May/June 2016

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Kitchen & Bath Issue

Toilet technology has come a long way

INSIDE Q MEET Show sees strong attendance Q Senate contemplates prompt payment Q Large service contractor buys U.S. competitor Q Working with suppliers for mutual benefit MAY/JUNE 2016

LOW FLUSH

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Q Contents

Kitchen & Bath Issue Departments Hot Seat .........................................5 Gov’t support needed

Industry News ................... 6 MEET Show draws a crowd

Training ............................. 49 Competition tough at Ontario Skills

People & Places ................ 50 Pump company celebrates 75 years

Shop Management .......... 53 Working with your suppliers

Coming Events ................. 54

Products & Technologies

Going wireless Wi-Fi drain cameras a game changer

Kitchen & Bath ............................14 Drain Tech ....................................20 Ventilation ...................................24 Air Conditioning..........................29

Features

Heating ........................................38 Pipes, Valves & Fittings ...............42 Refrigeration ...............................43 Tools & Instruments ....................48 On solid ground

34

Geothermal heating/cooling becoming mainstream

Cover: Low flush toilets have come a long way. Please see our article on page 14.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Defrost basics

43

Critical part of refrigeration often overlooked

Keeping your cool

30

Sealed ductwork key to efficient AC

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

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Q Hot Seat

May/June 2016 Volume 26, Number 4 ISSN 1919-0395

Publisher Mark Vreugdenhil (416) 614-5819 mark@plumbingandhvac.ca

Prompt payment support needed In looking at the latest initiative to get prompt payment legislation enacted in this country, one can’t help but feel like we’ve been down this road before. Well, we have actually, just a few years ago in Ontario.

The Ontario Prompt Payment Act, Bill 69, was a private member’s bill. It died when an election was called and was not brought back despite all party support.

Instead, the Ontario government decided to review the Construction Lien Act. The Canada Prompt Payment Act introduced

by Conservative Senator Don Plett, a former mechanical contractor and great champion for the industry, is also a private members bill. Private members bills seldom succeed. It doesn’t help that the party in power is Liberal.

And yet with this issue being so important and apparently having support from all political parties, why isn’t this a government initiative?

Most other countries in the Western world including the United States have adopted some form of prompt payment legislation. In Quebec, the Charbonneau Commission, which looked at corruption in the construction industry, showed how slow payment forced contractors to turn to organized crime – loan sharks

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– to borrow money to stay afloat when payment was delayed, thus bringing organized crime into the construction industry.

The National Trade Contractors Coalition of Canada, the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada and the Canadian Construction Association have compiled all kinds of data to show how poor payment practices have a negative impact on the Canadian economy. This is a big issue!

We have standard construction documents that are supposed to lay out payment requirements. The problem is that construction buyers routinely go through them and cross out the sections related to payment, or make up their own documents.

To prevent this, we need legislation in this country, both at the federal and provincial level. And it needs to be a government initiative.

Editor Simon Blake (416) 614-5820 simon@plumbingandhvac.ca National Sales Manager Mark Mierkalns (416) 614-5832 markm@plumbingandhvac.ca Design and Production Tim Norton/Janet Popadiuk production@plumbingandhvac.ca Circulation Manager Dorothy Lai

PLUMBING & HVAC Magazine is published eight times annually by Marked Business Media Inc. and is written for individuals who purchase/ specify/approve the selection of plumbing, piping, hot water heating, fire protection, warm air heating, air conditioning, ventilation, refrigeration, controls and related systems and products throughout Canada.

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Q Industry News

In Brief Vancouver hydronics conference The Canadian Hydronics Council has announced that the second Canadian Hydronics Conference will take place in conjunction with the CIPHEX West 2016 trade show in Vancouver Nov. 2-3 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Speakers lined up for the event include hydronics engineer and author John Siegenthaler, Taco’s Greg Cunniff and David Hughes of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Registration, which also includes CIPHEX West show registration, opens June 15 at www.ciphexwest.ca.

General Pipe Cleaners did a brisk business at the show.

Atlantic show well attended Once again, Atlantic Canada contractors turned out in large numbers for the region’s largest trade show and industry social event.

By the time the doors closed on the two-day MEET 2016 show May 18-19, a total of 6,338 people had passed through the doors of the Moncton Coliseum Complex in Moncton, N.B. “This was another strong edition for the Mechanical Electrical Electronic Technology Show,â€? said show manager Shawn Murphy. “Everyone seemed very upbeat; the energy was high and I heard from numerous exhibitors that they had a really good show. Many have already confirmed they’ll be returning for the next edition.â€? “We were very pleased with the results of MEET 2016,â€? added Mike Patterson, show committee chairman (and regional sales leader for Emco Corp., Plumbing Atlantic, in his day job). “We were happy with the turnout and we’ve heard great comments from exhibitors‌â€?

The MEET Industry Dinner was well attended with British comedian (now living in Saint John, N.B.) James Mullinger entertaining.

During the dinner, organizers recognized Bob Pulsifer with the MEET Show Recognition Award to commemorate his years of service and efforts in shaping the MEET Show into the unique event it is today. He was instrumental in putting the show together in the early years

6

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2016

and has continued to contribute.

Organizers found a sure-fire way to get people to pre-register for this year’s show, offering two $4,000 cash prizes in a draw.

Gary Arseneault and Nicolas Comtois went home with significantly fattened wallets.

MEET Innovation Awards were presented to four manufacturers after their products were judged most innovative. There was one award from each of the four sponsoring associations. t #FMJNP SFDFJWFE UIF "$.& "UMBOUJD Canada Mechanical Exhibitors) Innovation Award for the Belimo Energy Valve; t %FMUB 'BVDFU $BOBEB XBT BXBSEFE UIF CIPH (Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating) Innovation Award for its Electronic Thermostatic Lav Faucet; t 4UFMQSP SFDFJWFE UIF &MFDUSP 'FEFSBUJPO PG Canada Innovation Award for its 4000 W KI Thermostat for the Smart Home; and t #FHIFMMJ $BOBEB *OD SFDFJWFE UIF *&4 (Illuminating Engineering Society) Innovation Award for its Pluraluce LED lighting system.

Plumbing and refrigeration Skills competitions, which usually take place at MEET, were held earlier due to the show taking place so close to the Skills Canada competition, scheduled for June 5-8 in Moncton.

For more information, visit www. meetshow.ca.

Air quality standard updated Vapor from electronic cigarettes and secondhand smoke from marijuana is now included in the most recent version of ASHRAE’s indoor air quality HVAC construction standard. The new version of Standard 62.1, which covers ventilation and air quality in commercial and institutional buildings, expands the definition of “environmental tobacco smoke�. The standard also revises operation and maintenance requirements for commercial buildings. It contains changes that affect high-rise residential spaces, the indoor air quality procedure, laboratory exhaust and demand control ventilation. Multi-family residential units have been removed from the standard and are now covered in Standard 62.2.

Common spaces such as corridors, lobbies and fitness rooms remain in 62.1.

Texting and driving liability The U.S.-based Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors Association is warning its members that they have significant liability if their employees are texting while driving, particularly where work is structured so that it’s necessary, encouraged or condoned.

All businesses should have a clear written driving policy that prohibits cell phone use while driving and must be able to show that employees are trained on the policy and that it is enforced, the association reports. They suggest attaching the policy in clear view of the driver on the inside of the vehicle.

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Q Industry News

MCAC urges support for prompt payment legislation The Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada is urging its members to get behind prompt payment legislation introduced in the Senate.

Manitoba Senator Don Plett, himself a former mechanical contractor, introduced the Canada Prompt Payment Act (Bill S-224), which sets out payment requirements on federal government projects. The bill passed first reading in the Senate April 13 and second reading April 19.

“Although this is a huge step in the right direction, we need your assistance to help us move Bill S-224 forward. We ask that you contact your local/regional/provincial construction association and ask them: Are you supportive of Bill S-224 - Canada Prompt Payment Act?” said MCAC CEO Richard McKeagan in a letter to members.

Construction officials believe that, if it becomes law, Bill S-224 will act as a catalyst encouraging and expediting provincial/territo-

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rial jurisdictions to enact their own legislation which would apply to provincial/territorial government projects as well as those that are within the private sector. A similar scenario occurred in the United States, reported McKeagan.

Significant benefits for contractors Some of the benefits associated with Bill S-224 include: t 1BZNFOU GPS XPSL DFSUJGJFE BT CFJOH completed within 30 days t "MMPX GPS QSPHSFTT QBZNFOUT PO MBSHFS projects according to schedule draws, subject to certification that work has been satisfactorily completed to allow these draws t "MMPX GPS JOUFSFTU BOE QFOBMUJFT UP accumulate where payment within 30 days is not forthcoming t "MMPX GPS DPOUSBDUPST UP TVTQFOE XPSL where payment is not forthcoming for “unreasonable” periods without the contractor being in breach of contract

t ćF ESBę MFHJTMBUJPO DPOUBJOT UIF QSJODJQMF that payments for work certified complete down the construction chain should flow monthly, which itself is a principle embodied in the standard CCA and CCDC contracts t *U BMTP NBLFT SFGFSFODF UP NJMFTUPOF QBZNFOUT as well as a dispute resolution process Prompt payment legislation is required because the common practice is that purchasers of construction altar standard contracts to get around obligations set out in policies and procedures, said McKeagan.

Prompt payment legislation is a worldwide issue and has been adopted in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the European Union.

Wide industry support The National Trade Contractors Coalition of Canada (NTCCC), which has been Please see “Prompt” page 11

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

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Q Industry News

Enercare buys Service Experts One of Canada’s largest service contractors just became a whole lot bigger. On May 11 Enercare Inc. – formerly Direct Energy – announced the acquisition of Service Experts, which has contractors across Canada and the U.S. “Through Service Experts, we become a North American market leader in home services,” said John Macdonald, president and CEO of Enercare. “The acquisition, which is a natural extension to our business, creates an opportunity to drive growth and create shareholder value.” The purchase price was $340.75 million – U.S. dollars (about $440 million Canadian.)

Founded in 1996, Service Experts is a leading provider of HVAC service and repairs and related services to residential and commercial customers in 29 states in the United States and three provinces in Canada. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, it has 90 locations, and approximately 2,800

employees. The move will dramatically increase Enercare’s representation in the West, with locations in Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton. It also has locations in Kingston and Ottawa, Ont. Service Experts serves the following market segments: t SFTJEFOUJBM )7"$ TFSWJDF BOE SFQMBDFNFOU t BODJMMBSZ SFTJEFOUJBM IPNF TFSWJDFT including plumbing, indoor air quality and

Prompt payment Continued from page 10

spearheading prompt payment legislation, held its 2016 Prompt Payment Summit from April 17-20 in Ottawa, following a similar successful summit held in 2015. The event brought trade contractor associations and

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Canadian operations will continue to be run from Enercare’s Mississauga, Ont. head office, with U.S. headquarters remaining in Dallas, said McDonald.

observers from across the country to discuss the urgent need for federal prompt payment legislation and to discuss the progress that has been made provincially.

This year, the event was capped off by an advocacy and awareness push on Parliament Hill where attendees met with nearly 40 politicians and senior ministerial advisors to discuss the issue.

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Q Letters

Corrugated gas tubing improperly installed Dear Editor: I would like to address a very big issue that seems to be overlooked in our field. I have seen on a number of occasions corrugated stainless steel (gas) tubing (CSST) strapped to the side, This installation is bottom or even to the tidy, but incorrect, plenum of ductwork reports reader. on new residential installations. This strapping of CSST to any ductwork is clearly a ‘no-can-do’ . I’ve read the manufacturer’s instructions of all the major CSST makers and everyone says the same thing. (Don’t do it!)

So why is this happening? Why, when I walk into a brand new home with my G2 gas license in my pocket and see an improper installation of this CSST, I have to infract only to hear the home owner say “well (the utility) did their inspection and stuck a completion sticker on the duct saying everything passes�?

That was when the light bulb went on! I contacted a utility employee I know and

Oil code changes Dear Editor: I read your article, Better oil heating technology, in the March issue of Plumbing & HVAC. It’s a decent article, but a correction is needed regarding the reference to the B139 oil heating code, Section 5.3.2.2. This has changed with the heavily revised 2015 version of the Installation Code for Oilburning Equipment where the reference is now under B139.2 – 15 Installation Code for Oil-burning Equipment for Residential and Small Commercial Buildings, section 10.10.2.2. Because of the many changes in layout, content and new provisions of the revised installation code, there is a need to ensure that today’s oil technicians are up to date with the latest version.

Conrad Baumgartner, NRCan, Ottawa

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asked, “Are you guys certified for CSST?� His answer: “Nope.�

This is a big issue. CSST is being installed all over the place incorrectly and no one seems to care. I see CSST strapped to the side of homes with no protection. I see it installed with no protection devices or the wrong ones (electrical smash plates).

I have a steady stream of CSST pictures that are just unbelievable. I’ve seen videos

online of what happens when lightning hits this stuff and it’s not pretty. I realize that we are not in the lightning hot spot of North America, but when most of this gets put in wrong, eventually it’s going to bite us. When one company blows someone or something up, we all suffer.

Jason Lovie, president The Comfort Guy Woodstock, Ont.

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Q Kitchen & Bath

American Standard’s Vormax technology changes the way water moves through a toilet.

A new test method provided a big push. Introduced in 2002, the Maximum Performance (MaP) Test used simulated human waste made from a soybean mixture that duplicated real world conditions, unlike previous tests.

“Instead of being a pass/fail, it was an actual rating,” reported engineer Bill Gauley, who along with John Koeller created the MaP

TODAY’S LOW FLUSH TOILETS New designs, testing add up to reliable technology

By Simon Blake

14

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2016

F

ew plumbers who were in the business 15 years ago will forget the problems when low flush (sixlitre) toilets were introduced in this country. The problems got so bad that people were going out of their way to buy the older 13-litre models. New designs and test procedures have largely put an end to those issues.

“Since the early 2000s, the industry figured it out. They figured out how to design the shape of the bowl, the trapway, the tank and how the water moved through the system in order to remove the waste and get it transported down the drain line much more efficiently,” remarked Robert Zimmerman, director, engineering, sustainability at Kohler Co., Kohler, Wisconsin.

In fact they figured it out so well that it was a relatively small step to go from six litres to 4.8 litres per flush, which makes up most of the market today.

Test. Consumers could go on the MaP website and check the flush performance of the toilet they were considering. Manufacturers wanted to score high. “Because the scores were published, manufacturers started really trying to improve,” added Gauley (Bill Gauley Associates Ltd., Acton, Ont., formerly with Veritec Consulting, Mississauga, Ont.).

The other key was that Gauley and Koeller capped the performance requirement at 1,000 grams so that manufacturers didn’t have to chase a constantly moving bar, as HVAC manufacturers have to do with efficiency requirements.

“It became an unofficial standard for water closets,” added Frank Leone, regional manager wholesale, Ontario and Atlantic, for American Standard Brands, Mississauga, Ont. It was so successful that lower volumes were tried. “We started, in the lab, reducing flush volumes by 20 percent to 4.8 litres (1.28 gallons) per flush to see how that would

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The Canadian-made Proficiency line uses a unique flushing system and only three litres of water.

work. We found the new (lower flush volume) designs still worked fine.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) used the results to establish its WaterSense standard that requires toilets to flush 350 grams of waste at no more than 4.8 litres.

“But the products just kept getting better and better, so now we have 4.8 litre toilets that will flush 1,000 grams,” noted Gauley.

“We use that test internally for quality control as well as product development. It really has become an important part of how performance is measured,” said Zimmerman.

go from 4.8 litres flush to 4.0 litres/1.1 gallons.

There is already a new MaP category – MaP Premium – for toilets that flush 600 grams with four litres or less. “We know it’s difficult to get down to three litres, but four is not a problem. And we knew that people wouldn’t sacrifice performance to get more efficiency.”

“That’s where people that are trying to conserve are going to,” noted Leone. “(The MaP Premium) is more important than even the WaterSense certification,” he added. Some municipalities, concerned about exceeding their water treatment infrastructure capacity, are already mandating MaP Premium toilets in new construction. “That’s what drives conservation in countries like Canada where there is an abundance of water.”

Gauley expects that with virtually all toilets meeting the WaterSense standard, it is likely

that the EPA will reduce flush volumes to four-litres/1.1 gallon, while maintaining a 350-gram volume.

Leone believes the WaterSense standard is too low because the average man can excrete 250 grams and then, when one adds paper, the total waste volume can exceed 350 grams.

“Today, with anything under 500, people don’t consider it a good performing toilet.”

Different approaches The only widely available three-litre toilets on the market are the Proficiency line from Hennessey & Hinchcliffe in Mississauga, Ont. Launched in 2009, all models flush 800 grams in MaP testing.

“It was a pretty big leap,” remarked

Please see ‘Toilets’ on page 17

How low can it go?

Originally, low flush meant six litres or 1.6 gpm per flush. Today there are toilets on the market that flush with half that amount, which begs the question: just how low can it go?

“The industry isn’t uniform on this, but it’s my opinion that four litres is about as low as you are going to want to go for toilet flush,” said Zimmerman. “The plumbing is a system – it’s not just the toilet and waste – it’s all the other inputs of clear water that are coming into your drain that have also been reduced.

There is a minimum flow rate that makes the system work, but there’s no absolute number that you can say ‘this is it.’”

Gauley expects the next big push will be to

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Toilets have come a long way. Kohler uses a canister-type flush mechanism for better efficiency.

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

15

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Q Kitchen & Bath

Toilets are better, but what about the drains?

Continued from page 15 Hinchcliffe & Hennessy general manager Jerrad Hennessy. It uses a unique passive air pressurized trap-way that starts an immediate siphon without depending on water entering the bowl. As the toilet tank refills, it pushes the air out of an airtight capsule that is connected directly to the trapway, where it creates pressure – less than a few psi. When the user flushes, the air is sucked back into the capsule, creating a vacuum in the trapway and an immediate siphon.

“Three litres of water are effectively used to clean and scour the bowl since our tests have shown that the vacuum created by our BSB flush system alone will flush the toilet contents without any additional water,” said Hennessy.

Also on the leading edge of water conservation, American Standard Vormax technology uses twin flappers. Typically, a toilet uses about 70 percent of the water to start the siphon, with the remaining 30 percent to clean the bowl. Vormax technology reverses that, producing a strong siphon with 30 percent while keeping the bowl spotless with 70 percent of the water flowing from a single jet, sending the water around the bowl in a cyclone effect.

Kohler has gone away from flappers altogether, using a canister type “flushing engine”. A cylinder lifts straight up so that the water comes in from 360 degrees, allowing a quicker transfer of water from the tank while straightening the flow and reducing turbulence.

Drain line carry performance As toilets flush with lower volumes and lowflow faucets and showerheads are installed, there has been concern that slopes and diameters of existing drains, which were designed for larger volumes of water, might not adequately carry the waste to the sewer main.

“The codes often don’t reflect that the water

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drop in drain-line carry performance when the toilet flush volume was reduced from 4.8 litres to 3.8 litres. Full test reports for studies conducted in 2012 and 2015 are available on the group’s website at www. plumbingefficiencyresearchcoalition.org.

Canadian code authorities have been looking at this as well, reported Ralph Suppa, president of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH). As a result, the most recent edition of the National Plumbing Code maintained sixlitre toilets for retrofit applications because they have proven to work well. In new construction, however, the maximum flush volume has been reduced to 4.8 litres.

Educated customers

The more, uh, realistic MaP test helped the industry move forward and gave consumers – and plumbers – a reliable way to compare toilets. volume going down the drain may be half what it was years ago,” noted Zimmerman.

In new construction, engineers can design for lower flow, but not so in retrofit. However, he noted that when toilets went from six litres to 4.8 there were very few reports of problems.

Increasing the drain slope doesn’t necessarily help – tests have shown an increase from one percent to two percent grade makes the water flow past the waste rather than pushing it.

The Plumbing Efficiency Research Coalition, an organization created in 2009 by plumbing manufacturer and regulatory organizations, conducted extensive testing on low flush toilets in commercial applications that, among other things, showed that reducing pipe size from four inches to three inches to increase flow speed did not offer improvement, in large part because paper products were more likely to clog the system. The tests also noted a significant

Today home-owners have often done their research before shopping for a toilet, including checking MaP test results, noted Ginnette Charbonneau, Mondeau showroom manager for Boone Plumbing and Heating Supply in Ottawa. “The ones that we recommend to customers are those that achieve 1,000 on the MaP test,” she added. And so many models today achieve 1,000 grams per flush that the customer doesn’t have to choose between efficiency and style.

But the products just kept getting better and better, so now we have 4.8 litre toilets that will flush 1,000 grams.

Plumbing wholesalers tend to stock brands with a proven track record. “They’re really well made. Many of the ones that we deal with have a five or even ten-year warranty,” she added.

At the MaP testing facility today, it’s rare to see a bad toilet among the thousands tested, said Gauley. “With most of the legitimate manufacturers, the products are far superior; we rarely get a bad fixture in now where as initially (in 2002), half of them were substandard.”

And that, for the plumber, means that callbacks for poorly functioning low flush toilets have become a thing of the past too.

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

17

Q Kitchen & Bath

Product Profile

Quick shower upgrade Add a hand shower and slide bar The new Annex shower system from Moen gives plumbers a simple and effective way to upgrade both the function and style of their customer’s shower without cutting into the wall. It allows a hand shower and slide bar to be added to existing shower plumbing.

It attaches to the current shower arm connection point in the wall, and features a built-in, two-function diverter to simply switch from showerhead to hand shower. It doesn’t alter the height of the showerhead, so it can work in any retrofit without worrying about ceiling

Before, left, and after, the new Moen Annex offers a quick and stylish way to add a slide bar and hand shower to any bathroom. height. There is two inches of horizontal adjustability to accommodate varying wall thicknesses.

The result is a secure mounting that meets ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) pull-force requirements, up to 250 pounds The shower rail provides the flexibility

to add any shower arm – including the provided arm – showerhead and hand shower, to create the customer’s desired look and shower experience.

The Annex is available in chrome finish and features Moen’s limited lifetime warranty.

Moen Canada www.moen.ca

Italian influence

Touch-free

The new Delta Mateo kitchen collection features the graceful curves of hand-blown glass bottles in a ‘nod’ to the Italian countryside. This is coupled with modern functionality including the company’s MagnaTite docking system to hold the spray head firmly in place via a powerful magnet and Diamond Seal technology for long reliable operation. It is also available with Delta’s Touch2O technology with TempSense technology that allows the faucet to be turned on and off with just a touch, simplifying food prep and cleanup.

Delta Faucet www.deltafaucet.ca

The REACT touch-free kitchen faucet from Pfister activates when the user’s hand or an object passes within its sensor range. Holding a hand in front of the faucet for five seconds deactivates the hands-free function, which is useful if the customer has cats as they can entertain themselves all day with a hands-free faucet. The faucet can still be controlled the old-fashioned way with its handle.

A pull-down spout with an extra long hose allows easier washing of large pots and pans. It’s also designed for quick and easy retrofit of an existing faucet.

Pfister www.pfisterfaucets.com

Minimalist styling Gerber has added two under-counter lavatory sinks featuring minimalist design.

The Luxoval Round Under-counter Lavatory features a 16”x16” (406 mm x 406 mm) round shape with nearly a 178 mm bowl depth. The Luxoval Oval Under-counter Lavatory (Model #13743) – Sink size on the Luxoval model is 17.625˝ x 14.625˝ (447.675 mm x 371.47 mm) with nearly a 178 mm bowl depth. Both feature a slotted front overflow and are offered in the white finish.

Gerber www.gerberonline.ca

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Classic wood faucet Franz Viegener’s Revere wood faucet from Barclay is designed to bring a “tasteful richness” to bathroom décor.

It is artistically executed with intricate details. A curved spout is suspended at a right angle from the fluted faucet body. Set on top of sculpted escutcheons, wooden lever handles made of ironwood, known for its hardness, are polished to a fine sheen. It is available in eight finishes that provide corrosion and tarnish resistance.

Barclay www.barclayproducts.com

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

19

Q Drain Tech

Wi-Fi technology a game-changer for drain cameras

By Simon Blake The addition of Wi-Fi technology to drain cameras is bringing big changes to the way that contractors can do inspections.

Not only can the technician now use his smart phone or tablet as a screen and recording device, but others can either watch the inspection as it occurs on their own devices or receive it by e-mail as soon as it is completed.

General Pipe Cleaners and Ratech Electronics introduced Wi-Fi in the past year. Ridgid expects to have it within a few months.

“It’s really slick,” noted Frank D’Andrea, president of Ratech, Toronto. “It’s today’s technology built for a plumber. Especially for the younger generation, it’s something they demand. I’m not even talking about teenagers; I’m talking about people in their 30s now.”

“These guys are used to Facebook, Instagram, etc. and see how simple and easy it is to upload a video or a file, so they ask: ‘Why can’t I do that with my inspection camera,” remarked James McGregor, global marketing director, diagnostics, for the

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Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2016

Extremely compact, the General Prism has the features of a larger camera.

Ridge Tool Co., Elyria, Ohio.

“The great advantage, aside from saving the money when you buy the unit, is that you can instantly send the inspection off to your customer via You Tube or e-mail,” remarked Marty Silverman, director of marketing for General Pipe Cleaners, McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania.

This ability speeds decisions on repairs.

The home or building owner – or an

engineer at a municipality – can see it immediately and make a decision on the repair or, in the municipality’s case, whether it’s their problem or the building owner’s problem.

How does it work?

The wireless concept is pretty simple. A wireless module attaches to the camera or is built into some the more advanced

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Ratech offers Wi-Fi on a number of its cameras including the Inspector Wi-Fi.

cameras. “There are systems available now that just consist of a reel, a camera and somebody’s tablet (or smart phone),” D’Andrea noted.

Without the need for a monitor, these units are extremely lightweight. The General Pipe Cleaners Prism system, for example, weighs only three pounds.

Actual operation is little different from a conventional camera. “You have all the controls to perform the inspection on the tablet,” reports D’Andrea The technician can still type a text overlay on to the video. The on-screen distance counter and the time and date will be there. There is a port on the Wi-Fi “box” that allows the operator to plug in a keyboard if they prefer. The operator can also use the power port to charge their mobile device.

Typically, range is 300 to 500 feet, depending on obstructions.

Wi-Fi limitations There are limitations, however. “The apps are for tablet or smartphone – Android or Apple; they are not available yet for laptops,” noted Silverman.

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“As the customer, you don’t actually have to be there to see what’s happening,” noted D’Andrea. “It’s not going to be live, but it’s something you just recorded and uploaded as opposed to (the technician) waiting until they get home at night or meeting with the customer and watching the video.”

Some systems will allow live streaming, noted McGregor. The technician can set up a tablet and hand it to the customer so they can watch the inspection as it occurs. This might be useful with an elderly customer, for example, who can’t come down into the basement but can view the inspection from the comfort of their living room.

The other advantage is that the operator can save the inspection on his/her phone, in addition to saving it to an SD card or USB stick that they can leave with the customer. That makes it very easy to go back and look at the inspection should there be a problem later.

Picture quality One of the first questions that comes up is picture quality – can a smart phone or tablet offer the same picture quality and readability in direct sunlight that the latest drain camera screens can? Smartphones and tablets have progressed to the point where they can, said D’Andrea. “The picture quality is very good.”

Of course, like anything, it depends on the quality of the device. “With high definition (HD) resolution on the phones, (the technician) is going to get a good picture.”

Manufacturers offer a number of brackets to attach the tablet or smart phone to the camera so that the technician will have his hands free to feed the push-rod.

Please see ‘Wi-Fi’ on page 22

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

21

Q Drain Tech

Wi-Fi likely to become standard Continued from page 21

Looking to the future All of this raises a question. Now that technicians can use their smart phones and tablets with their drain cameras, will the traditional unit with built in screen and recording device disappear?

D’Andrea doesn’t think so. Smart phones are not always reliable and don’t work in some remote areas. “There are always problems that could occur with a wireless device or smart phone with the battery running out, software problems, upgrades and data usage. It’s not always reliable.”

However, D’Andrea expects it’s only a matter of time until Wi-Fi technology is standard on all drain cameras. “In the future, there’s no doubt in my mind, that it is going to be standard. Almost every technological piece of equipment has Wi-Fi built in now. You see that with the thermostats, you see it with controls for lights, you see it with alarm systems… it’s just everywhere and it’s no different in the pipeline inspection industry.”

Silverman agrees. “I think it’s a great idea; I think a lot of our customers do as well. Even if they use their (camera) screen, they still want the Wi-Fi feature built into it.”

22

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2016

Ridgid expects to offer Wi-Fi on its cameras this summer.

Coming soon D’Andrea expects the next major technology upgrade will be pan and tilt cameras. The camera lens will no longer be fixed, allowing the operator to move the camera lens to different angles to get a better view of the problem.

McGregor envisions that in due time some cameras will be high definition.

Again, this allows the plumber to be better able to see. For drain inspection, he expects it will be a “nice to have” as opposed to a “must have” because plumbers don’t typically need that level of detail. However, it becomes important in things like boiler tube inspections where

the technician is looking for even the smallest cracks.

He expects that all cameras will become self-leveling as well. (He also expects that might not be popular with technicians who use their cameras as a battering ram as it can damage the mechanism, something not entirely the technician’s fault as, at one time, Ridgid used to demonstrate their cameras that way, he laughs.)

Drain cameras are sophisticated electronic devices and, like everything in the world of electronics, they will continue to evolve. But it will likely be in small steps – the addition of Wi-Fi could well be the last major change.

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Q Ventilation

g n i n i a t n Mai

4"'& PARKING GARAGE CO LEVELS Doing it without driving up energy costs can be a challenge

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By John Molnar and Daniela Lanos-Lee Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless gas whose effects range from mild flu-like symptoms to death in minutes depending on concentration. Its invisible deadly properties give it the reputation as a “silent killer”. All fossil fuel burning vehicles produce it and when several are driving through an enclosed space, the gas can accumulate quickly. Building codes have ventilation standards for parking garages to prevent this accumulation from reaching dangerous levels.

According to the Ontario Building Code (OBC), Section 6.2.2.3, for example, an enclosed parking garage may either: t IBWF DPOUJOVPVT GSFTI BJS GMPX EVSJOH operating hours which must be done using exhaust fans to create a negative pressure in the garage space or t VTF TFOTPST UP UVSO PO WFOUJMBUJPO JG $0 levels rise above 100 parts per million (ppm) of air when measured at a height between 900mm and 1800mm (three to six feet) above the floor.

Since we’re using exhaust fans to pull out contaminated air, we’re using power.

Running them continuously increases power consumption. Controlling the fans with a timer might seem like a logical option to reduce run time but cannot ensure proper

24

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2016

The owners of Columbia Place wanted to find a solution to excessive parking garage operating costs. ventilation at all times of need as mandated by the building code. Condo buildings, for example, will not be able to use timers to turn ventilation on and off at scheduled times since occupants come and go freely around the clock. In such a situation, installing a timer puts you at risk for high CO levels during fan “off ” times.

This brings us to option 2: Using CO detectors to turn on the fans and ventilate the garage only when needed.

Design considerations As discussed above, a carbon monoxide detection system is the ideal balance between safety and energy efficiency. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) issues a standard that governs the safe installation of carbon monoxide detection systems: NFPA 720: Standard for the Installation of Carbon

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Running garage ventilation fans continuously was adding thousands of dollars annually to the energy bill.

Monoxide (CO) Detection and Warning Equipment. Any system installed must follow these guidelines.

When designing the system, several factors must be considered: 1) Initial cost versus operating costs: Installing the right-sized ventilation system is mandatory.

Controlling it with a carbon monoxide detection system is optional. If you have an existing building, switching from a continuous flow system to one that provides ventilation as needed will save significant amounts of money in the long run. You will consume less electricity and you could potentially reduce heating and cooling requirements to the garage and adjacent spaces.

2) Locations and quantity of detectors: Detectors must be spaced according to the manufacturer’s instructions based on sensor operation. They must be free from obstruction

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The solution was to install CO sensors throughout the twolevel garage.

and placed in locations where they would not be exposed to extreme temperatures. Hence, particular attention must be paid to garage layout. Detector height must be between three and six feet (900mm - 1800mm) above the floor, as per code requirements.

A carbon monoxide detection system is the ideal balance between safety and energy efficiency.

3) Size of exhaust fans: The OBC requires that the exhaust must be 3.9 L/s per square metre of garage (approx. 0.8 CFM per square foot).

Exhaust fans must be used in conjunction with intake openings to create a negative pressure in relation to the rest of the building.

If there are parking attendant booths, they must be positively pressured with fresh air.

4) Locations of fans and intake openings: To create the airflow that would adequately ventilate the garage, exhaust fans and intake openings must be on opposite sides of the garage as far away from each other as possible.

5) Control sequences for exhaust fans: For multi-level parking garages, the carbon monoxide detectors should control the fans for the level on which they are located. Any one detector should activate the fan(s) for its zone. If the system is connected to a building automation system (BAS), it should register on the system.

Please see ‘turnkey’ on page 27

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

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Q Ventilation

A turnkey project Continued from page 25

A recent project Fo r t h e ow n e r s o f Columbia Place in Waterloo, Ont., the cost of operating the parking garage fans at full capacity was running into the thousands of dollars annually. The y were advised to install timers to switch off the fans and save energy. This was contrary to the building code and increased their The sensors are tied into a gas liability should something monitor, which controls the go wrong. The condo ventilation fans as required to corporation called in minimize CO levels. engineering firm CoEng Advisors, Burlington, Ont., which recommended the installation of a CO detection system to control garage ventilation.

CoEng managed the installation as a turnkey project, taking charge of the entire process from design to installation by the contractors. The owners had one point of contact without having to deal directly with multiple engineers, inspectors or contractors.

They were also able to obtain a $3,400 incentive for Columbia Place from the utility company as part of their service.

protect the owner’s asset.

For enclosed garages, it is possible to have a safe installation without skyrocketing operating costs. The expense of adding a carbon monoxide detection system will pay for itself with reduced energy costs for many years. In the process, the building owner minimizes liability and risk. A quality installation resists damage and reduces wear and tear, while protecting the building and those in it.

John Molnar is a professional engineer with a passion for sustainability and a decade of experience in the HVAC industry specializing in energy efficient solutions. He founded CoEng Advisors to help building owners and tenants reduce energy costs. Contact John at john.molnar@coengadvisors.com Daniela Llanos is an HVAC and plumbing

engineer with “an inner writing geek.” She writes content and marketing copy for mechanical companies and can be reached at daniela@engineeredcopywriting.com.

Zoned system Two fans per level ventilate the building’s two-tiered parking garage.

For the retrofit, 11 CO detectors were installed and the system was separated into two zones: one for each level. Creating the zones further reduced energy consumption by running only the fans needed to lower carbon dioxide to a safe concentration in that area. The detectors were connected back to the monitor with metal conduit for a tidy, durable installation.

Substantial savings reported After the installation, fan run time dropped by 87 percent. This translates into a reduction in electricity charges of about $4,000 annually. By following the building code and ensuring that CO levels will remain within safe levels, the building owners also managed risk and mitigated against associated liability.

Having the right project manager ensured a top quality installation.

With retrofit CO systems, wiring is primarily surface-mounted.

Under CoEng guidance, wiring was routed through conduit, giving a durable installation that will withstand accidental damage and

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

27

Q Air Conditioning Modulating ducted split system Bosch’s first-ever residential inverter ducted split system air-to-air heat pump has a modulating compressor that self-adjusts to provide homeowners with consistent room

temperatures. It provides 18 SEER efficiency in the AC mode and 9.5 HSPF for heating.

Outdoor condensing units operate at a quiet 56 db. Condenser units are three and five-ton while the air handlers range from two to five tons for these compact units.

Bosch www.boschheatingandcooling.com

Super efficient fan Light commercial rooftop unit

Condensate connection kit

Nortek Global HVAC has launched a new three-phase large packaged gas/electric system in two to five tons for light commercial use. The 14 SEER Model R8GE features aluminum micro-channel evaporator and condenser coil, reduced refrigerant capacity, five speed ECM blower motor, factory-installed filter drier, air filter racks and service panels.

Nortek Global www.nortekhvac.com

The new Aspen Xtra kit from Rectorseal provides all the necessary connectors, adaptors, brackets and supports needed to properly, aesthetically and efficiently mount, connect and run condensate hoses, line sets and communication/power cabling for ductless air conditioning applications.

Components are also available individually so the kit can be restocked as needed.

Rectorseal www.rectorseal.com

Ecco Supply, Langley, B.C., has been appointed Canadian distributor of the Dynamic Air Diffuser (DAD) line of ceiling fans. Acting both as a ceiling fan and a diffuser, they require no electricity by utilizing the forced air from the HVAC units. Airflow from the attached ductwork flows through the diffuser’s hub and out the engineered linear slots of the fan blades to produce the turning motion and create a smooth and constant throw of mixed air. They are available in many colours to match the décor.

Ecco Supply www.eccosupply.com

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May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

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Q Air Conditioning

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I Fig. 1: All manufactured and site assembled joints must be sealed.

In the past, not much attention was paid to ductwork in the residential and commercial markets. However, high efficiency heating and cooling products are changing this. Most residential products are designed to operate to a 0.5 static pressure for air conditioning and a variable of 0.25 to 0.35 static pressures for heating. A brief look at the static charts provided within the installation manuals will clearly show what each manufacturer’s products can provide at different CFM’s air flow to multiple static pressures listed on the tables, some reaching as high as one-inch static pressures.

Older products showed slight changes in airflow with limitations in reduction and increases in CFM’s by turns of a motor pulley in or out. The manuals dealt little with static pressures and or tables; early models in some cases where not approved for add-on air conditioners.

Changing market In 2009 mid-efficienc y 80 percent AFUE furnaces were phased out. The 90 percent-plus products have been the

30

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2016

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

The use of modern materials for ductwork can substantially reduce the number of joints that need to be sealed.

standard for some years and there is room for improvement. Many homeowners, government organizations and contractors are now looking into the full system and turning their efforts to the duct side. Reviewing what is on the existing job in a retrofit site, surveying new equipment design features to new ductwork installation on projects are all part of a retrofit these days.

It is found by most contractors and homeowners of late that, no matter how efficient the furnace is, some homes do not have the expected air movement from the registers. They come to the realization that the conditioned air produced by the equipment does not end up in its expected areas. Also, operational costs are higher on both heating and cooling.

Service technicians also have difficulties in controlling airflow to each station, running out of air before the registers and being unable to balance as shown on the drawings. It has been found that duct losses can be from 20 to 40 percent. At this point the working tech or the do-it-yourself type turns to different methods of repair, the most common being

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store-bought tapes to seal the poor joint connections left by the ductwork installer.

Different duct sealing products There are many duct-sealing products within the market. There are fabrics, foil tapes, silicones, insulations, as well as butyl-lined foil tape. Some will become temporary due to the adhesives drying out over a period of time, resulting in leaks and the pressure drop re-appearing. Paint-on or spray-on mastics have proven more effective than tapes, as well as cost effective. These can be spread quickly and efficiently, but they can be messy. These can generally cover gaps up to 1/8-inch on clean surfaces. Any more requires a patch before the sealers are applied.

New to the market, there are now more aggressive ways to seal the ductwork from the inside. The sealing starts with plugging up the ductwork at the registers and pressurizing the system to detect how much leakage there is and where it is occurring. A vaporized product is introduced into the duct system and over time builds up, plugging the leaks and holes.

This, so far, is proving to provide a more permanent seal and is ideal for retrofits such as older large systems or systems that are not within reach, such as closed basements and ceilings or concealed within walls. This also works on newly installed systems for permanent sealing.

Duct sealing becomes code Duct sealing has drawn attention from building code authorities as governments move to incorporate energy efficiency into their requirements.

On April 22, 2015 the Ontario Building Code, for example, was updated to require duct sealing for new homes as outlined in Section 4.7.2.3 of the 2012 Energy Star for New Homes standard, as follows: Except for 4.7.2.3.(D), heating and cooling systems ducts shall be sealed as follows: t 4FBM BMM TVQQMZ USBOTWFSTF KPJOUT CSBODIFT take-offs, branch supply joints and manufacturer’s beaded joints on round Please see ‘Fire’ on page 33

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

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Fire codes and duct sealing Continued from page 31

perimeter pipe located on all floors. t 8JUIJO B GSBNFE PS DMPTFE NFDIBOJDBM room, all the return air ducts, including joist returns, must be sealed with tape or mastic approved for the applications. t )37 &37 JOUFHSBUFE )37 BJS IBOEMFST and IMS connections to the outdoor vent hoods must be sealed and insulated. t 'PS EFEJDBUFE GVMMZ EVDUFE WFOUJMBUJPO ductwork (e.g. HRV/ERV ducts), all manufactured and site assembled joints must be sealed. t Ä&#x2021;F GPMMPXJOH KPJOUT BSF FYFNQU GSPN BEditional sealing: self-sealing manufactured pipe, take-offs, and fittings (with manufactured seal or incorporated gaskets); snap lock and folded seam longitudinal duct joints; and knurled adjustable joints. (See Fig. 1) Consult with local building code authorities for the requirements in your area.

Other considerations Fire codes cross into duct design as well, mostly relating to the garage/work areas and how they must be a separate system from that in living spaces. However, one should also understand and follow codes and bylaws regarding basement apartments.

designer on the drawings.

Some codes require a relay to shut down the furnace burner or valve in the case of a fire. In most cases, this cannot be done due to the product manufacturer not allowing this in their technology. However, a ducted smoke detector is required, complete with its sample tube, within the return air ductwork. This is interlocked to the furnace/air handler to shut down the blower and can be used to replace the required relay as it will complete both tasks by cutting the power to the product.

Fire dampers in the ductwork also come into play; they are required to be in the supply and return air ducts when penetrating walls and floors of other living spaces. It should be noted that fire dampers in the return side openings are not required if they are within 24 inches from the floor inside the basement apartment.

Ductwork design in the future will evolve

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Q Building Green

On ground Geothermal heating, cooling becoming more mainstream

By Bruce Nagy

34

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2016

It has sometimes been a rocky experience, but the geothermal industry now seems to be stabilizing.

Growth has been steady and the future seems promising.

New technologies have made geothermal more efficient and affordable than ever before, and provided key improvements in monitoring, cooling and humidity control. This Chatham home features a state-of-the-art geothermal Government acceptance, system with six zones. incentives and regulations all seem to be moving toward the right thousands with the right kind of incentives. balance.

The CGC has been meeting regularly with Worldwide and in the U.S., geothermal government officials to help design new HVAC system sales are growing in the double programs. digits. Canada has been a little slower, but In the U.S., a 30 percent tax credit has been some provincial governments and the federal fuelling strong growth and, although it will government in Ottawa are getting ready officially expire at the end of this year, there to introduce incentives that will boost the is a co-ordinated lobby pushing for a renewal. market, likely in early 2017.

Solar and wind recently received a five-year “When EcoEnergy was in place the extension from the U.S. government. The Canadian market doubled and then tripled. It geothermal industry is working toward a may not be as significant this time around, but similar extension. we expect a strong impact,” reported Grant Blackmore, president, Eden Energy, Guelph, New technology Ont. and a board member with the Canadian Meanwhile, geothermal heat pump systems Geo-Exchange Coalition (CGC). He notes are becoming even more efficient. “Where that new installations are currently less than we see the biggest change is on the controls 10,000 per year, but could be in the tens of front,” said Mike Ridler, operations manager

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for WaterFurnace (also in Guelph, Ont.).

“You now have more than 100 data points relating to temperatures, humidity, superheat, subcooling, amperage and so on. You can monitor everything in real time and you can compare and analyze the entire past history of the unit. You can look at recent lockouts and diagnose problems or prevent them.” He adds that users can monitor and control the system using an array of devices, including remotely by phone, tablet, etc.

Energy savings Even before the newest generation of heat pumps, geothermal could offer a coefficient of performance of about 4:1, compared with less than 1:1 for older HVAC technology.

“We now have touchscreen thermostats, fully modulating condensers, zone control, and humidity control. I’ve installed seven of these systems. They are very efficient,” reported Derek Trudgeon, “They will save the average home on propane or oil approximately $2,000 to $2,500 in utility costs per year…in all my years doing geothermal, this system is the most impressive. You can set the relative humidity (RH) in the room in addition to temperature.

This allows the customer to control the RH and we have found that, when they do, they are able to increase their comfort temperature during a cooling call.”

He says that people who normally set it at 70ºF in the summer are happily moving to 74ºF and saving cooling energy, because there is no added humidity.

Space restrictions at this Detroit project required drilling boreholes at 45 degrees.

The mechanical room under construction – no space restrictions here!

Zoned project Trudgeon recently installed a new WaterFurnace Series 7 heat pump in a large house in Chatham, Ont. It can control up to six zones and the house is using them all.

Either thermostats or sensors were installed in each zone. The control system has a variable speed flow centre that he used to match the pump speed to the condenser.

With any of the new installs or retrofits, he can plug in a commissioning tool, turn it on, run the unit at first stage, and look at the data.

“You can see how many watts are being used Please see ‘Move’ on page 37

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

A staple-up system offered a quick and efficient way to add radiant floor heating to this older home.

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

35

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Q Building Green

Move to net-zero favours geothermal

vertical drilling. Derek’s company has not quoted any jobs of this kind since new rules were introduced a few years ago after a contractor drilling a geothermal well struck a pocket of natural gas deep underground in Oakville, Ont. The new rules require expensive emergency equipment and engineering support. Fortunately, there was enough space to do horizontal loops on the Chatham project.

drilling configurations. “It’s a small downtown Detroit house with a 35’ x 25’ back yard, so a conventional geothermal drilling rig would have been out of the question,” says Roberts.

“With DX we could get five tons of copper in by drilling 10 diagonal loops at 75 feet each, and we put in a 4’ x 8’ header pit.” (In a direct exchange system, refrigerant is pumped through copper tubes in the soil and heat is therefore transferred directly from the ground to the refrigerant.)

The new Earthlinked heat pump cabinets are smaller, and operate on a two-phase system with small tubing and modern refrigerants. Full variable speed is rumored to be coming soon to the DX realm too.

“The owner eventually wants to live completely off the grid. She’s done a lot of research on all the newest systems. She is making the house extremely energy efficient with spray foam insulation and such. She chose geothermal because the power draw will be low enough to operate from solar panels. It is radiant heat throughout…I ran a cost comparison and found the payback on the system to be 7.1 years,” added Roberts.

Cooling is delivered via a Unico high velocity system. Two-inch tube-style ducts provide up to 35 cubic feet per minute (CFM) through six outlets per nominal ton.

Direct exchange geothermal

Net-zero buildings

Technology has also improved for direct exchange (DX) installers like Scott Roberts of Roberts Service Co. in Niles, Michigan.

Everything is getting smaller, including heat pump units, ductwork (in this case) and

“There’s no question that our economy is going to continue to move to more efficient equipment like geothermal and air source heat pumps,” he says.“Milllennials want a different living style. They’re more conscious

Continued from page 35

for the fan, pump, compressor in real time, do all the adjustments, control when the first stage starts, modulate up or down, so we’re bang on with efficiency.”

New Ontario rules are making some geothermal installers move away from

New Ontario rules are making some geothermal installers move away from vertical drilling.

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The control system has a variable speed flow centre that matches the pump speed to the demand. of efficiency and conservation.”

He mentions Austin, Texas as an example where the city is working on building regulations with a goal for net-zero buildings – buildings where the annual energy use is equal to the renewable energy created onsite. His company is expanding into the Texas market with one subsidiary doing nothing but pre-engineered DX geothermal.

“It’s wide open down there. The market is driving sales. There are more consumers who want geothermal than contractors offering it.

The whole mindset is sustainability. I’m very excited,” said Roberts.

Geothermal is still a tiny part of the overall HVAC market, but among the fastest growing sectors in the world. With advancing technology and government backing in North America, it looks like it’s finally building on solid ground.

Bruce Nagy is a Torontobased freelance writer that reports on green technologies and solutions. He can be reached at bruce.nagy@rogers.com.

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

37

Q Heating

Fire-side

care

Gas boiler heat exchangers have shrunk.

Pre-mix burner systems create a compact flame that allows designers to design smaller combustion chambers. A burner the size of a hockey puck (this is a Canadian publication after all) can fit into a space the size of a pound of butter, while providing the same amount of heat we used to get from washing machine sized boilers. These pressurized combustion systems also allow us to drive the flue gasses through heat exchangers at higher velocities, using smaller flue passages.

Not all power-vented boilers are of condensing design. Many of these models use traditional materials like copper, cast iron and steel while still benefitting from the down-sizing described above. Acidic condensate, however, dictates the use of more acid resistant materials.

From ease of manufacturing, cost, and heat transfer effectiveness – aluminum is the hands-

Regular inspection and cleaning critical for today’s efficient boilers

By Roy Collver

VENTING SYSTEM

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Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2016

Exotic materials and sophisticated design make maintenance more critical than ever. down favourite. From the fire-side perspective, aluminum seems to be working well, but widely reported water-side corrosion issues have made many people leery of using this material. We will cover water-side heat exchanger maintenance issues in a future article.

Stainless steel is not the best choice for heat transfer dynamics, but from a corrosion resistance angle, various grades of stainless are performing quite well to date. To overcome the heat transfer shortfalls, designers have had to add more surface area (square inches of metal) per Btu/h. To further compensate, the metal is also much thinner than we have traditionally seen in heat exchangers. Designers also go to great lengths to increase turbulent hot gas flow through the flue passages and increase the “dwell” time of the flue products as they move through – squeezing fire tubes or putting baffles in them, and designing water tube exchangers with very skinny gaps for flue products to squeak through. So, now we have boiler heat exchangers designed with many small flue passages and thinner materials of construction with varying degrees of corrosion resistance. What could possibly go wrong?

Because of these factors, every boiler installed today should be opened up, inspected, and cleaned on a regular basis – before it’s too

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VENTING SYSTEM

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the combustion chamber or flue collection chamber and have a look around. I always advise the first “big reveal” to happen after the first full heating season – sooner if you know there are specific problems related to your area. If there are no signs of contamination, you may be able to relax a bit and do a major inspection every other year.

Doing a major inspection can create its own problems, so you have to be CAREFUL when you open up a boiler heat exchanger.

Snap off a stud-bolt or strip a thread, and you may find yourself needing to replace the heat exchanger entirely. Read everything you can from the manufacturer on how to disassemble and reassemble their product and then phone the rep. and ask for further advice and pointers. And please pay attention to the safety warnings about refractory dust and such – they are there for a reason. So what are we looking for?

For ALL boilers, check for: 1) Combustion chamber refractory and gasket deterioration.

The main reason I include this item is that refractory and gasket “junk” can fall off and cause fouling and blockage of heat exchangers;

The only way you will find most contaminates is by doing a major inspection. Open up

Please see ‘Air supply’ on page 40

After only a few months of operation, the heat exchanger in this commercial boiler shows signs of a contaminated gas supply. late. How regularly will depend on the type of boiler and on local conditions. Because of the wet-dry-wet-dry cycles, condensing boilers in particular will need more frequent inspection and cleaning. So, high up in my top five rules of selecting a boiler model is to choose one that is easy to open up, clean and service, and put back together again – over and over.

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Q Heating

Air supply contaminates a common problem Continued from page 39

errant refractory chunks can remain damp with acidic water, which can lead to aggressive spot corrosion.

2) Combustion chamber and heat exchanger fire-side fuel/air contamination deposits.

Other than corroded material flaking off the heat exchanger itself, contaminants can only get into the combustion chamber by piggybacking onto the fuel supply or the combustion air (although I have heard of instances where insects have snuck-in the back door through the venting system).

The most common fuel supply contaminant in natural gas is sulphur. It precipitates onto hot heat exchanger surfaces in a granular form that looks a lot like coffee grounds. Particulate matter

Cast iron boilers have also benefitted from new heat exchanger design approaches. can also flow in with the gas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; most notably iron oxide and sulphur/copper flakes. If it does show up, adding a gas line filter may solve the problem. However, if anything is being carried in via the gas piping, ask your fuel supplier what

it is, and where it is coming from.

3) Common air supply contaminates?

Insects, leaves, and tree fluff, are common ones. They cause no end of trouble with burners and combustion fans, but are normally too big to get through the burner and into the combustion chamber. More problematic are the usual suspects â&#x20AC;&#x201C; fine dust, various types of chemical fumes, chlorine vapours from softener salt and swimming pool chemicals, all of which can cause serious damage to heat exchangers. Dust can be filtered, but any filter you put on a boiler intake must be supplied and/or approved by the boiler manufacturer.

Aggressive chemical fumes must be completely eliminated from the air supply.

Fire-side cleaning Those many small flue passages are the main reason you want to clean a boiler

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sooner rather than later. A good vacuum cleaner is your best friend. If you don’t wait too long, you can often vacuum out any debris while it is still inside the combustion chamber and BEFORE it gets lodged in those little flue passages. Once junk starts to build up inside the passages, it might be too late.

Doing a major inspection can create its own problems, so you have to be CAREFUL when you open up a boiler heat exchanger.

Most condensing boilers are down-flow designs and the condensate will tend to wash finer particles down and out. You can help that along with a hose and fine spray nozzle AFTER you vacuum all the big chunks up. Once the larger junk starts to fall in, however, it’s going to go in deep and there is often no way to get it out. Check with the manufacturer to see what equipment may be required to clean out whatever it is you find in there. Stainless steel boilers, for example, do not take kindly to being cleaned with ferrous steel cleaning brushes. Some manufacturers will sell you a cleaning kit with brushes and tools specifically designed for the model of boiler you are working on. Don’t forget to inspect the flue collection chamber – that is where all the nasty stuff ends up if it makes it through the heat exchanger.

Make sure you always bring a refractory and gasket set along with you. If you have this stuff at hand – you will likely not need it. If you don’t have it with you – you will need it for sure!

Putting everything back together properly is a big, big, deal – especially with pre-mix burners.

Don’t rush this part of the job. A leaky gasket can result in a flame-jet shooting out of the combustion chamber. If you are lucky, it will burn up some of the wiring and shut down the boiler – if you are lucky.

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Neat tricks that can help Neat trick no.1: Measure the f lue temperature versus the boiler return temperature on high fire. Always do this when you first start up a new boiler. Record the numbers and put the documentation where it won’t get lost. On subsequent service calls, check the flue temperature again under the same operating conditions.

If the flue gasses read 10°F (5°C) or more higher – it’s time to open up and have a look, you are starting to plug.

Neat trick no. 2: Check the condensate trap and see what kind of goop is building up in it. If there is gritty stuff in there – you know what to do.

Roy Collver is an author and consultant on hydronic heating based in Parksville, B.C. He can be reached at hoth2o@shaw.ca

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Q Pipes, Valves & Fittings Plastic PEX press system Viega’s new plastic PEX Press system, which includes the company’s innovative Smart Connect feature, is a non-metallic PEX joining system suitable for potable water and radiant applications in residential and light commercial projects. The fittings feature excellent corrosion resistance and compliance with zero lead requirements. They are assembled with the same hand and power tools as the bronze PEX Press system to join PEX without O-rings, glues, cements or lubricants.

Viega www.viega.us

Pre-insulated PEX Uponor’s pre-insulated PEX pipe system is designed for underground potable-plumbing applications and provides energy-efficient freeze protection in cold climates. Ecoflex Potable PEX Plus pipe features 1¼” Uponor AquaPEX service pipe with a 7 W/ft. heat-trace cable that runs the entire length of the pipe. It is available with a full line of accessories and uses the company’s ProPEX ASTM F1960 expansion fittings for durable, reliable connections. It is offered in 300-ft. coil lengths, with custom-cut lengths available as well.

Uponor www.uponor.ca

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Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2016

Angled ball valves Eastern Foundry and Fittings Inc. have released a new line of angled ball valves that reduce installation time, leak points and the number of fittings needed. They are designed for use on a variety of applications including, but not limited to, water meters, commercial water heaters/boilers, fan coils and radiant baseboard systems.

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Magnetic separation Caleffi offers an entire suite of magnetic separation products to address problems caused by ferrous oxide debris found within hydronic systems. The debris, which is abrasive and often microscopic, is created from the oxidation of iron or steel materials. It can deposit onto heat exchanger surfaces and accumulate in other components including circulators, wreaking havoc.

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Approved for drinking water Flomatic Corporation announces that all of their Model 888 silent wafer check valves are now NSF/ANSI Standard 61 certified for drinking water systems. All sizes and models are now constructed with EPDM elastomers as standard, thus making them fully compliant with no-lead requirements. Flomatic www.flomatic.com

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Q Refrigeration

Defrost

basics Malfunctioning system can cause system failure, excessive energy use

By Greg Scrivener

The topic may not sound that entertaining to some people, but defrosts are a really important aspect of most refrigeration systems. More than just affecting temperature control, a malfunctioning defrost system can also cause equipment failures and waste a tremendous amount of energy. This article reviews the most common (and some not so common) types of defrost methods.

The word ‘defrost’ simply means the removal of ice or frost. When do we get frost and ice? When do we need to remove it?

How should we remove it? How does it affect system operation? These are all complicated and challenging questions.

Water will condense on evaporator coils any time the temperature of the coil is below the dew point of the air. If this temperature is also below the freezing point of water then the condensation will show up in the form of frost or ice. For a typical cooler with a 35°F box temperature and a relative humidity of 80 percent, frost will start to form if the coil is 30°F or colder.

Since it’s normal to have evaporator coils in the 15°F to 25°F range, coolers need a way of defrosting. In case you are interested, in order to avoid frost altogether you would have

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When to remove

Frost formed on the return bends of this ammonia evaporator coil. This coil has hot gas defrost so it will clear up soon.

Some electrical defrost coils don’t do a good job of melting the ice on return bends, resulting in an accumulation over time. to dehumidify the space to 64 percent RH for a 25°F coil and all the way to 40 percent RH on a 15°F coil. Things look similar at freezer temperatures as well; for a 0°F box temperature and 80 percent RH, frost will start forming at -4°F and so on…

We know when we get ice, but when should we remove it? This is a fairly complicated question because defrosting an evaporator coil can have two pretty significant negative effects. In the case of a system that uses a heat source to defrost the coil, heat is added to the space that will need to be removed. In all cases, the coil is removed from active refrigeration service for the period of the defrost. The resulting effect is that refrigeration systems have to be larger and use more power.

Alternately, as a coil accumulates ice, its ability to transfer heat decreases because of the ice and the reduced air flow. This causes a decrease in the refrigerating capacity of the system and a corresponding energy increase. The goal then should be to defrost when the energy savings achieved by getting a clean coil are higher than the energy cost of adding the heat to the space.

It gets worse – you could always buy a bigger coil that would function with more frost on it and defrost it even less.

As you can see, this is a complicated business, but if you are really interested in minimizing energy use, you need to approach Please see ‘Passive’ on page 45

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

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Q Refrigeration The excessive frost on the ceiling is an indication that the area around the coil is getting too warm during defrosts. This coil uses electric defrost with temperature termination.

Passive versus active defrost Continued from page 43

defrost frequency on a case-by-case basis. To throw one last wrench in the mix… contrary to popular belief, higher temperature boxes actually require more defrosts than low temperature ones. Most freezers can function on one or two defrosts per day but coolers often require five or more. One of the reasons that many people don’t notice this is that coolers typically ‘self-defrost’ at least a little every time they are off because the surrounding air is above freezing.

Choosing the right method There are two, what you might call principal, types of defrost: passive and active. Passive

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defrosts are those in which no outside medium is used to defrost the coil. This essentially means that the coil is defrosted with air from within the space, so passive type defrosts are obviously limited to coolers with temperatures above freezing.

The advantage to using air defrost is that it doesn’t require any additional equipment or components. Simply shut the refrigeration off.

The downside is that defrosts can take a long time if there is significant ice build-up and the temperature of the space can raise unacceptably high unless there are other evaporators that remain operational. Air defrosts are used in the vast majority of commercial coolers but, as the demand for precision temperature control to maintain food close to freezing temperatures

increases, more and more coolers are using some form of active defrost.

There are two dominant methods of active hot gas defrost: electric and hot gas. Electric defrost uses electric heating elements placed on and in the coil. It usually has the lowest capital cost amongst active defrost methods and works well when there is only one evaporator coil. Hot gas uses hot refrigerant vapour flowing through the coil. It is more expensive to install because a third pipe is needed at every coil for the hot gas.

It can also lead to hydraulic shock events and pipe expansion concerns. However, it is significantly more energy efficient than electrical and much faster. Both types work well and are used effectively in many thousands of installations.

Please see ‘Looking’ on page 47

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

45

Q Refrigeration Ice is beginning to form on a coil after a defrost

Looking at alternatives Continued from page 45

Alternative defrost methods There are a couple other types of active defrosts that are worth mentioning. Many people consider a water-spray defrost an antiquated or specialized method, but it might be making a bit of a comeback in industrial refrigeration. It functions just how it sounds – water is sprayed on the coil to melt the ice. This method is extremely

which is becoming an ever more important consideration. So far, these types of coils have been used mainly with CO2 refrigerant where hot gas is difficult or impossible because of the high pressures. That said, I would not be surprised to see the market expand.

Defrost control

How to control defrost is another aspect that deserves a little attention. The typical method for small and medium sized commercial equipment op erating above freezing is to use a If you are really interested in time clock that shuts the unit off a number of times minimizing energy use, you need each day for a set period of time. This method is to approach defrost frequency on referred to as the Timea case-by-case basis.

Time method. It’s the easiest to install and control but often puts the fast and effective and doesn’t add much system into many unnecessary defrosts and heat to the space. It does require a good doesn’t control how much heat is added to the design and a self-draining water line at space if it’s used with an active type defrost. the coil, so it can be difficult to implement.

Most commercial low temperature The “new” embedded glycol method is seeing systems have a temperature sensor that an increase in adoption. In these coils, glycol terminates the defrost once the coil is warm tubes are embedded in the coil alongside the (Time-Temperature). Pressure is also used refrigerant tubes. The disadvantage to this a lot to ensure that the defrost is complete is that the coils have to be physically about (Time-Pressure). These methods minimize 20 to 30 percent larger, so they are more the length of the defrost if set correctly, expensive. However, this method allows but still initiate excess defrosts. Often the for the use of waste heat and minimizes the temperature controls used for this method are refrigerant piping and refrigerant charge, not adjustable and can overheat the coil.

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When to start The much more challenging aspect of defrost control is knowing when to start the defrost.

A number of methods have been attempted.

On large systems with predictable loads, monitoring the run time works sufficiently.

Fan static pressure, conductivity sensors, and optical sensors have all been tried with some limited success.

Currently manufacturers and controls providers are trying to improve algorithms that measure many parameters (suction pressure, temperature, etc.) to predict frost build up and decide when to start a defrost. When I tried some of these products many years ago I was not convinced they offered a real significant improvement over careful adjustment of the Time-Temperature method. I’ve since been told that the new revisions and iterations are much improved. I don’t know if that’s true, but I hope so. The industry could really use improved defrost initiation methods.

Greg Scrivener is a refrigeration consultant for Cold Dynamics in Edmonton. He is a professional engineer, journeyman refrigeration mechanic and holds RSES CMS designation in commercial refrigeration. He can be reached at greg.scrivener@colddynamics.com

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

47

Q Tools & Instruments

Smart probes Testo’s family of eight Smart Probes allows users to remotely read the measurements

from one to six probes at the same time by using the Testo Smart Probes App installed on their smart phone or other device.

Designed for setup and diagnostics of large and small HVAC/R systems, the probes can be combined to measure settings on most applications. Available for Apple and Android devices, they measure air temperature, infrared non-contact surface temperature, humidity, pressure, air velocity, volume flow, and temperatures of pipes.

Testo www.testo.com

Built-in cheater bar When a person needs more leverage on a pipe wrench, the solution is usually to put a pipe or ‘cheater bar’ on the handle. Milwaukee’s new “Cheater” pipe wrench comes with it. There are two interchangeable handles, which allow it to operate in three lengths: 1) 10” length for access in tight spaces 2) 18” length for generalpurpose use 3) 24” length for additional reach and maximum leverage.

Milwaukee Tools www.milwaukeetool.com

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The NA570 Series Hydrofill portable water treatment filling units from Caleffi remove “hard water” minerals such as calcium and magnesium from job-site water.

Salts and other soluble minerals are also eliminated to prevent reduced efficiency and premature equipment failure due to scale build-up or galvanic attack.

This enables contractors to use job-site water to produce ideal grade demineralized water at an economical cost per gallon.

Caleffi www.caleffi.com

Rugged tablet computer The XSlate D10 tablet computer from Xplore Technologies is an Android computer designed for rugged use. It features 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and an Intel CPU, along with a full set of ports that can’t be found on other Android devices, including two USB 3.0, RJ-45, an optional HDMI input, reports the manufacturer. It weighs 2.4 lbs., features all-day battery life and a screen designed for outdoor viewing.

Xplore Technologies www.xploretech.com

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Q Training

Brandon Johnson competes in the refrigeration category, placing second.

HRAI’s Alexandra Wennberg, left, and Union Gas’ Corina Emde introduced students to the HVAC trade at the HRAI Career Connections booth.

Students compete at Ont. Skills A day at the Ontario Skills Competition held May 2-3 might have been enlightening for those that believe young people have no interest in the trades. Over 2,100 secondary school students and apprentices competed in 67 categories at RIM Park in Waterloo, Ont. Competitions covered everything from baking to robots and, more importantly for this industry, plumbing, pipefitting, HVAC and refrigeration. Over $65,000 in prizes was presented.

There were 20,000 visitors over the two days, many of them high school students interested in learning about the trades. In addition to the competitions, most trades had information booths set up to educate visitors. A number of industry companies and associations also had information booths.

Appre nt i c e s we re c omp e t i ng t o represent their province at the National Skills Competition scheduled for June 5-8 in Moncton New Brunswick, with one exception. Ontario has a unique residential HVAC ticket, so the winner of that category at the Ontario level would, in effect, be the national champion.

The residential Heating System Technician

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competition was sponsored and organized by Hy-Mark, a mechanical contractor in Guelph, Ont. Hy-Mark’s Adam LeRoy was co-tech chair. The company also provided materials and supplies and offered full-time jobs to three of the winners. (The HRAI Contractors Division ran a similar competition at the recent CMPX show in Toronto.)

Winners were as follows: PLUMBING – POST-SECONDARY: GOLD: David Kingsbury, George Brown College, Mississauga SILVER: Evan Thomson Fanshawe College, St. Marys BRONZE: Brenden Baker, MTCU West 2, Waterloo HEATING SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN – POST-SECONDARY GOLD: Bailey Bowman Cambrian College, Sudbury SILVER: AJ Perrie Conestoga College, Palmerston BRONZE: Ryan Rutledge Fleming College, Woodville

Every year there are more young women entering the trades. Brenda Egberts competes in the plumbing category.

REFRIGERATION – POST-SECONDARY GOLD: Edgar Geidels George Brown College, Barrie SILVER: Brandon Johnson George Brown College, Plainfield BRONZE: Matthew Cargill-Timla MTCU – Central, Ajax For more information, please visit www.skillsontario.com.

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

49

Q People & Places

LG recognized with Energy Star award Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, has named LG Electronics Canada, Toronto, Manufacturer of the Year in the Heating and Cooling category of the 2016 ENERGY STAR Canada Awards.

Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr made the presentation to LG’s Sonny Hong, senior product manager, air conditioning and energy solutions, in Winnipeg May 24.

The awards recognize organizations that have demonstrated excellence in offering Canadian consumers the most energyefficient products and technology available on the market. A total of 16 awards were presented in different categories.

LG was recognized for things like creating unique HVAC products for Canada’s climate, training 750 people on products with an emphasis on Energy Star, linking Energy Star certified LG products to utility programs, and emphasizing Energy Star in all product presentations.

“The ENERGY STAR awards demonstrate how Canadian businesses and organizations across the country are driving the transition to a low-carbon, clean-growth economy, growing the number of energy-efficient products and homes in the market and making it easier for consumers to save money and reduce energy use,” said Carr.

Wolseley merges Kitchener, Ont. branches Wolseley, Burlington, Ont., has combined its Kitchener, Ont. plumbing and HVAC/R branches into one location.

“Merging our plumbing and HVAC/R branches in Kitchener provides our customers in the region with a wider selection of merchandise and greater convenience when sourcing the products they need,” said Kevin Fullan, general manager for plumbing and HVAC/R. “We have received great feedback from our customers when we’ve combined branches in other communities and we think our customers in Kitchener are also going to be pleased with our updated branch.”

The new branch is located at 780 Wilson Ave. Brad Vanwynsberghe has been named branch manager.

The team at Wolseley’s Kitchener branch includes, from left, Brad Vanwynsberghe, James Ralph, Scott Price, Kyle Burrell, Albert Ralph, Carl Boomhouwer, John Anstey, Adam Clark, Gail Berlin, Ed Lindsay, Debbie Snarr, Craig Curtis, Tanya Schade, and James Weidmark. Missing are Alex Simanzik, Wayne McTaggart, Blayne Campbell, Josh Findlay, Chris Faulds, and Mike Van Dam.

Liberty Pumps hosts open house at expanded plant Liberty Pumps, Bergan, N.Y., hosted hundreds of visitors for its 2016 Open House on April 27. The event was planned with two separate segments, one for family and friends of employees and one for the community.

Visitors toured the recently completed three-phase expansion, which added over 123,000 sq. ft. to the plant.

It includes new manufacturing areas, engineering lab and Hundreds of people attended test facilities, as well as a new training center. an open house at the newly Attendees were also treated to product demonstrations expanded Liberty Pumps facility and a presentation and dedication of the new facility by in Bergen, N.Y. Charlie Cook, president and CEO.

50

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2016

Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr, right, made the presentation to LG’s Sonny Hong.

The

People Viega, Wichita, Kansas, has presented Francis Longtin, Viega Canadian district sales manager, with a Top Gun Award for sales leadership. Over 200 people attended the company’s national Francis Longtin sales meeting in Wichita.

Peel Bong Kim of Design Air ClimateCare, Toronto, went home with the big-screen TV awarded

by Plumbing & HVAC magazine in a draw at the CMPX Show, held in Toronto March 16-18.

The

Companies Ecco Supply, Langley, B.C. is now the exclusive distributor of the Dynamic Air Diffuser (DAD) line of high efficiency ceiling fans in Canada. (See product report on page 29) Correction Key to the North Sales Agency Inc., Sudbury, Ont. was the second place winner in the Viessmann MAX Awards reported in our April issue. We apologize for any confusion caused by our error.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Little Giant celebrates 75 years Franklin Electric Co., Fort Wayne, Indiana, is celebrating 75 years of its Little Giant pump division.

Little Giant originated in 1941 when plumber R.M. ‘Doc’ Wolfe found a solution to quality challenges he faced with evaporative cooling pumps. He created the Little Giant Vaporizer, considered the first electric motor-driven submersible pump of its kind.

Shortly thereafter, the Little Giant Vaporizer Company was created in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where 15 employees manufactured submersible vaporizers for evaporative coolers.

After World War II, Little Giant purchased an aluminum die-casting machine and started taking on die-casting contract work to further increase sales and expertise. By 1950, this expertise had grown so much that the company was able to develop and manufacture an upgraded Little Giant

Vaporizer Pump that could be used anywhere water recirculation was a problem. This small low-pressure, high-volume pump was used specifically for the recirculation of water for evaporative coolers, minnow tanks, home garden pools and fountains, light coolant oils for machine tools, laboratory uses and other applications.

In 1954, Little Giant introduced its C2 and C3 condensate pumps. In 1960 the company re-organized under the name Little Giant Corp. Over the years it added sump pumps, magnetic drive pumps, sewage pumps and basins, aquarium pumps, pool cover pumps, decorative landscape products, and outdoor LED lights.

Franklin Electric purchased Little Giant in 2006. With the combined Franklin engineering and manufacturing teams, Little Giant has continued its focus on providing innovative products that solve contractor challenges in the

DOMESTIC HOT WATER

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HIGH EXHAUST TEMP CUTOFF

GAS LEAK DETECTION

SELF REGULATING FLOW CONTROL

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www.plumbingandhvac.ca

pumping industry, reported DeLancey Davis, Franklin Electric vice president.

“The Little Giant brand was built on dedication to quality and availability and is a testament to our loyal employees who put their craftsmanship into every Little Giant product to support our customers’ craft. We are truly grateful to our ideal collection of employees, customers, and business partners who have teamed together for 75 years to make Little Giant the leader it is today,” he added.

For more information, please visit www. littlegiant.com.

SCALDING WATER PREVENTION

HOME HEATING

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Plumber ‘Doc’ Wolfe had 15 employees at Little Giant by 1950.

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May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

51

CIPHEX WEST November 2&3, 2016 VANCOUVER CONVENTION CENTRE

REGISTRATION OPENS JUNE 15 at ciphexwest.ca

NNECT O C

BU I L D

F LO W CONNECTING WESTERN CANADA’S

Heating & Plumbing Industry NEW SHOW HOURS We’re open late on Wednesday to make it easier to attend after work!

Wednesday, November 2 Thursday, November 3

10 am – 8 pm 10 am – 4 pm

t CIPHEX West trade show > CONNECT with 250+ manufacturers and SEE thousands of products t Canadian Hydronics Conference > INCREASE your hydronics expertise at in-depth workshops and seminars t Plumbing & HVACR Seminar Program > Get ideas and practical tips to BUILD your business t HVACR & Plumbing Design Forum > Take advantage of the FLOW of information and ideas with advanced training for heating and plumbing engineers, designers, specifiers and contractors

ciphexwest.ca For information about exhibiting, contact Elizabeth McCullough at e.mccullough@ciph.com or 800-639-2474

t CWQA Water Treatment Workshop t New Product Showcase > SEE the newest products and technologies t CIPH BC Region Industry Dinner > Tuesday, November 1 with speaker Brian Thwaits, the Brain Trainer

Q Shop Management

WORKING WITH

SUPPLIERS Building relationships for mutual benefit

By Ron Coleman

A

s contractors that do service and retrofit work, we understand how important it is to have a solid relationship with our customers. We see it as a win/win relationship. We get the repeat business at fair prices and they get good reliable service at fair prices. This relationship generates a lot of goodwill value in our business and those customers are the ones who are likely to give us the best referrals and give us any replacement work they need. The relationship is based on trust and on value. It increases the value of our business.

Customers that are always complaining about price and who use different providers are of little value to our businesses. It costs a lot in time and money to service them, therefore, we tend to give them a lower level of service and priority. Our “A” customers get the best

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treatment because they are so important to the sustainability of our business.

How about your relationship with your suppliers? Is that based on trust and value or just on price?

It is equally important to have a solid relationship with at least one major supplier.

As contractors, we face a myriad of decisions that require a broad base of expertise. Very few contractors have the resources within their company to provide that expertise. It is critical for the success of your business to build alliances not only with your customers, but also with suppliers, subcontractors and employees. Your business model should be based on having all these alliances in place.

It’s more than just price There are numerous elements that make up a successful relationship with a supplier. You should review this and ensure that you are getting all those benefits and taking advantage of them.

Obviously, getting good prices is critical; you need to stay competitive. But don’t sacrifice the other elements of the relationship over a few pricing issues.

Technical support and technical training are critical so that your technicians can service your customers effectively. Are you getting this support from your supplier?

Is your supplier offering sales training or Please see ‘It’s not’ on page 54

May/June 2016 – Plumbing & HVAC

53

Q Coming Events

It’s not just price!

Continued from page 43

customer service training? Are you sending your team to all the training offered?

Your customers need choices, they can’t all afford the more expensive systems with all the bells and whistles; many need less expensive options. Can you, in concert with your supplier, provide these alternatives to meet your customers’ needs?

Do you have a rebate system or other incentive program with your supplier? Such a system can help offset prices that are a little high from time to time. What other incentives do they offer for you to use them as your preferred provider?

Do they extend good credit terms? Do

INDEX to ADVERTISERS Bibby Ste Croix ............................. 21, 23 Cash Acme ......................................... 41 Chrysler ................................................ 4 CIPHEX West ...................................... 52 Coldmax ............................................. 13 Danfoss .............................................. 44 Delta Faucet.......................................... 2 Fantech............................................... 33 Fieldpiece............................................ 39 Flir Systems ......................................... 10 Franklin Electric ..................................... 7 Fujitsu ................................................. 26 General Pipe Cleaners ........................... 8 Giant .................................................... 9 Hilmor ................................................ 18 Holdrite .............................................. 29 IPEX .................................................... 55 Liberty Pumps ..................................... 12 Little Giant ............................................ 7 Mitsubishi Electric ......................... 36, 40 Morris Lee........................................... 16 Napoleon ............................................ 32 Noritz ................................................. 51 RIDGID................................................ 56 Riobel ................................................. 11 Stelpro ................................................ 27 Taco .................................................... 46 Victaulic .............................................. 48 Viessmann .......................................... 28 Zoeller Pumps ..................................... 42

54

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2016

you get special discounts if you buy in bulk?

Do you get priority on products that are in short supply? Do you get good settlement discounts? Do they take credit cards? Do they have a co-op advertising program and, if so, do you take maximum advantage of it? Make a list of all elements that are important to you and review with your suppliers.

Pick the supplier that best meets your overall needs. Just like you wouldn’t want your customers picking you because you are the cheapest option, don’t you pick your suppliers and other support people on price alone.

Delighting the customer Your aim in business should be to delight your customers, not to just satisfy them. You will never have an extraordinary business by satisfying your customers. Satisfaction leads to ordinary; delight leads to extraordinary. Your customer, whether residential, commercial, institutional or industrial all want the same four outcomes.

They want products and services that meet

Events

Calendar JUNE 25-29: ASHRAE 2016 Annual Conference, Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri. Visit www.ashrae.org/stlouis or call 1-800-636-8400.

JUNE 26-28: Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating Annual Business Conference, Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, Alta.

Call 1-800-639-2474 or visit www.ciph. com.

AUG. 24-26: Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada Annual Meeting and Conference, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Calgary. Call 1-800267-2231 or visit www.hrai.ca.

their needs. They want work completed in a timely manner, they want to stay within budget and develop an ongoing relationship with their provider to ensure they get good after-sales service and guidance for future projects. That’s what delights them!

No one contractor can have all the elements in-house to achieve these four outcomes.

Building up your team of employees, subcontractors and key suppliers that focus on your needs allows you to focus on your customers’ needs and gives you the opportunity to delight them. The right relationship with the right supplier can reduce your stress and increase your profits. Spend time building and maintaining that relationship.

Ronald Coleman is a Vancouver-based accountant, management consultant, author and educator specializing in the construction industry.

He can be reached by e-mail at ronald@ronaldcoleman.ca.

OCT. 13-14: National Design-Build Conference, Canadian Design-Build Institute, The Fairmont Winnipeg Hotel, Winnipeg. Please visit www.cdbi.org or call (613) 236-9455.

NOV. 2-3: CIPHEX West Trade Show, Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver. Call Elizabeth McCullough at 1-800-639-2474 or visit www.ciphexwest.ca.

NOV. 14-17: Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada 75th National Conference, Yacht and Beach Club Resort, Disney World, Orlando, Florida.

Call (613) 232-0492 or visit www.mcac.ca.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

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