AquaPEX

When you need a durable, reliable in-slab piping solution for your plumbing projects, look to pre-sleeved Uponor AquaPEX®. Pre-sleeved Uponor AquaPEX in-slab plumbing systems require shorter pipe runs for less material, less water volume, less energy, better hot-water delivery times and less water consumption. With its color-coded red or blue HDPE sleeving around strong, durable Read more

When you need a durable, reliable in-slab piping solution for your plumbing projects, look to pre-sleeved Uponor AquaPEX®. Pre-sleeved Uponor AquaPEX in-slab plumbing systems require shorter pipe runs for less material, less water volume, less energy, better hot-water delivery times and less water consumption. With its color-coded red or blue HDPE sleeving around strong, durable PEX-a pipe, you have the fastest, easiest method for installing plumbing systems in the slab.

To learn more, visit the Uponor Online Product Catalog.

Installers find design and installation benefits from PEX plumbing system for micro apartments project The Interurban Lofts in Shoreline, Wash., just outside of Seattle, are part of a new housing trend for millennials looking for a hybrid approach to home life. These “apodments,” as they’re called, feature a unique setup of eight studio units per Read more

Installers find design and installation benefits from PEX plumbing system for micro apartments project

The Interurban Lofts in Shoreline, Wash., just outside of Seattle, are part of a new housing trend for millennials looking for a hybrid approach to home life. These “apodments,” as they’re called, feature a unique setup of eight studio units per “pod” with a full bathroom in each unit and a shared kitchen. Each unit is partially furnished with a bed, microwave and mini-fridge.

The community atmosphere targets university students, recent graduates, young professionals and even seniors with the purpose of giving individuals more affordable housing and the opportunity to spend money on experiences, not spaces.  

When planning the design for the six-story, 22,000-square-foot, 80-unit complex, the developers wanted a plumbing system that was efficient, durable and long-lasting, so they chose to go with PEX. Uponor’s design engineers and the Interurban Lofts project engineers worked in tandem to create an efficient system utilizing the flexible PEX piping along with ProPEX® expansion connections and multiport tees throughout.

The project used more than 10,000 ft. of Uponor AquaPEX® tubing to plumb the entire structure. For a few of the installers, it was their first time working with Uponor PEX. Thankfully, onsite training from the manufacturer gave them a short-lived learning curve.

“Once you’ve tried making a fitting two times, you’ve got it. It just becomes common sense,” said Roman Hudson, foreman at Wolfe Plumbing. “The Milwaukee M18™ FORCELOGIC™ ProPEX expansion tool operates the same as the smaller tool — just pull the trigger and let it go.”

The team appreciated the faster, easier installation with the Uponor PEX system, which included a lighter-weight solution compared to copper and other metallic piping.

“PEX is more forgiving and it’s lighter than copper,” said Hudson. “We used to use CPVC, stainless and copper pipes, but ProPEX fittings, man, it’s quick and fast. Once you started figuring it out, PEX is faster.”

The benefits didn’t stop there. With the design expertise from a manufacturer that’s been in the PEX industry for more than four decades, the project also reaped additional advantages beyond the installation.

“The cool thing about Uponor Design Services is, because it’s their product, they’ll push the engineering to the max,” said Bert Shepardson, commercial plumbing project manager at

Wolfe Plumbing. “That’s what allows us to use smaller pipe sizes and have more favorable installs.”

The DEWALT 20V MAX* 1″ PEX Expander (DCE400) can expand 3/8” to 1” PEX-A Tubing. A popular alternative to copper pipe, PEX-A (Polyethylene Cross Fiber Pipe) is commonly used in commercial and residential installation of pipework for potable drinking water, radiant heating, and residential fire sprinklers. Five interchangeable PEX expander heads in 3/8”, 1/2”, 5/8” Read more

The DEWALT 20V MAX* 1″ PEX Expander (DCE400) can expand 3/8” to 1” PEX-A Tubing. A popular alternative to copper pipe, PEX-A (Polyethylene Cross Fiber Pipe) is commonly used in commercial and residential installation of pipework for potable drinking water, radiant heating, and residential fire sprinklers. Five interchangeable PEX expander heads in 3/8”, 1/2”, 5/8” 3/4”, and 1” are available. The tool rotates each of these heads evenly to ensure consistent expansion around the diameter of the pipe. The 20V MAX* 1” PEX Expander features a dual-sided, heavy-duty hang hook and belt hook that can be mounted on either side of the tool. A bright LED light helps to illuminate the work area. In addition, the long trigger can be actuated at any point, making it easy to use in a variety of orientations between joists or under sinks.

The lightweight 20V MAX* XR® Brushless Drain Snake (DCD200) provides a cordless, powered solution for cleaning clogged drains. This allows service plumbers to get in and out quickly without the hassle of cords or tedious manual options. The 20V MAX* XR® Brushless Drain Snake comes with a 5/16” x 25’ cable that is coated with black oxide to help prevent corrosion and a steel inner core for rigidity to feed the snake down the drain. Compatible with replacement cables from a variety of leading manufacturers, the versatile 20V MAX* XR® Brushless Drain Snake accepts 1/4” and 5/16” cables up to 50 ft. long and 3/8”cables up to 35 ft. long with an assortment of different ends for various applications (sold separately).

20V MAX* 1” PEX Expander

-DCE400D2: MSRP $459 – Kitted with (2) DCB203 Batteries, Charger, 3 PEX Expansion Heads (1/2”, 3/4”, 1”), and PEX Expander Grease

-DCE400B: MSRP $299, Bare tool comes with 3 PEX Expansion Heads (1/2”, 3/4”, 1”), and PEX Expander Grease (no battery or charger included)

-Attachments (sold separately)

  • DCE40038: 3/8” PEX Expander Head
  • DCE40012: 1/2” PEX Expander Head
  • DCE40058: 5/8” PEX Expander Head
  • DCE40034: 3/4” PEX Expander Head
  • DCE4001: 1” PEX Expander Head
  • DCE400GR: PEX Expander Grease

 

The Avalon Bay Apartments, located in Alderwood, Wash., was to undergo a CPVC trunk and branch plumbing system installation. The engineering company and the developer had already specified the project trunk and branch,

AvalonBay_2The Avalon Bay Apartments, located in Alderwood, Wash., was to undergo a CPVC trunk and branch plumbing system installation. The engineering company and the developer had already specified the project trunk and branch, but Ashton Wolfe, the installing contractor and owner of Wolfe Plumbing, Monroe, Wash., is a strong proponent of PEX and wanted to do the project as a homerun system with flexible PEX piping. Wolfe worked with Uponor Commercial Sales Manager, Stuart Lorton, and Uponor’s Design Services team to redesign the project as a PEX homerun system.

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Originally designed with one 6″ CPVC water main, Uponor Design Services proposed a PEX homerun plumbing system with 2″ dedicated PEX lines running from the water entry to riser locations throughout the buildings. All the buildings were designed with multiple dedicated lines; each line feeding water to separate risers to distribute water to the individual water heaters in each unit throughout the buildings.

AvalonBay_8The six buildings ended up with a total of 1.3 miles of 2″ Uponor AquaPEX® piping with additional sizes from ½” to 1½” Uponor AquaPEX, ProPEX® Engineered Polymer (EP) Fittings, lead-free (LF) brass sweat adapters for large-dimensional ball valves and LF brass male threaded adapters to transition to water mains.

With any piping system installation, and especially in big projects with large amounts of pipe to be installed, speed of installation is always top of mind. Uponor provided a detailed design and layout plan and suggested the use of Uponor’s PEX-a Pipe Support rails with traditional trapeze hanger assemblies to keep the installation on track. In fact, in 25 days, the two-man Wolfe Plumbing crew installed all the 2″ Uponor AquaPEX — considerably faster than installing a CPVC system.

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Wolfe Plumbing, Inc. is a third generation family owned and operated business with over 35 years experience in the industry. Ashton Wolfe is the president and majority shareholder, sister Holly Wolfe is minority shareholder and Secretary, their father Todd Wolfe remains as Vice President.

Name of Project (City, State): Avalon Bay Apartments | Alderwood, WA

Date started: June 2013

Date Finished: May 2014

Size of Project: 369 apartment units that range from 715 to 786 sq. ft.

Workers onsite: 25

Budget: $3.5 million

Water heaters — Bradford White individual water heaters in units

Pumps — Grundfos

Piping — Uponor