Industry News

We would like to take this opportunity to give a special thanks to this month's sponsor -- RIDGID. RIDGID serves the plumbing, rental, HVAC/R, utility, industrial, electrical, petroleum, institutional, commercial and hardware markets, offering more than 300 types of tools in more than 140 countries. RIDGID tools are known throughout the world as industry-leading, innovative products that have set the standard for durability and performance for over 85 years. The company offers a complete line of professional hand tools and equipment including its famous pipe wrenches, tubing cutters, threading and roll-grooving machines, pressing, drain cleaning tools, locating equipment, pipe diagnostic systems and RIDGIDConnect™, an online business tool. RIDGID is a subsidiary of St. Louis, Missouri-based Emerson. Visit www.RIDGID.com.

 

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The 2011 Grundfos ‘Pumps on Tour’ kicks off its 55-city expedition

 

Olathe, Kan. — The 2011 Grundfos “Pumps on Tour” will be traveling to over 55 locations in the United States and Canada. The fully equipped, mobile education center designed for the residential, commercial and industrial pumping industry, offers contractors and engineers the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on training using interactive pump displays.

 

The 1,200-square-foot vehicle includes a mini-theater for viewing training videos and presentations, as well as a series of interactive, working displays of a wide selection of residential, and commercial pump solutions from Grundfos. For more information on the tour, www.pumpsontour.com.

 

Oregon’s Lake Oswego interceptor sewer project wins award for best construction project of 2010

 

Las Vegas — Oregon’s Lake Oswego Interceptor Sewer project was the most significant construction project of 2010, the Associated General Contractors of America announced today. As a result, the project’s contractor, Advanced American Construction, Inc., was the grand award winner while 19 other firms received the association’s Aon Build America Awards in other categories.

 

“These projects require tremendous skill, extraordinary craftsmanship and dogged determination from their contractors,” said Ted Aadland, the association’s president and the CEO of Portland, Oregon-based Aadland Evans Constructors, Inc. “Frankly, they are the kind of projects many of us dread starting and all of us dream of completing.”

 

The Lake Oswego Interceptor Sewer project, which won for best new municipal and utilities project, is a large and dramatic new system that replaced a 50-year-old corroded and hazardous sewer line. The project required crews to drill 270 feet into bedrock to install anchors for the system. The work was heavily regulated to ensure there was no impact on recreational activities, local business operations and environmental practices for lake residences. The project was completed without any lost time accidents and included more than 1,200 commercial dives.

 

Multi-purpose plumbing-fire sprinkler systems help California

meet new fire safety regs

 

Imagine the public outcry if an airplane crashed every month. Month after month, crash after crash, thousands of Americans dying from a preventable incident seems unimaginable.

 

However, a similar scenario is being played out today in homes across America, where residential fires kill upward of 2,500 people each year. In 2009, California home fires killed 44 people and injured 430 including 102 firefighters as reported to the California Office of the State Fire Marshal.

 

In response to growing concerns about home-fire fatalities and irrefutable fire-loss data, states such as California and Pennsylvania have adopted national building codes that require fire sprinklers in all newly constructed homes.

"We know that fire sprinklers save lives, reduce injuries and decrease property damage," explains California Acting State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover, who says this fact is borne out by decades of studies across the nation.

 

In fact, incorporating residential fire sprinklers in the 2010 California Residential Building Code is not new, but rather, formalizes a process already underway, according to National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) Western Regional Manager Bruce Lecair. "In reality, more than one-third of California already has home sprinklers, so this new code will just accelerate this trend," says Lecair, referring to the 160 municipalities that have individual fire-sprinkler ordinances in place.

 

While the need for residential fire sprinklers is clear and the mandate in place for Californians, builders and home buyers still have a choice in the type of system they select for their homes.

 

A growing number of new-home builders are choosing multi-purpose fire sprinklers over traditional standalone or independent systems commonly used in commercial applications.

 

“The goal of any sprinkler system is to suppress the fire long enough for first responders to arrive, but there are significant differences in fire sprinkler design, performance and maintenance costs,” says Jayson Drake, senior product manager, Plumbing and Fire Safety, for Uponor North America. “Some builders prefer multi-purpose fire sprinklers because of their affordability and ease of installation.”

 

A multi-purpose system combines the cold-water plumbing and the fire sprinkler system into one. The alternative requires three separate sets of pipes – two for the home's hot- and cold-water plumbing and a third for the standalone fire sprinkler system.

 

Since just two sets of pipes are required, multi-purpose systems install up to 65 percent faster and can reduce the cost by as much as 15 percent, compared with traditional systems, explains Drake.

 

Speakman Company to showcase new showerheads at KBIS 2011

 

New Castle, Del. — Speakman Company will be exhibiting at the upcoming Kitchen and Bath Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas on April 26-28, 2011. (Booth # C4589). During the expo Speakman will be showcasing the latest additions to their highly acclaimed showerhead line.

 

Shower introductions include the new product line which prominently features the innovative Anystream® 360º™ spray technology. Developed by Speakman’s engineering team, Anystream® 360º™ spray technology allows Speakman Anystream® showerheads to achieve a 360º degree rotation to the spray adjusting mechanism (handle or faceplate). This adjustability allows the user to make small incremental adjustments to the spray of the showerhead and transition effortlessly through an infinite number of full body sprays. Each showerhead has center jets that deliver massage streams for a relaxing feel; perfect for sore muscles.

New Products

	RIDGID® micro CA-100 www.RIDGID.com The micro CA-100, the new standard in view-only inspection cameras, is the newest addition to the RIDGID® Hand-Held Diagnostic and Inspection product line building upon the heritage of its original view-only SeeSnake® micro™ inspection camera. The micro CA-100 inspection camera allows for more detailed visual digital inspections in hard-to-reach areas. The new larger 3.5 inch display atop its comfortable, pistol-grip ergonomic design with one-hand controls makes it easy to detect and diagnose problems. RIDGID.
	Copper press fittings www.elkheartproducts.com The XPRESSTM LD-C large diameter copper press fitting features a patent-pending solid cross-section ring which grabs the entire pipe, creating significant contact with the tube after pressing. Zero pressure leak capability lets you know when a fitting hasn’t been pressed. If the breakaway band is still on the fitting, it needs to be checked. Elkhart Products.
	PVC piping system www.grinnell.com The G-MINE PVC Piping System is comprised of high strength PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) pipes, couplings, and fittings all of which conform to ASTM D 1784. G-MINE PVC Pipe and Fittings are manufactured from a specially formulated PVC compound that provides higher impact strength over an extended period of time. GRINNELL Products, a division of Tyco International.
	THE PUNCTURE SOLUTION® www.theholesolution.com Prevent costly punctures in water pipes with THE PUNCTURE SOLUTION. Screws can’t penetrate the metal collar and are instantly deflected around the pipe, preventing damage. A better alternative to striker plates because it covers both sides of the pipe and leaves no bumps in finished sheetrock. Quick, one-handed snap-on installation saves time and money and provides a secure, tight fit between the stud and the pipe. UL Listed and IAPMO Certified. Buildings and Matters.