If you’ve ever started up a business, basically, any type of business, then you probably know that it feels like being thrown into a whirlwind of endless tasks, such as picking a location, training staff, figuring out why the website is glitching, and, oh yeah, making sure your plumbing doesn’t turn into a horror show Read more
bathroom design
If you’ve ever started up a business, basically, any type of business, then you probably know that it feels like being thrown into a whirlwind of endless tasks, such as picking a location, training staff, figuring out why the website is glitching, and, oh yeah, making sure your plumbing doesn’t turn into a horror show.
Now, sure, you might put some consideration into the bathroom design, but not really the plumbing, right? Well, plumbing isn’t exactly the shiny, exciting part of running a business, but it’s one of those things that can quietly ruin everything if it’s not handled right. From a residential standout (for your home), you know this, but it’s like that thought goes out the window the second it’s commercial plumbing.
Thinking Commercial Plumbing Is Just Bigger Residential Plumbing
There’s this assumption floating around that commercial plumbing is basically residential plumbing on steroids. Wrong. Actually, commercial plumbing systems are like a different species—they have to handle way more pressure, higher volumes, and, let’s face it, a lot more wear and tear.
Actually, here’s a good example. So, just imagine opening a coffee shop. Those sinks are going to be used non-stop, the toilets will see more traffic than a rush-hour freeway, and every pipe behind the scenes has to handle that constant demand. So, if the plumbing isn’t built to keep up, it’s only a matter of time before the problems start, and when they do, they’ll bring everything to a screeching halt.
Forgetting That Plumbing Needs Maintenance Too
Okay, now here’s the thing: pipes don’t magically take care of themselves. But believe it or not, so many new businesses set up their plumbing and then totally forget about it until something goes wrong. And when it goes wrong?
Well, it goes really wrong. Just think of leaks, clogs, or even an unexpected indoor waterfall in the middle of your lunch rush. Even if you don’t own a cafe, but something else, like a carwash, well, that might be even more important because a business like that can’t run unless there’s plumbing.
Preventive maintenance might not sound glamorous, but it’s the difference between running a smooth operation and dealing with plumbing chaos. For example, if a business relies on pressure washing equipment, such as a car wash, even a tiny hiccup in water flow can be thrown off the whole day. Overall, some regular check-ups from a commercial plumber can catch those issues before they spiral out of control.
Going Cheap on Plumbing to Save Money
Look, saving money is important when starting out. Every penny counts, right? But trying to cut costs by hiring the cheapest plumber or opting for bargain-basement fixtures is like trying to build a house on a shaky foundation. It might hold up for a while, but when it collapses, it’s going to cost you way more to fix. Seriosuly, don’t make that mistake.
Ignoring Plumbing Codes and Regulations
In all honesty, nobody starts a business thinking, “Can’t wait to dive into local plumbing codes!” It’s not exactly fun. But at the same time, if you ignore them, well, that’s a massive mistake.
Basically, every city has its own set of rules, and they’re there for a reason, and it’s to make sure everything works safely and efficiently. So, just skipping this step might save some hassle in the short term, but it could land you in a heap of trouble later.
Although residential construction projects often focus on major living spaces such as the kitchen, other rooms — for example, the bathroom — are growing in prominence. People want to save money on their water consumption, and they do not want the change to result in poor water pressure. Instead, they are increasingly willing to pay Read more
Although residential construction projects often focus on major living spaces such as the kitchen, other rooms — for example, the bathroom — are growing in prominence. People want to save money on their water consumption, and they do not want the change to result in poor water pressure. Instead, they are increasingly willing to pay for the technology that allows them to enjoy greater comfort while minimizing the consequences of leaks and other plumbing problems. These popular bathroom design trends reflect the effects that plumbing innovations have had in the industry.
Smart Technology
The integration of smart technology has made plumbing a great way for homeowners to improve efficiency without compromising practical use. Modern plumbing systems rely on smart systems to track water usage and use sensors to identify leaks before they cause significant water damage. Smart technology and AI can integrate into every aspect of the plumbing system, from smart watering features in the backyard to smart toilets that can be flushed using a mobile device. With this technology, plumbers gain more information about the condition and function of the plumbing system, making problems easier to find and address.
Efficient Fixtures
Water-saving fixtures have become a standard in homes, with features that homeowners have come to expect. Low-flow showerheads and toilets have been available for decades, but the function of these fixtures has dramatically improved. Modern designs use a fraction of the water of older models, but they provide similar levels of water pressure. When combined with smart technology such as sensors, residents can avoid using water when they do not need it. Tankless or heat-pump water heaters round out the package, allowing homeowners to minimize energy consumption for water heating.
Water-Saving Plumbing
The conversation about water-saving features continues, expanding into the entire plumbing system. Homeowners pay for their water consumption, when much of the water they use ends up going back to the municipal water system almost immediately. The latest systems allow homeowners to maximize their use by conserving certain types of greywater. Plumbers can install a system that cycles water from certain drains to other parts of the home, for irrigation or other uses. Property owners can see their water consumption decrease, while growing their home’s overall sustainability.
Data Analytics
People no longer have to wonder about their water consumption or the function of their plumbing systems because data can readily provide that information. Many homeowners can now spot a leak using sensors that alert them to a sudden change in water consumption. This information can save thousands of dollars in expensive repairs, while minimizing stress on the local water supply. Plumbers can use AI to find patterns based on existing data to predict the likelihood of a leak and help guide homeowners in the best time to upgrade their plumbing.
Chic Designs
Plumbing innovations are transforming the bathroom from a limited space to a true retreat. The separation of bathtub and shower has revolutionized the style and function of the bathroom. The bathtub becomes a place for rest and relaxation, featuring designs that become the statement piece of the bathroom. Without a bathtub, shower spaces can expand to meet the needs of the residents. The latest designs feature full-body showers, steam showers, soundproof ceiling installation in North Aurora, IL, and the technology homeowners need to control all of it with voice-activation or the touch of a button.
Homeowners may think more about their plumbing in recent years, which highlights the changes to the plumbing industry. Modern plumbing innovations allow homeowners to reduce their water consumption and maintain a closer watch on the condition of their plumbing. While these advances improve efficiency, they also give residents a comfortable, relaxing space while they rest from the cares of the day.
Brothers Dave and Jeff Dunaway are the Founders of Dunaway Brothers, which specializes in carpentry and decorating for commercial building projects throughout Chicagoland. Dunaway Brothers was founded in 2006 and also owns Sandwich Millworks, its residential branch, in Sugar Grove, IL. Sandwich Millworks specializes in custom millworks and is a Marvin certified window and door dealer.
If last month’s attendance during the IBS/KBIS Show in Vegas is any sort of indicator for anything, in-person trade shows are still thriving. We’re hearing that this was the most attended show of the past 15 years. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), more than 76,000 builders, remodelers, developers and other home Read more
Running into friends while enjoying the Vegas nightlife.
If last month’s attendance during the IBS/KBIS Show in Vegas is any sort of indicator for anything, in-person trade shows are still thriving. We’re hearing that this was the most attended show of the past 15 years. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), more than 76,000 builders, remodelers, developers and other home building professionals filled the halls, “the highest level since 2009, which reflects the bullish outlook of the residential construction industry.”
This year also marked the 11th anniversary of Design & Construction Week® (DCW), the co-location of IBS and the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s (NKBA’s) Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS). DCW drew over 117,000 attendees, and more than 2,400 exhibitors occupied over one million net square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibits.
Pfister Faucet’s Spencer Brown, the Hub’s John Mesenbrink, Tim Goff, Pfister Faucets, and Dominic Sims, ICC, talk about the importance, and popularity, of the American Plumber Stories series.
Anyone who has visited the Las Vegas convention center knows that there are basically four separate halls—North, Central, South and West. I am of the opinion that the Central Hall usually gets the influx of traffic initially—over the course of the three-day event—with crossover to the North Hall fairly fluid. The North Hall is generally reserved for big bathroom players, and Central and South are filled with construction/builder booths. The West Hall, honestly, is almost at a different location where, in order to get there most of the time, you are sent underground, blindfolded and whisked through a tunnel via a manned Tesla. Pretty cool experience, actually, but not necessarily ideal if you are exhibiting in West because that’s where the trickle or “if I have enough time” traffic goes. My opinion, of course.
Oh, I almost forgot. There are a number of exhibitors set up outside—our friends from the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), for example—right in front of Central Hall. The blue sky, 70° temps didn’t hurt those outdoor experiences either.
Dominic Sims CEO, International Code Council (ICC), talks about the partnership with American Plumber Stories for upcoming season 5 of the wildly popular docuseries.
Just a note of interest here, getting the show is getting easier with access to the monorail, which makes stops to a number of hotel locations—if it looks full, just keep nudging, you’ll find space—and hotel bus routes, which can be found in front of the Central Hall and to the side of the South Hall. Depending on when you are entering or leaving the show, Uber and taxi at your own risk.
Now, if you’ve been to the IBS/KBIS trades shows in recent past, you’ll know that the setup is pretty formulaic, but it was brought to my attention that this year they pretty much simplified the approach with similar products located near each other so you don’t have to break your Fitbit traversing the LVCC universe trying to find something.
Everything from low-flow toilets, ADA & Living in Place to the latest in bidets, KBIS had it all. From the Bemis booth.
Invariably during every trade show I attend I get asked, “what was the most interesting thing you saw on the show floor?” Well, I gotta say it was the Genesis Systems WaterCube 100, which basically creates water out of the air. I was fairly shocked when I saw the size of this unit—large—to be installed on the exterior of the home. The company contends that the product sustainably generates more than 100 gallons of fresh water daily from the air around it—enough for a household of four, and it operates in humidity ranges of >40-100% and ideal climate temperatures of >59 degrees F.
Genesis Systems WaterCube 100
In the North Hall, we saw everything from the latest in bidets, low-flow toilets, high-end kitchen and bathroom fixtures to fancy multi-colored bathtubs—a kitchen and bath designer’s fantasy space, if you will.
Moen’s 3-in-1 Water Filtration Pulldown faucets dispense filtered cold water and hot and cold tap water, including a three-function pultdown wand. 3-in-1 Water Filtration Kitchen Pulldowns pair with any Moen filtration system and are available in many styles and finish options.
“2024 marks the 60-year anniversary of KBIS—a tremendous accomplishment and an opportunity to not only celebrate our growth but to set goals for how we want to continue to elevate the show and help drive the industry forward,” said Bill Darcy, Global President & CEO of NKBA|KBIS. “We’ve had great success collaborating with NAHB and IBS and are proud to announce our continued partnership as part of this milestone year. As the kitchen, bath, and wider residential building, architect, design, and remodeling sectors continue to grow it’s more important than ever to provide a central source for inspiration and innovation.”
NAHB and NKBA announced an agreement to extend the co-location of IBS and KBIS for four years through 2030.
Next year, DCW will return to Las Vegas, Feb. 25-27.
See you next year in Vegas!
Mechanical Hub recently spoke with Danielle DeBoe Harper, senior creative style manager, Moen, regarding the latest trends in kitchen & bath. As Harper explains, as two of the highest traffic areas of the home, maintaining and upkeeping a refreshed, clean, stylish kitchen and bathroom are top priorities for consumers. It goes a step further taking Read more
Mechanical Hub recently spoke with Danielle DeBoe Harper, senior creative style manager, Moen, regarding the latest trends in kitchen & bath. As Harper explains, as two of the highest traffic areas of the home, maintaining and upkeeping a refreshed, clean, stylish kitchen and bathroom are top priorities for consumers. It goes a step further taking into consideration the desire for more personal expression and customization right now. The following is an exclusive Q&A with Moen’s Harper.
MH: I just saw a report by the NKBA that remodeling will sustain the K&B industry for 2023. Does Moen agree with this assessment? What other factors are influencing the market for 2023 K&B?
HARPER: People continue to look for unique ways to meet their own needs inside the home from design to plumbing. The expansion of Moen products over the last year and throughout 2023 emphasizes the growing demand for more options in the kitchen and bathroom. Consumers are looking for spaces and products that meet their design preferences but also offer enhanced functionality. An example of this is the Smart Faucet with Motion Control that allows consumers to elevate how they move about their kitchen with smart technology, while increasing style.
MH: Are any colors or finishes dominating the K&B landscape this year?
HARPER: Moen is seeing Matte Black finishes on fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen become increasingly more popular. With a bold, dramatic finish like Matte Black, fixtures can take a room to new depths, heightening both classic and contemporary designs. Additionally, the finish is a simple way to elevate more minimalist collections to the very on-trend industrial chic style, making it a very versatile design.
Along with Matte Black, the trend of personalizing fixtures is hitting new heights. By mixing metals and providing more options to customize your sink, adding a brushed gold escutcheon to a matte black bathroom faucet easily adds extra flair and personality to the room’s design.
In terms of color, we’re going to continue seeing both the layering of neutral and natural tones as well as the inclusion of bold pops of color like cobalt and citrus tones.
MH: Piggybacking off of that, what is trending as far as consumers looking at fixture styles? (Contemporary, modern, traditional, farmhouse, retro, etc.)
HARPER: Moen is finding a greater desire for fixture styles that can fit any room aesthetic. To encompass this idea, homeowners are looking toward fixtures that lean more transitional to meld together both traditional and modern pieces for a clean, comfortable, contemporary look.
As we go further into 2023, the kitchen and bathroom spaces are focusing on combining styles to create one unique design that helps homeowners encapsulate their own personal tastes and lifestyles. An example of this is the new TenonTM collection. This collection brings a touch of warmth to the contemporary kitchen, while offering the modern functionality consumers need and enjoy. The tall stature and the teak wood handle make these faucets an eye-catching addition to the sink, while offering the consumer a sense of customization.
MH: Can you address Moen’s sustainability initiatives?
HARPER: Moen takes pride in innovating and designing products with sustainability top of mind. This is why we have created Mission Moen. Mission Moen is our promise to protect and preserve the world’s most precious resource — water. Our goal with Mission Moen is to save one trillion gallons of water and repurposing 2,000 tons of ocean plastic by 2030, all while helping consumers enjoy water even more.
At Moen, we are driven to deliver outstanding water experiences inside and outside the home to celebrate water’s power and beauty, but also to protect the water of tomorrow. By creating products that save water effortlessly while improving how you experience it, we’re making your interactions with water even more meaningful without ever having to compromise style.
MH: Let’s talk functionality. I know Moen has some very unique offerings such as eBidets, eToilets and Workstation sinks. Can you talk about those and any other products/services coming soon?
HARPER: Moen is focused on creating the ultimate experience for consumers. This goes beyond faucets. We know how important each touch point with the water that flows through your pipes is and how that impacts daily routines. We’ve dedicated our focus streamlining tasks at the sink with Workstation Sinks, bringing comfort and cleanliness to a new level with eBidets and eToilets. With features such as water pressure, temperature control and endless instantaneous warm water, eBidets and eToilets deliver the ability for each user to customize their own experience in the bathroom.
In 2023, we’re excited to share our newest expansion to our Smart Water Network with enhanced interoperability in our products. This provides more integrated and advanced experiences when you have more than one Moen Smart Water product, such as the Flo Smart Water Monitor and Shutoff, Smart Faucet and Smart Shower. As a result, Moen is giving consumers more power over their water than ever before. The Smart Water Network is also an integral part of Mission Moen by proactively protecting the home from leaks and reducing water waste with built-in water conservation every time you turn on the faucet or shower. We’ll also be launching a new Smart Sprinkler Controller that helps automate lawn irrigation and provides even more control over your home’s water.
Along with the expansion of the Smart Water Network, Moen is excited to launch new styles and innovations, such as new laundry faucets- and water filtration faucets to improve how our customers enjoy their home, while achieving even more customized experiences.
MH: Finally, let’s talk vision of space. The kitchen has always been the heart of the home and the bathroom (master) has long been considered a place of respite and relaxation. When designing these spaces, is it still a matter of personal preference, wellness, functionality, etc.? Explain.
HARPER: As two of the most used spaces in the home, the kitchen is the hub of entertaining during family gatherings, while the bathroom is used as the ultimate escape to reset at the end of a busy day. When designing for these spaces, it’s important to carefully customize each room to meet your individual preferences and needs. This ties into the overarching trend of home holistic wellness which we see continuing through 2023 and is heavily influenced by the home embodying the lifestyles and habits of the consumer in each room. Designing a kitchen and bathroom with functionality, wellness and versatility top of mind allows homeowners to choose what their environment says about them to anyone who walks through their front door.
Crosswater London, an international leader in bathroom design, is pleased to announce the expansion of the company’s range of shower head offerings with the launch of the new Elements 8-Jet Shower Head. Available in Polished Chrome, Polished Nickel, and Stainless finishes, Elements marks Crosswater London’s first universal shower head – designed to work seamlessly in Read more
Crosswater London, an international leader in bathroom design, is pleased to announce the expansion of the company’s range of shower head offerings with the launch of the new Elements 8-Jet Shower Head. Available in Polished Chrome, Polished Nickel, and Stainless finishes, Elements marks Crosswater London’s first universal shower head – designed to work seamlessly in any bathroom space from traditional to contemporary.
The Elements Shower Head is precision engineered and sleek in design offering a thoughtful balance between functionality and aesthetics that the brand seeks to achieve in all of its designs. From wide angle coverage to soft waterfalls, Elements creates a highly luxurious shower experience that is uniquely tailored to the individual. Elegant in form and powerful by design, the shower head’s solid brass construction and expert engineering combine to deliver seamless movement of water. With the simple turn of a lever handle in any direction, Elements allows each drop to be customized through eight jets and 64 individual sprays.
“Elements is designed for superior function and effortless style,” said David Hance, Founder of Crosswater. “Our goal was to create a product constructed of the highest quality materials in a design suited to both traditional and modern bathroom styles. The new Elements shower head, with its solid brass construction and sleek design, delivers that versatile style, quality and function.”
Elements is crafted to stand on its own, or complement a variety of existing Crosswater London collections including the Arcade, Belgravia, Wisp, MPRO, and Waldorf bath fittings collections.
About Crosswater London
Founded in 1998, Crosswater was launched by David Hance to offer distinctive European design and innovative bathroom products with an unwavering commitment to exceptional customer service. Crosswater merged with Bathroom Brands in 2014, combining resources to become the leading UK-based bathroom manufacturer. The company made its debut in North America, finding its home in Massachusetts in 2015 as Crosswater London. Crosswater London’s collections deliver a complete bathroom solution from technologically advanced faucets and showers to fixtures, furniture and accessories to suit all tastes and styles. Sourcing the highest quality materials and constructed using the finest manufacturing techniques, Crosswater London collections range from classic British and European heritage to sleek, contemporary design styles. Dedication to product design, innovation, skilled craftsmanship and keen attention to customer service are the primary reasons for continued success. Crosswater London is exclusively available through nearly 200 Forte Group showrooms spanning the US and Canada. Additional information on the brand is available at www.crosswaterlondon.com.