Mitigating Moisture Problems in Piping: Contractors Select AP Armaflex for Historic Renovation at Converse College Armacell and an award winning South Carolina mechanical contractor teamed up to complete a chilled water renovation to several historic buildings at Converse College in Spartanburg SC just in time for the 2014-2015 school year. Waldrop Mechanical Services and sub-contractor Read more
Industry News
Mitigating Moisture Problems in Piping:
Contractors Select AP Armaflex for Historic Renovation at Converse College
Armacell and an award winning South Carolina mechanical contractor teamed up to complete a chilled water renovation to several historic buildings at Converse College in Spartanburg SC just in time for the 2014-2015 school year. Waldrop Mechanical Services and sub-contractor, Dean Hall Insulation, insisted on using AP Armaflex® closed-cell elastomeric foam insulation on all of the chilled water piping during recent renovations to Wilson, Pell and Dexter Halls, as well as the energy plant.
Both contractors felt that the near-zero moisture permeance and low thermal k of Armaflex was essential to protecting the buildings from pipe condensation and any subsequent moisture damage. Protecting the Past (and Future) All three halls were built in the late 19th century and are considered iconic to the history of Converse College. The delicate renovation to these buildings revealed numerous century-old details including bead boarding, handmade chair rails, and hand painted decorative flourishes around windows, all of which were painstakingly restored. Exposing such details to the risk of condensation from chilled water piping was not an option.
AP Armaflex provided Waldrop and Dean Hall with the peace of mind they wanted upon completing the project. Additionally, AP Armaflex’s compact structure helped solve the problem of navigating insulated hot water piping tight spaces to get to the fan coil units above individual dorms. “Armaflex on chilled water piping is a no brainer. You don’t grow mold on it, and you don’t have to worry about rusted pipe,” said Scott Hall, president of Dean Hall Insulation. “Ten years from now, if they decide to go into those walls again, that pipe will look just like it did the day we installed it.” That’s sound insurance to any college undergoing costly renovation to historic buildings. Timelines and budgets often compromise certain aspects of such projects, but protecting the property from moisture damage due to condensation is worth the investment. Waldrop, an award winning mechanical contractor that specializes in demanding and often historic renovations, has learned which products are an asset on such projects and which are not. The company uses Armaflex on the majority of their projects and associates it with long-term satisfaction and the least risk for moisture related callbacks.
The Converse College renovation was completed just before the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year and included replacement and redesign of several thousand feet of HVAC piping – much of it hidden behind plaster walls and ceilings, and above and below precious architectural treasures.
A more detailed article about the renovation can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/1zFtQxW.
For additional information visit www.armacell.us.
Aquatic celebrates its 50th anniversary at the 2015 International Builders Show (IBS) by exhibiting a broad spectrum of bathware, including new models recently added to the best-selling Serenity hydrotherapy series. The company will showcase products in three locations including Show Village’s “Park City” home, a real house outside the convention hall where IBS attendees can Read more
Aquatic celebrates its 50th anniversary at the 2015 International Builders Show (IBS) by exhibiting a broad spectrum of bathware, including new models recently added to the best-selling Serenity hydrotherapy series. The company will showcase products in three locations including Show Village’s “Park City” home, a real house outside the convention hall where IBS attendees can see today’s best residential building products in an installed environment.
Aquatic, the leader in innovative bathware, today announced plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary at the 2015 International Builders Show (IBS) by exhibiting a broad spectrum of products, including new models recently added to the best-selling Serenity hydrotherapy series.
“Aquatic is marking half a century of leadership in the bathware industry with an expanded presence at this year’s builders’ show,” said Martin Joines, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Aquatic. “We plan to exhibit a cross-section of products in three locations, representing some of the ‘best of the best’ in our collection when it comes to engineering and design for today’s trade customers and consumers.”
AQUATIC IN THE PARK CITY HOME
Aquatic is the exclusive supplier of bathware for Show Village’s “Park City” home (Booth #P2), a mountain resort-style house provided by Irontown Homes, a custom modular builder. Located outside the convention hall, Show Village enables convention attendees to see today’s best residential building products in installed environments.
The master bathroom in the Park City home will feature a working version of Aquatic’s beautiful and super luxurious Serenity 55 DriftBath, one of eight new, streamlined and modern-looking Serenity models. This drop-in, acrylic tub has sleek, clean lines softened by an oval bottom, a curved back area and shaped armrests, encouraging the bather to recline and relax. A front-to-back graduated deck height and an elongated backrest maximize the bathing space without increasing the tub’s footprint. An optional linear overflow drain allows the tub to be a few inches lower in height without sacrificing bathing well and water depth.
The award-winning DriftBath system, exclusively available from Aquatic, provides an unmatched, gentle and soothing bathing experience. Up to 70-plus, water-only ports individually release a delicate ribbon of moving water that converge and flow in one direction. The result is a soft current that simulates sitting in a calm stream.
The master bath shower will consist of Aquatic’s A2 Composite 4834CPAN pan, finished with a 12”x24” horizontal, porcelain tile-up application and a clear, frameless shower door for an up-to-the-moment look.
Additional bathrooms in the house will include Aquatic’s 6032SMIN modern, skirted tub, part of a new family of streamlined DuraCore™ bathtubs that strike a smart balance of sophisticated design, versatility and value. Also displayed will be the 16034STTS shower from the company’s subway tile collection, which offers a timeless, classic look without the cost of installing and maintaining ceramic tile. The laundry room will contain an operational Delicair I sink for hand washing clothes and even small pets. The 25″x22″x12″ acrylic basin is engineered with the same standard-setting air bath technology that Aquatic uses in its full-size tubs.
“Aquatic is a builder’s best friend,” said Kam Valgardson, Business Development Manager, Irontown Homes. “We’ve been using the company’s products for years because they are great quality and cost-effective. We’re excited to use them any time we can.”
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″]Learn how to service an Acorn Air-Control valve and discover the various Maintenance Advantage benefits of the Acorn A171-108F water cooler. These instructional videos promote product features & benefits and allow for stress-free maintenance. Watch more Acorn Videos. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/kh7aC6wyE-Y”][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNBDs4AWoHU”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW12sHbt39c”][/vc_column][/vc_row] Read more
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text disable_pattern=”true” align=”left” margin_bottom=”0″]Learn how to service an Acorn Air-Control valve and discover the various Maintenance Advantage benefits of the Acorn A171-108F water cooler. These instructional videos promote product features & benefits and allow for stress-free maintenance.
Watch more Acorn Videos.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/kh7aC6wyE-Y”][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNBDs4AWoHU”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW12sHbt39c”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), the premier association for kitchen and bath professionals with over 60,000 members, today announced its 2015 Executive Committee, led by 2015 President Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD of Whitehouse Station, NJ. Mark Kovich, of Winchester, VA, was named 2015 President-Elect, and Denise Dick, CMKBD, of Carrollton, TX, will serve Read more
The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), the premier association for kitchen and bath professionals with over 60,000 members, today announced its 2015 Executive Committee, led by 2015 President Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD of Whitehouse Station, NJ. Mark Kovich, of Winchester, VA, was named 2015 President-Elect, and Denise Dick, CMKBD, of Carrollton, TX, will serve as Vice President. Lorenzo Marquez, of Sugar Land, TX, will assume the role of Treasurer, and Blue Arnold, CKD, CBD, of Jarrettsville, MD, will hold the position of Secretary. John A. Petrie, CMKBD, of Mechanicsburg, PA, will serve as Immediate Past President.
Find additional information on each of the 2015 NKBA Executive Committee members below.
President – Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD, Tewksbury Kitchens & Baths, Whitehouse Station, NJ
Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD, started her career in kitchens and baths in 1992, becoming a Certified Kitchen Designer in 2005 and a Certified Bath Designer in 2006. She is the Manager of Tewksbury Kitchens & Baths, a division of Huston Lumber & Supply Co, and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Trenton State College. Maria has been active in the Northern NJ Chapter, serving as President, Secretary, VP of Technology & Communications, and Chapter Representative. She has served as a Region Director, member of the Board of Directors, Certification Test Validation Committee, Nominating Committee, Industry Segment Task Force, Development Task Force, Governance Task Force, and a judge for the NKBA Design Competition.
President-Elect – Mark Kovich, Waypoint Living Spaces ®, Winchester, VA
Mark has been a part of the kitchen & bath industry for 23 years. During this time, he has served on the advisory council of manufacturers (as Chair), as well as Virginia Tech. Most recently, he served on the NKBA Board of Directors as a Member at Large. During his 3-year term, he served on the CEO Compensation Committee and the Governance Task Force, and chaired the Nominating Committee. He is currently the Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Waypoint Living Spaces®, which is the proud sponsor of the NKBA Student and Professional Design Competitions.
Vice President – Denise Dick, CMKBD, Signature Kitchens by Design, Carrollton, TX
Denise Dick, CMKBD, has been active in the kitchen and bath industry since 1984 as a designer, trainer, training development writer and consultant. In 2002, she opened Signature Kitchens by Design, a full-service conceptual design agency that offers design, planning and comprehensive management of remodeling projects. She has been active in her NKBA chapter from the beginning, serving as President, VP of Technology and Communications, VP of Membership, Secretary and Chapter Representative. Denise was also a judge for the local NARI Contractor of the Year Awards. She has served on the national NKBA level as a Region Director, member of the Board of Directors, the Education Task Force, the CKBP Certification Committee, the CKBP Exam Blueprint Specification Committee, and as a test writer for the CKBP exam.
Treasurer – Lorenzo Marquez, Cosentino North America, Sugar Land, TX
Lorenzo Marquez is Vice President of Marketing for Cosentino North America, a world leader in the manufacturing and distribution of quartz, natural stone, and recycled surfaces. In this role, he oversees all marketing, public relations and digital strategies for Cosentino Group’s portfolio of brands in the U.S. market. Lorenzo has been instrumental in overseeing Cosentino’s expansion in North America, which in 2015 will include the launch of 10 new regional Cosentino Centers, and the ongoing global launch of Dekton by Cosentino. He joined Cosentino in 2003 after receiving a degree in Entrepreneurship from the University of Houston and working for Levi Strauss & Company, also in marketing. He serves on the NKBA KBIS Advisory Council and is an active member of the A+D and Kitchen & Bath community.
Secretary – Blue Arnold, CKD, CBD, Kitchens by Request, Inc., Jarrettsville, MD
Blue Arnold CKD, CBD, is the Principal of Kitchens by Request, Inc., located in Jarrettsville, Maryland. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia in 1990, and soon after joined his family business. He has served on the NKBA Board of Directors since 2013, and has held the following positions in the Baltimore/Washington Chapter: President 2007-2008, VP Strategic Planning 2009, VP Programs 2004-2006, Secretary 2002-2003, and currently, Chapter Representative. He has served on numerous task forces and committees including the Governance Task Force, 50th Anniversary Task Force, 2013 30 under 30 Selection Committee, 2014 NKBA Executive Nominating Committee, 2010 NKBA Student Design Competition Judging Panel, 2011 & 2014 NKBA Design Competition Judging Panel, Region 3 Secretary BOCR, and as the 2013 KBIS Chapter Officer Leadership Summit Training Facilitator.
Immediate Past President – John A. Petrie, CMKBD, Mother Hubbard’s Custom Cabinetry, Mechanicsburg, PA
John A. Petrie, CMKBD, has been working in the kitchen and bath industry since 1987, designing custom kitchens, bathrooms, home offices, wine cellars and home theaters. His early education was in architectural design, but his defining specialty and advanced training have been in kitchens and baths. He is the owner of Mother Hubbard’s Custom Cabinetry in Mechanicsburg, PA. John has served the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the NKBA as Treasurer, Vice President of Communications, President, and Chapter Representative. During his tenure on the NKBA Board of Directors, he has served on numerous committees and chaired several task forces. John and his father, Les Petrie, CMKBD, have both been leaders in the NKBA, with John serving as President in 2014, and Les in 2003. This distinction marked the first-ever, father-and-son presidencies for the NKBA.
October 2014 Winners of VIP Installation Showcase and VIP Drawing Announced Lochinvar has announced the first winners in its VIP Contractor Program for the 2014-2015 heating season. Kevin Hart of Hart Plumbing & Heating in Portsmouth, NH, was named the October winner of the VIP Installation Showcase, and John Zinser of Zinser Plumbing & Read more
October 2014 Winners of VIP Installation Showcase and VIP Drawing Announced
Lochinvar has announced the first winners in its VIP Contractor Program for the 2014-2015 heating season. Kevin Hart of Hart Plumbing & Heating in Portsmouth, NH, was named the October winner of the VIP Installation Showcase, and John Zinser of Zinser Plumbing & Heating in Clare, MI, was selected in the first monthly VIP drawing. Both winners will be awarded Lochinvar’s renowned Nashville Experience, an all-expenses-paid trip for two that includes tickets to the world’s largest country music festival in June 2015.
Impressive Installation
During the initial month of the annual VIP Installation Showcase, which is housed on Lochinvar’s Facebook page as well as on www.knightheatingboiler.com, Hart submitted an entry detailing the installation of a Cadet® Boiler in an apartment building in Dover, NH. In addition to providing an efficient solution for heating the common areas of the building, the Cadet CCN120 Boiler, which is equipped with a separate heat exchanger that delivers up to 3.0 GPM of domestic hot water, is also used for a mop sink for those areas.
“I’m very excited to be the first winner in this year’s VIP Installation Showcase,” said Hart. “We’re committed to offering our customers top-quality, high-efficiency heating systems, and it means a lot to have Lochinvar recognize our work with this award.”
Through April 2015, approved contractors can upload a photo and brief description of any eligible boiler installation to the contest interface. Qualified products include the high-efficiency KNIGHT® (55,000 – 399,000 Btu/hr models), Solution™ and Cadet® Boilers, as well as the Squire® Indirect Water Heater.
Once an entry has been submitted, it is featured in a gallery where Facebook users can vote for their favorite installations. Each month of the Showcase, the top three entries with the most votes are selected as finalists, and a panel of Lochinvar judges chooses the winner.
If an Installation Showcase entry is not named a winner in the month it was registered, there’s still a chance it may win in a later month. While VIP Contractors can only win the Nashville Experience once per year, submissions continue to be eligible to win even after the first month they are entered.
Rewards for Registrations
Along with Hart, Zinser will be among the VIP Contractors attending the 2015 Nashville Experience. Approved VIP Contractors are entered into a monthly drawing for the annual four-day getaway prize package. When the drawing was held for October, Zinser’s name was randomly selected.
In addition to the chance to win the monthly drawing, approved VIP Contractors earn gift card rewards for each registration card. For each qualified boiler registration, VIPs receive a Visa® Reward Card pre-loaded with $25 value. Each registration of the Squire Indirect Water Heater earns a card pre-loaded with $10 value.
“I can’t wait to take part in the Nashville Experience next summer,” said Zinser. “I was looking forward to getting the rewards card for my registration, and then I couldn’t believe it when I found out that I won the first drawing for the trip!”
During the all-expenses-paid trip for two, winners and their guests will stay at Nashville’s Omni Hotel, a short walk from the ultimate experience for any country music fan. As part of the Nashville Experience, the winning VIP Contractors will also tour Lochinvar’s world headquarters and take part in a round-table discussion where they can share insights and information with Lochinvar executives.
For more information about the VIP Contractor Program, visit knightheatingboiler.com.