VOICE JULY 2017
JOURNAL OF PLUMBING, HEATING, AND PIPE JOINING SYSTEMS FROM VIEGA LLC
BIG IDEAS IN A SMALL SPACE
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE: VIEGA’S NEW HEADQUARTERS OPEN-CONCEPT BARN VIEGA MEGAPRESS STAINLESS STEEL
a publication of Viega LLC July 2017 Marketing Director Mark Brodie Marketing Manager Nancy Seidel
PAGE 8
Creative Marketing Manager Molly Morrow
VIEGAVOICE / JULY 2017
CONTENTS Inside the Walls
The Tool Box
3
22 FINS radiant installation
A letter from the President and CEO
Get Connected 4
Tiny house
8
New Viega headquarters
11 Connecticut barn 14 In-Wall installation
Content Marketing Editor Kristen White Graphic Designers Jason Green Ayanna Blueford Contributing authors Jason Allison, Dave Garlow,
28 MegaPress Stainless
Jacob Demars, Dominic Kung,
Fitting Trends
David Melendy, Kristen White
18 Residential fire sprinkler system
Contributing photographers
30 Company finds value in Viega Rewards
Jim Oertle, Laney Siegner,
31 Tech Talk
28 Company adds Viega for senior living
Suzette Bienvenue, Jason Green, Mark Waldron Future articles and tips Please send in your interesting stories and tips relating to Viega products for possible publication in future issues of the Viega Voice to press@viega.us.
ON THE COVER A team from UC Berkeley utilized several Viega products and ultimately won multiple awards in the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District Tiny House competition.
2 | Viega Voice | July 2017
INSIDE THE WALLS
A LETTER FROM
THE PRESIDENT AND CEO
I
t’s already been more than a year since we announced that Viega LLC would relocate our headquarters and build a state-of-the-art seminar center in the Denver area. So much has happened in the past 18 months, and I want to share with you some of the exciting highlights of the move and other events. A site in Broomfield, Colorado, was chosen for Viega’s new North America headquarters; a second Viega training facility was incorporated into the design, to ease some of the burden on Nashua as well as make training for accessible for West Coast and Midwest users. Recruiting for growth, along with the need for a much larger pool of candidates, were key drivers in relocating our headquarters. Having headquarters in such a desirable location as Colorado opens up the candidate pool to essentially all of the United States. Additionally, direct flights from Denver International Airport make business travel much easier. We broke ground in July at our new location and now eagerly await the finished product! Tentative completion is late 2018. We can’t wait to open the doors to our new facility and invite the rest of the Viega family and our business partners in to check it out. You can get a sneak peek at the facility on pages 8-9 of this issue. Fueled by the desire for continuous company wide improvements, as well as Viega’s long-term reinvestment strategy, countless projects, initiatives and events have been started during the past year. As the Viega Group of Companies enters its fifth generation of family ownership, long-term horizons are often discussed in terms of generations and legacy. This unique perspective, coupled with such a willingness to invest, will ensure the longterm success of this company.
“We are a team devoted to giving our customers the highest quality solutions and service in the industry.”
Dave Garlow
President and CEO Viega LLC
Viega. Connected in quality.
“We were able to easily fit the product within our wall and floor cavities, and the ManaBloc fit into our little mechanical room nicely.� Laney Siegner
Project Manager
The UC Berkeley entry won numerous awards, including Home Life and Best Craftsmanship.
4 | Viega Voice | July 2017
GET CONNECTED
BIG IDEAS IN A SMALL SPACE T
he tiny-house craze is huge – TV
competition was announced. After Fred
shows, blogs, daily articles in the
Bauman, a project scientist at CBE, had
procurement,” she said. “We had a limited
news and websites are dedicated to the
some initial meetings with the team, he
budget, and we wanted to be off-grid and
trend. Now Viega has a hand in it, too –
contacted his friend Michael Sullivan, a
do a lot of innovative water and efficiency
contributing to a tiny-house competition
Viega radiant sales manager.
technologies. When we got in touch
“We did a lot of outreach for materials
in California. The team from University
“They’re such a strong research team
with Michael, he was totally amazing. He
of California, Berkeley utilized different
there. When I heard what they were doing
came through with a delivery of supplies,
Viega products and finished second in the
(the tiny house), I met with the team that
a bunch of things he thought we might
competition, pulling in some other awards
had several students involved and they
need, and was very on the mark. We didn’t
as well.
went over the project and their needs. I
know exactly what we needed, and it was
Viega is a member of the Center
was fascinated with it!” Sullivan said. “I
amazing, a much greater amount than we
for the Built Environment (CBE), a UC
looked at their drawings, and I contacted
ended up needing in the end.”
Berkeley-sponsored scientific research
my boss and gave him the overview and
partner, so the collaboration on the
asked if we could help out.”
tiny house grew from that relationship.
Laney Siegner, in her third year of
The team made good use of the Viega PureFlow system, installing PureFlow PEX in red and blue for hot and cold potable
Students from the CBE formed a team
the Energy and Resources group PhD
water, and also purple for reclaimed water,
to compete in the tiny-house building
program at Berkeley, was one of the
as well as polymer PureFlow Press Fittings.
competition, and Viega came on board as
project managers and led the design of
The PEX in ½" and ¾" was utilized on the
a sponsor of the entry, providing products,
the water and wastewater systems. She
project, and the team was also able to use
loaning tools and giving some advice to
said that coordinating with Sullivan and
a ManaBloc in the mechanical room. They
what became a very successful venture.
having Viega's help was great.
continued on page 6
Other awards the Berkeley entry garnered were for sustainability, water conservation, home life and best craftsmanship. The tiny home used some unique and efficient ways to save or reuse water, and that came with the help of Viega products. Building a tiny house Sponsored by SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District), the Tiny House Competition initially began in 2014, when colleges and universities across California were encouraged to field teams and submit initial plans. There was a twoyear time frame for the competition, with judging in late 2016. Given the focus of the CBE – where teams research things like mechanical systems for commercial buildings – it made sense for the organization to put together a team when the tiny house
UC Berkeley graduate students in the Center for the Built Environment worked countless hours to build their tiny house alongside their regular studies.
Viega. Connected in quality.
GET CONNECTED
In the tiny house, the Viega PureFlow system circulates hot and cold potable water, as well as reclaimed water.
chose to cover it with clear plastic, so
to produce its own energy and use as little
turbidity, but we determined it was okay
the plumbing is still visible in the
water as possible. Caroline Karmann, a
for several uses.”
completed home.
PhD candidate at Berkeley who served
The recycled and filtered water is
Sullivan loaned the team a Rigid 210
as architect for the tiny house, had a big
mostly used for watering plants and
tool for pressing and showed the group
job. She designed the entire draft, which
for landscaping. Siegner said after the
how to use hand PEX Press tools.
Sullivan said in the end led to a design
competition was complete, some of
Siegner said the use of PureFlow
that was “very clean, elegant and truly
the team members worked to redesign
PEX products was perfect for a tiny-
fulfilled what was needed” to make the
the planter boxes so the UV light could
house setup.
idea a reality.
function more effectively and hopefully
“We were able to easily fit the product
With the high aspirations of energy
within our wall and floor cavities, and the
efficiency in mind, the team worked to
ManaBloc fit into our little mechanical
create a system to recycle as much water
showerhead and sink, so on a day that
room nicely,” she explained. “It all worked
as they could for a second use.
the house is “well-used,” meaning two
really well. The plumbing system looked really elegant.” Using Viega products for innovative ideas Sullivan said part of the reason he was eager to have Viega work with the tinyhouse crew was the innovative ideas the group had for the small living space. He called the ingenuity “fascinating” and was excited to see how it turned out. The Berkeley team wanted their tiny house to be completely off the grid, able
6 | Viega Voice | July 2017
remove even more bacteria. The tiny house has a low-flow
“Our concept was to pump the
showers and dishwashing, there are only
greywater to planter boxes on the back
about 15 gallons of greywater collected.
end of the trailer/house and then filter it
“The goal was to make it a proof
through the planter boxes, through a UV
of concept of how little water you can
disinfection light, and then recollect it
use within a residence and still be
as filtered greywater,” Siegner said. “We
comfortable,” Siegner said. “We were
recycled greywater from the kitchen sink
going for this low-tech meets high-tech
and shower.
thing. Our energy system is very high-
“Our highly ambitious goal was to
tech with solar panels, but the water
get the water back to potable, but we
system is more appropriate technology
couldn’t quite achieve that. We did a lot
for a variety of contexts, including other
of testing on it, and there was still a little
countries where water infrastructure isn’t as present.”
GET CONNECTED
“The high quality of Viega’s products has been a key aspect in the functionality of our water systems, which is unusual and complex since we are off-grid. We were profoundly lucky to have this collaboration with Viega.” Caroline Karmann Project Architect
The PureFlow PEX products played a big role in the whole water system, with lots of tubing used not only for hot and cold water output, but to move the greywater through the recycling system. “It really fascinated me that they were going to recycle the greywater through a system on board, basically channeling it through a series of plants that eat the bacteria,” Sullivan said. “I’ve seen homes in the past do this and it’s quite challenging, even in a standard lot, and they were going to do it on the back end of a tiny house, so that really intrigued me!” The idea impressed the judges of the competition, too, since Berkeley’s team won the award for water conservation, as well as for overall sustainability. “Viega’s support was essential and extremely important for the success of our project,” said Karmann. “The high quality of Viega’s products has been a key aspect in the functionality of our water systems, which is unusual and complex since we are off-grid. We were profoundly lucky to have this collaboration with Viega.” Viega. Connected in quality.
GET CONNECTED
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE: VIEGA’S NEW HEADQUARTERS
A
spacious, open work environment
“It’s been designed for optimal
with brainstorming areas, multiple
The new corporate office building will
collaboration,” said Chief Operations
be approximately 50,000 square feet on
conference rooms and quiet focus rooms,
Officer Robert Boots. “We want to
three floors, and is designed for more than
a plethora of Viega products used and
facilitate great communication
200 employees. The building will feature
on display, beautiful mountain views and
among colleagues.”
an open work environment with ergonomic
plenty of room for future growth, not to
Boots said it was also important to
workstations. The theme is warm, modern
mention a state-of-the-art seminar center –
showcase Viega products in the corporate
and efficient, Erkelenz said, including
the new Viega North America headquarters
office building. What better place to show
indoor and outdoor seating off the large
has it all.
the ultimate functionality of Viega than in
break room/kitchen and lots of spaces to
the company’s own building?
collaborate or work quietly, depending on
Viega LLC broke ground for its new corporate headquarters office building and
“We’ll be using our own materials,
the need.
seminar center in Broomfield, Colorado,
of course, and making things visible,”
in July. The structures, designed by OZ
said Lars Erkelenz, director of supply
choice,” Erkelenz said. “We want to help
Architecture in Denver, feature modern
chain development and controlling. The
colleagues be creative.”
architecture with a Colorado-inspired
project will use products including in-wall
theme that includes lots of cross-laminated
flushing systems, Viega Pureflow System,
perks, too – ample opportunity for outdoor
timber for a warm feel. The entire campus
snowmelt and radiant heating, ProPress
recreation nearby, beautiful views of
is on nearly 12 acres of land, leaving
Copper, ProPress Stainless and Viega Fire
the Flat Irons mountains, restaurants
plenty of room for future buildings as
Protection systems.
and shopping nearby, as well as nearby
Viega LLC continues to grow. 8 | Viega Voice | July 2017
“We want to be an employer of
There are lots of other employee
"We’re really planting our roots in the area. This is an exciting time for Viega.” Robert Boots
Chief Operations Officer, Viega LLC
connection to major highways. There are
the West Coast to experience not only
This facility in Colorado will support
multiple lodging establishments in close
classroom learning but also unmatched
architects, engineers, contractors,
proximity to the campus for visitors and
hands-on instruction with Viega products
code officials and distributors in the
seminar center attendees.
for plumbing, piping and radiant heating
western region of North America,"
and cooling applications,” said Jason
Gottermeier said.
The seminar center will be approximately 25,000 square feet on one floor,
McKinnon, director of technical services.
and will include a cafeteria to hold up to
“This cutting-edge facility will offer
The location for Viega LLC’s campus was chosen for its attractiveness on many
80 people at a time. With the Viega train-
additional classroom space as well as a
fronts. Denver is a popular place to many
ing center in Nashua, New Hampshire,
hands-on workshop that is nearly double
employees, and Broomfield is a “strong
consistently well-attended, the new center
the size of our facility in Nashua, meaning
growth hub,” Erkelenz said.
in Broomfield will likely attract more users
more opportunity for customer training
from the western part of the United States,
and continued industry partnerships.”
allowing us to better serve our customers. “The new Broomfield seminar center allows Viega to continue our commitment
Robert Gottermeier, VP of business
an important attribute, with direct international flights to and from Denver,
McKinnon’s thoughts, noting that industry
making business easier.
education and training is a core focus
successes we’ve had in New England
at Viega.
accessible location for those who live on
of Denver International Airport as
development for Viega, echoed
to industry education. Building on the over the past decade, we will have a more
Boots noted the easy accessibility
“We offer information on applications and systems in all phases of this industry.
“We’re really planting our roots in the area,” Boots said. “This is an exciting time for Viega.” Target completion date is late 2018.
Viega. Connected in quality.
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TURN TO PAGE 30 TO LEARN HOW VIEGA REWARDS BOOSTED BUSINESS FOR HARRIS-DUDLEY PLUMBING COMPANY.
* Must choose “Viega Voice” from pull-down menu on registration page. Offer valid for new users only. 10 | Viega Voice | July 2017
GET CONNECTED
Radiant heat was the best solution for this open 5,000-square-foot barn in Connecticut.
OPEN-CONCEPT BARN STAYS TOASTY WITH VIEGA RADIANT HEATING A
5,000-square-foot living area that’s mostly post and beam without many
interior walls poses a challenge in hiding the pipes. Modern Plumbing and Heating in New Canaan, Connecticut, took on the big challenge when they worked on a new-build barn for a previous client. And 180 pages of plans later, the project came together without a hitch. The floor of the barn, as the homeowners affectionately refer to the building, is nearly all steel and concrete, and contractor Joe Keegan said it was a “cool project, just tough. Everything there was tough because there was steel everywhere!” continued on page 12 Viega. Connected in quality.
GET CONNECTED Keegan said he knows and understands the trend of homeowners maximizing open spaces, but for a contractor it means there are less places to hide pipes and other elements integral to the comfort and usability of the home. For years, the homeowners had talked about remodeling a barn that was on the property. When a tremendous snow load caused it to collapse, it was an open door to completely start over and do whatever they could imagine. Keegan’s company had helped the property owners on their home, so calling in Modern Plumbing and Heating to work on the barn certainly made sense. “They were always planning on turning the barn into a living space, so when it collapsed, they could start fresh,” Keegan said. “It’s huge and open, a lot of steel and glass but it’s very efficient. It’s a gathering place that’s modern and cool.” The entire 5,000-square-foot structure is warmed with radiant heat, thanks to Viega, and the barn is equipped with ProPress Copper and MegaPressG. Viega ball valves were also installed. Keegan said he wanted to have “every part of the Viega system, not other pieces.” Keegan said because the barn is so open, and has so much glass, from a comfort standpoint he believed radiant
“Viega is, to me, a company for craftsmen and people who really take pride in what they do. It’s about quality, which is why Viega is such a good fit for us.” Joe Keegan Contractor, Modern Plumbing and Heating
heating was the only option. A lot went into the project. Keegan said plans were in the works for more than two years before a shovel went into the ground. Because there was so much time invested in the design of things, the actual build and installation went very smoothly. “Every single pipe in every direction had to be accounted for. There was no place to hide anything,” Keegan said. “It was so precise; there was a lot of time on the prep side.” The decision to use Viega was all up to Modern Plumbing. The homeowners left the decisions to Keegan’s expertise. And for Keegan, there was nothing to consider. “We really only use Viega. If we’re going to do radiant especially, everything we do is Viega,” Keegan said. “We’re big fans of copper, and even for heat lines we like copper, so it’s all ProPress. 12 | Viega Voice | July 2017
The barn utilizes Viega ProRadiant, as well as ProPress Copper and MegaPressG products.
GET CONNECTED “We’ve been doing radiant heat from the earliest days. We used ProPress about 13 years ago, and it was actually a Viega Voice article that sold it for me,” Keegan said. “There were a bunch of gas manifolds at a strip mall as far as the eye could see in one picture, and I thought, ‘If this mechanical company can invest in Viega and they’re not afraid, how much longer are we going to wait?’ Our first ProPress job was so fast that all of us just laughed at how fast we could do it. We never thought about looking back.” From there, Keegan said he jumped on MegaPress when it entered the market, knowing the success he’d had with ProPress. He loves that Modern Plumbing and Heating can compete with larger companies that might have more manpower, because he can save so much on labor with just a single ProPress tool. He said he remembers years ago, a few months after he started pressing with Viega, his young children asking him if he still worked. Puzzled, he asked for an explanation. They said he didn’t “smell like work” anymore, which had spurred their questions. “Smelling like work was flux and solder and smoke from soldering,” he said. “I think from a health standpoint, I can’t imagine why anybody would still be soldering. The health benefits we must be reaping from using ProPress! I remember going on vacation, and for days after you stopped working you’d have grease in your skin, coming out of your fingers.” Health benefits aside, Keegan also loves the slick look of a Viega system, and said he’s happy to offer such a top-of-theline system to his customers. “This was a high-end customer, and they were very particular about what they wanted. So they chose a craftsman – that was us – and we chose Viega. We’re a fit for one another,” Keegan said. “Viega is, to me, a company for craftsmen and people who really take pride in what they do. Do we save labor? Of course. And the products allow us to do jobs we wouldn’t otherwise look at. But it’s about quality, which is why Viega is such a good fit for us.”
Viega. Connected in quality.
GET CONNECTED
UPDATED BATHROOM SHINES WITH VIEGA FLUSHING TECHNOLOGY B
eauty. Hygiene. Elegance. Ease of use. Simplicity in cleaning. There were
change to the wall-mounted toilet. But after it was all said and done,
places around the bottom of the bowl that gather dirt.”
lots of reasons the Geisthoff family decided
Giese concluded he didn’t see any cons
to install a Viega in-wall flushing system
to the in-wall system, and now that he
removes the crevices between the bowl
when they remodeled their bathroom.
knows the ins and outs of installing one,
and tank, which are often more difficult
it will be simpler next time around.
to clean. Plus, with the bowl lifted off the
Homeowners Lynne and Christian Geisthoff decided to completely overhaul
“I’d put one in my house,” he said.
As an extra bonus, an in-wall system
floor it’s easy to run a mop underneath. All
a hallway bath – used primarily by their
“There’s such a wide price range, and
of this adds up to a quicker, simpler job
child but also by guests – and change the
some of them don’t cost a lot more than a
when cleaning the bathroom.
room from a dated space to one with a
standard system. It cleans up the bathroom,
crisp, modern style.
plus there’s the sanitary aspect.”
“The bathroom was stuck in the
For Lynne Geisthoff, the sanitary
“I also like the sleek, contemporary look,” Geisthoff said. “It makes the room look bigger, a little more spacious without
'90s. There was really nothing wrong
aspect was a big selling point. That’s why
with it, but it was just outdated,” Lynne
she chose the touchless flush plate. With
She said she was pleasantly surprised
said. “We’re familiar with the European
the wave of a hand, a small or large flush
with how quickly the whole in-wall system
systems and, really, the cleaning options
is triggered. They also picked a high-
was installed, and after the bathroom
with kids … this really helps promote
tech toilet, complete with push-button
remodel was completed, she regretted not
personal hygiene.”
technology, to open the lid or flip up
putting an in-wall system in the bathroom
the seat, helping to reduce contact with
they’d previously remodeled. So when
germs.
the time comes for the next bathroom
One of the perks, hygienically speaking, in the newly finished bathroom
the tank.”
is the Viega touchless flush plate. Alan
“I love the hygiene,” she said. “The
Giese of Giese Construction in Boulder,
cleaning option is nice, too, because with
and touchless flush plate will be on the
Colorado, took on the bathroom remodel
a wall-mounted system you don’t have the
Geisthoff ’s shopping list once again.
for the family, installing the touchless alpine-white glass flush plate, the in-wall flushing system, and all the other sleek, new components in the bathroom. He’d never worked with the in-wall carrier system, so while Giese said there was a learning curve to installing it, in the end it was simple enough, and he could certainly understand the appeal. “This was all new to me,” he said. “I watched a few videos prior to doing it. It was a little more in-depth (than a standard toilet installation) because of the electrical work to the system and all new water lines.” There were a few hiccups too – particularly that the framing of the house made moving the plumbing around a little more challenging to accommodate the
14 | Viega Voice | July 2017
Before
remodel, no doubt an in-wall system
Installing the tank behind the wall saves space in the finished bathroom.
After
“I like the sleek, contemporary look. It makes the room look more spacious.� Lynne Geisthoff
Homeowner
Viega. Connected in quality.
A SYMBOL FREEDOM That also takes a stand for fire protection For something as grand as liberty itself, only the state-of-the-art and proven fire protection of the Viega ProPress Copper piping system will do. The precise manufacturing, highest standards in material and build quality, and extreme reliability make the landmark of freedom a whole lot safer. Viega. Connected in quality.
Statue of Liberty, New York City, New York, USA
viega.us/About-us
L OF
FITTING TRENDS
RESIDENTIAL FIRE PROTECTION ON A LARGE SCALE A residential fire sprinkler system is an asset in any home, especially in one like this.
18 | Viega Voice | July 2017
FITTING TRENDS
“Installation of a residential sprinkler system eliminates concerns for firefighters who might have to go in and extract someone who is injured.” Alan Larson Manager of Technical Services, Reliable Automatic Sprinkler
F
ire safety is essential in any home,
important from a life safety aspect. It’s life
no matter the size. Designed and
safety for the occupants of the house, but
installed with the intent to quickly get
also there are aspects of firefighter safety
occupants out of a home to safety,
as well.”
residential fire sprinkler systems in the
Larson said fire protection systems
U.S. have an excellent track record of not
are important in all homes, but in a
only keeping people safe, but oftentimes
larger dwelling like this residence they
helping to preserve the structure, too, in
can sometimes play an even bigger role
some instances.
because the distance to get out of the
From a one-bedroom apartment to a
house or the number of stairs to go down
large-scale dream home to a commercial
could potentially be much larger than in a
building or office space, fire sprinkler
2,000-square-foot home.
systems play an important role in health
Thanks to the partnership with
and safety. Viega knows the importance of
Reliable, Viega came in on the project,
fire protection, which is why we partnered
working with the contractor, Century, and
with Reliable Automatic Sprinkler
Elite Plumbing to install thousands of feet
Company and began manufacturing Viega
of PureFlow PEX throughout the home.
PureFlow PEX fire protection systems
The Viega 13D residential fire protection
in 2010. A good system was certainly a
system was installed with Reliable
necessity in the custom-built home for
concealed pendents and concealed
the head coach of the Clemson University
horizontal sidewall sprinklers. Viega’s
national champions football team. And
design team helped create the plans for
Viega was on board to help.
the project, which includes the red and blue PEX for plumbing and black for the
Protecting a big investment The home, almost 21,000 square feet,
fire sprinkler. “Reliable really helped Viega get its
includes features like an indoor basketball
foot in the door on this project,” said
court, a tiger-shaped pool (the Clemson
Viega District Manager Chris Mobley.
mascot), an elevator and large garages.
“We’d hoped to meet with the plumber
While all that might be above and beyond
for a while and Ferguson helped get us a
what most people have in their homes, fire
meeting. The plumber had already inked
sprinkler systems can be a great asset for
a deal with a competitor to provide the
any size of residence.
tubing, but when we met with him, he
“There are probably close to 200 sprinkler heads in the house,” said Alan
moved entirely to our system.” Mobley said the group at Elite
Larson, manager of technical services for
Plumbing noted that they were impressed
Reliable Automatic Sprinkler. “Really, in
that Viega makes its own resin and
any single-family home, fire sprinklers are
combines the flexibility often seen in PEX-a tubing with the superior durability Viega. Connected in quality.
FITTING TRENDS
ratings often seen in PEX-b tubing,
Being a custom home, there were
to line up the bracket with the bottom of
prompting the company to make the
many changes to the project as it
the ceiling joist eliminates the need for
switch to Viega.
progressed, and some of those changes
detailed measurement and guesswork
That opened the door for more
affected the fire sprinkler system. For
of proper alignment. This allows users
changes. Elite Plumbing had initial plans
example, the ceilings were altered from
to mount the pendents according to the
to use Viega crimp fittings to join the
the initial plans, changing in some places
design layout and then run the tubing.
system components, but after a PureFlow
from a flat to a vaulted ceiling. Those
All of these innovative features create a
Press demo, the installation efficiencies,
changes meant some redesign needed to
system that saves labor and leads the way
consistency of connection, and the
be done on the fly, but thanks to the literal
for a consistent installation.
ability to pressure test immediately was
flexibility of PEX, and the support of the
appealing, so they chose to install a full
Viega Design Services team, modifications
exactly what most people think, Larson
PureFlow Press system.
were simpler.
said. Residential systems are designed
One key advantage of installing a residential fire sprinkler system with PEX is the tubing flexibility and installation speed.
Fire protection systems don’t do
and installed to give occupants of a home Viega fire protection and safety Viega fire sprinkler systems are
time to escape a fire. The systems are not truly designed to extinguish a fire –
All the workers on site, said Larson,
versatile and easy to install. Installers can
however, statistics show that more than
“grasped the concept quickly of trying
mount the sprinklers before running the
90% of the time, fire sprinklers do help put
to minimize fittings. That’s the beauty of
PEX tubing, which saves time and labor
out the flames.
using PEX to begin with: it’s flexible,
costs compared to CPVC.
so you don’t have to fit in as many
“They activate so quickly that they
Viega also offers an innovative and
catch the fire while it’s still small, and they
elbows and connections, and it
versatile installation mounting bracket that
just have a fantastic track record in terms
speeds installation.”
can be used with all pendent styles and
of how well they operate and control
in every sprinkler configuration The ability
fires,” Larson said.
20 | Viega Voice | July 2017
FITTING TRENDS
According to the National Fire
loss per fire is cut by about 70 percent
years ago. There are a lot of lighter-weight
Protection Association, home fire
as compared to residential fires where
materials – more plastics and foams and
sprinklers can control and may even
sprinklers are not present.
things – so lightweight construction can
extinguish a fire in less time than it would
“Installation of a residential sprinkler
be bad if you’ve got a roof coming down
take for the fire department to arrive
system eliminates concerns for firefighters
or a floor falling out from under firefighters.
on the scene. Automatic fire sprinkler
who might have to go in and extract
Sprinklers help lessen that worry.”
systems cut the risk of dying in a home
someone who is injured,” Larson noted.
Tom Multer, the vice president of
fire by nearly 80 percent. And in a home
“We build houses today much differently
product technology for Reliable, said
with sprinklers, the average property
than we did 20 years ago, or certainly 50
that Reliable is a strong supporter of organizations like The National Fire Protection Association, The American Fire
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION:
Protection Association, The Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition and more. Fire safety is of the utmost importance to the company. “We believe that all homes should be
■ Home fire sprinklers can control and may even extinguish a fire in less time
protected with fire sprinkler systems,”
than it would take the fire department to arrive on the scene.
he said. “What would be a better way
■ Automatic fire sprinkler systems cut the risk of dying in a home fire by
to bring national attention to home fire
nearly 80 percent.
sprinklers than ensuring that the coach of
■ In a home with sprinklers, the average property loss per fire is cut by about 70
the National Championship team lives in
percent as compared to residential fires where sprinklers are not present.
a home that is protected from the perils of fire by a residential fire sprinkler system?”
Thousands of feet of Viega PEX run through the home for the fire sprinkler system (shown here in black) as well as to provide potable water.
Viega. Connected in quality.
“The kids walk into the [warm] changing area, and I think that’s the biggest benefit. It’s pleasant to walk on the warm tile. It enhanced the customer experience.” Liam Goudeket Aquatics Director, FINS
22 | Viega Voice | July 2017
THE TOOL BOX
POOLSIDE COMFORT THROUGH RADIANT HEAT T
exas might not be top of mind when thinking about radiant heating,
It isn’t just warm floors. Radiant
There was a short turnaround to get
heats the objects in a room, making the
the radiant tubing installed, as concrete
but when some longtime customers
environment more comfortable without the
was about to be poured. Nelson said he
mentioned radiant floor warming for their
energy-intensive process of heating air.
and his crew had 3,000 feet of PureFlow
new building, Raymond Nelson knew
Within a week, Barrile had brought
PEX Barrier tubing, which installed was
exactly what to do: he called his Viega
out the ProMotion truck, Viega’s mobile
11 different loops in the concrete slab.
rep and got the ball rolling.
showroom with components for radiant
In the finished building, radiant heated
onboard, and showed Goudeket and
areas make up about 1,200-1,500 of the
Nelson the parts and pieces.
total 8,000 square feet.
FINS is a swim instruction company located in the Houston, Texas, area. President and CEO Bill Goudeket
“I was really impressed with the
“I thought there was no way we’d get
decided he was ready to build his fourth
Viega ProMotion Truck that displayed the
it done with only two days to put it in,”
location, FINS of Cypress, and he called
products and Joe’s eagerness to get on
Nelson said about the radiant tubes. “But
on Nelson, owner of Raymond Nelson
the project. It told us this was a company
we zip-tied it to the rebar, and it went
Plumbing, to help.
that deals with this type of product,”
really quickly. I was surprised, to get it
Goudeket said of Viega.
done in that time crunch.”
The newest location features radiant heating to help keep students comfortable in and out of the pool and
continued on page 24
changing areas. And although Nelson hadn’t installed radiant products before, he was confident that Viega was his go-to source. “This was my first go at radiant,” he said. “I’ve done some ProPress and MegaPress, and when this popped up I said, ‘Here we go!’” Nelson is friends with Viega District Manager Joe Barrile, who was excited to introduce Nelson to radiant heating. And the Goudeket family was excited to put the project into their new facility. “I’d heard about radiant heating a long time ago, and I thought it would be a big benefit to what we do,” said Liam Goudeket, aquatics director for FINS. “We don’t get long cold snaps in Houston, but we want to make it warm and comfortable indoors for whatever the weather. I heard radiant was a different type of heat compared to traditional heat.” Viega. Connected in quality.
THE TOOL BOX
“I was really impressed with the Viega ProMotion Truck that displayed the products. It told us [Viega] was a company that deals with this type of product.” Liam Goudeket Aquatics Director, FINS
The concept of radiant heat at
was a nice thing. In the shower area,
FINS stemmed from the idea to help
the kids walk out and into the [warm]
keep customers, especially children,
changing area, and I think that’s the
comfortable so they’d have more fun
biggest benefit. It's pleasant to walk on
and more success with their swimming
the warm tile. It enhances the customer
skills. The decks of the pool are heated
experience.”
with radiant, as are the changing areas.
Followthrough from Viega was excellent,
That brought along some challenges
too, he said. Even after the product was
in keeping the heating in the specified
installed and construction was complete,
areas at temperatures so that parent
Barrile – with the expertise of Viega behind
spectators or staff not in the water were
him – was still there to consult.
still comfortable too.
“It was helpful having Ray and Joe
In this particular climate zone and
come out after,” Goudeket said, speaking
working with the needs of the customers,
about how he received help and support
Viega’s heating design team strived to
from Viega in making adjustments to the
create a system that would decrease the
radiant system during the startup phase.
overall amount of energy used to heat the
“Learning how to adjust the flow and the
space, keep occupants more comfortable
timers, that level of understanding and
and even reduce slipping hazards by
helping us fine-tune and get familiar with
evaporating water on the pool deck faster.
the zones was great.”
“Our air heaters kicked on a lot less
This unique installation shows that
in this facility over the winter [with the
Viega’s radiant systems can be used as
radiant],” Goudeket said. “For customers,
an uncommon solution for certain projects
forcing that moisture off the pool deck
and can be brought to climates that might otherwise be overlooked.
24 | Viega Voice | July 2017
IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
FLEXIBLE UNDERGROUND PIPE YOU CAN TRUST
FLEETWOOD, PA
Employees at Levan Machine and Truck Equipment will be comfortable in their new work location, no matter the season, after Viega radiant heat was installed in the 8,000-square-foot manufacturing bay. Larry Kegerise of Earl F. Kegerise Inc. installed several Viega products, including radiant heat, ProPress for air and water lines and MegaPress for gas lines throughout the building. The business is located in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, and thanks to radiant, the employees will be very comfortable in the cold months ahead. Levan Machine and Truck Equipment is a regional factory distributor for truck bodies and snowplows. The business nearly quadrupled its building size in the upgrade, located just up the road from the former location. The new location brings many improvements, such as a 20-foot ceiling that will allow for an overhead crane to lower a body onto a chassis and three drivethrough bays with 12-by-16-foot doors, big enough for tractor trailers when needed. The owner of Levan originally considered overhead radiant tube heaters for the large open work space, but when he spoke to owners of a company in New York doing similar work, that owner suggested that in-floor radiant heat was the only way to go in a cold climate such as the East Coast. In-floor radiant produces better, more energy-efficient heat, keeping working conditions consistently comfortable. Radiant heating also
In-floor radiant heating will keep working conditions comfortable for the crew at Levan Machine and Truck Equipment in Pennsylvania.
produces a temperature gradient that is warmer at the floor level, where workers are located, as opposed to a forced-air system, where the conditioned air rises and heats unoccupied space. Kegerise and his team laid radiant tubing in the slab and hooked everything up to the manifolds in short order. Come the crisp fall days and cold winter months ahead, the twodozen-plus employees at Levan will have comfortable working conditions to continuing serving the region.
Viega. Connected in quality.
GET CONNECTED
COLORADO CONTRACTOR ON BOARD WITH VIEGA FOR NEW SENIOR LIVING FACILITY W
hen CCI Plumbing of Lakewood, Colorado, secured a contract to
work on a new three-story senior-living facility, it seemed like a good time to consider pressing. It would be a new venture for the seasoned company and staff, and after President Jed Mallard took two of his project managers to Nashua, New Hampshire, for training, they were all sold on Viega products. They returned home, and CCI invested in multiple sets of Ridgid press tools to use for the project, which includes all the plumbing, water and gas pipe for the 165,000-square-foot building. The facility has multiple commercial kitchens and dining areas, a salon, spa, indoor pool and fitness areas, as well as 141 tenant units, which gave CCI the opportunity to install Viega ProPress, MegaPress, PureFlow Press and ManaBloc products in a variety of sizes. “Part of our plan was to determine with this project how much of a competitive edge using the Viega products and press tools could give us,” Mallard said. “We knew that we would be able to save on installation costs but did not really have a good baseline to know exactly what that would look like.” Mallard has been in the commercial construction and services industry for more than 27 years. He purchased CCI – established in 1989 – in late 2015 and has been building on the company’s legacy. One of his goals is to have a broad array of projects to pursue, and Mallard knew that utilizing pressing technology could help him diversify his offerings. “I’ve been fortunate to have reallife experiences and exposure to many aspects of our industry,” Mallard said. “I’ve had the good fortune to work alongside
26 | Viega Voice | July 2017
Viega PEX Press and ManaBloc products will provide the potable water for this new senior living facility in Colorado, which will have 141 tenant units and various amenities.
GET CONNECTED
and learn from some very talented people.
CCI Plumbing had previously done some
system had a very low margin of error. He
One common theme that has stood out
crimp ring work through the years, but
wanted to learn more.
to me through my positions is that there
Mallard said his field crews didn’t much
is almost always a better way to do
care for the system – there were too many
introduction between CCI and Viega,
something, and just because something
factors and limitations that could affect
bringing District Manager Roy Sevigny out
has always been done a certain way
installation that could cause leaks. Upon
to give an introduction to Viega products.
doesn’t mean that’s the best way.”
reading some case studies about Viega
When Mallard was ready to make the final
fittings, he said he and his staff felt like the
decision of whether to go with Viega or a
This was top of mind when he considered adopting press technology.
Ferguson helped facilitate the
competitor, he chose to attend training in Nashua at the Viega facility.
“The training [in Nashua] was great. It was a good mix of introduction, product capability, real-world field knowledge from the presenter Troy [Locke], hands-on experience and real-life scenarios.” Jed Mallard President, CCI Plumbing
“The training [in Nashua] was great. It was a good mix of introduction, product capability, real-world field knowledge from the presenter Troy [Locke], hands-on experience and real-life scenarios.” Mallard said he wanted two of his senior project managers to attend the training to help make the decision and to get buy-in from the field. If they weren’t sold on Viega then he wouldn’t make the investment. “I needed to know that my guys who would be using the tools and installing these products felt that this was a better way to do things as well,” he said. Everyone was in favor. Mallard said he was also impressed by the support he knew he’d receive from his local representative, Sevigny, and the staff at Ferguson, and knowing that Viega had recently relocated its North American headquarters to the Denver area was also a factor, because he liked that the company was investing in his home state. He met other contractors at Nashua during training, who had already implemented Viega products, and Mallard said he heard all good things from them. That positive reputation was also a plus. As Mallard continues to grow his business, he’s excited to have Viega in his arsenal. The door is wide open for possibilities. “I can see Viega also being huge for the retrofit market, where time is a big factor,” he said. “It can be a big advantage on a project with critical time constraints and factors. We see the Viega products and tools helping to diversify the projects we can take on.” Expected completion for the seniorliving facility is late 2017 or early 2018.
Viega. Connected in quality.
THE TOOL BOX
VIEGA’S NEWEST INNOVATION: MEGAPRESS STAINLESS Dominic Kung, MegaPress Product Manager, Viega LLC
A
famous quote,
if imitation is the best form of flattery,
joining methods, such as soldering or
misattributed to
our competitors are flattering us a lot
welding. Additionally, without having to
these days.
introduce heat into the process, there are
Henry Ford, says, “If I had asked my customers what
When hearing the horse quote, some
no fire watches or hot work permits, which
they wanted, they would
people will say it highlights the need to
can be costly and timely
have said faster horses.”
read between the lines of what customers
to acquire.
Here at Viega we don’t deal with cars or
are saying, while others take the stance
horses, but nonetheless we can relate to
we should not listen to the customer and
tradition of innovation, and has all the
the heart of this quote. Henry Ford was
instead continue down a visionary path
above-mentioned advantages of press.
not directly trying to solve the problem
of manufacturing innovation, despite
It is a great addition to any facility,
of slow horses; he was trying to innovate
customer input. Personally, I see it as a
organization or business, because it
and bring automobiles to the masses.
bit of both, especially in our case, where
allows timely repair, predictable installation
And when Viega first introduced the press
our customers' voices need to be heard,
costs and less labor overall. It is also the
fitting in the United States, it was an
and our Viega research and design team
only system that can press onto schedule
innovative step for the plumbing market.
members can use their creativity and
40, and works with all off-the-shelf
vision to help solve the problems our
IPS-sized pipe. While some bemoan the
customers encounter every day.
cost of the fitting, studies have shown a
Ford’s revolutionary assembly lines, interchangeable parts and financing
I believe the quote also points out that
MegaPress Stainless carries on the
reduction of 50-90 percent in install times,
the automobile did not solve the problem
making MegaPress Stainless fittings
of slow horses, but instead it inadvertently
actually cheaper to install than most
solved the bigger problems of the day.
traditional methods.
Those problems included what to do
The reduction in installation time shifts
with the amount of horse manure being
the unpredictable labor costs associated
left on the streets or issues related to
with a project to a more calculable and
housing and feeding such a large animal
fixed material cost, which not only saves
workforce. Here at Viega, we are not
money but also allows the installer to
trying to solve the issue of slow plumbing
complete the job in a timelier fashion. This
methods, but our innovation has helped to
is where the real savings are realized, as
fix many of the underlying problems that
now you can complete the work in the half
plague our workforce today.
the time. All of this combined gives you
Many of our customers were
shorter downtimes in maintenance and
methods helped pave the way for modern
accustomed to working for long periods
repairs, or allows you greater versatility
manufacturing, design and purchasing.
in cramped spaces, lying in an awkward
in scheduling ongoing and upcoming
The biggest mistake he made was
position for minutes or even hours on end.
projects in everyday business.
getting complacent. He failed to continue
These issues were resolved by being able
to innovate, mostly by ignoring his
to make a reliable connection in seconds.
the many great Viega products that will
customers’ inputs and basing business
There’s also the ability to make a live
continue to push the innovation envelope
decisions solely on his vision. Fortunately,
connection quickly, without having to drain
in pipe joining technologies. We are not
Viega did not stop innovating, and has
the entire system. This can come in very
creating faster horses and revolutionizing
continued to bring new products to
handy in a repair situation, where often
the transportation industry, but we are
the pipe joining market and listening to
the cost of downtime far exceeds the cost
creating better and faster connections to
customers. Our copper ProPress and
of repair. Another issue users no longer
help revolutionize the pipe joining industry
carbon steel MegaPress lines were the
have to deal with thanks to pressing is
– on time and under budget.
first of their kind in the U.S. market, and
toxic fumes that emanate from traditional
28 | Viega Voice | July 2017
MegaPress Stainless is another of
“Here at Viega, our innovation has helped to solve many of the underlying problems that plague our workforce today.� Dominic Kung
Product Manager, Viega LLC
Viega. Connected in quality.
FITTING TRENDS
COMPANY FINDS SIGNIFICANT VALUE IN VIEGA REWARDS T
he Dudley brothers are using their
“Most of our guys now have a battery-
more tubing diameters, noting that their
current jobs to get ahead for future
powered press tool, and we earned them
company will significantly up the reward
by purchasing products for existing jobs. It
points they accrue thanks to the changes.
jobs, thanks to Viega Rewards. Bob and Mike Dudley, president and CEO, respectively, of Harris-Dudley
was great.” The company has, in fact, turned in
“There are some reward programs out there where you buy a whole bunch
Plumbing Company in Salt Lake City,
points nearly a dozen times since they
of stuff through a vendor or supplier, and
Utah, adopted the Viega Rewards
registered with Viega Rewards. It’s clear
then you hardly get anything back – you
program in September 2014, and they’ve
the program is working for Harris-Dudley
can buy a pen or a flashlight,” Mike
already reaped the benefits of it, trading in
and has given Bob and Mike a perfect way
said with a groan. “The Viega Rewards
their points multiple times for tools.
to reinvest in their company quickly.
program is definitely worth the time.”
In turn, they’ve been able to tool up
Harris-Dudley works on many high-
Reward points can be cashed in for
several of the company’s nearly 30 trucks
end custom homes in the Salt Lake
a variety of things, from press tools to
with battery-operated pressing tools.
City and Park City area, and most of
vacations, Apple products to jewelry, and
Instead of paying for tools out of pocket,
the homes include radiant heating and/
much more. Viega is making upgrades
they’re simply “getting them” for doing
or snow melting systems. The company
to the program as well, including a QR
something they already do – purchasing
provides plumbing and HVAC services
code that can be scanned via an app for
Viega ProRadiant products.
and solutions in the homes as well. It
simplicity, versus typing in a numbered
switched to Viega products around 2008,
code online.
“We were an early adopter. We didn’t let any of those little stickers go unused,”
as a response to the frustrations their
Bob said, referring the stickers found
installers were having with a competitor’s
Viega Rewards, get started today by
on ProRadiant tubing. Users log in at
expander fittings, particularly in cold
downloading the free app through the
ViegaRewards.us and type in the number
weather. Because of their extensive work
Apple Store or Google Play. The app
on the sticker to earn points based on the
with radiant, Harris-Dudley purchases an
includes a QR code scanner for easy point
amount of tubing purchased.
estimated 300,000 feet of radiant tube per
collection.
“It didn’t take long, just a couple of jobs, and then we had enough points that we could actually get some of the press tools they offered,” Mike added.
30 | Viega Voice | July 2017
If you’re interested in earning
year – meaning the Viega Rewards add up fast. Bob said he was pleased that the program was recently expanded to include
Download the app today!
FITTING TRENDS
TECH TALK Viega Tech Talk Experts Jason Allison, Jacob Demars, and David Melendy
ÂŽ Q Is Viega FostaPEX a PEX-AL-PEX type tubing that is listed to the ASTM
F1281 standard? A Viega’s Form Stable FostaPEX tubing does not fall under the ASTM F1281
Q Are special tools needed for the Viega pre-insulated pipe connections?
a stable, continuous trench base to support
A The pre-insulated pipe connections do not require any special tools and use standard
when the tubing is laid in the trenches, and
the tubing. Always allow sufficient slack do not use blocking to support the tubing.
hex-head bolts for both the expansion
PEX tubing can be damaged by contact
PEX-AL-PEX standard, because the outer
and compression bolts on the fittings.
with sharp objects. Ensure that the trench
layer of PE (Polyethylene) is not cross-
The connections between sections of pipe
linked making it a PEX-AL-PE product.
made using either a coupling or tee are
FostaPEX tubing is described as tubing
made up of two or three threaded brass
that is made from one full dimensional
compression adapters and either one
inner PEX core with an aluminum and
threaded brass coupling or one threaded
outer PE layer surrounding it and is listed
brass tee to make the connection.
to the PEX standard ASTM F876 and the
bottom and fill do not contain sharp rocks or other items. Backfill material must be free of large rocks, glass or other sharp objects as well. Provide sufficient coverage over tubing so that expected traffic loads will not deform tubing. Compact this material to at least 6" above the tube. Direct burial of PEX
Common thread-sealing practices should
fittings may require protective measures:
be utilized (thread cement, tape, etc.)
FostaPEX tubing is NSF-pw (CL5) listed
Viega PEX Press fittings (Zero Lead bronze
for the male NPT to female NPT thread
for potable water applications and has
and polymer) do not require any protective
connection. Viega does not endorse
been tested for health effects to ANSI/
wrap for direct burial installations; however,
or sell thread-sealing materials but
NSF standard 61 and performance
Viega PEX Crimp fittings and their crimp
suitable products are readily available at
testing to ANSI/NSF standard 14.
rings shall be securely wrapped with self-
wholesalers and retailers.
fusing, formaldehyde-free, fully cured
F877 manufacturer system listing.
Form Stable tubing is intended and recommended for use in both hot and cold potable water distribution systems, as well as in hydronic radiant heating and cooling systems.
silicone tape with a minimum thickness of Q Can ViegaPEX tubing and fittings be used underground? A Yes, ViegaPEX Ultra and FostaPEX tubing may both be used underground and for water-service piping. When running the PEX lines underground, it is important to provide
0.020". Viega offers this protective wrap, and the part number is 15320. Always follow local codes when installing ViegaPEX tubing and fittings underground. Consult standards such as ASTM D2774: Standard Recommended Practice for Underground Installation of Thermoplastic Pressure Piping for further information. Viega. Connected in quality.
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE
PAID WICHITA KS PERMIT NO 485
VIEGAVOICE
Viega LLC 12303 Airport Way, Suite 395 Broomfield, CO 80021 Return address requested 800-976-9819 www.viega.us insidesales@viega.us
The term Viega, as used in this publication, does not apply to a specific company within the various separate and distinct companies comprising the Viega group of companies. The term Viega as used in this publication refers to the Viega brand itself or generally to the Viega group of companies. References to activities in North America specifically refer to activities of Viega LLC. A green dot on a Viega ProPress, MegaPress and PEX Press polymer fitting indicates the Smart Connect feature with an EPDM sealing element. A yellow dot on a Viega ProPressG and MegaPressG fitting indicates the Smart Connect feature with an HNBR sealing element. A white dot on a Viega ProPress (304 FKM) fitting indicates the Smart Connect feature with a FKM sealing element. For a current list of applications, please visit www.viega.us/applications. Zero Lead identifies Viega products meeting the lead-free requirements of NSF 61-G through testing under NSF/ANSI 372 (0.25% or less maximum weighted average lead content). ©2017, Climate Mat®, Climate Panel®, Climate Trak®, FostaPEX®, GeoFusion®, ManaBloc®, MegaPress®, ProPress®, PureFlow®, Radiant Wizard®, SeaPress®, Smart Connect®, SmartLoop®, Snap Panel®, S-NO-ICE®, Viega®, XL® and XL-C® are registered trademarks of Viega GmbH & Co. KG. ViegaPEX™, Visign™ and Eco Plus™ are trademarks of Viega GmbH & Co. KG. Eco Brass® is a registered trademark of Mitsubishi Shindoh Co., LTD. RIDGID® is a registered trademark of RIDGID, Inc.
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