Breaking News:

We’ve learned from an outside source Noritz, founded in 1951 as Noritsu Bath company a leading manufacturer of tankless water heaters in Japan but since has changed their name to Noritz, has acquired the entire interest of US boiler manufacturer PB Heat, LLC (Peerless Boiler). This news has been made public just as we learned of the ambitious move by Noritz to offer a 25 year warranty on four models of their tankless lineup, see that information here: Plumbing Perspective Industry News: Noritz Warranty

In a press release out of Japan it is stated that “Noritz is focusing on expanding sales of its main tankless water heater, heating water heater, and commercial water heater, with China, North America and Australia as their priority areas.”

And

“According to this case, Noritz will further promote the expansion of heating and commercial products.“

Google was used to translate the press release from a Japanese website publishing the news event. A screenshot of the translation is included here.

We’ve reached out to Noritz America for information regarding this news, a letter from Noritz President & COO was shared. You can read that here: Noritz Announcment. An official news release has not been shared in the US market yet at the time of this publishing. Further information to follow as it is made available.

An occupied 12-story commercial building–plus the need to replace nearly all the pipe and fittings—could only call for one thing. Viega ProPress.

A crew from Green Team Services Corporation was brought in to update a large commercial office building in downtown Miami that was full of old galvanized pipe. James Terry, founder and president of Green Team, said they replaced “every single piece of water pipe in that building,” which includes a restaurant on the first floor.

Built in 1970, much of the mechanical equipment in the 140,000-sq.-ft. building needed an upgrade. The company that had recently purchased the building decided to put in new chillers and replace the domestic water system. But because the building was fully occupied, it made things trickier, meaning Viega was even more attractive as the solution.

Work took about a month and a half in total. There were multiple phases to the job – changing over galvanized pipe to copper and installing new ball valves on each floor. There were multiple low- and high-pressure mains into the building, plus the team put in a new pump skid.

The first phase included running all new 4″ piping in the mechanical room which was in the basement. Terry said his crew spent about three weeks installing new water mains and then came back for a large overnight shutdown.

“We had 11 plumbers for 12 hours, overnight, from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. It was a real marathon!” he said. “It would have been impossible without ProPress. The planning and the logistics that go along with an overnight project like this are huge, and it’s much more efficient to do with Viega.

“There are no surprises with ProPress. You know you have everything you need. I would never have done this job without being able to press. You’re talking over 100 joints in one night. You couldn’t solder that or do it any other way.”

Terry said using ProPress, particularly on the overnight portion of the job, kept the budget down for the client by having labor as low as possible. It also helped the team get the job done efficiently while having as little of an impact on the building’s occupants as possible.

Green Team bid the job with ProPress specified. Terry said they’ve been using Viega

for the past decade and can’t imagine using another method. “It’s the simplest form. I wouldn’t make a domestic water repair that was copper [without ProPress],” he said. “We have so much experience using Viega, and we’re so comfortable with it. The ease of use and the installation process is great – you just go get a couple of boxes of fittings, the press gun, and you’re ready to go.”

Green Team has multiple bins of “emergency” Viega fittings in the most popular types and sizes in its warehouse so that if they have an unexpected shutdown in the middle of the night, they don’t have to depend on their suppliers when it’s 3 a.m. However, Terry noted that Lehman Pipe in Miami has twice been kind enough to open in the middle of the night for the Green Team when they needed some unique parts that weren’t already on hand.

“We work on all kinds of buildings – offices, healthcare, education and hospitality type – and none of them want to wait to have their water on,” Terry said. “For me, Viega means you can get to the next job quicker because you’re getting the job done right the first time, and you know there aren’t going to be any issues.”

www.viega.us

Click here to see this article in the November 2018 issue of Viega Voice.

Now that the Turkey and Grandma’s famous stuffing is gone its time to start checking off the list for those who were “nice” this year. I’ve put together a short list of tools that we feel would be perfect gifts for just about anyone on the job site. This is not a paid advertisement, these are tools we use ourselves and would buy again based on experience and the value we find in them.

Stocking stuffers under $25

C-RHEX™ Dual-Sided Magnetic Hex Drivers $6.99

These are truly 2 bits in-one. Perfect for the service bag or those that prefer to keep the little stuff in their pockets. This bit switches from 1/4″ to 5/16″ hex drive effortlessly. The bonus is being able to clean the magnet easily and go on with your work. Strong enough for install work but they seem to be a better fit for service in my opinion. Totally worth having a couple in your arsenal.

Milwaukee Cut 1 Dipped Gloves $2.99

I’ve been wearing these gloves since the spring and I can honestly say these are some of the toughest $3 gloves I’ve ever tried. Dexterity is a must when working with your hands but protection should not be overlooked and these cut level-1 protection gloves offer the best of both worlds. I’ve got as long as two weeks of use out of a single pair. Click the link on the “buy now” pic here for the lowest cost we have found.

OLFA LA-X 18mm Fiberglass Rubber Grip Heavy-Duty Utility Knife $10

These knives are impressive! So impressive we gave away 300 of them to our friends and followers on The Hub. Pair this knife with their super sharp 18mm LBB heavy-duty ultra-sharp black snap-off blade and it will likely be the last knife you ever want to buy. I’d recommend buying a handful, you can never have too many knives around!

“Wrap-able” tools $25 – $$$

Felo Flexible Shaft Bit Holder/Driver $25

This is a game changer. It may seem simple and it is but without this flexible shaft driver I would be scrambling often to figure out and make thing work with less than desirable tools. Do yourself a favor, if you do any type of plumbing or hvac service, buy one and put it in your bag right away. You won’t regret it. Watch a video from my service call showing the driver being used.

Milwaukee M18 Heat Gun $129

Here’s a tool I thought was going to be a dud, or at the very least only somewhat useful but man was I wrong. Its not going to replace a corded heat gun entirely but having it on my truck has proven invaluable. I never have to run a cord because I can do literally every daily job with battery power and this is no exception. Click here or on the pic for the lowest price we have found.

PVO1 Pipe Vise Portable Vise $150

This may be my favorite new tool buy of the year! This heavy duty cast iron vise eliminates the fumbling around of two pipe wrenches and helps you finish the job faster, without busted knuckles. The Pipe Vise team consists of long-time plumber and his college age son down in Texas who are putting all their resources into building a useful tool business from the ground up. Not only will you be getting a super useful tool, you’ll also be supporting the American dream. Watch the video here to see what how the pipe vise works.

Makita 36V Right Angle Drill $359(bare tool) – $469(kit)

Long gone are my extension cords. Rough-ins are a breeze without running a cord for this high demand job. I’ve been using this drill for months now and I have nothing but good to say about its power, smoothness and runtime. The 36V capacity not only packs a punch but keeps you working longer between recharge. This is the strongest, smoothest cordless right angle drill on the market. Click here or the pic to find it in stock and at the lowest price we have found yet.

VetoProPac Tech OT-MC $179

If you haven’t owned a Veto then what I’m about to say is worth paying special attention to. Veto Pro Pac tool bags are the best tool bags available. Sure you can buy a less expensive bag but you’ll be getting a lesser bag. There’s no contest here. Buy once and use it for a decade or more, that’s much less expensive than buying a lower cost bag. The OT-MC is my favorite bag ever. It has forced me to cut the clutter and weight but it has made me 10X more organized and a lot more efficient.

I hope this list has been useful, I’ll be sharing more before the end of the year.

When you’ve been in business for over 130 years, you pick up a few key learnings along the way. That foresight for Kiewit Infrastructure Co. translates into dynamic infrastructure, resource facilities, terminals, bridges, and waterways (to name a few) for people to use and appreciate all over the country. The company builds upon its reputation with every project—using each as an opportunity to rise above expectations.

It’s that very groundwork and forward thinking that landed Kiewit the Milwaukee streetcar project. The Fortune 500 contractor took on the project ready to deliver and leave behind a transit system its employees can take pride in and people can rely on.

Project in Motion

The Milwaukee streetcar will transport workforce, residents and tourists to the city center’s businesses and cultural and entertainment destinations. A hop, skip and you’re on your way. It’s expected to spur further developments in the surrounding area, from future routes to restored districts and brand new hot spots.

Phase one covers a 2.5-mile radius, taking riders through downtown to the Historic Third Ward to East Town to the lower east side. The City of Milwaukee aims for a mid-2018 completion, meaning construction complete and a concrete timetable. It’s a big job on the fast track. Any little disruption would set back progress a lot.

Kiewit knew it needed the right materials in place to match its team’s capabilities and meet the trajectory.

“We build and manage major infrastructure and transportation projects across North America,” said Zach Green, Kiewit Guideway superintendant. “For the Milwaukee streetcar, we wanted to go with a local company, but other criteria mattered – pricing, overall design, and time to install. Zurn checked our list. They also consulted with us, which we didn’t expect. We were able to talk to a couple engineers and confirm performance and specs.”

Keeping it Moving

Sometimes jobsites require contractors to customize solutions, especially when there are multiple, bulky pieces to the drain system. The streetcar project required 36 trench drain systems along the route. With time on the line, cumbersome build, makeshift solutions, and extra equipment simply wouldn’t cut it. You run the risk of pipe damage, accidents, and hefty expenses.

“The theme here was about making it easy. We’re a company that focuses on safety and quality. With all of our moving parts on the job, Zurn’s trench drain systems added up to less labor, less costs, and less worry. They’re built to the ideal design and dimensions. Our guys had no problems installing them or pouring the concrete finish around them—no rough edges. The pipe connections were very simple. All set and done, they look good too.”

Set in Time

Zurn’s pre-fabricated trench drain systems come in one long-lasting, yet lightweight piece. It took just two workers to carry them around and set them in place. Kiewit estimated its team installed each drain within two to three hours, making them at least two to three times faster than comparable systems.

“We’re already recommending them to other jobs in the works—all over the country. We’re telling our guys ‘Hey, these are the drains we’ve found that are the easiest.’”

Kiewit expects to complete the project on time, while upholding its safety and quality business model.