In a celebration ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 27, Uponor North America (Uponor) was named a 2014 Community Impact Award winner in the Sustainability Category. Uponor was one of three finalists for the prestigious award that is sponsored by Minnesota Business Magazine. The Sustainability Award recognizes companies for offering their products or services in a way that’s better Read more
Industry News
In a celebration ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 27, Uponor North America (Uponor) was named a 2014 Community Impact Award winner in the Sustainability Category. Uponor was one of three finalists for the prestigious award that is sponsored by Minnesota Business Magazine.
The Sustainability Award recognizes companies for offering their products or services in a way that’s better for the environment.
“We were up against some tough competition, but the emphasis on our triple-bottom-line philosophy, our community involvement and our efforts toward energy reduction at our facility made all the difference,” says Bill Gray, president, Uponor North America.
An Uponor team represented by Senior Management Committee members and members of the Sustainability Team were in attendance at the event, which was held at Aria in downtown Minneapolis.
“This award is a great honor for our company,” says Gray. “It validates the hard work and efforts in sustainability done by many at Uponor, and it helps promote Uponor as a sustainable, vibrant company that is invested in long-term growth and success.”
To learn more, read the article in the March issue of Minnesota Business Magazine that features all the winners.
Uponor, Inc. is an award-winning provider of plumbing, fire safety and radiant heating and cooling systems for the residential and commercial building markets. In 2013, the company was named Manufacturer of the Year by the Manufacturers Alliance in addition to a Top 100 Workplace by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Uponor, Inc. employs more than 500 people at its North American headquarters in Apple Valley, Minn. For more information, visit www.uponorpro.com, www.uponor-usa.com or call (800) 321-4739.
Sioux Chief is offering a technical bulletin on No Lead Product Handling Recommendations & Chemical Compatibility for Products Commonly Used in Plumbing Systems. The document particularly focuses on soldering No Lead brass, which requires a different method than traditional alloys prior to The Reduction of Lead In Drinking Water Act. Rough plumbing manufacturer, Sioux Chief, posted a Read more
Sioux Chief is offering a technical bulletin on No Lead Product Handling Recommendations & Chemical Compatibility for Products Commonly Used in Plumbing Systems. The document particularly focuses on soldering No Lead brass, which requires a different method than traditional alloys prior to The Reduction of Lead In Drinking Water Act.
Rough plumbing manufacturer, Sioux Chief, posted a technical bulletin that focuses on soldering No Lead brass, which requires a different method than traditional alloys prior to The Reduction of Lead In Drinking Water Act.
Many No Lead or lead-free alloys use special chemicals in their composition, making heat diffusion more difficult. As a result, it is more challenging for solder to adhere to No Lead silicon brass than to traditional leaded brass. For No Lead brass, a different procedure is required to make common plumbing solder joints.
In the past, the presence of lead in a fitting allowed a torch’s heat to transfer thermally within a fitting, allowing the solder to flow quicker and more uniformly. Today, contractors and tradesmen deal with many No Lead alloys and specifically silicon alloys that do not act the same way.
If proper procedures are not followed, joints may be compromised resulting in leaks and future issues. Reference Sioux Chief’s Tech Bulletin on soldering No Lead brass (TB 8-15-13) or Sioux Chief’s Tech Bulletin on the material differences between commonly available No Lead alloys.
Sioux Chief’s No Lead alloys, by nature of their alloying elements, achieve higher dezincification resistance and stress corrosion cracking resistance, but must be treated with greater care when soldering.
For Exceptional Maneuverability, Productivity on Low-Level Jobs The new HB-P827 low-level scissor lift from Custom Equipment gives contractors and maintenance crews a lightweight lift with a zero turn radius for damage-free use over delicate floors and easy maneuverability around tight corners. The all-purpose push model offers a working height of 14 feet for projects such Read more
For Exceptional Maneuverability, Productivity on Low-Level Jobs
The new HB-P827 low-level scissor lift from Custom Equipment gives contractors and maintenance crews a lightweight lift with a zero turn radius for damage-free use over delicate floors and easy maneuverability around tight corners. The all-purpose push model offers a working height of 14 feet for projects such as drywall, electrical, sprinkler and HVAC system installation. Custom Equipment also offers the unit in a CE compliant model, the HB-P4.5.
The platform on the HB-P827 is 22 inches wide and 43 inches long to give users ample working area. The ANSI/CSA-compliant HB-P827 lift can hold as much as 500 pounds, and the CE-compliant HB-P4.5 can hold up to 550 pounds, or 250 kilograms. The CE unit also is equipped with a platform overload protection sensor that alerts the operator if there is too much weight on the platform. In addition, the lift features dual front wheels that help distribute its weight and provide lower wheel loads. Together, the two features enable the unit to work on fragile flooring, such as tile, laminate, raised floors and mezzanines, with much less potential for damage. Users also can get onto poured concrete several days sooner with the HB-P827 lift than with heavier competitive models.
The HB-P827’s hydraulic system is completely self-contained with only two connection points. This reduces the potential for hydraulic fluid leaks, which lead to floor damage and potential safety hazards, and provides a clean system for operating indoors in either finished or unfinished environments.
Custom Equipment uses finite element analysis software to test its designs before building all of its lifts, including the HB-P827. This process allows the company to use a stronger, higher grade of steel so less material is required, and the results are lifts that are lighter than other manufacturer’s machines. In addition, the program identifies stress points so they can be reinforced without adding unnecessary weight. Custom Equipment also builds its HB-P827 with a robust scissor stack that features oversized, 1.25-inch pins to enhance stability and reduce scissor sway associated with smaller pins that are typically used on competing lifts.
The company designed its Hy-Brid HB-P827 lift to provide safer, easier access to the platform with an entry height of 25.5 inches, one of the lowest available. This not only reduces fatigue and knee strain associated with climbing on and off the lifts, but also nearly eliminates the potential for falls that can occur when operators are loading and unloading heavy tools and supplies. The enhanced safety results in fewer Workers’ Compensation claims and less impact on the bottom line. The HB-P827 also features an access gate that swings completely open to allow users to step up and into the platform. The full-access gate eliminates the need to duck under bars or chains, thereby removing much of the potential for neck or back strain injuries. Users can easily load heavy, awkward materials like drywall and lumber for framing by simply walking up and onto the platform instead of lifting the materials over a bar or chain.
In addition to enhanced safety compared to other lifts, the HB-P827 provides a safer, more efficient alternative to ladders and other manual methods commonly used to perform low-level maintenance and industrial work. Again, with the potential for falls from ladders or scaffolding virtually eliminated, operators can confidently maneuver tools and materials without steadying themselves. It also reduces the number of trips up and down to secure tools, and the platform enhances efficiency by reducing the number of times a user needs to move as a project progresses.
Finally, Custom Equipment designed the lift for easy maintenance. Its robust scissor stack operates smoothly and doesn’t require greasing. The unit is equipped with an absorbent glass mat (AGM) battery that make the HB-P827 virtually maintenance free because it never requires users to add water. The HB-P827 features an automatic charger that recharges the battery after each use. The unit’s hydraulic system is in a convenient, dual-access pullout drawer that allows users to easily access components from both sides.
Custom Equipment, Inc. engineers and manufactures all-purpose Hy-Brid scissor lifts in electric and push-around models. The all-purpose lifts offer exceptional capabilities in a heavy-duty but lightweight design, are easy to maneuver and reach working heights up to 20 feet. Contractors and maintenance technicians can use them from start to finish for a wide range of applications in industries as diverse as construction, drywall, electrical, HVAC, industrial manufacturing, painting and plumbing. For more information: Custom Equipment, 2647 Highway 175, Richfield, Wis. 53076; 262-644-1300; fax 262-644-1320; sales@customequipmentlifts.com; www.hybridlifts.com; or Facebook
By Gary Kellermeier Owner of Kellermeier Plumbing & Heating, Inc. Basement flooding is a lot of things – and all of them bad. It’s expensive. It can cause illness. And, it causes stress – a lot of stress. Especially if the basement is finished. Wet insulation and wet sheetrock can cause mold and mildew, which Read more
By Gary Kellermeier
Owner of Kellermeier Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
Basement flooding is a lot of things – and all of them bad. It’s expensive. It can cause illness. And, it causes stress – a lot of stress.
Especially if the basement is finished. Wet insulation and wet sheetrock can cause mold and mildew, which can cause serious illness. Wet framing is a concern because it can cause structural damage, which can greatly drive up repair bills, sometimes by thousands of dollars.
Simply put: It’s a big headache – and it’s expensive — to clean up and to replace lost property after a basement flood.
So, in the interest of preventing water damage, the first thing is to make sure the basement walls and floors are protected as well as they can be from water. It is also absolutely imperative to make sure the sump pump is working properly. An automatic sump pump should help keep normal amounts of groundwater from building up in the basement. It will act like a floor drain and keep the water from rising.
Unless there’s something wrong with the sump pump.
In fact, most flooded basements are the result of faulty sump pumps. Yes, power outages sometimes contribute to flooding, but the majority of basement flooding is caused by sump pumps that have failed or otherwise can’t handle the amount and flow of water.
To avoid plumbing service repair bills that can happen when a sump pump needs attention, and to prevent damage to property that is the result of flooding, homeowners should take the first step in prevention by making sure the sump pump is not more than 10 years old, the usual life expectancy of a sump pump. The best way to know the age of a sump pump is to keep the receipt; in fact, put it in a file to pass off to the next owner of the home, as a courtesy – and a headache preventive.
Basement flooding is preventable. To help avoid the results of flooding, keep handy this list of things that can disable a sump pump:
• Tripped circuit breaker: Make sure the sump pump has a dedicated circuit. If additional items are connected, it could trip the circuit.
• Faulty switch: The sump pump’s switch might be stuck against the side of the pit. Or, debris might be caught in the pit, causing the switch to fail. Be sure to inspect the switch to make sure it’s operating freely.
• Clogged strainer: Sump pumps have a strainer at the bottom that the water flows through. If the strainer is clogged, the water won’t flow through properly and the basement could flood.
Another effective way to help prevent basement flooding is to install a two-pump system, which insures there will be a back-up pump should one pump fail. It also has an alarm to alert homeowners in the event of a failure.
Basement flooding can be very expensive, and it certainly is a very big headache. It is also preventable. Being proactive by knowing what problems to look for in sump pumps currently in use and by becoming educated about alternative systems is advisable.
About the Author
Gary Kellermeier is the owner of Kellermeier Plumbing & Heating, Inc., in Haskins, Ohio. The company offers its exclusive FloodGuard, a system with two sump pumps, a solid state control box and two level controls, which insures there will always be a backup pump available. To learn more, contact Gary at 419.823.7626 and visit kphcomfort.com.
Summary
The best way to avoid damage to personal items and other property that is the result of flooding is to prevent the problem in the first place. One way to do that is to check the sump pump. A sump pump should help keep normal amounts of groundwater from building up in the basement. In fact, though, most flooding problems are caused by sump pumps that have failed or otherwise can’t handle the amount and flow of water. FloodGuard is an exclusive two-pump system that insures there will always be a back-up pump available – and alerts when there is an issue.
KBIS 2014 Welcomes More Than 31,000 Design & Construction Week Attracts More Than 82,000 (Las Vegas, NV) – February 26, 2014 – The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), the largest North American platform devoted to the kitchen and bath industry, welcomed 31,092 industry professionals to this year’s show – nearly a 145 percent increase Read more
KBIS 2014 Welcomes More Than 31,000
Design & Construction Week Attracts More Than 82,000
(Las Vegas, NV) – February 26, 2014 – The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), the largest North American platform devoted to the kitchen and bath industry, welcomed 31,092 industry professionals to this year’s show – nearly a 145 percent increase year over year – at the Las Vegas Convention Center, February 4-6, 2014. This year KBIS collocated for the first time under the umbrella of Design & Construction WeekTM with the International Builders’ Show (IBS), owned by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and VISION 2014, the International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE).
KBIS 2014 attracted 500 exhibitors, including 135 new exhibitors as well as the return of industry leaders such as Viking, Elkay, MasterBrand Cabinets, Electrolux and LG Hausys Surfaces, to name a few. Rounding out the lineup were the 87 KBIS exhibitors known as Loyalty Leaders, who have exhibited consecutively at KBIS for at least the past six years. KBIS is owned by the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA).
“We knew coming into Las Vegas that we were about to experience something ground breaking, and we weren’t disappointed! The energy on and off the show floor far exceeded our expectations,” said John Petrie, NKBA 2014 president. ”The co-location of KBIS and IBS allowed exhibitors and attendees to benefit from insights and product innovations serving the entire residential design & construction industry.”
Emerald Expositions, producers of KBIS, has already booked more exhibit space for KBIS 2015 than was sold in all of 2014. Additionally, KBIS rebooked nearly 20 percent more exhibit space on-site vs. pre-sales for the 2014 event. To accommodate the overwhelming demand from industry leading brands, another 500,000 GSF of exhibit space has been added for the 2015 event. KBIS will now encompass the North and South Halls at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“This year’s show saw more top brands, more new products and more innovation,” said Brian Pagel, VP Kitchen and Bath Group, Emerald Expositions. “We’re honored to provide the stage for leading industry brands to connect directly with their targets. Our goal is to continue to amplify and diversify our exhibitor base, making our attendee experience richer and more engaging. As we continue to evaluate our planned footprint for 2015, we look forward to welcoming more brands to the KBIS floor.”
Events on and off the show floor were in high-demand. Attendees traveled to various Las Vegas venues to experience innovative product applications as well as seminars and networking events.
“Our Voices From The Industry program was sold out before the show opened,” said Bill Darcy, NKBA chief executive officer. “We increased our sessions this year to meet demand for our learning offerings, and we are already looking at how we can expand offerings at KBIS 2015.”
Combined attendance under “one pass” was over 82,000 for both shows (KBIS and IBS), with 1,700 exhibitors in more than 650,000 sq ft of combined convention floor space. The premier Design & Construction Week attracted almost 540 members of the media, as well as 24 additional “supporting organizations” from across the design & construction industry.
KBIS 2015 will take place January 20-22, 2015, in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV, collocating again with the International Builders’ Show (IBS) and VISION 2015 (IWCE) under the banner of Design & Construction Week.
About KBIS
KBIS, in conjunction with the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) is an inspiring, interactive platform that showcases the latest industry products, trends and technologies. KBIS is the voice of the kitchen and bath industry and has been for 50 years.
Early in 2013, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) announced an agreement to co-locate the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) with the International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Las Vegas, Nevada in February 2014 under the banner of Design and Construction Week™. The mega-event will return Jan. 20-22, 2015, in Las Vegas with each show occupying a separate hall. Kitchen and bath brands that have participated in both shows can continue to choose to exhibit in the KBIS or IBS hall. One pass will provide access to both exhibits. NKBA and NAHB will continue to produce separate educational programming and special events.
For the latest news and announcements visit www.KBIS.com, follow KBIS on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/KitchenBathIndustryShow and on Twitter at @KBIS2015