Mechanical Business September/October 2019

SEPT/OCT 2019 $6.95

PM #41536047

Also in this issue:

Saving Water at Lake Louise

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CONTENTS O F

58COVER STORY 5 A player, coach, broadcaster er and fan, Leo Rautins knows what it takes to achieve success, and he’s more than willing to share the insights and advice that have made him a leader both on and off the court. Adam Freill

62PROJECT PROFILE When Atlific Hotels’ Lake Louise Inn decided to go all out on its energy savings program, they learned that their laundry room provided a perfect opportunity to extract heat from the water that was being sent down its drains. Denise Deveau

Cover photo courtesy of Todd Fraser.

100PLUMBING At first glance, kitchens and bathrooms can appear to be mere functional spaces where many of life’s daily chores are taken care of, but many homeowners are looking for spaces that go beyond function. They demand rooms they want to spend time in.

Simon Bowden

22HEATING REPORT Energy efficiency is the name of the game for equipment manufacturers as Canada heads into the upcoming heating season.

Simon Bowden

Together, we make life more comfortable.

Giving people the comfort they deserve is important to you. That’s why AirEase™ gas furnaces are built with proven technologies that make your customers’ lives easier—like our EHX™ stainless steel heat exchangers, featuring a weld-free, clamshell design that eliminates hot spots for long-lasting comfort.* And, we don’t stop there. We factory test every heat exchanger before it’s installed, so when you promise your customers exceptional performance and dependability—you know you can deliver.

Partner with the brand built to make life easier.

Get started at www.airease.com/become-a-dealer. *Stainless steel primary heat exchangers are available on select models. ©2019 Allied Air Enterprises LLC, a Lennox International Inc. Company

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T A B L E F E A T U R E S 36PLUMBING

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REFRIGERATION Innovations in the world of HVAC/R, Part 2 Phil J. Boudreau A continued look at some of the more modern innovations that have had a major impact in the HVAC/R industry.

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PLUMBING A cold, hard lesson in piping Fred Bretzke When repairing a leaking water main in the winter, it’s actually warmer in the hole than on the frozen ground.

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HYDRONICS Considering combi choices Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr Combination boilers (combis) can be a one-box solution that can help maximize limited mechanical space.

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HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC Heat pumps in cold climates? Absolutely!

Gord Cooke Applying heat pumps for heating in both new and existing homes will be an important strategy for meeting environmental targets.

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MARKETING The company newsletter: Still effective after all these years Doug MacMillan The style and format of newsletters has evolved, but there are still some keys to help the messaging resonate with customers.

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ASK ROGER Mind your professional manners Roger Grochmal Creating a memorable service experience comes down to a lot more than technical knowledge.

54HVAC

66QUATTRO’S CORNER Tanks, pipes and fittings Andrew Quattrociocchi

70BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Warranties: Protecting your customers, and your company Sean Rooney

76REFRIGERATION Stopping refrigerant leaks before they start Jason Ayres

80EVENT IN PICTURES HRAI Conference

82ROAD WARRIOR: KENT EDWARDS Simon Bowden

88HYDRONICS Dive into pool planning now Denise Deveau

92HYDRONICS How hot is TOO hot?

Peter Meridew

106 HVAC Step into the infrared zone Aleks Sauchuk

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CONTENTS

What’s new with lead in Canada Kevin Wong

Heat pump or AC: What’s the difference?

Mark & Alexandra Parliament

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D E P A R T M E N T S 6From the Editor’s Desk 8News 20Profile: Scott Munro 48Find the Fix 112The Info Page 113Calendar 114By the Numbers M e c h a n i c a l

P R O D U C T S 22-26,50,94,95Hydronics 22-26,81,108,109HVAC/R 40,102,104Plumbing 110Stuff You Need

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FROM Content Media Group Inc. 19 – 1525 Cornwall Road Oakville, ON L6J 0B2 Canada Tel: 905.465.2919 Fax: 905.465.2913 www.mechanicalbusiness.com Sept/Oct 2019 Issue Published 6 times per year.

Editor: Adam Freill, ext. 224 adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com Associate Editor/Web Editor: Simon Bowden, ext. 225 simon.bowden@mechanicalbusiness.com National Sales Manager: Jeff Superle, ext. 221 jeff.superle@mechanicalbusiness.com Controller: Liz Mills liz.mills@mechanicalbusiness.com Operations Manager: Caroline Bexfield caroline.bexfield@mechanicalbusiness.com

EDITOR’S

DESK

Spinning a good yarn Ever notice that a lot of the top salespeople you’ve either worked with or bought something from tell the best stories? With a simple yarn, they’ve broken through your protective barrier and built up a rapport – you know, that basis for a great relationship.

When given a choice, most of us want to do business with people we trust, and we are usually willing to pay a small premium to do so.

Let’s be social!

The team at Mechanical Businesss loves being social. In addition to sharing stories and information in the pages of our print magazine, we are constantly updating our website and our social media outlets with industry news and activities, so please check us out online and be sure to follow us.

mechanicalbusiness.com

Highly skilled storytellers use this rapport to move the focus of their product or service from its price to ensuring that you have trust in what they and their company can do for you and your company.

Art Direction: JJM Graphic Ltd. davem@jjmgraphic.com Circulation Manager: Shila Naik (905) 272-4175 shila.naik@mechanicalbusiness.com Publisher: Bruce Meacock, ext. 222 bruce.meacock@mechanicalbusiness.com

While some seem to be born with a silver tongue and natural ability to be entertaining, the good news is that storytelling can be a learned skill, but there are some rules of the road to follow.

In speaking with Leo Rautins, the former national basketball team coach, for this edition of the magazine (see page 58), he talked about a coach’s need to have a relationship with his team in order to be able to sell the coach’s vision.

PM:41536047 ISSN 1916-0674 MB (Print) ISSN 1906-0682 MB (Online)

One way to build that relationship, he explained, is by sharing experiences and being honest and authentic.

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Mechanical Business also reserves the right to edit said submitted materials to suit the editorial needs and mandate of the publication.

Notice: Mechanical Business is published for owners, managers and decision makers with mechanical contracting firms and the sector’s supply chain partners in Canada. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information, Mechanical Business, Content Media Group Inc., its staff, directors, officers and shareholders (‘The Publisher’) assume no liability, obligation or responsibility for advertised claims, for errors and/or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. Manufacturers’ instructions take precedence over published editorial. The publisher reserves the right to publish a printed correction in a subsequent issue for editorial errors, omissions and oversights.

Subscriptions are available for $90 plus taxes in Canada and the U.S. Single copies are $15.00. Outside Canada and the U.S., the rates are $150.00 (annual) and $25.00 (single copy).

Much like that sales person trying to build rapport with customers, if the coach is not authentic, if they try too hard, or oversell the goods, then it’s going to be much more difficult to get buy-in.

Of course, a ggood O o first impression helps, too. So, after you fin yo finish nish ch cchecking e out what Coach Leo has to say about being basketball’s renaissance in Canada, be sure to b be ing part of b Grochmal’s advice on casting a professional catch Roger G image (page 96).

Remember, you never get a second chance to Reme mak make a good first impression.

From time to time, Content Media Group Inc. makes subscribers’ names available to reputable companies whose products or services may be of interest to readers. If you would like your name excluded from these mailings, please notify the publisher.

Until next time, U

© Copyright 2019. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of the publisher.

Proud members of:

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EVERY HOME DESERVES THE BEST KNIGHT EVER

Meeting the water heating needs of every homeowner calls for industry-leading efficiency and installation flexibility. That’s why the world’s top contractors carry the new and improved KNIGHT® Residential Boiler by Lochinvar. With 6 floor-mount and 7 wall-mount models available, the KNIGHT boiler ranges from 55,000 to 399,000 BTUs and features an energy-saving ECM variable speed pump as standard equipment—all while operating at up to 95% efficiency.

That’s one more reason no one brings it all together like Lochinvar.

Visit Lochinvar.com to learn more about KNIGHT Residential Boilers.

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News www.mechanicalbusiness.com

Grochmal honoured by industry Congratulations go out to Mechanical Business columnist and AtlasCare chairman and CEO Roger Grochmal (left in photo) for being named an HRAI Life Member. He received the award, HRAI’s highest honour, at the association’s national conference and banquet in Niagara Falls, Ont., in August, where his commitment to the industry and his willingness to share knowledge were cited by outgoing HRAI chair David Weishuhn as just a few of the reasons for the recognition. Be sure to catch Roger’s latest business column where he shares insights into creating memorable service experiences, over on page 96 in this edition of the magazine. atlascare.ca

Emerson’s STEM Day thrills kids Emerson and Lakeside Process Controls recently hosted their first combined We Love STEM Day for elementary and intermediate level school children in Mississauga, Ont. Employees’ children participated in hands-on activities and experiments intended to develop their interest in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Launched in 2015, the campaign has also partnered with YouTuber Hank Green to deliver engaging video content on STEM topics.

Dave Holdorf, of Taco Comfort Solutions, discusses circulator technology and his view of the circulator being the heart of a hydronic system.

Hydronics industry meets in Ottawa Some 300 members of the Canadian hydronics industry came together in Ottawa in September for the two-day Canadian Hydronics Conference. Organized by the Canadian Hydronics Council, the event’s sessions were led by some of the industry’s most respected names, including Mechanical Business columnist and Building Knowledge Canada president Gord Cooke, Taco’s Dave Holdorf and Canadian Hydronics Council chair Dave Hughes.

“Customers want honesty, not perfection,” advised keynote speaker Toby Shannan of Canadian tech giant Shopify. He discussed the importance of building trust with customers, and how contractors can build that trust to improve their company’s performance.

Speaking about the need to manage the expectations of homeowners, Cooke explained that homeowners tend to believe that any home built after 1990 is as efficient as it can be. “So, when you tell them that you are going to make their home more efficient, they don’t believe you,” he stated. He suggested that reframing of questions can help contractors looking to increase the closing success of their sales force. ciph.com

emerson.com

CAF developing trades strategy The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAFFCA) has announced that it will develop a national strategy to increase participation of women in trades. The decision was made following two years of consultation with stakeholders and will be overseen by a task force of its members from across the country.

The group will present its report at next spring’s National Apprenticeship Conference in Calgary, Alta.

Pro Kontrol customers dig in The sun shone for the Pro Kontrol customer appreciation BBQ at its branch in Markham, Ont., on September 20.

With product demonstrations provided by experts from Belimo and Prolon Controls, a prize draw and some great food on offer at the facility, the more than 100 guests who dropped by were given plenty to sink their teeth into on a balmy late summer’s afternoon.

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Viega opens door to expansion

Viessmann charity ride raises over $40,000 Gas tanks may have been close to empty following a 2,400 km motorcycle ride around British Columbia, but thanks to the participants in the Viessmann Ride for Comfort initiative, the coffers of a deserving charity were positively overflowing. By the time they had reached their final stop in Hope, the big-hearted knights of the road had managed to raise $42,120, which will help fund the Lookout Health and Housing Society’s work that provides a range of support services to adults with low or no income. Great job riders! viessmann.ca lookoutsociety.ca

Over the course of two days in August, media members from across Canada and the U.S. were invited to tour Viega’s recently expanded McPherson, Kansas, manufacturing plant and its new North American training centre in Bloomfield, Colorado.

Viega has now completed a two-year build that includes a 90,000 sq. ft. expansion of the existing plant, a new 205,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, and a 25,000 sq. ft. tool shop and apprentice building. viega.com

Mississauga franchise #1 Mike and Vesna Kolakovic, owners of Mr. Rooter Plumbing Mississauga, Ont., have scooped the Franchisee of the Year prize at the company’s annual conference in San Antonio, Texas.

The prestigious award is given to the franchisee who provides quality, professional service; has enjoyed a consistently high level of sales; and who has consistently grown their business through proper training and management.

Approximately 300 Mr. Rooter franchises are operated across the world. mrrooter.ca

Arctic Chiller Group picks up Danfoss award

MCAC hands out scholarships

Danfoss has named Canadian-based manufacturer Arctic Chiller Group the winner of its 10th annual EnVisioneer of the Year award competition. Arctic Chiller is using Danfoss Turbocor oil-free magnetic bearing centrifugal compressors in the development of its air- and water-cooled chillers. Pictured (left to right) are Mark Rogan and Angelo Troiano of Arctic Chiller Group, Ken Koehler of Danfoss and Changiz Tolouee of Arctic Chiller Group.

MCA Canada has announced the 2019 Richard McKeagan Scholarship Series recipients. Recently renamed to recognize the work of the association’s past CEO, the education-funding program provides more than $26,000 in scholarships that are funded by the organization’s associate members. This year’s recipients are: Thomas MacDonald, Jamal Wood, Manuel Lemos, Jesse Holmes, Taylor Davies, Jason Dales, Kristin Bennett, Christine Yaromich, Sarah Kennedy, Stacey Maddox, Mina Arabkhedri, Taylor Campbell and Braedon Grace. Congratulations students!

arcticchillergroup.com

mcac.ca

danfoss.ca

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Canadian leading ASHRAE Darryl K. Boyce is serving as ASHRAE’s president for 2019/20, following the organization’s annual conference held over the summer. Boyce, who works at Carleton University in Ottawa, announced that “Building for People and Performance. Achieving Operational Excellence,” would be the theme of his tenure. Another Canadian, Bill Dean has been elected as a vice-president to serve one term. ashrae.org

HAIRY, CLOGGED, CORRODED TUB DRAIN?

From left: Taco’s Cheryl Merchant, Darron Desroches, Mike Miller and Todd Facey.

Taco recognizes top sales managers Taco Comfort Solutions recently named two Regional Sales Managers of the Year for its commercial and wholesale sales channels. Representing Canada and responsible for Taco’s Canadian commercial sales, Mike Miller received the 2018 Region Manager of the Year award for commercial sales in North America, while Darron Desroches picked up the 2018 Region Manager of the Year award for the southeast sales market in the residential wholesale channel. tacocomfort.com

UNIVERSAL RSAL NUFIT FIT® MAKES OLD K DRAINS LOOK UTES. NEW IN MINUTES. NO TOOLS, NO SWEAT.

Plumbers enjoy tool time with Ridgid Installs with pin…

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…or with silicone Grid strainer keeps hair and other items out of bathtub drain.

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Patent www.watcomfg.com/patents

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Canadian plumbers Danielle Browne, from St. John’s, NL., and Rob McIlhargey, from Surrey, B.C., were among nine Ridgid tool users who won a VIP trip to the company’s headquarters in Elyria, Ohio. The threeday trip involved a variety of professional and networking experiences, including the opportunity to build their own iconic custom pipe wrench, a featured spot in a Ridgid photoshoot, a premium fishing excursion on Lake Erie, and more. Browne is pictured fourth from left and McIlhargey is fifth.

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DIGITAL ALERT IoT networking platform

Grundfos walk raises $25,000 Grundfos employees and members of the community put their feet to work on September 7, raising $25,000 during Walk for Water Canada, a fundraising event for Water Mission, a non-profit engineering organization that provides safe water and sanitation solutions to victims of the global water crisis. Participants walked 6 km, filling a bucket with water from the Credit River in Mississauga, Ont., at the half-way mark as a way to appreciate the trek that millions of women and children in developing countries make every day to find and collect water. grundfos.ca

Optigo Connect, available through Yorkland Controls, is a networking platform designed to securely connect thousands of IP and IoT devices in intelligent buildings, either in newbuilds or as a retrofit solution. From heating and cooling to security alarms and elevators, the system can connect devices within a 20 km radius and enable them to be monitored and controlled from one screen. optigo.net yorkland.net

Smart metering system The Sensorlinx System by HBX Control Systems measures the energy used or transferred in liquid heating and cooling applications. Using precisionmatched temperature sensors to collect data, the device will calculate energy use and cost. The system incorporates Wi-Fi connectivity to allow remote monitoring and setup on a smartphone via the HBX Thermolinx app. hbxcontrols.com

When it comes to water, it’s all about pressure. Whether you’re looking for pressure boosting, constant pressure, or pressure regulation, our Little Giant® Inline product portfolio provides the right tools to bring your customer’s challenges under control.

Ideal for new or existing applications, your customer will have the water they need when they demand it.

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Hundreds attend Super Meeting Close to 900 members, vendors, and prospects recently attended Nexstar Network’s annual Super Meeting over three days in San Antonio, Texas – its biggest such event to date. Members of the organization, which provides member contractors education and coaching, enjoyed a trade show, networking reception and panel discussions. In addition, keynote talks were given by author and motivational speaker Jim Collins and retired U.S. navy SEAL and author David Goggins (pictured). nexstarnetwork.com

Canadians awarded ASHRAE scholarships Two Canadian scholars have been awarded ASHRAE scholarships for the 2019/20 academic year. Issac Golumbia, who is studying mechanical engineering at the University of Victoria in B.C., was one of three recipients of a U.S. $10,000 Reuben Trane Scholarship. Matthew Woods, who is studying sustainable and renewable energy engineering at Carleton University in Ottawa, was awarded the U.S. $3,000 ASHRAE Ottawa Valley Chapter Scholarship. ashrae.org

Rizcallah recognized

by CIPH Philip Rizcallah has been awarded the Joseph K. Seidner Award by CIPH. The director of research, development and construction at the National Research Council of Canada is the 19th recipient of the award, presented in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Canadian plumbing codes and standards over the past 30 years. Rizcallah is pictured receiving his award from Plumbing Industry Advisory Council chair Kevin Ernst (left) and CIPH president and general manager Ralph Suppa (right). ciph.com

The Original Manufacturer of Thermopan

THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER OF THERMOPAN THE RESIDENTIAL RETURN AIR PANNING STANDARD SINCE 1992

Thermopan is a high-quality alternative to traditional sheet metal for constructing return air ducts • Thermopan is available in multiple sizes • Pre-cut headers also available • Ask about our Thermopan all-in-one kits Why professional contractors prefer Thermopan • Lightweight and easy to install • No shop fabrication or cut hands • Saves on labor time • No duct noise means satisfied homeowners

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Visit Thermopan.com Call 888-678-3709

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News www.mechanicalbusiness.com

Historic setting hosts Wetstock The past, present and future of all things heating came together at the stunning General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York building for Wetstock 2019 in August. “We’re thrilled and very grateful to be among friends here today in this beautiful landmark building‌ learning from one another, surrounded by all of this remarkable history,â€? stated Erin Holohan Haskell, president of HeatingHelp.com, the organization that put on the event. In addition to engaging in discussions about current industry topics and the future of the industry, attendees were also treated to tours of the venue’s unique and restored HVAC system and mechanical room, led by industry legend, and Mechanical Business contributor, Dan Holohan. Proceeds from Wetstock will support Merit Awards for graduates of the Mechanics Institute, the oldest privatelyendowed, tuition-free, technical school in America. heatinghelp.com

Smart buildings face growing cyber threat According to new research from global cybersecurity company Kaspersky, almost four in 10 (37.8%) computers used to control smart building automation systems were affected by malicious attacks in the ďŹ rst half of 2019. The ďŹ ndings indicate that while it is unclear if such systems were deliberately targeted, they often become an end point for various generic threats posing signiďŹ cant implications to smart building operations. The majority of threats came from the internet, with 26% of infection attempts being web-born. Removable media including ash sticks and external hard drives were responsible in 10% of cases and another 10% faced threats via email links and attachments. Smart building automation systems typically consist of sensors and controllers used to monitor and automate the operation of HVAC systems, elevators, electricity and water supplies, access controls and many other critical information and security systems. kaspersky.ca

ACO Stainless Hygienic Drainage

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All products are made of 304 or 316 stainless steel grade and have been rigorously tested in the most aggressive conditions.

16) FHUWLÄŤHG IRU K\JLHQLF GUDLQDJH GHVLJQ ACO Systems, Ltd. ĹŽ - ĹŽ info@acocan.ca ĹŽ www.acocan.ca

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Endless hot water...

Your customers demand it.

The NEW Vitotrans 300 provides it!

VITOTRANS 300 Commercial high-output DHW heating station The new Vitotrans 300 is a compact, pre-assembled and self-contained DHW heating station, designed to provide large volumes of on-demand hot water to commercial and industrial applications.

Powerful. Cost Effective. No Downtime.

Works seamlessly with any new or existing hydronic heat source to provide a reliable and consistent supply of endless hot water at ow rates of up to 180 GPM. Eliminates the need for dedicated DHW heating boilers, batteries of direct or indirect-ďŹ red DHW tanks, or cascades of tankless water heaters for maximum cost savings.

Multi-heat exchanger design provides built-in redundancy and eliminates costly downtime during service and maintenance.

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Movers & Shakers www.mechanicalbusiness.com

OS&B opens p industrial division

Daikin and RSL team up Daikin has announced that Refrigerative Supply Limited (RSL) will support the sales and distribution of all the company’s residential unitary, ductless, light commercial, and variable refrigerant volume (VRV) products, as well as related controls and indoor air quality (IAQ) products, in Western Canada. Under the agreement, all existing Daikin Comfort Pro dealers in the region will be fully supported by the RSL team.

OS&B has established OS&B Industrial to oversee the sale of its lineup of valves. The new division will be based at the company’s facility in Woodward Avenue in Hamilton, Ont. osb.ca

northamerica-daikin.com rsl.ca

SPX Corporation, whose HVAC offerings include residential and commercial boilers and comfort heating products under such brand names as Weil-McLain and Marley, has completed its acquisition of SGS Refrigeration Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of industrial refrigeration products in the North American market. spx.com p sgsrefrigeration.com

Equipco gains Haier in Ontario GE Appliances, A Haier Company, has appointed Equipco as manufacturer representatives in Ontario.

Equipco will be responsible for supporting the wholesale network throughout the province as well as helping to grow sales and market share for GE and other Haier-branded ductless products. haierductless.com equipcoltd.com

IPEX acquires Silver-Line Plastics IPEX, the Canadian-headquartered manufacturer of thermoplastic piping systems, has acquired Silver-Line Plastics, a U.S.-based manufacturer of plastic pipe products. With this acquisition, IPEX will increase its market position in the U.S. with an expanded product portfolio serving a broader client base. ipexna.com slpipe.com

Canature taps Envirogard Canature has announced that it has acquired a controlling interest in Envirogard Products, a designer, manufacturer and supplier of water filters, drinking water systems and ultraviolet disinfection systems for use in residential and commercial applications. Its products are sold under the Rainfresh brand in Canada.

SPX P adds industrial refrigeration firm

Gerber opens p B.C. distribution centre Gerber Plumbing Fixtures’s new Western distribution centre is now fully operational. Located in the lower mainland of British Columbia, the facility provides additional support to Gerber partners in B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan, while also easing the load on the company’s primary warehouse in Montreal. gerberonline.com

Rheem pairs with S&D Rheem Canada has entered into a partnership with S&D Inc., a sales agent based in Mississauga, Ont., that specializes in the distribution of mechanical plumbing products. S&D’s primary focus will be on the commercial product bid and spec market, working with engineers, building owners and architects. rheem.com

canaturewg.com rainfresh.ca

Master adds another B.C. location The Master Group’s third point of sale in British Columbia is now open at 683 Dease Road in Kelowna. The branch serves the Okanagan valley, including Penticton and Vernon, as well as the northern reaches of the province and can be reached at 778-738-2939. master.ca

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Saniflo signs g Maritimes agency Saniflo Canada, a manufacturer of macerating and grinding toilets and drain pumps, has announced a new partnership with the independent sales agency of J. Wright Sales, for the provinces of Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for the wholesale channel (and Kent Building Supplies). saniflo.ca jwrightsales.com

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We wan want n t to t o hear h ar fr from om you. you Email Emai E maill C Chris h s and Ste hri Stephe Stephen p n Schr Schroeter c oeter dir directly r ect ectly ly at ceo ceos@n ceos@napoleon.com s@napo apoleo leon.c n.com m napoleon.com

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ESTABLISHED 1976

10.19

People in the news www.mechanicalbusiness.com

HRAI has expanded its government and stakeholder relations team to include Dorothy McCabe, who will focus on the needs of members within Ontario.

McCabe is an experienced government relations and not-for-profit professional who will report to vice-president of Government and Stakeholder Relations, Martin Luymes.

BELIMO AMERICAS has promoted Rick Ellul to the position of regional sales manager for Central and Western Canada. A past chair of HRAI, Ellul has been with Belimo for more than 15 years, most recently serving as a district sales manager.

CONTINENTAL FAN has announced the appointment of Bret Van Beek as sales engineer for its Wholesale Product Division. He will work closely with representatives and distributors to support and develop the company’s business throughout Canada.

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Francois Lachapelle (1) has been promoted

by GOODMAN CANADA to regional manager for Quebec. Lachapelle has been with the company for six years, holding a number of positions in that time. Also at Goodman, Caroline Harvey (2) has been appointed to the position of territory sales manager for Eastern Canada. She has been with the company for 13 years.

Lisa ComeauMcDow (1) has been named outside technical sales rep at PARTINGTON SALES, where she will assist engineers, wholesalers, plumbing showrooms and architects with large-scale projects and specifications.

Anthony Ennis (2) will be handling retail accounts in all of Atlantic Canada, while vice-president Stephen Partington (3) is adding the role of operations manager to his portfolio.

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The ECCO GROUP has promoted Bill Davis to vice-president and general manager of ECCO Heating Products Ltd. Davis joined the company in 2018 as director of sales branch operations.

B u s i n e s s

RIDGID has announced the addition of Mitch Barton to the company’s Global Press Connection team where he will serve as marketing director.

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MIFAB has appointed Vishnu Nauth as national sales manager for Canada. The move is a return to the company where Vishnu began his career in 2006.

Neil Stuart McDougall has taken up the role of president at THE MASTER GROUP. He will work closely with Louis St-Laurent, who will retain his position as CEO. Originally from the UK, McDougall will initially work from Dallas, Texas, but will travel extensively throughout Canada.

JOHNSON CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL has named Jeff Williams as vicepresident and president, Global Products, Building Technologies and Solutions. Williams, who joined the company in 1984, will lead the Global Products segment, which includes building management systems, HVAC and refrigeration equipment, and specialty products.

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BRADLEY CORP. has appointed Luis de Leon (1) as executive vice-president.

Also at Bradley, Mark Owens (2) has been named director of commercial sales and Mike Vickery (3) has been promoted to commercial business development director.

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10.19

Reader Profile Scott Munro: Passing along the appreciation reciation

From the time he joined the trade as an apprentice in the mid-80s, through management and ownership roles, and eventually to starting up a firm with a friend in the industry, Scott Munro's biggest goal has always been to give back.

“My mentor, Bob Hoare, encouraged me to give back to the industry early in my career,” he says. “It is important to have a full appreciation for what we get back in the industry.

I feel very fortunate, and hope to pay it forward.”

As such, Scott has spent countless hours through the Ontario Construction Secretariat speaking with high school students about the advantages of earning a trade. He also spends time on the local, provincial and national boards of the Mechanical Contractors Association, and is always open to a friendly chat with peers, clients, and anyone looking for information about the industry that he calls home.

Q A Q A Q A Q A

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Photo: John Packman

And he does it all while operating Opus Mechanical with Blair McDonnell. In two years, the pair of trades pros have built the company to almost 100 people and 17 trucks by aiming to be the people other people want to work with.

How did you get into the business?

I had a mentor who is very well known in the industry, Bob Hoare, who saw something in me as a kid, and encouraged me to get into the trade.

What’s the most interesting project that you’ve been involved in over the years?

BIO

I’ve really enjoyed doing a bunch of projects for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, because of my passion for the Leafs and hockey.

Name: Scott Munro Title: Executive Director Company: OPUS Mechanical Services Ltd. Location: Toronto, Ont. Age: 52 From: Mississauga, Ont. Family: Wife Sherri, and daughters Alyssa and Megan Joined the industry: 1986

What’s the biggest challenge running a mechanical contracting business nowadays?

I find that one of the biggest issues is the lack of personal contact because of technology. Opus is built on personal relationships. To deviate from email and texting, to be in front of the client, is still the best way to do it.

Do you have a guiding principle when it comes to managing your company?

Our culture here is something that is at the forefront. It is more about the people to me than it is about the actual mechanical contracting in a lot of cases.

It’s about our people, and that people want to work with our people.

M e c h a n i c a l

B u s i n e s s

FAST FACTS ABOUT SCOTT MUNRO 1. Despite being born in Toronto, Scott grew up in St. John’s, N.L., before moving to Mississauga, Ont. 2. He is an absolutely huge Leafs fan. “I have the parade route planned, and I believe in the Blue and White.”

3. He collects red wine, and has a personal cellar. “Bob Hoare has always said, ‘Family, friends and fine wine will get me through things.’ I try to live by that.”

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2019

Heating Report

By Simon Bowden

Residential gas furnace Napoleon’s 9600Q is designed to accommodate new construction projects by using slide-in modular heat exchangers and blowers. Available in 40,000 to 80,000 BTUH sizes, units reach 96% AFUE. napoleonheatingandcooling.com

WINTER’S hottest topics

E

nergy efficiency is the name of the game for equipment manufacturers as Canada heads into the upcoming heating season. New amendments to the government’s energy efficiency regulations have been published and continue the push toward cleaner and greener HVAC equipment.

Electric furnace The Furnace, from Stelpro, comes equipped with a built-in temperature sensor and electronic controls designed to eliminate temperature fluctuations. It is compatible with heat pump installations and can be equipped with a variable speed ECM motor. stelpro.com

High efficiency gas furnaces Amana’s AMVM97 gas furnaces are available with heating inputs from 60,000 to 120,000 BTUH. Rated at up to 98% AFUE, the units have a modulating, variable speed ECM motor, integrated communicating ComfortBridge technology and Wi-Fi capability. amana-hac.com

Heating Products 22

Technological advances are also allowing manufacturers to make smarter equipment – something that consumers are demanding as smart home technology continues to be a growing trend. ore While this is providing customers more control over their systems, it is also good news for contractors, who can ll often monitor systems large and small remotely, allowing them to arrive at a jobsite with the information and tools they need to resolve issues quickly – vital in an industry where time is literally money.

Beyond consumer-driven change, thee federal government is also pushing the he industry. Published earlier this year, Amendments 15 and 16 to Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations updatee existing energy standards for a number er of product categories. However, those companies that sell equipment in Canada have been on the case for many years.

Shiblee Noman, senior product manager at Goodman Manufacturing Company, says, “In Canada, the focus is on embracing increasingly higher efficiencies. End users have been seeking more of that. Now, government is mandating it.”

A good tech needs to stay on top of all these changes to be able to give their customers not only what they want, but what they need. These are times of great change, but they can also be times of great opportunity.

H e a t i n g P r od u c ts

2019

Heating Report

An electric movement Cleaver-Brooks has noted higher demand for electric boilers. Catie VanWormer, product sales manager for the company’s ClearFire product line, says, “Steam and hydronic electric boilers are available for commercial and industrial applications that are clean, compact, quiet, easy to install and have no venting or fuel requirements.”

“There is a strong possibility that electric boilers will increase in market share given various jurisdictions’ aspirational targets for fuel switching to electricity,” adds Bradford White product specialist Tom Gervais.

Condensing complications

Condensing densing firetube boiler b Navien’s NFB high-efficiency condensing firetube boiler is available in 175,000 and 199,900 BTUH sizes, and is rated at 95% AFUE. Features include a robotic laserwelded and form-pressed heat exchanger, a 10:1 turndown ratio, and field gas convertibility. navieninc.com

Part of the overall drive toward achieving greater efficiencies in HVAC equipment is the phasing out of non-condensing gas boilers. This can prove more complicated than simply swapping out the old boiler for a new one.

Jerry Leyte, director of sales and marketing Canada for Viessmann, says, “As non-condensing boilers get replaced with condensing units, existing building radiators may need to be exchanged for lower temperature heating systems, such as in-floor, or more efficient or larger radiators that don’t need high operating temperatures. If condensing units still need to operate at high temperatures to meet the requirements of the existing radiators, some of the added efficiency of the condensing boilers may be lost.

Commercial VRF system Daikin’s VRV IV X is a commercial threephase variable refrigerant flow system designed to integrate with communicating gas furnaces for dual-fuel capability. It is available in capacities up to 38 tons. daikinac.com

“Hopefully it will lead to more new buildings considering in-floor heating as an option to optimize the advantages of added comfort and low temperature heating.”

John Kopf, boiler product manager at Navien, notes that while consumers will have to pay more initially for a condensing boiler, they will benefit in the longer term from the lower cost of fuel due to its greater efficiency. There are also pros and cons for the contractor.

“On one hand, more expensive equipment will result in higher revenues for contractors and wholesalers. Since condensing boilers are less forgiving, they will require more frequent maintenance, providing contractors additional revenue streams,” he says.

“On the other hand, more complicated controls can lead to costly installation issues and more time spent at the jobsite during the initial boiler start up.”

c o n t in u e s o n p a g e 2 4

Split system heat pump Goodman’s GSZC18 high-efficiency split system heat pump offers up to 10 HSPF efficiency with heating capacities ranging from 22,000 to 59,500 BTUH. It has a twostage scroll compressor and high-density foam compressor sound blanket. goodmanmfg.com

Heating Products 23

2019

Heating Report

Learning to work smarter Demand for smart home technology has been on the rise, and will continue to grow.

“Connecting high-efficiency HVAC systems to smart home technology is a growing trend recognized by HVAC contractors and homeowners. Endusers also are finding great value in smart communicating technology’s ability to improve indoor comfort control,” says Goodman’s Noman. “These advancements are also finding a receptive audience with HVAC contractors because they can help make their jobs easier.”

Condensing boiler Viessmann’s Vitocrossal 300 CU3A floorstanding gas condensing boiler has a rated input of 19,000 BTUH to 199,000 BTUH with 95% AFUE efficiency. It has a MatriX dome gas burner with 5:1 turndown ratio. viessmann.ca

“On the commercial side, Internet of Things-enabled equipment is a must for property managers and building owners,” says Kopf of Navien. “It allows them to ensure that the equipment is operating at its peak efficiency and at the same time reduces operating costs related to service.”

Kal Osman, AERCO International’s director of product management for boilers, says the number of IoT-ready components will continue to grow.

Heating Products

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2019

Heating Report “In larger applications it gives the facility’s engineering team critical system operation visibility. It also helps in equipment service and maintenance by alerting users to system issues and maintenance schedules,” he explains.

Water source heat pump Whalen’s Closetline CAS packaged water source heat pump is designed for commercial retrofit or new construction. It has a heating capacity of 7,500 to 72,000 BTUH and COP rates of up to 5.6. It can be installed in horizontal or vertical orientations and is capable of operation in a closed loop or a water well installation. whalencompany.com

Heatting g Prod ductts

“Many equipment manufacturers now offer their own IoT-ready devices with IoT service. These services provide critical information that is needed to help keep the equipment running at its best.”

Viessmann’s Leyte, however, suggests that having the technology is one thing, knowing how to use it is something else.

“There are more homeowners who want to be connected, but they are not always necessarily doing anything meaningful with the information the technology provides. It is often a case of want versus need,” he says.

“The contractor should discuss with the homeowner what they want the technology to be able to do for them and then determine what the best features are to incorporate.”

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REFRIGERATION

Innovations changing the world of

HVAC/R

– Part 2

MODELLING SOFTWARE

I

n the previous issue, we started to look at some of the more modern innovations that have had a major impact in the HVAC/R industry. There are many, so let’s continue to reflect on component and system-level innovations, as well as some of the tools we use.

In the category of software and electronics, one innovation that is worth mentioning is 3D modelling software.

Back in the early days y of refrigeration engineering, drawings of mechanical systems were completed manually. Of course, this was very time consuming, and any subsequent changes meant erasing sections and then making the adjustments accordingly.

EXPANSION VALVES E In the early days of refrigeration, ion, refrigerant was w metered into the evaporator ator via v a manually-adjusted expansion ansion device.

As load and/or environmental d onmental conditions changed, the valvee would be c repositioned in order to makee the most re use u of the evaporator without sending liquid w back to the compressor. b

Next to enter the scene was 2D modelling software. With 2D modelling, the images of objects like compressors, pumps and valves could be reused, greatly reducing development time. The most current layout software has taken this a step further, using 3D models, or objects, to compose system illustrations. In addition to having the ability to reuse objects, 3D modelling software allows for the object to be rotated on pretty much any axis.

A great feature of 3D modelling software is that you can also simulate installation and removal of large components, such as compressors and heat exchangers, to ensure that the component can be physically removed at some point in the future if service or replacement becomes necessary.

Phil Boudreau

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M e c h a n i c a l

Automatic expansion devices, or constant pressuree valves, thermostatic expansion on valves and even thermoelectric valves, are some of the more recent developments used in the industry. Constant pressure valves simply work to maintain a constant outlet pressure.

Thermoelectric valves operate to maintain a differential temperature. Thermostatic expansion valves, on the other hand, work to maintain a constant superheat at the outlet of the evaporator.

Perhaps the latest technology in the metering device category is the Electronic Expansion Valve (EXV or EEV).

In addition to maintaining a constant superheat in a direct expansion evaporator, these devices typically offer a wider range of operation, remote adjustment, and a maximum

Phil is the Ontario sales manager for Bitzer Canada Inc. and provides training and technical support for Bitzer’s clientele. He can be contacted at pboudreau@bitzer.ca.

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For more information visit: https:www.honeywell-refrigerants.com or Call 800-631-8138

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REFRIGERATION pressure setting to prevent compressor overload, along with a host of other adjustable parameters.

In some applications, it can be very difficult to set superheat. Having the ability to set the superheat remotely can be a very useful feature.

EEVs also tend to be better at maintaining a more stable superheat as the compressor capacity varies (i.e. unloading, variable speed, etc.).

THE TRANSCRITICAL SCRITICAL CYCLE One of the limitations of using R744, or refrigerant-grade carbon on dioxide, in systems is its low critical al temperature, e,, in comparison with many ny other refrigerants in use today. ay.

In the basic refrigeration on cycle, high-temperature, high-pressure h-pressurre vapour is compressed to a pressure that is equal to o some temperature above the cooling medium used to remove ve the heat from the cycle.

VAPOUR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION An early form of refrigeration made use of ice blocks that were manually harvested during the winter months and stored for use during warmer periods.

Harvesting ice was a very manual process – and there were even innovations to help simplify the harvesting process – but it would only be a matter of time before mechanical ingenuity innovated the ice harvesters out of business.

Perhaps the most significant innovation in the HVAC/R industry is the introduction of vapour-compression systems themselves.

The concept of the vapour-compression cycle was introduced in 1805 by American inventor Oliver Evans. The first practical system was built

by James Harrison.

In the transcritical cycle, e, the maximum pressure is higher than the critical point – the upper limit for heat transfer processes that are based on evaporation or condensation.

Based on its critical temperature, a heat-rejection process using condensation with R744 can only happen at temperatures up to 31°C so, instead, a transcritical process is generally used for refrigeration purposes. In a transcritical process, the heat rejection process uses the cooling of a gas in the fluid region instead of evaporation and condensation.

Early compressors were of the reciprocating type. These operated at very low rpm and were quite bulky.

An early compressor.

Modern compressor options include reciprocating, scroll, rotary, screw and centrifugal compressors. Of these compression types, the centrifugal compressor is the only non-positive displacement method.

REFRIGERANT PIPING With the addition of transcritical cycles to the refrigeration engineer’s arsenal of system design options, some additional changes have occurred in system materials.

The high-side pressures in transcritical systems are generally between 1,000 and 1,500 psia when the gas cooler is subject to high-ambient temperatures. As such, these systems typically use a steel piping material that is approved (e.g. ASME B31.5, CSA B51, etc.) for use in this application.

Steel is not something that most commercial refrigeration contractors are used to working with, however. To address this challenge, some new products have been produced that contain copper and iron.

The iron content of this piping increases the pressure capability, while the copper improves the workability of the piping. In fact, these piping materials can be brazed using the same materials that are used to braze copper piping and fittings.

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More recently, other compression technologies advanced to the point where compressors are quite small in comparison with their predecessors. This is primarily due to the capability of operating at higher speeds, but of course, advances in engineering and production machinery have also contributed to the size reductions.

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Centrifugal compressors basically convert the energy present in a high velocity flow of vapour refrigerant to static pressure using a high-speed impeller. Only certain types of refrigerants that can be used in low-compression ratio applications can be used in this type of compressor. To increase the maximum allowable compression ratio, more stages (impellers) are used.

The remaining compressor types are known as positive displacement compression methods. In the basic positive compression application, the low-pressure refrigerant that leaves the evaporator is mechanicallly compressed to a higher pressure.

This allows the refrigerant to be returned to a liquid state in the condenser. Positive displacement compressors require oil for lubrication. Reciprocating, scroll and screw are generally available in open-drive, hermetic and semihermetic configurations.

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Fred Bretzke is a full-time pipe trades instructor with SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary and the general manager of A&B Plumbing & Heating. He can be reached at fred.bretzke@sait.ca.

PLUMBING

cold, HARD LESSON

IN PIPING

LIFESPANS & LEAKS In Calgary, ductile iron piping was installed for water mains back in the day – the ’60s and ’70s. By 1987, and the excavation in my story to the right, this pipe had already exceeded its typical age of around 18 years.

Most of the city’s water mains have now been changed from the old cast iron and ductile iron lines to PVC piping.

C900 or Blue Brute, as they call it, was warranted for 50 years.

I’ve replaced hundreds of ductile iron lines, some 30 to 35 years ago, and still no leaks, so the warranty seems to be holding up quite well.

SECURING THE PREMISES A combined water feed system in a huge parking lot feeding several warehouses consists of a loop feed system that has both domestic water and sprinkler water in the same pipe as it is delivered to the building.

This is a more economical system, as you only need one trench for both domestic and sprinkler, but it does present another problem. When repairing the pipe, the building has no fire protection so security guards have to be hired for the night shift.

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M e c h a n i c a l

I

’m starting to get the shivers. My stupid heater isn’t working and all I can see through the small hole of my crystal-like frosted up windshield is the boom going up and down. Ah, memories.

We looked like a scene out of movie The Thing, but we were actually in a barren parking lot in an industrial section of Calgary covered with snow and ice.

There I was, freezing in my van, while poor Gordie sat in his semi-warm backhoe trying to warm up. Gordie was the best backhoe operator ever. He could scrape his bucket over a half-inch copper water service eight or nine-feet in depth and never kink the copper.

This former biker had skin like leather and was as tough as they came. He could work in ridiculously cold conditions, and he didn’t just operate the hoe. He would jump into hell with me and get his hands dirty, wet, frozen, or whatever just to get the job done.

At times, he was better than having a fellow plumber or apprentice with me. Speaking of apprentices, mine was blasting the radio and yelling – or I guess trying to sing – a Guns N’ Roses tune as his (working) heater blew toasty warmth all over him.

My little wannabe rookie apprentice was going to get a rude awakening in the Alberta Great White North – a tad cooler than his southern home in Belize.

That cold made my hands feel like they were frost bitten.

I had super warm gloves on, but they got wet while trying to turn that damn gate valve off in the excavation.

My apprentice claimed he had shut it off, but he didn`t realize that you turn a commercial key opposite of normal – counter clockwise. It didn`t matter, as it was frozen anyhow. I heated it up and managed to shut it off to stop the geyser from filling the hole.

The one advantage of repairing or replacing a leaking water main in the winter, is that it was actually warmer in the nine-foot hole than it was standing on the frozen ground.

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LE

PLUMBING

A PATCHWORK OF PIPE Leak locating is an art. In the ’80s, it was done with sophisticated mics that could locate sound through a Texas Instrument computer. These mics would be installed at both ends of the service, at the property curb cock feed and in the commercial sprinkler room.

After setting up, we would turn on the underground gate valve and listen. If the leak location technician had to do it manually, he would look like a doctor with the biggest stethoscope you’ve ever seen.

Either way it was a bit of a crap shoot, but there was one guy that was always better than the rest, and he was on holidays, so I knew this would be a “let’s guess where the leak is” day.

The trick with this 10” diameter combined water/sprinkler service was that it had been repaired several times before, and not by us, so it had been patched with sections of PVC pipe in between ductile iron sections.

When listening to leaks, it works great with steel pipe but is almost impossible with plastic pipe. This messed up all our sound readings.

Try explaining this to a customer while they are counting up the thousands of dollars it costs to bring in personnel and equipment to pump and remove the saturated fill from the site while trying to find the leak in the frozen ground.

NOT EXACTLY A LUCKY LOONIE It is a problem for a business to have no water, so we came up with a temporary insulated domestic water supply from another building while we chipped through the frozen parking lot on our wild leak goose chase.

As we opened up the V-shaped trench, we found alternating sections of plastic pipe connected to old rusty ductile iron pipe. This kept happening for about 100 feet, until we finally discovered the first leak about 20 feet from the building.

There it was, a looney-sized rusted out hole in the 10” ductile iron piping. My wannabe apprentice found it, and he was a happy man – albeit not the same pampered man as he was a few days before.

He was now a grizzled, icicled veteran of the Great White North.

He now understood why you bring two sets of warm clothes and several pairs of gloves to a job like this.

A second leak was found in the ductile iron riser that ran vertically out of the ground, about 15 feet into the front of the building.

When a service leaks this much water into the ground, all of the mud and soil must be removed and replaced with dry fill and, in this case, pea gravel due to its high compaction rate.

We completely replaced the ductile iron from the curb cock to, and including, the riser.

A GOOD TURN TAKES TIME When it comes to a big gate valve, you have to very slowly turn it on a quarter turn at a time.

It’s like you are in submarine trying to open a hand wheel bulkhead door that had water behind it. There is so much pressure, you have to do it slowly, the tee shaped key will vibrate as you slowly turn it clockwise until it equalizes pressure. You keep doing this until you have the gate valve fully open.

Once I had a couple of overeager plumbers who turned things too quickly on a job, and they blew the riser completely apart.

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PLUMBING

Kevin Wong is the Canadian codes manager with Uponor. He formerly served as the Canadian Water Quality Association’s executive director and as the technical and regulatory manager with CIPH. He can be reached at kevin.wong@uponor.com.

By Kevin Wong

What’s new with O

lead

in Canada?

ver the past few years, we have all likely seen news about lead in the water in Pemberton, B.C. and Flint, Mich., as well as the ongoing lead monitoring in our schools and public spaces. In the spring of this year, the federal government reduced the guideline for lead in drinking water to 5 ppb – or half of what had been a longstanding level – making lead a concern not just for those communities, but for all Canadians.

The 5-ppb limit is a good example of moving forward and making proactive and science-based guidelines, but what does this mean to the plumbing contractor, water treatment specialist or the building owner?

Well, the new limit will be adopted by the provinces’ various safe drinking water regulations over the next little while and, as such, plumbing product selection will be impacted.

Some may ask if the industry is ready for this, but this has been a long time coming, allowing industry suppliers time to take steps to get prepared.

As such, much of the in-the-building impacted products have migrated to the 0.25% low-lead guideline set out in NSF 372. The NSF 372 requirements have been integrated into many of the relevant CSA product standards, thus products available in the marketplace today are already low-lead by content.

In addition, starting in 2007 in Quebec, 2012 in Ontario and then in the 2015 National Plumbing Codes, water treatment devices have been required to meet CSA B483.1. As such, if there is lead present in the drinking water, the code enables it to be filtered out.

The new limit guideline covers existing and aged infrastructure, allowing the chemical to be managed at the point of risk, i.e. the point in the system where it can be consumed by a human endpoint.

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Embracing new practices There is now a requirement in best practices for building owners to have their water quality checked and monitored as provincial requirements change to the new guideline.

In Ontario, we see this already in schools and daycares via O. Reg 243, and anticipate similar regulations in other provinces.

Sampling includes the use of professionals doing the work and making that determination. Possibly the best way to do this is via an accredited lab.

Should a building find itself with elevated lead levels, the protocol is to survey the building to see where the sources are and then to mitigate, manage or remove them.

In some cases, a licensed plumber should be replacing pipes, fittings and fixtures as a method of decreasing the lead from the plumbing system. In cases where the incoming water is the culprit, water treatment options remain a viable and code-enabled solution. Using the appropriate solution and approach keeps Canadians safe.

Aqua Flo Filtration Products Provide Durable, High-Quality Reliable Performance PLATINUM

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The Aqua Flo Platinum line features top-of-theline performance plus 3rd party certification which is sometimes required by local plumbing codes.

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PLUMBING

CHEMISTRY & TREATMENT SOLUTIONS

Working with W m municipalities The new lead guideline poses a concern to Canada’s municipalities.

With millions of kilometers of aged infrastructure already in the ground, it is near impossible to replace all tthat pipe in a cost-effective manner.

There are a number of options that can be deployed to mitigate lead risk.

In Vancouver, for example, there is a standing alternate ate solution for pH adjustment for point of entry as raising ng the pH decreases the risk of lead leaching into the water ater stream from in-building sources. This is especially concerning in older buildings, especially where the cost of infrastructural replacement is high.

Wha was found in the Pemberton case, What and to a degree also in Flint, was that the cause of the issue was the water chemistry caus from the municipal systems. The point-ofexit water quality had elevated lead levels.

The treatment option when chemistry adjustment or infrastructure replacement is not viable is to remove the lead in the water prior to the point of consumption (drinking or cooking) with a point-of-use solution. For that, the CSA B483.1 standard allows for myriad solutions. Two of the more popular ones are block carbon and reverse osmosis.

In Pe Pemberton, the municipality changed their water treatment programs and protocols to manage their pH. This was prot the rright direction to address their issue.

The low pH was leaching lead out of the in-building plumbing and the result was an in-bu elevated lead level at the tap. The source elev issue was the low pH, thus the municipality had to solve it.

So, in short, test your customer’s water, find the sources and find the appropriate solutions to mitigate.

the allowable lead level decreases, it As th

1-800-363-9354 38

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www.giantinc.com B u s i n e s s

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GI-AD267Fr-0919

Innovation and comfort DW \RXU ÀQJHUWLSV

becomes harder for municipalities to achieve this level at the end of the pipe. This is where here municipal governments nts and the plumbing and water ater treatment industry can an together find joint solutions to achieve this new guideline level for lead.

RURAL CONCERNS A number of years ago, I came across a situation where a property had high lead with 100-year-old well. The casing was an eight-inch well pipe made of lead. Suffice it to a 100-year say, the ca casing had to be pulled and a new well dug.

We are in this together er – both industry and the he municipalities – to keep ep Canadians safe.

Unfortu Unfortunately, that is not likely an isolated case with rural properties that are supp supplied by a well. In these cases, it is advisable to get a full lab analysis of the wa water to provide you and your customer a picture of the water quality, and w what is required to address any concerns.

T get a proper analysis, make use of a provincially accredited lab capable of To ttesting for metals like lead. The public health department may only do a free ttest for coliforms and e.coli, which is not a test te for lead, nor will it indicate any likelihood of lea lead.

If the presence of lead, or any other health-based parameter is foun found, it should be addressed via a survey of the ssources, causes and symptoms, followed by mit mitigative strategies.

“In Pemberton, the municipality changed their water treatment programs and protocols to manage their pH. This was the right direction to address their issue.

The low pH was leaching lead out of the in-building plumbing and the result was an elevated lead level at the tap.”

Sizing and spe specifying should be site specific, and installed by a qualified person. Monitoring and ongoing maintenance is also a must, as many system systems will have expendable supplies, like filters, w which will need to be replaced periodically periodically.

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39

PLUMBING

Products

Water tank connector Novo’s Tank Mate connector allows twotank water conditioning systems to operate with a single control valve in applications where the water requires multiple corrections. Available on select Novo products, including the HEDP, HTO, SIMTAN, BIF and NeutraSoft models, units come equipped with quick connectors and only require one system to be plumbed in.

www. novowater.com

On-demand DHW heater The Vitotrans 300 from Viessmann is designed for use with commercial hydronic heating systems as a tankless or on-demand water heater, or in combination with a hot water DHW storage tank. It has heating inputs of 2,100,000 to 6,300,000 BTUH, a flow rate range of 5 to 180 gpm and a maximum operating pressure of 150 psi.

www. viessmann.ca

Portable drain cleaner General Pipe Cleaners’ Mini-Rooter Pro is designed to clear 2", 3" and 4" lines from rooftop to basement. The unit features built-in 6” semi-pneumatic wheels and a folding handle for portability. Its detachable drum can contain 75 feet of 3/8” Flexicore cable or 50 feet of 1/2” cable.

The rooter also has a 1/3 hp motor with a reverse switch and pneumatic foot pedal.

www. drainbrain.com

Pex-a expansion system Follow Us on:

HeatLink’s F1960 PEX-a Potable Water Expansion System features PureLink Plus PEX-a tubing in 1/2", 3/4", and 1" sizes.

Also included are high performance polymer (HPP) fittings and multiport tees, no-lead brass fittings, and PEX-a expansion rings.

www. heatlink.ca

Commercial hydrant Prier’s P-754 hot and cold hydrant is designed for use in commercial and industrial facilities, and provides freeze protection when connected to the supply piping in a heated portion of the building. The heavy pattern cast brass units will drain even with a hose attached and while under pressure. The hydrant has a single control temperature dial, a flow rate of 19 gpm at 25 psi differential, and is available with either 3/4" or 1" hose threads.

www. prier.com

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Smart home water system Flo by Moen is a Wi-Fi-enabled device that enables remote monitoring and control of a water system via a user’s smartphone. The app will send alerts and allow remote shut-off of flow, while users can also set water consumption goals, monitor water usage, set system modes (home, away, sleep) and see real-time flow, pressure and temperature readings.

www. moen.ca B u s i n e s s

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Over 165 years experience...

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CHEMFAX

TM

Manufacturer of Specialty Chemicals

Not All Glycols Are Created Equal

CHEM-FROST Safe For All Systems Including Aluminum and Solar

Premier Inhibitors Higher Temperature Rated Low Viscosity your local wholesaler or visit chemfax.com Low Viscosity your local wholesaler or visit chemfax.com

HEAT TRANSFER FLUID - INHIBITED PROPYLENE GLYCOL COMPARISON CHART Chem Frost 100% Pail Size

Brand R

Brand O

Brand H

Brand U

Brand D

20L 95/5 YES YES YES 325F 4.9cP 417F YES

18.9L 18.9L 20L 92/8 N/A 94/6 LIMITED TO 65C NO NO SOME NO LIMITED NO LIMITED N/A N/A 275F 250F 250F N/A N/A N/A 370F 370F 370F YES NO NO

20L 95/5 NO NO N/A 250F N/A 370F YES

18.9L 95/5 NO NO N/A 220F N/A 370F NO

Raw PG Grade

FOOD

INDUSTRIAL GRADE

INDUSTRIAL GRADE

INDUSTRIAL GRADE

INDUSTRIAL GRADE

INDUSTRIAL GRADE

Purity of Propylene Glycol Phosphate / Nitrate

99.94%+

N/A

98%

N/A

N/A

NONE

YES

YES

YESrelaselYES ohw lacoYES l ruoy

Inhibitor Type

PDT NON-TOXIC

DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE

DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE

DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE

PHOSPHATE

PHOSPHATE

LEED

YES

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

qE detaerC erA slocylG llA toN PG Concentrate Amount Aluminum Safe Solar Safe

Geothermal Safe Temperature Rating Viscosity @ 35% 60C Boiling Point @ 100% CFIA Approved

ytisocsiV woL

N/A

moc.xDIPOTASSIUM afmehc tiDIPOTASSIUM siv ro

*Basedononinformation information provided websites* Based providedon onrespective respectivemanufacturers’ manufacturers’ websites* **Subject to change**

HYDRONICS

B y B o b “ Ho t R o d ” R o h r Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr has been a plumbing, radiant heat and solar contractor and installer for 30 years. A long-time columnist and trainer, he is manager of training and education with Caleffi North America. You can reach Hot Rod at bob.rohr@caleffi.com.

Considering

COMBI choices A EUROPEAN TOUCH

I

f you spend time out and about in the building trades, you may have noticed a new trend: Designers and builders are giving up less and less space for the mechanical systems.

Perhaps it is not all that new of a trend, but the spaces are getting smaller, so the race is on as to which subcontractor arrives on the job first.

First in the door claims the best wall and floor space to squeeze in heating and AC, DHW production, electrical panels, and any water conditioning equipment.

Occasionally a central vac also needs to be accommodated.

And we haven’t even considered computer servers and phone systems.

Combination boilers (combis) are a one-box solution that can provide both hydronic heating and domestic water, and can help maximize that limited mechanical space.

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Combi appliances are very common in European homes.

Often housed in a stylish enclosure and mounted in a kitchen area, they are designed to blend nicely with the other appliances.

Many European families are used to

much smaller square footage spaces, especially those who live in flats or apartments due to the high cost of homeownership, land costs, and building requirements.

When allotted mechanical space is small or non-

existent, creative all-in-one products get developed.

Since these units often offer sealed combustion, multiple venting options, and quiet operation, mounting them in living spaces is a viable option.

Pitching the concept to consumers The appeal of combis to homeowners is very similar to the appeal that tankless water heaters have. The prospects of conserving energy and having a near-endless supply of hot water are often what intrigues buyers.

With condensing combis, you check all the boxes.

These have a small footprint, almost endless DHW, and efficient modulating space heating that is easily vented and available in a wall-mounted version.

Fire tube or water tube styles are available, if you have a preference.

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800.526.0288 aerco.com

HYDRONICS

SIZING IT UP O

MATCHING TO MODERN NEEDS

ne of the challenges with combination boilers is determining the amount of DHW a family desires, or really requires.

I’ve found that hot water expectations can vary widely.

I’ve known families that can live happily with a 30-gallon hot water tank, and others need 75 gallons, or more.

Manufacturers have guides to help determine typical DHW usage, but you really want to confirm with the owner exactly how much hot water they currently use, or expect to. Ask about planned renovations or possible family expansions.

Retirees and empty nesters may actually see a decreasing DHW requirement. When time permits, the use of a water meter on the cold supply to a water heater can help you determine a usage pattern over a period of time to help with sizing new or replacement equipment.

Another common, and growing, trend in housing construction is superinsulated, low-load homes and buildings. Better insulation detail, windows with better R values and sun-blocking features drive much of the energy conservation.

In some areas, local codes may dictate energy saving construction options, and incentives may be available for installing high efficiency, energy saving appliances, including heating and DHW appliances.

As buildings get tighter, heating loads get smaller.

One of the rules of thumb in years past was 20 to 30 BTUs per square foot for heating loads. Nowadays, I’m seeing some new construction loads in the single digits!

A small load on the heating side poses an interesting dilemma for the sizing of combis. The DHW load is often larger than the heating load in homes.

When sizing a boiler-based DHW system, a very general rule of thumb is 50,000 BTUH of boiler for every 1 gpm of DHW required, but don’t forget that incoming water temperature plays into the performance of any appliance that generates hot water.

Water in cold climates may drop into the 32°F range in winter, whereas incoming water temperatures in places like Arizona may hover in the 80s. You obviously need to size the equipment to provide the desired DHW with local conditions in mind.

KEEPING UP WITH DEMAND While combis come in many versions and sizes, the basic premise is to provide the dual-purpose function of heating the living space while generating adequate DHW for the occupants.

A combi unit may provide instantaneous DHW via a plate heat exchanger, and some brands also have a small storage tank under the hood. The additional tank helps smooth out DHW recirculation and mixing valve operation, and the tank capacity also acts as a buffer to lessen cycling of the combi.

Combi boiler output, via burner modulation, has been a game changer for our industry. Five-to-one, and higher, turndown rates are now readily available, and the ability to constantly modify the burner flame has greatly reduced cycling, extending the lifecycle of the appliance.

I have been living with a combi in my home, and another in the shop. We’ve been happy, for the most part, although there have been some adjustments required in our DHW use to be able to

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get along with the technology – mainly with the desire to fill a bathtub with hot water and in a short period of time.

The unit we have can easily supply 2 gpm with incoming water from our well that’s in the 55°F range. The typical tub fill temperature in our house is around 103°F, so we have a temperature “lift” of around 48 degrees. I also have solar pre-heat so the combi rarely runs in the summer months.

The output specs on combis typically show a 70 to 77-degree temperature lift

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at the flow rate they indicate. Common sizes run from 110,000 to 199,000 BTUH input for residential models.

And it is possible to add a small buffer tank to provide some storage for short, fast dump loads.

My experience has been positive with my two units and four years of use, and my mother-in-law’s system has been trouble-free for 16 years.

Over the holidays, she will have a house full of family and we never have problems with adequate DHW capacity, even if she doesn’t understand how it all works. Every year she points at the water softener and asks how it’s going to keep up with hot water needs once all of her guests arrive.

Don’t be hesitant to consider combi boilers as an option for your customers.

Just remember that for many non-trades people, a bigger boiler means more hot water, so be sure to explain the pros and cons and basic operation of an efficient system. Your mother-in-law toughest customers may need a little extra education.

™

Stainless Steel Water Heater

The VTech is designed to perform at the highest levels of efficiency using modern condensing technology with the lowest emissions of any Water Heater in the industry.

Because it’s manufactured using an all stainless steel construction, the fully modulating VTech is impervious to corrosion. And the advanced combustion and multiple layers of advanced controls systems have simplified the operation of this state of the art water heater. Pair all this with a 10 year manufacturer’s warranty and you’re left with the peace of mind knowing that you’ve protected your investment.

Visit our entire line of products at camus-hydronics.com

FIND THE FIX

Jeff House is an experienced industry professional and hydronics trainer. He handles the sales territory from the Niagara region to the Greater Toronto Area for Jess-Don Dunford, a manufacturers’ rep in Ontario. He can be reached at jhouse@jessdondunford.com.

A RETROFIT REJECT What should have been a painlessly simple procedure has turned into a heating nightmare. It would be nice to make this hydraulically right and safe to operate. The 3/4” boiler piping is PEX-A. 1. With the boiler at 125,000 BTUH output, what is the proper size for the primary loop piping? a) 3/4”, like the fittings on the boiler. b) 1” would work better with a 10°F delta T. c) 1-1/4” would work with a 20°F delta T. d) 2”, like the secondary load piping.

2. The LWCO is installed on the end of a piece of 3/4” 4” PEX PEX, and the weight of it has changed the perpendicular piping to slant down.

Is this legal? a) Yes, if the piping was supported. b) No. c) No, the LWCO will always see water in this application. d) No, the LWCO is below the level of the heat exchanger so the boiler is not protected.

3. When retrofitting an older, original gravity cast iron heating system with a new high efficiency condensing boiler, the best piping arrangement would be to join the return to the supply, add close-coupled Ts and have the boiler inject into the system.

You could then add a variable speed pump after the Ts. a) Yes. b) No.

Email your answers to adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com.

Please include your name and daytime phone number.

Looking for the July/August answers?

If you need the answers to last edition’s quiz, you’ll find them on our home on the web, www.mechanicalbusiness.com. Just click “Find the Fix Answers” under the More tab on our homepage.

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4. The contractor used 3/4” PEX and the Ts are 9” apart.

Will this configuration provide proper P/S flow to the system? a) Yes. They are less than 12” apart. b) No. It should be a maximum of 4 pipe diameters. c) It is not an issue as the secondary piping is being pumped. d) The fact that there is heat does not mean it is working, only that it is running. Hydronics is very forgiving and doing many things wrong can still deliver some heat.

With proper training and following good design practice, everyone can have an efficient, comfortable system.

WIN A THERMAL IMAGER! Get the right answers in the Find the Fix quiz and you could find yourself seeing through solid objects with the FLIR C3 compact thermal image camera with Wi-Fi. The C3 is easy to use and packed with pro-grade features that make it the go-to tool for inspections, maintenance and repairs. Send your answers to us by November 15 for your chance to win.

THE NEXT GENERATION IN SUPERIOR BUILDING PERFORMANCE

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REALIZED SAVINGS OF OVER 20% COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL HEATING

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Riello condensing boilers increase operational efficiencies for retrofit and new construction projects by reducing fuel consumption and lowering heating costs. Engineered for the highest efficiency, dependability and sustainability, Riello condensing boilers guarantee superior building performance while realizing return on investment.

QUALIFICATION FOR LEEDS CERTIFICATION POINT S

SUSTAINABLE HEATING SOLUTION

Hydronic Products Wireless hydronic controller Battery-operated, the TRV Smart Radiant Control from Salus enables users to monitor and control their hydronic radiant panel, baseboard or radiator. Once connected to the Smart Home Hub, thermostats can be controlled remotely via an app from a smartphone, tablet or PC. Smart plugs, a water shut-off valve, and door and window sensors can also be added to the hub. www.

salusinc.com

Condensing gas boiler Rinnai’s M-Series wall-mounted condensing gas boilers come in 60,000 to 160,000 BTUH sizes, have a 95% AFUE rating, and are available in heat-only or combi models. Combi models can reach a DHW flow rate of up to 4.2 gpm at a rise of 70°F. Units operate with direct electronic ignition, feature a stainless steel heat exchanger and can be vented in multiple configurations up to 140 feet away using either polypropylene, stainless steel, PVC or CPVC.

www. rinnai.ca

Residential combination boilers Noritz NRCB residential combination boilers allow for simultaneous DHW production and space heating. Capable of handling DHW inputs from 18,000 to 199,900 BTUH, the units are rated at 95% AFUE and provide DHW flow rates of up to 11.1 gpm. These Wi-Fi-enabled units use 316L stainless steel for primary and secondary heat exchangers.

www. noritz.com

Commercial condensing boilers rs The Advanced Thermal Hydronics KN Series Plus condensing boilers have inputs of 600,000 to 4,000,000 BTUH and thermal efficiency ratings of up to 96.1%. Using natural gas or propane, units have a turndown ratio of 5:1, can be vented up to 100 feet, and are equipped with cast iron/hydrophobic stainless steel heat exchangers. Units can be controlled and monitored remotely via Wi-Fi.

www. knseries.com

Stainless vertical firetube boiler

Bluetooth-enabled circulator

Weil-McLain Canada’s SVF commercial boiler features a proprietary clover-shaped firetube design and a stainless steel heat exchanger. Available in 750,000 and 1,100,000 BTUH models, the boilers offer thermal efficiencies up to 97.1%, have a turndown ratio of 5:1, and are available for natural gas or propane. Up to eight boilers can be sequenced with lead-lag capability.

Taco’s 0018e high-efficiency circulator is designed for use in residential and light commercial hydronic systems. The unit is Bluetooth-enabled, which allows for realtime control, diagnostics and reporting via an app. It is rated to a maximum head pressure of 18 feet and a maximum flow of 16 gpm. An integral flow check is included, and both two-bolt or two-way flange models are available.

www. tacocomfort.com

www.

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SINGLE SOURCE FOR INSTALLATIONS

A BETTER

THE MOST COMPLETE SELECTION OF UNDER BOILER SOLUTIONS • Save time, space, and labor • Maintain system efficiency • Simplify future maintenance • Full-featured installations require no more than 22" • Innovative solutions available for external pumps and combi DHW connections • G1 union accessories for unique installation needs

AIR SEPARATOR Reduces noise and improves system operation

MAGNETIC BOILER FILTER High-powered magnet captures ferrous debris

MANIFOLD Avoids precise calculations and costly field fabrication

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HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC

Quick Tip:

HEAT PUMPS IN COLD CLIMATES?

Absolutely!

J

ust over a year ago, I wrote an article reporting on important studies done by utilities across Canada about the potential for air or ground source heat pumps to help meet greenhouse gas emission reductions for Canada.

Cold climate differences There are three distinguishing physical features specific to the best performing cold climate heat pumps.

The outdoor air coil is typically larger, with more surface area to maximize heat exchange. The compressor is typically larger as well, to increase the volume of hot gas that is pumped back to the indoor unit. And the systems have base pan heaters that keep the condensate generated during the defrost cycle from freezing in the extreme sub-zero temperatures.

Interestingly, defrost becomes less of an issue in lower temperatures because there just is not enough moisture in colder air to condense or freeze on the outdoor heat exchanger.

Gord Cooke

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M e c h a n i c a l

Take advantage of the contractor certification programs offered by leading manufacturers to ensure you and your customers get the most out of the optimized performance of cold climate heat pumps.

The conclusive data from those studies showed that applying heat pumps for heating in both new and existing homes will be an important strategy for meeting environmental targets. So much so that I bluntly stated in the article that all professional HVAC contractors should promote at least air source heat pumps at every opportunity in all regions of Canada, even when paired with natural gas heating appliances.

Thus, I was gratified when Todd Harrison, a great mechanical contractor out of Guelph, Ont., confidently recommended I consider converting my hot water air handler to a heat-pump-ready version since the fan motor had just died on the 15-year-old unit.

Of course, in the same week, my brother Doug had a very reputable contractor come out to quote him on replacing a 20-year-old high efficiency gas furnace and air conditioning system. When Doug asked about a heat pump option with the new furnace, his contractor actively discouraged it.

Let’s work towards some consistency, and let’s base our recommendations on the science.

Gord Cooke is a professional engineer who has spent 20 years helping builders and HVAC contractors implement innovative technologies into high-performance homes.

He has particular expertise in IAQ and airflow management in houses, and can be contacted at gcooke@airsolutions.ca.

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RETHINKING THE RULES

Finding performance data

An organization called the The historical knock that heat pumps aren’t reliable Northeast Energy Efficiency or efficient enough for cold Canadian winters is in Partnership (NEEP) was need of rethinking. The latest ductless mini-splits founded in 1996 as a nonnow enable compelling cold weather performance. profit organization designed Inverter-driven variable speed compressors and to accelerate energy efficiency in the Northeast and Midadvancements in precision electronic controls allow Atlantic United States, and the systems to maintain suction pressure at the subsequently Canada. outdoor heat exchanger coil even as the outside air temperature falls.

In January of 2015, NEEP The equipment takes the coil temperature low launched a cold climate air source heat pump (ccASHP) product specification enough below the outside air temperature to and product listing to “…serve the needs of consumers and installers who live facilitate heat transfer, but not so low that the and work in cold climates, and facilitate consistency in technical requirements system experiences a low-pressure condition for ccASHP in efficiency programs across the Northeast U.S. and Canada.” from which it cannot recover. Simultaneously, Canadian programs like the Canadian Home Builders Association Net Zero the controls need to ensure the outdoor unit fan Energy Home program and some utility incentive programs rely on NEEP speed is optimized to bring the right amount of air product listings to identify qualified products. Last I checked, there were over through the outdoor coil at any specific outdoor air 4,500 individual models listed from dozens of different manufacturers. temperature.

The manufacturers of cold climate heat pumps have taken years of lab and field experience to optimize performance.

They know the critical temperature limits and corresponding pressures that affect Updated in 2019, Version 3 of the ccASHP specification include provisions for listing ducted and non-ducted air-to-air systems that components. are part of AHRIs matched system testing and that have variable The latest generation of cold climate output capacity with at least three distinct operating speeds. heat pumps measure and monitor, with thermistors and sensors, critical items like the The listing requires manufacturers to show both the heating discharge temperature off of the compressor, capacity and efficiency rating at an outside temperature down to at least -15°C pressures and temperatures. They have (5°F). Many models are shown at rating points below this temperature. created algorithms within the integrated control circuits to keep the systems “safe” Minimum Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF), Coefficient of Performance (COP) and Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) ratings are also included in during extreme weather but also allow the specification. All this data is designed to give HVAC designers, contractors maximum heat production during cold and homeowners confidence that NEEP listed heat pumps can work reliably and climate operation. efficiently in Canadian cold weather. www.neep.org

NEEP’s ccASHP

Is heating with heat pumps really worth it?

The NEEP minimum performance level is a COP of 1.75. Compared to the efficiency of the best of the natural gas furnace at 0.98, heat pumps are clearly extremely energy efficient, however, electricity is typically more expensive than natural gas. The carbon footprint of that electrical energy also varies across Canada.

Of course, the best of the newer air-source heat pumps offer COPs of 2.5 to as high as 4.0, and when combined with opportunities for time-of-use electrical rates, heat pumps quickly overcome the fuel-cost objection.

And the pitch for heat pumps gets hotter if your clients have plans to install solar arrays. If they will be generating their own electricity in the next five to 10 years, the “cost-of-electricity” case against heat pumps becomes less and less relevant.

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HVAC B y Ma r k a nd A l e x a n d r a P a r l i a m en t

HEAT PUMP OR AC:

What’s the Difference?

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hen discussing the use of heat pumpss within the Canadian market, several differing opinions of their effectiveness always ays seem to crop up, but the simplest response to the question, “Do they work in the Canadian climate?” imate?” is that if an air conditioner will work, then so too will a heat pump.

Of course, the technologies are not identical, and it pays to know what those differences are, and how best to make use of the equipment you are installing.

PROPER INSTALLATION IS KEY

Selling heat pumps is a lot less forgiving than a standard air conditioner because we must ensure that they properly match the system’s components to guarantee that the indoor coil will handle all of the extra refrigerant seen in the heating cycle.

If a heat pump fails, it is usually due to an installation error.

One common mistake is treating a heat pump like any other air conditioner.

If you use the exact same installation practices, you are dooming the equipment to fail as heat pumps are very different than standard air conditioners.

Just look at something as simple as the lineset. Installing two elbows before we enter the house reduces vibration from the pulsation of the compressor. And with all the new technology and variable speed compressors now on the market, the need for sound isolation has increased exponentially.

Another potential installation error is how we send the lineset through the wall. To ensure that the heat pump runs as quietly as designed, one should seal the opening with pliable silicone-based caulk that will maintain its pliability as well as ensure that the lineset avoids direct contact with floor joists, wall studs or surrounding water pipes.

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On the upside, if we properly perform the heat loss/gain on the house, ensure that the equipment is properly sized, safeguard that the proper air flow will cross the coil at all times, and make a few minor installation changes from standard air conditioners, the heat pump will deliver as expected, providing our customers with a quiet system.

A properly running heat pump will also reduce energy consumption while delivering adequate heat throughout the heating season.

RECALIBRATING OUR PRACTICES In some instances, the inaccuracies in some heat-load calculations have been caused by the restrictions of some building codes.

Changes are allowing us to size to lowest output of the heat pump to 125 per cent of the cooling load, however.

This means that it can be sized at greater outputs so that we can get closer to the actual heat loss of the house.

If you are still sizing heat pumps to the cooling load, based on the configuration of a single-stage air conditioner, it is time to revise your practices.

We have been selling a heat pump to a customer based on their heating load and sizing it to the cooling load as a secondary measure when we really need to accurately size the cooling load to ensure that latent load is removed.

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WHAT’S IN THE DUCTS? For years, geothermal heat pump manufacturers have been saying that their equipment can be sized to the heating load and for the amount of air that the ductwork will handle.

If we are going to size a heat pump to the ductwork, it is imperative to have a thorough understanding of air flow, how it works, and how it will affect the heat pump.

If we don’t ensure the ductwork is properly sized, we run the risk of having high-pressure switch issues, compressor failures and excessive backup heat costs.

With this in mind, factoring in today’s two-stage and variable-speed compressors, perhaps it is time that we revise and update our sizing approach.

MAINTAINING COMFORT, AT ANY TEMPERATURE

NO MORE RULES OF THUMB Improperly calculated heat loads and losses can negatively impact how a heat pump runs.

With all the apps on the market today, there really is no reason to not complete a heat-loss calculation. Without knowing the true heat loss of a structure, how can we adequately size the heat pump?

The thermal balance point of the heat pump should not be confused with the economic balance point.

The thermal balance point is determining that there is adequate backup heat to meet the heating demand right up to the outdoor design temperature.

WORKING WITH THE EQUIPMENT

The data on the output BTU that a unit will produce is published by every manufacturer at 47°F and 17°F. Most indoor designs will attempt to keep the house in the low 70s, whereas the outdoor design temperature will change depending on where the building is located.

The use of ductless heat pumps allows for simple zoned systems much more easily than with conventional or whole-home ducted heat pump systems as heads can be placed so that only specific rooms are heated or cooled as needed.

Since we would have sized the heads to handle their respective portions of the whole heating load, when a customer shuts down only part of the system there may only be half, or 1/3 the capacity.

Once a heat pump model has been chosen, the heat output can be calculated at the two temperatures.

By plotting them on the heat-loss graph, you can see exactly how much excess heat is needed, and at what time.

Mark Parliament is a senior training consultant with Lennox Learning Solutions. Alexandra Wennberg Parliament is the founder of Maven Marketing & Communications, an agency with specialized focus on the construction, real estate, HVAC/R and non-profit sectors.

To reach the authors, email awennberg@mavencommunications.ca.

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Since heat will always go to cold, as defined by the second law of thermodynamics, interior walls will not prevent the movement of the heat to the other, now cold rooms. As a result, one zone will end up trying to heat the whole house, which will lead to the system overworking one zone, creating an unhappy customer.

We therefore need to educate the homeowner about the effects of turning off zones when not in use, as well as inform about the differences and capabilities of each type of system that we can install for them.

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COVER STORY

By Adam Freill

Leo Rautins

SUCCESS ON THE HOME COURT

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player, coach, broadcaster and fan, Leo Rautins knows what it takes to achieve success, and he’s more than willing to share the insights and advice that have made him a leader both on and off the court.

Rautins, who has been reporting on the Toronto Raptors since their inaugural season, started playing basketball in the schoolyard courts of Toronto back when few in the city followed the sport, and long before there were the kind of NBA championship dreams that were fulfilled by the Toronto Raptors last season.

“Growing up in Toronto playing basketball, there were not a lot of resources,” says the 6-foot-8 baller who was an NBA firstround draft pick and is a former coach of Canada’s national team.

“But the people around me were tremendous.”

From his older brother – also an NBA draft pick – egging him on as a kid, to coaches like Jack Donohue and Leo’s peers in the NBA, Rautins

appreciates what others did to set him on his path, which is why he’s more than willing to pay that forward.

“Everything you accomplish is a waste if you can’t share it,” he says.

“I made a boatload of mistakes in getting to where I got. If I can now take that information and shorten your route, I think that’s what it is all about.”

Photos courtesy of Todd Fraser and Bell Media

TEAMWORK IS CRITICAL In business, like in sport, teamwork makes it possible to perform at a higher level than that of an individual.

“You can achieve far greater success as a group,” says Rautins. “If everyone is willing to work in coordination and set their egos aside, you can accomplish incredible things.”

The right formula, he says, allows a team to “maximize the strengths of some people, and hide the weaknesses of others.”

Of course, formulas are always easier on paper than on the court.

“There are so many little things that go along with the talent and expertise that you bring to the table,” says the sports analyst. “You

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Which just goes to show that sport is about much more than just what someone is capable of during a game.

“You are going to be remembered a hell of a lot longer for the type of person you are than the type of player you were,” he says, “so above all, be a great human being.”

have to look at the chemistry of the environment.

“You can be the most talented guy in the world, but if my group or team can’t absorb some of the issues, then we can’t do it. We are ultimately going to fail.”

He cites the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s and their ability to harness the skills of players like Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen, while adding the abilities – and the larger-than-life persona – of Dennis Rodman as they sought to firmly establish their spot as a basketball dynasty.

“They were able to absorb his differences – his distractions, if you want to call them that – and still be extremely successful,” says Rautins.

Giving a kid a chance There are small moments in time that can make all the difference in the world to one’s life. For Leo, his moment came in a gymnasium at the ripe old age of 16. During an open tryout for the Canadian national team, coach Jack Donohue saw something in the young athlete.

“I got cut by an Ontario junior team six or seven months earlier, so I wasn’t even going to go because I thought it would be the same old story: ‘Who is going to take a 16-year-old?’” says Rautins.

Thankfully, Leo’s father woke him up on the morning of the tryout and encouraged – some may say prodded – him to attend by explaining that the day’s best game in the city was going to happen at that tryout, so he should be there too.

“I played for five minutes – and I’m not exaggerating.

All the sudden Jack calls me over and I’m thinking, okay, here goes, ‘Thanks for coming out… you’re too young… shake your hand, and goodbye.’ But he goes, ‘I want to invite you to national camp.’

“My life just changed right there. In five minutes. It was amazing.”

Like most young athletes in his sport, Rautins wanted to be an NBA player, but it wasn’t until Donohue said the words, “You will be an NBA player,” that the hopes, dreams and beliefs really took hold with any significance.

“When a guy like that says these things to you, and believes in you, it changes your whole life.”

M e c h a n i c a l

Coaching, and leading, often involves making a sale It can take a well formulated plan to be an effective coach, manager or boss, but that’s only part of the picture. A plan is only a set of instructions until others buy into it and put the words into action.

“Your job is to push the right buttons and sell it,” says Rautins. “If I can’t make you believe my idea, then it is not going to go anywhere.

“I have to sell you on the idea of how much better you can be, and how much better we can be. The success that we can have as a group will give you far more recognition than anything you ultimately do individually.”

And even the most gifted athlete can’t tell how fast they are without a stopwatch or how high they can jump without measuring.

Improvement requires planning.

“Jack Donohue used to say, ‘A dream is just a dream until you write it down. Then it becomes a goal,’” says Rautins. “Set your goals. You can do anything you want.”

Of course, too heavy a practice workload can be overwhelming to developing players, so his advice is to have fun along the way.

“When you approach whatever you are doing with joy, it is not work. It is not a grinding practice,” he says. “Strive to find what can be fun for you, and what you enjoy doing, and do it.”

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A hometown kid witnessing history Rautins wears his Toronto upbringing as a badge of honour, so watching the Raptors claim their first ever NBA crown is something that he’ll cherish for years to come.

“I’m a Toronto kid. I grew up here. It’s not just that I’m a Raptors analyst; this is my city. I played ball here when nobody cared what basketball was,” he says. “There are so many emotions that come into it that it was just amazing as heck to go through the whole thing. It’s been absolutely amazing.”

And he has seen it all, being there with the team since Day 1.

“Going from 16-win seasons, to becoming a playoff contender, to being in the championship; I really believed that this team could win,” he says. “As the playoffs were going, I became 100 per cent sure that the Raptors could win, but when it actually happens – talk about surreal.”

Going into the 2019-20 season as defending champions, Rautins is excited, not just for the NBA team, but for what the victory will do for the sport he loves.

“The NBA has changed the game in this country, dramatically, and now I think what happened is going to be the next step,” he says, adding that Canada has already become the second-most represented nation in the NBA. “I can’t wait to see what this is going to mean to this country and this game.”

Being realistic,

and harnessing potential Teamwork will make a collective of individuals better, but there’s still a baseline necessary to be able to compete.

“I went to a couple of coaches when I was coaching the national team, asking for some words of

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wisdom,” says Rautins.

“One of the most basic things was, ‘If you don’t have talent, you are not going to win.’”

That may seem hardedged to some, but it is a harsh reality in an extremely competitive environment

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like the NBA. “You need a certain amount of talent and a certain level of excellence to even be in the conversation.”

Of course, with the right attitude and work ethic, it is possible to raise the level of one’s game.

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“I want to know, what’s your compete level?” says the coach. “Your talent level is critical, but can your talent level be raised?”

Spotting potential in a young player, and finding the right buttons to push so that he or she can make the

most of it, is what coaching success is all about.

“It is not about me. It is about me making you better; seeing what you can become; seeing what we can become. Coaching, or being the boss, is not about me.”

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• Every Possible Online Tool. We help you save time and get the job done right, with sales materials, tech videos, spec sheets, sizing tools and more.

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PROJECT PROFILE

B y Den ise Dev eau

Inn keeps its hot water from going down the drain

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hen Atlific Hotels’ Lake Louise Inn decided to go all out on its energy savings program, they learned that their laundry room provided a perfect opportunity to extract heat from the water that was being sent down its drains.

“It’s a beautiful hotel in the most beautiful place in the world,” says Lynn Mueller, CEO of SHARC International Systems, a company that specializes in heat recovery. “More than anything, they were looking for a way to have a greener posture within the community.”

As an older property, connecting to a sewer system link wasn’t an option.

“It would have been too intrusive to do that,” Mueller says.

The Lake Louise Inn installation is expected to: • Reduce emissions by over 80 tonnes of CO2 each year – the equivalent of 17 cars;

What they could do was work with what the inn had – a laundry room running four large commercial washing machines that ran up to 18 hours a day using propane for heating the water.

• Reduce the laundry’s energy use by 85%;

“There was a lot of 60°C water being put down the drain,” Mueller says.

“We realized we could get that heat out of the wastewater and save about $50,000 a year in propane costs, and 100 tonnes of carbon a year.”

• Generate enough savings from each 100 loads of laundry to provide energy for an additional 8 days; • Produce on average 12,000 L of hot water on a daily basis; and

Did you know?

There are 938 trillion litres of wastewater in sewer systems around the world.

The heat recovery system used at the inn, the Piranha, uses a closed loop setup that captures the hot water that typically went down the drain and reuses the thermal energy to preheat new domestic hot water.

“It was a low-hanging fruit project that worked phenomenally well for the hotel,” he says. “When we were looking at the whole building and walked

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• Offset approximately 34,000 L of propane annually.

Did you know?

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PROJECT PROFILE ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE SYSTEMS Heat recovery from wastewater sounds like a relatively simple concept, but not all systems and methods of extraction are the same. Over the past decade, there have been plenty of great innovations being used for various applications, including passive and active technologies.

into the laundry room, we said this is easy. We could slide a unit in behind the washing machines without having to disrupt any of the building envelope.”

“There are a number of passive heat exchanger solutions,” says Mueller. “Power Pipe, for example, is a system that wraps a cold-water pipe around the drain piping, which raises the cold-water temperature by 10 degrees. That incremental heat recovery from wastewater can make a big difference on energy savings in the home.”

The system’s self-contained heat pump uses a proprietary direct expansion heat exchanger to extract thermal energy. The recovered energy acts as a source for the heat pump, which is used to heat incoming cold water for future loads.

Others such as Rabtherm capture wastewater by applying passive heat exchangers at the bottom of sewer lines for supplying domestic hot water for smaller commercial applications using heat pumps, he adds.

“When you need heat, you can use the hot water source that is already there. The source and load are always perfectly matched so you never need more than you are using,” Mueller says. “All we had to do was put a little block in the trough that ran to the drain and raise the level to pump out the water into the tank. We didn’t even have to tear up the floor. The best part is it’s a very simple pumpthrough system that is super-efficient.”

Active heat exchange solutions work differently.

For larger industrial applications, water flow may be diverted from sewer lines to an onsite tank. Water is pumped through a macerator and wastewater solids filter.

Mueller believes the same setup could be used for individual multi-family buildings with parkades to augment other heating systems. “The equipment would take up the same room as a parking spot and can regenerate up to 80% of domestic hot water load in the building.”

WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS A common misconception around recovering heat from sewer systems is that if heat is taken out of the water leaving building, it will freeze up a municipality’s sewage plant.

“That’s not going to happen,” explains Mueller. “Sewage plants don’t need warm water coming in. They only need 12°C maximum, and add more heat to the water in their anaerobic processes. That means you can use water you throw away every day to generate heat without damaging anything.”

Did you know?

Solid components are returned to the tank, and the wastewater is run through a simple heat exchanger connected to the building loop. The heat energy goes to a heat pump that draws/rejects heat to and from the loop.

“Using a sewer interchange process to extract thermal energy from wastewater is very cost-effective and eco-friendly,” Mueller notes. “An important benefit is that water is cooled before it is discarded into the lakes and oceans.”

Heat recovery from wastewater is based on a simple premise, he adds. “So much thermal energy is poured down the drain from showers, dishwashing, and laundry. Wastewater offers an unlimited supply of energy while eliminating greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing water consumption and costs. So why not capture that wastewater in an onsite tank or create a direct connect to city wastewater?”

Thermal energy from wastewater heat recovery consumes only 20% of what it costs to produce based on local utility rates.

Put another way, you can get $5 value of energy down the drain back for $1.

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QUATTRO’S CORNER

By A ndre w Qu a t t r o c i o c c h i

S`mjr+ ohodr `mc Ýsshmfr I

n this edition of Quattro’s Corner, we are talking hot water tanks, their valve requirements and what not to do with them.

The Ontario and national plumbing codes of Canada outline certain code requirement for water heaters, addressing their certifications as well as the need for certain devices to be installed.

Many would think that hot water is the most important part of a hot water tank, but if you asked me, I’d say that the relief valve is the most important piece of the puzzle.

I like to think of the relief valve as the seat belt in a vehicle. The seat belt’s function is to prevent injury, or even possible death, which is essentially what the relief valve does for the hot water tank.

It’s in the Code Both the NPC and the OBC list requirements for relief valves.

According to section 7.6.1.12. of the OBC, every pressure vessel in a plumbing system, or connected to a plumbing system, requires a pressure relief valve that is designed to open when the water pressure in the tank reaches the rated working pressure of the tank.

It needs to ensure that the pressure does not exceed the lower of either 1,100 kPa or half of the maximum test pressure.

In addition, all storage-type water heaters need a temperature relief valve with a sensing element to be located in the top 15 cm of the tank and that will discharge water to keep the water in the tank at or below 99°C at all times.

A combined pressure and temperature relief valve can be used if the valve conforms with the requirements of the code.

Indirect water heaters also need a pressure relief valve and a temperature relief valve on every storage tank included in the system.

Pipes that convey water from a relief valve need to be the same size or larger than the outlet of the valve, be rigid and slope downward from the valve, and terminate with an indirect connection with an air break under 30 cm. Where the pipe would discharge above a floor, rather than a drain or other safe location, it must terminate at least 15 cm, and not more than 30 cm, above the floor and discharge vertically down.

Relief valves may not have threaded ends at their outlets, and need to be capable of operation at a temperature of at least 99°C. Furthermore, shut-off valves are not to be installed on the pipe between any tank and a relief valve, nor on the discharge lines from such relief valves.

Section 2.6.1.7. of the NPC has similar requirements regarding location of the relief valves, use of combined pressure-relief and temperature-relief valves, and keeping the temperature of the water in storage-type water heater tanks at or below 99°C, but there are some subtle differences from the OBC. For example, the hot water tank of a storage-type service water heater requires a pressure-relief valve designed to open at the rated working pressure of the tank, but it needs to ensure the pressure in the tank will not exceed the pressure at the relief valve by more than 35 kPa. Indirect service water heaters need a pressure-relief valve, and temperature-relief valves on any storage tanks in the system.

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QUATTRO’S CORNER

Test Lever: Allows for manual operation of the relief valve to ensure that waterways and discharge piping are clear.

As with the OBC, the NPC requires that pipes conveying water from a relief valve be at least the size of the valve’s outlet, and that they be rigid and sloped down from the valve. They must terminate with an indirect connection above a floor drain, sump or other safe location. The air break cannot be greater than 30 cm.

Spring: The spring serves for pressure relief and to reseat the valve after temperature relief.

Identification Tag: Shows information regarding temperature and pressure relief settings, discharge capacity, model number, etc.

Seat and Disc: Both are located above the drain outlet to avoid any trapping of water, as per A.S.M.E. requirements.

Again, the valve may not have a thread at its outlet, and it must be able to operate at temperatures of at least 99°C, while keeping the water in the tank from exceeding 99°C. No shut-off valves are permitted leading into or out of the relief valve.

Thermostat: Starts to open at 200°F and is fully open at 210°F.

Extension Thermostat: Eliminates thermal lag by sensing the temperature of the water in the tank, ensuring safe tank operation.

Where a tank may be subject to back-siphonage, a vacuum-relief valve is required.

If storage-type water heaters are installed in a ceiling, roof space or on a wood floor, a corrosionresistant water-tight drain pan is required. That pan must be drained by a pipe two sizes larger than the relief valve’s discharge pipe, and it must discharge directly to a floor drain or other acceptable location.

I’LL TAKE THE COMBO Combination temperature p and p pressure relief valves are always y installed on hot water tanks as they serve two purposes with one fitting.

The power of pressure If you read the code requirements, both NPC and OBC stress that hat no shut off valve and no thread at the outlet of the discharge tube is permitted from the temperature/pressure relive valve.

I’m constantly reminded of the MythBusters episode where they explored pressure buildup in a tank-type water heater.

If you search Youtube for the MythBusters video exploding hot water tank, you can actually see how important these rules are.

On the show, a typical HWT has had its safety devices removed or capped like in this photo. The HWT is then placed into operation and as it reaches its max pressure, the tank takes off like a rocket.

Plugging a relief valve, or adding a shut-off valve, is a big no-no.

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Not only did it blast through the first storey but the second storey and roof as well. The most impressive part of the experiment is the damage caused to the concrete floor where the water heater originally started.

The concrete was completely shattered from the downward thrust of the tank.

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DID YOU KNOW? The water heater dates back to a painter, Benjamin Waddy Maughan, in London, England, in 1868. He invented the first instantaneous domestic water heater and named it the geyser – a term that some still use to refer to a water heater in the United Kingdom. The storage-type water heater was invented about 20 years later by a Norwegian mechanical engineer named Edwin Ruud, after he immigrated to the United States.

Andrew Quattrociocchi, C.B.C.O., is the deputy chief building official for the Township of Oro-Medonte, and a director with the Ontario Plumbing Inspectors Association. If you have any questions or a funny photo you would like to possibly see in an upcoming edition of Quattro’s Corner, feel free to send an email to Andrew at quattroscorner@hotmail.com.

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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

By Sean Rooney

Sean Rooney is the president of Prime Warranty Inc. He can be reached at rooneys@primewarranty.ca.

Warranties:

Protecting your customers, and your company

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here are a lot of things in life that seem simple, but can get more complicated as you start to dig into the details. Warranties can be like that, but being a business owner or manager who is willing to dig a little deeper can pay dividends.

For those looking to increase the dollar value of their company’s average installation job, offering an array of warranty options may be a way to find a new revenue stream. On the other side of the ledger, having a parts and labour warranty in place for your customer can help offset costs to your company in a warranty claim call-back situation.

And these extra protection measures are not necessarily only available for newly installed equipment, so let’s dig into the details and see just how a proper warranty program can be good to your company’s bottom line.

A cost-control measure While the residential market makes up the bulk of the demand for extended warranties, there has been an increased demand for warranties in the commercial and industrial markets.

Companies are viewing these as a means to control expenses. They can budget for repair expenses through hrough the purchase of a warranty, thereby eliminating the unknown costs ts of repairs they may have to deal with.

For example, my company recently ecently created a chiller warranty that at factors in a rigging charge should hould the compressor need replacing. ng.

As such, the customer can budget udget for repair expenses knowing that epair they won’t have to include repair ge that expenses, nor a rigging charge may exceed $10,000.

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Why offer a warranty?

Everyone in business knows that having a competitive advantage can lead to greater sales success, especially in a crowded market like the HVAC/R and plumbing industries. When a home or business owner is shopping for a new furnace, boiler, air conditioner, water heater or heat pump, warranty is often a key factor in their decision-making process.

These well-informed consumers are T looking for long-term peace of mind, lo without a fear of incurring unforeseen w repair expenses, so having the option of re adding an extended warranty can be a a definite sales advantage. d On the contracting side, being able to O offer a warranty program can create o a new revenue stream with little to no overhead or upfront cost, and it reduces o tthe risk of losing their customers to others in the sector for the duration of o tthe warranties.

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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

NOT ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL There is a warranty for virtually every type of mechanical equipment and installation application. Extended plans are available to HVAC/R and plumbing contractors, distributors and manufacturers serving all market segments, and can provide coverage for everything from residential water heaters and commercial boilers to 2,000ton industrial chillers, and anything in between.

parts and labour. Depending on the geographic location, the labour rate factored into the warranty normally runs in the $75 to $100 per hour range.

On the commercial and industrial side, there are as many types of warranties as there are different situations and circumstances to consider. Labour rates, for example, can be $125 per hour, or more. Also, the equipment location, accessibility and parts cost are a factor.

Another market segment that has its own unique circumstances is government.

Many government-controlled buildings across Canada, like hospitals and schools, will not even accept a contractor bid unless it includes a minimum warranty of ďŹ ve years with parts and labour coverage.

Residential equipment warranties are generally straightforward, because installation is pretty standard.

Since the installing contractor is dealing with the homeowner on a one-to-one basis, he or she can explain the manufacturer’s warranty and explore the customer’s wants and needs beyond that – opening the door to offer extended warranty options for coverage term as long as 12 years, in some cases.

DID YOU KNOW? Contractors can order warranties right from their smart phones in a matter of minutes from some warranty providers.

These extensions can be limited to parts-only, or may include

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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

SELLING THE WARRANTY Selling warranties is not a hard-sell proposition. Most customers consider mechanical equipment a major purchase and a long-term investment, so they are interested in protecting the equipment they just purchased, as well as their wallets from unexpected expenses. With that in mind, there are a number of selling approaches that are proven to be successful.

warranty on their new equipment a small bump in price relative to the investment in the equipment they’re purchasing.

Where a customer is very hesitant to purchase a warranty, it may be possible for them to purchase a warranty within a year of the date of equipment installation, so it may be worth revisiting the discussion with a maintenance service call during that first year with the new equipment.

For contractors who prefer to offer an all-in price to their customers, a full 10-year parts and labour warranty can be added to their lineup of system offerings. This can be a compelling marketing offer to some customers.

An extra level of safety If you are considering the addition of a warranty program as an offering for your customers, do your homework about the warranty provider and ensure that the warranties being offered are fully insured by A-rated insurance companies for the duration of the term.

Alternatively, warranties can be offered a la carte, giving customers a variety of warranty options that may be better suited to their budget and level of comfort. This method may work best for those dealing with more price conscious customers.

Of course, even a price-conscious customer can be brought to see the value an extended warranty offers, if they are made aware of the cost of repairs that will come up due to mechanical failure or normal wear and tear.

In a worst-case scenario, you want to ensure that if anything happens to either the company offering the warranty or your company, that the insurance company will honour the warranty.

If a customer has had to pay to keep their old furnace alive with parts, for example, those experiences can be used to help them understand how unexpected repair bills make an extended

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REFRIGERANTS B y Ja son Ay re s

STOPPING

REFRIGERANT LEAKS BEFORE THEY START

WHERE DO LEAKS TYPICALLY OCCUR? Not all refrigerant leaks are as easy to find as those caused by unintentional damage by third parties like cleaning machines, trucks or forklifts that have run into piping. Most leaks will be smaller and harder to spot.

In a commercial refrigeration system, leaks often occur where there are changes in temperature, pressure and vibration. As such, valves, pipe joints and compressors tend to be the primary locations to suspect when a leak has occurred.

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s the cost of refrigerant has increased over the past several years, leak detection, prevention and the reduction of refrigerant emissions have become high priorities for supermarkets, large chilling plants, food processing plants, cold storage facilities and large air conditioning installations.

To help these important clients, refrigerant management through effective leak detection and refrigerant tracking is essential.

The cost of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants has increased between 275 and 700 per cent since 2017, especially in Europe where the regulations are based on the global warming potential (GWP) of these gases.

Older refrigerants with high GWPs are being gradually phased out in favour of newer compounds with a lower GWP. These newer compounds carry a CO2 equivalent much lower than the compounds they replace. As a result, refrigerant prices have moved significantly upward, and this trend is expected to continue worldwide.

As prices continue to increase, the cost of replacing refrigerant ends up outweighing the cost of a technician’s time to locate and repair leaks – not to mention the cost of the lost refrigerant itself, increased utility consumption, any damaged or overworked equipment, and even potential fines from regulators.

This, along with a heightened concern for the environment, has motivated a number of companies to make a significant change in operations strategy. Today, these companies have embarked on refrigerant leak detection programs to find small leaks before they become big and costly problems.

Jason Ayres is an application support engineer with Parasense Inc., a Bacharach Company.

He can be reached at jason.ayres@parasense.com.

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Leaks can also be caused by poor installation or maintenances procedures that are aggravated by these changes in pressure and temperature, or by vibrations. Leaks may also be caused by any device or component that is poorly restrained or supported within the system.

A COSTEFFECTIVE OPTION

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With the cost of refrigerant, a proactive leak detection program can have a significant impact on the bottom line. For example, a typical grocery store is estimated to have an average refrigerant leak rate of about 25 per cent per year.

A best practices implementation can reduce that rate to seven per cent per year, meaning that the return on investment (ROI) for a more comprehensive leak monitoring system can now be realized in a matter of months rather than years.

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REFRIGERANTS

MANAGING THE RISK WITH LEAK DETECTION

SELECTING A

MONITORING SYSTEM With various types of monitors on the market today, selecting the right monitor for the installation is a critical first step.

Options include infrared, semiconductor, electrochemical and catalytic bead systems.

Electrochemical and catalytic bead systems rely on oxidation of a substance to determine a concentration of a gas, using voltage and current flow or heat of combustion to detect the presence of gas.

Infrared monitors can detect refrigerant gas leaks at 1 ppm, and can be recalibrated to detect new gases as old ones are phased out and new refrigerants are introduced in the market. They may use a laser or imaging sensors to detect gases, and are effective at longer distances than other detection systems.

For permanent monitoring, aspirated multi-point leak detection systems can continuously monitor a number of different locations across the refrigeration system. For larger installations, monitors can be networked together. Also available are smaller monitors for less complex installations.

Semiconductor systems detect gases via a chemical reaction at the sensor, so they require the gas to come in direct contact with the sensor. They are often used for things like carbon monoxide detectors, and may be affected by things like water vapour, humidity and temperature fluctuations.

As refrigerant prices continue to move upward and new environmental and safety regulations are introduced, it can be a prudent step by your customers to invest in a proactive refrigerant management program that can lower costs, reduce utility consumption and help protect the environment.

Canada, like many jurisdictions, has rules and regulations addressing the proper handling of refrigerants. The use of a permanent leak detection system can help ensure compliance with the latest regulations.

Refrigerant leaks are not only costly, they can also be hazardous under certain conditions. ASHRAE Section 8.11.2.1 deals with safety of personnel who may be inadvertently exposed to harmful gases from a refrigerant leak.

While many applications have some form of leak detection, it may be prudent to question whether that detection system is adequate.

A proactive leak management program should include an application-appropriate type of leak detection technology, coupled with a comprehensive remote monitoring and refrigerant tracking system in order

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to detect and notify you of leaks as early as possible. These notifications can be weighted by its status: Alert, Alarm, or Critical, for example, and can also be sent out to multiple parties who may be affected by any release of refrigerant.

Technology is not only good for sending out alerts and warnings. Some refrigerant management software can track events to determine patterns in the system, which can help assess which asset is most likely to be the cause of the leak.

The availability of this data can have a strong impact on the overall energy efficiency and effectiveness of the refrigeration system, as well as system maintenance. A leak index can act as an early warning for any potential increased usage of refrigerant, while the leak rate helps define the long-term performance of the system.

The goal is to get and keep a low leak rate and to respond to leak events detected by the monitor quickly and effectively.

A CUMULATIVE EFFECT The majority of refrigerant losses in commercial refrigeration and HVAC systems are due to a number of small leaks that often exist for a very long time. This makes them more difficult to detect.

In a study of several million leak events, it was discovered that leakage from mechanical joints tends to be progressive, starting small and working their way up to full-blown events.

Leakage of refrigerant is often caused by a breakdown or failure of the equipment due to aging, which results in failure of mechanical joints and seals. In some cases, the joints and seals that are susceptible to becoming leakage points are aggravated

by changes in temperature, pressure and vibration, causing the leaks to come and go intermittently. These types of leaks are very difficult and time-consuming to find.

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HRAI Conference 2019 August 25-27, 2019

Performance and passion on display in the Falls From performance coaching to the latest developments in the HVAC/R sector, HRAI’s 51st Annual Meeting and Conference provided a packed agenda over the course of three days in Niagara Falls. Dane Jensen set an inspirational tone during his opening presentation on high performance during the August event, explaining, “It’s not about never getting off balance, it’s about how you recover.” In the business sessions, presenters discussed such topics as energy efficiency, evolving refrigerant regulations, succession planning and marketing. The conference also saw the handing over of the HRAI chair’s gavel from David Weishuhn to Dennis Kozina. Said Weishuhn, “My simplest goal was to leave HRAI better than when I started as chair. I believe I have accomplished that.” Next year’s conference will be held from August 23 to 25 in Victoria, B.C. hrai.ca

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1. Huw Huuuw Williams, Williams president of Impact Public Affairs Affairs, discusses the political politic landscape heading into the federal election. 2. “Pressure is an essential ess input that is necessary for high performance,” explains Dane Dan Jensen, CEO of Performance Coaching. 3. Refrigerant Management Canada chair Joe Simon keeps things thin light but informative during the RMC AGM. 4. Taking a tour of the Jackson Triggs winery in Niagara-onthe-Lake.

5. Outgoing chair Dave Weishuhn makes sure that Dennis Kozina doesn’t drop the gavel on his first theday as HRAI chair. 6. Marilyn and Ron Robinson. 7. Roger Grochmal is the centre of attention after receiving his HRAI HRA Life Member Award. 8. The Beach Party Boys tribute band brought the surf music to the chair’s banquet.

9. Incoming HRAI chair, Dennis Kozina, presents a Manufacturers’ Division Distinguished Service Award to Dave In McPherson of Rheem.

McP

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HVAC/R Products P Single wall gas vent system S Du DuraVent’s FasNSeal single-wall gas vent system comes in 3” to 16” diameters and is designed for co use in a range of applications, including with high efficiency gas boilers, furnaces and water heaters. It is effi rated to a maximum operating temperature of 480°F rat and a maximum positive pressure of 15” w.c. Vent an lengths and components feature built-in mechanical len locking bands and triple-lipped directional gaskets. loc

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Environmental meter er FLIR’s EM54 features relative humidity midity (5% to 98%), wet bulb -22°F to 140°F) functions. A (-22°F to 122°F), and dew point (-22°F e can check electric motors Type-K contact temperature probe and thermal equipment temperatures ures (-148°F to 2,502°F) and the external vane anemometer er calculates air flow from 0.4 to 30 m/s. It can operate in ambient temperatures ranging from 32°F to 122°F.

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Road Warrior Kent Edwards

Name: Kent Edwards Company: CustomAir Job title: Field foreman Lives in: Pemberton, B.C. Age: 31 Family: Wife Francesca, son Aiden In the mechanical industry since: 2006

Kent Edwards: Something new every day F

or Kent Edwards, new is always cool. Tackling something for the first time, getting to grips with a just-released tool, or simply working in a new location satisfies the desire in him to keep learning, and to keep improving.

Working as a field foreman for CustomAir in Whistler, B.C., Edwards certainly gets plenty of the variety he craves.

Photos by: David Buzzard Photography

“Each day brings new challenges and learning opportunities to better one’s ability and knowledge,” he says. “With HVAC technology ever changing, there will always be new skills to learn and I look forward to that.

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“In CustomAir’s Sea to Sky division, I have the opportunity to work on exclusive high-end homes that contain vast and intricate systems that are a real pleasure to work on. Due to the amount of equipment being used, there are constant opportunities for learning, diagnosing issues so we can ensure the customer is comfortable in their home.

“We also recently acquired a maintenance and service contract with a local art museum. Equipment, which includes large air handling units, HRVs, heat pumps and steam humidifiers, must all be kept running at optimal performance to preserve the quality of the museum collection. This has been enjoyable work.”

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By Simon Bowden

The current (work) ride: 2016 GMC Savannah.

Kilometres per day: 100 to 150.

Most useful tool in your toolbox: Fluke 902 HVAC Clamp Meter.

Favourite tool: My grandfather’s stainless steel caliper, made in Czechoslovakia.

Tool on the wish list: Appion MegaFlow Basics High-Speed Evacuation Kit. Favourite website: petrolicious.com.

Favourite piece of work tech: Mitsubishi’s online maintenance tool.

Favourite TV show: Peaky Blinders.

Read all about it !

Despite the internet’s all-encompassing reach these days, it was the humble newspaper that provided a route into the trades for Kent Edwards.

Favourite movie: Blade Runner 2049.

Best live sporting event attended: Canucks beating the Blackhawks in Game 7 of the 2011 Western Conference finals.

Having been inspired by his grandfather’s work as an aircraft parts machinist, Edwards had a vague idea of where he wanted his own career path to lead, but it wasn’t until he spotted a CustomAir ad in the local newspaper that the pieces all fell into place.

Favourite food: Sushi.

Lunch, is it drive-thru or brown bag? Brown bag.

Hobbies: Mountain biking, fishing, hiking and working on project cars.

Last book you read: The Curve of Time, by M. Wylie Blanchet.

“I was two weeks from graduating high school and had not yet decided on my future. Then I spotted an opening in a newspaper ad,” he explains. “My grandfather had worked as a machinist specializing in aircraft parts and I have fond memories of visiting his workplace and being fascinated by the machinery. With a keen interest in mechanics, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in a similar field.”

Favourite car: Porsche 911 GT3.

Biggest pet peeve: Tardiness.

One thing most people don’t know about you: I was once Bowler of the Year in an after-school five-pin bowling league.

One word that best describes you: Compassionate.

Favourite class at school: Auto mechanics.

Anyone for table tennis?

One piece of advice you would give to a 16-year-old you: Don’t worry, it will all work out.

Sometimes a tech is called to a job far from the mechanical room, forced to work around those in a busy office. It comes with its own unique set of problems.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a: Marine biologist.

Favourite outdoor activity: Hiking to Alpine lakes.

If I had a super power, it would be: The ability to read my wife’s mind.

“I was working in a T-bar ceiling one day and I dropped an access panel screw,” remembers Edwards. “The screw hit the desk below me, bounced over the cubicle divider and straight into the coffee mug of the person sitting there. We had a good laugh about it; he got a fresh cup of coffee; and I got my screw back.”

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Marketing

with DOUG MACMILLAN

The company newsletter: Still effective after all these years W

Nail the basics Regardless of the medium used to share your newsletter content with current and potential clients, there are some things that will have not gone out of style, even as story lengths have tightened up and bandwidth has become seemingly unlimited. Get these things right, and you stand a far greater shot at engaging consumers when they have a need for service.

Talk about what you have done, to tell them what you can do: A longstanding tenet in newsletter writing is to cite examples of your project work that strategically communicate your expertise.

Ideally, look for case studies that include a significant and unexpected problem, and focus the article on your team’s extraordinary efforts to resolve it. Customers love a good tale of problem solving and overcoming challenges.

Reinforce your expertise with helpful advice: A mainstay of many a newsletter has been a “tech tip” or other quick bit of knowledge that provides tangible value to readers. To be of real value it’s best to avoid the same tips everyone else gives but sharing a short tidbit of knowledge can be a great way to put the names and faces of front-line technical staff in front of customers, as well as to showcase the abilities of your technicians.

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hen I started my career in marketing and communications, way back in 1990 and long before acquiring the firm that would become The Letter M Marketing, I was hired by that very agency to primarily write newsletters for our various clients.

At that time, the printed, mailed newsletter was a main form of customer engagement. More a public relations touch than an advertising vehicle, it was an excuse to remind consumers of our customers’ existence, share company news about products or services they could provide, and brag a little about how great our customers were.

For the most part, they were filled with “long form” articles, rich with words and technical content, and perhaps a grainy photo or two.

As publishing technology became more accessible to more people, the style and format of newsletters has evolved, but there are still some keys that will help ensure that the messaging these marketing pieces contain continue to resonate with your customers.

Undoubtedly, the typical company newsletter will continue to change. Perhaps in another 30 years, from the comfort of my retirement porch swing, I’ll see a drone pop in with a holographically projected newsletter from my plumbing contractor. As long as the grammar is solid, I’m sure I won’t be too grumpy about it.

The evolution of the newsletter In the almost 30 years (woah) since my early days of crafting newsletters aimed at engaging the customers of my customers, I’ve seen the traditional business-to-consumer (B2C) newsletter change as technology, marketing strategy and attention spans have changed.

The time commitment and other costs of printing and mailing a company’s newsletter to thousands of its customers has largely been replaced with emailed bulletins, blogs and “snackable” social media content. The goals haven’t really changed, just the delivery methods.

As you contemplate how to best reach out to engage your customers in the modern age of digital and social media, turn the page to see a few points to consider that might help engage the audience and stay top of mind for when they need the services that you and your company provide.

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COMMERCIAL

Marketing with DOUG MACMILLAN

Story length: Few readers today have the patience for a long article. We’re reading less and viewing more. What might have been an in-depth case study back in the day is now a brief introduction or summary of the high points, inviting readers to learn more about the project by viewing a video or slide show, or perhaps clicking to another page with a longer form article.

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Basics Cont’d

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Printing: Believe it or not, but print is on the rise as we crave the tactile touch experience. This isn’t to say companies should print and mail thousands of newsletters to every customer and prospect, but some customers (older and younger alike) don’t like emails or social media, and would prefer something in the mail. Also, techs or sales reps can leave a print copy with customers after a call as a great way to reinforce the company’s brand and values.

Range of media:

Multimedia options, such as video, are being used to more effectively tell a story and lean into current preferences when it comes to online content.

These days, the “vlog” (or video blog) style is a popular messaging format.

These are homemade and informal, and are as preferred by readers as a polished piece.

Quality writing: It’s curmudgeonly of me, I know, but nothing says unprofessional faster than a poorly written communication from a company. Stick with full sentences and old-school grammar, and find someone you trust who has the ability to proofread and edit the content.

The diligence to stick with it: From the dawn of the first newsletter to today, the biggest challenge hasn’t been having enough to say, it has been having enough time to get it done.

Don’t be daunted by thoughts that you need to hire a film crew to put a video together. A little planning, good lighting and a quality smartphone can get you there. Furthermore, infographics and photo essays are a lot more common as well. Today more than ever, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Shorter and brand-focused content: Older newsletters were mostly project highlights, new product or service announcements, staff profiles and, more often than was necessary, something completely random like a recipe, puzzle or cartoon to change things up. Today, we’re seeing more short articles and content that tells a company’s brand story.

3

It’s not unusual to showcase examples of community leadership and culture, or to have more of the front-line staff writing or being featured in stories, as well as invitations to have customers share their stories about you.

The latter is more than a quick testimonial. It’s a first-person accounting of a great experience, authored by the customer. After all, your brand is best expressed by them and not you.

4

I know from personal experience that commitments to craft newsletter content can sit on the bottom of our to-do pile.

Set a schedule that is realistic and achievable, and ideally put someone else in charge of making it happen, even if it means that person is nagging the boss as a deadline looms closer.

Everything we publish on our website, which should include copies of your newsletter, needs to line up with your search engine optimization strategy (SEO).

This means spending time to understand website visitors’ search term preferences, as well as targeting the content you want people to see, like those new service areas that you’ve brought on board.

Doug MacMillan is president of The Letter M Marketing in Guelph, Ont. To reach him, email doug@letterm.ca.

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Writing for search engines:

Intentionally and artfully embedding this information, and these key terms, into your article, without it feeling forced, will help bump you up on Google when people are out searching for a company like yours.

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HYDRONICS B y De ni se D e v e a u

Dive into

pool planning now I

nstalling a boiler system for a pool or spa is a relatively simple job if you’re starting from the ground up, but when it comes to adding a pool to an existing infrastructure, the heating system can get a bit more complicated.

Now, before you question why you should be thinking about this topic during the winter months, consider that the “off-season” is the ideal time to analyze, assess, design and sell your client on adding a pool heatingg loop p - so that it is ready for spring and summer. mmer.

There are a number of steps that need to be followed, from initial heat loss calculations, to fine tuning ng issues around water quality and setpoints, says Ian Bowles, tech support representative for IBC Technologies.

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The first step is to do full heat loss calculations on the building and compare that to what you plan to add, he says. “You also have to look at the age of your boiler. As a boiler ages, performance decreases, so it’s important to factor in both the efficiency and the age of your existing system.”

Don’t overlook any indirect domestic hot water tanks connected to the system.

“You can easily look up what they typically would need BTU-wise to deliver a certain amount of water,” Bowles explains. “Some DHW tank manufacturers include calculations on their website so you can determine whether the models fit the building’s needs or not.”

2

Determine the load

Load requirements will differ depending on the size of the pool, and whether it’s an outdoor summer pool or one that is being used yearround.

Here are a few insights that he says ys can help you keep your customerss enjoying the water, regardless of the he weather.

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Get the lay of the land

“If they are using the pool year-round, your calculations would have to include heating and cooling. If it’s just for the summer, you can disregard a lot of the heating load, with the exception of the shoulder months – usually May/June and September/October.”

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HAVE YOU SEEN IT? Introducing the NEW Mechanical Business website!

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HYDRONICS

THE ADVANTAGES OF UPSIZING

If additional load is needed, and the current boiler is not up to the job, you can either add capacity or replace it in its entirety.

3

Choose your heat exchanger

There are two types of heat exchangers on the market today, flat plate or shell and tube. The choice often depends on the type of pool (i.e. salt water or chlorine-based).

“With salt water-based pools, you typically need shell and tube because the materials like titaniumstabilized stainless steel are more resistant to corrosion,” Bowles explains.

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Keep loops separate

When working with an existing boiler system, the boiler and pool loops must be separated. “The two do not mix,” Bowles says.

Ensure that the heat exchanger is the right size to correspond with the output of your boiler and the heat loss for the pool, he adds.

An aquastat needs to be added on the pool side of the heat exchanger to control water temperatures in the pool.

“A good rule of thumb is to go the size required to heat the pool plus 10 or 15 per cent, to ensure you have the capacity you need as the system ages.”

“This allows for you to have a setpoint for the pool water that is separate from the boiler loop. An aquastat on the pool side of the heat exchanger will issue calls for heat and enable the boiler on a separate relay.”

4

Get the piping and flow right the first time

Typically, installations use a primary/secondary piping arrangement, in which the boiler loop YEAR-ROUND has its own pump, and the heat exchanger loop EFFICIENCY comes off the boiler loop with closely spaced Ts. “The distance between the Ts is governed by the size of the pipe,” Bowles notes.

The pump for the heat exchanger loop must be sized for the flow and BTU output required for that particular heat exchanger.

“It’s important to marry the manufacturer’s pump curve values and the flow values from the heat exchanger manufacturer. To do that you need to cross reference the flow and pipe sizing tables with the pump sizing tables.”

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During installation, be generous with the pipe sizing. Bowles recommends one inch or higher.

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In some cases, a newer boiler may have a place on the controller where it is possible to wire a pump, so when the boiler is enabled for the pool it will also turn on the boiler side pump on the heat exchanger, he adds.

Larger buildings will typically have a building management system, Bowles notes. “The pump and the call for heat can be wired into the BMS as part of the control strategy.”

If a boiler is also being used for snow melt around the pool deck, there may be glycol in the water system on the boiler side, however the best way to protect poolside water from freezing on the pool side is to keep the water flowing at all times.

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“Slightly more flow is always better for the heat exchanger and the boiler, especially with additional requirements,” he says.

Also, oversizing the heat exchanger allows you to run it at lower temperatures.

“That way,” he explains, “you can take greater advantage of the condensing boiler technology and use less fuel for generating the same amount of heat leading to significant energy savings.”

Beyond fuel bill savings, oversizing also tends to create less short cycling from the actual heating equipment.

“It’s more akin to fuel economy on the highway versus stop and start city driving,” he says.

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Test performance

Bowles says that maintenance for pool heat exchangers is minimal, but he recommends YEAR-ROUND running a flow test on an EFFICIENCY annual basis.

“You generally can’t open them up, but you can run performance tests with the boiler and watch the supply and return water temperatures to see whether the difference between the two is good enough to transfer heat from one side to the other.”

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HYDRONICS

Peter R. Meridew, B.Tech., Mech Eng., is a semi-retired mechanical building services consultant with extensive knowledge of mechanical systems, energy efficient building and indoor air quality evaluation. He can be reached at peter.meridew.mb@gmail.com.

B y Pe t e r Me r i d e w

HOW HOT IS

TOO H INSULATION AND OTHER SOLUTIONS

W

Looking as far back as 2012, the Canadian Building Code has required all exposed pipe and equipment that is above 70°C (158°F) to be insulated.

Thank goodness that the old gravity floor furnace grilles that could hit 170°F, and the steam radiators that could reach 210°F, are a thing of the past. Both of these systems could inflict second degree burns within a few seconds, often causing permanent, irreversible skin and tissue damage.

Since radiators, convectors and other emitters can only be described as equipment, this surely must limit their surface temperatures to be below this limit, unless they are not “accessible,” implying that they are at least seven feet above the floor, or beyond reasonable reach. And yet even a temperature of 158°F can still cause harm.

And yet there are still few code-enforceable regulations that limit surface or liquid temperatures from inflicting first-degree burns, or reversible skin damage, which can occur at temperatures as low as 140°F when contacted for just five seconds.

UL Canada and OHSA don’t appear to have any specific temperature recommendations, other than to advise that where there is “potential for injury,” surfaces should be insulated or placed out-of-reach.

ASTM C1055 is more specific. It requires pipes or other exposed surfaces to be insulated when at or above 140°F (60°C).

Some organizations, like some school boards, have adopted this practice. Perhaps nursing homes and prisons could be added to this list.

hen it comes to designing and installing heating systems, we have to make sure that people don’t get hurt.

HYDRONIC APPLICATIONS If the system you are installing uses high supply water temperatures, say as high as 180°F, restrict that use to radiant ceiling panels and maybe fin-tube convectors and fan convectors with enclosed pipe connections. Temperatures that high should not be used with panel radiators, unless the convectors and radiators are out-of-reach, which may be hard to do.

Of course, if you are using condensing boilers then the system temperatures will be much lower, so there should be no problem at all, but always ask your client first to see if they have their own regulations or restrictions.

In the UK, the National Health Service has produced a guide for hospitals that limits heater surface temperatures to 44°C (111°F).

Apparently, this low limit can add 20 per cent, or more, to the size and cost of the convectors.

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Watching the water Looking at storage-type domestic hot water tanks, scalding should not be a problem if the systems are functioning to code requirements.

While water in storage tanks must still be kept at or above 140°F, water delivered to faucets and shower heads is not to exceed 120°F. As such, water blending assemblies are a must, or on-demand heaters may be set at 120°F.

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Hydronic Products Geothermal heat pumps G Bo Bosch SM Rev C geothermal heat pumps feature a microprocessor that pu communicates with the company’s co proprietary EasyStart App to allow pr contractors to start, service or monitor co the system remotely. Units can be th in installed horizontally or vertically and have m maximum full load heating capacities of 88,900, 72,600 or 56,000 BTUH, de depending on the model. www. ww

bosch-thermotechnology.us bo

Commercial gas boiler

Switching relay Tekmar’s one-zone 301P switching relay operates a circulator in a hydronic system when the connected thermostat calls for heat. The control includes optional exercising to prevent circulator seizure when not in use, and an optional post-purge operation to reduce standby losses in the boiler. It features a 20 VA transformer, thermal circuit breaker and a hinged cover with indicator LEDs. www.

tekmarcontrols.com

The AERCO Benchmark Platinum high efficiency boiler is equipped with the company’s Edge Controller, which enables full setup and control, flow balancing, combination plant setup, combustion calibration assist, and the ability to submit service forms to AERCO directly from the app. Sizes range from 650,000 to 6,000,000 BTUH, with thermal efficiencies up to 96.8% and turndown ratios of up to 20:1. www.

aerco.com

Valve for panel radiators Caleffi’s 3010 Series connection valves are available in one- and two-pipe panel radiator configurations for flexible mounting to either floor or wall. The chrome-plated brass units are designed for a glycol mix of up to 30%, have a maximum working pressure of 150 psi, a maximum differential pressure of 15 psi and a maximum working temperature of 212°F. www.

caleffi.com

Radiant heating mat Magnetic boiler filter

REHAU’s Raumat is designed to reduce onsite installation time in commercial heating/cooling and turf conditioning systems with large, open footprints. It comes in pre-assembled rolls of 40 to 250-foot lengths in widths up to 6-1/2 feet. Rolls can be ordered in 5/8” or 3/4” Raupex O2 barrier pipe with up to five circuits.

Mats are custom-made for optimal sizing and tail configuration. www.

The Webstone magnetic boiler filter is designed to capture ferrous debris. The unit features a 12,000-gauss magnet, service tool, integrated hose connection, and air vent and filter. It has a universal diverter that allows it to be used with any piping orientation, with or without available isolation valves. Press, FIP, MIP and SWT connections are available in 3/4” and 1” sizes.

www. webstonevalves.com

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Hydronic Products Condensing firetube boilers Cleaver-Brooks’ ClearFire-CE fully condensing, high mass firetube boilers range in size from 500,000 to 6,000,000 BTUH. They feature dual temperature returns and an AluFer tube design that achieves up to 99% thermal efficiency. Units are equipped with self-regulating fuel-air ratio controls and ECM variable-speed combustion air blowers. They produce less than 20 ppm NOx.

www. cleaverbrooks.com

Inline flow sensors Hose and boiler drain valves Dahl’s 621-01-04 hose and boiler drain ain valve is available with either 1/2” male threaded or female solder connections. Made from lead-free brass, the angled valve has an NPT inlet and nickel-plated handle. Each valve weighs 0.591 lb.

www.

dahlvalve.com

Belimo’s inline flow sensors come in sizes up to 6” and offer automatic glycol measurement and compensation. The units have an inlet length of five times the nominal pipe diameter, no outputlength requirements and have a power consumption of 0.5 watts. Units are wet calibrated to ensure accuracy (+/- 2%) and repeatability (+/- 0.5%).

www. belimo.ca

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with Roger Grochmal

Mind your professional manners How can a technician put forward a professional image when on a jobsite, either at a homeowner’s front door, or when working in a workspace? What are some of the tips and best practice advice that you include in the training of your tradespeople?

H Roger Grochmal is the CEO of AtlasCare in Oakville, Ont. To submit a question about your company, business practices, or the industry in general, send an email to Mechanical Business Magazine’s editor, Adam Freill, adam.freill@ mechanicalbusiness.com.

Practise, practise, practise At AtlasCare, our customerfacing employees undergo continuous training to ensure that everyone is always working to the highest standard for our customers. This is in addition to technical training.

We include role playing to help remind our staff of the basics of good manners as well as to explore how we can deliver exceptional experiences every day.

None of this is taught in the apprenticeship schools, yet this commitment is how we get consistency, and why homeowners do business with us.

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omeowners call contractors because HVAC and plumbing systems are becoming increasingly complicated and they want an expert to give them the precise advice they need to make the best decisions for their family and their home.

Creating a memorable service experience comes down to a lot more than technical knowledge, however. For them to place their faith in our advice, they must trust us and connect with us. This is the basis for all professionalism.

But making the best professional impression begins with preparation. It has been said that “failure to prepare is preparing to fail,” and failure is not something that any of us want for our companies.

PREPARE FOR THAT FIRST IMPRESSION First impressions are lasting ones.

Customers expect technicians to show up in a clean truck, wear a clean uniform, and to use shoe covers, carpets or drop sheets to protect the home. These are now table stakes in our business, so missing these fundamental gestures will hurt your business.

Preparation should also include some homework on the customer.

Maintain a good customer file that includes site information, customer preferences or special requirements, previous service issues and any outstanding quotes for work.

Preparation makes the technician look smart and that he or she really cares about the customer.

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Greeting the customer is where our preparation kicks in so that we can make that critical first impression.

Start by knocking on the door. There is something more personal about knocking on a door, as opposed to ringing a doorbell.

Stand tall, smile, look your customer in the eyes and shake hands. Ask permission to leave your truck where you parked it and ask if it is okay to enter the home. This starts to build respect for the person and the home.

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2ĚTS1NG™ 9CěGR /CNCIGMGNě 5XSěGM This unique system includes a Ruud-exclusive patented blocked drain sensor that automatically shuts off the furnace when the drain is blocked. A unique diagnostic code alerts the dealer when this occurs, saving valuable time and money on troubleshooting.

The PlusOne 9CěGR /CNCIGMGNě 5XSěGM also includes a self-priming drain trap that helps reduce installation time, and it makes seasonal maintenance calls faster and more efficient.

To help ensure proper drainage, the condensate hoses are premarked so you know which hose to use where, and the alternate drain hose notes where to cut.

2ĚTS1NG™ &KCINOSěKES A dual combination of 7-segment LED and EcoNet™**-enabled diagnostics makes this PlusOne feature a service technician’s dream. Our 7-segment alphanumeric LED display and our dual 7-segment LED display on U96V models take the guesswork out of service calls. You can diagnose a problem more accurately for faster service calls and fewer callbacks. We’re the first in the industry to include this easy-to-read display on all product families.

The LED display can also rotate a full 180˚ for downflow installations.

To get instant access to the fault history, use a dip switch on the control board (or push button on the U96V models). For even more serviceability, our U96V models are enabled with EcoNet diagnostics for fast and accurate system information.

Ask Roger with Roger Grochmal

PRESENTATION AND SALES SKILLS Since you obtained permission to make recommendations when you arrived and did a quick assessment of the customer’s needs, these suggestions will not come as a surprise or be seen as a suspicious attempt on the technician’s part to generate work.

When options exist, always present the customer with the choice to repair, replace or upgrade, and confirm the customer’s understanding of the options.

This is the only time that price should be talked about.

CONVERSATION IS KING Before diving into doing any work, build a quick rapport with your customer.

Confirm the details about why you are there. A customer service representative or dispatcher might have interpreted the call a little differently than what the customer said, so this will help set the agenda for what you will be doing, and what your customer can expect from you.

Ask if they have any concerns. They could be more concerned about equipment performance, noises or excess energy consumption than what you are assuming.

They might also have additional lifestyle and health concerns that the present HVAC or plumbing system doesn’t adequately address. These questions can provide clues as to what is important to the customer and where to begin looking for issues.

As you go about your work around the home, check in with the customer often.

Keep them involved. Take the time to look at the entire system, and not just the piece you were dispatched to address. There is nothing worse than taking your car in for service one day and then having another problem the next day. Be thorough.

At the end of the opening discussion, obtain permission from the customer to recommend work by asking, “If I find something that needs to be attended to, can I bring it to your attention?” It puts the customer fully in control of the decisionmaking process.

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Once you have presented the options and answered any clarifying questions or objections, be quiet and wait for the customer to choose. It’s their money and they will make the choice that best suits them. Do not, under any circumstance attempt to pressure the customer into any option or try to impose your value set on their decision.

A certain amount of sales training is helpful for these conversations, to help us learn to be confident but not overbearing, to speak in plain language and not over-explain, and to answer all questions precisely and react to different responses we might hear from the customer.

BE IN THE RIGHT SPACE When providing service, it is important to be mentally prepared. We all have issues going on in our lives and it is important to keep them separate from what we are there to do for the customer.

A LAST-ING IMPRESSION The last impression you leave the customer with is just as important as the first impression when you arrived.

Once you are done, be truly thankful that they have chosen you and your company to do the work. It is because of them that we have jobs.

I was on a plane recently and the pilot came on the intercom and said, “We know you have many travel options available to you and on behalf of the company and crew, thank you for choosing us as your travel partner.”

I have a sign in my training centre that says, “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”

As a final step, surprise them by making a small value-added gesture. I have had technicians change a light bulb for a customer, bring in a garbage pail and in one case, even change a flat tire. These small efforts show how much you really care and will surely be what they talk about after you leave.

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t first glance, kitchens and bathrooms can appear to be mere functional spaces where many of life’s daily chores are taken care of, but many homeowners are looking for spaces that go beyond function. They demand rooms they want to spend time in, that inspire them to create, or that simply allow them to relax and let the stresses and strains of busy lives float away.

From unique lighting fixtures to underfloor heating, and everything in between, manufacturers have stepped up to ensure that whatever the customer wants is now available to them.

Bath time’s not just for kids A recent survey showed that half of North Americans take a bath every week, and more than half wished they could take more baths than they do.

Results showed that a lack of time was a factor in fewer bathing opportunities, but also high on the list of reasons for spending less time bathing was a poor bath environment – namely the tub being too small, dirty or poorly grouted.

With most people wanting to spend more time bathing than they currently do, that desire is an opportunity that contractors can tap into.

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“A bathroom is a very personal space and people should take the effort to make it their own,” says Kenana Al-Yakobi, channel manager of Pfister Canada for Spectrum Brands. “Creating a space that exactly fits your needs is the ultimate form of self-care. Investing in a home spa will bring peace of mind for the long-term.”

Toilet gets a lift “Spa” is one of those words that contractors often hear from their clients when they are describing the kind of bathroom they want to have. It smacks of luxury getaways to the Arizona desert or the mountains of B.C. It encapsulates luxury, relaxation and self-indulgence.

To fit this mood, even the toilet has been transformed over recent years. Multi-functional electronic smart toilets can run to many thousands of dollars. Some include the functions of a bidet, allowing for a more hygienic experience.

Common in Japan and parts of Europe, the smart toilet is making inroads in the North American market. Beyond the cleanliness factor, those who suffer from increasingly common IBD disorders such as Crohn’s and colitis find added relief.

Skirted and wall-hung toilets are also proving to be a hit in the modern bathroom. The advantages of these fixtures is both in cleanliness and design. The lines are much sharper and match with the spa feel, while making cleaning also quicker and easier. Let’s face it, anything that means you spend less time with your head stuck behind a toilet is a winner.

B y S im o n B owden They have a size for that The bathtub versus shower fight has swung one way and then the other for many years, and with the rise of apartment living it seemed the more compact shower was set to win the day. However, the bathtub has staged something of a comeback, with many condo owners still wanting to enjoy a soak after a long day despite the smaller size of their bathrooms.

Rather than leaving condo owners with showers as the only solution in the bathroom, manufacturers have stepped up to provide a more relaxed option.

A number of companies realized that alcove tub sales were being negatively affected since these smaller bathrooms would require significant construction to fit a standard 60” tub, explains Diana Di Carlo, operations manager with The Water Closet showroom in Mississauga, Ont. “So, in came the 55” tub,” she says. “It’s a smart response as it gives someone the opportunity to keep a tub in the home, not disrupt the layout of that bathroom and still get that spa feeling everybody wants.”

Sinks have also been shrunk in size to make the most of a tiny bathroom’s square footage. There are even products available that can transform the unused real estate on top of the toilet tank into a spot to wash hands.

DID YOU KNOW? Almost half of Canadians plan to renovate their home this year and will spend an average of $10,211. Nearly 90 per cent of Canadians view the money spent on renovations as an investment.

A wise investment In the kitchen, advancements in materials and finishes are feeding the move away from more traditional styles for a sizeable number of Canadian consumers.

Composite materials and an array of available colours means it does not take a lot of effort to deliver a unique look and feel that will keep customers happily working on their raspberry coulis or apple and cheese frittatas for hours at a time. But customers are also looking for more under the countertop.

Garbage disposers and water filters are even becoming important items in the kitchen, but are options that may be overlooked by a homeowner whose focus is on granite countertops, so they are worth mentioning to clients.

Making water smarter Out of sight, but bringing peace of mind are intelligent, self-learning water systems that can now be hooked up to water lines to monitor water usage over time. These systems mitigate against leaks and damaging flood events by sending an alert to a smartphone if they sense more water than usual is being used. If the user is away from home, smart systems can be used to turn off the water supply and even send an alert to a homeowner’s plumber.

“By making water smarter through innovation, we’re giving consumers the power to be proactive in protecting themselves from costly water damage, while offering an advanced solution for water conservation in the home,” said Garry Scott, vice-president, e-president, marketing and eCommerce, Moen Canada.

“Our proactive system m runs daily tests on the he home’s water supplyy to help identify vulnerabilities, abilities, including microleaks or increased water pressure, sure, both of which are early arly indicators of a potential tial catastrophic pipe burst, which could lead to mould behind walls and other types of water damage.”

BRINGING VALUE TO THE CUSTOMER Thinking about the individual needs of each customer will ensure they get the room they want and the contractor doesn’t miss any opportunities.

A spa bath can feel like a luxury item to many, but if you are working with a family that has a child with severe eczema, or a parent with arthritis, suddenly what seemed like an indulgent, big-ticket item transforms into a valuable investment in their health.

It doesn’t get much better than creating a room that not only functions well and looks good, but actually makes the customer feel good when using it.

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PLUMBING

Products

High pressure pumps Danfoss APP W HC pumps are positive displacement pumps with efficient axial pistons designed for high-pressure Reverse Osmosis (RO), Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) and Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD) applications at flow rates of 48 to 132 gpm with a maximum outlet pressure of 120 bar. Units are oil-free, can be installed vertically or horizontally, and can be parallel-coupled for added capacity.

www. danfoss.com

Residential fire sprinkler system The REHAU FirePEX system marries coldexpansion compression-sleeve technology to NFPA 13D residential fire sprinkler applications. The system uses commercially available fire sprinkler heads, RauPEX white UV shield crosslinked PEX-a pipe and 3/4” to 2” Everlock+ polymer and leadfree brass fittings.

www. rehau.com

Industrial thermometer Winters’ TIM Industrial 9” Thermometer features a separable brass or lead-free brass thermowell, dual Fahrenheit and Celsius scale, and either a 3-1/2" or 6" stem. It has an adjustable angle connection, offers 360° case rotation, and is available with an aluminum or Valox 9" case.

A graphite-filled bulb chamber is designed to maximize heat conduction. The thermometer is accurate to +/- 1%.

Heat pump water heater The Bradford White AeroTherm has four operating modes (heat pump, hybrid, electric and vacation) and is available in 50- and 80-gallon capacities. Hybrid mode attains up to 3.48 UEF efficiency at an average operating sound level of 55 dB. Units feature Vitraglas corrosion protection and top connections.

www. winters.com

www. bradfordwhite.com

Electronic flush valves One-piece toilets

Designed for commercial applications, Delta Faucet 81T electronic flush valves can be hardwired or battery operated.

WC flush volumes range from an adjustable 6 lpf unit, to 4.2 and 4.8 lpf fixed units, and 1.9 lpf and 0.5 lpf in adjustable and fixed urinal models. Operating with hands-free technology, units feature a mechanical override and are available in chrome and matte black finishes.

Produits Neptune’s Florence elongated skirted toilets are equipped with a dual-flush system that uses either 4 or 6 lpf.

The white porcelain units have soft-close and quick-release seats, glazed trapways, and glazed water tanks designed to avoid outside sweating.

www. produitsneptune.com

www. deltacommercialfaucets.ca

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QUADRIK

CONIK

RIOBELPRO.CA

Designed for plumbers, loved by designers!

PLUMBING

Products

Pressure-assisted toilets Sloan’s pressure-assisted toilets, available from Dobbin Sales, are designed to work with flushometers at low-flush volumes of 1, 1.28 and 1.6 gpf in institutional and residential applications. Available in standard and ADAcompliant versions, units install in the same way as gravity toilets and come with left or right flush handles and insulated tanks.

There are no flappers, chains or multi-linkage mechanisms to maintain.

www. dobbinsales.com

Large diameter PP pipe

Backup sump pump Zoeller’s Aquanot range of battery-operated backup sump pumps includes the Fit, which can be added to the sump basin alongside an existing primary pump. Capable of achieving a flow rate of 30 gpm at 10 feet, it features an aluminum motor cooling plate, seal and bearing pockets, as well as wireless monitoring and control. A second vertical float operation switch provides pump run redundancy and a high-water alarm.

www. zoellerpumps.com

Aquatherm’s Blue Pipe is available in sizes up to 24". The hydrophobic polypropylene (PP) pipe will not corrode or scale, and is joined using heat fusion, which doesn’t require an open flame, so hot work permits are unnecessary. It can handle fluid temperatures of up to 180°F at 100 psi, and is fully recyclable.

www. aquatherm.com

Adjustable roof drain Follow Us on:

Watts’ RD-300-AC roof drain is an epoxycoated cast iron drain that is adjustable from 1” to 3.125”. It features a compression seal design to limit the risk of leakage and water damage, a flashing clamp and integral gravel stop, and a self-locking polyethylene dome. It is available in 2” through 10” no-hub outlet sizes.

www. watts.ca

Deburring and chamfering tool Reed’s DEB4 deburrs and produces a 15° external chamfer in one rotation, deburring the outside of the pipe only. It comes with a 1/2” square drive pocket on the backside for use with a ratchet wrench. The aluminum die-cast tool features a hardened steel blade that can be reversed, sharpened and replaced, and fits six nominal pipe sizes of PVC, CPVC, ABS and PP up through 4” diameter.

Pull-down kitchen faucet The Delta Junction kitchen faucet’s high-arc, gooseneck design swivels 360 degrees and comes in a choice of chrome, arctic stainless and matte black finishes. It features two flow rates of 1.8 gpm (6.8 L/min) and 1.5 gpm (5.7 L/min), one- or three-hole installation, and MagnaTite Docking, which uses a magnet to snap the spray wand precisely into place.

www. deltafaucet.ca

www. reedmfgco.com 104

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x WILL

WOODFORD MODEL 19 ANTI-BURST FAUCET

NOT BURST.

GUARANTEED*.

Look for the oval handle!

5-YEAR WARRANTY * If installed correctly

WOODFORD MANUFACTURING M COMPANY Excellence. Alway Always.

800.62 800.621.6032 62 6 21.60 6 32 ww w ww w..w wo o ood o fo ord rdm mffg. g co com www.woodfordmfg.com

HVAC

By A l e k s Sa u c h u k

Step into the

C

Where to use them

Available in numerous sizes and styles, these heaters use a mixture of radiant and natural convection heat transfer. Regardless of heater type, it is important that the design meets the application requirements in order to achieve the best comfort levels and maximize efficiencies.

Infrared heaters are ideal for use in large spaces, such as fire stations, warehouses, sporting facilities, garages, and more. They are not explosion-proof, however, so they may not be placed in a Class 1 or Class 2 explosive environments, such as paint booths.

hoosing the right heating solution is accomplished with knowledge of the facility to be heated. For buildings with large, open areas in need of heat, including many industrial, commercial or agricultural structures, and some residential spaces, infrared heaters offer a targeted method of providing heat to spaces.

Proper equipment selection and heater layout planning is imperative, since improper equipment application can result in undesirable results, such as hot or cold zones.

Questions to ask

Calculate the heat loss

Discuss your customer’s expectations with them. Find out as much information about their temperature needs, expectations and the space itself. Are there work and storage areas? Do they seek even heat distribution?

What are the available mounting heights?

All heating projects should start with a proper heat loss calculation of the building.

Determine design temperature and desired temperature rise, and pay particular attention to the air changes per hour. For estimating purposes, a figure of 35 to 50 BTUs per square foot is sometimes used in the pre-planning stages – that goes to 100 to 200 BTUs for spot heating.

Mounting the heaters

106

HOT TIP Infrared heaters are best applied in an outer perimeter design pattern. Place burners in the areas of greatest heat loss, opposite each other and spaced equally.

All infrared heaters have a minimum and maximum recommended mounting height. These help ensure effective and comfortable heat patterns at the floor levels. Clearance to combustibles distances must be maintained at all times. Pay particular attention to storage areas, overhead doors and car lift areas. Signs are recommended for safety and in accordance with applicable standards.

There are a variety of heater types available, in high or low intensity models, and often the application will dictate which should be used. Multiple heaters with lower BTU rates are generally preferred over single, large BTU models, since the warmth can be better directed with fewer cold spots.

Aleks Sauchuk is business manager with Brant Radiant Heaters Limited. For more information email aleks@brantradiant.com

Options may include straight or U-shaped heaters, as well as single or two-stage models. But also consider the venting, controls, guards, and other options when selecting the heater.

M e c h a n i c a l

Applications and models

Although the installation may be fairly simple, system designs and layouts can be more difficult, but most companies have factory representatives who are able to review the space requirements and to assist in the selection of the proper equipment.

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Canada’s National Show for the HVACR and Plumbing Industries

METRO TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE

March 25 - 27, 2020

cmpxshow.ca

HVAC/R Products P Flare leak preventer RectorSeal’s Flaretite is a gasket-like seal designed to make a leak-resistant join between flared tubing connections used in AC and refrigeration applications. Using a stamped copper ring with concentric ridges formed by a baked-on Loctite Vibra-Seal coating, the ridges create multiple sealing points of contact to help prevent leaks from copper tubing flare connections. It can be used with 1/4” to 3/4” refrigeration linesets.

www. rectorseal.com

Refrigeration service pump The YJII vacuum pump from Yellow Jacket is a 25.3 lb. unit designed for servicing small refrigeration and air conditioning systems.

It is a two-stage, 5 cfm unit with a 1/2 hp, 1,725 rpm motor that can reach a vacuum level of 25 microns. Features include thermal protection, 1/4” and 3/8” SAE flare inlet connections, 3/4” garden hose exhaust and an oversized oil drain.

www. yellowjacket.com

Refrigerant manifolds Fieldpiece Instruments’ water resistant SMAN refrigerant manifolds are available with either three or four ports and are designed to check, evacuate and charge systems. Wireless measurements can an be received by the unit from up to 350 feet et away, or on a smartphone via the Job Link nk system ure of 800 app. Units are rated to a maximum pressure psig at ambient temperatures of 32 to 122°F. 2°F

fieldpiece.com

Bubble-tight isolation damper The Ruskin BTR-250 heavy-duty isolation damper is designed for system containment or decontamination applications commonly found in laboratories and clean rooms, providing bubble-tight airflow leakage performance at pressures up to 10” w.c. It is available in 4” to 36” diameter sizes and includes a flanged channel frame. An optional square flange design is also available.

ruskin.com

High efficiency unit heaters

Black insulation wrap

The Sterling Nexus series of fully modulating, high efficiency unit heaters range in size from 50,000 to 400,000 BTUH with thermal efficiencies of up to 97%. Using natural gas or LP, units have a turndown ratio of 3:1, use 2” to 4” PVC or CPVC combustion air intakes and flue, and weigh 120 to 385 lb. Units can operate as standalone heaters or in multi-unit networks, and can be linked to a BMS.

Johns Manville Microlite Black PSK is a formaldehyde-free, fibreglass thermal insulation blanket for use on the exterior of HVAC ductwork.

It meets the 25/50 flame spread/ smoke developed rating and has a facing with a perm rating of 0.02 and R-value of 4.2. It is available in rolls of 100 feet of 1-1/2” or 75 feet of 2-1/5” insulation, and can handle temperatures up to 250°F. Matching PSK seaming tape is also available.

sterlinghvac.com

jm.com 108

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HVAC/R Products P Industrial gas ignitors rs UV air purifier Second Wind’s 24 volt Zephyr UV air purifier, available through CGF Products, uses ultraviolet germicidal light and a photo-catalytic process to remove mould and bacteria, and decrease volatile organic compounds in enclosed areas up to 4,000 sq ft. It has a 14” lamp that requires changing once every two years. The unit can be installed on duct or ductboard.

www.

cgfproducts.com Follow Us on:

Condensatee neutralizing g pump Neutra-Safe’s NSP-50 50 condensate neutralizing zing pump operates as a high-efficiency gas appliance condensate neutralizer zer and condensate pump mp for appliances with input ut capacities up to 500,000 BTUH. It features separate inlets for acidic and non-acidic condensate and a Little Giant VCMA series pump.

www.

neutrasafe.com refco.ch

Allanson’s electronic ignitors (2260 0 and e 2265), available through Ontor, are designed to deliver equal power whether used in 120-volt or 230volt applications. Available in four different types, units draw 1/2 amp, feature full wave output, are ve designed for constant duty, and have an operating temperature range off -30 to 40°C.

www.

ontor.ca

Self-adjusting make-up air control Skuttle’s Model 216 make-up air control is designed to be installed on the return air plenum of the furnace to provide vide fresh air in conventional forced air heating systems sized up to 250,000 BTUH. The stainless steel units are fully selfadjusting and use no electricity. They are available in 4” and 6” diameter sizes.

www.

skuttle.com

Brant Radiant Heaters Limited offers the most extensive line of low-intensity infrared radiant tube heaters available.

Call us to find a distributor near you.

From our award-winning, engineered vacuum systems to our patented, ʀʸȫࡹɱʀőDžƜ ȂǠȚƜ ȫǂ ǗƜőʀƜɡɱࡊ ˁȫʗࢊȂȂ ˛ȚƉ ő product that ideally suits your needs.

Re-Verber-Ray® low-intensity heaters are a little to no-maintenance, cost ƜǂǂƜžʀǠʴƜ őȚƉ ƜȚƜɡDžˁࡹƜǂ˛žǠƜȚʀ ɱȫȂʗʀǠȫȚ for heating a wide variety of areas.

34 Scott Ave. Paris, ON N3L 3R1 www.brantradiant.com PH: 1-800-387-4778

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STUFF YOU NEED Temperature and RH data logger The Amprobe TR300 data logger is designed to measure relative humidity from 0 to 100% and temperatures from -4 to 158°F. The unit uses audible and visible alarms, and is equipped with a digital display that shows measurements in Celsius or Fahrenheit. It has the capacity to store ore n allows 16,000 readings. A USB connection data to be transferred for further analysis. alysis.

Compact brushless drill/driver DeWalt’s Xtreme Subcompact Series brushless 12V MAX Drill/Driver can handle up to a 1/2” spade bit, is 5.97” long and weighs 1.91 lb. (tool-only). It offers up to 250 units watts out, a variable speed trigger and two-speed transmission.

A belt clip and LED are included on the tool’s foot.

www. dewalt.ca ca

www. amprobe.com

Pipe freezer Ridgid’s SuperFreeze pipe freezer is designed to allow a contractor to keep water systems operating while making repairs. The mini-refrigeration unit circulates self-contained refrigerant to its aluminum freeze heads, forming an ice plug. Freeze gel can be used on the heads to speed up freezing. Available in 115V and 230V capacities, units can be used on copper (1/2” to 2-1/2”) and steel (1/2” to 2”) pipe.

www. ridgid.com

The Evolution Air Info Pocket is designed to securely hold manuals and other important information for installed equipment. The plastic container can be fixed securely to ducting or the building’s wall with screws, ensuring all key information is available when a tech visits the site in the future. It is 11” wide, 14” tall, 2” deep and weighs 0.5 lb.

Gas pressure and flow tester ester The Dormont FloPro-MD can be used to o diagnose gas flow or gas pressure issues. s.

It measures natural gas flow rates from 15 to 325 CFH, flow capacity from 15,000 0 to 325,000 BTUH and pressure up to 0.45” w.c. at 325,000 BTUH. It measures propane flow rates from 6 to 200 CFH, flow capacity from 15,000 to 500,000 BTUH and pressure up to 0.45” w.c. at 500,000 BTUH. Units feature standard 3⁄4” female NPT end connections and Bluetooth connectivity.

www. evolutionair.com M e c h a n i c a l

Klein Tools’ hard hats, available through Ontor, are offered in 10 models. Options include cap style or full brim, white or orange, and Class C or Class E. All models offer reverse donning, an adjustable, open-frame suspension, and a washable, replaceable sweat-wicking band and top pad. Additional features include accessory mounts on the front and back, and one-handed adjustment.

www. ontor.ca

Equipment document holder

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Hard ard hats

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CALENDAR OF

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BUILDEX Alberta November 6-7, 2019 Calgary, Alta. www.buildexalberta.com

KBIS January 21-23, 2020 Las Vegas, Nev. www.kbis.com

Montreal Building Expo November 14, 2019 Montreal, Que. www.contech.qc.ca

NAHB IBS January 21-23, 2020 Las Vegas, Nev. www.buildersshow.com ASHRAE Winter Conference February 1-5, 2020 Orlando, Fla. www.ashrae.org

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AHR Expo February 3-5, 2020 Orlando, Fla. www.ahrexpo.com

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Compiled by Mechanical Business

BY THE NUMBERS

BUSINESS LOOKS UP Most Canadian companies expect to see growth in the near term, and plan to invest in both technology and workers to stay ahead of the curve.

79% Canadian businesses that expect to grow in the next two years.

HITTING THE GAS With almost as many vehicle registrations in Canada in 2018 as there are people, don’t expect traffic on our highways to improve any time soon.

35.1 million The number of vehicles registered in Canada in 2018, up 2.3% from 2017.

60.5% Ontario and Quebec accounted for almost two-thirds of all vehicle registrations.

7.7 million The number of trailers registered in Canada.

2.3 million Registrations of off-road, construction and farm vehicles.

54% Companies that plan to invest in research and innovation to drive growth.

53% Companies that intend to introduce or increase flexible working practices to enhance employee well-being.

47% Plan to invest in skills training for employees.

WATER AND HEALTH Water is our most valuable resource, and protecting it is vital for the health of every Canadian.

223 Litres of water used by the average Canadian every day.

260 Litres of treated water wasted by a leaky toilet in one day.

90 Estimated number of deaths caused by unsafe drinking water in Canada each year.

24 Number of years the Neskantaga First Nation in northern r n On Ontario has been under a boil-water advisory.

TECH GIANTS LEAD THE WAY

GREEN GOLD Saving the planet is a growth industry in Canada.

436,000 Permanent workers who were employed in Canada’s energy efficiency goods and services sector in 2018.

The world’s most valuable companies, by market value in U.S. dollars (billions).

8.3% The expected growth rate of the sector in 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

75% 114

2019.

Apple ($961.3) Microsoft ($946.5) Amazon.com ($916.1) Alphabet ($863.2) Berkshire Hathaway ($516.4)

51,000 The number of Canadian businesses that operate within the energy efficiency sector.

$82.6 billion Revenue generated by the energy efficiency goods and services sector in 2018.

Percentage of Canadians who say they are comfortable making purchases on a Canadian retail or government website. Only 55% feel the same way about U.S. sites.

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The wait is over...

You now have a choice.

Two Wires? No Problem.

Upgrading to a WiFi Thermostat just got easier 564

WiFi Thermostat 564 The new Invita™ WiFi Thermostat uses the two existing wires to connect to the mechanical room, eliminating: • Pulling new wires • Patching and repainting walls • Batteries • Unreliable power stealing • Unreliable wireless signals

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564B