October 2015 by Plumbing and HVAC

Publication Mail Agreement #43029513. Return postage guaranteed Marked Business Media Inc. 451 Attwell Drive, Toronto, Ontario M9W 5C4

Hot Water Heating The magic of condensing boilers and outdoor reset

Inside n Constant change for HVAC industry n Montreal targets wood-burning appliances n B.C. launches heat pump rebate program n Plumber gives hospital $25-million boost

October 2015

WWW.PLUMBINGANDHVAC.CA

Hot Water Heating Issue

n Contents

Departments Hot Seat............................................5 Oilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uncertain future

Industry News .................................7 Constant change in HVAC industry

People & Places..............................43 Hydronic supplier helps Nepal rebuilding effort

Shop Management........................45 Be a mentor to your staff

Coming Events...............................46 All-trades show returns

Products & Technologies Hot Water Heating......................... 12 Heating........................................... 17 Tools & Instruments....................... 24 Refrigeration.................................. 27

Chemical-free A different approach to hydronic water treatment

Features

Pipes, Valves & Fittings.................. 37

Rooftop rehab

Student challenge

Regular maintenance will keep units humming

Cover: These gas-fired boilers provide sup-

plemental and backup heat in the Richmond, B.C. Energy Centre, a district energy system.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Maximizing efficiency

The magic of condensing boilers and outdoor reset

CIPH competition promotes efficient water use October 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Plumbing & HVAC

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n Hot Seat

October 2015 Volume 25, Number 7 ISSN 1919-0395

Publisher Mark Vreugdenhil (416) 614-5819 mark@plumbingandhvac.ca Editor Simon Blake (416) 614-5820 simon@plumbingandhvac.ca

Uncertain future

B:13.5”

S:13”

T:13.25”

n the last issue we reported on some of the issues facing the oil heating industry. While the Canadian Oil Heat Association is working hard to tackle the problems, one can’t help but wonder if the industry isn’t in a “death spiral,” as one person put it at the group’s annual conference. When I was a youngster in Victoria, B.C. our home was heated with coal. The coal heating industry was still pretty significant at the time. But the same company that delivered coal to our home also sold oil. So it was only a matter of time until our big coal furnace had an oil burner installed. Where is the coal heating industry now? There are still a few coal-fired boilers out there, but it’s far from the mainstream when it comes to heating buildings. Oil heat is a long way from that but there are troubling signs. New regulations designed to make oil heat “safe” have dramatically increased costs to the homeowner. Many steel oil tanks went 30-40 years without any problem; now they have to be replaced more frequently. Oil containment devices have to be installed. As well, insurance companies are making it difficult and expensive to obtain homeowners insurance for an oilheated home. Every time a new product is introduced to make oil heat “safe,” it seems that insurance companies want to make that product mandatory, adding more cost to the homeowner who is paying a premium for insurance regardless.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Fuel price spikes don’t help either. The cost of No. 2 heating oil has dropped around 25-30 cents a litre since its 2014 high, according to Statistics Canada, but most homeowners are still paying over a dollar per litre. As if all this wasn’t bad enough, there’s a relatively new technology that’s really putting the squeeze on oil heat. Plumbing & HVAC has written a number of articles on the explosion of air-to-air heat pump sales in Atlantic Canada. With a climate ideally suited to the technology, which can provide heat down to -24C, the demand is such that utilities have cancelled rebates because they found them unnecessary. So where does this leave oil heat? More and more people in the industry are talking about it as a backup heat source. But if a home or building owner installs heat pump(s), are they likely to keep oil around given the hassles with insurance and the cost of complying with safety/ spill prevention requirements? Other heat sources make more sense. While the oil industry fights the good fight, it faces so many challenges beyond its control that it can be difficult to remain optimistic. And that’s unfortunate because, among other things, it employs an awful lot of people in this industry.

National Sales Manager Mark Mierkalns (416) 614-5832 markm@plumbingandhvac.ca Design and Production Tim Norton/Janet Popadiuk production@plumbingandhvac.ca Production Manager Lilianna Kantor (416) 614-5815 lily@newcom.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.

Marked Business Media Inc. 451 Attwell Drive, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M9W 5C4 Tel: (416) 614-2200 • Fax (416) 614-8861 POSTMASTER: Send all address changes and circulation inquiries to: Plumbing & HVAC Magazine, 451 Attwell Drive, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M9W 5C4. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 43029513. Postage paid at Toronto, ON. Annual Subscription Canada: $40.00 plus applicable taxes, single copy $5.00 plus applicable taxes. Annual Subscription United States: $60.00 U.S. Annual Subscription foreign: $90.00 U.S. Copyright 2015. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in any manner without the prior written permission of the Publisher.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. A member of: • Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating • Canadian Circulation Audit Board • Mechanical Contractors Assoc. of Canada • Ontario Plumbing Inspectors Association • American Society of Heating Refrigerating & Air Conditioning Engineers • Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada • Refrigeration Service Engineers Society of Canada

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Canadian Business Press

October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

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n Industry News

Constant change challenges industry HRAI members meet to discuss solutions By Simon Blake It would be fair to say that delegates and companions that attended the HRAI conference in Windsor, Ontario were pleasantly surprised by a location that turned out to be much better than anticipated – a beautiful hotel on the banks of the Detroit River that proved an ideal setting for the business at hand. But that business is enough to make heads spin. “Our industry continues to be bombarded by technologies and regulatory changes that change the way we go to market,” said HRAI chairman Jim Flowers (Linde Canada) in his opening remarks at the 47th Annual Meeting and Conference of the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada, held Aug. 26-29 at Caesars Windsor Hotel and Casino.

Refrigerants

B:13.5”

T:13.25”

S:11.875”

One major achievement for HRAI in the past year has been to have HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) refrigerants brought under the mandate of Refrigerant Management Canada, a program operated by HRAI. “All importers will be required to have a stewardship plan,” noted HRAI president Warren Heeley. HFCs are a growing concern, remarked Lucie Desforges of Environment Canada. While they are responsible globally for only about two percent of emissions of high global warming potential refrigerants, that number is growing as other refrigerants are phased out. She noted that today there is more support among nations to do something under the Montreal Protocol. There are currently four proposals including one from India, which hasn’t participated in the past. “It’s a relief that they are now at the table and talking,” remarked Desforges. She added that Canada will “align with the U.S. as much as possible.” One of the problems the industry faces is that the number of potential refrigerants is extremely limited, reported Steve Yurek of the U.S.-based Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). The group investigated over a 100 million compounds and found only 62 that have potential as a refrigerant. Another problem, reported Brian Rocky, an engineer with Johnson Controls, York Division, Wichita, Kansas, is that one branch of government will require higher efficiency levels for air conditioning equipment and then another branch will ban the refrigerants that those levels are based on. It happens in Canada too, remarked HRAI president Warren Heeley. The industry is often left wondering if officials at Environment Canada, which determines which refrigerants can be used, are talking to their counterparts at Natural Resources Canada, which determines efficiency levels for equipment. The issue is further complicated with different levels www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Jim Flowers, right, passed the chairman’s gavel to Peter Steffes.

Who controls what equipment Amazon can sell to the public, contractor Tom Vasilak asked.

of government – provinces and municipalities – often making their own rules. “It’s almost like the perfect storm,” Heeley added. In the past, HRAI has reacted to misguided legislation as it occurred. However, increasingly the organization is taking a proactive approach to working with different levels of government to protect the industry, reported Heeley.

Ltd., Hamilton, Ont.) One of the problems with policing Amazon is that it’s an online business that really doesn’t have a home country, noted Heeley. The government’s primary interest seems to be in ensuring that taxes are paid on the equipment, noted Roger Grochmal (AtlasCare, Oakville, Ont.) Contractor John Bosanac (Bosanac Heating & Electric Ltd., Hamilton, Ont.) noted that technicians struggle with troubleshooting today’s high efficiency equipment with its sophisticated electronics. He would like to see a tool, similar to that used by the automotive industry, that plugs into the equipment and diagnoses the electronics. One manufacturer noted that one of the problems is there is no common electronic platform for equipment; each manufacturer has developed its own.

Quality installations

Of the many seminars and presentations at the HRAI conference, one titled “Quality installations, feasible or fantasy” drew considerable attention from contractors. “We specify Energy Star equipment, but then we don’t design and install it correctly,” remarked Chandler von Schrader of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “It isn’t just the box; we can only squeeze out so much efficiency. The emphasis needs to be on the installation.” Contractors need to “walk the ducts” and take a really good look at the system. A static pressure test is critical “and it’s easy,” he added. “It gives you the opportunity to present a duct rehab to the homeowner.” This can be tough in a price driven market. However, contractor Nancy McKeraghan (Canco ClimateCare Heating and Air Conditioning, Newmarket, Ont.) remarked that an educated customer is willing to spend more. “If the customer understands (the problem), they will be more than happy to do so.” The EPA, which administers the Energy Star program, is looking at the possibility of third party verification for installations, von Schrader added. Contractors had other concerns at the meeting. “Is there any restriction on what Amazon (Supply) can sell?” asked Tom Vasilak (Hamco Heating & Cooling

New executive elected

HRAI members elected a new executive for 2015-16. Peter Steffes (Ideal Heating and Cooling Ltd., Windsor, Ont.) was elected chairman. Jim Flowers (Linde Canada Ltd., Aurora, Ont.) moves into the past chairman’s role. Rick Ellul, Belimo Air Controls, Mississauga, Ont., is vice chair and chairman of the Manufacturers Division. Dave McPherson (Rheem Canada, Brampton, Ont.) is vice-chair. Bruce Passmore (Emco Corp., London, Ont.) is secretary/treasurer and chairman of the Wholesalers Division. Peter Sung (ECCO Supply, Langley, B.C.) is vice-chair. David Weishuhn (Blue Flame Heating & AC, Toronto) was elected chairman of the Contractors Division. The next HRAI annual meeting and conference will take place Aug. 24-26, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Calgary. : October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

n Industry News

B.C. launches off-oil rebate program The struggling oil heat industry received another blow on Sept .2 when the B.C. government announced a new program encouraging B.C. homeowners to convert their homes to a heat pump. “With the cooler weather of fall and winter approaching this is an excellent time for homeowners to think about investing in energy efficient heating solutions. Incentives of up to $1,700 to upgrade from oil heat to electric heat pumps will make it easier for

British Columbians to lower their heating bills and reduce household greenhouse gas emissions,” said Bill Bennett, minister of Energy and Mines, in announcing the Oil to Heat Pump Incentive Program. The program is funded by the B.C. Ministry of Energy and Mines’ Clean Energy (ICE) Fund and administered by City Green Solutions, a non-profit energy efficiency organization. “An oil to heat pump upgrade is one of the most

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important things we can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing homes,” said program manager Glenys Verhulst. A heat pump will reduce the typical oil-heated home’s annual energy bill by from $1,300 to $2,700 each year, she added. Some heat pumps can provide heat down to -24C, a temperature seldom reached in the most populated parts of B.C. To qualify, homeowners must install a qualifying central or mini-split heat pump and remove their oil tank and oil heating system. Incentives are available on a first-come, first-served basis while funds last. More information is available at www.oiltoheatpump. ca or by calling 1-877-545-6247.

In Brief New Energy Star AC ratings take effect New Energy Star ratings for central air conditioners and air source heat pumps came into effect on Sept. 15. To achieve an Energy Star rating, split central air conditioning systems must achieve a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) of 15 and an Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of 12.5 Air source heat pumps must meet the same rating for cooling and a Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) of 8.5. Single packaged CAC units must also achieve 15 SEER but only 12 for an EER. Packaged air source heat pumps must achieve the same cooling ratings plus 8.20 HSPF in heating efficiency. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers the Energy Star program. For more information, visit www. energystar.gov.

Industry sales up in August Canada’s plumbing and HVAC/R wholesalers saw sales rebound somewhat in August after a slow July, reports the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH). Total product sales were up by $9.5 million dollars or up 1.8 percent compared to August 2014.  B.C. led the way with another strong month followed by the Atlantic, Quebec, and Ontario regions. Sales were down in the ‘West’ (Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Western Ontario to Thunder Bay) and Alberta.   Total year-to-date product sales are up $54 million or up 1.4 percent compared to August 2014. Compared to August, 2014, plumbing sales were up in all regions. Hydronic sales were strong in B.C., followed by Alberta, the Atlantic Provinces and Ontario. Sales of pipes, valves and fittings remained strong in the Atlantic region and were up slightly in B.C. and Quebec. Waterworks sales were up in Ontario and slightly higher in Quebec and the Atlantic region.

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n Industry News

n Shop Management

Fair for the employee and employer Vancouver plumber donates Continued from page 37

No single answer

n Does the sales person have any influence over markups? If so, make part of the commission based on getting the higher mark-ups. n which Do manufactures different types architectural of sales have different wall panels, margins? and If established so, adjustKeith to encourage Panel Systems the sale USAofLtd. higher margin products. In recognition of Myers’ gift, Lions Gate n Hospital’s If sales South create Acute residual Tower value,will takebethat named into the account Paul when Myersdetermining Tower. commission.

I did ask a few HVAC contractors how they rewarded their sales people. There wasn’t one consistent answer. Five HVAC contractors responded to me on a brief survey on how they deal with commissions. Here are the results of those surveys: Contractor no. 1: “We offered a high base commission and no salary. Our sales target is $800,000 and commission is builtMyers into our sellingasprice. Equipment sales Paul started an apprentice withgenerate Keith a Plumbing &ofHeating 62 years ago. are lower margin commission eight percent as these

$25 million to hospital A Vancouver plumber has made the largest single donation to a hospital foundation in B.C. history. Paul Myers, owner of Keith Plumbing & Heating in North Vancouver, has donated $25 million to Lions Gate Hospital Foundation to support hospital redevelopment. “I’m just a plumber who worked hard and had some good luck in my life,” said Myers. “When I thought about where I could have the greatest impact, I immediately thought of Lions Gate Hospital. I learned about the impact the Foundation is having and its exciting plans for the future and knew this is where I wanted to make a difference.” Myers started as an apprentice with Keith Plumbing & Heating Co. Ltd. 62 years ago and bought the business 10 years later. He also purchased Keith Panel Systems,

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In an effort to curb air pollution, a new bylaw in Montreal will ban open wood fireplaces and put severe restrictions on wood stoves. Any homeowner with a wood stove has three years to bring it up to the new standard or face fines up to $2,000. The new bylaw went before Montreal city council Aug. 12. It includes the most restrictive requirements for wood-fired appliances in North America. Starting in 2018, homeowners can only use woodburning stoves that release less than 2.5 grams per hour (g/hr) of fine particulate matter. This level is substantially stricter than new rules under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Act that requires residential wood stoves and heaters to emit no more than 4.5 g/hr. The equipment traditionally emits from 10 to 20 g/hr. And the Montreal bylaw applies to existing installations, unlike the U.S. rules that apply only to newly manufactured equipment. The new Montreal rules will require the owners of an estimated 85,000 wood stoves and fireplaces to provide the city with detailed specifications on their equipment within 120 days of the bylaw being adopted. City officials blame wood burning appliances for 39 percent of the city’s smog problem in winter. Only motor vehicles pollute more at 45 percent, they say. However, commercial wood burning facilities such as pizza ovens are exempt from the new bylaw. CTV News reported that the city’s report on air quality for 2014 showed that a single pizzeria located near a smog monitoring station was responsible for 39 of 64 poor air quality days. www.plumbingandhvac.ca

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October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

* Ontar

210

200

190

180

170

160

150

140

130

120

110

100

TOTAL HEATING HOURS = 6,500

98% 97%

DESIGN -32°C CONDENSING TO -12°C (10.5°F)

CONDENSING HOURS = 4,800 (APPROX. 75%)

HIGH TEMPERATURE 160°F RETURN

CONDENSING POINT

500 Hours

600 Hours

800 Hours

1,200 Hours

850 Hours

650 Hours

600 Hours

500 Hours

CONDENSING

400 Hours

350 Hours

50 Hours

NON-CONDENSING

70°F 21°C 20°C

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE °C

1 2

95%

EFFICIENCY PICK-UP FROM REDUCING EXCESS AIR

94% 93% 92% 91% 90% 89% 88% 87% 86% 85% 84%

EFFICIENCY PICK-UP FROM WATER VAPOUR LATENT HEAT RECOVERY

MO FU RE EL CO / A MP IR L MI ETE XI NG

83% 80°F

100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

180

BOILER RETURN WATER TEMPERATURE (°F)

Fig. 2: Better combustion and heat recovery results in energy savings.

The magic of condensing boilers and outdoor reset

What Sets Ours Apart 1

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Fig. 1: The heating hours chart shows that 140ºF boiler water temperature is only required for about 25 percent of the year.

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n Hot Water Heating

Plumbing & HVAC – October 2015

By Roy Collver

With the cast iron radiators of the early hydronics days, some people manually turned the boiler temperature up in colder weather and then back down on warmer days. Occasionally I like to dig down deep into a basic idea They instinctively understood the benefits of outdoor and look at how changes in technology have helped reset. This practice made for a more comfortable heat, to enhance the concept in modern hydronic systems. but operators had to be careful not to turn temperatures Sometimes these examinations stretch out to more than down too low or condensing flue gases could damage one article, so please bear with me. the boiler or the chimney. Outdoor reset of hydronic The minimum temperature heating system water requirements from the old days temperatures is an idea that has tainted our thinking ever Since their has been around since the since. A variety of controls were early days. This will be a great introduction, most people designed to measure outdoor air review for some readers, temperature and adjust boiler and my graphics (which have looked to justify the temperature automatically, but they I have been tweaking for were also designed to maintain a years) should help you better extra cost of these boilers minimum temperature to prevent understand and explain the by talking about these condensation – usually around concept to others. 140°F boiler temperature. Although most modulating energy savings, but the As you can see from the heating an d c on d e ns i ng ( m o d hours chart in Fig. 1 – a pretty con) residential and light full story is much bigger and typical example for many Canadian commercial boilers today have locations – boiler water only needs happier than that. outdoor reset functions built to be that hot for about 25 percent of into their onboard controls, the heating season – this is a big deal installers often choose settings – 75 percent of the heating season, that are too high (just in case), or reset is not used at all we are losing potential energy savings. (boiler on a set-point function). In part two of this article, I will look to the how-to Condensing boiler savings of setting up condensing boiler controls for optimum Enter the condensing boiler. As you can see from the comfort and efficiency, but this month I want to look efficiency chart (Fig. 2), the savings are considerable for at other benefits outdoor reset offers when paired with heating systems – somewhere in the six to nine percent condensing boilers. range – just from better combustion and condensate latent heat recovery. When you factor in the additional Automated control savings from reduced piping, boiler-jacket and standby www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Fig. 3: A single four-way mixing valve adds considerable complication. losses, the number can go up significantly. Since their introduction, most people have looked to justify the extra cost of these boilers by talking about these energy savings, but the full story is much bigger and happier than that. Let’s talk about some of the bonus benefits of outdoor reset use with condensing boilers:

Reduced complication

To be able to take full advantage of outdoor reset while protecting conventional “high temperature” boilers, all manner of mixing valves, bypass loops, shunt pumps, other exotic devices – and their related controls – have been utilized over the years. These devices get the job done and save energy by cutting the water temperature

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Fig. 4: Simplified piping is one of the advantages of a condensing boiler system. way back, but they add expense. And they can greatly complicate system piping and control strategies and are prone to failure and mis-application. I have never been keen on adding extra “stuff ” to any mechanical system – always looking to simplify and make mechanical systems more foolproof whenever possible. It can be hard to simplify, however, when the customer wants all the bells and whistles. Pricing up a basic system design, and then showing them how much

each option will cost (both installed cost and future maintenance), is a good way to help them see the light. Very early in condensing boiler evolution, I recognized one appealing bonus that might just be as important as the energy savings gained. When you don’t have to worry about low temperatures damaging the boiler, you can get rid of a whole lot of this extra stuff and lose some moving parts – this is always a good thing. The photo in Fig.3 shows how goofy things can get just by adding a single four-way mixing valve. This example was actually a well-designed system, but they “forgot” to put an actuating motor and reset control on the valve, so its effectiveness was limited. If they had used condensing boilers, the designers could have put the same system together without adding the mixing valve. They could have saved some expensive components, controls, and copper – not to mention future confusion and angst over proper servicing and operation. The photo shows just the four-way mixing valve part of the piping, connected to a high temperature boiler, but the whole system was much more complicated. Just this small section of the system shows how adding extra components can lead to complexity. It looks so confusing because boiler room space restrictions required the valve to be piped in backwards, increasing the criss-crossing of the piping. Adding an actuator and control would have made this look even more

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October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

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n Heating SINGLE LOAD, SINGLE ZONE SYSTEM WITH A CONDENSING BOILER Although your options with hydronic heating are almost limitless - it really doesn’t have to get any more complicated than this.

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Using a condensing boiler and outdoor reset control, this will work with radiant floor, panel radiators, air handlers - anything. Design for low water temperatures for maximum efficiency.

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Fig. 6: Condensing boilers allow more flexibility in venting.

Fig. 5: Hydronic heating doesn’t have to be difficult.

Reducing system complexity Continued from page 13 intimidating. In contrast, the photo in Fig. 4 is the piping from a condensing boiler for heating only. If you ignore all of the water fill stuff, expansion tank, etc. – it’s just plain simple. There is a primary loop to maintain constant boiler flow. Add heating system loop – done. Some manufacturers will let you skip the boiler loop if you have a system where the minimum flow is always maintained, making things even simpler. I urge you to do everything you can to design a system

When you don’t have to worry about low temperatures damaging the boiler, you can get rid of a whole lot of this extra stuff.

like that – see Fig.5 for inspiration. Check with your boiler company, and keep in mind that their requirements always trump anything you read here. If they say no, ask why – but at the end of

the day you have to go with what they say. I have changed boiler manufacturers a number of times in the past when I didn’t like the answer. But there’s more! On top of making the piping simpler, venting systems get a makeover with low temperature hydronics as well. Atmospheric venting requires big, hot metallic vents that require more clearance from combustibles, eating up valuable space. Switching to condensing boilers with full outdoor reset means lower stack temperatures, allowing cooler temperatures and power venting options using smaller plastic venting that you can snake all over the place if necessary – what’s not to like about that?

Heat loss harmony

More benefits? Mod-con boilers using outdoor reset can easily match the boiler water temperature to building heat loss requirements. As a result, thermostats won’t cycle on and off as much and components like zone valves and pumps won’t wear out as quickly. Temperature swings are reduced, and system bad behaviour calms down as well. Most mod-con boilers today come with the necessary controls built right in and, unlike the bad old pre-1990’s days, many of them have detailed instructions in their I&O manuals that give you pointto-point wiring and piping instructions as

HEATING CAPACITY PER LINEAL FOOT OF BASEBOARD - example only! varies with each model ENTERING AIR TEMPERATURE @ 65°F ENTERING WATER ENTERING WATER ENTERING WATER ENTERING WATER ENTERING WATER ENTERING WATER TEMP. @ 80°F TEMP. @ 100°F TEMP. @ 120°F TEMP. @ 140°F TEMP. @ 160°F TEMP. @ 180°F

60 Btu/hr.

120 Btu/hr.

210 Btu/hr.

well as some control set-up information to help you get it right. So to get you thinking about next month’s discussion of control and heat curve settings – here’s the only universal rule of thumb: Keep the boiler water temperature as low as possible to maximize condensation and efficiency. See the baseboard output chart (Fig. 7) for one easy way to accomplish this. Stay tuned – we’ll tell you what you need to know about how to set up today’s

330 Btu/hr.

470 Btu/hr.

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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October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

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n Heating Expanded geothermal line

Enertech has expanded its YT line of geothermal multi-positional vertical packaged units with the addition of five and six-ton models. Three and four-ton models were introduced previously. These units feature dramatic improvements in sound quality, efficiency and a reduction in cabinet size. They also feature an all-aluminum micro-channel coil, variable speed ECM motor and Copeland UltraTech two stage scroll compressor. Enertech u www.enertechgeo.com

Expanded DHW heater line

Navien has announced the expansion of its premium condensing tankless NPE water heater series with the addition of the NPE-150S model. This smaller “S” or standard version, with an energy factor (EF) of 0.97, has a heating capacity of 18,000-120,000 Btu/h and will produce 5.3 GPM of hot water at a 45ºF temperature rise. Features include ½” gas pipe capability, two-inch PVC venting up to 60 feet, dual stainless steel heat exchangers, an integrated and easy to use control, field gas convertibility and cascade capability without an external control. Navien u www.navien.com

New commercial tankless unit

The Rinnai C199 model is a condensing tankless water heater with a heat exchanger designed specifically for the demands of the commercial market. Designed to create an endless supply of hot water, these 199,000 Btu/h Energy Star certified models are available in natural gas and propane, provide water temperatures between 98 and º 185 F and come standard with a multi-unit freestanding or wall mount. New venting options, such as room air common venting and sidewall intake, both with vertical exhaust, provide streamlined installations. Rinnai u www.rinnai.us

WeatherKing available at Noble

Noble (wholesale) announces that it now carries the full line of WeatherKing residential furnaces and air conditioners by Rheem. The furnace line-up includes single-stage PSC and ECM motor versions along with variable speed ECM models with efficiencies of up to 96 percent AFUE. The air conditioner line includes single-stage and two-stage up to 16 SEER. Heat pumps of up to 14.5 SEER and 8.50 HSPF are also available. Rheem u www.WeatherKingCanada.com

Whole house electric tankless DHW

The Tronic 5000C & 6000C tankless electric water heaters from Bosch are designed to supply up to three major applications at one time. These compact lightweight units deliver 97 percent thermal efficiency. Modulating elements help ensure a constant GPM output temperature. They require hard wiring through double-pole breakers and varying amperage service (WH17 80 amps –WH27 120 amps – WH36 180 amps). The WH17 is recommended for point-of-use only in Canada due to cooler ground water temperatures. Bosch u www.boschheatingandcooling.com

INLINE 400 PRESSURE BOOSTING SYSTEM

Need a water pressure boost? You can be confident in the reliability of Franklin Electric’s proven pump and motor inside a durable product housing to boost city water pressure, pressurize water from a cistern tank, and re-pressurize after filtration or during irrigation. Vertical and horizontal mounting options allow for installation flexibility within the current plumbing configuration. This innovative, whisper quiet system uses simple flow-based controls to ensure your customers get the water pressure boost they need when they want it.

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October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

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Jet Towel high speed hand dryer, invented by Mitsubishi Electric in 1993, is the obvious choice for business owners, property managers and end-users. The latest 8th generation features industry-lowest operating sound at 58 dB(A), lowered power consumption at 570W, and fast hand-drying time of 9 - 11 seconds. Available in standard and mini-type, Jet Towel exhibits the quietness, quality and efficiencies that you would only expect from Mitsubishi Electric. For more information, visit www.JetTowel.ca

n Heating

Preventing oil line leaks

Careful installation and scrutiny over time can prevent most problems By Art Irwin For many years, leaking oil tanks and leaking or broken oil lines have caused thousands of dollars in property damage. Oil leaks have been the greatest threat to the oil heat industry and many homeowners have faced massive remedial costs that have eventually turned them away from using No.2 furnace oil to heat their homes. However, the industry has worked hard to improve oil containment products. Changes in the Canadian Standards Association installation codes have resulted in much improved installations. Double bottom steel tanks and non-metallic fiberglass tanks have resulted in a drastic reduction in fuel oil leaks. For example, it is no longer permissible to install a standard steel tank outdoors. Outdoor tanks have been the weak point in fuel oil containment in the past. Changing outdoor temperatures creates large quantities of condensation on the inside surfaces of the steel tanks. This condensation (water) mixes with the oil and creates a very corrosive sludge, which collects at the bottom of the tank and eventually eats through the steel shell and a leak occurs. There have been instances where the cost of the clean-up has been greater than the value of the home. I know of a couple of examples where the homes were demolished and, following the clean-up, the properties were sold. Thankfully, better installations and improved oil storage products have resulted in a marked reduction in oil spills.

to have a copy of the most recent code and be aware of its contents. There have also been a number of cases of vandalism where somebody cut the oil line on an outside tank and the fuel was either stolen or permitted to flow into the ground, creating excessive clean-up costs.

Winter woes

This homeowner has gone a long way in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;leak-proofingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; his system by having two new fibreglass oil tanks installed.

Leaking oil lines

One other area of concern has been leaking fuel oil lines. In fact up to seventy percent of the oil spills are caused by leaks in the fuel line. There have been many examples where an oil line installed below a concrete floor unknowingly leaked for a lengthy period and saturated the earth below the structure, which resulted in excessive clean-up costs. The CSA B139 Installation code for oil-fired equipment specifies that it is no longer permissible to install an oil supply line below a concrete floor www.plumbingandhvac.ca

The Line Guardian device is designed to detect even the smallest leaks in oil lines. unless it is installed inside another pipe as a means of secondary containment. For years, it was common practice to install oil lines in or below concrete floors and, unfortunately, there still remains supply lines that have not been disconnected and replaced with new lines. This is why it is very important for all installers

Outside oil lines can fracture if they freeze. Outside tanks gather condensation as mentioned and it accumulates in the bottom of the tank and eventually flows into the oil line. We now have a frozen oil line that can rupture. This past winter, the harshest in many years, resulted in a number of broken oil lines because of the formation of ice and heavy snow. In addition to better installation practices, there is a new device on the market designed to prevent spills in the event of an oil line leak. The Line Guardian by Lorax Systems Inc. of Bedford, Nova Scotia senses the smallest oil line leak caused by even a pin hole and shuts off the flow of oil immediately. This non-electric device is always on alert. Certified by the Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), it is being distributed in Canada and the U.S. by R.W. Beckett Corporation and marketed through heating wholesalers to the oil heat industry. Their special fuel lines must be used, which are supplied in rolls and can be cut as required. The insurance industry has shown interest in this new development as it will no doubt result in a marked reduction in insurance claims. : Arthur A. Irwin operates Irwin Energy Consulting Services in Halifax. He can be reached at irwin.a@ns.sympatico.ca.

October 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Plumbing & HVAC

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n Heating Regular scheduled maintenance will keep rooftop units operating smoothly year round.

has been trouble-free and has been well looked after by the previous techs. Where are they now? Did they quote a maintenance contract with parts and labour included and now they’ve run out of money?

Planned maintenance

Keeping rooftop units humming Prevent premature failure with regular maintenance By Bob Bettles and Brian Guttormson

ome contractor views of rooftop maintenance service are dismal at best. In listening closely to them, there are those that think a quick in-and-out to change filters is good enough; on to the next call. Some even view maintenance as a total waste of time and effort. When equipment prematurely fails it is labeled a bad piece of equipment when, in reality, its premature failure is due to improper service and the lack of a maintenance contract. That being said, be cautious when quoting for a maintenance contract. If the system is a new install which you completed, then no problem! If this is a six or seven-year-old installation with repairs done when the system went down, take the time to do a serious preliminary inspection of the equipment before signing on the dotted line. Is your contract for parts and labour, a flat rate filter change, or preferred emergency service at a reduced rate, etc.? There are many options and variables, so the list can be endless. Most property managers will claim their equipment

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Planned maintenance is usually scheduled a minimum of four times a year, depending on air quality within the conditioned space. It starts with a visual inspection of the equipment’s overall condition. It should be also noted that confirming the voltages into the unit would help its survival by not being over or under its voltage requirements. Moving on, inspect the disconnect, checking for polarities and that the wires are secured and in place. Visually confirm within the electrical box that the contactors are operational and circuit boards have no corrosion, capacitors are at their peaks and all electoral connections are in proper working uncorroded condition. Look over the condition of the wiring harnesses, checking the connectors and wires for brittleness and pinched or bare wires. Thermostats also should be checked for accuracy as well as programs, if used, to confirm the customers’ requirements. Cabinets and door seals should be looked over closely to stop possible water or snow from entering the unit and its controls. During the unit’s filter change, it is always a good idea to inspect the ductwork leading into the unit (return air) and the exit out into the system (supply air), performing any needed repairs to cure air leakages creating static pressure losses or the buildup of any impurities. Clean out the interior of the unit and its exterior fin pack. Bird droppings and the buildup of dirt and leaves can add stress onto the working components of the machine.

The cooling side

If a free cooling option – an economizer – is present, it should be tested and confirmed it is operational. Check the setting and record the enthalpy settings for the future. If air conditioning is required, a stick of wood jammed in its louvers is not an operational economizer…

Please see ‘Building’ on page 23 October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

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Building renovations may affect performance Continued from page 21

Checking for gas leakage

On the heating side of the system, if it is a gas-fired On the air-conditioning side of the system, it’s always rooftop it is highly recommended to check for gas an idea to clear and clean out the trap and confirm it leakage or pressure loss. Visually follow all of the gas works and does not leak. Go back further into the unit lines and confirm that all supports are in place and are to check the drain pan. Look for cracks or uneven spaced adequately and, again, watch for lines requiring water lines created from the condensate. This can painting or repainting to code. show the unit is not level and, on a high volume day, Heat exchanger integrity should be tested; this can be the condensate can spill over into the interior of the performed by a manual task or by the use of a carbon building and cause further unwanted damages. monoxide (CO) test instrument. Remember, rust is Check all fan blades for cracks or loose blade not your friend. This can be a sign of short cycling, rivets. Don’t allow dirt to build up, causing an inoversized equipment or a low temperature rise. Be balance and vibration during the unit’s runtime. Also, aware of exhaust odors (aldehydes). Check the flue; look check for the same issues when for corrosion and a possible heat going over the blower housing exchanger replacement. Look at set and its wheel. The simplest things up of the system and recalibrate. can create further problems and Ribbon burners in older products Remember, equipment failure. require more care than newer inrust is not your friend. shot styles. Look around If the primary heat exchanger has This can be a sign of When you are on site for a filter been condensing, the wet condition change, take a walk around short cycling, oversized may create poor burning and the conditioned space. Some corrosion will be visible. Burners renovations may have occurred equipment or a low may plugged with rust and cause since you were last on site. The area flame roll out. Watch for spiders, temperature rise. may have been cut up into smaller which seem to have an affinity to the user areas, or even divided up into mercaptain used in the l/p products! different rented or sublet units. Limits will trip off on safety. Construction can alter existing ducts and registers. This Also, confirm gas pressures have been calibrated will change the flow of air and have an effect on the into the unit and manifold pressures are also set within unit’s airflow balance. factory operating specs. The ignition system should Depending on the scope of the renovations, dirt may also be inspected to ensure igniter operation and that have built up in the ducts and require cleaning. The ignition wires are intact and in a like-new condition. air-conditioning coil or coils will need to be cleaned. At the end of the service, always check and record Consult the manufacturer’s instructions to find which the new set-up temperature rise and compare to the chemicals are allowed for cleaning their equipment so data plate. Also record air-conditioning temperature warranties are not dismissed. differential, super heat and sub cooling and air flow Move on to the electrical motors in the unit and statics and fan speeds. This will be your next service check the acceptable working amperages against the start point. : rating plates. Change belts if present and add oil to any oiling ports. Also, blow out or clean out any air vented Bob Bettles motors for cooler operation. HVAC author and trainer Robert Install refrigerant gauges and run the system for (Bob) Bettles is technical service a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes and then check the adviser and product trainer for refrigerant levels by looking at the super heat values and B&B Trade Distribution Centre. the sub cooling values; compare these numbers to the spec or rating plates on the machine. He can be reached at bbettles@ If not present or faded, a call to the manufacturer bandbtrade.com. can provide you with its original specs. Check Brian Guttormson the rating plate on the compressor and compare HVAC author and trainer Brian during the run tests to confirm the compressor’s Guttormson is technical service amp draw. Also look over the condenser coil advisor for Trent Metals Ltd. and watch for bent or crushed fins. If not straightened, there will be added heat retained in (Supply). He can be reached at the condenser, poor heat transfer and a faster buildup techsupport@tmlsupply.com. of dirt. www.plumbingandhvac.ca

October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

n Tools and Instruments Duct cleaning “beast”

The BrushBeast from Rotobrush International offers a 90 percent increase in vacuum power over previous systems to remove the heaviest build up in air duct systems while still remaining compact and portable. The new design allows easy maneuvering and access into attics and crawl spaces with up to 52 feet of hose. A new filter bag design is stronger and holds more debris without losing suction power. Rotobrush International u www.rotobrush.com

Root ripper

General Pipe C le aners’ R o ot Ripper is designed to clear heavy root clogs in drains with cable or sectional drain machines. Made of hardened steel, it has a tapered point that screws into the roots and a claw at the front that rips them out. This requires a heavy-duty cable like General’s Flexicore, made up of heavy-gauge wire coiled tightly around 49-strand aircraft-type wire rope and heat treated. General offers over 100 different cutting heads for its drain cleaning machines. General Pipe Cleaners u www.drainbrain.com.

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Plumbing & HVAC – October 2015

The new Masters Soldersnake hands-free reflective heat shield from G.F. Thompson is designed to protect walls, studs, floors and other surfaces from flames, sparks and abrasions that could occur during soldering. It is designed to clamp to any nearby substrate and bend into position, protecting what is behind it as well as reflecting heat forward. G.F. Thompson u www.gfthompson.com

The Interior Ladder Rack from Adrian Steel offers a safe and efficient means of transport for your step ladder from job site to job site. It mounts to either the partition or shelf panel and provides quick and easy access to the ladder from outside the vehicle. It is perfect for carrying four and six-foot step ladders and works best in medium and high roof vans. Adrian Steel u www.adriansteel.com

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

n Refrigeration must be registered and comply with ASME B31.5. Registration means that you have to submit the design to the AHJ for approval. You may be thinking at this point that I’m talking only about large commercial and industrial applications. Nope, so far everything I’ve written applies to every single refrigeration system, as far as CSA B52 is concerned at least.

ASME requirements

Hard drawn ACR copper tubing was used for this air conditioning system.

Refrigerant piping

This steel piping, as delivered from the supplier, already has an unacceptable amount of corrosion.

Rules on materials can be unclear By Greg Scrivener

While not the most glamorous subject, we have to deal with refrigerant pipe material every day so it’s a good idea to understand the rules associated with its use. As is often the case with rules it’s not always clear what is allowed and what isn’t. Let me explain, with the necessary caveat that code interpretation is 100 percent up to your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), of course. In Canada, the rules for refrigerant piping begin in the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) B52 code which is adopted into legislation in some form or another in every province and territory. There actually isn’t that much information in the code related to piping material. A quick search reveals a clause that says simply that any material used in a refrigeration system shall be suitable for that system including when moisture is present. This seems simple but is a fairly complicated requirement if you want to use an unusual material – it would be up to you to prove the compatibility. There is a bit more information on not allowing magnesium alloys in the presence of halocarbons and www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Steel pipe must be painted to prevent corrosion. not allowing copper with ammonia. There is also a clause that does allow aluminum with ammonia. Straightforward so far. Continuing on through the B52 code you discover that unless the equipment is exempt from registration because it is covered under other CSA standards and tested by an approved testing laboratory, refrigerant piping must be registered in accordance with CSA B51 and designed and constructed in accordance with American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) B31.5. What does this mean? Well, your piping won’t likely be exempt on the grounds that it is covered by other CSA standards unless it is part of a prefabricated system, so you probably need to worry about CSA B51 and ASME B31.5. On the materials front, CSA B51 says that the design

ASME B31.5 is a code for pressure piping that applies to refrigeration and heat transfer components. It goes through all the material requirements of piping material (strength tests, impact tests, material types, fabrication, assembly, welding, brazing, etc.…). ASME B31.5 starts off by saying that all materials must conform to a listed specification from ASTM (Formerly the American Society of Testing and Materials). ASME B31.5 then goes through and describes minimum design pressures, what factors have to be considered in the piping design such as wind loading, impact, seismic, thermal expansion, etc. and then outlines the allowable strength and temperature ratings of different materials with ASTM testing standards. It includes a list of many acceptable materials but does not rule out any material, including non-metallic ones, providing they meet the requirements (in order to figure this out, you will need another huge standard – ASME B31.3 Process Piping). ASME B31.5 is the standard that mechanical engineers use when designing large piping systems, but the content is applicable to all refrigerant piping. Where does this leave us? Other than a few material compatibility requirements in CSA-B52 code we have to use ASME B31.5 when choosing piping materials. ASME B31.5 is fairly complicated to use but it gives us a lot of options.

Unprotected piping

Back in CSA B52 there are additional requirements that apply only to ‘unprotected refrigerant piping and tubing’. Conveniently, there is also a definition of what ‘unprotected’ means and basically it is tubing that is not covered by a protective enclosure. I must admit that this section has baffled me for a long time. It requires unprotected hard copper tubing to be ASTM B88 type K or L (Type M, L, K are all copper tubing with increasing wall thickness – M is the thinnest and used mainly in plumbing applications) and then goes on to say that soft tubing must comply with ASTM B280. ATSM B280 covers both hard and soft tubing and is equivalent in thickness to Type L so I’m not sure why the code references two different material standards. The copper that is manufactured to ASTM B280 also has to be cleaned. In any case, the intent here looks to be that copper that is unprotected must have a specified wall thickness in order to prevent failure due to physical damage (to make things even more confusing, the table of wall thicknesses published in the current edition of CSA B52 is incorrect at least according to the ASTM B28003 that I have on hand). Then there is a requirement that copper tubing be brazed and not soldered. While it is certainly industry

Please see ‘Many’ on page 29 October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

ntiboilers.com

n Refrigeration

Many systems exempt Continued from page 27 practice to use brazing all of the time and doing so is usually (but not always) a requirement under ASME B31.5, I don’t understand why it’s in a section relating only to unprotected copper tubing.

with ASME B31.5, no one actually checks. Second, there has historically been little to no enforcement in many areas of the CSA B52 code, even when someone is supposed to check. Third, we have worked in an industry that for a long time has had a very simple standard practice. We have copper tubing that is designed and cleaned specifically for refrigerants. This tubing meets ASME B31.5 requirements in most cases and is used almost exclusively on halocarbon systems. In other words we didn’t really need to worry about using other materials. You have more than likely heard of the high discharge pressures of CO2 refrigerant. It turns out that ACR

copper doesn’t meet the high side pressure requirements of many CO2 systems, so we have to use different materials. And we are using a lot of them – stainless steel tubing, stainless steel pipe, copper alloys, etc. There have also been accidents and failures because designers and contractors used incorrect materials. This isn’t something we’ve had to worry about for a long time and understanding ASME B31.5 and CSA B52 will help make sure we don’t make more mistakes. We are seeing systems with different materials on the high and low sides and sometimes they look the same. Different grades of the same metal can have different pressure ratings and it’s up to us make sure we are using the correct material. :

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So why haven’t we all heard of many of these requirements? The answer is simple and there are three reasons. First, the legislation in most provinces exempts an awful lot of systems. Most provinces don’t even adopt the CSA B52 for systems under three tons. After that, many piping systems under a certain internal volume are exempted from registration, which means that while you are supposed to comply

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

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

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October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

Any way you add it up, the solution is 33.

1 14 14 4 11 7

8 10 10 5 13 2

3 15

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33 SEER Fujitsu’s ductless wall mounted 33-SEER 9RLS3H is the solution to the problem that is energy inefficiency. This system is 2.35 times more efficient than the government minimum standard and qualifies for the ENERGY STAR® Most Efficient category in 2015. System 9RLS3H provides heating in outdoor temperatures as low as -15°F with an HSPF of 14, all adding up to year-round comfort and savings. To solve your heating and cooling needs, visit www.fujitsugeneral.com.

n Building Green enters the system binds to the anode. This results in the production of magnesium hydroxide that combines acids and raises the pH value. Depending on water composition, electrical conductivity is reduced. A cyclone filter traps and holds back corrosion particles and solid impurities. Regular cleaning is required. The Elysator purification unit takes a few months to achieve alkaline or pure water quality, with a reading of seven or higher on the pH scale. “There has to be flow, or no action,” says Vestad. “It works for cooling towers, closed loop heating, chiller systems, and lower temp steam boilers up to 900 psi/62 bar.”

Pulse system

AT&T in Detroit achieved significant water and chemical cost savings by installing an electromagnetic pulse water treatment system for its cooling towers.

In from the A non-chemical approach to chiller, hydronic water treatment By Bruce Nagy A bone chilling winter day became bitter for Arne Vestad and Gary Dietz in 2003 when they received news that their services were no longer required by a company trying to sell a non-chemical water treatment solution. “We couldn’t get enough people interested,” says Dietz. “But we still believed in non-chemical systems, because they’ve been working perfectly for 50 years in Europe.” So, they landed the contract to sell an anode system in North America and started a business. “We knew a few ship builders. Our first sales were marine www.plumbingandhvac.ca

The Intercontinental Hotel in San Francisco has a LEED Gold designation. In 2012 it eliminated chemical water treatments for its cooling system. It installed a Dolphin WaterCare electromagnetic pulse system to reduce environmental impact and save money. Electro-magnetic pulses pass through the cooling tower water as it flows through the treatment module, which removes the static charge from naturally occurring suspended particles. The

neutral suspended partials then become the preferred surface for minerals to precipitate around, rather than forming scale on HVAC equipment surfaces. “This project has excellent beforeand-after data,” reported Dolphin president Anupam Bhargava. The hotel saves more than $12,000 each year on water, plus $8500 on chemicals. State biological control tests came in around 340 CFU/mL. Corrosion coupon readings are within industry standards at .0544 MPY (copper) and 1.2334 MPY (steel). Detectable scale is zero. And barrels of toxic chemicals are no longer wheeled though guestroom hallways en route to the rooftop mechanical room. The system can earn up to seven LEED points, said Bhargava.

Installation and service

John Dresty founded the company that became Dolphin. He is now vice president of marketing and product development at Griswold Water Systems. He developed pulse power water treatment technology in the 1990s as a researcher at the University of Connecticut.

Please see “Electro” on page 33

applications. But land-based markets here were using chemicals. It’s been a real grind.” A dozen years later, interest in nonchemical ways to control scale, corrosion and biological activity in cooling towers, boilers and other HVAC equipment is increasing, led by states like California where wastewater discharge costs are soaring. The charlatans in the non-chemical space have gone bust. Companies like Dolphin WaterCare of Middletown, Connecticut and Griswold Water Systems in Irvine, California have developed a solid reputation through thousands of installations and service teams that monitor them.

Early adopter

One early installation was at Seattle Children’s Hospital. The product worked well and the hospital has been adding more units over the years. It now has 36. Each unit is basically a tank containing magnesium anodes. Through a cathodic/anodic reaction, oxygen that October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

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Finish your next repair or installation faster with Viega ProPress systems. With system-matched tools and jaws, no calibration is required and connections are made in less than seven seconds, making them ideal for large commercial or residential properties such as hotels, apartments and condos. Viega ProPress is the original copper press joining solution and is also available in stainless. • Fast installation and repairs in occupied facilities with minimal shutdown time • Confident connections with the patented Viega Smart Connect feature • No soldering means connections are made without burn permits or fire watches For more information, call 800-976-9819 or visit www.viega.us T H E

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J O I N I N G

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n Building Green

Electro-magnetic pulse purification via the included pump, and returned to the same tank. Cooling towers are The electromagnetic pulse maintains similar but water is taken from the the calcium carbonate in the water above tower basin and circulated through the saturation level to control biological life anode tank and a UV disinfection lamp and prevent mineral scale and biofilm. connected in series, then returned to the “You end up with a benign limestone basin. In a closed loop system the anode precipitate that we call powder. It is is installed in the same location as a discharged during blow-down and chemical pot feeder. centrifugal solids separation in a Both companies combine their controlled way. Maintaining the calcium products with mandatory minimum carbonate above saturation also provides one-year service plans to ensure proper an effective natural corrosion inhibition application, cleaning, water testing not achievable by other methods of and maintenance. Installers have to be water treatment,” said Dresty. trained and certified. For HVAC, refrigeration, industrial There are more than 9,000 pulse heat transfer, and other water-based systems in use in North America cooling systems, the pulse product is today, with growth continuing as a new installed between the cooling tower and ASHRAE Legionella standard compels heat exchange device (often a chiller) as more diligent monitoring of cooling a 100 percent of the flow process. The towers. Wave can also treat only 20 percent of Anode systems also require regular the flow in and out of the cooling tower visits to check pH, conductivity, basin, saving cost. corrosion, iron, copper, sulfate, chloride, For steam boilers, the anode tank is silica, as well as hardness and any other connected to the de-aerator or hot well make-up water changes that might affect 32082_HP_MascotAd_975x575_Layout 1 10/20/15 9:53 AM Page 1 with suction from the tank’s lowest point conductivity set points.

Continued from page 31

In the first year water is tested monthly and anodes are cleaned periodically. In future years, water is tested three times each year and the anodes are cleaned annually, reported Dietz. Anodes are typically replaced after about five years.

Significant water savings

One Griswold installation at AT&T headquarters in Detroit reportedly saves more than two million gallons of water each year and 1.8 million kilowatts of electricity due to cleaner, more efficient operation. And it no longer uses 9,000 pounds of chemicals each year. The project includes a Wave pulse power system to control scale, corrosion and biological activity. This is a low head, low energy, eductorless sweeping system that keeps the cooling tower basin clean. Controls provide daily automatic readings on water flow, electronic signal level, and conductivity; sends alerts and can be accessed by all parties online, for continuous monitoring and reports.

AT&T specified a Griswold Wave water purification system.

Chemical companies and ASHRAE

Many chemical companies still regard non-chemical approaches with skepticism, but some are either adding non-chemical systems or introducing ‘green’ chemicals. About ten years ago

Please see ‘Solving’ on page 35

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n Building Green

Solving the Legionella issue Continued from page 33 they worked hard, sometimes with justification, to discredit numerous non-chemical gizmos that were emerging. ASHRAE has published various scientific papers, which have been re-interpreted by both sides to bolster sales pitches. Some non-chemical companies made unfounded performance claims. And some attacks have gone too far, saying non-chemical approaches are ineffective for biological control, or void equipment warranties. Increasingly, this ‘us against them’ approach is fading. The focus now is on solutions that work for each particular situation.

New York Legionella outbreak

This past summer 12 people died from Legionnaire’s Disease in the South Bronx area. A hotel cooling tower was identified as the source of the outbreak. New York passed a by-law requiring cooling towers to be registered, tested, disinfected; followed by quarterly inspections. Legionella bacteria grows in most cooling towers, including at least four other towers in the affected area. ASHRAE had passed Standard 188 in June that deals specifically with Legionella. It requires inspections

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

and good practices to control the bacteria, specifying results, not technologies. “It’s a pretty good document,” says Dresty. ” One of the problems is we still don’t have a reliable test specifically for Legionella.” He explains that the current (BCYE) test has a huge error-range and results take 10-14 days. “Even the people who invented it therefore have some doubts about it.” He recommends also monitoring total bacteria counts using the 9215-B wastewater test and/or dipslide tests. “These are reliable, repeatable and cheap.”

Non-chemical systems outlook

Market studies indicate that the water treatment market is worth more than four billion dollars and has been steadily expanding five to seven percent each year. Growth is faster on the non-chemical side. With cooling towers, the non-chemical advantage is to reduce blow-down frequency and volume, and allow blow down water to be re-used for landscape irrigation, equipment washing and toilet flushing. “That’s because the discharge is more environment-friendly,” said Vestad. “And in today’s pollution-conscious environment it translates into savings for owners.” As they prepare for the cold weather months, Vestad and Dietz are not worried about being laid off in 2015.

The Seattle Children’s Hospital was an early adopter of magnesium anode water treatment. With an improving outlook for non-chemical water treatment, things just might be feeling warmer for them this winter. : Bruce Nagy is a Toronto-based freelance writer that reports on green technologies and solutions. He can be reached at bruce.nagy@rogers.com.

October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

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n Pipes, Valves & Fittings

Specifying the best repair or replacement By Bill Hooper

Better

pumping

Call them what you like… circulators, pumps, booster pumps or that icon on the diagram – a circle with an arrow inside. The fact is they can be an object of blame when there is a no-heat call. It’s not fair, really, but the habit tends to tip toward blaming the pump. Like anything, misconceptions, negative experiences, old wives tales, and urban legends tend to preface our methods when we see a pump installed in a system we are working on. Good technicians know there are a lot of things to look for when troubleshooting a hydronic heating system, starting with the simplest

Three-piece pumps offer excellent serviceability.

and least expensive “fix” to the more complicated or multi-faceted issues that seem to feed off each other. The former is what you have a minimum charge for, and the latter is where you wish your hourly rate could be tripled – especially on a Saturday night in January. All things considered, I am sure that it works best for everyone when a no-heat call is dealt with quickly and effectively. Pumps are relatively simple. In hydronic systems they deliver the fluid to transfer the heat to where it is needed. They provide flow by putting energy into the system – velocity to the fluid – to create a difference in pressure between the suction and discharge of its body. The pump needs to provide flow with enough differential pressure to overcome the resistance of the piping and installed components like heaters, headers, radiant loops, etc… It is fair to say that if the pump has power and you can verify the impeller is spinning, you can generally eliminate the pump as the culprit of the no-heat call.

Wet rotor pumps are the most widely used in hydronic heating systems.

Smart pumps offer quick installation, energy savings and better system operation.

Three-piece pumps, having a separate motor coupled to a bearing assembly and body with impeller, are the old stalwart patriarchs of the pump world. You will see these units in small

residential applications, all the way up to three horsepower units for commercial projects. Even for residential

Please see ‘Variable’ on page 38

Choosing the right replacement

Permanently lubricated pumps also offer easy service. www.plumbingandhvac.ca

The fact is that there are times when you WILL have to replace the pump. When that happens, you will find a few different pump types. There are three types of pumps that you will come across as you are entering into boiler rooms for start-ups, cleaning of boilers, or general maintenance. Let’s take a look at these one by one… October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

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n Pipes, Valves & Fittings

Variable speed technology (ECM) to create smart pumps. These pumps have the capability of being installed in a system and, for all applications, these are still being manufactured, but intents and purposes, “reading” the system to operate other types of pumps are really dominating today’s effectively. These pumps are able to match the flow to heating markets. Consider that these pumps were built the load requirements, making them the most efficient to last with repairable parts, so it is possible to repair or pump to run in any system when compared to standard, preventatively maintain them; such as lubricating (oil), selectable speed AC induction motor pumps. or bearing or coupling replacement. Due to the ECM efficiencies, size for size, capacity for The confidence in this technology is directly capacity, the smart pump operates more efficiently than proportional to the experience of any other alternative. Lower flow the plumber in having repaired or rates reduce velocity in the piping replaced these in the past. Do our network, and reduce wear and tradespeople as an overall group tear on many system components Do our still have the necessary skills to over the life of the system. repair these units? Since we are tradespeople as an overall However, the economies seeing less of them, I suspect these of scale continue to haunt group still have the skillsets are diminishing. When this relatively new technology replacing this type of pump, it is necessary skills to repair to the pump world. Other recommended that you replace size pump construction types or for size, unless you have a pump these units? technologies without the adaptive that can adapt… more on this later. ability are less expensive, and there is a value gap that needs to Permanently lubricated be bridged. Education and comparative analysis will There is a permanently lubricated pump that has the definitely help! impeller and body directly connected to the motor, When considering a replacement pump, you have using a mechanical seal to separate the wet parts from these options to consider.

Continued from page 37

Pump Type

Cost Index

Comments

3-Piece Pump 175 - 200 Repairable, Maintenance Required Wet Rotor Pump 100-120 Maintenance free, small installed space Smart Pumps 150-175 Adjusts flow to adapt, Pipe and Play

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the motor. These were introduced for those that liked the idea of having a repairable pump, but did not like the maintenance aspect of the coupling, and oiling of the bearings. These pumps cover a wide range of capacities and are used residentially and commercially. The most popular pump today would be the wet rotor type. These circulators use the system fluid as a lubricant, so if you are on a job that has aggressive or dirty water… that is what you are using as a lubricant for the shaft to spin inside the motor and drive the impeller. In fairness, poor water quality has to be fairly extreme to cause an issue but it is important to carry that wisdom forward when troubleshooting. I have personal experience of wet rotor pumps that have been installed for over a decade without incident – I only removed them to try out some smart pumps during a test phase – which brings us to what seems to be the ultimate selection for a replacement…

Plumbing & HVAC – October 2015

The newest technology integrates variable speed technology, self-sustained controls, and wet rotor construction with electrically commutated motors

Benefits Reports of lasting 40-50 years! Parts still available Lowest cost, readily available Most efficient operation = low life cycle cost, easier on system components

The bottom line is that we all want good installations, and properly working systems - that is the answer to growing the hydronic business. The pump is a key component (the heart) in the hydronic system, so optimizing the heart of the system makes a lot of sense for long-term benefits. If the only downside to switching our replacement choice to Smart Pumps is the cost, let’s consider doing what it takes to understand the benefits to the owner of the system, as well as our reputation for installing the best available technology to effectively deliver thermal comfort to the building. : Bill Hooper is a certified engineering technologist with many years experience in hydronic heating. He is a former chairman of the Canadian Hydronics Council, was involved in creating the CSA B214 Hydronic Heating Code and has worked with ASHRAE. Today Bill is Atlantic Region manager for Uponor Ltd. He can be reached at bill.hooper@uponor.com.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

CMPXPlumbing HVACmagAd_Layout 1 08/10/15 3:11 PM Page 1

n Training

Student water conservation challenge The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH) is once again challenging Canadian college and university students to come up with a water conservation strategy for their school. The 2015-2016 Most Water Wise School Competition asks teams of students to develop an action plan to decrease their school’s water-use footprint and change the way students, faculty and staff think about their water habits. “We continue to motivate some of the country’s most innovative, forwardthinking students to participate and do their part in thinking about the importance of water use,” remarked Ralph Suppa, CIPH president and general manager. The competition is part of the CIPH CareerTap program, which is designed to draw young people into the industry. There is no limit on team size. Judging will be by industry experts. Now in its third year, students can do the Water Wise program in either the first or second semesters of the 2015-16 school year.

Ideally, plans should include a practical, detailed and technical approach, a creative manner to execute (through implementation and/or marketing), as well as consideration of the financial implications (initial costs and potential savings). The winners will be announced on World Plumbing Day March 11. Participants will have the opportunity to work with CIPH mentors through the group’s Young Executive Society. The first 100 students to enter will receive $50 Visa gift cards. The winning team will receive $3,000 with the second place team earning $1500.

Educational tool

A team from the University of Waterloo (Ont.) – Christopher Nadeau, Seana Ha d a l a - Tu r k i n g t o n a n d S o n g (Catherine) Wang, led by Dr. Sarah Wolfe – won the 2015 event with a plan to reduce water consumption in the student residence by replacing toilets, faucets and shower fixtures with water-saving models. The presentation

Plumbing & HVAC – October 2015

Mount Royal University was represented by, from left, Brady White, Karlee Bendera, Luis Fossi, Wade Louden, Alexa Matthes, and Sukhjit Panesar. included an initiative to educate student residents and maintenance staff on water saving strategies. Second place went to a team from Mount Royal University in Calgary, led by faculty advisor Brian Sevick, that proposed water conservation at the university’s East Residence townhouse through greywater recycling, along with a plan to use the project as an

educational tool to promote sustainable living. Judges were impressed with the team’s evaluation of water savings, real estate impact, and the goal of the proposal to encourage sustainability and public awareness of the need for water conservation. For more information, call Elizabeth McCullough at 1-800-639-2474 or visit www.ciph.com.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

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n People & Places

Hydronic supplier helps Nepal rebuilding effort A B.C. hydronic heating supplier has pitched in to help with rebuilding efforts in Nepal following an earthquake in April that killed over 9,000 people. Raven Hydronic Supply of Surrey, B.C. is helping to repair a school Nuwakot, Nepal, just outside of Kathmandu. The project involves funding the rebuild of five classrooms with major damage and another three with minor damage at a cost of $30,042. Raven Hydronic Supply was contacted after the earthquake by Room to Read, an international charity that supports literacy and gender equality in developing countries (www.roomtoread.org). Raven has been working with the organization since 2013, when it completed the construction of a new classroom and library in Palpa, Nepal. The company is paying for the earthquake repairs. The company’s goal is to do two projects every year, raising money from suppliers and customers and then matching the funds. The earthquake relief project is in addition the

From left are Sharon Davis of Room to Read with Raven Supply staff Nic Sun, Bennett Lee, Bal Munday, Kimberley Waller and Ashley Bouchard. company’s regular 2015 projects – the renovation of an additional library and one-year scholarships for 50 girls in India.

Riobel adds speed to training day Plumbers from Ontario and Quebec enjoyed some training and a whole lot of fun during a visit with faucet manufacturer Riobel at its home in Saint-Jérôme, Que. recently. Forty-four plumbers from Quebec visited the Riobel Academy and toured the facility on Sept. 23. And once the training was done, they ran some fast laps in go-karts at SRA Karting in St-Roch-de-L’Achigan. They had some expert instruction in the form of Riobel

sponsored Indy Car and NASCAR racer Alexander Tagliani. Olympic medalist in freestyle skiing Mikaël Kingsbury also participated. On Sept. 25, 16 Ontario plumbers had the same opportunity, taking the Riobel training, hanging out with Tagliani and running go-karts at iCar in Mirabel, Que. Both events were a great success, reports Riobel’s Kathleen Saint-Yves.

Quebec plumbers pose for a photo with professional racer Alexander Tagliani, front, centre in black shirt.

On Friday, 16 Ontario plumbers had their opportunity to learn a few tricks from the veteran racer.

Wolseley revamps Hamilton, Ont. location Wolseley Canada, Burlington, Ont., has revamped its plumbing branch at 123 Dartnell Road in Hamilton, Ont. and added its full line of HVAC/R products. The branch also houses a Kitchen and Bath Classics plumbing showroom. “Providing our customers with a wider breadth of inventory and a more convenient way of sourcing the products they need is our top priority,” said Wolseley www.plumbingandhvac.ca

The

People InSinkErator, Markham, Ont. has announced the appointment of Kevin VanderWerf as national channel marketing manager. VanderWerf was previously national account manager Kevin responsible for builder, distributor and VanderWerf retail accounts with ClosetMaid, another Emerson company. Bill Fallow, P.Eng., has been named the fifteenth recipient of the Joseph K. Seidner Award for outstanding contributions to the development of Canadian plumbing codes and standards. Fallow, who is chief plumbing i n s p e c t o r , Canadian AdviTechnical Inspection Services, sory Council on Department of Public Safety, in Plumbing chair New Brunswick, was presented Kevin Ernst, (OS&B, with the award at the annual Oakville, Ont.), left, Canadian Advisory Council presented Bill Falon Plumbing meeting in low with the Joseph K. Seidner Award. Vancouver Aug. 18. Hans Gautschi of HRC Services Inc., Bramlea, Ont. has announced his retirement after 48 years in the business. The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada presented a number of awards at its annual conference, which took place Aug. 26-28 in Windsor, Ont. HRAI 2014-15 chair Jim Flowers presents D a v i d M o r d e n , Morden National Sales & Marketing Inc., Sarnia, Ont. with a Merit Award. Flowers also presented a Merit Award to Ron Wright, Enertech Global-Canada, Strathroy, Ont. H R A I 2015-16 chair Peter Steffes, right, pres ente d a L ife Memb er Award to former Windsor, Ont. contractor and HRAI chair John Murphy

general manager Kevin Fullan. “The renovated Hamilton branch is bright, modern, and well-stocked to serve customers better.” Sean O’Hara continues as branch manager. The renovation is part of a broader 2015-16 initiative to upgrade existing Wolseley locations and to open new branches in communities across Canada. The Wolseley Dartnell Road, Hamilton team includes, from left: Dean Noiles, Shawn Furtado, Sean O’Hara, Rob Snarr, Grace Viveiros, Stacey Haan, Leo Jimenez, Paula Grond, Danny Dicks, and Sandy Simpson.

October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

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n Shop Management

Be a

mentor

to your staff

Ongoing training benefits the company and the individual By Ron Coleman This is one of my favourite stories: John finishes a two-year college diploma course in sales and marketing and looks for a job. It’s time to start his career. He answers an ad for a salesman with a wholesale supplier and he gets the job. Over the next 10 years he works hard, gets great reviews from his customers and always exceeds his sales quota. He is now married with two children. An opening for the position of sales manager comes up within the company. He applies and is very optimistic about getting the position - better salary, nicer car. He talks to his wife about it and how the new position will impact their lifestyle. He interviews well and is very confident. He gets called into the sales manager’s office who tells him: “John, I know you are very interested in the position of sales manager but I am sorry to have to tell you that you didn’t get the job; we are bringing in someone from outside”. John was gobsmacked; he says to the sales manager “But I have 10 years’ experience”. The sales manager replies: “No, John, you have one year’s experience 10 times”. That’s quite a difference.

Who failed?

Let’s look at this from several perspectives. How do you think John felt? He is not a happy www.plumbingandhvac.ca

camper. He has done great work for the company over the past 10 years. Now he is very likely to dust off his resume and go job hunting. Losing someone with his industry knowledge and client contacts is not good for the business. Everyone loses. How do you think the sales manager felt? He has let John down by not mentoring him. A new person is going to come in and likely make lots of changes. The sales manager’s legacy will be gone on his last day of work. If he had mentored John for the job then his “power of influence” would have stayed within the company.

The effort and cost in training your employees for the long-term is an investment that pays great dividends. John would have carried on his good work and been delighted and grateful to the sales manager and the sales manager would have felt very good about the legacy he created. This would have been a true win/win.

Better for the company

How will this impact the company? The company would have been better off with the greater continuity Promoting from within is usually a good policy. It encourages others within the company to seek promotion and it is a lot less expensive than bringing in someone new. Now there will be a certain level of upheaval and they will likely lose John because the

company failed to meet his expectations. The company does not have a solid management succession plan. This, of course, does not just happen with sales people, but also with technicians and other employees. Are you grooming any of them to take on more senior roles such as dispatch, technical support, supervision, estimating, and project management? Are you going to make a difference in the lives of others? Ask most foremen what training they got when they went from being a journeyman to a foreman and the answer (too often) is “you’re it”.

Taking responsibility

We all need to take responsibility for ensuring the next generation has the skills to take over. We must make them aware of what is needed and then provide the mentorship and training for them to get to the next level. This should be part of the culture of a successful company. Losing employees to the competition is not desirable. The effort and cost in training your employees for the long-term is an investment that pays great dividends. There are numerous courses that people can take on a part-time basis to enhance their skills and knowledge. If you are going to pay the cost of employees taking courses, make sure you cover your expense by only reimbursing them after successful completion. Also, you may require them to stay with the company for an agreed period of time. This is very common in accounting practices. Some courses are not deductable as an expense to an employee but would be to the employer. This means if the employee is paying for them then he/she is using after-tax dollars. Getting the company to reimburse them makes it more attractive for the employee. The rate of change in technology is having a huge impact on contractors. We need to ensure that we are using technology effectively and that means investing in training. Don’t treat these expenditures as costs; treat them as investments in the business and its people. Make 2016 the year that you invest in those people within your power of influence so that they don’t end up having “one year’s experience 10 times”. : Ronald Coleman is a Vancouverbased accountant, management consultant, author and educator specializing in the construction industry. He can be reached by e-mail at ronald@ronaldcoleman.ca.

October 2015 – Plumbing & HVAC

n Coming Events

Canada’s largest all-trades show returns Products from 1,600 exhibitors expected

Events

“See, it works like this!” Live product demonstrations are always popular. Contractors, engineers and other industry personnel can expect to see products from about 1,600 exhibitors when The Buildings Show takes over the entire Metro Toronto Convention Centre Dec. 2-4. The show brings together Construct Canada, PM Expo, HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo and the World of Concrete Pavilion in the South Building and IIDEXCanada (interior design show) in the North Building, and is held simultaneously with the Real Estate Forum Toronto. The show is designed as a meeting place for the entire industry – building design, construction and maintenance – to source the latest tools, products and solutions from exhibits, features and demonstrations, provided by Canadian and international exhibitors. Mechanical trade exhibitors tend to be scattered through the different shows. However, a walk through the

Index to Advertisers AHR Expo.................................................... 42 Aztec........................................................... 37 Bibby Ste. Croix..................................... 23, 25 Bradford White...................................... 13, 33 Brant Radiant............................................... 31 Camus Hydronics......................................... 24 Cash Acme.................................................. 29 Chrysler......................................................... 4 CMPX.......................................................... 39 Duravent................................................ 12, 38 Franklin Electric............................................ 17 Fujitsu.......................................................... 30 General Pipe Cleaners.................................. 10 Hilmor......................................................... 26 Holdrite....................................................... 40 Honeywell Genetron...................................... 2 IESO*........................................................... 44 IPEX............................................................. 34

Plumbing & HVAC – October 2015

created in order to equip attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the big issues, challenges and business opportunities that lie ahead for this industry,” said Tracy Bowie, IIDEXCanada vice president. Attendees will also be able to choose from more than 350 seminars, panels and roundtables that address a spectrum of contemporary issues that are having a direct impact on the state of the built environment from trends to building codes and regulations. This is the first show under the ownership of Informa Exhibitions, a global company headquartered in London, England that bought the show from Hanley Wood Exhibitions, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Registration for the show is free for all industry trade professionals until Nov. 17. There is a charge for most seminars. For more information or to register, visit www. thebuildingsshow.com or www.constructcanada.com.

Calendar NOV. 16-19:

This photo shows just part of the show floor at the 2014 event. different areas always provides insight into the things that are being developed in other areas of the construction industry that may affect plumbing and mechanical.

Educational opportunities

The Buildings Show also includes an extensive seminar schedule. “This year’s conference programming was Liberty Pumps.............................................. 14 Lochinvar..................................................... 16 Mitsubishi Electric.................................... 6, 18 Napoleon..................................................... 22 Navien........................................................... 9 Noritz.......................................................... 20 NTI............................................................... 28 Plumbing and HVAC............................ 41, 44+ Redmond Williams..................................... 41* RIDGID......................................................... 48 Success Group International......................... 51 Uponor........................................................ 47 Victaulic......................................................... 8 Viega........................................................... 32 Viessmann................................................... 36 Zoeller......................................................... 35 Zurn Industries............................................. 15 * Ontario only + Outside Ontario

MCA Canada’s 74th Annual National Conference, Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa, Palm Springs, Calif. Visit www.mcac.ca or call (613) 232-0492.

NOV. 18: CIPHEX St. John’s, Holiday Inn St. John’s, St. John’s, Nfld., 1 p.m. Call 1-800-639-2474 or visit www.ciphexroadshow.ca for more information.

DEC. 2-4: Construct Canada, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building, Toronto. Visit www. constructcanada.com or call (416) 512-0203.

DEC. 7-8: Solar Canada 2015 Conference and Exposition, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building, Toronto. Visit www.solarcanadaconference.ca or call 1-647-560-7000.

JAN. 19-21: Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), Las Vegas Convention Centre, North and South Halls, Las Vegas. Visit www.KBIS.com or call 1-800-843-6522.

JAN. 25-27: AHR Expo, Orlando County Convention Centre, Orlando, Florida. Visit www.ahrexpo.com or call (203) 221-9232.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

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