Kitchen & Bath

New from American Standard, the brand-exclusive StanSure slip-resistant surface now covers the entire tub floor on all Americast engineered steel bathtubs – already known for their unmatched strength, durability, and ease of installation – providing 56 percent more coverage than previous models.

This new and improved StanSure coating offers increased tub floor coverage to deliver enhanced slip-resistance for bathroom safety on all Princeton, Cambridge and Stratford bathtub models from American Standard.

This upgraded, textured floor surface – now in a visually-appealing bright white hue – does not easily trap dirt, making it easier to clean and keeping it cleaner, longer.

“The exclusive Americast material is unlike anything else available on the bathing market today,” said Joe Nuzzolo, senior director of product marketing for bathing at LIXIL Americas, the business unit under which American Standard operates. “It showcases a patented three-layer construction process that results in a product with superior heat retention and noise deadening abilities with a design that delivers beauty, safety and reliability.”

StanSure Slip-Resistant Surface
The new StanSure slip-resistant surface provides a safer bathing experience and is also easier to clean without vigorous scrubbing that can damage the tub surface. To help improve bathroom safety, the StanSure surface covers an increased footprint of the tub floor, providing 56 percent more coverage than previous models. The new surface is a brighter white, color matched to the tub, for a more attractive appearance.

Americast Construction
Americast bathtubs – a remarkable alternative to cast iron tubs — are engineered to create tubs of unequaled strength, durability and weight. It is a unique material that fully bonds a high-quality porcelain enamel surface over a robust layer of enameling grade steel and a thick layer of structural composite backing. This material is similar to that used in the aerospace and automotive industries for lightweight, yet strong, durability.

This exclusive, patented material is considerably lighter than cast iron, making it easier to ship, carry, and install a new bathtub. Americast also offers superior heat retention and noise deadening abilities compared to cast iron and enameled steel tubs.

This durable Americast construction offers a valuable improvement over competing products in the market. Most alternative tubs feature foam or spray-on backing, neither of which is as strong as the Americast material, which will not bend or flex.

Americast tubs offer special features for a more comfortable bathing experience, such as a contoured tub design for increased lumbar support and improved head and neck comfort while bathing. The glossy porcelain enamel surface resists scratches and offers a long-lasting lustrous finish.

All Americast tubs are manufactured in the United States and qualify under the Buy American Act governing purchases made by the U.S. government.

Easy Installation
Designed to simplify installation at every step of the process, lightweight Americast tubs are easily carried by two people and feature a soft grip on the apron for easier handling. Americast tubs are offered in a remodel-friendly size that fits a standard 5-foot alcove with a 30-inch width for retrofit applications.

To decrease the chance that water will damage drywall or structural supports behind the wall, all Americast tub models feature an integrated tile flange. As an additional option, an integral overflow molded directly into the outside tub wall is offered, saving time and money on installation and parts. A pre-installed chrome overflow escutcheon is also available as an option.

A pre-fabricated leveling grid underneath the tub provides extra support to the tub floor to prevent warping and cracking. This grid allows the tub to be easily slid into place or bedded in mortar, while also saving time when leveling.

Offering added flexibility for builders, an optional above-the-floor rough installation leaves a few inches of clearance between the tub’s underside and the flooring so that pipe can be routed without breaking ground or relocating the drain.

Americast Tub Models
American Standard Americast tub models that now feature the exclusive StanSure slip-resistant finish include:

• Princeton bathtubs with a low, ADA-compliant 14-inch step-over height for added comfort when showering or bathing, in addition to the standard 17½-inch high models. Princeton offers an optional 4-inch wide luxury ledge on the wall side of the tub, providing extra shoulder and elbow room while bathing – plus, it serves as a convenient space for storing toiletries. An optional integral drain model includes a drain that is pre-formed directly into the tub during manufacturing, saving time and money on purchasing and installing a separate drain.
• An appealing Cambridge design offered in a sleek bathing pool or whirlpool tub models, both featuring 4-inch wide luxury ledges, an integral apron and a 17¾-inch depth for a deeper soaking experience. Cambridge bathtubs and whirlpools are offered in right or left hand drain options, with the drain purchased separately.
• Offered in a choice of drop-in or undermount installations, the stylishly-indulgent Stratford tub models provide an extra deep 20-inch bathing pool for a truly luxurious soak. Stratford is also available as a whirlpool tub.

Source: American Standard Press: Durable Americast Tubs Offer Innovative StanSure Slip-Resistant Finish for Improved Bathroom Safety

A new intelligent toilet product just hitting the market offers an effective and affordable solution for anyone who has ever been subjected to a constant-flowing or over-flowing toilet.

The Valvin unit is an electronically controlled valve actuator that can be integrated with any s tandard toilet tank fill valve to relieve the mess, stress, damage and costs of a malfunctioning toilet.

This patented intelligent valve is designed to turn off water flow in toilets when any abnormal activity is detected: an open flapper leak, a fill valve leak or even a silent flapper leak, and more.

If water begins leaking in any part of the toilet, the Valvin springs into action turning off the toilet fill valve regardless of the water level in the toilet tank.

Check out the Valvin in action here: http://www.stoptoiletleak.com/product.html

It also sports a multi-color LED which will indicate by color light the location in the toilet tank to where the leak is located.

The Valvin prevents water waste, keeps water bill costs from spiking and prevents expensive water damage to any home, apartment, business or public restrooms with tank toilets.

The unit is design to go into any one piece or two piece toilets and works with single flap per or dual flush toilets.

The Valvin unit ranges from $49.95 – $59.95 and is available at: www.StopToiletLeak.com

Company Heralds the Coming of the “Refreshing Revolution”

TOTO, the world’s largest plumbing manufacturer with more than $5.1 billion in annual sales, announced today that it is launching a new brand advertising campaign to support its popular line of Washlet bidet seats. The new strategy challenges the status quo in U.S. bathroom habits and personal hygiene by urging consumers to “redefine clean” and join the “Refreshing Revolution,” by cleansing with water after a bathroom break by using a TOTO Washlet. “TOTO has sold more than 40 million Washlets globally, creating millions of brand advocates around the world,” said Bill Strang, President of Operations and eCommerce. “Our new advertising strategy builds on that rich foundation coupled with American society’s obsession with cleanliness and hygiene to motivate U.S. consumers to make the switch from outdated, ineffective bathroom habits to this modern, innovative approach to personal cleanliness.” Developed in conjunction with the Wray Ward Agency of Charlotte, NC, TOTO kicks off its new U.S. advertising campaign with a 30-second television spot that will air in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York during the months of December and January. The new TV commercial will be broadcast on cable networks, including CNBC, HGTV, Bravo, and the Travel Channel. TOTO is also supporting its new campaign with digital advertising, public relations, social media, and a Washlet microsite.

The new campaign’s television, digital, and social media ads highlight the myriad ways that TOTO’s Washlet bidet seat improves people’s lives—making personal cleansing easy by introducing the purity of water to the power of innovation for a just showered feeling. With a Washlet, consumers may redefine what it means to be clean after a bathroom break and enjoy a new kind of personal cleanliness that is better for them and better for the environment (less toilet tissue). Smarter, simpler, and cleaner, the sophisticated Washlet bidet seat may be installed on nearly any existing toilet. TOTO invites consumers to follow #Washlet on social media to see what can happen when obsolete bathroom habits are thrown out the window and Washlet bidet seats become the new normal for personal cleanliness in the U.S. If consumers wish to share their personal insights and experiences as they redefine clean and join the Refreshing Revolution, TOTO will repost the most inspirational with credit when @TOTOUSA and #Washlet are tagged. TOTO’s new Washlet television commercial may be found at www.Washlet.com and on its YouTube Channel.

About TOTO

TOTO USA is headquarters for the Americas Division of the TOTO Global Group, which was established in 1917 with the founding of TOTO, Ltd., in Kitakyushu, Japan. TOTO is the world’s largest manufacturer of bathroom fixtures and fittings with $5.1 billion dollars in annual sales. For nearly 100 years, TOTO has been the recognized leader in performance innovation and design with products that enhance the luxury bathroom experience. Today, the company maintains 25,700 employees in 69 offices around the world and owns manufacturing facilities in Japan, Mexico, the USA, China and Europe with an affiliated network of more than 80 production facilities worldwide.With over 1,500 engineers on staff and three centers devoted to research and development, TOTO is dedicated to engineering products that respect the environment while meeting people’s needs for comfort, beauty and performance. TOTO’s corporate philosophy – People-First Innovation – is the guiding principle for all the company’s processes, from engineering and design to manufacturing and sales. Consumers enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing they purchased a brand that innovates to improve people’s quality of life. Winner of numerous domestic and international awards and recognitions, TOTO is the only plumbing manufacturer honored as Water Efficiency Leader by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The company continues to raise industry standards and consumer expectations as to what is possible in the bathroom, as TOTO believes a high-quality bathroom is an experience and an everyday luxury people value and appreciate.

When Mid-City Supply set out to install two restrooms to service new office space, Saniflo’s above-floor plumbing solution eliminated the need to undertake a complicated concrete drilling project, saving the business 12 hours in labor.

by Tony Bara

The city of Elkhart is an oasis of people amidst the sparsely populated countryside of north-central Indiana. Known for its railroad museum and nicknamed the “RV Capital of the World,” Elkhart embodies the rustic charm of the American Midwest.

An Elkhart mainstay since 1947 has been Mid-City Supply Company, a family-owned wholesaler that deals primarily in plumbing, HVAC and refrigeration supplies. Besides Elkhart, the company has six other locations scattered throughout Indiana and Michigan.

Growth has been a constant for Mid-City Supply throughout its history. The company currently boasts around 100 employees. When the main branch in Elkhart outgrew office space, something had to be done. “We looked at various places to put new office space, including the front of the building and the warehouse. We finally settled on putting it upstairs near some existing training classrooms,” recalls Dan New, Vice President of Operations and the third generation of family management at Mid-City.

Naturally, the new office space needed new restrooms to save employees the hassle of running up and down the stairs. The decision of which plumbing system to install was rendered relatively quickly, according to New. “We really did not want to drill through the concrete floor to install the plumbing,” he says, “As a result, we turned to a solution that we have been stocking at our supply house for the better part of 10 years — the above-floor plumbing option from Saniflo.”

Above-floor plumbing systems eliminate the need to break through a concrete floor to install drainage below. A macerator or a grinder located behind the toilet reduces the waste into a slurry and pumps it through small-diameter tubing straight to the drain line. Above-floor plumbing systems, which can also handle drainage from sinks, tubs and showers, can be used to create restroom and bath facilities in garages, basements, attics, warehouses — anywhere conventional plumbing might prove difficult and therefore costly to install.

Ryan Hendershott, a licensed plumber with Schreiner & Sons and the installing contractor on the Mid-City job, says the restroom application was well-suited to an above-floor installation. “In this case, short of choosing a different location for the restrooms altogether, above-floor plumbing was the least-complicated solution, due to the concrete being there.”

New ended up choosing the Sanibest Pro heavy-duty grinding system for both the men’s and women’s restrooms. The 1-HP grinder can pump up to 25 feet vertically when it is installed below the sewer line; or nearly 150 feet horizontally to the sewer stack. It is specifically engineered to handle the accidental flushing of larger sanitary articles and other items a conventional plumbing system might struggle to handle. “Working in a commercial setting, we wanted to ensure that anything we flushed, intentionally or unintentionally, got taken care of,” explains New.

Straightforward Installation

Beginning in August 2015, the Elkhart installation came on the heels of another above-floor plumbing project in Mid-City’s new Kalamazoo branch last spring. “We were confident in our decision to choose this plumbing solution after our experience in Kalamazoo,” notes New.

To minimize the level of flushing noise in Elkhart, Hendershott installed the grinder unit behind the wall. He also installed the elbows for the pump’s ejection line at a 45-degree angle and used 3/4- inch pipe. “The smaller the pipe’s diameter, the less noise it will tend to make,” explains Hendershott.

Located on the building’s second floor, the unit pumps the waste slightly upward before gravity takes over and moves it to the drain line. A below-floor installation would have been significantly more labor-intensive and expensive, not to mention messy. According to New, by choosing the above-floor option, Mid-City Supply cut installation time by 12 hours.

Overall, the Elkhart installations went smoothly and without any major complications. It took roughly five hours to complete the job per restroom. “There were no hiccups, especially with the Kalamazoo installation under our belts,” affirms New. “A successful installation really comes down to two things: the type of application and the plumber’s experience. We had a fairly straightforward application and an experienced plumber, so there were no issues.” The bathrooms were finished in October 2015.

New is pleased with the units’ performance since the installation. “Above-floor plumbing is certainly a niche category, but this brand is the best within that category, and the installation turned out great” he comments. “Some plumbers are still hesitant to switch to this style of plumbing, preferring conventional methods that they are more comfortable with. Nevertheless, above-floor plumbing has certainly proven itself to be simple, reliable and cost-effective many times over