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The
strange world of temporary HVAC
Combo systems
A different approach to heating and DHW
INSIDE JAN/FEB 2014
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■ Emergency power and heat for your customers ■ Ontario geothermal industry optimistic ■ Green governments pressure contractors ■ Making flat rate pricing work in your business
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Q Contents
Hot Water Heating Issue
Departments Hot Seat .........................................5 Freezing in the dark
Industry News ..............................7 Ont. geothermal industry optimistic
People & Places ...........................49 New hires, new buildings and new initiatives
Coming Events ............................51 Over 500 exhibitors booked for CMX
Shop Management .....................53 Making flat rate pricing work
Products & Technologies Hot Water Heating......................22
On the move
Heating ........................................27
Features
Pipes, Valves & Fittings...............33 Tools & Instruments ....................35
The sometimes wacky world of temporary HVAC
Refrigeration ...............................37 Faucets & Fixtures .......................41 Trucks for the Trade....................43
Combo systems
22
Using one appliance for heating and DHW
Cover: Companies that specialize in providing temporary HVAC for buildings – and other venues – face difficult challenges. Please see our article on page 19.
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Today’s hydronic classroom
47
Teaching and heating technology evolve rapidly
Compact cargo vans
43
Smaller vehicles coming of age
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Q Hot Seat
January/February 2014 Volume 24, Number 1 ISSN 1919-0395
Publisher Mark Vreugdenhil (416) 614-5819 mark@plumbingandhvac.ca
Freezing in the dark Southern Ontario and other parts of the country were hard hit by an ice storm over Christmas that caused power outages that lasted up to a week in some places. For me, this is the second or third such outage in recent memory and something that people in many parts of Canada have experienced at one time or another. Regardless of the cause – extreme weather resulting from global warming, electrical infrastructure neglect or whatever – it is something that needs to be addressed both by governments and industry. In the face of increasingly common blackouts, Canadians can’t be left to “freeze in the dark,â€? as former Calgary mayor and Alberta premier Ralph Klein is alleged to have uttered in response to then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s National Energy Policy in 1980. Governments and utilities need to take a hard look at this and do everything they can to improve the electrical infrastructure. This may mean putting it underground as much as possible, but even that is not a cure-all as much of Toronto was without power last July when underground transformer stations ooded. On the industry side, as heating systems have become more efďŹ cient and more complicated they have become more dependent on electricity. We need to ďŹ nd ways to reduce that dependency as much as possible. Up until a few years ago our home was heated with a gravity style hydronic system, with a cast iron natural draft boiler controlled by a milli-volt thermostat, all of which would chug merrily along when the power went out. There was a certain security in that primitive system. That disappeared with the switch to an efďŹ cient condensing
boiler along with additional loops and pumps. I am not sure what the solution is, but the possibility of power outages is something that should be considered at the design stage of any piece of heating equipment. Perhaps it would be as simple as putting some sort of “emergency plugâ€? on every heating appliance so that at least people could plug it into a generator. There were stories of homeowners trying to jerry-rig an extension cord to their furnace in the recent Toronto power failure. Desperate times may call for desperate measures – and it is desperate when your heat is out in the middle of winter – but amateurs shouldn’t be trying to deal with this. Or perhaps – and it will likely require code changes – heating equipment should be simply wired to plug into an outlet rather than being hard-wired. There are certainly many people in the industry that are more expert than myself on the technical side of this. But the main thing is that some provision for emergency backup needs to be a priority to help homeowners through extended power outages. For any homeowner that has lived through one of these lengthy wintertime blackouts, “blackout protectionâ€? would likely be a signiďŹ cantly more important selling point than energy efďŹ ciency or even comfort. People have to know that when the power goes out they are not going to freeze.
Editor Simon Blake (416) 614-5820 simon@plumbingandhvac.ca Design and Production Tim Norton production@plumbingandhvac.ca Production Manager Lilianna Kantor (416) 614-5815 lily@newcom.ca Circulation Manager Pat Glionna Corporate Services Anthony Evangelista
PLUMBING & HVAC Magazine is published eight times annually by NEWCOM Business Media Inc. and is written for individuals who purchase/ specify/approve the selection of plumbing, piping, hot water heating, ďŹ re protection, warm air heating, air conditioning, ventilation, refrigeration, controls and related systems and products throughout Canada.
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Q Industry News
In Brief Toronto to host Skills Canada Skills Canada has named Toronto as the host city for the 20th annual Skills Canada National Competition. The event will take place June 4-7 at the International Centre, near Pearson Airport. Apprentices in 40 trades from across Canada will compete and be tested against exacting industry standards for the honour of being named the best in their discipline. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry (UA) have signed on as sponsors. For more information, visit www. skillscanada.com.
Industry sales flat A horizontal geothermal loop under the playing fields at Upper Canada College in Toronto provides heating and cooling for the school’s indoor sports facilities.
Geothermal solution Drive for energy savings may launch new wave of prosperity By Simon Blake
times as a technology that is experimental,” noted OGA vice president Jim Bolger (Waterloo Energy Products).
Year-end sales figures from Canada’s wholesalers show a relatively flat year, reports the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH) Profit Planning Group. Total sales for 2013 were $5.642.4 billion, up only 0.2 percent from 2012. December total product sales were up 1.1 percent or $4.1 million compared to December 2012. In December, all regions were up except for Quebec and Atlantic Canada. All market segments for the month were essentially up, except for pipes, valves and fittings, reports CIPH.
Housing starts stable, says CMHC Ontario’s need to conserve electricity may prove good Making waves news for the geothermal industry. Geothermal heating has surged and waned over the years, It comes down to the simple reality that conservation sometimes boosted by short-term rebate programs. is considerably easier than expanding generation, Industry pioneer David Hatherton (WaterFurnace, reported Andrew Pride, vice president, conservation, Next Energy), who was honoured with the first OGA/ for the Ontario Power Authority to 97delegates HRAI Lifetime Achievement Award, remarked that attending the fourth annual Ontario Geothermal “this is my fifth major wave.” Association Conference and AGM, held at the Hockley “You get in the troughs and people start pulling Valley Resort near Orangeville, Ont. Nov. 14-15. together,” he added. “There’s a new opportunity But while things like air with the (establishment) of conditioning, household appliances the OGA to design our own Geothermal hasn’t program... Hopefully, this time and lighting have all benefited from OPA energy efficiency rebate can create our own wave.” had its appropriate we programs, little attention has been Pointing to the lengthy list of paid to the potential savings from share of attention – geothermal experts speaking properly designed and installed at the conference, he noted ground source heating and cooling let’s change that. that: “There’s a whole depth systems, noted Pride. “Geothermal of knowledge that wasn’t there hasn’t had its appropriate share of before.” attention – let’s change that.” A lack of unity and an OPA programs like Save-on-Energy – which offers inability to get the right information out to the public rebates for the installation of energy efficient HVAC and regulators has been a problem for the industry, equipment, lighting, etc. – could be expanded to said Steve Smith (Enertech Global), part of a panel include ground source, he added. discussion on how to move the industry forward. Geothermal systems have a major benefit for the “HRAI and OGA have made one heck of a step to electrical utility in that they are all electric systems – moving forward with this,” he added. the backup heat is typically electric, as are the pumps. The OGA formed a permanent partnership with the “We can make things happen if they make sense for Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute everyone,” said Pride. He suggested forming a working of Canada (HRAI) last year in which HRAI will handle group with the OGA to pursue the issue. the day-to-day administration of OGA and provide This was welcome news to OGA members. Ground source heating and cooling “has been disregarded many Please see ‘Geo’ on page 13
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Housing starts were relatively stable in 2013, reports the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Starts were trending at 195,760 units in December compared to 196,430 in November. The trend is a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates. “The trend in housing starts has remained essentially stable since October 2013. Housing demand continues to be healthy in Canada. The trend in existing home sales has been increasing since April 2013, while the trend in inventories of newly completed and unabsorbed homes has been declining at a modest pace since September 2013,” said Bruno Duhamel, manager of economic and housing analysis at CMHC.
World Plumbing Day A number of organizations are planning special events to mark World Plumbing Day on March 11. The Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating along with the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada are engaging in promotional efforts on a national, provincial and regional level, providing PowerPoint presentations for school discussions, and approaching the federal, provincial and municipal governments for their support and assistance in promoting and officially proclaiming March 11 as World Plumbing Day. CIPH is also sponsoring a national case study competition: Canada’s Most Water Wise School. The World Plumbing Council started World Plumbing Day in 2010.
January/February 2014 – Plumbing & HVAC
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Q Industry News
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Standing up for contractors Ont. HVAC Coalition faces increasing pressure as government pushes green technologies By Simon Blake
T
he chairman of the Ontario HVAC Coalition advised HVAC/R contractors to “be vigilant and gather evidence” in its ongoing battle to prevent utilities from moving into direct competition at the group’s annual meeting in Vaughan, Ont. Nov. 26. The battle is changing, reported Roger Grochmal, who in his day job serves as CEO of AtlasCare Heating and Cooling in Oakville, Ont. In the past, the organization has worked to prevent gas utilities from getting into the HVAC/R business. Today the problem is the over 80 electrical utilities in Ontario that are under considerable pressure from the provincial government through the Green Energy Act to implement energy saving measures which, in some cases, has meant offering sales and service of energy efficient HVAC/R equipment.
Utilities are looking to unburden themselves from restrictions that have prevented them from competing in your world. And while in the past the HVAC Coalition was the “little guy” battling the big utilities, some of the electrical utilities are very small and the HVAC Coalition can come across as the bully, said Grochmal. “We are in a different world now.” As a result, the group is taking a more grassroots approach by asking local contractors to talk to the utility and local politicians to try and work out the issues rather than relying on the Coalition to fight them in front of the Ontario Energy Board (OEB). Step one is to talk to the utility. Step two is to get involved with the local municipal government that owns the utility, said Grochmal. “Politicians don’t realize that (the utilities) are
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competing with their own tax base.” The situation often ends there, but if not, the third step is to bring in the HVAC Coalition. However, he added, because there are so many utilities the HVAC Coalition will choose its battles carefully, intervening only where it makes sense.
Progress made The past year has seen the HVAC Coalition achieve a number of things for its contractor members, reported Martin Luymes, director of programs and relations for the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI). These included successful negotiations with Enbridge over the utility’s open bill program, where contractors and others can pay to have their promotional material included with the gas bill. Enbridge was ready to abandon the program over the behavior of “doorknockers” selling water heaters and HVAC equipment door-to-door. However, the program will continue with the addition of preventive measures that Enbridge can use against “bad actors,” said Luymes. As well, the HVAC Coalition managed to convince Union Gas to abandon the original version of its Home Energy Retrofit Program, which used only one contractor, and instead work with multiple contractors to offer efficiency incentives to homeowners. Luymes detailed a number of issues with hydro utilities. However, he noted that the real challenge is to convince the provincial government and the OEB that utilities shouldn’t be involved in the HVAC business, a principle that appears foreign to a government bent on promoting energy efficiency at all levels – a government that expects utilities to be “delivery agents for energy conservation,” he added. “Utilities are looking to unburden themselves from restrictions that have prevented them from competing in your world.” Currently the OEB is reviewing who can intervene at rate hearings, which could affect the HVAC Coalition’s ability to protect the interests of contractors, said Luymes. “We should not assume that they will look after our interests.” The organization faces another busy year.
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Q Industry News On Dec. 3 Grundfos Canada announced that it would support the plumbing apprenticeship program at Humber College in Toronto to the tune of $25,000 over five years as part of the company’s Technical School Initiative. Gathering at Humber for the presentation were, from left, associate dean Joe Tomona, plumbing faculty Sam Steele, Grundfos Canada president Simon Feddema, dean Denise Devlin-Li and Brian Spry, Grundfos district sales manager.
Atlantic show dates announced Dates have been announced for Atlantic Canada’s largest trade show. The Mechanical Electrical Electronic Technology Show – more commonly known as the MEET Show – will take place May 7-8 at the Moncton Coliseum. Exhibitors from all over the world will display the latest in equipment for the mechanical and electrical industries at the New Brunswick event, which has become a “gathering of the clan” for Atlantic Canada’s
www.plumbingandhvac.ca
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mechanical industry over the years. The 2012 event attracted over 5,000 visitors to view products from 400 exhibitors. The Industry Dinner is always a highlight. Skills New Brunswick will hold its Skills competitions for plumbing, electrical, refrigeration and air conditioning trades during the event. There will also be a slate of educational seminars for contractors. Visit the show website at www.meetshow.ca and watch for more details in the next issue of P&HVAC.
Letter A dying art? Editor’s note: Plumbing columnist Mark Evans received the following letter in reference to his article titled “From copper to PEX” in the last issue. Hi Mark: I run a small plumbing and heating contracting company and I have also seen the change away from copper. I see it in both the DIY Home Depot crowd and the customers who request the more affordable and less time intensive option which is usually plastic drainage and PEX pipe. Copper sweating is time intensive and a potential liability. Within 20 years I imagine sweating pipe will be only used in the most rare occasions. Thanks for the article, I do enjoy sweating pipe; it looks clean, feels strong and can let me sleep at night once it’s put in. If it leaks there will be a pinhole in the joint and not a full-blown fitting failure at 2:30 a.m. the day after the installation. Paul Kenis, Code Green Plumbing and Heating Ltd. Delta, B.C.
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Q Industry News
Geo proves reliable in real world Continued from page 7 other support as required. It was a no-brainer for HRAI, noted Martin Luymes, HRAI director of programs and relations, because HRAI members wanted to see the organization become more involved in geothermal. HRAI has also approached geothermal organizations in Alberta and B.C. with the goal of holding the first meeting of a national geothermal council by June, 2014. Luymes admitted, however, that those groups are “not convinced they should be part of a national group.” The other key goal for the OGA/HRAI alliance is to convince the Ontario government “to create a more supportive environment for geothermal,” added Luymes. Representatives from the OGA and HRAI subsequently met with OPA staff in December and were encouraged by the openness of the discussion, reported Luymes.
Real world success Delegates heard a real-world success story from Gary Clarkson, senior project manager for Diversicare Canada, a company that operates retirement and assisted living homes – 39 buildings across Canada. They are typically five to seven stories high with 120 to 160 units. Twelve years ago the company needed more buildings and management wanted “to go as green as possible as long as it doesn’t cost too much money,” recalled
Clarkson. And while reducing operating costs was important, the company also believed green technology would “give us a leg up with municipalities,” something that has since proven true. However, it wasn’t easy. The company’s original foray into geothermal was a design-build project. It became a nightmare, said Clarkson. “There was nobody keeping the geo contractor honest. We felt like we were getting smoke blown up our butts.” A consulting engineer hired to certify the project refused to sign off on it. However, Diversicare didn’t abandon the technology. Four years ago the company joined the OGA and found a consultant that specialized in geothermal. And the properly designed and engineered systems installed since that time have worked properly with a payback projected at seven years. He said the company sees the biggest resistance to geothermal from engineers at the request for proposal stage. They look at it with a simple payback calculation. “What they don’t understand is that it’s not just the price of the borehole field.” The use of geothermal allows a redesign of the whole building. It no longer requires the structure and access for cooling towers. It reduces maintenance costs. It provides heat for snowmelt under the sidewalks. Initially, the buildings were designed with backup
OGA vice president Jim Bolger, right, presented industry pioneer David Hatherton with the first OGA/HRAI Lifetime Achievement Award. boilers. However, they proved unnecessary and were replaced with heating coils in the DHW tanks for the few days in the middle of winter when extra heat was needed. The buildings with geothermal are averaging 20 percent less energy use than those with conventional boiler/cooling tower systems, which on a large building is significant. “Even with this data, our board of directors is still split on (geothermal),” says Clarkson. He hopes that two identical new buildings currently under construction – one with geothermal and one with a conventional system – will remove all doubt. For more information on the OGA, visit www. ontariogeothermal.ca.
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Special Feature
EMERGENCY POWER AND HEAT Helping your customer survive the dark days By Roy Collver
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ho would have thought in this day and age that the power could go out for more than a few hours? But even in a big city like Toronto power has been out for several days twice in the past year – after the July flood and during the ice storm just before Christmas. These long-duration power outages are becoming increasingly common in an age when HVAC equipment is more dependent than ever on electricity. In winter, that can be deadly. People in large cities are waking up to what most of us in the rest of the Canada know in our bones. Electricity/heat is not guaranteed. Stuff happens. You need to plan. As HVAC contractors, we can help customers make it through the dark days with the house warm and the pipes intact.
Offering a solution This is about an EMERGENCY heat solution. It may not be pretty and it There are certainly doesn’t meet code. The best way to plan for an emergency is to be affordable ways you prepared. There are affordable ways you can help your forward-thinking can help your forwardcustomers protect themselves. Most thinking customers customers don’t have a whole bunch of extra money for a permanently protect themselves. installed, automatic-switchover, whole-house back-up power generation system, similar to what a hospital might have. So here is a way to help your customers and enhance your business opportunities. I live in a town with a single hydro transmission line coming in. This wire has been repeatedly broken in the last five years by wildfires, numerous fallen trees and branches, a landslide and a misdirected logging truck. One time, we lost all the food in our refrigerator and freezer. They were both full and that one hurt. I subsequently came up with an EMERGENCY power generating solution that would keep my fridge and freezer cold and, once I had the equipment all together, I came up with a way to use it to run my gas-fired furnace too.
Choosing the equipment First and foremost – help your customers pick out a generator. Do NOT cheap out! Buy a high quality, brand name unit. You are just wasting time and money if the dumb thing won’t start on the day it’s needed. I recommend an “inverter” type of generator because they deliver “clean” power. When I decided to buy my generator, I wanted to make sure its power supply would not hurt my computer. Pretty much every heating appliance today has its own computer on board, and so the same requirement for clean power would apply. Find out how much power (voltage and current) your heating system requires when everything is running. For a forced air furnace, this is really easy because everything is normally part of the appliance. The rating plate and/or I&O manual will tell you. For a hydronic system, it can be a bit more complicated because you have to add up the power required by the boiler, the pumps, and possibly the air handling equipment. The total power required will dictate how much power your generator needs to put out.
Please see ‘Hooking’ on page 17
Emergency situations only BIG DISCLAIMER HERE! The reason I keep putting the word ‘EMERGENCY’ in capital letters is that this is a TEMPORARY fix and is to be ONLY used during an EMERGENCY situation. This magazine is for heating professionals. If you are an untrained homeowner reading this article online, thinking you can learn to “do it yourself” – stop reading, put it down and call your heating contractor. This information is not for you. If you are a contractor who is not allowed by jurisdictional rules to touch electrical stuff OR if you lack the necessary electrical training to do this – call a licensed electrician to help you out. Once the EMERGENCY is over – make sure you restore everything back to code and prepare the equipment for storage so it will be ready for the next time.
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This basic emergency kit is designed to provide power to the furnace or boiler during a long-term power outage.
January/February 2014 – Plumbing & HVAC
15 1/31/14 2:07 PM
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Special Feature
Hooking it up Continued from page 15 Work with your customer to assess their system and then pick out the equipment you will need. I would cut a deal with a local generator supplier for a bulk discount and then give the customer a package price for all of the equipment, along with a maintenance/testing program. The customer would own the equipment, but you make sure the equipment is packed up in one place, with all the bits ready and accessible – either at their house, or for a small annual fee – at your shop. When the storm is over, and it doesn’t look like power is going to be restored any time soon, you go over, hook it up, and fire-up the heating system.
Assembling the system Because every system is different, I can’t get specific about the wiring, nor do I want to. A qualified contractor can look at the accompanying photo and pretty much figure out the procedure from there. If you aren’t qualified enough to figure it out you should partner with someone who is. You turn off the main breaker to the house, then turn off the breaker to the furnace/heating system,
then turn the thermostat down as low as it will go. Once in the off position, tape the furnace breaker over and tag it with a note saying: “DANGER! – DO NOT TURN THIS BREAKER ON – CALL YOUR HEATING CONTRACTOR.” Totally disconnect (hot, neutral and ground) the wires from the furnace/heating system so it has NO connection to the house wiring (you may have to do it right at the furnace junction box, since you may not find a neutral or ground at the disconnect switch). Connect the pigtail plug wires to the furnace/heating system wires, and tape-off/make-safe, the wires from the panel. When you are absolutely sure the furnace/heating system is completely isolated from any connection to the panel wires, you may turn the main breaker back on – call in your electrician if in doubt. Plug the pigtail into the extension cord, and then run it outside to where the generator is. It must be outside in a location away from air intakes and close to the ground-rod that you pre-installed (read the generator instruction manual). Connect the ground-wire to the ground-rod. Chain the generator to an immovable object to make it harder for thieves to steal it in the middle of the night (these creeps will be cruising around neighbourhoods listening for generators). Fill up the generator with gas, check the oil and fire it up. Plug the extension cord into the generator. Turn up the thermostat – you should now have heat.
Safe operation Once the house comes up to temperature, there are many choices. The customer could turn down the thermostat, unplug the heating system, and use the extension cord for any number of other tasks within the power rating of the generator (from charging cell phones to watching the hockey game). You will need to instruct them in the proper procedures, and they will have to keep an eye on the space temperature. OR – the customer could have entered into an agreement with friends, neighbours or relatives to SHARE the generator (and the costs). In this case, they call you to come in and prepare the other systems for the emergency power supply, and you make the changeovers. If this is all done right – you will be the hero and you can earn a good dollar. If the homeowner decides to go it alone – well you may get even more business – by replacing the fried electrical components in their furnaces, repairing the frozen pipes – all that.
Roy Collver is an author and consultant on hydronic heating based in Peachland, B.C. He can be reached at hoth2o@shaw.ca
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What One Canadian University Learned About Zuba-Central.
And how this new study can lead to more satisfied customers. Every HVAC system claims to be energy efficient. But how many of these claims are backed by science? Ours is. An independent study*conducted by Ryerson University in Toronto proves that Zuba-Central: SAVES ENERGY With a COP ranging from 1.4 to 3.19, Zuba-Central delivers energy savings of up to 60% annually over conventional heating and cooling systems. OPERATES EFFICIENTLY AT LOW TEMPERATURES Our advanced system design and innovative compressor technology ensures effective and efficient operation in temperatures as low as -30°C. IS MORE AFFORDABLE THAN GEOTHERMAL Zuba-Central delivers similar energy efficiency at a fraction of the installed cost of a geothermal system.
Get the facts for yourself and see why Zuba-Central by Mitsubishi Electric is the proven choice for energy efficiency and cost savings. *Study conducted by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and Ryerson University: Performance Assessment of a Variable Capacity Air Source Heat Pump and a Horizontal Loop Coupled Ground Source Heat Pump System
*When installed by an authorized HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) installer. Certain conditions, restrictions and/or limitations apply. See warranty terms and conditions for complete details.
PHVAC_JanFeb2014.indd 18
photo courtesy of TRCA
ZubaHome.ca
2/3/14 1:44 PM
Q HVAC Solutions
The strange world of
temporary HVAC Fighting terrorists In 1993, eight years before the twin tower tragedy, terrorists tried to take out the World Trade Centre by detonating a 606 kg truck bomb in the underground parking lot. It killed six people and knocked out the mechanical system. Carrier Rentals was soon called and asked if they could provide emergency conditioning for a 110-floor skyscraper. “We said yes, without really knowing how we would do it,” says Steve Howe, area manager for Carrier in the Midwest and Canada. “We had 23,000 tons of cooling on the street, then had to figure out how to move it 1,300 feet to the top of the building. So we put tanks every 40 stories and pumped to them in stages.”
Extreme sports
Big chillers and miles of piping kept the ice surface frozen for the Red Bull Crashed Ice competition in Quebec City.
Providing heating and cooling in a unique niche market By Bruce Nagy
Eeek!
If you’ve got spooks call the Ghostbusters, but for emergency or temporary heating, cooling, humidity control, or power; there’s a whole industry to help panic-stricken customers with technology and personnel in a hurry. The HVAC rental business is quickly expanding; a crazy world of movie studios, sports organizations, wildlife, or ordinary building contractors; who could need added equipment at any hour of any day. Industry veterans say they can try to take a day off, but they keep their phones on because customers don’t have time for a voicemail message.
In March energy drink brand Red Bull will again sponsor its Crashed Ice Competition, held originally in Quebec City in 2006 (now also in St. Paul, Minnesota, Helsinki, Finland and Moscow). More than 100,000 screaming spectators line the street as 80 participants skate and elbow their way in groups of four to the bottom of a 600 metre urban ice track built with massive drops, hairpin turns, big-air jumps at about 60 km/h. For skaters it’s clearly not for the faint of heart. It’s also not for the unseasoned ice-making professional. “We bring in pumps, chillers, boilers, generators…a lot of piping,” says Luc Despatie of HVAC Rentals/Loue Froid of Laval, Quebec. “You need equipment in this business,” he says. “We have 150 chillers. We have $2 million worth of flexible piping…a lot of connectors.” “We have 8,000 pieces of HVAC equipment in stock
Please see ‘Heating’ on page 21
Hollywood North In 2011 Universal Studios did a remake of “The Thing,” with some scenes shot on an unsealed set in a Toronto film studio that had no HVAC system. In the movie a team of Antarctic scientists find something mysterious and bring it back to a research station still encased in ice. “So in the middle of July we kept a four by four by six-foot (1.2 x 1.2 x 1.8m) block of ice from melting under movie lights for four days,” says Dustin Hubert, operations manager for LM Temperature Controls in Toronto. “We used a glycol system and low temp air handler with defrost cycle so the coil wouldn’t freeze. It kept the set around zero degrees Celsius so they could shoot these scenes.”
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This temporary HVAC equipment is flushing the HVAC system at a Halifax LEED project.
January/February 2014 – Plumbing & HVAC
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Easy in and out from either side. If inst stal alli ling ng c usto us tom m ca cabi bine nets ts s you’re in installing custom cabinets for urbanites, u ba ur bani nite tes, s, you can spend less time for in the van getting your tools and supplies and more time using them. You always have a door on the side with the best access to your job site too. Our latest addition to the available EcoBoost line of proven engines features an impressive 178 horsepower* and great fuel economy economy. my.** If my you have a sh shut shuttle uttl tle e full fulll of of travellers trav tr avel elle lers r whisk with Áights to catch, you can an whi hisk hi reliably them to their terminalss re eliablyy and economically.
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1/31/14 2:07 PM
Q HVAC Solutions Although efforts to grow the manatee population have had some success in the past decade, a record 803 or 16 percent of Florida’s manatees died this year from cold water and other mysterious ailments. A few years ago a utility plant in Vero Beach, Florida shut down and the Manatees couldn’t warm themselves in the discharge canal. Carrier brought in an 800 hp steam boiler and a heat exchanger. “Obviously this is rare. Our normal emergencies are overheating computer server rooms, or old hospitals without backup systems that need generators when the power goes out.”
Supporting LEED Carrier was called to Florida to heat the ocean so that manatees could survive.
Heating the ocean Continued from page 19 in a 150,000 square foot warehouse (about 14,000 square metres). HVAC systems on trailers, flatbed trucks, cranes,…” says Scott Brainard, marketing manager for Temp-Air, Inc. in Burnsville, Minnesota. “People call us at all hours with serious emergencies.” His company provides heat for schools and office buildings under construction, mining operations, even windmills in cold weather. “For a summer emergency we can provide 25 tons of AC on a roof very quickly. Those are routine jobs. We’ve also done work at the Vancouver Olympics, the Smithsonian portrait
With LEED, you’re not allowed to use a new building’s HVAC system until construction is complete. gallery, the Super Bowl, Indianapolis 500 and the X-Games in Aspen, Colorado.” “Special events, TV and film are an important part of the business,” says Hubert. “We did the World Figure Skating Championships in London. We do Big Brother and Holmes Make it Right. It looks terrible if the actors are sweating under the lights. We do tents for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and now we’re planning
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the 2015 Pan Am Games…But most of our business is construction sites and buildings, and LEED flushes.”
Under construction “For the Shangri La Hotel in Toronto they imported Asian hardwood for flooring. It was expensive and had to be stored for a few months before installation. Some was intricate hand-carved trim for the spa and dining room,” says Hubert. “We controlled temperature and humidity to prevent warping and mold.” He explains that construction managers are increasingly careful about efficient construction schedules. Conditioning certain floors during the job helps with timelines. Workers are more productive, paint dries faster and drywall damage is reduced when it’s warm and dry.
HVAC rental companies also get the call for LEED buildings. “With LEED, you’re not allowed to use a new building’s HVAC system until construction is complete,” says Hubert. “They keep it sealed. They don’t want the ducts contaminated with the VOCs from glue and paint. They don’t want trapped moisture and mold. So we maintain temperature and humidity during the last stages of construction. Then before occupancy we do a LEED Flush. It’s a
separate LEED credit requiring a certain number of air changes.” “We started doing LEED credits about 10 years ago with just four jobs,” says Brainard. “Now we do 20-30 every year. We’re like consultants. The formula calls for 14,000 CFM per square foot. We calculate the number air changes per day for a two-week period, if we have that long. Or we bring more equipment for less time… For moisture control before the flush, we set up the construction manager with a computer so during the job he can monitor temperature, humidity and air quality.” Who knew that HVAC rentals could be so complex, busy and glamorous? So the next time you need a Manatee warmed up, some Asian hardwood protected from moisture, or a movie set a little cooler, who ya gonna call? Bruce Nagy is a Toronto-based freelance writer that reports on green technologies and solutions. He can be reached at bruce.nagy@rogers.com.
Wildlife rescue “You might have heard a few times about warming up water for Manatees. That was us,” says Howe. West Indian manatees are large cow-like sea mammals that live mostly along Florida’s coast, part of a worldwide population of similar creatures that are threatened by extinction. One species was hunted to zero near Russia. They live in equatorial regions and often look for pockets of warm water when temperatures turn colder than usual. They often glide into the warm discharge canals of electric power plants. In the 1980s the Tampa electric company created a Manatee Viewing Centre near its Big Bend power station.
January/February 2014 – Plumbing & HVAC
21 2/3/14 1:45 PM
Q Hot Water Heating This is a nice neat combo system put together with care and attention to detail.
Combo
systems
A different approach to heating and DHW By Roy Collver
Cheap breeds cheaper – a direct fired water heater with radiant floor heating.
22
Plumbing & HVAC – January/February 2014
PHVAC_JanFeb2014.indd 22
A “combo” system is simply a hydronic-based system that uses a single combustion appliance to generate domestic hot water (DHW) and space heating. That’s a good starting point. The terms ‘combi,’ ‘combo’ or ‘hybrid’ are used interchangeably in identifying these systems, which have been attracting a non-traditional designer and installer base that may not be too familiar with boilers and hydronic systems. Along with these new ‘hydronicians,’ there is a whole raft of new hardware. A re-thinking of the traditional approaches to system component and design has resulted. Non-traditional equipment suppliers are entering our industry and, because many don’t buy into how things are “supposed to be done,” we are seeing some great new ideas – and some not so great ones. The keenest “wetheads” love to sink their teeth into complicated multi-load, multi-zone, multitemperature “super hybrid” systems. The vast majority of new people getting interested in combo systems, however, just want to be able to design, install and service practical systems that will give their customers the “Ultimate Comfort” that the Canadian Hydronics Council (CHC) talks about, along with delivering all the hot water they want at an affordable price. A great benefit (proven by the folks at the CANMET/ NRCan test labs in Ottawa) is that these systems also increase energy efficiency significantly and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, these systems are more efficient only if they are designed and installed properly – and that’s where I can help. This will take a few issues of the magazine to get through properly – so let’s get at it.
Today’s common combo systems There are a huge number of variations and new equipment. One size does not fit all. Boiler plus tankless coil: Popular in certain parts of Canada and the U.S. – primarily in fuel oil country – they have fallen out of favour due to fuel costs. Cold domestic water is drawn through a coil that resides inside of a high-volume boiler. The boiler is hot all
www.plumbingandhvac.ca
2/3/14 9:27 AM
the time, all year long, so that DHW is available whenever you turn on a tap. When the boiler temperature falls below a minimum setting, the burner fires to bring the temperature back up to a “holding” temperature. Why would you use this system? They are inexpensive, simple and reliable with no fancy controls or moving parts. These systems provide instantaneous and continuous (limited flow) DHW supply. The large volume pressure vessel reduces short-cycles from single input burners. So what’s not to like? These systems are energy pigs. The boiler is smokin’ hot, even in the summer. It cycles on and off 24/7x365. The boiler has to be hotter than the DHW temperature, so the system MUST include scald-protection devices, while mixing devices and controls are required for low-temperature heating and outdoor reset. Bigger boilers are required to be able to heat the house in the coldest weather AND still supply the maximum DHW draw.
Tankless DHW with space heating What is a boiler? What is an instantaneous water heater? It can be confusing, but the lines are starting to get less blurred. Just a few years ago, most tankless heater manufacturers developed some exploratory applications to allow their heaters to be used for both instantaneous DHW and space heating. Some have now stepped up and gotten some instantaneous models certified as actual ASME/CSA 4.9 boilers. Their manuals show most applications separating the boiler/space heating water
Please see ‘Cheap’ on page 25
Boiler plus indirect DHW Closed loop boiler water is pumped through a heat exchanger – usually a coil inside the tank. Heat transfers through the heat exchanger into the cold DHW in the tank. When the tank reaches its desired temperature, the boiler turns off. Hot water is instantly available whenever you turn on a tap. When the tank temperature falls below a minimum setting because of a DHW draw or from jacket losses, the boiler fires to bring the tank temperature up to the “holding” temperature. The storage tank acts both as a DHW and an energy storage device. Benefits are: ■ Boiler size can be reduced, since it doesn’t have to match peak DHW and heating demand. With electric boilers, recovery can be delayed until off-peak billing hours. The storage eases the integration of solar, geo and other alternatives. ■ Very heavy draws of DHW are possible for periods of time – limited by piping size, tank volume and holding temperature. ■ Flexibility – there are many choices between tank storage volume, heat exchanger capacity and boiler output. Storage tank volume can be sized to the biggest “dump” load needed. Heat exchanger and boiler sizing is based on recovery requirements. These systems, when properly designed and controlled and using top-notch equipment, have proven the most energy efficient. The reasons? Boilers run only when the tank temperature drops – the high tank mass means short draws of DHW needn’t result in a burner-run. Boiler temperature can be lowered to outdoor reset temperatures and/or put to other uses when the storage tank is at holding temperature. Higher efficiency boilers can be effectively used to make DHW, and indirect tanks are not as susceptible to mineral build-up, lasting longer and maintaining peak efficiency. Disadvantages: The DHW supply is limited to what is in the tank, and how fast the boiler can top it up, meaning you can run out if you draw too much too fast. Flexibility of component choice is normally considered a benefit, but poor design choices can result in mismatched components and poor performance, while overly “creative” installations can result in poor performance and wasted energy. Components take up more space. Mechanical layouts and controls can get complicated real fast. Low-grade equipment (like a poorly insulated tank) can reduce efficiency. High quality systems come at a premium price.
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Q Hot Water Heating
Cheap breeds cheaper Continued from page 23 from the DHW water with a heat exchanger – same as we’ve done with boilers for years. The basic application in instantaneous mode uses water mains pressure to push water directly through the heat exchanger when a tap is turned on. The DHW flow triggers a burner run, raising the water to a setpoint temperature for the duration of the DHW draw. The space-heating mode diverts closed loop water through a plate heat exchanger, exactly like a boiler. This is what I see now as the most common application, but many variations of heater and boiler are being developed as you read this. Stay tuned – we will go exploring in the next few months. The advantages include a continuous (at limited flow rate) supply of DHW at high efficiencies during operation, and reduced stand-by losses during lengthy off-times. They are lower cost compared to most boiler and “cylinder” systems and they take up less space.
DHW tank with space heating These were very controversial when first introduced. It turned out that the sky did not fall, but there have been widespread customer complaints due to inadequate performance. These complaints seem to result mostly because of inadequate system design and cheap, mismatched components. There appears to be a big dose of “over promise and under deliver” in many of these systems. Technically – they should work if the limitations of the appliances are taken into account during the design process. Poor energy performance is the biggest issue I see with these systems. The newest rules and regulations may serve to accelerate their demise.
The big advantage is that they are inexpensive and simple, period. There are many disadvantages including limited Btu/h capacity, low-grade equipment, code restrictions and low-grade attitude toward installation. Tank, pump, air handler, thermostat – done. It’s hard to see how you can screw this up, but in my experience, it happens because of the “cheap breeds cheaper” syndrome. When all you care about is cost cutting, you are going to cut every corner that can be cut – with a predictable result. In the next issue, we will look at questions that need answers, choosing the right system, installation details and ways to do it better.
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Non-traditional equipment suppliers are entering our industry… we are seeing some great new ideas – and some not so great ones.
However, customers may be frustrated due to start-up delays, low flow draws that won’t kick in the heater, finicky shower valve temperature adjustments, and restricted volume draws. Stand-by losses can be significant when numerous short draws of DHW trigger repeated short burner runs throughout the day. Pay close attention to the manufacturer’s instructions, respect their limitations, and do things exactly as they tell you. These units have tiny water volumes, itsy-bitsy low-mass heat exchangers that face very high BTU/square inch burners in cramped combustion chambers. There is no room for error. Modulating burner technology has been the key factor in making them more friendly – but proper design and installation is essential.
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PHVAC_JanFeb2014.indd 25
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Q Heating
Right-sizing a
FURNACE Using temperature rise and airflow to choose the best retrofit equipment
Things to keep in mind
By Bob Bettles and Brian Guttormson Job site visits with contractors seem to follow a constant theme. Presented with issues of noise, cold or hot spots and set up problems, a visit to look at the problem appliance results. Jobs like this seem to always end up in a deep discussion about the furnace sizing, the existing ducts and the way the job was installed. In some cases some small modifications can be made to fix the issue, but in severe cases the system may need a complete redesign.
Duct system retrofit Both you and the homeowner need to be concerned with the level of noise within the dwelling, the size of the appliance compared to the old one, and CFM capacity of the current ductwork. Remember, today’s new product lines are capable of moving larger volumes of air. When thinking of the duct design, the system needs to be able to be balanced and be adjustable to change airflow. Dampers may be needed. At the same time, installers need to keep the system appealing to the eye and at a reasonable cost. Supply ducts need to be located in all areas of the dwelling to achieve comfort levels for heating and cooling. Mechanical and operating noises from the ductwork as well as startup noise must be a consideration in the design of all ducts and fittings. Tight radius components should be avoided as much as possible. Sealing of all joints and seams is needed to prevent air pressure and flow loss. Duct tape is not the answer; it is only a temporary seal. Tape is for doctors! Return air filtration needs to be selected not only to maintain a healthy environment, keep the system clean and reduce maintenance costs, but it must also be a match to the CFM capability of the appliance.
www.plumbingandhvac.ca
PHVAC_JanFeb2014.indd 27
The ‘before’ photo – duct tape is for temporary emergency repairs only!
Try to keep the furnace and/or air handler system in a central location within the dwelling. Whenever possible, symmetrical duct systems and runs should be utilized and takeoff branches should be as short and direct as possible to boots and registers for maximum air delivery. Ductwork must be supported every four to six feet to maintain strength and keep joints and seams together – and be visually appealing. Specially designed/fabricated fittings should be kept to a minimum and not be eclectic or of an odd design. Special fittings can boost costs and may cause loss of the job. When completing the design of the system, select registers that allow maximum air flow delivery. Watch out for overly restrictive registers. Remember, return air is a must for the system. If it is not possible to have an inlet in each room, then it should be sized and located in central areas of each floor. Where doors are typically closed, they should be undercut to allow return air. A drawback to this return path is “ghosting” due to the carpet filtering the air passing through the gap.
Temperature rise and CFM Talking about temperature rises of furnaces past and present can bring forward a small dilemma. Furnaces from the past usually had operating rises of up to 90 degrees F. These larger furnaces were installed to run ductwork much hotter than today’s requirements. As well, stack temperatures were much greater while windows, doors and building materials in general had low R and E values. Today most of this existing equipment is oversized due to upgrades that have resulted in tighter homes. The existing duct size within an older dwelling can affect a number of things in a furnace replacement: 1) the heating value, efficiency level and 2) the CFM volume of air traveling within the duct system. These values need to match or balance with the existing ductwork. Manufacturers have already done much of the work by providing blower data charts in the installation manuals along with the recommended temperature rise on the rating plates. As we have discussed, the newer products have
This is the ‘after’ photo – a tidy retrofit by Custom Vac Ltd. in Winnipeg.
Please see ‘Existing’ on page 29
January/February 2014 – Plumbing & HVAC
27 2/3/14 9:32 AM
The Evolution of High Efficiency Condensing Boilers High efficiency stainless steel boiler U/Hr Models from 46,000 to 151,000 BTU/Hr Available in a combi version Fully modulating with 5:1 turndown Advanced outdoor reset control Venting to 150' 2" venting on all models up to 100'
NTI N TI Ad Ad T i itit T PHVA PHVA AC C FP FP S SB B i d dd d 1 PHVAC_JanFeb2014.indd 28
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Q Heating
Existing system evaluation critical Continued from page 27 much improved blower systems in more compact equipment. With tighter homes requiring less heat, increased airflows (TD), as well as the constant movement of air (ECM systems) for added electrical efficiency and lower temperatures going into the flues, smaller products can replace old non-efficient products.
Evaluating the system The important thing is that, prior to the sale, have a close look at the existing system. While much of it may be hidden in basement bullheads, finished ceilings and second floor risers, take a few measurements of what is visible. Count and measure the warm air registers. Lift them out of the floor boot and check the connection size hidden in the floor. Do the same with the return air openings and record your findings. As a quick rule of thumb, each 4x10-inch supply outlet with a five-inch inlet will provide It is best to between 70 to 90 CFM of flow, a six-inch will be slightly under the provide between 90 to 125 CFM. These numbers are presuming a reasonable length of round pipe CFM’s of the older and minimal elbows between the outlet boot and the supply trunk. (Don’t even ask about model than to be that cold room over the garage with two fiveinch outlets and six or eight 90-degree elbows higher due to the between the room above and the duct below!!) possibility of added For the return air openings, a 14x8-inch pressed sidewall grill may be presumed as 150 CFM air noise. capacity; 30x8-inch is approximately 300 CFM. At the furnace, record the model and serial number, firing rate and temperature rise (Delta-T or 6T) range. Also confirm the air filter size, type and condition. If the previous service tech has left a record of the last service performed in the notes as well as the temperature rise observed, it’s a big help. With this information available a current airflow (CFM) may be calculated. The formula is 6T x 1.08 divided by input = CFM As an example, an older model: 90°F rise (TD X 1.08) = 97.2 divided = 1028.8 CFM 100,000 Btu/h furnace Newer model furnace: 40 to 70°F is common on the rating plate. We typically design systems using a temperature rise of 57°F. Example 1: 57°F (TD X 1.08) = 61.56 divided = 974.7 CFM 60,000 Btu/h furnace Example 2: 57°F rise (TD X 1.08) = 61.56 divided = 1137.1 CFM 70,000 Btu/h furnace
look at what went wrong: New 100,000 Btu/h Furnace: 71°F temp. rise (TD X 1.08) =76.68 divided = 1304.2 CFM 100,000 Btu/h furnace As you can see, we exceed the factory setup of 40 to 70ºF temperature rise by going over 71ºF and the furnace begins to cycle on the main limit, hence the on and off or restart of the furnace along with the noise created by the fan trying to push a greater amount of CFM’s in the same duct space. If you are called in to fix this, at this point it is recommended to replace the furnace with a smaller model and “poof” the trunk slammer disappears! In the next issue we will cover the weak link in the system – air filters: the whys and how to size them for your project!
Bob Bettles HVAC author and trainer Robert (Bob) Bettles is technical service adviser and product trainer for B&B Trade Distribution Centre. He can be reached at bbettles@bandbtrade.com.
Brian Guttormson HVAC author and trainer Brian Guttormson is technical service advisor for Trent Metals Ltd. (Supply). He can be reached at techsupport@tmlsupply.com.
By looking over the two newer examples, we would suggest the 60,000 Btu/h furnace would be the better fit. It is best to be slightly under the CFMs of the older model than to be higher due to the possibility of added air noise. We must remember efficiency ratings are based on ideal conditions and the lower end of the 6T range. The lower end of this rise will have a much lower exhaust temperature, more condensate will be produced and the promised fuel savings will show in the gas bills.
The old approach If we take one last example of this method of sizing a furnace replacement by CFM and the trunk slammer happens to have sold our example job and does a direct size change-out of an older model 100,000 Btu/h with a new version of the same 100,000 Btu/h furnace, lets visualize the phone call from the homeowner: “Your furnace is noisy and seems to be shutting off and coming back on by itself. What is wrong with your product?” The installer says it’s a factory warranty issue. Let’s
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January/February 2014 – Plumbing & HVAC
29
PM PM PHVAC_JanFeb2014.indd 29
1/31/14 2:07 PM
Now available - UTILITY APP for gas pipe installers
Gastite releases new mobile application, for the iPhone and Android, to assist its customers in pinpointing the appropriate size Gastite flexible gas piping for their project. Use scroll wheels to select length of run, supply pressure, pressure drop and flow rate, then let the app do the rest of the calculating for you.
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1/31/14 2:07 PM
Q Heating
Versatile hydronic unit heater The Hot Dawg H2O from Modine has no external moving parts, making it a good fit for garages, warehouses, etc. Its can be rotated for either horizontal or vertical air discharge. There are two models. The HHD30 operates at a range of 23,700 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 39,200 Btu/h and the high-capacity HHD45 operates from 23,900 to 56,800 Btu/h. A speed control allows the HHD45 to be adjusted from 425 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 710 CFM. Modine Â&#x2039; www.modinehvac.com
Tankless heater site Noritz has unveiled a tankless water heater sizing calculator as part of its newly updated website. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Find the Right Model for Meâ&#x20AC;? calculator is intended as the first critical phase in a three-step, online process designed to identify the correct model for the application. For homeowners, it provides the names of qualiďŹ ed contractors in their area and any rebates available. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The calculator simply provides a baseline that the installer can ďŹ ne-tune as needed,â&#x20AC;? says Jason Fleming, Noritz marketing manager, who stresses that only a Noritz-trained, professional contractor can make the final product recommendation and accurately quote the installed cost. Noritz Â&#x2039; www.noritz.com
Polypropylene venting M&G DuraVent announces that it has received approval for its PolyPro venting system with all models of Trane, Lennox and Aire-Flo condensing gas furnaces. PolyPro venting features gaskets that are installed in the female end of vent pipes to make joining together individual vent pipes quick and easy. When replacing a mid-efďŹ ciency appliance with a new condensing 90+ appliance, heating techs can use the existing B vent (any brand) as a chase for the new appliance with PolyPro. Locking bands are required for all jointsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;screws are not allowed as they would penetrate the sealed wall of the vent pipe. M&G Duravent Â&#x2039; www.duravent.com
Communicating thermostats Bosch Thermotechnology has introduced customizable thermostats that communicate directly with geothermal heat pumps and other residential HVAC systems. The customer can readily view how their heating and cooling system is operating with touchscreen control at their ďŹ ngertips. It can even send out alerts about the unitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operation, notiďŹ cations of a dirty ďŹ lter, to change humidiďŹ er pad, change high-efďŹ ciency UV (ultraviolet) filters or PCO (photo-catalytic oxidizer), and unit operating efďŹ ciency. Bosch Â&#x2039; www.BoschHeatingandCooling.com
Boiler management system The Intellidyne ThermStopper Plus advanced central heating boiler management system uses real time data from its sensors in conjunction with adaptive self-learning software to monitor the boiler firing cycle and match the output to the load requirement, minimizing fuel usage. A front display panel and menu allow for easy conďŹ guration and installation and allow the user to monitor energy usage. Intellidyne products are now distributed in Canada by The Canadian Energy Savings Corp. Canadian Energy Savings Corp. Â&#x2039; www.canadianenergysavings.com.
www.plumbingandhvac.ca
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January/February 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Plumbing & HVAC
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1/31/14 2:07 PM
Q Pipes, Valves & Fittings Lead-free help
Product Profile Easy residential DHW recirculation
The new On Command silent pump from Taco provides contractors with an easy way to offer their customers a domestic hot water recirculation system that delivers hot water comfort and convenience to faucets and taps “on command” 24 hours a day. It also saves water, energy and money. This unit attaches to the hot and cold water lines in the cabinet under the most remote kitchen or bath fixture in the home. When the pump is activated, the cool water that would normally go down the drain as the user waits for the hot water to arrive is instead recirculated back to the water heater through the cold water line. When hot water arrives at the faucet, the On Command heat sensor and control board shuts off the circulator to prevent pumping excess hot water into the cold water line. The user activates the hot water either with a standard starter button, optional motion sensor or remote push button. This design saves construction costs in retrofits because there is no new return line required, nor must the system be drained. Taco Canada www.taco-hvac.com
The On Command system offers an easy way to retrofit hot water recirculation.
www.plumbingandhvac.ca
PHVAC_JanFeb2014.indd 33
Victaulic announces that all its products for use in potable (drinking) water applications are currently NSF 61 certified and have been confirmed to meet the new low lead requirements in the U.S. and Ontario by meeting the NSF 372 Standard. “Lead Free” is defined as no more than a weighted average of 0.25 percent lead on the wetted surfaces of pipes, pipe fittings, plumbing fittings and fixtures. Victaulic www.victaulic.com
Big booster systems Flint & Walling, Inc. is offering a new line of city pressure booster systems, Models VP05 and VP10. Both units feature an all-in-one design consisting of motor, pressure tank, and electronic controller. The compact design and quiet operation make these units ideal for many applications. The VP10 was developed to boost water pressure in homes and businesses, while Model VP05 is ideal for household lawn sprinkler / irrigation applications. These pumps have built-in, dry-run shutoff, with automatic reset functions in addition to a thermal pump sensor to guard against run dry, dead head, and rapid cycling. Both have one-inch suction and discharge. Flint & Walling www.flintandwalling.com
January/February 2014 – Plumbing & HVAC
33 2/3/14 9:34 AM
From far and wide… we’re Connecting Canadians From coast to beautiful coast, Uponor works with partners to provide innovative, efficient and trusted solutions. Whether a hotel in Toronto, a government building in Montreal, or a Condominium in Vancouver, the Uponor PEX-a Plumbing System, featuring Uponor AquaPEX tubing and ProPEX expansion fittings, consistently provides cost and labour savings, without compromising quality. At Uponor, we stand on guard for our partners. We work with you to find the right solution each and every time. • Most trusted, tested and listed in the industry • ULC S102.2 plenum listing* • Shape memory — kink reparable • Full-service design and technical support • Engineer’s resource portal: CAD, Specs, BIM, LEED®
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1/31/14 2:07 PM
Q Tools & Instruments
Product Profile Locator offers intuitive operation
icon that indicates buried utilities or active power lines. Automatic depth readings appear on the screen when the locator is directly above the camera or sonde, confirming the location. It also features expanded frequency The new Gen-Eye Hot Spot locator from capabilities, including two sonde frequencies General Pipe Cleaners is designed to take the [512 Hz and 33 KHz]; two active power line confusion out of locating with an frequencies [60/50 Hz and 180/150 intuitive directional mapping and Hz] and four line utility frequencies guidance system. [1 KHz, 8 KHz, 33 KHz and 65 The locator’s total field antenna KHz]. The locator’s depth range is array allows users to locate from up to 10 feet in cast iron pipe and any direction. An easy-to-read, 20 feet in clay or plastic pipe. high-contrast backlit LCD display As well, it is dirt and dust proof, provides graphic icons that lead and water resistant. It passed a users directly to the target. These one-meter drop test, and its screen include on-screen arrows that passed an 18-inch steel ball drop point users in the right direction; test. The locator also offers a 30a null-point icon of four arrows hour battery life, about twice most pointing back towards each other; current locators. a line-direction compass icon that It weighs 4.8 pounds. A USB port guides users to rotate the locator enables software upgrades and in the direction of the lay of the The Gen-Eye Hot Spot screen captures in the field. locator will make the pipe; a diamond icon to indicate General Pipe Cleaners technician’s life easier. the camera location and a utility www.drainbrain.com
Advanced distance meter
Duct measurement
The micro LM-400 advanced laser distance meter from Ridgid is capable of reading distances up to 70 metres (229 feet). It features a large, backlit, four-line display screen for a clear view of the reading; an inclination angle measurement system for indirect measurements in hard-to-reach areas; an advanced calculation feature that can adjust units instantly to inches, feet or meters, and has enough storage space for saving up to 20 measurements at a time. It is dust and splash proof and is compatible with smart phones, tablets, etc. RIDGID www.ridgid.com
The SDP2 Standalone Dual In-Duct Digital Psychrometer from Fieldpiece Instruments measures both supply and return air conditions at the same time dynamically. All readings adjust automatically based on changing conditions. Because the SPD2 takes return and supply measurements at the same time, the calculations are more accurate and techs can perform the needed tasks more quickly and accurately. Data can also be sent wirelessly to a Fieldpiece HG3 or the SMAN4 for live target superheat, or full system analysis. Fieldpiece Instruments www.fieldpiece.com
Telescopic Canning Sleeves
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Our patented telescopic sleeve has created a superior product that is cost effective, recyclable and easy to use for the construction industry across North America. We are dedicated to maintaining the quality of our product, at the same time providing competitive pricing and reliable delivery times.
%ASY )NSTALLATION n Kanex Telescopic Sleeves make the concrete spacing process faster. They are easy to install and they’re colour coded by size to help you plan and organize your site.
Pipe freezing kit Arctic Spray and Polar Professional pipe freezing kits from Arctic Products are widely used in Europe and now available in Canada. Depending on the pipe size, material and ambient temperature, using the Polar Professional range the freeze will take about 90 seconds to form and will last between 30 and 40 minutes. With Arctic Spray, the freeze will take about five minutes to form and last between 45 and 60 minutes. These systems can be used on copper, steel, lead and MDPE plastic pipes with outside diameters from ¼” to 2 ½”. Ice plugs are formed capable of withstanding water pressures in excess of 16bar (230 psi), providing watertight integrity for 30 to 40 minutes. Arctic Products www.arcticproducts.co.uk
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PHVAC_JanFeb2014.indd 35
Quick pipe deburring Reed’s DEB1 tools deburr and chamfer pipe to manufacturers’ standards in seconds. Solvent spreads evenly as the now chamfered pipe is joined. They are designed for use on PVC, CPVC, ABS, PE and PP pipe up to two inches diameter. One tool provides three sizes for iron pipe size, copper tube size or even metric up to 32 mm. They feature internal pipe guides and a knurled grip for slip-resistance, along with a blade that can be sharpened or replaced when worn. Reed Manufacturing Co. www.reedmfgco.
Height Adjustable and Adaptable – Kanex Telescopic Sleeves are highly versatile. You can adjust their height for accuracy. Simply extend or lower the sleeves, and with a twist, they lock into position.
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kanexcans.com 1-800-883-1014 January/February 2014 – Plumbing & HVAC
35 1/31/14 2:07 PM
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saniflo.ca 2/3/14 9:36 AM
Q Refrigeration
Insulating pipes Covering must be protected to ensure effectiveness By Greg Scrivener
This insulation joint on a 90-degree elbow is improperly done.
I
In the last issue we talked at length about the ways to determine the required insulation thickness for refrigerated pipe but we didn’t go into much detail about the actual installation specifics. In this issue we are going to fill in that gap. Since 90 percent or more of commercial refrigeration systems are installed using a flexible elastomer such as Armaflex, we are going to focus on that insulation type here. Recall from the last issue that we are using thicker insulation now than we used in the past and that there is room in a lot of applications to go with thicker insulation yet. As an installer, the first thing you notice when you use 1-1/2-inch thick insulation for the first time is that it doesn’t push around elbows very well. On larger pipe sizes it’s almost impossible to get the insulation to turn a corner. The only way to deal with this is to use mitred cuts and glue on every corner. In fact, because of the stress of stretching on the outside radius of insulation when you pull it around an elbow causes, mitred corners should be used for all insulation ¾-inch thick and above. The other potential problem that can occur when mitred corners aren’t used is that an air pocket is created on the inside radius where the insulation is bunched up. On low temperature applications this can sometimes lead to additional ice and condensation if there is any air leaking into the gap. There are guides available (sometimes right on the product box) that explain how to cut the insulation properly. With some practice, it’s not difficult but it certainly does add time to the installation. Some manufacturers even sell pre-cut insulation elbows and tees to cut down on labour installation costs. A small note of caution: it is imperative that the cuts are done smoothly and that the proper glue is used to seal the joint.
Clamping insulated pipes Have you ever walked into a facility and observed ice build-up or dripping water at almost every pipe hanger? When you rest insulation on a surface it compresses; when that surface is as narrow as a single piece of strut or a pipe hanger it can compress a lot.
Pipe saddles can be used to support insulated pipe.
www.plumbingandhvac.ca
PHVAC_JanFeb2014.indd 37
Please see ‘Weatherproofing’ on page 39
January/February 2014 – Plumbing & HVAC
37 1/31/14 2:07 PM
top performer
Industry-leading Genetron® Performax™ LT refrigerant is the clear leader in its field. If your bottom line is a better bottom line, no other supermarket refrigerant comes close. From keeping fresh food fresher longer to energy savings to eco-friendly performance, the list of reasons to choose Genetron ® Performax™ LT over R-438A or R-407A refrigerants goes on and on. Genetron Performax LT offers industry-leading capacity, industry-leading efficiency and low GWP values versus other popular supermarket refrigerants. This saves money in new installations and in R-22 retrofit projects. Plus, a mass flow that identically matches R-22, eliminates expensive expansion valve changes and adjustments in retrofit applications while maintaining superheat performance which protects costly compressors. So go with the gold standard. Go with Genetron Performax LT. Maximize Performance with Performax LT.
Brenntag Canada Inc. Exclusive distributor of Genetron® refrigerants in Canada Ontario & Western Canada: Tel. No. (416) 243-9615 Fax: (416) 243-9731 Quebec & Maritime Provinces: Tel. No. (514) 636-9230 Fax: (514) 636-8229 To learn more, call 800-631-8138 or visit www.genetronperformaxlt.com. © 2010 Honeywell International Inc. All rights reserved.
PHVAC_JanFeb2014.indd 38
1/31/14 2:07 PM
Q Refrigeration
Weatherproofing the insulation Continued from page 37 Compressed insulation loses some of its insulating properties and this can lead to the exterior surface temperature at the compressed location to be low enough for condensation and ice. To make matters worse, there is often a pipe clamp compressing the insulation all the way around, which is generally a bad idea in all applications. There are two general methods available to deal with this issue. The first method is to distribute the weight of the pipe over more surface area. This still compresses the insulation somewhat, but since there is more contact area for the same amount of weight the insulation compresses less. This is a very common method and can be done using any type of plastic pipe that is larger than the refrigerant pipe and insulation. The refrigerant piping and insulation simply slide into the larger plastic pipe, which is then clamped to the strut or installed in the pipe hanger. Unfortunately, for this to work well it needs to be done at the time of original installation. If you’re trying to add these after the fact, the plastic pipe has to be cut lengthwise on both sides and then clamped on to the pipe; this situation is not very good as the plastic pipe can fall off if clamps loosen. There are pipe saddle products available that clip directly into the strut and support the pipe and insulation in the same fashion. They are typically more aesthetically pleasing than using your own plastic pipe and they are relatively inexpensive. At least one major retailer has been specifying these saddle hangers
PVC Pipe used to avoid clamping insulation.
successfully for the last number of years. The biggest drawback of this method is that we are still compressing the insulation. Even though end users have found this method acceptable in most cases, insulation manufacturers don’t typically recommend it. The second method is using a harder less compressible material to support the weight of the pipe. Obviously this material has to have enough insulating properties to prevent condensation. Historically, the recommended way of doing this was with wood blocks and dowels. Irrespective of the fact that I see this method mentioned in engineering specs on occasion, I can honestly say that I have seen this done only once and it was on a system that had been installed about 30 years ago. The amount of labour to install pipe hangers in this fashion would be quite high. Thankfully there are products available now that use a less compressible insulation material as blocks and include the pipe insulation and metal sleeve for clamping in a preassembled part, it is only necessary to install a clamp and glue the insulation. I have seen these types of supports installed with great success over the last number of years.
Jacketing and covering
This improper joint and clamp arrangement leaves a gap in the insulation.
www.plumbingandhvac.ca
PHVAC_JanFeb2014.indd 39
The final installation component we are going to discuss is insulation jacketing and covering. Again this is an area that is often neglected in commercial applications. I have yet to find a flexible elastomer insulation that is durable outside. They are often extremely susceptible to damage from weather and the sun and yet many new installations are done without protecting the insulation. There are a lot of different options available, but there are two main methods. The first is to use a protective paint or coating. These are available from insulation manufacturers and protect the insulation
from UV damage and rain. I personally have mixed feelings about these coatings; they seem to function for a few years and definitely extend the life of outdoor insulation, but they also require recoating and unless the installers are very careful the final product often looks unappealing. The preferred method of protecting pipe insulation outdoors is to use a watertight insulation jacket. There are a lot of options for insulation jackets, from PVC plastic to stainless steel. ASHRAE has material and installation recommendations in the Refrigeration Handbook and all manufacturers have installation method and product guides available; there are other resources available as well. Installing metal pipe insulation covers requires some practice and education and it can be quite difficult to do on small pipe. If done correctly, however, the final product will last many years and look great. As always, there are many more things we could have covered but I hope we’ve touched on some areas that are often neglected or misunderstood. A proper pipe insulation system is very important for the operating efficiency of systems and owners deserve to have an insulation system that will last the lifetime of the system. Greg Scrivener is president of Cold Dynamics, Meadow Lake, Sask. and works in project and design management. He os a journeyman refrigeration mechanic, holds RSES CMS designation in commercial refrigeration and is a mechanical engineer in training. He can be reached at greg.scrivener@colddynamics.com
January/February 2014 – Plumbing & HVAC
39 2/3/14 9:37 AM
Q Refrigeration
The Right Tools
For HVACR Professionals
Electronic valve kit
Anti-tamper straps
The new Emerson XEV Kit includes everything required to replace existing expansion valves with an energy-efficient, full electronic solution. It includes a combination of commonly needed components for field installation including the Emerson EX series valve, XEV controller, pressure transducer, temperature sensor, transformer, and all associated cables, all in one box. It is applicable to multiple refrigerants and several kits are available to cover a wide range of valve capacities. Emerson Flow Controls www.Emerson.com
Spectroline TES-31 Tamper-Evident Straps from Spectronics Corp. ensure that the AC&R system hasn’t been contaminated with a foreign refrigerant and protect the technician’s reputation, guarding against unqualified repairs and costly comebacks. Easy to install, the strap is placed over the service port, tightened and trimmed with no special tools. Spectronics Corp. www.spectroline.com
Variable speed compressor Emerson has launched its latest generation Copeland Scroll variable speed compressor and motor control drive designed to enable system manufacturers to achieve 25+ seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) and a 13+ heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF). It features a new scroll design along with an enhanced speed range from 900-7200 RPM to allow precise building load matching and improved dehumidification. It will be offered in both air-to-air and water source variations. A new motor control drive with Emerson’s embedded CoreSense technology uses active algorithms to detect and prevent compressor failure. Emerson Climate Technologies www.Emerson.com
New commercial chiller The new CLW chiller from WaterFurnace continuously monitors and optimizes system performance using a combination of hardware and software options. Available in 60 to 140-ton capacities, it uses advanced adaptive direct digital controls that modulate equipment based on ever-changing conditions to constantly maintain the highest efficiencies possible. It features a high-efficiency R-410A scroll compressor, four or six-inch water connections, balanced port bidirectional TXV or an optional electronically controlled expansion valve and heavy gauge steel cabinets. WaterFurnace International www.waterfurnace.com
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2/3/14 9:39 AM
Q Faucets & Fixtures
Product Profile Walk-in bathtub American Standard recently introduced four new walk-in bathtub models, something that hospitals and nursing homes will welcome. The door swings out of the way, providing ample space to manoeuver when entering or leaving the tub. The chair-height seat is convenient for wheelchair transfers. “All walk-in tubs in this series are also equipped with the American Standard Quick Drain system,” reported Nunzio DiCesare, American Standard Canada brand manager. “Wait time for emptying a full tub is reduced to two minutes from the
Children’s toilet The Elementary toilet from Mansfield is sized for children at 24” to the top of the tank with a rim height of 11-1/4”. It uses only five litres per flush (1.28 gpf,) and includes a slow-closing seat to protect kids’ fingers, and a cover lock that prevents children from playing with the tank trim. Mansfield Plumbing Products www.mansfieldplumbing.com.
usual 10 minutes or more.” Safety features include full access to the built-in chair-height seat when the door is open; built-in
Bathers and caregivers alike will appreciate the ease of entry to American Standard walk-in bathtubs with outward-opening doors.
armrests on each side when the door is closed; a sturdy grab bar facing the door and a textured floor for a firm footing. The four available configurations are combo massage, whirlpool, airbath and soaker tubs. Options include a “barrier free” compliant slidebar and hand-shower combination; a neck rest; acrylic extensions for custom installation; and a decorative tile flange. All models are constructed of cast acrylic reinforced with fiberglass, and further strengthened by an embedded steel frame. Dimensions are 52 inches long, 30 wide and 37 high (132 x 76 x 94 cm). Colours are white or linen. American Standard www.americanstandard.com
Elegant kitchen faucet
Bilingual website
The new Vuelo kitchen collection from Brizo brings a graceful style to the kitchen. It includes pull-down, high-arc and waterfall faucets with optional side spray. All models are available with Brizo’s SmartTouch technology, which allows the user to stop or start the flow with a simple tap anywhere on the faucet. Brizo www.brizo.com
FIAT Products recently launched a user-friendly website. It offers a choice of English or French text, and provides access to the full Fiat range of modular shower tub/ shower units, as well as specialty commercial products portfolio, in particular a new Independent Living category. Trade customers can download installation and product information directly from the site. FIAT www.fiat.ca
Liberty pumps offers 6 different series of sump pumps to meet your specific pumping needs. 280/290Series
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230-Series 250-Series
One of Americas fastest growing, privately owned companies.
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Q Trucks for the Trade
Compact cargo vans New choices for the contractor
By Simon Blake In the last issue we noted that auto manufacturers appear to have rediscovered the cargo van market, giving the contractor more choice in large vans than ever before. The same applies to the small cargo van category. No less than four manufacturers offer vehicles aimed squarely at tradesmen. The platform for all four is similar with front-wheeldrive and a transverse-mounted engine. This allows a low floor height in the cargo area. But there the similarities end.
Ford Transit Connect
Organization is more critical in a small van like the Transit Connect.
Ford has completely redesigned its Transit Connect cargo van, pictured here with its civilian counterpart.
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Just a few years ago Ford introduced its small Transit Connect. As a European-style compact cargo van, it was revolutionary to Canadian eyes. At first plumbing and HVAC/R contractors thought it was a little too small, but over the years a number gave it a try and found it worked well for service technicians and offered a substantial improvement in operating costs, thanks to excellent fuel mileage and sturdy commercial vehicle construction. Last February Ford Canada launched a completely new version of the Transit Connect at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. It is slightly longer, which is good, with a slightly lower roof, which is not so good. And when we say the new version is longer, it is actually available in two wheelbases – 105-inch (267 cm) and 121-inch (307 cm). The longer version offers a 130 cu. ft. cargo capacity and a 1,600 lb. (726 kg) payload – more than many pickups. It can tow up to 2,000 lbs. There are two engine choices. A 2.5-litre fourcylinder engine is standard. It can be specified with a compressed natural gas/liquid propane (CNG/LPG) preparation package, allowing easy conversion. The other engine option is Ford’s 1.6-litre turbocharged EcoBoost engine that achieves 30-plus mpg on the highway without giving anything away in power when it’s needed (Ford didn’t provide actual horsepower and torque ratings.) Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The Transit Connect offers a number of door and window options, including sliding side doors and side-hinged rear cargo doors. A second row of seating is optional.
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© Union Gas 2013 UG20130175, December 2013
BUSINESS
YOU R S E L T I T T H I S EN CE I V E E R O T S ER CU S T OM
E N CY I C I F F E GY O N E N E R OM UN I ON G A S . S FR N O I T U L SO ill i pm en t w u q e y c n ie to er g y ef fi c n e s a g f o r ye a r s l y a r e u n t o a m n and s Ins t alling e en e r g y v a s s h r eb a t e s a r c e s m u o o t r s e cu a b ou t g e n help your w h ey o n k m e th c en t i v e t g in e in t h t t e l m y e th e com e . B u c a n gi v o y , , w i th th e s n a io G is n c io e n d gy f r om U i gh t en e r r e h t e k a ght now. i r , n e e d to m r o t c a tr r i gh t con
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS: • You recommend a natural gas energy efficiency solution to your customer • Your customer hires you to install the equipment • You file a Rebate Application Form online • Your customer receives the rebate directly from Union Gas The Union Gas rebate program is available throughout the Union Gas franchise area of southwestern, eastern and northern Ontario.
Find out how energy efficiency solutions from Union Gas can work for your business at uniongas.com/business/your-business/hvac-contractor-lis
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1/31/14 2:08 PM
Q Trucks for the Trade
Chrysler has expended considerable effort to make the RAM Cargo Van an effective tool for contractors… and it’s made in Canada!
One standard feature that will find favour with owners, but not so much with technicians, is Ford’s MyKey programmable ignition key that can be set up to restrict maximum vehicle speed and audio volume. The Transit Connect is available with Ford’s Work Solutions Crew Chief program that enables a centralized dispatcher to monitor vehicles for location, speed and excess idle time.
Nissan NV200 The Nissan NV200 was the second new small van on the Canadian market when it was introduced as a 2013 model. Like the Transit Connect, contractors were slow to adopt at first but more and more are being seen in use. It features 115-inch (292 cm) wheelbase and a 123 cu. ft. cargo space. It was designed as a commercial van and features easy loading with a low floor height and side hinged 60/40 split rear doors, with the larger door on the curb side. In fact a standard 40x48-inch pallet can be loaded in the back if need be. There are sliding side doors. Integrated mounting points make upfitting easy without having to drill into the structure. The NV200 is powered by a 131 hp two-litre four-cylinder engine, which drives through Nissan’s unique Xtronic CVT transmission. Unlike a regular transmission that operates in steps between each gear, the Xtronic is a continuously variable speed transmission. Nissan claims a fuel mileage of 27 mpg city and 33
Entering its second year, the Nissan NV200 is starting to develop a following.
www.plumbingandhvac.ca
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The Chevrolet City Express – just a Nissan NV200 in GM clothing?
mpg highway, or 8.7L/100 km city and 7.1L per 100 km highway. A high-mounted drivers seat provides a good view of the road while the cockpit is also designed as a “mobile office” with storage for a laptop, hanging folders, pens and pencils along with dual cup holders in the centre consol. The passenger seat folds down to function as a worktable and also to allow longer pipes, etc. to be carried. There are a number of available electronic features including Bluetooth hands free phone, standard on SV models, satellite radio and the NissanConnectSM with navigation system.
switch for better fuel economy from the Ram’s 3.6 litre Pentastar V-6 engine. A new one-piece instrument panel is more intuitive. The Ram also offers Chrysler’s Unconnect Web wireless Internet system. Options include a 40 GB hard drive and 6.5-inch touchscreen display, audio jack for mobile devices and Garmin navigation system. And there’s one other thing that differentiates the Ram Cargo Van from its competitors – it’s the only Canadian-made offering, built in Windsor, Ont.
Chevrolet City Express As we reported last May, GM and Nissan have announced an agreement whereby the Nissan NV200, which is made in Mexico, will be restyled and sold through GM dealerships as the Chevrolet City Express. It will appear on dealers’ floors in the fall as a 2015 model. There are few details available yet, but the assumption is that, other than styling changes, the City will be basically the same as the Nissan NV200. However, GM is not really saying and one has to wonder if GM might incorporate its own running gear. Stay tuned!
Ram Cargo Van Chrysler is back in the commercial cargo van market in a big way with the introduction of the Ram ProMaster full-sized van. The long running Ram Cargo Van, based on the Dodge Caravan mini-van, will continue to represent the company in the compact van market for 2014. Chrysler has developed this into a workmanlike van over the years with 155 cu. ft. of cargo space and enough floor space to carry a stack of 4x8 sheets of plywood. The payload is a class-leading 1,800 lbs., towing capacity is 3,600 lbs. and fuel mileage is 26 mpg (9 litres/100 km) on the highway. The biggest drawback to the Ram has always been its mini-van style rear door. Updates for 2014 include a driver selectable fuel economizer mode. Drivers can change the six-speed automatic transaxle shift schedule with the flip of a
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1/31/14 2:08 PM
Q Training With the entire lesson on his phone, which is projected on the screen, Hughes is no longer tied to the front of the class.
about on-demand water heaters these days. “We get a lot of demand for that training,” he added. Homeowners don’t maintain their units and they can clog up with calcium, which is bringing more work for service techs. Another change is to encourage the use of prebuilt hydronic panels – pre-piped with pumps, valves and controls – to get away from the “science experiment” look of so many custom-built hydronic installations. Students learn how to build from scratch, but the panels make a neater job and prove less frightening to a homeowner seeing a series of pumps, mixing valves, piping and controls on a 4x8 sheet of plywood for the first time, says Hughes. “The problem is, they are expensive,” he adds.
Technology in the classroom While instructors must stay current on the latest hydronic heating technology, they must also keep up to date on teaching technology. This includes the adoption of things like Apple TV in the classroom, which allows the instructor to project from their computer or phone to a large screen. WolfVision “Ceiling Visualizers” – basically a camera suspended from the ceiling – allow instructors to project drawings or do product repair demonstrations on a desk and have them projected on the large screen for easy viewing. They can also control the technology from and have their entire presentation on their phone, which frees them to walk around the classroom rather than being tied to the front of the room. “It’s amazing what a difference all this has made to the institution,” says Hughes.
Today’s hydronic classroom Evolving equipment and classroom technology brings constant change to Alberta technical school By Simon Blake
boilers are now almost exclusively high efficiency condensing units. “We left one non-condensing unit just to teach service,” says Hughes. The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology In the third portion of the hydronics installer (NAIT) in Edmonton has long been known for program, students are required to pipe and wire its training programs in hydronic heating. But a functional hydronic heating system entirely like the technology itself, that on their own. training is constantly evolving. Typically a class The classrooms, labs, teaching has 24 students, One of the biggest and delivery methods look but running that considerably different today boilers at problems is that there is nowhere many that they did just 10 years ago. one time isn’t P&HVAC recently had the to dump heat. possible. opportunity to tour NAIT’s “One of the hydronic training facilities with biggest problems David Hughes, associate chair, is that there is pipe trades. nowhere to dump heat,” says Hughes. The heat NAIT puts a strong emphasis on hands-on work is used where possible; one boiler heats the slab and the labs are continuously being updated with in the next room. At the time of P&HVAC’s visit, new equipment. When a manufacturer brings out steamfitter students were changing out the primary a new boiler, pump or other piece of equipment, loop. But with potentially four to five million Btu/h, they donate examples to trade colleges around the “we are talking about putting a huge glycol loop country to ensure that technicians receive up to date outdoors,” says Hughes. training. A look around the NAIT labs shows that As well, the apprentices are learning more
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Operating at capacity NAIT’s pipe trades division – plumbers, gas fitters and steamfitters – trains about 2,000 apprentices per year. Classrooms are always busy. “The biggest problem is getting into a classroom to make changes because they are so busy.” And because there is such a demand to train apprentices, there is no room for a pre-apprenticeship program, says Hughes. However, NAIT does offer training for the Canadian Hydronics Council Hydronic Installer and Hydronic Designer certification through its continuing education – on weekends – or distance education (online) programs. Experienced technicians can also challenge the exams. More information is available at www.NAIT.ca/coned.
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1/31/14 2:08 PM
Q People & Places The
Security Chimneys Introduces
People
Secure Seal® Flex The Secure Seal Product Line Now Includes Flex. · Made from super-ferritic stainless steel. · Provides protection against chloride ion pitting and corrosion.
Airex staff gather outside the new London location including Robert Iantorno, operations manager, on left, branch manager Chris Aubry, fourth from left, and owners Enzo Iantorno on his left and Mary Iantorno fifth, from right.
Sian Smith is now senior director of strategic procurement for Noble Corporation, Vaughan, Ont. Viega LLC, Wichita, Kansas has named longtime employee Dalyn Cantrell as the new vice president of sales and marketing, Dalyn replacing Dave Garlow, who is now Cantrell president and CEO.
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The
Companies CIPH chairman Robert Whitty, Bartle & Gibson, Edmonton, left, presented Lifetime Service Awards to Duncan Stacey and Wayne Singer of Howell Pipe & Supply, Georgetown, Ont., at the CIPH Ontario Region meeting Jan. 16. American Standard Canada, Mississauga, Ont., has named Yves Dalcourt as general manager. He was previously with LG Canada, Miele Ltd., and Black & Decker. Yves Desco Plumbing and Dalcourt Heating Supply Inc., Etobicoke, Ont., has appointed Duncan Salisbury as purchasing manager and Duncan Domenic DeFazio as oper- Salisbury ations manager. Wolseley Canada, Richard Burlington, Ont. has named Ayuen Richard Ayuen to the position of vice-president of the company’s Waterworks Domenic DeFazio Division. National Plumbing, Richmond, B.C., has named industry specialist Patrick O’Shaughnessy to the Patrick position of human resources manO’Shaughnessy ager for British Columbia.
www.plumbingandhvac.ca
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Airex Inc., Brampton, Ont., has opened a new 15,000 foot HVAC distribution location at 85 Bessemer Road in London, Ont. Chris Aubry has been named London branch manager.
Napoleon Fireplaces, Grills, Heating and Cooling, Barrie, Ont. has donated $125,000 to the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre to be used towards an advanced cardiac care program and a child and youth mental health program for the residents of Simcoe and Muskoka. Intellidyne, Plainview, New York has named The Canadian Energy Savings Corporation, Toronto, as its new distribution partner for the Canadian market. Testo Inc., Sparta, New Jersey, has launched a new member benefit program for contractors titled Team Testo. It provides industry news, best practices, special offers, training and application support. Visit www. teamtesto.com.
800-361-4909 US 800-667-3387 Canada www.securitychimneys.com ©2014
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Q Coming Events
There are always lots of neat things to see at CMPX, like B&B Trade Distribution’s HVAC/R training rig seen at the 2012 event.
Or meet industry celebrities like P&HVAC’s own Mark Evans, right, with publisher Mark Vreugdenhil.
Over 500 exhibitors booked for CMPX Canada’s largest mechanical show will also offer training opportunities Canada’s largest trade show for the mechanical industry will return to the Toronto Convention Centre March 19-21. Exhibit space was sold out by early January as manufacturers booked over 200,000 square feet of space to display their latest technologies to contractors, engineers and building management personnel from across the country. The show offers visitors an opportunity to speak directly to the manufacturers about their products. “CMPX 2014 will have thousands of products for heating (forced air and hydronics) air conditioning, ventilation, hearth, plumbing, piping, refrigeration and emerging technologies. It’s a ‘must attend’ for everyone in the mechanicals and plumbing industries,” said Warren Heeley, president of the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI). In fact visitors can get a preview of just some of the thousands of products that will be on display by going to the New Product Showcase on the CMPX 2014 website at www.CMPXshow.com.
Learning Forum As well as a dizzying array of new products and technology, CMPX will offer a number of training opportunities for contractors and their technicians. “Professionals from all walks of the mechanicals and plumbing industries will find Learning Forum topics on the agenda that can offer a beneficial increase in their skill and knowledge base,” said Ralph Suppa, president and general manager of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH). He noted that the schedule has been created to allow show visitors
www.plumbingandhvac.ca
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ample time to get around the show while taking in a few seminars as well. This year’s event offers a comprehensive agenda of topics, evenly divided between sessions and speakers arranged by HRAI and CIPH. Most of the sessions are free. However, there is a $60 charge for special morning sessions featuring hydronic heating expert and author John Siegenthaler on Wednesday and Thursday. They open with a 7:30 a.m. continental breakfast followed by a workshop that runs from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. On Wednesday Siegenthaler will explain “Unique Hydronic Details for Domestic Water Heating” while the Thursday workshop will cover “Piping and Control Strategies for High Performance Wood-Fired Heating Systems” – definitely a must-attend for contractors from rural areas where wood heat is becoming more common with high propane and oil costs. Free seminar topics cover things like smart controls, the new F280 ventilation code, converting prospects
Events
Calendar MARCH 8-14: Canadian Construction Association 96th Annual Conference, Westin Playa Bonita Panama, Panama City, Panama. Call (613) 236-9455 or visit www.cca-acc. com for more information.
into clients, enhanced refrigeration solutions, rainwater and grey water challenges, College of Trades, radiant heat and cooling, internet marketing and social media, high efficiency space cooling, water heating regulations, Legionella, attracting future leaders, efficient commercial heating, Ont. Plumbing Code changes, hydronics installation, business leadership, incentive programs, solar thermal applications, B214 hydronic code changes and head pressure controls. About 15,000 visitors are expected to attend CMPX this year. Harbourfront parking and a shuttle to the show are free with registration. For more information, please visit www.cmpxshow.ca. CIPH and HRAI, the show partners, jointly produce CMPX. CIPH will once again hold its Gala Evening in support of Habitat for Humanity Canada on the eve of the show, March 18 at the Convention Centre. The event will feature an exquisite meal, silent and live auctions and entertainment by comedian Jessica Holmes. For more information, visit www.ciph.com.
APRIL 1-3: CMCEF Construction Middle Management Education Conference, Hilton Garden Inn, Saskatoon, Sask. Call (613) 232-5169 or visit www.cmcef.org.
MAY 7-8: MEET Show 2014, Moncton Coliseum, Moncton, N.B. Call 1-888-454-7469 or visit www.meetshow.ca.
MARCH 19-21:
JUNE 22-24:
Canadian Mechanicals and Plumbing Exposition (CMPX), Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto. Visit www.cmpxshow.com or call 1-800-282-0003.
ABC 2014, CIPH Annual Business Conference, Delta Grand Okanagan Hotel, Kelowna, B.C. Call 1-800-639-2474 or visit www.ciph.com.
January/February 2014 – Plumbing & HVAC
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Gala Evening Join us as we celebrate 20 years of investing in our communities through support for Habitat for Humanity “ Jessica Holmes is one of Canada’s top comedic talents.” A favourite on CBC’s Royal Canadian Air Farce… R Her H comedic high-jinks and crazy antics, topped with her unique knack for skewering celebrities are sure to amuse.
Tuesday March 18, 2014 Metro Toronto Convention Centre ciph.com/gala
PHVAC_JanFeb2014.indd 52
YEARS
2/3/14 9:41 AM
Q Shop Management
Making ďŹ&#x201A;at rate pricing work
I
n part one of this article we explored the whys and wherefores of using a ďŹ&#x201A;at rate pricing system. Now we will delve deeper into this topic. For it to be effective you will need to make some changes within your business. If you want to increase your prices you should add more value. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think you can just put a ďŹ&#x201A;at rate pricing system in place and let it handle itself. Like anything else that is going to be done properly, it must be managed and managed well.
Getting employees on board First of all you need to explore this concept with your employees. Tell them what you are thinking of doing; get their input and convince them that it will beneďŹ t them substantially. It is essential that your technicians buy into the system; otherwise they will not be enthusiastic about implementing it and that will make the process significantly more difficult. Spend the time getting them up to speed. One of the biggest issues facing your employees will be their ability to diagnose the problem so that they can give the customer a ďŹ rm price and not ďŹ nd that they missed out items that need to be repaired or replaced. Likewise, your office personnel need to be won over. The scripts that have to be used over the phone are critical in convincing the customers of the value to them. If the person telling them about the process is not convinced, they certainly wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to convince the customer. The company that supplies the flat rate program that you choose should provide you with lots of good training materials and strategies for implementation. As well, talk to other contractors that have implemented the process and ďŹ nd out from them what challenges they faced. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just talk to the owner of the company; if possible talk to the customer service representative, the dispatch person and a couple of their technicians. (This is where belonging to a contractor association really helps!) Make someone in your organization the â&#x20AC;&#x153;championâ&#x20AC;? of the process. If you need the names of some contractors currently using flat rate, contact me by e-mail (ronald@ronaldcoleman.ca) and I will put you in touch.
www.plumbingandhvac.ca
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A good system will beneďŹ t contractor, customers and employees By Ron Coleman Putting the customer ďŹ rst Put your customer ďŹ rst. People pay for the differences that they perceive. If you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t already done so, here are a number of changes to incorporate when you implement a ďŹ&#x201A;at rate pricing system: s 3ET SPECIlC APPOINTMENT TIMES AND KEEP TO THEM OR update the customer in advance if they need to be changed. s +EEP YOUR TECHNICIANS LOOKING SMART IN CLEAN uniforms and clean trucks. s 'IVE YOUR TECHNICIANS BUSINESS CARDS s "E FORMAL WITH YOUR CUSTOMER s $ON T BLOCK THEIR DRIVEWAY s &OLLOW UP EACH SERVICE CALL WITH A PHONE CALL TO lND out if the customer is satisďŹ ed. s 0ROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING FOR YOUR TECHNICIANS and for your customer service reps. s $EVELOP SCRIPTS FOR YOUR TECHNICIANS AND FOR YOUR customer service reps on key issues. s +EEP YOUR TECHNICIANS FULLY TRAINED IN ALL ASPECTS OF their work.
Planned maintenance Use every opportunity to convert your customers to a planned maintenance program. This would start when scheduling a service call by pointing out the value of
planned maintenance and the lower rates to the customer. Onsite, your technician should again reinforce the value and offer to use the planned maintenance rate on the work he is performing. And again, when the follow up call is made to the customer, ask them if they are aware of the planned maintenance program and if they would like more information on it. Just like a successful franchise, there needs to be standard procedures throughout the whole process. Many ďŹ&#x201A;at rate providers do provide scripts and manuals. This is a major strategic decision for your business. Treat it with the respect it deserves. Provided you implement and manage the system effectively you will have a win/win outcome for your business, your employees and your customers.
Residential only? The flat rate process has not proven successful in commercial work. But this is where menu pricing for certain items can be used most effectively. This suits commercial work and contractors who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to go to a full ďŹ&#x201A;at rate program. Develop your own menu pricing for the common items you repair and replace. This has many advantages, particularly with larger clients where you have a planned maintenance program in place. Give them a list of common items that are likely to be replaced over the coming years along with ďŹ xed prices for them. That makes it simpler for everyone when a motor or other item has to be replaced. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to research prices and quote the customer and risk the customer getting a second quote. Just refer them to the pricing menu you gave them when you signed them up for the planned maintenance contract.
Integrating ďŹ&#x201A;at rate pricing Integrating your ďŹ&#x201A;at rate process with customer service programs and accounting programs will streamline the process and be more cost effective. There are accounting programs that will incorporate customer service, dispatch and flat rate pricing. When asking other contractors about the process, make sure you explore this area with them also. The contractor has to decide what to include in his/ her diagnostic fee. Some contractors use this as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;loss
Please see â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Flatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on page 54
January/February 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Plumbing & HVAC
53 1/31/14 2:08 PM
Q Shop Management
Flat rate Continued from page 53 leader” in order to get to the business. The diagnostic fee should cover your truck costs (which are about $12 per hour), your travel time and your diagnostic time. If your diagnostic rate doesn’t cover this, then you need to make sure that you build the shortfall into the rate you use for the work. For example, if you have to cover 30 minutes of travel time and 30 minutes of diagnostics time, then
you should be charging one hour’s labour at selling price plus the truck charge to make a profit on your diagnostic rate. If your diagnostic fee is $60 or $70, you are going to need to make sure that your quoted pricing allows for a shortfall in your diagnostic fee. Some contractors allow their technicians to also go on a flat rate process. This often helps the good techs substantially increase their take home pay as they are paid the same amount of time to do the work as the customer pays, regardless of how long it actually takes. Flat rate pricing has been very successful in Ontario, but slower to be adopted in other regions of the country. That means in these other regions using flat
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Plumbing & HVAC – January/February 2014
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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.
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rate is more likely to help differentiate your business from the competition. But don’t rush into the process. Take your time and do your “due diligence”. This is a very major decision for your business and if done correctly will help you make more money with less stress. Your employees and your customers will also appreciate the clarity it brings.
ADVERTISERS
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www.plumbingandhvac.ca
2/3/14 1:49 PM
Compact Swage Tool
ONE-HANDED OPERATION
PICTUREPERFECT SWAGING
SMALL SPACE CAPABLE
In tight spaces, you need a tool that can pack a punch. Just not below the belt. The all-new hilmor Compact Swage Tool can knock out a picture-perfect swage in one shot with the power to swage 5/16" to 1-5/8" without a crack. No sweat. No strain. No risk.
See all the innovations you can put to work at hilmor.com
Š 2013 hilmor, Newell Rubbermaid. All rights reserved.
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The Emerson logo is a trademark and service mark of Emerson Electric Co. ©2013, RIDGID, Inc.
recording instructions|
1. t o r e c o r d , press record.|
WHEN WE SAY OUR MONITORS ARE EASY TO USE, WE MEAN REALLY EASY. One touch is all it takes to record digital video with RIDGID’s growing family of CS digital recording monitors. Each monitor is designed for daylight visibility and easy image and video recording. Built-in USB ports provide easy transfer and storage of files, and the entire family integrates with SeeSnake® HQ™ and RIDGIDConnect.com, making sharing as easy as recording.
REQUEST A FREE ONSITE DEMO
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CS6 NEW CS10
RIDGID.COM/CS | 1.800.769.7743
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