Advancements in technology, sustainability, and accessibility have been driving constant change in various industries, and plumbing is no different. What previously seemed to be a norm, plumbing experts are now substituting it with more efficient and advanced technology, especially in regard to plumbing appliances and fixtures. Let’s look at some trends that are already shaping Read more
tankless water heaters
Advancements in technology, sustainability, and accessibility have been driving constant change in various industries, and plumbing is no different. What previously seemed to be a norm, plumbing experts are now substituting it with more efficient and advanced technology, especially in regard to plumbing appliances and fixtures. Let’s look at some trends that are already shaping the plumbing industry and what to expect in the future.
Increase in Online Subcontractor Scheduling
Most reputable plumbing companies like Grable Plumbing Services are catching up with technology by enabling potential clients to request free estimates and schedule consultations effortlessly on a website.
Plumbing experts are increasingly adopting the use of project management software, which enables them to monitor their plumbers’ productivity and performance while reducing downtime. There is also the use of digital apps that enhance effective communication and collaboration in real-time among plumbers, especially when not physically present at the site.
Adoption of Tankless Water Heaters
There is a rising number of commercial and residential property owners installing tankless water heaters. The water heaters only work on demand, enabling you to save a notable amount of money and energy. Besides that, tankless water heaters occupy less space compared to traditional water heaters and feature an extended lifespan than the conventional counterparts.
Use of Better Materials
Manufacturers are now using better materials to develop plumbing pipes and fixtures. PEX piping is a newer plumbing material that continues to gain popularity due to its flexibility, durability, and affordability compared to traditional copper piping.
In addition, PEX piping has the ability to resist corrosion and scale buildup, which mostly happens with copper pipes. It also withstands freezing temperatures and higher pressures, improving its lifespan. If you are a cautious property owner, you can add better insulation to your plumbing pipes to protect them from freezing during winter. It is also a perfect way to maintain hot water temperatures for longer periods.
The Rise in Automation and Sensors
The plumbing landscape is immensely changing, thanks to the increased adoption of smart automation and sensors. This has become more popular in residential homes. For instance, homeowners are installing sensor-activated toilets to enable automatic flushing and faucets that automatically turn on and off.
There are also showerheads capable of tracking your water usage and leak-detecting sensors. All these go a long way in helping you to save water and energy. Currently, you can find automatic toilets and faucets even in commercial applications.
Increased Awareness About Greywater Plumbing
Like many property owners who have become more environmentally conscious, you might be looking for ways to lower your environmental footprint and conserve water. The best way to do this is through setting up a greywater plumbing system.
The average American family consumes more than 300 gallons of water each day at home, with the largest share being consumed by toilets, showers, and faucets. By establishing proper greywater systems, you can recycle greywater from sinks and showers and use it to water plants or flush toilets.
Superior Water Filtration Systems
Filtration systems enable the cleansing of potable water to remove subtle elements like chlorine and magnesium. Many water filtration systems have been using reverse osmosis as a major component of the process.
Ultraviolet light and activated carbon stand out as the future of water filtration. While the former focuses on filtering smaller particles, the latter effectively gets rid of viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
Technology plays a crucial role in what you should expect in plumbing moving forward. Nothing is set in stone, and all these trends will keep changing as new discoveries are made. The best thing to do is to stay informed and keep track of the latest trends to make the best plumbing decisions for your business or home.
Navien, the leader in condensing technology, is thrilled to announce an upcoming virtual launch event scheduled for September 26, 2023. This momentous occasion will mark the introduction of Navien’s latest breakthroughs in tankless water heaters, boilers, and an entirely new product category, reaffirming the company’s commitment to pioneering technology and creating comfortbale living environments. The Read more
Navien, the leader in condensing technology, is thrilled to announce an upcoming virtual launch event scheduled for September 26, 2023. This momentous occasion will mark the introduction of Navien’s latest breakthroughs in tankless water heaters, boilers, and an entirely new product category, reaffirming the company’s commitment to pioneering technology and creating comfortbale living environments.
The virtual launch event is set to kick off at 12:00 pm Eastern Time, promising attendees an exclusive first look at Navien’s cutting-edge product offerings. Those who don’t want to miss out on this event can secure their spot by registering at navieninc.com/live
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe along with Tony Stewart Racing’s Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan to Carry Rinnai Branding in 2023. Kannapolis, N.C. — Rinnai America Corporation has partnered with Tony Stewart and his racing entities in NASCAR and the NHRA to promote its line of products using his diverse motorsports portfolio. In NASCAR, fans will see the red Read more
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe along with Tony Stewart Racing’s Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan to Carry Rinnai Branding in 2023.
Kannapolis, N.C. — Rinnai America Corporation has partnered with Tony Stewart and his racing entities in NASCAR and the NHRA to promote its line of products using his diverse motorsports portfolio.
In NASCAR, fans will see the red Rinnai logo in an associate position on Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 14 Ford Mustang driven by Chase Briscoe in the NASCAR Cup Series. In the NHRA, Tony Stewart Racing drivers Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan will carry the Rinnai logo in the Camping World Drag Racing Series, with Pruett running a full Rinnai primary sponsorship on her Top Fuel dragster in two events – the NHRA Winternationals March 30-April 2 in Pomona, California, and the NHRA Carolina Nationals Sept. 22-24 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hagan will sport a full Rinnai livery on his Funny Car in the NHRA New England Nationals June 2-4 in Epping, New Hampshire, an event the three-time champion has won four times, including in 2022.
“Our expertise in tankless water heating is unmatched, and this partnership with Tony Stewart and his NASCAR and NHRA teams allows us to tell that story in a thrilling, team-oriented environment that emulates the quality and dedication we put into our products and services,” said Frank Windsor, president, Rinnai America Corporation.
“The similarities of our business to racing are numerous especially when speed efficiency, and superior quality are keys to success. Performance is paramount, and that’s something Rinnai has always understood. It’s part of our overall commitment to our customers, and racing embodies that commitment.”
The NASCAR Cup Series encompasses a total of 39 events in its milestone 75th season, beginning with the non-points Busch Light Clash Feb. 5 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and ending with the season finale Nov. 5 at Phoenix Raceway. The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series includes 21 events in 2023. Its 72nd season starts with the NHRA Gatornationals March 9-12 in Gainesville, Florida, and concludes with the NHRA Finals Nov. 9-12 in Pomona.
“We’re incredibly proud to have this partnership with Rinnai because it shows the strength of our motorsports program,” Stewart said. “NASCAR and NHRA offer two very different fan experiences and combined they touch every corner of the country. Rinnai and its customers get the best of both worlds because our program allows a number of choices to promote its products and services.”
In addition to branding on racecars, Rinnai becomes the official tankless water heater of Stewart Haas Racing and Tony Stewart Racing. This designation highlights Rinnai’s brand promise of “Creating a healthier way of living®”, a mantra that is at the forefront of all the company’s efforts. By continuing to offer quality products and services to homeowners and organizations, Rinnai is aiding in providing businesses and homes with energy-efficient hot water options for cleaner and healthier living.
The announcement of the partnership comes after a series of milestone events for Rinnai America. “We opened a new manufacturing facility last year in Griffin, Georgia, that has allowed us to combat shipping delays and supply-chain challenges. In this facility, we manufacture our new RE Series™ Tankless Water Heater, the first and only non-condensing unit with a built-in pump. That product, along with our ability to manufacture in the United States, is another reason why we’ve partnered with Tony Stewart and have become the official tankless water heater of Stewart Haas Racing and Tony Stewart Racing,” Windsor said.
https://youtu.be/46yc2caCGzo A quick Hub on the Road takes us to Grasser’s Plumbing & Heating in McNabb, Ill., to visit with Tim Kuhlman to talk about the company, its new showroom, inventory and supply, and a plumbing truck tip Read more
A quick Hub on the Road takes us to Grasser’s Plumbing & Heating in McNabb, Ill., to visit with Tim Kuhlman to talk about the company, its new showroom, inventory and supply, and a plumbing truck tip.
The Grand Opening of Rinnai’s RAM Lakes Facility in Griffin, Ga., featured the first non-condensing tankless—the first of many salable units— manufactured here in the states. At approximately 6:15 am on a crisp Tuesday morning, Rinnai America Corporation made history in the United States, and all of North America. At its new 300,000-sq.-ft RAM (Rinnai Read more
The Grand Opening of Rinnai’s RAM Lakes Facility in Griffin, Ga., featured the first non-condensing tankless—the first of many salable units— manufactured here in the states.
President, Rinnai America Corporation, Frank Windsor puts his John Hancock on the first unit manufactured at the RAM Lakes facility in Griffin, Ga.
At approximately 6:15 am on a crisp Tuesday morning, Rinnai America Corporation made history in the United States, and all of North America. At its new 300,000-sq.-ft RAM (Rinnai America Manufacturing) Lakes facility in Griffin, Ga., the first—of many non-condensing tankless water heaters—rolled off the line. On April 21, 2022, the Griffin facility completed the production of its first tankless water heater, a unit of the highly anticipated RE Series, the first and only non-condensing unit with a built-in pump and SmartCirc intelligent recirculation technology.
“This is a significant milestone for our company and corporation. We are here to celebrate not only becoming the first major tankless manufacturer in the North American market to invest in domestic manufacturing,” said Frank Windsor, President, Rinnai America Corporation. “But we are also launching a brand-new product here today, which will become a really compelling product we bring to market.”
On April 21, 2022, Rinnai held a festive Grand Opening at its RAM Lakes facility.
“This morning, the first RE Series tankless water heater came off the end of the line,” said Shelley Kiley, Vice President of Operations. “The day has arrived that we are going to produce our first salable RE Series tankless hot water heater and we are so excited. Over the last two years, it’s been a challenge for the entire team. They worked tirelessly through a lot of challenges, obviously covid, global supply chain issues, escalation of pricing of materials for the construction of this and I would say that the whole team is really proud that they came within 4% of budget and only six weeks of delay on the entire project from start to finish,” said Kiley.
Throughout the new facility, Rinnai definitely puts its money where its mouth is as you’ll find fully operational tankless units humming beautifully throughout, like this SENSEI RSC199iN.
In 2017, the global organization recognized the significant potential for this market and made the decision to invest in Rinnai America to become a growth vehicle for the corporation. According to Windsor, this has been a substantial investment over the last three or four years—a new corporate headquarters in Peachtree City, which was an $18 million dollar investment, a $10 million investment in our new world class innovation center attached to our headquarters in Peachtree City, along with this manufacturing and distribution center, which was a $70 million investment.
Perhaps supply chain issues have been alleviated with manufacturing in the states. Here, in the 140,000-sq.-ft. distribution center, the inventory is aplenty with tankless units produced at the RAM Lakes facility.
Over the last four years, the company has invested $100 million to show its commitment to the North American market. “In 2020, amidst all of the chaos associated with the pandemic, our company chose to move forward and invest, break ground on the facility we are standing in today. I’m very proud of the hard work and dedication our team has put forth in this initiative, which is critical for our organization’s future growth and success,” said Windsor.
With a goal of 400 units manufactured per line, at the time of the Grand Opening celebration, one line was up and running with a projected three lines running by summer. In addition, the RAM Lakes facility has already employed more than a hundred of the new local top talent with a projected few hundred additional jobs to be added by the end of the year.
Exporting tankless. What a concept. How cool is that? “It is cool. We will be shipping them to Mexico and shipping them throughout Latin America. We have a fast-growing Latin American business. It’s fun to be able to make product here in the U.S. and ship to other parts of the world,” said Windsor.
Tanika Peoples, Senior Human Resources Generalist, talks about Rinnai’s core values at the new facility.
Moreover, with all of the supply chain issues and complexities, having manufacturing here in the states alleviated some of the hassle. “This will have a huge impact on our supply chain. No. 1, we will be making the product right here in closer to our customer, and No. 2, we don’t have to rely on containers and supplies coming out of China. We are purchasing many of the parts right here in the U.S. or we’re purchasing it from our company in Japan. That really simplifies the process; it gets the product much closer to us. It’s also building the competency for our team to be able to innovate going forward.”
** Rinnai is a $3.2 billion company that is seen as one of the leading gas appliance manufacturers in the world. Rinnai is a market leader in Japan, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, with businesses also in Italy and the UK. For more than 100 years, Rinnai has developed high-quality products to heat water and homes. However, within the last few years, the company has looked towards new expansion opportunities, including investing in new markets to sustain innovation as well as operationalizing manufacturing and production to meet need. The North American market was quickly identified as one of the greatest growth vehicles for the company. Rinnai entered North America in 1974 in Southern California, moved to LaGrange, Ga., and recently its headquarters in Peachtree City, Ga.