May/June 2018

Publication Mail Agreement #43029513. Return postage guaranteed Marked Business Media Inc. 67 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada L1G 4S8

Plumbing in the

Connected Home

MAY/JUNE 2018

WWW.PLUMBINGANDHVAC.CA

IINSIDE Q Ontario election result may doom heat pump rebates Q Banner year for Canada’s largest mechanical show Q High efficiency buildings don’t have to cost more Q Federal tax changes painful for small business

Q Contents

The Kitchen and Bath Issue Departments Hot Seat .........................................4 Too complicated?

Industry News ..............................7 Ont. election may doom rebates

People & Places ...........................40 Association head looks back on 36 good years

Shop Management .....................44 Coming to grips with small business tax changes

Coming Events ............................46 Plumbing, hydronics shows in West

Products & Technologies Faucets & Fixtures .......................18 Refrigeration ...............................25 Heating ........................................26 Drain Tech ....................................32 Pipes, Valves & Fittings ...............37 Tools & Instruments ....................38

Troubleshooting hydronics

It all starts with controls and electronics

Features Zero-energy construction

12

Ultra-efficient buildings at reasonable cost

Cover: In the connected home, residents can adjust shower settings if needed from the comfort of their beds.

Closet auger update

(Photo courtesy of Moen Canada)

Do new power drive options make sense?

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

32

Banner year for CMPX show

8

Solid attendance over three-day run

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

3

Q Hot Seat May/June 2018 Volume 28, Number 4 ISSN 1919-0395 Publisher Mark Vreugdenhil (289) 638-2133 ext.1 Cell: (416) 996-1031 mark@plumbingandhvac.ca Editor Simon Blake (289) 638-2133 ext.2 Cell: (416) 574-5867 simon@plumbingandhvac.ca Assistant Editor Leah Den Hartogh 289-638-2133 ext. 4 leah@plumbingandhvac.ca Contributing Writers Roy Collver, Ron Coleman, Mark P. Evans, Bill Hooper, Art Irwin, Michael McCartney, Bruce Nagy, Greg Scrivener National Sales Manager Mark Tomlin (289) 638-2133 ext.3 Cell: (289) 927-6393 markT@plumbingandhvac.ca Design and Production Tim Norton/Janet Popadiuk production@plumbingandhvac.ca Circulation Manager Dorothy Lai All articles and photos by Plumbing & HVAC staff unless noted.

PLUMBING & HVAC Magazine is published eight times annually by Marked Business Media Inc. and is written for individuals who purchase/ specify/approve the selection of plumbing, piping, hot water heating, fire protection, warm air heating, air conditioning, ventilation, refrigeration, controls and related systems and products throughout Canada.

Marked Business Media Inc. 167 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada L1G 4S8 Tel: (289) 638-2133 Postmaster: Send all address changes and circulation inquiries to: Plumbing & HVAC Magazine, 167 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada L1G 4S8. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 43029513. Postage paid at Toronto, ON. Annual Subscription Canada: $40.00 plus applicable taxes, single copy $5.00 plus applicable taxes. Annual Subscription United States: $60.00 U.S. Annual Subscription foreign: $90.00 U.S. Copyright 2018. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in any manner without the prior written permission of the Publisher.

Too complicated?

Elsewhere in this issue there is an article about the new electronic ‘smart’ equipment for residential bathrooms.

There are digital electronic shower valves that can be operated by a smart phone or, in a couple of cases, voice activated. One company has an interactive mirror that can serve as a ‘nerve center’ for the other electronics in the residential bathroom.

This is very different from commercial electronic lavatory equipment; it’s all about comfort and convenience for the user rather than water conservation to save money for the building owner.

Well, I’m 63 years old and I look at all this stuff and wonder why anybody would want it. But then, when you understand how all the different components in the connected home function together, you must admit it’s pretty neat and does offer significant comfort improvements.

The second thought that comes to mind is: what is a plumber supposed to do with a call along the lines of “I can’t communicate with my shower”? Suddenly they go from tracing leaks to trying to solve wireless, software and internet issues. Much of this communicating equipment uses Amazon Alexa voice activation technology. Some will also use Apple HomeKit.

Do you know how these programs work?

Apparently, the issue occurred to manufacturers too. They don’t want to scare people away. So, the controllers provide digital fault codes that should pinpoint problems quickly and there are 1-800 help lines if the plumber – or home owner – runs into trouble.

But it’s going to be a different world. It adds another skill set to the plumbing trade. The trade schools might want to look at this if they are not already doing so.

It’s anyone’s guess where this all leads. Will this level of electronics become commonplace or will it remain primarily a custom home feature? Marketing hype would have us believe that this is the way of the future because younger people will embrace it. And yet, among the young people I know, I detect a certain level of pushback against the intrusion of technology into every aspect of their lives.

So, we shall see.

But, for the plumbing contractor, it’s critical to keep abreast of the technology because there will be homeowners that do embrace it and some of them will be your customers!

INTRODUCING

double degree in journalism and ancient history from Trent University in Peterborough, Ont., Leah joined the team at Marked Business Media Inc. in Oshawa, Ont. on May 22. Please welcome Leah as she covers industry events and issues for the magazine and works to expand Plumbing and HVAC’s digital/social media offerings.

Leah can be reached at leah@plumbingandhvac.ca or 289-638-2133, ext. 4.

A member of: • Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating • Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada • Ontario Plumbing Inspectors Association • American Society of Heating Refrigerating & Air Conditioning Engineers • Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada • Refrigeration Service Engineers Society of Canada

P lu mbi ng an d H VAC Magazine is pleased to announce the appointment of Leah Den Hartogh as assistant editor. A recent Leah graduate of the advanced Den Hartogh journalism program at Loyalist College in Belleville, Ont. and with a

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Q Industry News

Ontario election result may jeopardize heat pump rebates New premier vows to scrap program that funds them

By Leah Den Hartogh

L

ess than a year ago the Ontario government announced an aggressive $1.2-billion three-year program to help businesses and industry adopt lowcarbon technologies and up to $1.2 billion to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in buildings. The Liberal government funded this with profits from its annual cap and trade carbon market auction.

Ever ything changed with the Ontario election on June 7. Douglas (Doug) Ford was elected premier as his Progressive Conservative party swept to victory with 76 seats in the Ontario legislature, while the Liberals saw their

We end up having these ebbs and flows of activity that in the end hurt everyone involved. numbers shrink to just seven seats.

One of Ford’s key election promises was to scrap the Ontario cap and trade program and fight federal carbon taxes, making funding for the Green Ontario fund evaporate and likely the rebate programs along with it.

The Green ON program provides rebates of up to $20,000 to install

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Doug Ford has vowed to end Ontario's cap and trade program and fight Ottawa's carbon tax initiative. geothermal heat pumps, up to $4,500 to repair existing geothermal systems, and up to $5,800 to install air source heat pumps. Rebate programs have long been a blessing and a curse for the industry and those contacted by Plumbing & HVAC had mixed feelings.

“We will just have to wait and see to find out which direction this government will go in,” said Warren Heeley, president of the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI).

“I think the issue is going to be how much of what the PCs were suggesting were going to happen when they got into power are actually going to happen,” said Heeley. “Are the election platforms to get votes, or are they going to follow through with them?” HRAI is a partner in the Green On program, ensuring that participating contractors are qualified.

Jim B olger (Waterloo Energ y Products), president of Ontario Geothermal Association, who has long

said that when the Liberals are in power the geothermal industry does well, is philosophical about the election result.

He said that the new government’s approach may not be completely on dismantling the Green ON initiative, but on using that program to create jobs and tax revenue. “I think that at first the approach is not so much about battling climate change or carbon emission reductions but on putting forward a case for job creation and tax revenue that’s supported by programs like Green ON. “I think it will be a different approach, but we’ve got a business case and a story to tell and hopefully the new government will be open to listening to that approach,” said Bolger. “I hope that we have a chance to better explain why that’s probably not a bad approach and we can show that it’s not going to be a burden on the taxpayers.”

Good for small business Mario Bernardi, executive director of the ClimateCare Co-operative, a contactor group headquartered in Burlington, Ont., said he is hopeful the new Ford government will be reactive to the needs of people, especially small businesses.

Contractors have expressed concern over the government pushing energy efficiency rebate programs onto the industry over the years, both federally and provincially.

Please see ‘Small’ on page 11

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

7

Q Industry News Bus With Us program, in which buses brought visitors from 43 different wholesale locations in Ontario, some coming from as far away as Sudbury or North Bay. Seminars at the Learning Forum were well attended with some, like one on door knocker legislation in Ontario, drawing standing room only crowds.

Skills competition intense

Viega’s Kevin Sawyer, left, and Carl Gorny explain the company’s new Mega-Press system to contractors.

Banner year for CMPX show After a busy three-day run, exhibitors and visitors alike to the Canadian Mechanical and Plumbing Exposition (CMPX) were smiling.

“The show was very good for us. We were able to meet with many of our customers (both contractors and wholesalers). There was good activity through most of the three days, with customers stopping in right until the end. Also, a pleasant surprise was the number of engineers who attended and visited our booth,” remarked John Goshulak, P. Eng., vice president, sales and marketing for WeilMcLain Canada, Burlington, Ont. Attendance was solid and steady throughout the three days with just over 8,072 visitors plus

about 3118 exhibitor staff for a total of 11,190.

Roughly half the visitors were contractors with the rest made up of wholesalers, engineers, architects, builders, government, etc.

Happy winner There was one visitor that probably went home happier than anyone else. Mike Cliffe, an HVAC mechanic at Sensible Heating & Air Conditioning in Brampton, Ont., won the big door prize – a brand new GMC Savana van with custom upfitting by Farmbro.

Wholesaler support was up at this year’s event, report organizers. One of the reasons that this show was so busy was the Take the

Drain cleaning caution urged A Quebec gas utility is once again urging caution in drain cleaning due to the danger of gas lines that may have been inadvertently torpedoed through sewer lines.

The North American natural gas industry has been using trenchless technology to run underground gas lines for 40 years.

Occasionally, they can intersect a sewer line, creating a “cross-bore” and a serious danger to a drain cleaning contractor who uses a drain snake to clear the line without first checking to see what is causing the blockage, warns

8

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2018

Énergir (formerly Gaz Metro), headquartered in Montreal.

“Drilling has considerable advantages as it minimizes inconvenience and damage to private property and roadways by avoiding having to dig trenches along the entire route.

While rare, it is possible that a natural gas line may cross a sewer line during drilling,” remarked Énergir’s Maude Hébert-Chaput.

The company is working to: • Create awareness amongst plumbers, drainage companies and municipalities

In the Skills area, the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) Skills Committee hosted the two-day Heating System Gauntlet for secondary and post-secondary students in HVAC programs from across Ontario.

Competitions were held at eight stations built by HRAI volunteers with equipment supplied by industr y manufacturers and wholesalers. The 16 post-secondary competitors had to install an HRV or ERV and then commission a furnace, ensuring that the system operated correctly.

Calvin Burgess from George Brown College in Toronto won. Robert Bratton from Georgian College, Barrie, Ont., placed second. Zach Hiltz from Centennial College, Toronto, took third.

CMPX is jointly produced by HRAI and the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating with support from many other industry associations.

The next CMPX show will take place March 25-27, 2020. For more information, please visit www.cmpxshow.com.

about the issue; • It is designing a program to identify and correct existing cross bores; and • It has improved location and installation methods to identify problems before starting a job. Énergir urges Quebec contractors to contact its Info-Excavation line at 1-800663-9228 before making any attempt to clear a blocked sewer line to ensure there is no possibility of a cross-bore.

“Our priority at all times is the safety of our workers, partners and contractors, and citizens,” said Hébert-Chaput. For more information please visit www.energir.com.

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Q Industry News

HRAI appoints new president O n e of C an a d a’s l ar g e s t mechanical industry associations has appointed a new president.

Former newspaper man Sandy MacLeod will take the reins from Warren Heeley, who is retiring at the end of June after more than 30 years with the organization.

(Please see page 40) “It’s an opportunity for HRAI to experience a fresh perspective,” remarked HRAI chairman Bruce Sandy MacLeod Passmore (Emco).

MacLeod was chief operating officer – print, for the Star Media Group, which publishes the Toronto Star, the Metro papers and other publications. A native

of Nova Scotia, he has led numerous businesses across Canada.

Please fix mid-sentence break. He also brings considerable association board experience to the role as he has been involved with several associations in the communications industry. He was president of the North American Division of the International News Media Association, media research lead for Vividata and chair of Advertising Standards Canada.

The combination of business skills, a wide range of experience, his understanding of the Canadian marketplace and the time spent serving on association boards makes him the ideal fit for the role, said Passmore. Heeley and MacLeod are working together to ensure a smooth transition.

HRAI is a non-profit trade association of manufacturers, wholesalers and contractors in the Canadian heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industries. It was founded in 1968. For more information, please visit www.hrai.ca.

Small business expected to benefit Continued from page 7

“While we certainly appreciate the artificial stimulation of the marketplace and the artificial effect it has on equipment prices with the rebate program, our opinion is to leave things alone and let the marketplace dictate,” said Bernardi.

“We end up having these ebbs and flows of activity that in the end hurt everyone involved.” If the rebate programs are removed, it will take time for customers and contractors to adjust, he added. “We’ve had rebates for so long on the federal and provincial level that not only have our customers got used to it, but our members are used to it too. Now, it’s almost a kneejerk reaction that we expect rebates to be out there.”

Nanc y McKeraghan of C anco ClimateCare Heating and Air Conditioning, Newmarket, Ont. agrees, but is skeptical about the PC plan to get rid of Green ON.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

“The industry has already been skewed by some of these rebate programs. I believe that it is a good thing to preserve the environment and go along with the Paris Accord. I don’t know if some of the programs that have been initiated under the Green ON program currently are particularly good.”

Wayne Langford, president of Design Air ClimateCare, Toronto, is encouraged by the new PC government. “Rebates (over the years) started off not bad but as more special interest groups got in they started to go in the wrong direction and not achieve what we wanted to achieve – and that is system performance efficiency in a house.

Just because you put a high SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) air conditioning unit in, it doesn’t mean that it is going to perform that way,” added Langford.

Significant changes expected Heeley noted that the shift away from the

Green ON program will be one of the more significant impacts of the election. “Whether that is political rhetoric or not, I think that is the most significant thing now that could happen. The second thing is that there has been a larger strategy that has to do with a low-carbon economy. Are the PCs going to continue with that, or are they going to change things, whether a little bit or radically?”

McKeraghan is hopeful in the ability of those around Ford. “One of the things that I am encouraged about is that there were some savvy people elected along with Premier Ford. I have confidence that they will receive promotions to enable them to rein in some of the concerns about Mr. Ford and his capabilities,” said McKeraghan. “It’s best to sit back, and wait and see,” she added Plumbing and HVAC also reached out to Ralph Suppa, president and general manager of Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating, who declined to comment.

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

11

Q Building Green Rooftop solar panels provide the electricity needs of this zero-energy condominium complex in Scarborough, Ont.

Zero-energy construction Geothermal, solar combine with green construction for ultraefficient buildings at reasonable cost

By Bruce Nagy People say the darndest things.

“You can’t get there from here.”

“It’s impossible to balance our budget.”

“It never happened, and even if it did, I paid her to keep quiet about it.”

Or in the HVAC business: “Ours is the very first LEED certified, post-2010, split-level, townhome condo, in the southwest part of the city, with a pink flamingo on the front lawn.”

12

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2018

Usually it’s best to just congratulate them, because lately everyone thinks they are conserving more and using cleaner energy than everyone else. And does it really matter?

What matters is that we’re all making the effort. However, occasionally someone emerges who really is setting an example, like Dave de Sylva of Howland Green Homes in Markham, Ont.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Dave de Sylvia has established an enviable track record of constructing zero energy buildings at reasonable costs.

Geothermal heat pumps provide heating and cooling.

Zero energy planning He has been developing condominiums and office buildings using zero energy planning and lately, beyond net-zero. Structures are usually six storeys or less. They all feature geothermal heating/cooling solar photovoltaic (PV) on the roofs. He makes an agreement with occupants to monitor, analyze and tweak everything during the first five years of operation to ensure performance and provide lessons learned.

Says de Sylva: “The need to measure after is only surpassed by the requirement to set goals at the beginning…We live in a world where science, through the use of metering, has been constantly and accurately sounding the bells.

We must, in what we do, learn to listen.”

He also supplies occupants with Efergy monitors, which allow them to view real time energy usage, cost, carbon emissions, check average consumption, and review 24 months of energy history.

In most cases, the buildings generate 100 percent or more of the clean energy needed to heat and cool them along with at least as much clean electricity as they are using. Utility costs

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

We live in a world where science, through the use of metering, has been constantly and accurately sounding the bells. We must, in what we do, learn to listen.

2-5/8.” These achieve R-42. For the roof, he specifies high-density polyisocyanurate insulation that gets them R-80.

Windows are triple glazed krypton filled and photo sensitized to reflect solar gain in the summer and adjust for greater absorption in winter. “We only use fibreglass framed windows because their modulus of elasticity (expansion/contraction) is the same as the glass in them, unlike vinyl, steel, concrete and aluminum.” Their envelopes exceed building code requirements by about 300 percent.

Geothermal heating/cooling are about 75 percent lower compared with conventional buildings.

Tightening the envelope Like many green builders, Howland Green focusses first on tightening the envelope, reducing energy loads and allowing renewables to shine. For walls he uses custom insulated concrete forms (ICF) that have four inches of expanded polystyrene insulation (EPS) on each side, rather than the usual

The company built a 51,000 square foot, sixstorey condominium building containing 65 dwellings on Kennedy Road in Scarborough, Ont. This began with drilling 21 geothermal wells, each 425 feet deep, and adding about 900 vertical feet of tubing into each.

Glycol fluid is piped directly to a variable speed Climatemaster Tranquility geothermal heat pump in each unit, which offers a heating coefficient of performance (COP) of 4.1 and Please see ‘Geothermal’ on page 15

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

13

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Q Building Green

Geothermal heating and cooling monitor. Occupants control their own heat and pay their own monthly bill.

Heavy insulation for DHW

Insulated concrete form (ICF) construction creates an ultra-efficient building envelope.

To save energy on domestic hot water, Howland Green double-wraps the storage tank water heaters with insulation. The practice has been shown to reduce required standby energy by 65 percent, reports de Sylva. In some buildings, they use decant recapture in the form of Geospring hybrid water heaters, located in the hot solar inverter rooms, where they collect energy that might otherwise be wasted.

Introduced by GE in 2012, the Geospring water heater was heralded as a breakthrough because it was substantially more efficient due to the addition of an air source heat pump. Sadly, GE stopped production in 2016 because homeowners were reluctant to pay more upfront for a water heater, even though the payback was only about three years.

Grey water re-use

Heat pump hybrid DHW tanks have proven efficient and reliable.

Continued from page 13

cooling energy efficient ratio (EER) of 3.7.

The liquid enters the geo pump at as low as 9C in the winter and as high as 23C in the summer (48F and 73F).

Ground pumping speed is modulated by variable frequency drives connected to pumps in the mechanical room, optimizing efficiency. Each dwelling unit also has an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) for fresh air and humidity, thermostat and energy

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Howland buildings include low flow toilets and showerheads, and 15,000-gallon tanks that allow them to collect rainwater from rooftops and grey water from parking lots. After filtering, the rainwater is used for flushing toilets and the grey water for irrigating shrubs and washing cars.

The company avoids grass because it leads to the use of fertilizers, and also green roofs, partly for this same reason, but mostly because the upfront costs, maintenance costs, and carbon effect can’t compete with using the same square footage for a solar array. Solar performance beats green roof performance by more than 99 percent, de Sylva maintains.

Insulated garages Howland also uses ICF construction for the underground garages, which means no heating or cooling whatsoever is needed.

Comfort expectations are lower below ground and easily met through the natural ambiance from the earth, irrespective of Please see ‘Self’ on page 17

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

15

Q Building Green

Howland built this zero-energy office building, also in Markham.

Self-sufficient for electricity Continued from page 15

seasonal above-ground temperatures.

Garage ramps are sheltered, eliminating the need for snowmelt equipment. The company is now testing pneumatic storage – solar energy and kinetic harvesters that compress air into standby tanks, feeding pneumatic motors for garage doors and exhaust fans.

In the condos, the appliances are EnergyStar certified. Power usage by Howland Green projects is usually about 70 kilowatt/ hours per square metre per year, compared with about 400 for a conventional building.

Solar generated electricity At the condo mentioned, the rooftop contains a 128,000-kilowatt array of Solar PV panels. In this case this is equivalent to all the power needs in the building, but in projects where the roof just isn’t big enough, the company sometimes offsets its negative footprint with donated or sponsored green initiatives elsewhere. This might not be necessary for long.

They are testing batteries to store common area lighting power and using occupancy sensors to conserve. In addition, as de Sylva explains, not only do the costs of both power storage and PV panels continue to decline, but panel efficiency and intensity are increasing.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

For example, a one by two-metre LG panel previously offered 250 watts and now provides 400. The company is building a new head office that will feature a 500,000-kilowatt array on its roof. One hundred percent of energy required for heating, cooling and electricity will be generated on site, with 35 percent leftover for charging vehicles.

Green builders are sometimes criticized for expensive structures, but de Sylva says total construction cost is about $3.27 - $3.80 per square foot compared with about $5.25, the average in the Markham, Ont. area.

Of course, now that we have praised Howland Green’s efforts, we might be subject to Murphy’s Law and the social media sports might begin. People might start saying the darndest things. But there is an old Chinese proverb: “The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.” Let’s not interrupt de Sylva. The man is on it.

Bruce Nagy is a Torontobased freelance writer that reports on green technologies and solutions. He can be reached at bruce.nagy@rogers.com.

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

17

Q Faucets and Fixtures The homeowner can turn on the shower and let it warm up from the comfort of their bed with the U by Moen system.

Smart electronics provide new opportunities for contractors

By Simon Blake

Plumbing

IN THE CONNECTED HOME As electronics become increasingly used in home bathrooms and kitchens, plumbers may find themselves facing different queries from customers. In addition to the usual leaking pipes, poor drainage, etc., in today’s rapidly approaching era of the ‘connected home,’ they may get calls like “my shower is not communicating” or “my interactive mirror is not talking to me.” It will pay to be up to date on this technology.

Connected home technology means simply that the controls of different appliances in the home communicate with each other via ‘smart’ technology. Different manufacturers are at different stages with this technology, but it is coming rapidly.

“What we’re finding is that technology

18

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2018

is expanding into all areas of the home for the consumer,” remarked Garry Scott, vice president of marketing and E-commerce for Moen Canada, Oakville, Ont. It will only be a short matter of time until the Wi-fi connected smart shower control knows that first thing in the morning four people in a home are going to take showers, so perhaps an hour before it might ramp up the water heater, also Wi-Fi enabled, to ensure there is enough hot water.

Touch activated shower controls are becoming common and at least two manufacturers have introduced Wi-Fi enabled shower controls, voice-activated with Amazon Alexa technology. “As ‘connected’ devices become increasingly common in our homes, this offers significant opportunities for further advancements,” remarked Nicole Allis, marketing manager for Kohler in Kohler, Wisconsin.

It should be noted that home electronics are quite different from those used in commercial applications. Residential equipment is designed primarily for the comfort and convenience

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Each user programs in their shower settings with Amazon Alexa on their smartphone.

of the home’s occupants rather than for water conservation, although that is a by-product.

Voice activated Introduced this year, the U by Moen shower features a digital shower valve that offers precise thermostatic control and can control up to four shower devices at a time – a

What we’re finding is that technology is expanding into all areas of the home for the consumer. shower head, body sprays, etc. The digital shower valve is hard wired to an electronic Wi-fi-enabled wall controller, which can be mounted virtually anywhere, up to 30 feet away. There is no cartridge in the shower valve and there are no traditional valves on the shower wall.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Each family member can program in their favoured shower settings – well, up to 12 in the U by Moen smart phone app and two on the shower control itself. The user can also program it and turn it on with their smart phone.

This year Moen has taken it one step further, introducing voice activation with Amazon Alexa and, later this year, expects to have the same feature with Apple HomeKit. The user can now turn on the shower from the comfort of their bed or anywhere else with voice activation.

And when the shower is up to temperature, it sends the user a note on their smart phone to let them know it’s ready.

The connected bathroom In a YouTube video about the Kohler Konnect system, a young man puts a glass under a faucet and says, “pour eight ounces.” It does. A woman looks at a mirror and says, ‘turn lights on maximum.’ The lights brighten. Kohler is on the forefront Please see ‘Voice’ on page 20

The Kohler DTV+ shower system is just one of many Kohler Konnect products.

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

19

Q Faucets and Fixtures No valves! The Riobel Genius shower and its control.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall…

Voice activated nerve centre Continued from page 19

of connected technology, able to control virtually everything in the bathroom with voice activation through Alexa. Users finetune every aspect to their exact preferences from the shower to ambient colored lighting, wireless Bluetooth music, heated toilet seat and foot warmer, etc.

The company’s connected products include: • The DTV+ showering system allows the user to control water, steam, music and lights and create pre-sets to customize the shower to their needs.

• The Numi toilet delivers hands-free control

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Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2018

and personalized cleansing functionality.

These features can be controlled through motion-control, app control or voice control.

• Kohler’s PureWarmth heated toilet seat includes an integrated nightlight and the heat and lighting levels can be controlled through an app with pre-sets.

• The company’s Touchless Response Toilet features a standard trip lever with a motion sensor embedded to provide users the convenience of touchless flushing.

The flush proximity sensor and integral nightlight can be adjusted through the Kohler Konnect app.

One of the more interesting smart products is Kohler’s Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror with Amazon Alexa. Designed as a centerpiece of the smart bathroom of the future and with the ability to pair other Kohler Konnect products directly to the mirror, it improves the comfort and functionality of time spent in the bathroom by enabling it to be hands-free, seamless, and more convenient, while also communicating with other connected products in the Wi-Fi network. It offers customers access to tens of thousands of Alexa skills.

Other features include a dual-microphone to enhance the accuracy of voice-control, speakers housed in hermetically sealed casings to maximize stereo sound quality, a motion-activated wayfinding nightlight for safety and highly efficient LED lights for makeup application, grooming and skin care.

Any Kohler Konnect product can operate by itself. However, says Allis: “Though all of the products are designed to operate without connectivity, the experience becomes significantly improved with it.”

Simplified plumbing The new Genius shower system from Riobel also uses a digital shower valve. In a digital shower valve, basically a sensor controls a stepper motor that mixes the hot and cold water.

“No longer is there a mechanical cartridge; it’s all managed by electronics,” reported David Raymond, engineering and quality control director for Riobel, Saint-Jérôme, Que. The touch-screen control panel for the Riobel Genius system is about the size of

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Adjusting the voice control on the Kohler Verdera mirror, the nerve centre for the connected bathroom.

a smart phone. “This is the only thing you are going to have on your shower wall. For plumbers, it’s easier to do the plumbing,” said Raymond. There are hot and cold inlets and piping to the shower heads. A single wire connects the control to the digital shower valve.

It is a 110-volt system with a transformer, so it will require the installation of a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) plug.

Touch2O technology from Delta Faucet and SmartTouch technology from Brizo basically turn the entire faucet into a sensor, so that the user can activate it by touching anywhere, reported Stan Speerstra, vice president, product development and product management for Masco Canada. There are also touch or hands-free electronic soap dispensers. The Temp2O shower head, hand shower or shower valve offer colour and digital display of water temperature.

Too complicated?

Manufacturers have gone to considerable lengths to ensure that installing and servicing electronic bath equipment is not difficult.

“It sounds like it’s going to be complicated, but it’s not,” noted Scott. Moen worked with plumbers during the design stage to ensure it was easy to install, he added. Much of the equipment goes behind the wall, so the U by Moen shower would typically be installed during new construction or a major renovation.

“One of the things that saves time dramatically is you don’t have to install the typical valves you would in a traditional shower.” Everything is located in one master

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The Delta Temp2O shower system features digital control. control box with an access panel. “We believe it takes no more time or complexity to install this system than it would a regular shower and it may even be a little faster,” he added.

Kohler Konnect products install in the same way as analog products, but they will require power. “The nuance will be the set-up process where the product will be connected to the Kohler Konnect app. The app was designed to be highly intuitive, intended for the homeowner to set up the product since it will be completed on their smart phone,”

reported Allis. “However, the plumber will want to ensure the set-up is complete and the product functions as intended,” she added.

Smart servicing The troubleshooting process is unique for smart home products, said Allis. The plumber will need to diagnose whether it’s a product or a network problem. “If there is a product problem, the plumber should be able to address Please see ‘Troubleshooting’ on page 23

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

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Q Faucets and Fixtures

Troubleshooting unique but simple Continued from page 21

it as they would an analog plumbing product. If there is a software or a network problem, the manufacturer may need to get involved.”

Often the homeowner would try to work through the problem with the manufacturer on a 1-800 number prior to calling the plumber, reported Scott. They can also download software updates through Wi-Fi. One advantage of these systems is there is fewer parts, he added, basically just a control hooked to a digital valve with a wire, so the plumber would determine which of those is causing a problem and repair/replace as needed.

A new opportunity Smart products offer the plumber an opportunity to bring in new business.

“Consumers are searching for smart electronic solutions. However, they are not always aware

of the options,” noted Speerstra. “A plumbing contractor can capitalize on this opportunity by becoming a subject matter expert and can transform the knowledge into incremental sales, loyal customers and referrals.”

However, like so many things these days, the appeal of these products will depend on how tech savvy the customer is. “There is a certain level of aptitude the homeowner should have with electronics to fully realize the benefits,” noted Allis.

But it’s a market that can only grow as more and more younger people buy homes. “Given how common it is to have Wi-fi enabled devices in the home today, a plumber who is on the forefront of this technology would have an edge over those that don’t,” said Scott. “This is where the market is moving.

Consumers want more technology; they want more convenience.”

Behind the wall, Moen’s digital shower valve with plumbing for the shower and four body sprays.

DESIGNED FOR PLUMBERS, LOVED BY DESIGNERS! RIOWISE VALVES SYSTEM Riobel’s valves have built-in diverters so you don’t have to plumb in a separate shut-off or diverter valve, allowing for more streamlined faucet design that takes up less space on the wall.

Furthermore, our thermostatic/pressure balance valves offer the best of both worlds: they stabilize water pressure for steady temperature performance even in the event of a 50% drop in pressure.

No wonder this system is known as the RioWise Valves System. Riobel owns the patent for this revolutionary invention in the world of plumbing!

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Q Refrigeration Smart vacuum pump

State-of-the-art tool bag

The NRC62i Smart Charging Unit from Navac is designed to provide automatic operation for consistent refrigeration system evacuation and filling. Upon reaching the calculated vacuum level, the unit automatically conducts dry operation and leak detection and commences the charging function per predetermined parameters. The NRC62i then shuts itself down once charging is complete. It is a 3-in-1 machine. In manual mode, it can be used as a simple vacuum pump, or as a digital manifold gauge, and its wireless scale can be used as a stand-alone device.

Navac www.navacglobal.com

The NG36 inspection tool bag from Fieldpiece allows HVAC/R professionals to carry everything they need for quick system inspections. It is large enough to carry hand tools and meters, but small enough be convenient and comfortable. A pop-top with the access of a small open tote prevents equipment from falling out. “We designed this compact but convenient bag for real-world HVACR professionals. We know that when they go on inspection calls they need to have protected but easy access to tools and meters,” said Fieldpiece’s Russ Harju.

Fieldpiece Instruments www.fieldpiece.com

Innovative cooling tower

Emerson Climate Technologies has updated its Copeland Scroll Outdoor Refrigeration Unit with improved electronics and service. X-line 2.0 units will come standard with advanced CoreSense diagnostics. Other improvements include: consolidation of multiple control boards, two-way communication to allow remote diagnostics and management of system operation, removable hinged door, and a new viewing window to allow quick visualization of status codes without opening any panels.

Emerson Climate www.emersonclimate.com.

The new Marley MD Everest from SPX Cooling Technologies is a modular counterflow cooling tower designed to meet the cooling demands of power generation plants, chemical, oil and gas plants and other process applications with a wide range of thermal loads. It offers significant advantages including up to 60 per cent faster delivery and 80 per cent faster installation compared to field-erect cooling towers, the manufacturer reports.

SPX Cooling Technologies www.spx.com.

Updated refrigeration unit

Simultaneous Operating of DHW & Heating Stability and Quick Temperature Control of DHW & Heating High Delivering Capacity of DHW (Max 199/180kBtuh) All Stainless Steel Heat Exchangers (3 total) Ultra Low Emissions by Premix

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

www.noritz.com/nrcb May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

25

Q Heating

hydronics

TROUBLESHOOTING

It all starts with controls and electronics

By Roy Collver

F

or efficient troubleshooting, it is important to understand the detailed minimum and maximum requirements of each part of a hydronic system. What power supply is required, what water pressure and temperature is ideal, and what fuel supply is specified, etc.? These details are necessary to have when required, as you work through the problems.

Qualified professionals should be well versed in the basics and have enough experience to make many preliminary assumptions right out of the gate. Be prepared to confirm them during your examination if things don’t look right or don’t make sense.

Example: In the vast majority of residential systems that use gas-fired boilers, 120Vac / 1 / 60Hz electrical supply is normal. If the boiler control display is on, or you hear the pumps running, you don’t immediately take out your multi-meter and start checking the power supply unless you notice something strange.

Experience helps you identify ‘strangeness’ and speed things up. Step-by-step troubleshooting charts are a great help and are often necessary when you are dealing with a piece of equipment you have never seen before, but they can be tedious and slow to follow.

Misunderstood and misapplied Electronic controls have become essential components in the operation of any HVAC/R system. They are often misapplied,

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Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2018

misunderstood and incorrectly set or wired. In addition to knowledge of controls and systems, electrical diagnostic skills are mandatory. If you’ve gone through an accredited trade school, you should have learned the basics of the safe troubleshooting and servicing – if not, you must get that training to carry on.

The newest communicating protocol control systems, for instance, are beyond the scope of this article or most trade schools – contact the control manufacturer for the detailed training required.

When approaching equipment or situations that you are unfamiliar with, stop and get more information and help. Only work on equipment that is within your comfort zone, and up to the level of training you have received. It’s perfectly okay to say, “I don’t know; I want to phone someone.”

Recently I saw a commercial electric boiler that had suffered a complete melt-down. It was

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This carwash in Kamloops, B.C. includes controls for snow melting (red), boilers and DHW.

A real classic headscratcher is when a boiler high limit setting is lower than the operating temperature control on a modulating boiler.

Questions to ask the user include: 1) What is wrong?

2) How does it normally work?

3) When did the problem start?

4) What did you adjust or check to try and get it going again? Then you go looking.

No heat at all, is usually pretty easy to solve.

There are two basic no-heat scenarios. 1) The whole building is “down” or 2) The problem is isolated to a part or parts of the building.

panel). If you find one, check the thermostat to zone valve circuit and transformer. Often the problem is right there. Otherwise, it’s off to the boiler room you go, where the rest of the system controls usually are.

If the boiler room components are accessible and the wiring is properly labeled, you should be able to quickly work through the control protocol in order to generate a call for heat to the boiler. But if the boiler is already working and up to temperature, you likely have a distribution control/component failure – more on that later.

Make sure there is an active call for heat signal that gets all the way to where it is Please see ‘Quick’ on page 28

Digital diagnosis scary. That’s stuff I won’t even touch anymore.

My days of playing with 600-volt three-phase power are long over – know your limitations.

Every system has a control protocol.

Something – a thermostat, sensor, aquastat, etc. – originates a call for heat or domestic hot water and away we go down the line to the heat source. The user turns up the thermostat.

If the room doesn’t get warmer, they call you.

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Most thermostats today have some type of digital display or LED to indicate that they are powered up and operational. If there is no sign of life – don’t immediately grab your test instruments – you need to track back to the thing the thermostat operates as it may be what powers the thermostat.

If you are in a multi-zone building and the problem is isolated to that particular zone, there might be a zone valve close by (closet, access

Today’s boiler controls give you all kinds of useful information.

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

27

Q Heating

Quick answers with a simple test

The technician must often deal with multiple controls in a system, like this low water cutoff.

Somebody had a really bad day when this 600-volt electric boiler suffered a meltdown.

Continued from page 27

supposed to go.

This can get a bit complicated when every boiler and pump seems to come with its own ‘smart’ control, and many systems have layers of add-on zone controls where a single wiring mishap or control setting can prevent the signal from getting to the boiler.

The good news is that most smart controls have a display that will tell you if it “sees” a call for heat or not. If the control does not see a call for heat (or doesn’t have that display feature), you now get to use your diagnostic skills to determine if it is an electrical circuit problem (bad wire, defective secondary control, valve end switch, etc.) or perhaps a control setting issue. Before you open the tool box, quickly examine all of the smart controls in the boiler room to see if one of them is displaying a fault – it can be that easy.

Simple but useful Enter one of the most valuable troubleshooting tools you can possess – the lowly jumper wire. With this elegant little tool, you can simplify your quest by delivering a manual call for heat right at the control terminals.

CAUTION – before you start using a jumper wire, you must clearly understand what you are applying it to and what the result should be. Get into those manuals to become familiar with the particular controls you are working with.

Some controls recognize a switch closure (dry contact) with no voltage applied as a call for heat; some require a very specific voltage be applied. Be absolutely sure you

28

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2018

know what is required and do not assume that what works for one control will work for another – even if made by the same manufacturer. If you get this wrong, you can cause serious damage and possible injury.

Get further training, or you could find yourself letting the ‘magic smoke’ out of the control; that can get expensive.

The jumper tells the control that everything is okay. If the signal isn’t recognized – it could be a defective control board, or a setting that is preventing it from operating. If the control wakes up and starts working, then you should look back up the line of command to see where the call for heat signal went astray. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to go through all of the control settings on all of the controls. One wrong setting might shut the whole system down.

Of course, every major appliance will have multiple electro-mechanical safety switches, sensors and what-not, all of which can override the master controller – but again most newer controls will generate an error message or fault code to point you at the problem. Make sure none of these gizmos are set up to fight one another. A real classic headscratcher is when a boiler high limit setting is lower than the operating temperature control on a modulating boiler. Instead of modulating down at its target temperature, the burner will slam off hard and have to go through post purge, pre-purge, ignition and ramp-up – over and over. Look for these kinds of things; they happen all the time.

Not enough heat can be far more subtle and difficult to track down. Sometimes you need all of that design stuff like flow rates and pressure drops and temperature drops and pipe sizes to be able to figure out what is wrong. More on this in a future issue.

Roy Collver is an author and consultant on hydronic heating based in Qualicum Beach, B.C. He can be reached at hoth2o@shaw.ca

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Q Heating

Verifying temperature readings

By Roy Collver

Fig. 1: Roy’s go-to instruments, clockwise from the top, are: 1) dual probe thermometer for measuring delta T, 2) a lab quality mercury thermometer, 3) a surface probe thermometer, 4 & 5) multimeters with type K thermocouples and 6) an infrared scanning thermometer.

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I

t is often necessary to check various temperatures when troubleshooting or commissioning hydronic systems. Many controls have a digital display of various temperature sensors and will operate the system based on those readings. Mechanical thermometers are also installed in systems for reference.

Both types of device can give incorrect readings due to poor placement or defect, so it is important to have accurate test instruments to confirm these temperatures. How much do you trust your own equipment?

You can clearly see in Fig. 1 that the temperature readings can vary by more than

6°F with different instruments. I always defer to the mercury thermometer to compare for accuracy.

You should test against the complete temperature range of a hydronic system. One quick method is to check using boiling water and then an ice cube bath (careful - some instrument probes can be damaged by direct immersion in water). There will always be an offset to take into account with this method, and altitude affects the boiling water test, but it is a quick way to see if your instruments are in the ballpark. (See Fig. 2) Compare a trusted instrument against one you are not sure of, or check with the instrument manufacturer or distributor to see if they offer a calibration service. In sensitive applications, you may want to send it to an accredited calibration lab and pay for a calibration certificate.

Once you have tested your instrument calibration, you can use them with more confidence, knowing how many degrees they may be from true, and compensating for the differences. Fortunately, plus/minus a few degrees is precise enough for testing hydronic systems in most cases. This will get you close, but taking readings and accurately comparing them to installed sensor readings is a whole other topic – more on this another time.

Fig. 2: An ice cube bath is one way to check a thermometer.

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

31

Q Drain Tech

The simple

CLOSET AUGER New options for an old standby

By Simon Blake

E

very plumber has a closet/toilet auger. It’s a simple indispensable hand tool – or it was until recently.

In recent years several new configurations have appeared on the market, including cordless electric versions. Is this a case of evolving technology or simply that just about everything is available in a cordless version these days, so why not closet augers?

“When you clean out a toilet, especially if it’s impacted with something, it’s not a straightforward thing. It’s not that you just turn this crank and push down on this thing and it automatically goes through. I’ve never had that happen. It’s always sort of like you push and you turn and you back up and you pull it out a little bit and then try a different direction – it’s a wiggling type of thing,” remarked Dave Dunbar, national sales manager at General Pipe Cleaners, McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, which doesn’t currently offer a closet auger with a power drive but sells many of its Flexicore hand crank versions every year.

However, closet augers from Ridgid, Elyria, Ohio and the Milwaukee Tool Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, can be used either with a power drive or a handle.

“It’s about efficiency – getting through the

Milwaukee’s M12 power unit is optimized for use with the company’s closet augers.

32

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2018

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

However, there are times when using the hand crank makes more sense. line faster,” said Rob Dulabon, Ridgid product manager. “I’ve used both and I definitely prefer the power drill option… it just makes it a lot easier to go through the blockages, to navigate through the traps. You’re letting the tool do the work for you.”

Keith Potts Milwaukee Tool Canada national trainer, agrees, noting that using the hand crank closet auger can be fatiguing.

“They can be used either way,” he reports. “But there is much more productivity and consistent

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A cordless unit with a power head has the correct amount of torque and RPM combination to power out clogs without damaging the porcelain toilet or urinal.

This plumber is ready for anything, with both manual and power versions of the Milwaukee Trap Snake closet augers.

power to more effectively remove clogs with a power unit.” He added that Milwaukee’s M12 Trap Snake is designed to balance power and RPM to effectively remove clogs.

“Closet augers require two simultaneous, opposing actions to feed the cable through the trap: cranking and pushing down the handle. A cordless unit with a power head has the correct amount of torque and RPM Please see ‘Cable’ on page 34

Meanwhile, General continues to sell all the Flexicore manual augers in can make.

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

33

Q Drain Tech

The plumber will quickly learn the right technique for working with a powered auger, noted Potts. “In the event the cable gets stuck inside an inlet in the trap, put the M12 TrapSnake driver in reverse and continue advancing the cable. Once the cable is unstuck, put it back in the forward position.”

If needed, the plumber can always switch back to the handle. And, “if your battery happens to die on the job, you’re not down, you can still use the manual option,” said Dulabon.

The cable matters

The latest versions of Ridgid’s closet augers are designed to be used with a cordless drill.

Cable quality critical

34

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2018

Continued from page 33

combination to power out clogs without damaging the porcelain toilet or urinal.”

Milwaukee’s cordless power drive is specifically designed for use with the company’s closet auger. Like all Milwaukee cordless tools, if it is over torqued it will shut down to protect itself. This also reduces kickback.

Ridgid’s version uses any variable speed cordless drill. “You can remove the handle and insert the battery-powered drill that everyone has in their toolbox and spin the cable,” said Dulabon. It must be able to operate at low speed – 500 rpm or less. “Any battery powered drill, if you put it on the lowest speed setting, it should be fine… A corded drill runs the risk of electrical shock,” he added. Once the cable reaches the blockage, “you can just not spin it and work it in and out just the same.”

One thing that everyone agrees on is that the quality of the cable is critical. “What makes a really good closet auger is having a really good cable that doesn’t break,” remarked Dunbar.

Is it hollow or solid core? How flexible is it?

Can it be flexible and stiff at the same time – because that is what is needed. The end bulb should not be able to bend over in use and break off.

As well, the cable extraction and retracting mechanism needs to lock in place to avoid cables being uncontrollable when working the clog. Some manufacturers offer a telescoping auger that holds an extra three feet of cable in the handle if the blockage is beyond the toilet.

General Pipe Cleaners uses a three-layer cable, with a core of wire rope and two springs wound in opposite directions. “You can tie a knot in it and you still won’t kink it,” says Dunbar.

Milwaukee’s machine uses a replaceable cable with a fixed end “so it doesn’t fall off in use” and the company’s Rust Guard protective plating that, as its name suggests, prevents rust, noted Potts. The cables are also heat treated for strength.

As with larger drain machines, cables need to be cleaned and oiled after every job.

General offers its Snake Oil specifically for this purpose. Dunbar has seen closet augers replaced every month because they have been allowed to rust and others that are ten or more years old because they have been cared for.

Scratching the porcelain on an expensive

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toilet is always a fear for the plumber and the better closet augers have some sort of protection to prevent this. In Ridgid’s case, the plumber pulls the cable all the way back into the auger, and then slips the protective vinyl cover down until it rests on the base of the toilet and prevents the cable from marring the porcelain, noted Dulabon.

Cutting heads The business end, the cutting heads, for toilet augers are pretty basic. When low flush toilets were introduced, some had restrictive passages and the plumber was restricted to using a smaller cutting head. However, toilet manufacturers have improved the design and made them easier to clean, allowing the larger drop-head type to be used, noted Dunbar.

Milwaukee’s six-foot TrapSnake toilet auger cables are able to navigate traps that drop heads can’t, noted Potts.

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Ridgid’s unit comes with a bulb auger and a C-cutter. The C-cutter is used for difficult blockages where something is really compacted into the trapway. “It’s going to help cut that up a lot better.” However, added Dulabon, “If it’s a softer blockage, the bulb auger is perfectly fine… it’s good to start with the bulb auger if you’re not sure what you’re getting into. It’s more flexible at the end, so if it’s a low flow toilet with a smaller trap it’s going to help you navigate through.”

A carrying bag helps “contain the mess” when the plumber is done.

Other options Of course, if the plumber can’t get through the blockage with a closet auger, they will probably have to pull the toilet. Dunbar recalls one case in Las Vegas where a plumber used a kinetic water ram to shatter a shot glass lodged in a toilet. “(The shot glass) went into

the pipe exactly the right way and it created a complete seal.”

“There are times when a kinetic ram can be extremely helpful. We sell a lot of kinetic rams to facility maintenance guys in schools, hospitals, prisons, etc. – but it’s good to have a closet auger also.” Milwaukee’s M12 Air Snake performs in a similar way.

Using a water jetter is also a quick way to clear toilet blockages – a more expensive option but if the plumber has one in the truck he may choose to go that way, noted Dulabon.

Closet augers have evolved little over the years until now. “There’s an old saying; if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it,” noted Dunbar. However, as plumbers gain experience with powered versions, in ten years all professional closet augers may have a power drive of some sort.

“That seems to be the way things are trending; we are sensitive to that and taking a look at it ourselves,” he added.

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

35

Q Training

United Association volunteers introduced visiting students to brazing.

Heavy lifting in the pipe fitting category.

2,300 compete at Skills Ontario The largest skilled trades and technology competition in Canada took place from May 7-9 at the Toronto Congress Centre. At the Skills Ontario event, around 70 skilled trades and technology contests took place with 2,300 competitors participating at the elementary, secondary, or post-secondary (apprentice) level.

Gold medal winners in the post secondary competition for apprentices went on to represent Ontario at the Skills Canada National Competition June 4-5 in Edmonton. Gold, silver, and bronze medalists will receive monetary awards and job offers in select contest areas. Day one was dedicated to elementary student competition. Secondary and post-secondary level contests took place on day one and two, with the closing ceremony scheduled for the last day.

The lack of tradespeople in Canada is expected to hit at least one million by 2020, reported Skills Ontario. “Those who compete at the Skills Ontario Competition are the future of skilled trades and technologies in Ontario,” said Ian Howcroft, CEO of Skills Ontario. The Skills Ontario Young Women’s Conference, and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Student Conference took place alongside the Skills Ontario Competition.

Winners were as follows:

36

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2018

PLUMBING: POST-SECONDARY GOLD: David Duarte, George Brown College SILVER: Jonathan Andrisani, United Association Local 46 BRONZE: Tanner Woodhead, Durham College

REFRIGERATION: POST-SECONDARY GOLD: Mitchell Wright, Centennial College SILVER: Matthew Chin, Centennial College BRONZE: Jeff Freeman, Conestoga College

PLUMBING: SECONDARY GOLD: Colton Gaunt, Toronto District School Board (DSB) SILVER: Tyler Ross, Toronto DSB BRONZE: Jacob Parent, CEC de Centre-Est de l’Ontario

HEATING SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN: POST-SECONDARY GOLD: Daniel Curry, United Association, Local 46 SILVER: Zach Hiltz, Centennial College BRONZE: Kevin Salemink, Cambrian College

PIPE FITTING: POST-SECONDARY GOLD: Simon Piticaru, United Association, Local 527 SILVER: Luke Parker, United Association, Local 71 BRONZE: Sean Mcmullin, United Association, Local 67

HEATING SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN: SECONDARY GOLD: Mat Walter, Peel DSB SILVER: Lucas D’annibale, Thames Valley DSB BRONZE: Mason Mcleod, Upper Canada DSB www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Q Pipes, Valves & Fittings

Over 1,200 attend Uponor convention

By Simon Blake Every second year Uponor throws a big bash in Las Vegas for contractors and engineers from across North America.

This year’s event took place April 4-5 at Hotel Bellagio, drawing over 1,200 participants including 191 from Canada.

There were speakers on almost every aspect of the industry but with a focus on the how technology is changing it.

Uponor North America president Bill Gray opened the event by talking about a couple of issues that Uponor has faced in the past few years.

A problem with engineered polymer fittings in 2016 was solved quickly and, more recently, the company is taking steps to ensure a recent PEX pipe supply shortage won’t happen again. “Most people were not aware of it,” he added, because distributors had enough stock.

ed % t s 0 0 te

1

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He said one of the company’s key goals is to get closer to its customers. “We are listening,” he added. “Our goal is to look for your pain points.”

He said Uponor’s new Pro Squad, a partnership with contractors to install the Phyn Plus smart water leak detector and shutoff, is a game changer for the company.

Over 50 Canadian contractors have applied to join. For more information, visit www. uponorprosquad.com.

The company, which is based in Finland with North American headquarters in Apple Valley, Wisconsin, is celebrating 100 years.

CEO Jyri Luomakoski said he expects the industry will experience the same amount of progress in the next 10 years as the last 100.

He added that the company is spending $150 million in research and development to help customers “deal with the modern world.”

“Feedback (from customers) confirms if we

Uponor’s Tim Botten talks about smart home technology. are on the right track or challenges us to be better,” remarked Brent Noonan, vice president of sales for North America. “Progress to us means moving our business forward, but also moving the industry forward.”

The next Uponor convention will take place in 2020. For more information, please visit www.uponor.ca.

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May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

37

Noble is proud to be celebrating 25 years in business as one of Ontario’s leading wholesale suppliers.

1993 -2018

Thanks to our valued customers, team members and vendor partners for helping us achieve this incredible milestone.

YEARS

PLUMBING HVAC HYDRONICS INDUSTRIAL FIRE PROTECTION

noble.ca | 1-800-529-9805 Follow Noble Corporation

Q Tools & Instruments Power cleaning trailer

Smaller press tools Ridgid has released a new line of compact press tools. The RP 240 is designed to get into small spaces without compromising press quality when dealing with copper, stainless steel, black steel and PEX pipe. It is 13 inches long and weighs only 7.4 pounds with battery and jaws. It features a new 12V battery and a LED display that can rotate 180 degrees.

Ridgid www.ridgid.com

T h e Ty p h o o n trailer mounted water jet draining cleaning machine from General Pipe Cleaners is designed to clear drains from four to 12-inches up to 400 feet long with up to 12 gallons (54.55 litres) per minute at 2500 psi. A 200-gallon (909 litres) holding tank provides more than enough water for most jobs. Safety features include electric brakes, strobe lights, safety cones, rear fold-down stabilizer jacks, retractable hose guide arm, and an antifreeze system.

General Pipe Cleaners www.drainbrain.com

Four in-line ports The new Fieldpiece Instr uments VP55 and VP85 vacuum pumps are designed to pull a vacuum in air conditioning and refrigeration units before adding refrigerants or doing system repairs. The VP55 is a five-cfm pump with an AC motor and the VP85 is an eight-cfm pump with a DC motor. These units now have four in-line ports in various sizes. The Fieldpiece RunQuick oil change system allows the oil to be changed quickly.

Field Piece Instruments http://www.fieldpiece.com

Introducing

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■ No more clogs! Removeable grid strainer keeps jewelry and hair out of drain.

■ Internal stopper holds water overnight.

■ Also available without internal stopper for public restrooms, etc.

■ One-piece tube drops in for easy installation.

Temperate measuring multimeter The new DM64 HVAC True Root Mean Square digital multimeter with temperature measurement from Flir is designed to diagnose electrical systems, test flame sensors, and measure temperatures. It offers both non-contact and probe voltage detection, measures high and low voltage, and measures temperatures up to 400 degrees Celsius. This multimeter has multiple measurement modes, including low impedance, relative zero, and low-pass filter.

Flir Systems www.flir.com

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Useful. Innovation.

816.796.3900 Q watcomfg.com

Patent www.watcomfg.com/patents

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

39

Q People & Places Warren Heeley is retiring from HRAI at the end of June after 36 years.

New era for

HRAI

Warren Heeley looks back with pride on the past 36 years

By Leah Den Hartogh

40

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2018

L

ong-time president Warren Heeley is retiring after 36 years with the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI).

When he joined the organization in the early 1980s, his plan had been to stay for around ten years. When he finally got around to thinking about retirement more than three decades had passed.

“I started here and said maybe seven to 10 years, that sort of thing, and then it became another seven years. Eventually, I just gave up thinking that,” said Heeley. At 64, he will officially retire from HRAI at the end of June.

He began his career in the gas industry working as a lab technician for the Canadian Gas Association (CGA), where his father managed the certification lab. “It’s a story that a lot of young people have. Their parents have an opportunity in the position they are in and

from there things just sort of go forward.”

While at CGA, he worked as the standards administrator for the national B149 gas code committee. This brought him in contact with the general manager of HRAI who served on the committee and eventually offered him a job as HRAI assistant GM. Heeley was then groomed to become the new president within a few years.

“When I came to HRAI, it was all new to me and I had to sort of learn things again,” said Heeley. “I have no technical background, meaning from a schooling standpoint. Over 36 years, I learned a lot.”

The new job was somewhat intimidating.

His background in the gas industry gave him a basic understanding of the heating industry, but he knew nothing when it came to refrigeration and air conditioning. “There are so many facets to HRAI that it took a number of years for me to absorb enough to become a good advocate and representative of the organization, because that’s a lot of what we do,” said Heeley.

Restoring the ozone layer One of Heeley’s proudest moments as president came when Environment Canada came to HRAI in the late 1990s and asked HRAI to pull together a program to deal with the safe disposal of ozone depleting refrigerants. “We

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were concerned that Environment Canada would put in place regulations to make disposal mandatory for the industry. We had to find a solution to this issue that the industry could manage and meet the objectives of the government,” said Heeley.

This resulted in the creation of Refrigeration Management Canada – a program that takes back and disposes of ozone depleting refrigerants.

“When we started off, it didn’t look like it was going to work. After lengthy meetings with our members, we finally got the program off the ground and built some momentum. Now it’s been successfully running for 17 years and we are up to about 3.7 million kilograms of refrigerants that have been destroyed,” said Heeley.

the next stage. It needs to be somebody else.”

He is working with new general manager Sandy MacLeod for a two-month period to help with the transition to the president’s role. He describes this transitional period as similar to teaching someone to ride a bike – slowly having MacLeod do things on his own.

The thing that I am looking forward to the most is doing the things I want to do versus doing the things I have to do.

New direction For the future of the Institute, Heeley says that its time for someone new to put their stamp on the organization. “I’m not the one to lead it to

Heeley has made sure that MacLeod knows that it’s up to him to determine the future direction of the organization.

The

People Lixil Canada, Mississauga, Ont., has named Valerie Malone as president and general manager. She was previously vice president of marketing. The company includes the American Standard and Grohe brands.

Johnstone Supply – B&B Trade Distribution Centre, London, Ont. has announced three appointments. Robb Howe, previously general manager, will become vice president of finance and supply.

Rob Kearns, formerly sales and marketing manager, is now vice president of business development, and Brian Hibbert, previously operations manager, is vice president of operations. Robert Ferris is being welcomed as the new sales manager.

Veteran engineer Martin Rego has been named Martin the new vice president of sales at Ontor Limited, Rego North York, Ont. Joe Vincenti has been hired as director of sales, VRF products, Fujitsu, Fairfield, N.J. He will be in charge of sales for Fujitsu Airstage VFR systems across North America.

The Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating has Joe Vincenti Akshay appointed Akshay Sharma as proSharma gram manager for the Plumbing and Mechanical

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

“The thing that I am looking forward to the most in my retirement is doing the things I want to do versus doing the things I have to do.” Heeley says that one place people will probably be able to find him is on the golf course. “I want to be enjoying myself and doing a little bit of work.”

Heeley has few regrets. The only disappointment was that he didn’t have enough resources to help all HRAI’s members.

“With a wide range of interests within the membership, there are many things that people want, and that then comes down to resources that you have. Sometimes you have to say, ‘we can’t do that.’”

This one issue over the span of 36 years hasn’t stopped Heeley from looking back on his time with fondness and pride.

“I am pleased with how it all turned out.

I’ve made some great friends and I’m sure I’ve made some enemies. But you can’t get to where you want to go in business, at least in my mind, unless you have a little of both.”

Advisory Council (PMAC).

The C or poration of Master Pipe Mechanics of Quebec (CMMTQ) honoured Claude Lesage, left, president of Giant Factories, Montreal, at their Maestria Gala April 21. He was presented the Maestria Recognition Award in recognition of his contribution to the industry over the years by CMMTQ president Marc Gendron, right.

The Ridge Tool Co., Elyria, Ohio, has made two appointments. Emery Bert has been named territory manager for Alberta (Edmonton). He will share Alberta territory responsibilities with senior territory manager Mark Nelligan.

Greg Petrie has been named territory manager for Saskatchewan, Greg Petrie Man itob a an d Nor t hwe ste r n Ontario.

Dobbin Sales Ltd., Toronto, has named Will VanderBurgh to the newly created position of busiWill ness development manager, architectural & designer VanderBurgh products.

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

41

Find industry related training near you!

Trainingtrades.ca is a new website developed by Plumbing & HVAC that is designed to promote your training opportunities to mechanical contractors, free of charge! There are two sections: Find Training lists the actual courses that are offered and Learn Something is a library of training videos. Every section is searchable by keyword or industry category. Geolocation is also enabled so people can easily find training near them. It’s easy to get started!

Step 1 Log on and build your profile.

Step 2

Look for training that interests you and register for any desired courses.

Step 3

View and search for any type of training video in our Learn Something library.

We will be building the training course and video posts over the next few months. We will start promoting it to contractors this summer through Plumbing & HVAC print and digital properties. It’s all free of charge! It’s part of Plumbing & HVAC’s goal to help build your business and make this industry better! Please let us know if you have any questions or have any suggestions to make the site even better!

Call Mark at (416) 996-1031 or email Mark@plumbingandhvac.ca.

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Q People & Places

Master Group expands in West The Master Group has opened a new branch in Winnipeg just two weeks after acquiring branches in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Earlier in May, the rapidly expanding Boucherville, Que.-based HVAC/R wholesaler announced the acquisition of Saskatchewan distributor Davies Supply Group Ltd., including the head office in Saskatoon and branches in Calgary and Lethbridge, Alta.

The company, a distributor of heating and air conditioning parts and water treatment/pump products, will continue operating under the Davies name.

The Davies acquisition reinforces Master’s position as a national company, said Louis St-Laurent, Master Group president and CEO. The corporate culture is similar to Master’s, focused on the quality of products, on service and especially on the importance of customers and employees, he added. The acquisition offers

The new Winnipeg location offers a wide selection of HVAC/R equipment and parts.

The

Companies OS&B, Oakville, Ont. has appointed Quadra Sales and Marketing, Winnipeg, Man. as its representative in Manitoba and the Ontario Lakehead.

Centrotherm Eco Systems, Albany, N.Y has appointed Enviroair, Montreal, as its representative for Quebec.

Emerson, Rockford, Ill., which owns The Ridge Tool Co., Elyria, Ohio, has signed a deal to purchase the Greenlee electrical tools and test equipment business of Textron Inc. Providence, Rhode Island for $810 million.

U.S.-based independent distributor network, AD, Wayne, Pa., honoured several long-time Canadian members as they celebrate company milestones at its Spring Meeting March 13-15. These included

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James G. Crawford, St. John’s, Nfld., for 100 years, Andrew Sheret, Victoria, B.C., for 125 years, and Source Atlantic, St. John, N.B. at 150 years. Above, from left, Steve Adams of MKS Pipe & Supply, Matt Robinson, B.A. Robinson, Winnipeg and Tim Kennedy, Source Atlantic, chat at the Spring Meeting.

The Davies acquisition reinforces Master’s position as a national company. significant benefits, including immediate implementation with three fully functional branches and dedicated people with extensive market knowledge. St-Laurent extended a warm welcome to every member of the Davies team.

In Winnipeg, the new 16,000 square foot branch officially opened May 14 at 2065 Logan Avenue, Unit 7.

“We are very excited and anticipate a bright future for the company in this fastmoving market. While the industry tends to streamline its workforce in the field by reducing the number of point of sales, Master Group continues to focus on proximity and inventory strategies,” said Dennis Larson, regional vice president, Western Canada. The branch offers many major HVAC-R brands.

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

43

Q Shop Management

Small business taxes New federal budget reduces deferral options

By Ron Coleman

revisited

In the November/December and January issues we looked at proposed federal budget changes for small businesses. Now that the federal budget has been presented, it’s worth revisiting some of those issues to see what Canada’s mechanical contractors are facing.

Tax reform focuses on two issues brought down in the March 2018 federal budget: Sprink ling income using private corporations, which can reduce income taxes by causing income for an individual in a higher tax bracket to instead be realized by family

members in lower or no tax brackets.

Holding a passive investment portfolio inside a private corporation may be more advantageous for owners of private corporations than to other investors.

Corporate income tax rates are much lower than personal rates. (On a side note, Ontario reduced its provincial corporate tax rate from 4.5 to 3.5 percent Jan. 1.)

Some 29,000 out of 1.8 million private Canadian corporations have between $200 and $300- billion in passive investments.

Sprinkling income Jonah and Susan (based in Ontario), their spouses and children have no significant sources of income, other than as described below. They each earned $220,000 in 2017. Susan’s household pays about $35,000 more tax than Jonah’s household. Susan earns $220,000 as an employee. and pays about $79,000 in income tax for the year.

Jonah has an incorporated consulting business that earns $220,000 before taxes and salary.

The corporation qualifies for the small business deduction on its business income. Jonah, his spouse and two children, ages 19 and 21, also own shares in the corporation. The corporation pays Jonah $100,000 in salary and pays its remaining after-tax profits

44

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2018

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Fig. 2: When Investment income reaches $150,000 the business gets zero Small Business Deduction.

Fig. 1: Active Business Income (ABI) that qualifies for the small business deduction (SBD) under the new business limits.

Business Income

Investment Income $50,000

$ 50,000 $ 75,000 $100,000 $200,000 $300,000 $400,000 $500,000

$75,000

$100,000

$125,000

$150,000*

NOT IMPACTED

$375,000 $375,000

in equal amounts to the spouse and children as dividends, taxable to them. Jonah’s family pays $35,000 less in taxes than Susan, on the $220,000.

The government is intending to extend the tax on split income (TOSI) rules and to introduce reasonableness tests on those over 18 receiving income from a private corporation. There will be one rule for adults 18 to 24 and another for 25 or older.

Under the March budget, there are new exemptions for adult family members who work at least 20 hours per week in the business and for adults 25 and over who own 10 percent or more of a corporation.

Company owners aged 65 or older will be allowed to split income along the current lines of pension splitting. This would allow them to put some of their income into the hands of a spouse at a lower tax rate. The strategies regarding children and family members aged 18 to 24 are still in play.

Passive Investment Income Corporate income is taxed at lower rates than personal income, giving businesses more money to shelter from higher tax rates. The Liberal government believes that fairness and neutrality require that private corporations not be used as a personal savings vehicle for gaining a tax advantage. Passive investments held within privately-controlled corporations should be taxed at an equivalent rate to those held outside such corporations to avoid an unfair advantage.

An employee (in Ontario) earning a salary of $300,000 and getting a bonus of $100,000 pays approximately $50,000 in taxes on the bonus

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$250,000 $250,000 $250,000

$125,000 $125,000 $125,000 $125,000

Business income

$200,000

Investment income

$125,000

Investment income not subject to SBD

$ 50,000

Overage, subject to loss of SBD

$ 75,000

Factor $

-

while a corporation with the same income only pays $15,000 on the $100,000. This leaves $85,000 to invest, an extra 70 percent.

The corporation’s owner will have to pay personal taxes eventually, but the strategy still provides the corporation owner with a significant tax deferral advantage that is not available to other Canadians.

The final tax bill will be within two percent of the existing rules, but much of the tax will have to be paid earlier.

If both the individual and the corporation invest their after-tax money (the individual $50,000 and the corporation $85,000) at the same interest rate the corporation would gain more than double the return on investment as the individual.

Businesses need to build up reserve funds for business investments and for financing lean times. Without the additional resources that this budget measure is destroying, they won’t be able to do this. Taxable capital gains are excluded from these changes.

Active business income tax cut Active business income (ABI) is the normal earnings a corporation makes from operations. (Passive income is generated from

5

Loss of SBD

$375,000

Profit available for SBD

$125,000

investments that the corporation does not use for operational purposes.)

The first $500,000 of ABI qualifies for the Small Business Deduction (SBD). Ottawa plans to cut the small business federal tax rate from 10.5 per cent for 2018 nine percent for 2019. (See Fig. 1) However, passive income is not eligible for the SBD. If your company has passive income of more than $50,000, it will lose some of its SBD. Once the passive income reaches $150,000, the Corporation’s ABI will lose all entitlement to the SBD. (See Fig. 2) What the new regulations are doing is to reduce the tax deferral. The final tax bill will be within two percent of the existing rules, but much of the tax will have to be paid earlier, thus leaving less money for the corporation to invest. A previous deferral of 40 percent will now be only 27 percent – this will vary from province to province.

Not all passive income will be treated the same for tax purposes, it can include capital gains, dividend income, rental income and investment income. These are areas to be reviewed with your accountants.

Ronald Coleman is a Vancouver-based accountant, management consultant, author and educator specializing in the construction industry.

He can be reached by e-mail at ronald@ronaldcoleman.ca.

May/June 2018 – Plumbing & HVAC

45

Q Coming Events

CIPHEX West seminars announced

T

he CIPHEX West trade show is returning to Calgary in the fall and organizers have already announced the seminar topics.

More than 250 exhibitors are expected to display and demonstrate their latest products when the event takes place Nov. 7-8 at the BMO Centre in Stampede Park.

Organized by the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating, contractors are in for a learning experience with seminar topics such as: • The history and benefits of the thermostatic mixing valve; • Planning and executing commercial rainwater harvesting systems in commercial buildings; • New technology methods for protecting homes and buildings from toxic radon gas; • How to design and install a hydronic snow melting system;

Events

Calendar SEPT. 19-22: Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada 77th Annual National Conference, The Westin Resort and Spa, Whistler, B.C. Please visit www.mcac.ca or call 613-2320492 for more information.

Oct. 11-12: Canadian Design-Built Institute National Design-Build Conference, Lord Nelson Hotel & Suites, Halifax. Please visit www.cdbi.org or call 613-236-9455 for more information.

Oct. 14-16: Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Institute of Canada 50th Annual Meeting and Conference, Paradisus Playa Del Carmen, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Please visit www.hrai. ca or call 1-800-267-2231 for more information.

46

Plumbing & HVAC – May/June 2018

Busy times at the Ridgid booth at CIPHEX West 2016. They’ll be back!

• Challenging conventional water softener design to save water, salt and money; • Basic electrical theory and control panel troubleshooting; • Domestic hot water recirculation; • Update for the 2020 National Plumbing Code of Canada, presented by Sidney Manning, chief plumbing and gas administrator and inspector for the Government of Alberta; • Wall and ceiling radiant heating; • Retrofitting air handling systems using electronically commutated motor fans.

CIPHEX West will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Nov. 7 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 8. Visitor registration is already open at www.ciphexwest.ca.

Canadian Hydronics Conference

INDEX to ADVERTISERS

Noble................................................ 38* Noritz ................................................. 25 Plumbing & HVAC+ ............................ 38 Ridgid ................................................. 48 Riobel ................................................. 23 Viega .................................................. 14 Watco ................................................. 39 Wolseley ............................................. 29 Woodford ............................................. 6 Zoeller ................................................ 37 Training Trades.ca ............................... 42

Bibby Ste. Croix .................................. 47 Bosch Thermotechnology .................... 30 Bradford White Canada ...................... 10 Delta Faucet.......................................... 9 Fieldpiece............................................ 17 Fujitsu ................................................. 22 General Pipe Cleaners ........................... 2 IBC Boilers ........................................... 5 KW Electronic Service.......................... 35 Liberty Pumps ..................................... 16 Master Group ..................................... 24

The Canadian Hydronics Conference will take place in the same building on the same dates.

Building on the 2014 and 2016 events, it will include a number of speakers on hydronic heating. Those announced so far include William Werthman, senior technical advisor, Legend Valve & Fittings Inc., Matt Wiesenfeld, program manager for the Canadian Hydronics Council, and John Siegenthaler, Appropriate Designs. Siegenthaler will talk about modifying existing systems for lower temperature operation and will explain how to properly document a hydronic system.

This will be a separate conference and has its own registration process. For more information, please visit www.ciph.com/chcConference.

*Ontario only

+Outside of Ontario

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