Industry Blogs

The difference between cast iron soil pipe and plastic is easily understood when it comes to sound. Cast iron drain waste and vent pipe systems are superior when it comes to sound attenuation. For commercial office buildings, hospitals, high-rise condominiums or high-end hotels, no one wants to listen to the flowing of fluids when a toilet is flushed from the floor above.

Specifying cast iron for waste piping provides a plumbing system that is up to 11 times quieter than an all-plastic system. This is how it got its name – the Quiet Pipe®.

A primary factor in cast iron’s sound-dampening quality is its microstructure. Graphite flakes absorb and dampen vibration applied to the iron. The microstructure isn’t the only advantage when it comes to noise.

Cast iron installation plays a primary role in sound attenuation. The use of neoprene rubber gaskets to join sections of cast iron pipe provides additional sound dampening. Sections of pipe do not touch as the rubber gasket creates a buffer, and so contact-related sound is eliminated. In contrast, plastic systems are installed as rigid systems that are solvent cemented. Noise is created as the rigid system expands and contracts with heating and cooling.

A frequently used tactic attempts to create a solid barrier between the pipe and the wall: wrapping plastic pipe in insulation to muffle the sound of rushing water and fluids through pipes. An insulated plastic pipe, however, can be sound-enhancing rather than sound-deadening. The “fix” results in additional installation costs incurred for both product and labor.

Specify cast iron soil pipe and enjoy the benefits of the Quiet Pipe®.

Check out cast iron soil pipe’s other benefits.

Dave Parney is the Executive Vice President of the Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute (CISPI) and a former Master Plumber in the Chicago area.

One of the things that keeps contractors up at night is worrying about where their next qualified hire is going to come from.

The shortage of skilled workers in the trades is severe and getting worse. Seventy percent of construction companies nationwide are having trouble finding qualified workers, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.

And if Congress ever does approve a much-needed infrastructure package, the need will be even greater.

We in the trades can hope parents will stop pushing the necessity of a four-year degree to every child, regardless of interest or qualifications, but there are more practical measures we can take in the meantime.

Last year, Viega LLC launched the Viega Trades Education Network (VTEN) to boost the ranks and skills of students studying the design, installation and function of plumbing and hydronic systems. Viega is partnering with trade schools, community colleges and the UA in the United States and Canada to subsidize and provide training on mechanical systems.

VTEN is about providing a better education for those already enrolled and supporting the schools and instructors that are training the next generation of workers. Like all educational institutions, these schools don’t have the budgets and resources to deliver everything they’d like to give their students.

As members of VTEN, schools get comprehensive curriculum modules that easily integrate into existing programs. The modules include Hydronics 101, Piping & Controls, Radiant Design, Trades Math, Blueprint Reading, CAD and BIM, and more. In addition, Viega provides functional demonstration units supported by lesson plans and projects and a complete tooling package.

Educators receive admission to an annual VTEN conference in Colorado or New Hampshire, including hotel, airfare, food and admission; Viega and direct vendor support of BlueVolt^® eLearning platform; hands-on tool demonstrations and LoopCAD^® license options and instructor training.

The LoopCAD package includes on-site orientation to the network and a Zoning Demonstration Board and Mixing Demonstration Board to give students hands-on experience in troubleshooting systems.

And, of course, VTEN offers credentialed classes for Viega products, including ProPress^® and MegaPress^®.

But the program doesn’t stop there. Schools also receive a RIDGID^®  RP-340 tool or Milwaukee M18^® Force Logic Press Tool with a set of jaws for metal and PEX, as well as samples of various types of pipe and couplings for each student.

The first students in VTEN will graduate soon and we welcome them to the ranks of the trades. We invite other companies to follow suit and join us in building the workforce of the future.

Lino Santoro is Viega Trades Education Network (VTEN) Manager. 

We are approaching the end of the 2018-2019 heating season in North America, although homeowners in the colder northern sections of the United States and throughout Canada will likely need their heating systems for another two, maybe even three months. As you know, our long cold seasons can take a heavy toll on hydronic heating systems. Here’s a rundown on some of the more common boiler and component problems facing home and business owners and what can be done to remedy them.

Radiator cold spots

If your home’s or business’s radiators are not uniformly hot throughout, the following could be the culprit:

• air in the piping and components;
• a malfunctioning component or part, such as a circulator or a valve; and, finally, our “favorite” villain —
• rusty or corroding system pipes that ultimately fill the radiators with magnetite.

What is magnetite? As air and water mix inside the pipes of an untreated hydronic heating system, an iron oxide sludge, called magnetite, forms. As these small (.0003-micron) particles circulate and accumulate inside the system, they begin to adversely affect heat-transfer rates and boiler efficiency. Eventually, iron oxide buildup can lead to equipment damage and/or failure, resulting in costly repairs. Just how extensive is this problem? A recent study analyzing returns to European pump manufacturers found that nearly 70 percent of circulator returns consisted of failures triggered by iron-oxide buildup. The study also showed that more than 95 percent of the debris in hydronic heating systems consists of iron oxide*.

The fix? To eliminate air in the system, first try bleeding your radiators. But if the cold-spot problems persist, bring in a professional plumbing and heating contractor to:

• conduct a full system inspection;
• upgrade failing parts;
• fully cleanse the system with a magnetic dirt filter, as well as a chemical cleaner, such. This maintenance should remove not only the rust, but also all the other debris.

Noisy system

Maybe your boiler rattles every time it rolls into action. Maybe you are routinely treated to a chorus of bangs, gurgles, whistles and rumbles from elsewhere in the system. Regardless, such noise goes beyond mere annoyance; it might indicate more serious problems. Once again, air as well as a buildup of limescale are the most common culprits.

The fix? To eliminate the pipe noise, get rid of any trapped air by bleeding your radiators. If that doesn’t work, call a professional to flush the entire system of limescale and air. If the noise originates in your boiler, your service technician will work to remove limescale in the heat exchanger.

Leaks and drips

Water leakage from your boiler is never a good sign. Leakage usually means a breakdown is imminent. It’s a simple problem to spot. Is there any water beneath the boiler or around its pipes and tank? Causes can range from broken parts to corroded pipes.

The fix? Whether the problem stems from a damaged component or simple wear and tear, there’s only one answer for leaks and drips: Call a professional to check your boiler.

On the subject of leaks, it is often questioned whether cleaning chemicals cause leaks within hydronic systems. The answer to this is — no, if, of course, you are using correctly formulated chemicals, which includes surfactants, dispersants, and inhibitors that make it pH neutral. The surfactants and dispersants help dislodge, lift and move the corrosion, while the inhibitors protect the vulnerable metals during cleaning.

Complete protection

The rising popularity of high-efficiency boilers and the increased use of high-efficiency ECN (electronically commutated motors) pumps with these boilers, have helped lower fuel bills. That’s the good news. The downside: both of these positive trends can also create system-performance headaches for home and business owners. We will explore the why behind these problems in a future blog. For now, understand that both trends can lead to premature system and component failure because of the buildup of iron oxide sludge (magnetite) and other nonmagnetic debris. Both can rob hydronic heating systems of their high efficiency and superior performance.

The solution is magnetic dirt filtration, along with regular and proper system cleansing and protection. This is the only way to prevent the buildup of magnetite and the costly problems it can cause.

GUEST BLOGGER:  Brian Salem, ADEY Western/Central North America area sales manager.

Growing up in his Dad’s plumbing company, Brian has a wealth of experience within the HVAC/P industry. Professionally, Brian has been in the industry since 2004 and joined ADEY in 2017 – his role began as OEM Manager for North America but due to ADEY’s growing network of North American Reps, Brian has now taken the reigns as ADEY’s Western/Central North America Area Sales Manager. Brian Salem: brian.salem@adey.com, (847) 440-6665

A constant cry from across the nation: can’t find good employees. OK, in some cases, an employee of any kind. In Phoenix, my new home town, there is one estimate that if 1000 trained technicians came to town and were ready to work in our industry, we would not fill the gap—at least in our summer, which runs from March to Oct. What can an owner do to make sure his customers are served while he grows his business and remains profitable?

Couple of ideas. First, think outside the box. Or outside our industry. In some cases, a tech with a decade of experience walking into your place to apply for a job has some bad habits. They sometimes will say “we didn’t do that at the last place, here is what we did,” even if that thing they did will not fly at your place. Just to digress, I said in some cases. Please understand, a tech with 10 years of experience, who shares your company values, can pass a drug test and has a clean driving record may be the perfect fit for your company. Then hire them.

Back to my thoughts on outside the box. There are some great people in your market, people who may be working at Kinkos, a chiropractor, Starbucks, or any retail establishment. They love people, and just as important, like themselves, have a good self-image. They are not in our industry yet, but they may be a great fit for your company. Stay alert for the person helping you at a shop or restaurant. Do they smile, engage you as they help you? Could be perfect for the office or field.

One common concern is how long will it take to train someone outside our industry, teach them what they need to know. Depends, could be 4 or 5 months, or a year before they are completely productive. My response is always the same. We must think long term. It may be that you are just one man, working out of a truck, have to get some help, they have to have experience. If that is the case, then keep looking for the experience. On the other hand, if you plan on being in business next year, and have more than a couple of techs in the field, make an effort to look for a great person that you can train in the way you want, to do business exactly the way you want it done. Plan on them being in a training role for weeks, maybe months. I

In closing on this subject, if you do not take action today, you may well be in the same position next year, hoping the veteran with a decade of experience who can pass a drug test and has a clean driving record and will work for $10/hour will come thru the door. For an alternative scenario, see below.

Erv Dirks is a client who has a business in rural Wisconsin, town of 3200. Erv was getting work done on a van when the young man asked him what it would take for him to be in the heat and air business. Erv said he would have to start at a training wage, maybe several months to get the feel for the industry. Reader’s Digest version, Erv brought him in, he ran with another tech for weeks, Erv then started him on doing maintenance on installs they had done in the past few years, pretty sure they would be installed correctly and problem free. If he found a problem, he called Erv, got another pair of eyes on the system. That was about a year ago when he brought him in, Erv trained him in how he wanted the work done, exactly what to do, not to do. This summer that young man was doing tune-ups for their existing customers, he turned in 19 leads that Erv sold new equipment on in one 30-day period. Doing an excellent job, last year at this time he was putting brakes on one of Erv’s vans. Now he is making a lot more money, enjoys the work, gets to meet new people several times a day, life is sweet.

Another concept I have seen implemented is a way to use a life insurance policy to help retain the key employees. When you do have an employee who is making a positive difference with customers and their co-workers, keep them. Some of my clients use a whole life policy that builds cash value that can be set up as a carrot to stay with the company. It can be part of a program to keep the productive employees, a great idea.

In Phoenix, Collins Owens is the owner of Collins Comfort Masters, been in business since 1985. Collins hires four college-age young people, brings them into his building from 6am-7:30 am three days a week for training, then the rest of the time they are on the clock as a helper. They get to learn a trade without having to spend $9000 or more from their hard-earned savings.

Collins remarked that there are many HVAC owners in Phoenix who started in his in-house program. He is open about the program, I saw it on his Facebook page. Oh, while in that area, you do have a Facebook page, do you not? Collins has more than 4800 who have liked his page, almost as much who follow his page. He can run a special and get immediate response.

An interesting statistic, more than 70% of people who spent money on household improvements searched on Facebook for testimonials or reviews. You need to be in there, that is the new front porch. Back in the day we sat on front porches, called out as neighbors passed by, talked about what they were doing in their homes. Not so much anymore, now we go to the Internet, look up products and companies and do our research on our iPhone. So, get on their phone.

Jim Hinshaw is Western Division Manager, The EverRest Group, and associate, coach and trainer, Sales Improvement Professionals.