As showcased in the Uponor booth at the 2020 NAHB International Builder’s Show (IBS), Phyn, the leader in intelligent water solutions backed by Uponor and Belkin International, showcases its commitment to innovation in sustainable and water efficient construction products and technology with the introduction of Phyn Plus Pro Edition. Created for and sold exclusively to Read more
Uponor
As showcased in the Uponor booth at the 2020 NAHB International Builder’s Show (IBS), Phyn, the leader in intelligent water solutions backed by Uponor and Belkin International, showcases its commitment to innovation in sustainable and water efficient construction products and technology with the introduction of Phyn Plus Pro Edition.
Created for and sold exclusively to professional channels including home builders and the residential construction community, Phyn Plus Pro Edition shares all of the best-in-class capabilities of the award-winning consumer Phyn Plus Smart Water Assistant + Shutoff product, the most accurate and comprehensive whole-home smart water monitoring solution on the market.
The Phyn Plus Pro Edition is enhanced with features that are optimized for installation at scale, including an ethernet port, a direct scan QR code for quick setup, and a unique rough-in “blank” to hold the place of the device until the finish plumbing stages of construction.
The adoption of smart home technology in standard new-home construction is growing at a rapid pace as more consumers want to stay connected to their homes for added security, convenience and comfort. 81% of home buyers are more likely to purchase a home with smart technology already installed. Not only does Phyn’s smart technology add to the overall value of a home, but also creates a more eco-friendly residence that supports the overwhelming majority of people looking to live more sustainably.
“In working with home builders we discovered that they have unique needs that the existing solutions on the market have not yet met,” said Ryan Kim, CEO of Phyn. “With the Pro Edition, we listened and took the opportunity to incorporate both their business as well as operational needs to develop an extension of our best-in-class Phyn Plus product that makes it easy for them to integrate into the existing life cycle of a new home build.”
Installed on a single location on the main water line, Phyn Plus Pro Edition is an innovative smart home device that protects and monitors a home’s entire plumbing system. The device analyzes microscopic changes in water pressure — 240 times every second — to fingerprint each water fixture and give homeowners unprecedented insight into their water consumption. From the smallest drip leak to frozen pipes, Phyn ensures homes are water tight and can automatically shut off the main water in the event of a catastrophic leak to mitigate damage.
With a sleek, durable, and compact design that is built for quick installation, the Phyn Plus Pro Edition features an integrated power supply that is built into the device. Additionally, the Pro Edition includes an ethernet port for the device to be hardwired to the home’s network instead of having to only rely on the homeowner’s WiFi. This is key in situations where the device may be installed in a part of the property where the WiFi signal may not adequately reach.
Professional channels will be able to purchase the Phyn Plus Pro Edition for $499 starting in Q3 of 2020. The device joins Phyn’s growing lineup of award-winning products, which includes the recently announced Phyn XL 1.5” and the Phyn XL 2” created for larger homes, new construction and light commercial properties with supply lines up to 2”. Phyn’s robust product suite now offers a full range of leak detection and water monitoring solutions for every type of residence, ranging from the DIY installed Phyn Smart Water Assistant to the professionally- installed Phyn Plus, Phyn XL1.5” and Phyn XL 2”.
Builders and professional installers may contact Phyn at Phyn.com for more information about the Phyn Plus Pro Edition.
With modest beginnings more than a century ago in 1894, Episcopal Homes in St. Paul, Minn., has grown to provide hundreds of residents with senior care while offering a wide variety of amenities, including a fitness center, pool, salon, theatre, cocktail lounge and fine dining. The continued growth with aging baby boomers created the need Read more
With modest beginnings more than a century ago in 1894, Episcopal Homes in St. Paul, Minn., has grown to provide hundreds of residents with senior care while offering a wide variety of amenities, including a fitness center, pool, salon, theatre, cocktail lounge and fine dining.
The continued growth with aging baby boomers created the need for yet another expansion, prompting owners to invest $45 million for 168 more units to the ever-growing complex. The project included a seven-story, post-tension, concrete-engineered building, and R.T. Moore Co., a Burnsville, Minn.-based contractor, was chosen for the plumbing and mechanical work.
The plumbing and mechanical piping included PEX in sizes 2″ and down. The plumbing system used 32,000 feet of ½” to 2″ Uponor AquaPEX® pipe along with 2,200 ½” to 2″ ProPEX® engineered polymer (EP) expansion fittings. The mechanical system used more than 4,000 feet of ½” to 2″ Wirsbo hePEX™ pipe along with PEX-a Pipe Support from Uponor. The pipe support, which is listed for plenums, also provides increased hanger spacing similar to copper pipe and helps to limit the natural expansion and contraction of PEX.
Dean Kirchoff, lead mechanical project manager for R.T. Moore, and a master plumber with 30 years of experience in the industry, said using PEX helped them stay on budget with labor and material savings. “Using PEX allowed us the flexibility to route the lines and minimize conflicts with other trades,” he added. “Plus, the pipe can be joined without the use of glues or flame.”
R.T. Moore chose Associated Mechanical Contractors from Shakopee, Minn., to install the hydronic and HVAC system. “The system is a condenser water closed-loop system set up with a dead band on the loop with the water temperature between 76°F and 84°F,” Kirchoff said. “Within that range, there is no mechanical equipment operating – no chiller or boilers. When the condenser water falls below 76°F, the boiler system adds hot water to the system. When the condenser water gets above 84°F, the cooling tower adds chilled water to the system. This allows the heat pumps to work within the dead-band range at the maximum efficiency.”
R.T. Moore worked with Uponor early on to assist with the sizing and sleeve layout locations for each of the plumbing, condenser loop and condensate draining systems. “We maximized the flexibility of the system design using multiport tees with PEX, thus decreasing the amount of joints in the system,” Kirchoff said. “We also installed risers from the first floor to the seventh floor, grouping bathrooms and grouping the kitchens.”
Episcopal Homes was very satisfied with the final result. “This project was successful because of the experience of its contractors and their superior workmanship,” Anne Kamiri, special projects coordinator for Episcopal Homes, said. “The project has received much praise and recognition from the community.”
Now you can grow your business and gain new customers through the Uponor Pro Squad and Phyn Plus smart water assistant + shutoff. With Phyn Plus, homeowners can have complete control over their plumbing systems and receive real-time notifications when changes occur — helping to avoid the devastating damage and expensive costs of water leaks Read more
Now you can grow your business and gain new customers through the Uponor Pro Squad and Phyn Plus smart water assistant + shutoff. With Phyn Plus, homeowners can have complete control over their plumbing systems and receive real-time notifications when changes occur — helping to avoid the devastating damage and expensive costs of water leaks. Be the first in your market to become an Uponor Pro Squad member and offer Phyn Plus. Visit joinprosquad.com to learn more.
Mechanical Hub interviewed Uponor at AHR Expo about the Phyn Plus, here is our video.
https://youtu.be/4fvecIjHpSY
Uponor North America and San Diego, Calif.-based Pestan North America (PNA), a supplier of PP-RCT pipe and fittings, today announced the signing of an agreement naming Uponor the exclusive distributor of PNA’s proprietary PP-RCT (polypropylene, random copolymer, with modified crystallinity and temperature resistance) products throughout the U.S. and Canada. Beginning in 2020, Uponor will market more than 270 of PNA’s Read more
Uponor North America and San Diego, Calif.-based Pestan North America (PNA), a supplier of PP-RCT pipe and fittings, today announced the signing of an agreement naming Uponor the exclusive distributor of PNA’s proprietary PP-RCT (polypropylene, random copolymer, with modified crystallinity and temperature resistance) products throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Beginning in 2020, Uponor will market more than 270 of PNA’s products, making it the only North American company to offer hybrid systems including PEX and PP-RCT. Products will range from 1/2-inch to 12 inches in diameter; up to 24 inches for special product requests. PP-RCT is used in an array of commercial plumbing and hydronic projects.
“We worked diligently to find a partner who offers a quality, differentiated product that is in alignment with Uponor’s business mission and vision. I’m confident we’ve found this and more in Pestan North America,” said Bill Gray, president, Uponor North America. “We’re excited to discover the new doors this partnership will open for our company in the commercial construction market.”
“At Pestan North America, we believe that the transition from metal piping to leading-edge polymer piping is still in its early stages and foresee a significant increase in demand for PNA products in the North American markets,” said Nenad Nastic, co-CEO, PNA.
“Based on the strength of our technology and the world-class team at Uponor, we are confident we will achieve and maintain a leadership role in this sector for years to come,” added Marko Radovanovic, co-CEO, PNA.
Gray also said that the agreement signifies a huge step toward affirming Uponor’s position as the leading polymer pipe solutions provider for commercial plumbing and HVAC, and that the company plans to proceed thoughtfully throughout the next year, building a long-term, sustainable competitive advantage.
“Our approach is to strategically evolve our skills and resources related to this new offering by way of a staggered market approach, as we believe a measured rollout will help ensure both a positive customer experience and long-term business success.”
With plumbing hygiene becoming a bigger concern in our industry, installers and building owners are looking to innovations that will ensure both efficiencies and reduced liability for their domestic water systems. For these commercial plumbing applications, professionals are starting to turn to pre-sleeved PEX in the slab. It’s an innovative solution that offers several benefits Read more
With plumbing hygiene becoming a bigger concern in our industry, installers and building
owners are looking to innovations that will ensure both efficiencies and reduced liability for their domestic water systems.
San Francisco, 2018 install with in-slab, pre-sleeved PEX
For these commercial plumbing applications, professionals are starting to turn to pre-sleeved PEX in the slab. It’s an innovative solution that offers several benefits for the contractor, owner and also the end user, including:
- Shorter pipe runs for less material usage and better pressure to the fixtures
- No hangers for less ladder time and faster installs
- No insulation required for easier, more efficient installs
- Long, flexible coils of pipe to eliminate fittings in the slab
And here’s where the safety factor comes in — because in-slab pre-sleeved PEX systems use shorter runs of pipe embedded in concrete, the water in the pipe is spending less time in the optimal bacterial grow zone (95°F to 115°F). Plus, the shorter pipe runs provide better pressure to the fixtures for higher velocity to minimize biofilm attachment and growth, especially compared to metallic piping systems.
San Francisco, 2018 install with in-slab, pre-sleeved PEX
In general, PEX is a superior product compared to metallic piping due to its corrosion resistance, freeze resistance, superior sound insulation qualities, smoother surface for reduced pressure loss and lighter weight for easy maneuverability on the job site.
Also, because PEX has stable pricing compared to copper, it’s easier to confidently bid a job without having to worry about price increases. And because PEX connections don’t require flame, there’s no need for fire watch requirements on a job site, adding to the cost-effective benefits of the system.
So you can see how adding pre-sleeved PEX in the slab can offer great benefits to your commercial plumbing systems. Now, the next question is, what can you buy and where do you get it?
Some PEX manufacturers offer their pre-sleeved piping with color-coded red and blue HDPE corrugated sleeving to easily identify hot and cold water lines. The HDPE sleeve protects the pipe in the slab and also makes it easier to remove, if necessary, without having to break up the slab. Pipe sizes are typically available from ½" to 1", but can vary by manufacturer.
To learn more about the pre-sleeved PEX offerings in your market, check out your favorite PEX manufacturer’s website; or to learn more about PEX in general, visit one of the plastic piping association websites at plasticpipe.org or ppfahome.org.
Guest Blogger: Kim Bliss is the content development manager at Uponor. She can be reached at kim.bliss@uponor.com.