Water

2013 WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) named Delta Faucet Company a 2013 WaterSense®[1] Manufacturer Partner of the Year. The manufacturer of Delta®, Brizo® and Peerless® branded products was honored in Las Vegas during the sixth annual WaterSmart Innovations Conference for its commitment to water efficiency and outstanding efforts to support the WaterSense program during 2012.

“As a WaterSense partner since the program’s inception, we are committed to working with the EPA to encourage efficient use of water resources and protect the future of our nation’s water supply,” said Richard O’Reagan, Delta Faucet Company president. “From consciously working to reduce our footprint to developing environmentally-friendly products and technologies, we recognize our role in helping to sustain the environment.”

This award marks the second time Delta Faucet Company has received this prestigious recognition from the EPA; the company was named 2011 WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year. In 2012, Delta Faucet Company continued its efforts to support WaterSense labeled products and water efficiency by ensuring that 100 percent of its bathroom collections offer a faucet and showerhead that meet EPA’s efficiency and performance criteria. Also, in 2012, the company launched its CorrenteTM and PreludeTM toilets, expanding its WaterSense labeled offerings into a new category.

“The development of H2Okinetic® technology, which provides the consumer-proven feeling of a warmer, more drenching shower while using up to 40 percent less water, and Delta Touch2O® and Brizo SmartTouch Technologies, which automatically stop the flow of water when the faucet is not in use, demonstrates how we are constantly working to help users intuitively save water while improving their experience, not sacrificing it,” said Paul Patton, Delta Faucet Company senior research and development and regulatory manager.

In addition to promoting its WaterSense labeled products year-round, Delta Faucet launched a collaborative, coast-to-coast water efficiency campaign in celebration of the EPA’s annual Fix a Leak Week program in 2012. Teaming up with several utility partners in cities across the United States, Delta Faucet donated its WaterSense labeled showerheads and worked with volunteers to install them and other water-saving products in nearly 2,000 housing units in nine different cities. Delta Faucet’s Fix a Leak Week efforts resulted in more than 7 million gallons in estimated annual water savings.

In 2012 alone, WaterSense labeled products and new homes helped Americans save more than 202 billion gallons of water, or more than the amount of water needed to supply all the homes in Colorado for a year. More than 2,700 utility, manufacturer, retail, builder, organizational, and professional partners helped the WaterSense program realize these accomplishments, but every year a few in particular are recognized for their significant contributions to the program.

“All of our WaterSense partners have taken steps to reduce our nation’s water use, but several stood out in 2012 for their commitment to the WaterSense program and collaborative efforts to promote WaterSense labeled products, new homes and outreach and educational programs,” said EPA’s acting Assistant Administrator for Water Nancy Stoner. “We are pleased to honor Delta Faucet Company for its efforts that support our mission to protect the future of our nation’s water supply.”

About Delta Faucet Company

Founded by Masco Corporation in 1954 with the introduction of the single-handle faucet, Delta Faucet Company is proud to be America’s faucet innovation leader, featuring Delta®, Brizo® and Peerless® products. A WaterSense® partner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Delta Faucet  is a global organization that offers kitchen faucets, bath faucets, shower heads, shower systems, toilets and related accessories, selling products in more than 53 countries. For more information, visit www.deltafaucet.com.

About Masco

Masco Corporation (NYSE: MAS), parent company of Delta Faucet Company, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of brand-name consumer products for the home and family, including Behr® paint; Delta® and Hansgrohe® kitchen and bath faucets and shower fixtures; KraftMaid® and Merillat® cabinets; and Milgard® windows and doors. Masco is also a leading provider of services that include the installation of insulation and other building products through Masco Contractor Services. Visit www.masco.com for more information on the Masco family of brands.

About WaterSense

WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes, and services. Since the program’s inception in 2006, the WaterSense program has helped consumers save 487 billion gallons of water and $8.9 billion in water and energy bills.

via 2013 WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year.

Exton PA. December, 2013 – Omega Flex Inc. the leading manufacturer of CSST Gas Piping systems is introducing another first of its kind CSST innovation.

The new patent pending AutoSnap® straight fittings are the only CSST fittings that do not require any disassembly or reassembly of the fitting to the TracPipe®CounterStrike® CSST.

Just TWIST*SNAP*TIGHTEN and you’re DONE!

This greatly reduces installation difficulty and time as there are no small loose gaskets, O-rings, or retainer rings to contend with in a dark and/or cold work place environment!

AutoSnap is CSA listed, manufactured from brass and features a metal to metal cup seal without any exposed stainless steel pipe behind the new fitting. Reduced torque value and reusability all make for an optimum installer friendly fitting!

AutoSnap will be available the first quarter of 2014 in the following sizes: 3/8”, ½”, ¾” and 1”.

David Richardson, RNC Manager for Weather Master Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. whose company participated in the AutoSnap testing trials stated the following;

“We have been using your product for over 14 years and value the quality of the product and your advancements that your company has done to improve your products over the years. After reviewing your newest addition to the TracPipe family, I am excited about the convenience it will provide during installation. This product is another example of your dedication to providing quality products and looking for ways to make improvements and finding ways to make installation easier and more user friendly. I think that this new edition to your product line will be another reason that your product is the best in the market and contractors will be excited about the results.  I look forward to the release of the new fitting.”

For more information on the new AutoSnap fitting please visit www.tracpipe.com

In Canada please visit www.tracpipe.ca

KOHLER, Wis. – Nov. 20, 2013 – In the commercial marketplace, time can equal big money – even routine maintenance calls add up quickly. To help reduce the long-term effects of costly maintenance on flushing systems in commercial facilities, Kohler Co., a global leader in kitchen and bathroom design, debuts flushometers that feature Kohler’s exclusive Hybrid Energy System.

This new flushometer utilizes Kohler’s Hybrid energy cell, a proven success on touchless bathroom faucets, and provides an estimated 30-year battery lifespan*. In comparison to the standard three-to-five year expectancy for commercial flushometer batteries, the KOHLER® Hybrid flushometer is a cost-effective and smart solution for commercial specifiers, building owners, facility managers and maintenance coordinators. Additionally, the Hybrid energy cell is installed within the body of existing KOHLER flush valves, preserving their sleek aesthetic.

The Hybrid energy system features a Hybrid layered-capacitor, literally collecting the small electrical discharges of the battery. When the flushometer is activated for use, power is drawn from the capacitor, allowing the cell to maintain its superior power storage.

Technology similar to the Hybrid energy system is used in applications such as hands-free meter reading, GPS vehicle tracking systems, airbag deployment components and emergency call systems. These applications require a reliable source of power over a prolonged period of time – the same facility managers and end-users require of their flushing systems.

“Across the industry, commercial specifiers have asked for easy maintenance, reliable products and lifetime cost savings,” says Keith Fischer, Kohler marketing manager for Kohler Commercial Faucets. “The Hybrid technology ensures all of these aspects and has proven to be well received on bathroom faucets. We anticipate the same positive result with flushometers.”

via KOHLER | KOHLER Hybrid Energy System Extends Flushometer Performance by 25 Years | 2013 IBS Press Kit | Press Kits | Press Room |.

By Dave Duren

Believe it or not…when I’m out in the field as I’m headed to San Diego right now…the most asked question I’ll get is “what exactly is softening?” And if they don’t asked…I’ll be bringing it up!

If you asked 99% of the legitimate water treatment companies and or manufacturers; they respond by saying…Water softening is the “removal of mineral” from the water….plan and simple.

And mineral for the purpose of this article is mostly calcium and magnesium.  (Other metals are also removed by the ion exchange process)I’m going to be talking about ion exchange process from here on out for clarification. So let’s review what is actually going on in that what softener. Inside of a water softener are millions of tiny beads that are man-made of a plastic material. They have a negative charge. Mineral has a positive charge. Water with mineral in it passed through the bed of “resin” and the mineral clings to these beads. As they cling, they release some sodium ions. This is where the term “exchange” comes into play. After a certain period of time the beads become full of mineral or as we say the bed becomes exhausted and it needs to regenerate. This process involves drawing a brine (“salty”) solution into the bed which flushes the mineral away and down the drain while allowing more sodium ions to cling to the beads to get ready for more actual softening.

There are basically three ways this whole process occurs. The first way is manually. Someone tells the unit the time when to start and stop. The second way is with an automatic time clock. The time clock is set to regenerate every certain amount of days. A couple of reliable industry valves have a 12 day wheel on them to control this period. This involves sliding out pins that trip the unit into the process every set amount of days, like every third day or so. The third and probably most popular these days is a metered system. This involves some type of water meter that will kick the unit into regeneration when a set amount of water has passed through it.

So to continue, if mineral is not REMOVED from water through ion exchange softening then some other method is used to try to prevent it from sticking to surfaces, (inside of pipes, inside of heaters and exchangers, showerheads, shower doors..etc.) And you might ask WHY it is sticking to surfaces anyway. This is due to the positive valence or polarity of the mineral itself. Many of the reputable companies use the term “Conditioning” or “Management” but do not say softening in their explanation as to how this gets done. So with that, I’ve broken this down into 4 general methods that are used although there may be other methods out there.

• Magnets and electricity
• Adding polyphosphates
• Creating acid water, mostly using citric acid
• Media based methods

Let’s talk about these in a general way. First magnets and electricity are merely an attempt to change the polarity of the mineral elements in the water. They are not easily changed and many revert back to their original state if ever changed in the first place.

Secondly are polyphosphates. They have been around a good long while. This product coats the inside of the pipes and anything downstream with a thin layer of itself situating itself between the water and surface. It also coats the mineral element and prevents it from attaching to other things. This method is good in some applications.

Thirdly, acid water created by using citric acid or other chemical is added to the water to reduce the ph of the water making it “acidic”. Acidic water then has a tendency to make the mineral not want to stick to surfaces. This method can work at times but also reduces all of the water’s ph and now introduces acid water to the entire plumbing system.

The fourth method is using medias. There are a few different ones on the market and they basically create an atmosphere wherein that the mineral either sticks to it or sticks to itself or another particle of something that is introduced into the water.

None of the above methods removes or even reduces mineral from the water but once again, merely tries to “control” the mineral’s positive polarity and prevent it from sticking to surfaces. Either inside the plumbing system on a surface (shower doors, dishes, showerheads, etc.) Some with some success and others with zero success. This is why “SALT-FREE SOFTENING” does not exist except in a few extreme cases using very expensive equipment and seldom seen in residential applications.  It is also worth mentioning that NSF, National Sanitation Foundation and WQA, Water Quality Association both have standards and protocols for testing Ion exchange softeners. So as I’ve stated before, this is a very good way to tell if the equipment you’re being asked about or you yourself is trying to sell, is legitimate. Going to either website would also be a great way of learning more about what they do as organizations.

All of the above areas would command their own article or series of articles so take this as an overview. I think that you as a contractor need to at least be aware of the terms and methods because you will probably be asked by a customer. I think that when asked “what is softening?” you can simply say….”it’s REMOVAL of mineral from the water and the best and most economical, tried and true method is an ion exchange softener. I think it would be perfectly OK for you to tell your customer “Buyer Beware”…especially if they are asking or maybe even trying to tell you about some super wiz product they found on the internet or so slick guy called and tried to sell them over the phone.

I’d like to add that research and development continues to look for another method of SOFTENING water for residential use that will be efficient and affordable (which is what?….RIGHT!…REMOVING MINERAL FROM THE WATER!) as growing demand for this type of system exists. Until then ion exchange softening is the way to go to get the desired effects of actual SOFT WATER.  Until next time…happy selling!