Smart Solutions Category: Fittings

Court Is In Session

Power and Combustion, Inc. partnered with Victaulic to minimize disruptions over the course of a nine-month HVAC overhaul, mitigating project risks and increasing onsite productivity while ensuring that the building—a courthouse—remained fully operational throughout construction. In the project’s second phase, Power and Combustion again leveraged Victaulic grooved solutions to enhance installation efficiency while upgrading the building’s mechanical room.

Strategizing for Success

The Robert F. Sweeney District Court in Annapolis, MD, is a four-story courthouse serving Anne Arundel County residents. The 93,400-square-foot building includes six courtrooms, judges’ chambers, and office space for court-related services. Shutting down operations while contractors replaced the building’s aging HVAC system with an energy-efficient, variable air volume (VAV) system was out of the question. Instead, Power and Combustion, a subsidiary of J. F. Fischer, scheduled overnight work hours and made sure work areas appeared untouched and fully functional for courthouse staff once morning came.

“This project was a tall order,” said Jason Fischer, a project manager at Power and Combustion. “We decided early on that we wanted to use grooved pipe-joining because welding in an occupied space is too cumbersome. We didn’t want people smelling welding fumes throughout the building or having the smoke accidentally set off fire alarms.”

Fischer continued, “Having worked with Victaulic in the past, we knew their products could help take some of those risk factors and disturbances out of the jobsite while making us more productive at the end of the day.”

Crews had a short window from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. to replace VAVs in the overhead ceiling before the courthouse opened for the day. Understanding that every minute could make a difference, Power and Combustion and Victaulic collaborated closely to streamline installation workflows—coordinating every detail from material selection and equipment sizes to delivery times.

“There’s a substantial level of efficiency that we gain when we partner with Victaulic.”

— Jason Fischer, Project Manager, Power and Combustion

Power and Combustion used Victaulic KOIL-KIT™ coil packages to simplify and expedite installation for the more than 100 VAV units it replaced. The preassembled packages reduced field joints and enabled crews to move efficiently from room to room. Victaulic ensured all components were correctly sized and labeled by room to correspond to the proper equipment. Victaulic also shipped bundled materials to arrive onsite early so Power and Combustion could get straight to work each night.

“We knew exactly where each part and piece needed to go. That was really critical to our efficiency and ability to get the work done at night. Once we wrapped up, we knew that the system was installed correctly, so the heat and air conditioning would work without issue,” Fischer said.

With Victaulic’s support, Power and Combustion adeptly managed the project’s time constraints, seamlessly completing the first phase of the project on schedule and without any setbacks. As the mechanical contractor finalized the HVAC scope and shifted focus to the courthouse’s penthouse mechanical room, they trusted Victaulic to continue supporting them in streamlining their work for phase two.

Photo by Power & Combustion, Inc.

Accelerating Efficiency

For the mechanical room renovation, Power and Combustion crews needed to demolish and replace the building’s two existing chillers, four pumps, and five air handling units. They used a trailer-mounted portable chiller to keep cool water and air flowing through the building. Although the temporary equipment would keep occupants comfortable until work in the mechanical room was completed, Power and Combustion wanted to compress their installation schedule as much as possible. To accomplish this, Power and Combustion combined the efficiency of their own offsite fabrication shop and Victaulic grooved pipe-joining products.

Power and Combustion’s fabrication team used Victaulic couplings, fittings, and valves to create roll-grooved carbon steel spools, ranging in sizes from 10” down. Once delivered to the jobsite, Power and Combustion used a crane to hoist spools, materials, and new equipment to the penthouse, and pipefitters began installation immediately. Grooved mechanical joints can be installed in only a few minutes—five times faster than welded joints and three times faster than flanged joints—by tightening the coupling’s bolts and nuts with a socket wrench or impact wrench.

Coordinated Solutions

Performing any construction work in an occupied space comes with myriad challenges, but the stakes are especially high when disruptions risk interfering with crucial community services like court proceedings. Power and Combustion identified and addressed risk factors upfront, engaging Victaulic early in the project’s lifecycle to coordinate solutions that mitigated schedule risks, eliminated safety concerns, and optimized productivity.

“There’s a substantial level of efficiency that we gain when we partner with Victaulic,” said Fischer. “Between quick-to-install piping connections and KOIL-KITs, alongside not having to worry about welding fumes or coordinating a fire watch in a building filled with people, we had a smooth project on our hands and pleased owners.”

For more information, visit www.victaulic.com.

Racing Ahead of Casino Schedule

To meet the tight timeline for a new multimillion-dollar casino and hotel, The Severn Group leveraged the Victaulic grooved copper system’s design flexibility and on-site fabrication capabilities to manage the project’s most critical aspects. As a result, The Severn Group was ahead of schedule on every portion of their scope of work. Victaulic is a major sponsor of MCAA24.

No Time for Delays

Dumfries, a small town in Virginia with a population of approximately 5,750, will soon be home to the Rose Gaming Resort, a $372-million gaming and entertainment complex. The highly anticipated facility is expected to generate the town $35.5 million in annual tax revenue. It will have more than 50,000 square feet of gaming casino, luxury hotel, dining, and event space. Owners made speed to market a priority for the project, trusting that their construction partners would meet the intended completion date, even when the project experienced a start delay.

The Severn Group installed the heated, chilled, and domestic water systems, as well as the mechanical room and plumbing throughout the casino and hotel. “Because the casino is built on a former landfill, preparatory site work delayed the construction schedule for two months—but the owner’s target completion date remained the same. We had to come up with ways to speed up our construction process,” said Richard Grasso, director of operations at The Severn Group.

Grooved Pipe Minimizes Schedule

Among the challenges was streamlining the installation of 2”- to 6”-diameter copper pipe in 35’-tall ceilings in tight corridor spaces. According to Grasso, The Severn Group’s traditional standard is to solder or braze copper tube. However, the project’s time crunch required a deviation from their traditional strategy. The Severn Group only had a small crew available to perform the sizable installation at Rose Gaming Resort and needed to consider how their joining method would impact the MEP trades working around them.

Installing Victaulic’s grooved pipe simply requires tightening bolts, saving The Severn Group the time and complications of welding and making it easier for them to maneuver around other MEP trades in ceiling spaces.

“Trades in these projects are first-come, first-served. Coming second means working around the trades that arrived before us, but it didn’t matter because we used Victaulic. All we needed was to get a scissor lift and a worker to the area, whereas with brazing and soldering, we might not have been able to get around the other trades,” Grasso said. “Victaulic helped ease the stress. We didn’t have to worry about mirror welding, burn permits, hot work orders, fire watch, cordoning off spaces, or welding screens.”

The Severn Group used Victaulic Style 607 QuickVic™ Installation-Ready™ couplings, fittings, and valves to build the copper domestic water system. The products are specifically designed for domestic water applications and are resistant to potable water disinfectants. The Installation-Ready technology is delivered preassembled with no loose parts, meaning contractors only need to stab couplings on pipe ends and tighten bolts to secure them.

According to Grasso, The Severn Group gained back 10 days on the schedule by using Victaulic in the corridor and setting up on-site grooving stations despite working with a smaller crew than originally expected. As additional workers were brought on to expedite the project, they could begin installing grooved copper tube confidently following short training sessions, thanks to easy-to-use products.

“We are creatures of habit and resisted embracing a full Victaulic copper system for a long time,” said Grasso. “Rose Gaming Resort changed that. It’s in Severn’s standards that Victaulic copper is a go. We’re 100-percent sold.  I have no doubt that this system will run for as long as the owners want it to.”

Powered by On-Site Fabrication

The Severn Group did not have shop drawings available for all of the spaces, meaning they would need to capture field measurements, contact their off-site fabrication team, and wait for shipments to arrive before installation could begin. On-site fabrication became key to project success. By setting up a Victaulic grooving tool on the jobsite, The Severn Group achieved considerable time and material cost savings while remaining nimble enough to adapt to unforeseen changes.

“Coordination was under the gun the whole time. We couldn’t afford to lose time waiting for pieces to get fabricated and delivered. We would show up to the site and need to get pipe installed immediately, which is why we switched gears,” Grasso said. “We redlined the drawings as we received them, making changes and adjustments to navigate jumping over ductwork, conduits, and everything else on the fly.”

The Severn Group’s crews set up a Victaulic RG4300 roll grooving tool adjacent to their work area to make it as efficient as possible to prepare, cut, and groove pipe pieces. Thanks to the tool’s compact design, it is easy to transport, and The Severn Group always had the grooving station near work areas, even as they progressed throughout the expansive facility. Victaulic’s roll grooving tool also reduces the risk of error and rework time with a depth-setting feature that enables users to create quality, consistent grooves every time.

Winning Time on the Roof

The Severn Group significantly reduced schedule times on the rooftop, where they were able to complete 20 air handling units in half the time allotted by prefabricating with Victaulic products. Unlike other pipe-joining methodologies, mechanical joints can be easily disassembled when there are misalignments, effectively minimizing lost time in the event of rework. During the time-sensitive Rose Gaming Resort project, The Severn Group’s crew did not need to recut, reweld, or rely on a crane to lift additional materials to the roof when adjustments were needed.

“We had 16 hours scheduled per air handling unit; we cut that down to eight in the shop. On the roof, Victaulic gave us the ability to adjust the design in a matter of minutes,” Grasso said. “It was a conscious decision to mitigate risk and make up time.”

The Severn Group “resisted embracing a full Victaulic copper system for a long time. Rose Gaming Resort changed that. … We’re 100-percent sold.”

—Richard Grasso, Director of Operations, The Severn Group

Partnership Drives Success

Construction on the Rose Gaming Resort is still underway, with an anticipated completion date in 2024. All components in the hotel and casino have been hydrostatically tested and signed off on in the promised time, an accomplishment that Grasso attributed to the collaboration everyone demonstrated.

“We don’t have people we buy from. We have partners, and Victaulic was a huge partner to us. Everyone worked as a team with the same goal in mind. There was no pushback, just a ‘What can we do to help?’” Grasso said.

For more information, visit www.victaulic.com. MCAA thanks Victaulic for being a major sponsor of MCAA24 and co-sponsoring the annual golf tournament at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club.

Guy’s Mechanical Systems Saves Steps, Time with Viega’s Branch Connectors

Pressing Proves Simpler than Welding

Guy’s Mechanical Systems discovered that the Viega MegaPress Press-In Branch Connector saved them time by reducing the steps for installation in the process of remodeling a 20-story high-rise in downtown Pittsburgh. Renovating the aged building—constructed in 1902—into a hotel has been a complicated process, and Foreman Josh Mitchell said MegaPress has made it simpler. Viega is an MCAA benefactor sponsor.

“MegaPress has really sped up the project. Due to the fact that it’s 20 stories, you have to catch the elevator to move your tools from floor to floor,” Mitchell said. “Pressing is much simpler than welding. You can’t hike 20 stories, especially carrying welding equipment.”

Mitchell was also excited by the use of the branch connectors. The technology is an innovative way to create branches from main runs or to install instrumentation onto existing piping. When Mitchell discovered the product, he knew it could come in handy on this project.

Watch how quickly Viega’s MegaPress Press-In Branch Connector can be installed.

 

“I really like them, and I think they could be used in a lot of different applications,” said Mitchell. “They’re super easy to install, and quick. It’s much simpler than using a tee, less steps to installing it, and I feel like where we convert over to copper, it makes it much simpler.”

In the hotel-to-be, carbon steel lines were run for a condenser water system to heat and cool the building. There are 16 pipe risers from the ground level to the 20th story, all using MegaPress Branch Connectors. The main lines are 2 1/2″ to 4″, and the branch connectors allow 3/4″ lines to run directly off the main line.

“With a tee, we went through a process of making a union and threading, and then a process to go from [carbon steel to copper],” Mitchell said. “With the branch connector, there are fewer steps, because you don’t have to do all of that.

“Also, we ran 20 stories of pipe straight up and down, and when we went through and started drilling holes, if we missed one it was no big deal. We would have been cutting out a whole section of pipe to put in a tee, but instead we just drill a hole for the branch connector and go. The same goes for the mechanical room—if we decide we need a thermometer here or a sensor there, we’re not taking apart whole sections of the boiler room.”

Mitchell estimated that Guy’s used around 50 branch connectors on the project and said that installing them was as simple as making other Viega presses. Renovation on the building started in September 2019 and was estimated to finish this summer.

For more information, visit http://www.viega.us. MCAA thanks Viega for being a benefactor sponsor.

Nelson Stark Brings Abandoned Factory Back to Life With Viega Products

Putting Viega products to work allowed Nelson Stark Company to overcome the slew of challenges that came with repurposing a dilapidated factory into a mixed-use development. The contractor knew that Viega’s flameless press technology was the clear choice for renovating the historic building safely and for installing piping much faster than other pipe-joining methods. Viega is a sponsor of MCAA’s 2021 Virtual Education Conference.

A century ago, the Peters Cartridge Company in Kings Mills, OH, produced munitions for the U.S. military through the end of World War II. However, the factory was in shambles for years. It was designated as a Superfund site, abandoned and covered in graffiti, littered with feral cats, and running rampant with ghost stories.

Then, the Environmental Protection Agency cleaned up the area, and developers got excited about what could be. Business partners Kyle Hackbarth and Anthony Cook saw the potential and started up Cartridge Brewing. The upscale brewpub is now an anchor of the mixed-use redevelopment, which includes apartments, a banquet hall, and retail stores.

Nelson Stark employed Viega’s ProPress and MegaPressG to get the old building into shape for the brewery. Because the building is on the National Register of Historic Places, developers could not simply scrape the building and start again. Contractors had to be extremely careful in the aging building. Flames from welding or soldering could have posed danger and risk. Viega’s press technology was ideal.

Floors were opened to place underground plumbing for the kitchen and bathrooms. Drains were installed for the brew deck. Nelson Stark also piped overhead water mains and gas lines for the brewpub. They installed the lines for the kitchen equipment, furnaces, boiler, and two domestic water heaters.

For the natural gas lines, Nelson Stark used Viega MegaPressG across the board, from 1/2″ to 4″ fittings. It was the first project Nelson Stark did with the larger-diameter MegaPressG fittings. “It saved a lot of time,” said Russell Hill, plumbing superintendent with Nelson Stark, who has been on the project since day one. “Pressing gas instead of welding or cutting and threading—it’s nice, and I really like that. Much faster.” On average, contractors can realize from 60 percent up to 90 percent time savings over other pipe joining methods.

As with many renovation projects, the building posed challenges, such as getting onto the pitched concrete roof. The speed and simplicity of the Viega connections made installing the necessary plumbing on the roof simpler. And although much of the plumbing is hidden, the 3″ and 4″ gas main lines in the brew area and service corridor are exposed, so the pressed joints look clean and uniform.

“Viega is a quality product. It saves us time and labor,” Hill noted. “We use it all the time.”

For more information, visit www.viega.us.

MCAA thanks Viega for being a sponsor of MCAA’s 2021 Virtual Education Conference.

Brandt Companies Meets Aggressive Project Deadlines With RWC’s HoldRite

With just 25 months to construct a 12-story, two-building assisted living facility in Dallas, TX, Brandt Companies relied on the Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) HoldRite products they have trusted for more than 15 years to save time while meeting code requirements. Brandt was commissioned to install firestop and plumbing systems. Project Superintendent Andrew Meshell and Project Manager Spencer Jackson chose HoldRite’s engineered firestopping solutions and pipe support products.

HoldRite’s new construction plumbing rough-in products helped Brandt reduce installation times while maintaining quality on the jobsite. HydroFlame Pro cast-in-place sleeves were the natural choice for Meshell and Jackson for UL-listed firestop sleeves. Their telescoping functionality means they can easily fit into tight areas.

When it came to in-wall rough-in plumbing, the team secured pipes with HoldRite stout and copper brackets and clamps. Not only did they offer the right pipe support for the job, but they also locked the measurement down so the team did not have to worry about the under-slab rough-in being off when they came back later to install fixtures. The brackets gave the contractors peace of mind that the pipes were secured in the wall right where they needed to be.

Ultimately, Brandt installed more than 4,000 HydroFlame Pro sleeves, as well as HoldRite clamps and various other components, to meet the job requirements and the deadline. To them, HoldRite has always been—and continues to be—an innovative partner with solutions to get the job done efficiently without sacrificing quality.

“One of the best things you get out of the HoldRite products is they take a 30-minute job down to a 5-minute job.”

— Andrew Meshell, Project Superintendent, Brandt Companies

Brandt continues to use HoldRite products because they are user-friendly and versatile, allowing the team to work quickly and use across a diverse range of applications. “One of the best things you get out of the HoldRite products is they take a 30-minute job down to a 5-minute job,” Meshell said.

To Meshell, HydroFlame Pro sleeves are easy to install and can be used in a variety of installations. When working on the Dallas assisted living facility, his team only needed to bring one type of sleeve on the site to accommodate multiple jobs.

“Because of [HoldRite’s] versatility, we’re able to meet and beat the expectations from our customers to maintain a schedule,” Jackson said. “I would say there’s no comparison. This is the right product to use.”

For more information, visit www.holdrite.com.

Olson Plumbing and Heating Weathers Challenges of Pikes Peak Project with Viega ProPress

Prefabrication was just one of the ways that Olson Plumbing and Heating leveraged Viega ProPress to take on a mountain of a project: building a new visitor’s complex at the summit of Pikes Peak that met strict environmental standards … during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We prefabbed all the domestic and hydronic piping, as much as we could, to minimize labor at the top,” said Josh Crippen, superintendent at Olson. “We prefabbed our pump skids, all the water heater and boiler skids, all the waste and vent piping. As much as possible.” 

Building the new Pikes Peak (Colorado) Summit Complex, situated at 14,110 feet in elevation, put Olson crew members at the highest ongoing construction site in North America. The challenge of simply breathing at 14,000 feet in elevation, where the air is exceptionally thin, is tough enough. But add in the manual work done on a construction site, plus weather and COVID-19 precautions, and the jobsite becomes exceptionally challenging. Workers had to pass full physicals; they were equipped with personal oxygen cans and watched each other closely. 

“Any given day, you can almost guarantee that somebody on one of the crews—whether ours or someone else’s up there—would get altitude sickness,” said Dom Wilson, field foreman for Olson. “We worked in the buddy system so you could recognize if your partner was not feeling well. What you think is a slight headache is really an attack of the altitude, and you need to get down to 11,000 feet and be evaluated by an EMT.” 

The Summit Complex will replace the Summit House, built more than 60 years ago, and at 38,000 square feet, the new build involved a lot. For contractors who had the ability, prefabrication of anything possible at a lower elevation was all but a necessity. 

Pressing Matters 

The folks at Olson will tell you they use Viega ProPress as often as possible, but using it on a job like the one for “America’s Mountain” was extra important. Viega’s press technology requires no soldering, welding, or threading. Connect your pipes with a press fitting, use a battery-operated press tool and jaws to complete the press in seconds, and move onto the next joint. It is fast, clean and simple. 

Prefabricating with Viega ProPress meant that the Olson crew spent less time working at altitude to complete the Pikes Peak Summit Complex, where the air was thin and the weather potentially dangerous.

For the Olson crew, the ability to prefab so many of the pieces at their shop in Colorado Springs meant there was less work to do at altitude. Sections of pipe were trucked up the mountain on special trailers purchased by the general contractor, GE Johnson Construction Company. Crippen said the trailers had movable axles to get through the switchbacks on the steep road to the top. 

But before Olson could even think about putting together sections of pipe using ProPress, they first had to pass special specifications. The Summit Complex was constructed to meet the Living Building Challenge (LBC), one of the most rigorous proven performance standards for buildings. Olson and the other subcontractors had to undergo a strenuous submittal process to ensure their products were accepted by the LBC. Viega certifies many of its products, including ProPress, to the stringent LBC requirements. 

Extreme Construction Conditions 

Work on the new Summit Complex began in 2018 when existing central utility plants were demolished and a temporary utility plant for blackwater was installed to keep the old Summit House operational during construction of the new building, about 100’ away. 

Viega certifies many of its products, including ProPress, to the stringent LBC requirements, so Olson was confident that the products they used for the Pikes Peak Summit Complex would meet the LBC standards.

“Midsummer was a big race to get all of the in-floor heat in and get the foundation done and the building footprint excavated,” said Crippen. “We were really close—three weeks before the weather shut us down.” 

Regular Colorado weather, which can fluctuate from 30º F to 70º F in a day, pales in comparison to the weather at the top of a fourteener (what Coloradans call the state’s 58 peaks that are 14,000’ or higher) like Pikes Peak. While the temperature in Colorado Springs near the base of the mountain might be 30º F and sunny, the summit temperature is likely to be −20º F with howling winds and nothing to stop them.

With potentially treacherous weather conditions, crews working at the summit had to be on their toes all the time. Crippen described spring and summer lightning storms as “unbelievable” and noted that when lightning appeared within 20 miles, everyone had to shelter in place to stay safe. 

The added curveball of COVID-19 safety restrictions complicated the project further. The logistics of getting everyone up the mountain safely, with vehicle capacities and mask requirements, was tough. Olson’s crews began plumbing and piping in the summer of 2020. With a short window to get everything to the peak and in place, the clock was always ticking in the background. 

Viega Solutions 

For the wastewater treatment facility at the summit, Viega ProPress Stainless connects the settling tanks and reclaimed water system. Blackwater is captured and treated through a chlorine ultraviolet light filter process. After about a year, the graywater can be reused to flush the toilets in the Summit Complex. 

“This is not like your average gravity system for drainage!” said Crippen. “It’s a vacuum system like in an airplane or cruise ship. It’s part of the LBC and the green building, to be able to reuse materials. This build will be the first of its kind.” 

Settling tanks at the peak separate the waste solids, which are pumped out to a truck (through copper with ProPress fittings) and taken down the mountain. The rest goes into other settling tanks where the treatment process begins. 

Inside the Summit Complex are 37 water closets and 18 hand sinks. All of the bathroom facilities are serviced through copper with ProPress fittings. The entire building is heated from two electric boilers with 12 zones of in-floor heat, and the heating water is also supplied via ProPress. The building has three sump pits to handle what Mother Nature provides, and that runoff water is pumped out through copper and ProPress as well. 

Each year, more than half a million people visit the summit of Pikes Peak. The new three-story Summit Complex will feature a large walkway as well as multimedia exhibits to tell the story and history of the mountain. These indoor and outdoor exhibits will also educate visitors about the climate and geography, recreational opportunities, and conservation initiatives—like those of the LBC.

Take a tour of the construction of the new Pikes Peak Summit Complex: https://coloradosprings.gov/pikes-peak-americas-mountain/page/pikes-peak-summit-complex-project?mlid=10251 

Final construction work was completed at the Summit Complex in early 2021, and visitors were welcomed on June 24. 

For more information, visit www.viega.us. MCAA thanks Viega for being an MCAA sponsor.

Jarrell Beats Completion Date With CerroPress Fittings

Missouri’s C.E. Jarrell Mechanical Contracting Co. Inc. finished an extensive project ahead of the fast-track completion date by using CerroPress® press-to-connect domestic water fittings and CerroTube™ copper plumbing tube from Cerro Flow Products LLC®. Press fitting saved time and labor compared with sweating or soldering joints. Without a need for flame, Jarrell did not need a fire watch or special permits. They installed CerroPress copper fittings in sizes 1/2” to 2 1/2” throughout the facility. 

The client was Rapid Locking Systems (RLS) LLC®, a manufacturing company that has been growing dramatically and urgently needed to expand. They selected a location near Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, MO, and set an aggressive construction schedule of five months to convert an 80,00-square-foot white box into a space for manufacturing, warehousing, offices, research and development, training, and a showroom. Jarrell was contracted to install rooftop units, ventilation, compressed air piping, and plumbing. 

RLS President Paul Schubert said he was “very excited to have manufacturing, office staff, and training all under one roof.” Moving to such a large space, with a fast-track schedule, required a lot of design/build mechanical systems.

Jarrell elegantly solved conflicts of the domestic water system with sanitary drains by using CerroPress 45-degree elbows and reducing tees.

Jarrell Vice President Greg Harty, pointed out, “It’s a great project for us. Something that we specialize in is the design/ build process, keeping everything under one roof so that when there is a need, it can be done in-house and not outsourced.”

The RLS project has several single-user and shared bathrooms that all share wet walls with kitchens and break rooms, creating congestion in 3 1/2” and 5 1/2” studs. Jarrell elegantly solved conflicts of the domestic water system with sanitary drains by using CerroPress 45-degree elbows and reducing tees. Press-to-connect fittings offer the advantage of achieving watertight joints in tight spaces. 

The domestic water system design for this project required a tee with the branch leg larger than the inlet or outlet legs. This particular size is not standard in the fittings industry. The challenge was solved by using CerroPress bushing reducers to accomplish the engineer’s design.

Jarrell’s installation of CerroTube™ and CerroPress fittings was “a work of art,” according to Bob Dienstbach, Cerro product development manager. 

More professionals each day are choosing to join ASTM B88 seamless copper water tubing (K, L, and M) with press fitting technology. CerroTube can be connected with CerroPress fittings to create a system quickly and economically. Manufactured to precise dimensions for perfect fit, CerroPress fittings use high-performance, chloramine resistant O-rings and hard-tempered, 99.9-percent pure copper to achieve best-in-class test results and performance. 

For more information, visit www.cerroplumbing.com.

RWC Outlines How to Select the Right Cast-in-Place Sleeve

When working on multistory apartment complexes or other large commercial buildings, you may be tasked with installing firestop products or materials around service penetrations, which can be a daunting task involving dozens or hundreds of units and a plethora of floorplans. You will also likely encounter a wide variety of pipe types and sizes along with slab heights. You will need versatile, efficient, and reliable options to cover the range of pipe penetrations for the job, while also keeping in mind firestop and building codes. Here are some tips for selecting the best cast-in-place firestop sleeve for the job. 

Versatility 

As buildings are constructed, many penetration types and sizes may require a cast-in-place sleeve. Each application could need a different sleeve size, and with a versatile product, such as Reliance Worldwide Corporation’s HoldRite HydroFlame Pro Firestop Sleeves, you can make simple adjustments through its telescoping feature or with its adjustable cap option that eliminate the need for small cuts within a 7-1/4” to 8” range. 

With an adjustable and versatile product, you will have the right size available without having to make additional cuts to the sleeve on the jobsite. As an added benefit, you only need to buy one type of sleeve to complement all applications rather than purchasing different iterations that might not end up working at all. 

Efficiency

Look for a product that speeds up the installation process while maintaining reliability. An adjustable telescoping design and adjustable cap feature not only enable versatility on the jobsite but also minimize time spent cutting sleeves, and you can meet specification changes when needed, as the height can be set as you work. Furthermore, with an adjustable sleeve, there is no need to stock multiple precut sleeve sizes or halt work because you do not have the right sleeves on hand. 

At times, there may be a chance of mixing up the cast-in-place sleeves at the jobsite, so it is important to find a product that comes with prefabricated locator whiskers to easily identify in-slab penetrations. That way you can minimize mistakes or lost time while installing. 

Also look for a product that already has a W rating. For instance, HoldRite HydroFlame Pro Firestop Sleeves come prepackaged with a UL Class 1 W rating, which saves time, as there is rarely a need to go back to the penetration later and add watertight products or accessories. By selecting a product that is efficient in many areas, you will save time and labor costs, helping you complete the installation on time. 

Reliability 

Select a product that provides peace of mind, both in its installation and in the quality of the product itself. To avoid having to fix an issue that arises after installation, consider durability, strength and functionality when selecting the firestop sleeve for the project. Look for a firestop system that does not require a lot of installation steps, which can increase the chance of errors. You want a product designed and manufactured by a reputable company. 

By using an efficient, versatile and reliable product, you will be able to complete a large-scale commercial building job successfully and efficiently, furthering your company’s reputation as a dependable provider of excellent plumbing services. 

For more information, visit www.rwc.com. 

Reliance Worldwide Corporation Offers Three Reasons to Use Outlet Boxes in New Plumbing Systems

As the trades continue to navigate an ongoing labor shortage, innovative products and methods of installation become increasingly important. Over the past decade or so, one such product that industry professionals have gravitated toward is outlet boxes for new construction. The options run the gamut, from fixtures to washing machines to ice makers, and they offer a more efficient alternative to traditional rough-in plumbing methods for these kinds of installations. Here are the key reasons why outlet boxes are becoming the industry standard and how they can support your workflow, bottom line, and craftsmanship.

1.     Outlet boxes save time.

Outlet boxes help you complete stub-outs more easily and earlier in the building process. The design of the product streamlines both pre-installation planning as well as the on-site work.

When planning out the needs for a project, you often have to consider which parts you need and how many of each you will have to order to complete the job. With old-school methods, whenever you had to install different water supply lines—such as those for washing machines and sinks—you had to collect several parts: brackets, clamps, caps, fixture stops, hammer arrestors, and sanitary plates.

Outlet boxes consolidate a lot of those different elements into one ready-to-go product, so there are fewer parts to order. That makes outlet boxes not only time-efficient but also cost-effective, as you can cut the number of parts ordered almost in half.

On the jobsite, outlet boxes continue to save you time. In traditional methods, the process involves several time-consuming steps. During the rough phase, bracketing is installed, then stub-outs are installed or secured. Next, the stub-out is connected to the water supply and tested. In the final phase, the stub-out is cut, cleaned, and deburred. Preparation for the supply stop is next, including applying flux, tape, etc., and installing escutcheons. The supply stop is then attached in the proper position, and a final test is performed.

However, with outlet boxes, the steps are simplified. During the rough phase, the outlet box is attached to a stud or bracket. Next, it is connected to the water supply, and a test is conducted. In the finish phase, the debris cover is removed and replaced with an escutcheon or trim plate.

2.     Outlet boxes are versatile.

Not only can you find outlet boxes that consolidate multiple parts into a single solution, but you can also find options that work with multiple connection points. While some manufacturers use dedicated connections, others, like HoldRite from Reliance Worldwide Corporation, offer different tail pieces that are compatible with different pipe types and connection methods using the same outlet box. Those tail pieces can also have near 360-degree movement for installation in any orientation.

Additionally, you can find outlet boxes with fire-rated options if you need to install one on a shared wall. You can also get versions with and without hammer arrestors, depending on code requirements in your area.

3.     Outlet boxes produce a professionally finished result.

Aside from functionality, outlet boxes also take aesthetics into account. For instance, HoldRite fixture boxes come with chrome and white trim plate options that you can match to the overall appearance of the area. These finishes thread into place, so there is no need for adhesives or fasteners. You can also find outlet boxes with other high-end finishes, such as washing machine boxes with contoured, white, paintable trim covers, along with chrome valves and water hammer arrestors.

These options allow you to not only work faster, but also customize the installation so it matches the aesthetic of the overall design. Outlet boxes provide time- and cost-savings along with professional results that you can be proud of.

For more information, visit www.holdrite.com.

Engineered Water Heater Solutions Versus Field-Devised Methods: Advice From Reliance Worldwide Corporation

Confidence in your installation and its reliability are important to any contractor, but labor shortages and economic constraints can often make you feel like you have to choose between speed, cost, and quality. Balancing all three can be a challenge, especially when it comes to water heater installations. Water heater supports, in particular, often get cobbled together using leftover jobsite materials or other makeshift methods in hopes that they will keep the unit stable in the long run. While this may be the cheapest solution in the moment, it is not the best choice for your budget or your reputation.

Here, we break down the shortcomings of makeshift water heater supports and share the different reasons you should be using manufactured, tested solutions instead.

Problems With Makeshift Water Heater Accessories

Field-devised water heater stands and platforms offer no engineering data on the stability or longevity of the support and are not designed with code requirements in mind. This can lead to several issues if the manual method fails:

  • Project delays and wasted time if the installation fails inspection
  • Injury, leaks, or even an explosion hazard if natural gas is involved
  • Extra liability to the installer if the method fails during a natural disaster
  • Voided warranty if the untested accessories damage the water heater itself

Four Benefits of Manufactured Water Heater Supports

Instead of rigging together a stand, restraint, or platform for a water heater, using engineered solutions can pay off quickly, despite the higher upfront costs.

  1. They provide reliable support.

When you use a manufactured solution, you can have peace of mind that jobs will last long after installation. Engineered water heater products are more reliable because they are made of strong materials, such as heavy-gauge galvanized steel. They come with explicit weight limits, so you can sure they will support the water heater. They may also combine water heater accessories to minimize potential failure points.

  1. They satisfy code requirements.

Using an unapproved product or method could result in a failed inspection, which slows you down and eats up cash. When searching for engineered water heater supports, check the manufacturer’s information to see which specific certifications and code requirements the product satisfies.

Some brands, such as HoldRite, go the extra mile. They might conduct third-party laboratory tests to ensure their solutions exceed code requirements. Or they may even set a higher standard by using a double safety factor when establishing their products’ weight ratings.

  1. They save you time.

Manual methods may seem more economical because you can use what you have on hand to piece together a water heater support, but doing so takes more time than installing a prefabricated, tested solution. And all those extra minutes increase your total labor costs.

Engineered supports come ready to install and may also combine different water heater accessories to make the overall assembly even faster. HoldRite Quick Stand platforms, for example, are preassembled, watertight, and eliminate the need to buy and install a separate drain pan.

  1. They can free up space.

In a small mechanical room, you may find that you need to elevate the water heater to free up extra space. Engineered water heater platforms safely support tank units in these scenarios, as they are specifically designed to accommodate different load capacities. When you are suspending a tank, you want a reliable platform, such as HoldRite’s Quick Stand platform, which is the only engineered and tested water heater platform on the market. You can find options that are compatible with concrete or framed walls and work with different drain fittings.

You can also install water heaters outside to create more space. Water heater sheds are designed to safely protect the unit from the elements while freeing up room inside the building. Sheds often feature front panels for easy service, streamline installation with basic tool assembly, and provide a professional appearance.

For more information, visit www.rwc.com.

The Benefits of Nontraditional DWV Testing – RWC’s TestRite System Offers Faster, Safer Option

By Neil Ross
Product Manager, Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC)

For decades, plumbing contractors have used inflatable or plumbing test balls to perform drain, waste, and vent (DWV) testing for new pipe installations, as required by plumbing code. But those traditional DWV testing systems often slow the plumber’s job down and can put them at risk of physical harm. In today’s world of labor shortages, plumbers and contractors need the best technologies available to get the job done efficiently and safely.

To address the common challenges of working with traditional DWV testing systems, new products have entered the scene, such as test wedges that integrate with permanent test tees, which increase productivity, improve cost savings, and enhance safety on the jobsite—all while remaining code-compliant.

Faster DWV Testing

The DWV testing method of using an inflatable test ball system is a tedious process and can create jobsite delays. The test ball process includes first having to insert and inflate the ball without rupturing it, adding water into the upper piping system until it reaches the upper terminal, and then checking for any escaping water.

When the entire DWV testing process is completed, a leak may be discovered, which becomes a costly situation due to the extended hours and labor needed to repair it. And with inflatable test balls, there is not an option to let some water out of the pipe to fix the issue. You must drain the entire test water, repair the leak, and begin the process over. With a test wedge, plumbers can conduct partial tests, draining the pipe where needed, which reduces unneeded repetitive work, saves water, and provides more flexibility.

Finally, an inspector is called to sign off on the permit, and you deflate the test ball. If the building is multistory, that is even more time spent, since you will need to complete the process for each floor.

With available products on the market, such as HoldRite’s TestRite system from RWC, you can save time by using technologies that are designed to make your job easier. This solution helps streamline DWV testing:

  • Requires one simple tool and fewer steps to complete the test, making the process two to four times faster.
  • Eliminates the need to climb to upper floors or the roof to fill water into the piping system. Though you can still follow that process with test wedges, they can also be filled from the bottom up. This creates a more accurate and speedier test.
  • Helps you perform the test correctly on the first attempt. Some DWV testing systems hold tests for the full 15 minutes required and then some, which is not always the case for traditional inflatables. Holding the water level consistently longer allows the test to be held as long as it is needed to complete the full test on the first try.

More Cost Savings

Whether you are performing a test or fixing a leak from a traditional inflatable device, the usual method will always cost you extended hours and labor. Modern testing methods not only streamline workflow but may even save on expenses in other ways:

  • Reduce the need for initial materials costs. For example, TestRite does not require additional tools like air pumps, compressors, and thread sealants, which are expenditures that can add up.
  • Increase the lifespan of the testing product. A test ball has about five uses maximum, but a test wedge can be used five to 10 times more than a traditional plumbing ball. You can also replace the O-rings, if damaged, to extend the life of the device.

Enhanced Safety

One of the most significant facts to note about the traditional plumbing ball testing method is it can expose contractors to all the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) “fatal four” top causes of worker fatalities: falls, electrocution, being struck by an object, and being caught in or caught between objects or machinery.

  • Falls: Slip-and-fall hazards on floors could be created if the test ball ruptures or as the test ball is deflated at the end of the testing process, spraying water out of the test port location.
  • Electrocution: Water spillage could mix with power cords onsite, creating an electrocution hazard.
  • Struck by an object: Test balls are very sensitive to inflation pressures. This makes it easy for them to overinflate and burst, which could cause flying shrapnel.
  • Caught in or caught between: When a test ball deflates, it can get sucked down the pipeline, putting a contractor at risk of getting a hand sucked into the pipe because of the force of rushing water.

When looking to purchase a DWV testing system, look to manufacturers that provide products that meet plumbing code requirements, such as TestRite:

  • Rated up to 50’ of head pressure, 22 psi, and five floors
  • Laboratory-tested and IAPMO (UPC/cUPC/IPC) listed

By using updated methods of DWV testing, you can avoid plumbing test balls failing during placement, inflation, and removal. And by using products that address the limitations of outdated testing methods, you can save time and money on the jobsite, all while keeping yourself and your team safe.

For more information, visit www.holdrite.com/us/en/dwv-plumbing.

A&R Partners Achieves Smooth Installation of Snowmelt System with Viega Products, Design, and Advice

Despite having limited experience with installing snowmelt systems, crews at A&R Mechanical Contractors Inc. knew they could rely on Viega for a custom-designed system for their client in Champaign, IL. Viega also provided A&R with tips, tricks, and details about installation, and the system was in place in time for a snowy winter season.

A&R was brought on for construction of Carle at the Fields, a new development in Champaign that consolidated various Carle and Health Alliance administrative and support functions into one location serving patients and housing practitioners and administrative staff. The site offers 300,000 square feet of offices and facilities. There are three separate buildings within Carle at the Fields, and a snowmelt system was requested outside each building.

“You can really count on Viega to stand beside you. They went above and beyond on this project, making sure everybody was comfortable before the installation, and it went off without a hitch.”

—Jim Gardner, Senior Project Manager, A&R Mechanical Contractors Inc.

“It was approximately 9,000 square feet of snowmelt between the three buildings. It covered driveways and the main entrance areas of each,” explained Jim Gardner, senior project manager for A&R.

“They knew they wanted snowmelt, so we said, ‘Let’s see what’s out there.’ We knew Viega offered snowmelt, and in working closely with Viega reps, we put together the plan and got it approved.”

Gardner said that while his experience with snowmelt systems was limited, he was comfortable with the plan because of how well it was executed by the Viega design team. “I’ve used Viega products in the past—generally ProPress,” he noted.

To help Gardner understand the ins and outs of the snowmelt system, Viega provided lots of information about installation to help everything go smoothly. “You can really count on Viega to stand beside you,” said Gardner. “They went above and beyond on this project, making sure everybody was comfortable before the installation, and it went off without a hitch.”

The snowmelt products were installed before colder weather moved in last fall. The systems were certainly put to the test, as Illinois experienced a very snowy winter, and they worked well.

Editor’s note: Prior to publication, Jim Gardner passed away. He was a loyal member of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 149 since 1970 and began as a project manager for A&R Mechanical in 1980. He served as the company’s senior project manager for the past 25 years. Jim was well known in the pipe trades industry, and his standard of excellence helped drive A&R to a high level of success.

For more information, visit www.viega.com.

MCAA thanks Viega for being a benefactor of MCAA2020 and sponsoring the student chapter activities.

Braconier Saves Time, Money with Obvious Choice for New Viega Headquarters

Viega MegaPress, ProPress Cut Installation Time, Minimize Fire Risk

While it is no surprise that Viega chose to put its own products into its newly constructed building, Braconier Mechanical and Plumbing Services said using Viega products was a good option for them, too. “We reduced the manpower needs on this project by using Viega. That’s a big advantage of MegaPress—we can have a smaller crew and still stay on schedule,” said Tom Stone, president of Braconier.

Viega’s new North American headquarters building takes full advantage of its own state-of-the-art products, including radiant heating, snowmelt for outdoor walkways, and touchless bathroom fittings. The ease of use of MegaPress and ProPress helped streamline installation. Efficient products like Viega’s Flushing Technology Systems will save the company money moving forward. The headquarters building, and the Colorado Seminar Center located next door, opened earlier this year in Broomfield, Colorado.

Viega’s two new buildings use ProPress fittings behind the walls to provide potable water because, as Braconier President Tom Stone said, soldered joints might leak, but ProPress joints do not.

In the two new Viega buildings, ProPress fittings behind the walls provide potable water. “With ProPress, the biggest advantage for us is there are no callbacks and no leaks,” said Stone. “With solder joints, you’re likely to get some leaks and warranty callbacks. That doesn’t happen with Viega fittings.”

By using Viega’s MegaPress and MegaPressG fittings in the predominantly wooden structure of Viega’s two new buildings, Braconier avoided having open flames and did not need to protect against the mess of welding and soldering.

MegaPress connects the fire sprinkler system, and MegaPressG fittings were used on the natural gas lines. “Especially with this being a big wooden structure (the buildings are filled with cross-laminated timber), not having open flames involved in the process of putting the pipe together is a big bonus,” Stone added. “Plus we don’t have areas to protect from the mess of welding and soldering.”

Radiant heating and cooling systems are installed in both buildings. Stone said the biggest benefits of using radiant versus traditional forced air come after installation. Radiant provides a truly even temperature no matter the location, and the efficiency leads to lower operating costs and a more comfortable setting.

Stone said the radiant system in the seminar center—which contains more than 36,000 linear feet of tubing—was the largest radiant job Braconier had ever installed. The bare concrete floors of the seminar center, as well as both the carpeted and concrete areas of the headquarters building, stay comfortable year-round with the radiant products.

The radiant system in the seminar center—which contains more than 36,000 linear feet of tubing—was the largest Braconier had ever installed. The bare concrete floors stay comfortable year-round with the radiant products.

Snowmelt systems were installed in front of both buildings, so walkways will remain clear regardless of the Colorado weather. This equates to less maintenance and no chance of icy slips or falls by employees or visitors.

The bathrooms feature Viega in-wall carriers and touchless flush plates. The Viega Flushing Technology Systems products provide a sleek, modern look and make maintenance easy. With the tank inside the wall and bowls off the floor, cleaning is simplified. Touchless flush plates help improve hygiene for users, and the choice of a small or larger-volume flush means less water is used.

“For us, the number-one reason we use Viega is because when you install, you’re done. There are no warranty callbacks, no leaks,” Stone said. “Compared to other systems, Viega seems to have the largest product line. You’re not going to be missing a type of fitting or anything like that. Definitely the performance of the system is key. You just don’t have any leaks.”

For more information, visit www.viega.us.

Devine Brothers Rely on Viega ProPress for Safety and Speed in Historic Opera House Renovation

Anticipating the challenges that historic buildings pose, mechanical contractor Devine Brothers, Inc. made sure that Viega ProPress was part of the plumbing design for the renovation of the Philadelphia Metropolitan Opera House (MOH) from the beginning.

“This is an old building,” said Rich Devine, president and CEO of Devine Brothers. “We didn’t want to use torches and have to worry about soldering or fire watch. There are plaster ceilings, too, and it’s a lot easier to get a pipe in there and press instead of getting your hands in there in the nooks and crannies in the walls to have to solder.”

Devine continued, “ProPress makes sense because there’s the risk factor of soldering in an old wood building. Plus the speed is a big advantage.

“Our estimating software recognizes a 10–15 percent savings [with Viega], and when you get a job with large mains and large runs like this, it can go higher,” said Devine.

Devine Brothers said using Viega ProPress to install about 15,000’ of copper pipe for the massive replumbing of the Philadelphia Metropolitan Opera House saved time and money.

Speed, Safety Matter

Devine Brothers had previously worked with the co-owner and developer of the MOH and was brought in for the plumbing design for the massive building. They started work in October 2017 on the building, which opened in December 2018. Devine Brothers uses ProPress wherever they can. For the MOH, they used fittings ranging from 3/4″ to 4″ in size and sometimes had as many as 12 crew members on the project at one time.

About 15,000’ of copper pipe was run in the MOH for domestic water. In such a huge facility—it seats 3,500—there was a lot to plumb. “There’s a kitchen, multiple bars, and with five floors, there are a lot of bathrooms,” Devine said.

The entire building has undergone a massive restoration and renovation process. Because the MOH has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972, crews were careful to keep the building “bones” in place as it was renovated.

Renovating the Philadelphia Metropolitan Opera House required taking special precautions to avoid damaging the historic, 111-year-old structure. Devine Brothers used Viega ProPress to work in tight quarters and avoid the fire risks posed by welding.

Music Returns to MOH

The MOH was built in 1908, in just a few months, by Oscar Hammerstein. The largest theater of its kind in the world at the time, it was originally home to Hammerstein’s Philadelphia Opera Company but was sold to the Metropolitan Opera House of New York City in 1910 and renamed. Various opera companies used the building through 1934. For the next five decades, it was in constant use as a movie theater, a ballroom, a sports venue, and a church.

Vacant from 1988 to 1995, the building was declared imminently dangerous by city building authorities but was saved from demolition when it was purchased by a reverend to become the Holy Ghost Headquarters Revival Center. The church would spend millions of dollars attempting to stabilize the structure.

A co-ownership agreement was reached between the church and its current developer in 2017, when Live Nation signed its lease agreement to bring concerts to the revitalized opera house. The MOH reopened on December 3, 2018, with a concert by music icon Bob Dylan.

For more information, visit www.viega.us. MCAA thanks Viega for being a benefactor of MCAA19 and sponsoring the student chapter activities.

 

Brandt Impressed by Viega ProPress Efficiency

Tools Pay for Themselves Quickly by Minimizing Installation Time

 

For the new Texas headquarters of a major worldwide corporation, Brandt Construction chose Viega for chilled water and domestic water—a “no-brainer,” because the company does nearly all its work with Viega product. “Viega is dependable, and Viega’s people in town support us really well,” said Craig Hawkins, project executive. “Pressing with Viega is tremendously efficient versus brazing or soldering. We’ve tried other similar products and had issues with them or the quality doesn’t seem to be as good as the ProPress®.

“We’ve been using Viega for a long time,” Hawkins continued. “The first project I remember using press on was the Plano Presbyterian Hospital, around the mid-2000s. We have a standard spec set up for all our work, and I’d say probably 98 percent of our work is Viega. Really, it’s a Brandt standard.” The new campus includes several office buildings and a specialty building, plus multiple parking garages on about 100 acres of land. The main plant has five 1,200-ton chillers and five cooling towers to deliver the chilled water to the buildings. That work was all done in ProPress Copper, sizes 3” and smaller. Approximately 75 restrooms across the campus receive hot and cold water run via ProPress as well.

“We used a lot of fittings,” Hawkins said. “A lot.”

Hawkins pointed out that Brandt has a large stock of ProPress guns, and that it is easy to train new employees on them. At first, he said, the cost of tooling was concerning to some, but after so many years and countless dollars saved on installation time, everyone can see how quickly the tools pay for themselves. Plus, the ease of use of ProPress is important for the way Brandt runs their installations.

“We have a pretty rigid policy. Every joint that’s made, it has to be signed off by the installer. He puts his employee number on the joint,” Hawkins explained. “In our many years of use, we might have had a couple of issues, but they were installation issues, not issues with the fittings.”

Viega District Manager Joel Armstrong lent a hand at the beginning of the project, training some of the employees working on the installation to make sure everyone was on the same page. Hawkins said Brandt usually conducts a refresher course for large projects like these so that there are no issues down the line during installation.

Brandt’s crew of approximately 170 workers plumbed the entire multi-building project, finishing in August 2017.

For more information, visit www.viega.us/en/homepage.html.

Braconier Reins in Costs with Viega Products

Pressing Cuts Installation Time, Keeps Braconier Competitive

Faced with the possibility of losing money on a building expansion project, Braconier Mechanical and Plumbing found that using Viega products was an easy way to trim costs. The ease of installation with the Viega press approach cut installation time dramatically, bringing costs back under control. In addition, Viega turned out to be a better choice for a job where the original specs called for threading pipe.

Braconier was among the crews working on a large expansion at Aims Community College in Greeley, CO, that had a maximum guaranteed price. It involved remodeling the existing 15,000-square-foot welding building at the college, plus adding on a 60,000’ three-story building. When the project went over budget, everyone was looking for ways to cut costs. The original specs called for threading the pipe, and Braconier Project Manager Todd Self saw that as an opening for Viega MegaPress.

“When it was over budget, I looked at what we could substitute. Originally the only [Viega product] called for was potable water, but we got other Viega items in. It was value-engineering with the budget,” Self said. Braconier purchased two sets of MegaPress jaws for the project.

Pressing Saves Time

Ricky Maynard, the plumbing foreman on the job, echoed that Viega was the best way to go for both ProPress and MegaPress. “It’s faster because no hot work permits are needed. And running the water pipe in a three-story building—we would have needed two or three times as long to do it,” he said. “I’ve been pressing since I came to Braconier six years ago, and if the specs allow it, [Viega] is what we do.”

Time saved adds up, and it was crucial to the budget. Maynard also noted that original plans in the building called for threading oxygen pipe, which would not have worked. Lines cannot be used for oxygen if they have had threading oil on them—offering yet another reason to call on Viega.

“Viega evens the playing field for us,” Self said. “We can drop our labor costs and be more competitive. Labor savings are huge, so we do what we can to decrease them. When I started [with Braconier] four-and-a-half years ago, I always pushed for ProPress and the labor savings it brings. The prep time to press versus weld a joint is so much less.”

Strong System Holds Up

Dan Guidry, pipefitter foreman for Braconier, said that with so many workers constantly flowing through the building, at times some of his pipe was pushed around or shuffled out of the way. Still, there was not a single failure on any Viega fitting, a testament to the strength of the system. ProPress lines run throughout the newly revamped building for hot and cold domestic water. In the remodeled welding lab, MegaPress and MegaPressG lines run a variety of things, including natural gas, compressed air, and welding gases, such as argon and acetylene.

The original welding lab, built in 1983, was gutted to a shell, with just the welding booths remaining. All the piping—nearly 5,000’ of it—was newly run. It was estimated that pressing with Viega cut at least a week off the installation time in the lab alone.

The addition to the building is a huge boost for the Aims campus and, with all the offerings available, will bring in lots of new students. Students can study construction management, CAD, materials testing, robotics, 3D printing, alternative energy, and more.

The entire building is meant to be a teaching vehicle. For example, the back of the elevator is exposed so that students can see all the working elements that make it run. Exposed pipes throughout the building serve as examples of top- notch workmanship to which students can aspire.

For more information, visit www.viega.us. MCAA thanks Viega for being a benefactor of MCAA18 and sponsoring the student chapter activities.

Commonwealth Plumbing Finds Viega Double Drop Elbows Are Perfect Fit for Historic Building

Fittings Eliminate Dead Legs, Preventing Bacteria Growth

While renovating a historic building, Commonwealth Plumbing found that Viega’s double drop elbows were the best solution for accommodating new bathroom sinks in a tight space with limited design options. By using pressed fittings, Commonwealth not only saved time on installation but also avoided soldering in an old building with a lot of wood.

Rising to the Challenge

The central dining facility at Emerson College in downtown Boston was built around 115 years ago. With a historic structure of that age, the space needed to install completely new plumbing came at a premium. In addition, the renovation included metered faucets on timers, adding a level of complication.

New hot-water plumbing systems were designed for two bathrooms in the dining facility. One bathroom had enough space to install regular tees, but the other bathroom was too small. Viega double drop elbows were selected for the tight space.

“It’s a very old building and just has the issues that come with renovations to a very old building. We had to drop individually to each sink as opposed to having the space to run it horizontally down right to the fixture,” explained Peter Hannon, vice president of Commonwealth. “Due to space within the wall, we didn’t have that luxury. The tight quarters made the double drop elbows the best choice.”

An average user will take 30 seconds or less to wash his hands. Most of the time, that means the water will have been sitting in the pipeline for a while. It will not be freshly heated water until the line is purged. By using Viega’s double drop elbow fittings in the bathroom installation, dead legs in the line were eliminated completely.

“Installing the double drop elbows allows us to get the piping much closer to the fixtures to minimize the dead legs,” Hannon said. “Having warm water at the faucet is a better experience for the user, so they’ll think the best of the facility.” A series design was installed in the other bathroom, the one with more space, which allowed Commonwealth to use more traditional fittings.

Staving Off Stagnation

Stagnant water in plumbing lines can lead to the development of Legionella bacteria. These bacteria can cause Legionnaire’s disease, which can be fatal. Legionella bacteria are particularly concerning in facilities such as hospitals or nursing homes, where users might have compromised immune systems.

At Emerson College, the main focus was providing hot water to users in spite of the low-flow faucets. In a series design installation, like the sinks in a bathroom, when water is turned on at the end of the line, the water circulates through the whole system, purging the line and providing hot water to the active fixture almost immediately.

“We’ve done a loop system before similar to this,” said Hannon. “This was the first time we’d used these particular fittings, the double drop elbows. We met our installation goals. Especially where there was a lot of wood in the building, pressing saved us from having to solder.” Time and labor savings, along with quality of connections are important factors in Commonwealth’s use of Viega solutions. “We’ve been using Viega for a number of years and have had very good luck with it,” Hannon said. “We recommend and submit it for projects as often as possible as a product to use.”

For more information, visit www.viega.us.

HOLDRITE Products Solve Jobsite Challenges for PAR Plumbing

To incorporate pipes into the walls in very confined spaces of New York City high-rises, PAR Plumbing uses a variety of HOLDRITE® support systems. HOLDRITE products make for a simpler installation while also saving PAR time, as demonstrated by two recent projects.

Support Systems Get the Job Done

When PAR was contracted to provide all of the plumbing for Riverside K, a 32-story luxury condominium on Manhattan’s West Side, they knew that space inside the walls would be tight. Installing the drain, waste and vent piping, and domestic water piping in the available space would be a challenge.

HOLDRITE support systems were the answer. “Without HOLDRITE’s pipe support systems we would have had to create custom metal supports,” explained Brendan McMonagle, PAR Plumbing’s vice president of new construction. “It would have taken hours to cut and fabricate metal pieces in the field to equal what came out of the HOLDRITE box. HOLDRITE’s pipe support systems got the job done in much less space than field-cut metal. So construction went faster, and we were able to easily solve the problem of tight space within the building’s walls.”

Time-Saving and Secure Solutions

PAR Plumbing was also selected as the plumbing contractor for an extensive retrofit project, the conversion of the top 20 floors of a building located across the street from the World Trade Center from commercial space to high-end condominiums. A major telecom company has all of its digital equipment systems installed on the ninth floor and wanted to be absolutely certain that the pipes PAR installed on the 10th floor would not come apart, flood the building, and put the systems out of commission.

As with the Riverside K condominiums, space inside the walls where the pipes were being installed was extremely tight. To address both the space constraints and the telecom company’s concerns about potential flooding, PAR once again turned to HOLDRITE products, using the HOLDRITE #117 Series No-hub Fitting Restraints. These mechanisms are ideal for restraining hubless cast iron soil pipe joints against separation during high thrust conditions. They are engineered to meet plumbing codes and pipe manufacturers’ installation instructions.

“HOLDRITE’s pipe support systems got the job done in much less space than field-cut metal. So construction went faster, and we were able to easily solve the problem of tight space within the building’s walls.”

—Brendan McMonagle,
Vice President of New Construction,
PAR Plumbing

For this project, #117 No-hub Fitting Restraints were attached to the base stack sittings of the sanitary and storm lines. Because PAR installed hundreds of restraints on one floor alone, the product was a significant time-saver when compared with the field-devised alternative of cutting individual threaded-rod pipe clamps, custom cutting all the pieces, and assembling each one with miscellaneous hardware.

“The HOLDRITE No-hub Fitting Restraints installed very quickly in the tight ceiling space we were working in,” noted McMonagle. “They saved us a tremendous amount of installed costs. It was just a matter of pulling the restraint out of the box, putting it together with a ratchet gun, and you were done in just a few minutes for each installation. This was the first time we used these engineered restraints in such a mass quantity, and it was a big help for us. It drastically cut our installed costs while giving us the same security of not worrying about the plumbing joints coming apart and flooding the building.”

“HOLDRITE is the standard for us now,” McMonagle added. “We use their products in all of our jobs.”

For more information about HOLDRITE, visit www.holdrite.com.

Dynamic Systems, Inc. Relies on HOLDRITE Products to Increase Efficiency, Save Costs on Hospital Projects

Eliminating the Hassle of Making Trapezes

Before they discovered the HOLDRITE EZ-Strut™ telescoping galvanized trapezes, Dynamic Systems made their trapezes out of strut. Strut typically comes in 20’ lengths and takes many hours to cut down to the one- to four-foot lengths that are needed.

“When we’re working on a hospital project with multiple floors,” explained Dynamic Systems Project Superintendent Denny Gosser, “we really don’t want to bring in 20′ lengths of anything. There’s just no room for it. With HOLDRITE EZ-Strut, we get an easy telescoping trapeze that comes pre-manufactured in a box of 25 brackets. Two models provide telescoping options from 12″ to 40″. It’s easy to store these types of products in a building that’s already having problems with overstorage of material during the construction process.”

Making Medical Gas Lines Easier to Install

Hospitals depend on their medical gas piping systems to deliver piped oxygen, nitrous oxide, medical air, and more. When installing these gas lines, Dynamic Systems uses the HOLDRITE Silencer™ #250 and #280 variable-size isolation clamps to attach the medical gas line to the HOLDRITE EZ-Strut trapeze. The clamps prevent dissimilar metal contact by working as an isolator between the galvanized bracket and the copper tubing. The two clamp models support 1/2″ to 2″ tubing and piping, thus simplifying needed inventory from nearly 20 strut clamp sizes down to just two.

“We’ve been using the HOLDRITE clamps for about 12 years,” said Gosser. “They install quickly without any nuts and bolts—one piece just slides over the top of the other. It’s very fast and efficient. Plus they’re easy to store and a lot less expensive than the isolated strut clamps that we used in the past.”

Saving Valuable Space in the Wall

Dynamic Systems also increases the efficiency of their hospital projects by using HOLDRITE’s specially engineered brackets and clamps that easily fit inside the wall while leaving room within the walls for other necessary contents. These brackets save both space and valuable construction time.

For supporting domestic water risers and medical gas risers inside the walls, Dynamic Systems depends on the HOLDRITE #SB1 Stout Bracket®, a telescoping galvanized bracket that spans from 10″ to 18″. Gosser likes the way its compact design not only fits perfectly between the studs, it also fits inside a 3 5/8″ wall much easier than a piece of strut with strut clamps, with room to spare.

“In general, we’ve found that HOLDRITE products go in faster, are already premanufactured, come in boxes that are easy to store on the project, and are installer-friendly.”

—Denny Gosser, Project Superintendent, Dynamic Systems

For supporting domestic water risers and medical gas risers inside the walls for hospital projects, Dynamic Systems depends on HOLDRITE Stout Brackets [shown here], a telescoping galvanized bracket, because their compact design fits perfectly between the studs and within walls.
For supporting domestic water risers and medical gas risers inside the walls for hospital projects, Dynamic Systems depends on HOLDRITE Stout Brackets [shown here], a telescoping galvanized bracket, because their compact design fits perfectly between the studs and within walls.
The firm also uses HOLDRITE #SB3 Stout Brackets for bathroom fixture rough-ins. As part of their high-efficiency approach to construction, Dynamic Systems builds entire bathrooms in their offsite warehouse, right down to the tile and paint. They then ship the completed pods to the site, set them in place, and install the overhead pipes. “The HOLDRITE #SB3 Stout Bracket is another telescoping galvanized bracket,” noted Gosser. “It mounts inside the wall studs so we can anchor the drop-eared 90s for shower heads. The #SB3s provide the stability we need, while saving muchneeded space inside the wall.”

Speeding Up Installations

HOLDRITE brackets help Dynamic Systems install fixture stub-outs more efficiently. The HOLDRITE #107-18 copper-bonded brackets are used to support domestic water stub-outs, while the #114-C copper toilet carrier brackets are used to hold the stub-outs for the flush valves. Gosser finds that both are faster and easier to install than other options.

“The HOLDRITE #107-18 copper-bonded bracket takes just two screws and two solder joints to install,” Gosser said, “and you don’t need to put any clamps on it because it’s already copper-plated so the tubing solders right to it. The 114-C copper toilet bracket just bolts to the carrier, so it’s all in one package. This really helps with our prefabrication work. In general, we’ve found that HOLDRITE products go in faster, are already premanufactured, come in boxes that are easy to store on the project, and are installer-friendly.”

For more information about Dynamic Systems, Inc., visit http://www.dynamicsystemsusa.com. MCAA thanks Dynamic Systems, Inc. for hosting a tour of its fabrication facilities during the MCAA Fabrication Conference in May.

MacDonald Miller Turns to HOLDRITE to Stop Leaks, Provide Watertight Solutions

Midway through construction in downtown Seattle, MacDonald Miller was relieved to find that the HOLDRITE® HydroFlame™ sleeving system not only fixed the leaks that had emerged but also provided more convenient, effective solutions to ongoing challenges the contractor faced. HOLDRITE provided reliable prefabrication services and resolved a persistent problem MacDonald Miller faced with its tub boxes, saving time and helping projects run more smoothly.

HOLDRITE Holds Tight

As MacDonald Miller was building the tower at 2030 8th Avenue, the steel sleeving system they had installed began to leak. With water leaking through the sleeves down to the finished floors below, the company needed a solution. MacDonald Miller decided to give the HOLDRITE HydroFlame sleeving system a try.

“Other manufacturers also offer prefabrication options, but HOLDRITE actually did it right.”
—Randy Borman, Piping Operations Manager, MacDonald Miller

Using HOLDRITE HydroFlame patented cast-in-place technology, the sleeve’s internal and external water seals offer double protection against water intrusion. Its patented midbody seal allows for contraction and expansion of piping systems and the surrounding concrete floor slab while still protecting against the spread of water, smoke, and gas. The product line meets and exceeds building code requirements.

“There were three things that sold us on HydroFlame,” explained Piping Operations Manager Randy Borman. “Number one, the HydroFlame does not leak. Number two, HOLDRITE would be able to fabricate all of the sleeves to our specifications, whatever we wanted them to do. And finally, HydroFlame would also solve some issues we’ve had with our tub boxes. We’ve had problems with other company’s tub boxes because their caps are not safe to walk on after the box is poured into place, and the boxes can be very difficult to water-seal.”

Plumbing Superintendent Mike Kunkel added, “The tub boxes we used in the past were not deep enough to house the bathtub drain with tubs that sat flat on the deck. We had improvised with various fillers, but HOLDRITE was able to offer a 4″-deep Styrofoam insert that alleviated that problem. The HydroFlame sleeve was ordered 1/4″ lower than the finished concrete slab. With the concrete coverage and the rated cap, this was safe to walk on after they were installed.”

“The HydroFlame does not leak,” said MacDonald Miller Piping Operations Manager Randy Borman, making it the top choice for patching leaking pipes and preventing costly leaks in the future—major concerns the contractor faced in a recent project.
“The HydroFlame does not leak,” said MacDonald Miller Piping Operations Manager Randy Borman, making it the top choice for patching leaking pipes and preventing costly leaks in the future—major concerns the contractor faced in a recent project.
Using a 4”-deep Styrofoam insert from HOLDRITE, MacDonald Miller alleviated the problems it had been having with tub box caps that were not safe to walk on after the box was poured into place and were difficult to seal against water.
Using a 4”-deep Styrofoam insert from HOLDRITE, MacDonald Miller alleviated the problems it had been having with tub box caps that were not safe to walk on after the box was poured into place and were difficult to seal against water.

Of course, the biggest concern for any sleeve is preventing water from traveling from floor to floor, and the HydroFlame sleeves worked very well in this regard. The system proved to be watertight as promised, which solved the water leakage problem. It also ensured that if any water issues should develop in the long run, the problem would be isolated to that floor and would not penetrate to the floor below.

While seeking a solution for leaky pipes in a downtown Seattle construction project, MacDonald Miller appreciated not only the reliability of HOLDRITE’s HydroFlame sleeving system but also of HOLDRITE’s prefabrication services, which saved the contractor time.
While seeking a solution for leaky pipes in a downtown Seattle construction project, MacDonald Miller appreciated not only the reliability of HOLDRITE’s HydroFlame sleeving system but also of HOLDRITE’s prefabrication services, which saved the contractor time.

HOLDRITE was able to deliver the prefabricated sleeves and tub boxes packaged into floor-specific crates—a much-appreciated convenience for MacDonald Miller.

“The whole process was much easier than we thought it would be,” stated Borman. “We were impressed that HOLDRITE was able to meet our order and delivery requirements for the job. Other manufacturers also offer prefabrication options, but HOLDRITE actually did it right. With other companies we’ve had two to three floors of products delivered incorrectly, then we had to sit and argue about who was responsible! None of that happened with HOLDRITE.”

HOLDRITE Offers “Very Solid Testing System”

Borman and Kunkel also decided to install the new HOLDRITE TESTRITE® test tee on this project. Unlike traditional clean-out tees, where the tee and the test device are sold separately, this product provides all-in-one convenience.

“We’ve found that typically the tee and the test device don’t work well together,” Borman notes. “You try to pull the test device out and you get water all over the place! With the HOLDRITE TESTRITE tee you can fill it up, test it, let water pass through the tee, put the cap back in and you’re done. It eliminates the ‘water everywhere’ problem and also provides an extremely watertight seal to test against. This is a very solid testing system, and water does not leak past the tee. Just like the HydroFlame sleeve, these proved to be a labor saver and watertight.”

For more information about HOLDRITE, visit www.holdrite.com.