held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. For full details, visit AHR's web site at www.ahrexpo.com.

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EVENTS

CIPH Gala March 26, 2008

MEET 2008 May 7-8, 2008

Held in conjunction with the CMX/CIPHEX show, the annual CIPH Gala in support of Habitat for Humanity Canada will feature a special appearance from Brett Butt of Corner Gas. The event takes place at the Fairmont Royal York hotel in Toronto. For more information, call 416-695-0447 or e-mail barden@sympatico.ca.

Co-sponsored by CIPH Atlantic Region, ASHRAE New Brunswick and PEI Chapter, the Illuminating Engineers Society, and the Electro Federation Canada, the 2008 edition of this annual event will be held in Moncton, N.B. Contact jlacey@masterpromotions.ca or visit www.masterpromotions.ca/meet.asp for more information.

CMX/CIPHEX 2008 March 27-29, 2008

Oilheat 2008 May 28-30, 2008

The biennial CMX/CIPHEX show brings all sectors of the Canadian mechanical sector together under one roof – the North Building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

For more information, visit www.cmxciphexshow.com or e-mail n.schulz@ciph.com.

The Canadian Oilheat Association will hold its Oilheat 2008 symposium in the Ottawa region, at the Brookstreet Hotel in the Kanata Research Park. For details, call 905-946-0264 or visit www.coha.ca.

K/BIS 2008 April 11-13, 2008 The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) will be held at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. The annual show, which attracts in excess of 40,000 attendees, puts a focus on the latest trends, designs and products displayed by more than 1,000 exhibiting companies. For more information, call 800-933-8735 or visit www.kbis.com.

CIPH Ontario Regional Conference May 30 – June 1, 2008 CIPH Ontario will hold its first regional conference at the Sheraton Fallsview hotel in Niagara Falls, Ont. For more information, call 416-695-0447 or e-mail barden@sympatico.ca.

CIPH ABC June 29 – July 2, 2008 The 75th Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH) annual business conference (ABC) will be held at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler in Whistler, B.C. The theme of the event will be Honouring the past: Embracing a strong future. For details, visit www.ciph.com or call 416-695-0447.

HRAI AGM August 21-23, 2008 The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) will hold its 40th annual meeting at the Delta Quebec in Quebec City. For full details, contact HRAI at 800-267-2231 or e-mail hraimail@hrai.ca.

WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Send details to adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com

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IN THE NEXT ISSUE

CONSERVATION IN THE CAN Low-flush, dual-flush & water-free toilet options

The

HRV: It’s not just for

new construction anymore TIPS and TRICKS for refrigerant swaps

BALANCE, and why it’s a must for your hydronic system PLUS MORE OF: “Hot Rod” Rohr on Hydronics Ask Roger on Business Mike Butler on HVAC Jeff Patchell’s World View

FILTERING through filter OPTIONS L I S T

O F

American Standard 2-3 www.americanstandard.ca Anvil International Canada 19 www.anvilintl.ca Aqua-Tech/Lochinvar 28 www.aquatech.ws Beckett Canada 57 www.beckettcorp.com info@beckettcanada.ca Bradford White-Canada 6 www.bradfordwhite.com Broan-Nutone 9 www.broan.ca ClimateCare 73 www.climatecare.com CMX/Ciphex Show 65 www.cmxciphexshow.com

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AND MORE !

C O N T A C T S

Danfoss Hago www.burner.danfoss.us Deflect-o Canada www.deflecto.com Delta Faucet www.deltafaucet.com Desco www.desco.ca ECR – Olsen Div. www.olsenhvac.com Ecco Heating www.eccohtg.com General Pipe www.drainbrain.com Grundfos Canada www.grundfos.ca Habitat Gala/CIPH www.ciph.com B u s i n e s s

68 69 11 47 28 51 4 59 32

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IPEX www.ipexinc.com JJM Graphic www.jjmgraphic.com Kerr Controls www.kerrheating.com Lyncar Products www.lyncar.com MITSair www.mitsair.com Mueller Flow Controls www.muellerflow.com Newmac Mfg. www.newmacfurnaces.com OS&B www.osb.ca Roth Canada www.roth-canada.com

37 43 33 31 29 67 71 79

Runtal North America 22 www.runtalnorthamerica.com S.A. Armstrong 27 www.armstrongpumps.com Selkirk Canada 73 www.selkirkcanada.com Venmar 49 www.vanee-ventilation.com Viega 17 www.propress.com Viessmann Mfg. 23 www.viessmann.ca Watts Canada 80 www.wattscanada.ca Weil-McLain 55 www.weil-mclain.ca

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PM# 41536047 Postmaster: Please send all address changes or undeliverable copies to: Mechanical Business, 352-117 Lakeshore Rd. E. Mississauga, ON L5G 4T6

W

RLDVIEW

Born with a global vision The birth of a new magazine title is an exciting time, both for those supplying the energy behind its production and the readers who open the pages with great anticipation.

Long may Mechanical Business magazine serve its market well.

As an invited columnist, I’m somewhat of a ring-in from Down-Under! However, it’s fair to say we Australian’s have a close affinity with Canadians and, apart from our differing climates, I’ve observed from my visits that we share similar values and live life pretty much the same – relaxing in the great outdoors, following and playing competitive sports and allowing our sense of humour to show through.

And so long as we Aussies keep winning more gold medals than you guys and the Brits at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, we’re fairly happy to keep it that way (only joking).

Now talking of launching new magazines, I had a similar experience some 18 months ago.

I’ve been publishing Australia’s major building and construction technical publications for the past 20 years, and during what (a few mates have said) must have been a lapse in my faculties, I decided it was time for the plumbing engineering/contracting sector globally to have its own technical journal.

World Plumbing Review (WPR) hit mailboxes across five continents and 18 countries last year with an inaugural edition. This has been followed up with a full season of 2007 editions.

The principal aim of the magazine is to exchange views and practices as well as transfer technology on a global basis. Our focus covers the vital issues of potable water World Plumbing Review distribution, sanitation, drainage Download for free at and fire services. Our market posiwww.wpr.com.au tioning for the magazine is expressed as “A world of sustainable plumbing practice” – which pretty well sums up what we aim to achieve.

Jeff Patchell

Here in Australia, the climate change issue has, for the past five years, been somewhat overshadowed by a prolonged drought.

The public’s attitude to saving and reusing water, as well as reducing energy consumption, has finally hit home. No longer does anyone see it as their right to use as much water as they want. The reality is that the potable water we use is a share of the total available globally.

Harvesting and distributing water also uses an enormous amount of energy and hand-in-hand with that goes the issue of greenhouse gas emissions.

While we have featured a number of LEED certified building projects in WPR, a building that well demonstrates a range of leading-edge “green” solutions in the Australian context is CH2, in Melbourne.

I encourage you to review the project in the July 2007 edition of WPR by downloading the issue at www.wpr.com.au.

Until next time, enjoy reading this first edition of Mechanical Business, and look forward to many more to come.

Jeff Patchell is the publisher of World Plumbing Review.

He brings his international point-of-view to every issue of Mechanical Business.

He can be reached at jeffpatchell@wpr.com.au.

The first four issues have been quite a journey as we visit and write about issues, case studies and technologies across the globe.

What has stood out to me is the fact that the plumbing industry is in a prime position to play a major role in assisting communities globally to solve many of the issues affected by climate change.

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BY THE NUMBERS Climate change changing spending habits More than 60 per cent of Albertans and Ontarians say they are very concerned about climate change, and 42 per cent of them say they would pay a premium of 10 per cent or more for products that are environmentally friendly, according to a survey Ipsos Reid conducted for Direct Energy.

Source: www.directenergy.com

32%

have installed a programmable thermostat

31%

have installed a low-flow shower head

13%

have upgraded to a more efficient furnace, air conditioner or boiler

Lowering the flush In June, the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association released the results of its study into the 2005 sales numbers of 13L and low-flush toilets in Canada. The majority (934,900 or 61%) were purchased for renovation purposes, while the remaining 601,913 (39%) were used in new construction.

Still historically high Construction intentions cooled down in July as the value of building permits declined, halting two months of recordsetting performances. Still, July was one of only a handful of

1.5 million – number of residential toilets sold in Canada in 2005.

1.1 million – number of 6L units.

390,288 – number of 13L units.

90,399 – number of dual-flush models sold.

23,800,000 litres – daily amount of water that could have been saved if all toilets sold in Canada in 2005 had been 6L models or less. months in which permits exceeded the $6-billion mark. Yearto-date, the July results are 17.3 per cent higher than the same period in 2006.

Source: The Canadian Water and Wastewater Association

$42.8 billion – value of building permits issued in Canada from January to July, 2007. $6.2 billion – value of building permits issued in July. $2.3 billion – value of non-residential permits in July. $3.8 billion – value of residential permits.

20,594 – number of new dwelling units approved in July.

Source: Statistics Canada

Wholesale gains The August plumbing, heating, cooling and piping (PHCP) wholesalers sales report indicates a rise in both monthly and year-to-date figures.

The biggest gains were reported in the hydronics and HVAC/R sectors, as companies prepare for the pending heating season.

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$28 million – rise in August 2007 sales over August 2006.

12.4% – year-to-date increase in Alberta.

$3.224 billion – year-to-date sales through August.

12.3% – year-to date increase in western region, which includes Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Thunder Bay, Ont.

$166 million – sales increase versus same period one year earlier.

Source: www.ciph.com

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