Organization: MCAA

NEFCO Completes Strategic Acquisition of Edge Construction Supply

MCAA member NEFCO, a leading specialty supply partner to the professional construction trades, has completed the acquisition of Edge Construction Supply (Edge). Edge is headquartered in Spokane, WA, and has eight additional locations in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana. This is NEFCO’s ninth acquisition since 2017 and brings the total number of NEFCO locations to 35. 

“Edge Construction Supply is excited to take this next step to join the NEFCO team,” said Eric Grabowski, President of Edge Construction Supply. “Edge was started by my wife’s grandfather and has deep roots as a family business. NEFCO is also a family business with similar core values focused around taking exceptional care of both employees and customers. Through this partnership, we will be able to expand both our footprint and product offering. NEFCO’s expertise in SHARP products, engineered pipe supports, and supply chain will benefit our current contractor customers throughout the Northwest. We know great things are ahead with NEFCO, and we could not be more thrilled to join forces with this thriving organization.” 

Edge began in Spokane, WA in 1949 as Safway Supply offering scaffolding products. Jesse Thomas was the founder, and his son, Rick Thomas, became CEO in 1985 and significantly grew the company in both locations and products offered. Eric Grabowski, Rick’s son-in-law, took over the reins of the business in 2008 and continued its’ expansion. Edge has been serving and helping build the Pacific Northwest for almost 75 years and looks forward to the possibilities for the future with this merger. 

NEFCO is committed to ensuring a seamless transition for Edge and its employees. Current customers of Edge can expect uninterrupted service and support during this transition. 

“Edge is an incredible family business that has built a reputation for being a highly reliable, service-focused distributor with high integrity and strong values. We are honored to welcome the amazing Edge employees to the NEFCO family where we share many of the same values,” said NEFCO CEO, Matthew Gelles. “The partnership with Edge brings NEFCO into the Pacific Northwest, furthering our expansion across the west coast as we work to achieve our vision to partner with contractors across every jobsite in America.” 

For more information, email Inquiries@nefcocorp.com or visit www.GoNefco.com. 

About NEFCO – NEFCO is a family owned and operated construction supply company providing a broad range of products and services to a large variety of professional contractors. With 35 locations throughout the United States, NEFCO provides localized, contractor-centric services including extensive industry expertise, large local inventories, fast dependable jobsite delivery, turnkey engineering services, and specialty fabrication and assembly of construction materials. 

About Edge Construction Supply – Founded in 1949, Edge Construction Supply has been serving the commercial construction and industrial markets throughout the Pacific Northwest, with its headquarters in Spokane, Washington and eight additional locations in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana. 

Get the Project Management Essentials You Need to Succeed from NEI Instructor Troy Aichele – New Classes Added

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like Troy Aichele, a 30-year veteran of the mechanical construction industry. Troy’s courses share project management essentials that will enhance project managers’ skill sets, enabling them to deliver less risky, more profitable projects. His three newest offerings focus on building positive leadership skills to engage and inspire teams.

Troy’s 30 years of industry experience gave him a broad range of project experience in both remodel and new construction environments. A past member of the MCAA Board of Directors and the John R. Gentille Foundation (JRGF) Board of Trustees, he served as Chair of MCAA’s Career Development Committee. His three-time win of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Western Washington’s (MCAWW) Educator of the Year Award is testament to his abilities as an educator.

Troy’s Project Manager Training (PMT) Seminars give project managers, assistant project managers, and others a grounding in the skills they need to mitigate project risks, protect estimate assumptions, optimize efficiencies, control cost, and maximize the project’s chances of success. His three newest offerings focus on building positive leadership skills to engage and inspire teams.

Like our other NEI instructors, Troy brings his unique blend of industry and teaching experience to virtual courses, a relatively new NEI offering. Providing top notch, accessible education for everyone in your organization is what the MCAA’s NEI is all about! Visit the NEI website for more information about these seminars and a full list of the NEI courses available to MCAA members.

Book your courses via the NEI website, then apply for a 20% rebate on the instructor fees, up to $5,000 per class.*

LEARN MORE ABOUT TROY’S CLASSES
NEI WEBSITE

*This benefit is available only to MCAA members and local affiliates in good standing who book courses via the NEI website. Learn more about the rebate program here. Have questions or need personal assistance? Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall or call him at 301-990-2215.

Advanced IPM Class 21, January 2025

Advanced Institute for Project Management was established to further develop the project management skills of experienced mechanical industry project managers.

The course provides five days of intensive, advanced level study designed to make even the most experienced project managers more productive and their jobs more profitable.

With the industry’s top instructors leading the way, AIPM students will obtain a highly advanced level of education on leadership, how to keep clients forever, legal issues on difficult jobs, insurance and bonding, how to stay on top of scheduling and productivity impacts, negotiating skills for avoiding litigation, and operational management.

Find the Latest from Uponor, Inc. and Morris Group International in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

Uponor, Inc.
Whether your projects are large or small, Uponor PEX-a, PP-RCT, Construction Services, and Value-Added Solutions come together to create a complete piping system for your commercial projects.

Learn More

Morris Group International
Seamlessly replace your water cooler with the Murdock® A17 Series! The universal bracket is compatible with several popular water cooler brands. Murdock is a member of Morris Group International.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

Visit Smart Solutions

New Management Methods Bulletin Explores BIM Related Cost and Time Impacts

Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and sheet metal (MEP/SM) contractors are normally at the forefront of Building Information Modeling (BIM) activities on a construction project. Substantial BIM cost and time overruns have occurred on many projects due to the fluid boundaries between coordination and design. MCAA’s new Identifying, Quantifying and Preventing BIM Related Cost and Time Impacts Management Methods Bulletin explores the factors that contribute to these overruns, allowing contractors to better plan for them. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin explores the types of contracts that are employed in the construction industry that can directly affect BIM estimates and BIM execution and how these forms of contracts can affect BIM management, time and costs. Key terms used in the BIM environment are explained in terms of contract scope, cost and time management such as the all-important term “normal and expected coordination”.

Recognizing the Level of Development (LOD) to be provided to the contractor in the BIM process is a key element in estimating BIM costs and schedule times. Additionally, defining and scheduling the BIM process can be a key element in successful BIM execution. All of these key elements are discussed in detail in this Management Methods Bulletin.

The bulletin includes:

  • A brief introduction to BIM
  • Discussion about the various forms of construction contracts
  • How design-bid-build forms of contract can affect the BIM process
  • Differentiating between BIM “coordination” and design
  • How the BIM Execution Plan (BEP) can affect BIM implementation – time and costs
  • Determining the LOD to be provided by the design professionals to the contractor
  • The importance of the LOD
  • Discussion of design-assist forms of construction contracts
  • The importance of including detailed BIM activities in the prime contractors’ CPM schedule
  • Tracking BIM scope change work using time records and schedule impact estimates
  • Defining “normal and expected coordination” by the MEP/SM subcontractor
  • Ten priorities to consider before entering into contracts requiring BIM coordination
DOWNLOAD

A polling process is being undertaken to address more specific estimating suggestions. Those suggestions will be incorporated into the bulletin content and released as a new chapter in an upcoming edition of MCAA’s Change Orders, Productivity, Overtime—A Primer for the Construction Industry. Watch for an announcement on mcaa.org and in the National Update when that becomes available.

For a full list of available Management Methods Bulletins, visit the Management Methods Bulletins page.

Find all of MCAA’s educational resources in the Resource Center.

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall.

Cannistraro, Atomatic Keep Costs in Check With Wheatland Tube’s SureThread

Atomatic Mechanical Services, Inc. and J.C. Cannistraro both rely on SureThread™ pipe from Wheatland Tube to keep their costs down. Cannistraro Fabrication Manager Billy Gardner said, “SureThread is the only brand we use for fabrication. It creates less wear on our tools, which saves us money.” Nick LaMonto, piping superintendent at Atomatic, added, “We’re threading every day. We can’t afford inferior pipe.”

LEARN MORE

Looking for More Smart Solutions?

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website! You’ll see how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with productivity-enhancing and cost-saving applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Plus, you’ll find tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

WebLEM Committee Co-Chair Tim Moormeier Bids Farewell

After two decades of devoted service to MCAA members, Tim Moormeier, President of U.S. Engineering Company Holdings and Co-Chair of the WebLEM committee, decided to step down from his role at the committee’s fall meeting on October 15. During Tim’s tenure, the WebLEM underwent significant transformations. The initial pivotal change occurred in 2008 when the WebLEM transitioned from a paper-based format to a digital one, accessible solely via the web, hence its name, WebLEM. This marked the end of the 4-inch thick, 10-pound yellow binder era.

Tim was unwavering in his commitment to enhancing the WebLEM, focusing not only on improving the user experience but also streamlining the administrative aspect for committee members. In this pursuit, Tim pioneered the next generation of the WebLEM, known as WebLEM+Plus, which is exclusively available to MCAA members as a valuable membership benefit.

In addition to Tim’s pioneering leadership in the transition of the Labor Estimating Manual from paper, to digital, to software, Tim has provided countless hours of value to MCAA members, manufacturers, and staff over the years. Tim has been a crucial member of the committee in the expansion of the LEM through additional labor values, in providing clarifications and updates, in bringing on new committee members and training those committee members in a devoted effort to keep the LEM reflective of new technologies, markets, and processes.  

Tim’s dedication to excellence and his selfless contributions have played a pivotal role in shaping WebLEM into what it is today. MCAA is profoundly appreciative of Tim’s unwavering hard work, visionary leadership, and the countless hours he devoted to both MCAA and its members. Tim’s wisdom and guidance will be sincerely missed.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Compliance with Antitrust Laws

All businesses, including mechanical contractors, should take great care that they maintain strict compliance with all antitrust laws and avoid the perception of violating the antitrust laws. MCAA’s Compliance with Antitrust Laws provides a summary of the issues at hand to assist your company in its compliance. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin explores:

  • Provisions of the antitrust laws
  • Topics to avoid in discussion with other industry members
  • Penalties for violation of the antitrust laws
  • How antitrust laws impact your association
DOWNLOAD

For a full list of available Management Methods Bulletins, visit the Management Methods Bulletins page.

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall.

Hermanson Employs Miller Electric Welder for Innovative Approach

Compact System Fits in Tight Space for Successful Tunnel Welding

Faced with a tight working space, Hermanson Company took advantage of Miller Electric’s new XMT® 350 FieldPro System welder along with a custom-built pipe turner so the mechanical contractor could make hundreds of high-quality welds in a fraction of the time that hand-turning would have required. The innovative approach not only increased productivity but also contributed to a safer, healthier work environment.

Tackling a Tunnel Project

In 2017, the Port of Seattle broke ground on the North Satellite Modernization Project at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The project involved expansion and renovation of a 45-year-old facility to enhance the passenger traveling experience. As part of the mechanical upgrades, Hermanson Company, a mechanical and plumbing contractor located south of Seattle, was awarded a contract to install 3,400 lineal feet of 16” welded steel chilled water piping in an existing utility tunnel located under the main terminal leading to the North Satellite.

The tunnel measured only 7′ high by 6′ wide and was already fitted with multiple building infrastructure services, including existing chiller piping and electrical conduit. Available space to route new piping was at a premium, and existing infrastructure had to be removed from service and demolished to complete the upgrade. Hermanson shop foremen, engineers, and field techs began working out the most efficient methods of phasing, fabricating, transporting, installing, and joining to successfully and safely install infrastructure chilled water piping in such a constricted space.

Paul McLain, Hermanson’s pipe shop foreman (who has more than two decades of industry experience, including 17 years as a welding instructor for United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters (UA) Local 32 and an American Welding Society inspector), developed a fabrication plan. “Based on past experience working in tight spaces, I knew that rotating the pipe in place was the best way to achieve the highest performing, quality welds,” recalled McLain. “We had just never done it on this scale before.”

Employing pipe turners when fabricating pipe assemblies is standard practice for Hermanson Company welders. Rotating the pipe allows for use of pulse spray or regulated metal deposition (RMD) welds rather than stick welding and creates a better deposition rate. Welds on rounded surfaces like pipe can create “weld puddle”—the result of gravity pulling on the weld material. Additionally, pulse spray welds reduce weld smoke, which is an important health consideration when working in constricted spaces. Overall, rotating pipe as it is welded is much easier on the welder and provides a more consistent, better quality weld.

Hermanson Company’s staff paired a space-saving Miller Electric welder with a novel mechanism to rotate pipe in place, making welding easier in a confined space for Gary Lockram, UA Local 32, and
coworkers, which increased productivity.

Glen Lee, UA Local 32, of Hermanson Company helped install 3,400 lineal feet of 16” welded steel chilled water piping in an utility tunnel only 7’ high by 6’ wide, relying on a Miller Electric welder to connect the pipes in such a tight space.

Building to Scale

McLain knew a pipe turner was the answer and consulted with Hermanson engineering staff to calculate the torque value needed to rotate a series of 13′ pieces of 16” standard-weight pipe at lengths up to 200′ long. Once the values were determined, McLain worked with a fixed welding automation fabricator to build a pipe turner that could handle cumulative weights up to 12,500 pounds while welding. The pipe turner consisted of a motor, sprockets, a variable speed foot peddle, and a heavy gauge chain that attached to a sprocket bolted to the end pipe section. “Think of a bicycle assembly—just on a massive scale,” said McLain.

Once the pipe turner was fabricated, it was shipped to Hermanson’s pipe shop in Kent, WA, where McLain began simulated field testing. Working with project-specified materials, tests allowed welders to simulate the same wire-feed welding process currently used in the Hermanson shop. Amperage tests were also completed, and it was determined that the pipe turner was only running at two thirds of its maximum capacity, thereby ensuring adequate amperage for the field operation.

Success Onsite

Meanwhile, at the jobsite, preparations were being made to stage the chilled water pipe in the utility tunnel for installation. An access point was cut into the tunnel from the ground level of the North Satellite, the existing piping was removed, and a crane was set to lower hundreds of 13′ pieces of pipe onto custom-built rolling carts. The pipe sections were then positioned in the tunnel, where workers reloaded them onto carts and moved them into place. Electricians installed three-phase, 110-volt power every 100′ along the tunnel for lights, tools, and welding equipment. Traditional welding wire feeders would have been too large for the space, but Miller Electric’s new XMT 350 FieldPro System welder was a good fit. Measuring just 24” x 11” x 17“, the FieldPro and its power supply took up less than half the space of traditional welders and was positioned on a cart for easy mobility.

Once all the pipe was in place, a team of three welders and pipefitters began the process of making over 340 welds to connect the stacked supply and return chilled water piping in the tunnel. In addition to creating a superior weld, the pipe turner saved the crew valuable time that would have otherwise been spent hand-turning the pipe with a series of chains and come-alongs. The simple and effective approach achieved with the pipe turner allowed the project team to accurately forecast labor and meet schedule deadlines with no recordable injuries.

For more information, visit www.millerwelds.com.

Editor’s Note: Sadly, just prior to publication, Paul McLain, 43, passed away. Paul’s take-charge and lead-by-example management style will be sorely missed by his fellow Local 32 union members, his two sons, and friends and coworkers at Hermanson Company, where he worked and innovated for more than eight years.

R&S United Mechanical Contractors Save Installation Time, Labor Costs with NIBCO Press Systems

R&S United Mechanical Services turned to NIBCO INC. for their innovative press joinery system solutions to complete large-scale mechanical systems for several New York City projects. Not only are the NIBCO products easy to install and cost-effective, they do not require an open flame, saving R&S the expense of hiring a worker for fire watch.

R&S is the mechanical contractor for three economically and historically significant new construction and renovation projects in two of New York’s five boroughs: Admiral’s Row at the New York Navy Yard in historic Brooklyn and Riverside Center Towers Buildings 1 and 5, located on a single block in Manhattan.

New York State of Building

New York City has some of the most high-profile construction projects in the United States (not to mention the world) as a result of many factors, such as population density and the city’s focus on tourism. With that attention comes high costs and complex regulations for contractors. From labor, equipment, and supply costs to zoning and building approvals, contractors are constantly looking for ways to provide high-quality construction and installation services while keeping costs down. At R&S, Gordon Jones, director of purchasing, is tasked with finding the most cost-effective and time-efficient means for sourcing these builds.

“Ten years ago, our industry was reluctant and skeptical of press joinery,” Jones said. “We embraced press systems because we knew they would have a significant impact on our industry. What makes press systems so effective is their ease of install, which ultimately saves labor costs.” NIBCO manufactures a complete system of press valves, fittings, and accompanying tools to make installation easy and cost effective. Over 75 percent of the piping and valve system in Riverside Center is made up of NIBCO press system components.

Building Balancing Act

As one of the top mechanical contractors in New York, R&S, based in Amityville, NY, proudly supports construction projects throughout the five boroughs. That experience is vital to navigating the complex and sometimes complicated regulatory, labor, and logistics environment of the Big Apple.

In Manhattan, the Riverside Center Towers encompass five high-rise, high-end residential towers with 646 residential units in Building 1 (at 1 West End Avenue) and 320 apartments in Building 5 (at 1 Riverside Drive). R&S was tasked with building out the HVAC system on Buildings 1 and 5. This $1.2 billion-dollar development project included $400,000 worth of various 1/2” to 2” NIBCO press fittings and the popular PC585- 70 ball valve. It is rare to have a single subcontractor work on two large projects like this, but R&S has developed a reputation for high-quality workmanship, quality control, and service that convinced the developer to hire them.

Admiral’s Row at 299 Sands Street in Brooklyn was, as its name implies, where U.S. Navy officers were housed adjacent to the Brooklyn Navy Yard for close to 100 years. This area of dilapidated brownstones has been cleared to add a Wegman’s supermarket, light manufacturing, and creative office spaces. R&S worked on the renovation of the new professional spaces, using $250,000 worth of 1/2” to 2” copper press valves, fittings, and components. With the mixed-use nature of this project, finding savings anywhere possible was the key reason R&S chose NIBCO press system products.

More Than Cost Savings

Building in New York City also poses significant operational barriers. Because the R&S projects were either historically significant or in advanced stages of completion, they were subject to stringent rules about installation. For example, because of the risk of fire with the use of an open flame, each area that has a soldering or brazing operation going on must have an individual worker to stand a fire watch. With labor costs in New York City at more than $100 per hour, fire watch can be very expensive. Using NIBCO press joinery allowed R&S to avoid this cost altogether. R&S chose NIBCO press valves and fittings for several other reasons:

Installation is faster because it does not involve soldering or brazing.

There is no open flame that could cause a fire or require shutting down entire sections of the building for maintenance and repairs.

Having fewer materials on site—especially flammable materials (e.g., rod and fuel for brazing)—makes for a safer jobsite.

“Labor cost savings were always top-of-mind for us, but what NIBCO brought to the table—great customer service, technical support, and training—made these projects that much easier to complete.” Jones added. “These are important projects to the economy and history of New York City which require the highest quality installations—that’s what sets R&S, and NIBCO, apart.”

Pressing Forward

The projects are at varying stages of completion. R&S will continue to use NIBCO press system components to ensure their reputation for high quality and good workmanship is maintained. The labor cost savings generated cannot be understated. Using easy-to-install press joinery saved the contractors time and money.

Avi Polischuk, president of R&S United Services, said, “Because of the high-profile nature of the projects and the time and cost-savings realized throughout the install, NIBCO has made me a believer in using press fittings.”

For more information, visit www.NIBCO.com or contact Sally Boyer, manager of marketing communications, at boyers@nibco.com.

MCAA thanks NIBCO INC for being a major sponsor of MCAA2020 and hosting the 46th Annual Round Robin Tennis Tournament & 2nd Annual Pickleball Tournament.

John W. Danforth Relies on Raken to Capture Detailed Productivity Data

Tracking Unplanned Costs Daily Ensures Contractor Gets Paid

John W. Danforth—a founding member of MCAA—is using Raken’s digital time cards and daily reporting to keep a record of all the impacts the pandemic has had on their productivity—so they can demonstrate what they have done and get paid for it. Construction companies have been forced to change the way they operate to ensure safety and compliance, and jobsite data are critical for contractors to maintain a record of productivity and streamline their workflows.

Digitally Tracking Overtime

From social distancing to health verification paperwork, all the extra minutes and materials spent following new protocols can add up to substantial costs over the duration of a project, negatively affecting both your completion deadline and budgets. When faced with these impacts on planned labor and productivity, you have two choices: pay overtime to get the work done on time or delay the project. Most companies will choose overtime, but who exactly will pay for these extra hours?

Danforth uses digital time cards to track and report unplanned labor and to demonstrate loss of productivity through measured mile analysis. By importing their estimated labor codes and budgets into Raken software, they are able to measure all their labor against the estimate to see what is affected. “Everything with COVID-19 has been an unplanned cost, but we’re able to show the impacts to labor and material, and we’re able to report that on a daily basis to the GCs and the CMs,” said Todd Follis, Danforth’s vice president of Pre-Construction Planning.

This type of documentation gives Danforth reliable standardized data to know exactly how their jobs have been affected. The more accurate the information, the more powerful it is for proving the added costs and pinpointing who is responsible.

Solid Defense

Having labor productivity data and daily reports digitally stored means you have credible evidence to address the inevitable disputes over loss in productivity and improves your chances of getting compensated. No one wants to go into litigation, especially if you do not have incredibly complete documentation. By using Raken, Danforth has a reliable and repeatable method to support claims successfully and avoid litigation in most cases.

Danforth has used Raken to successfully defend contracts on both private and public projects, most recently on a major federal project. Using digital documentation, they have successfully demonstrated and won claims with indisputable proof of what happened and why.

Follis explained, “We’ll continue to win because we’ve standardized our labor metrics and are able to produce reliable data that correlates to our estimates and credible, proven industry databases such as WebLEM. By having reliable, credible data, it’s just a matter of ensuring we maintain accurate schedule data … so when delays and productivity impacts occur, it’s just a matter of providing proper notification and organizing the data to present the costs that are owed.”

Improving Communication

One of the biggest values Danforth sees in Raken is the ability to communicate and catch any issues early on. “If we have a bad week on a labor code, we’ll see the projected productivity start to drift away from the budget,” said Follis. “Most people who don’t have this level of insight will just keep on doing the same thing again and again until someone sees it on a financial statement … and by then it’s too late.”

Strong communication is essential to overcoming challenges. The earlier you can communicate with stakeholders about added hours and potential costs, the less likely a project will come to litigation.

Good internal communication comes from empowering the crews on the job. As Follis stated, “The most important thing we have is communication with our people—they’re the ones doing the work onsite. If we’re not listening to them and can’t react to what their needs are, we’ve really missed the boat. Our project managers and foremen operate as partners, and Raken allows us to respond to daily changes/issues immediately even when the project manager is not onsite.”

Finding software your team will actually use is key. When Danforth implemented Raken, they were able to get all their foremen up and running in just three weeks. Follis said, “They picked it up no problem. Whether they were inexperienced, young, old, it didn’t matter. It was easy for our field staff to grasp since the app was so intuitive.” Giving your team a tool that is easy to use and saves time will improve the quality of data and communication from the field to the office.

For more information, visit www.rakenapp.com.

MCAA welcomes Raken as a new member.

Siphonic Drain Systems Save Money, Increase Efficiency

Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. Explains Functions and Advantages

Siphonic drain systems are not well understood in the United States, but they allow for greater flexibility in design, are far more efficient than a traditional drainage system, and often save money in labor and materials. Siphonic drainage is not new. It has been used since the early 1970s, and in Europe it is considered the norm. Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. is the first American company to design, manufacture, and market a siphonic roof drain. Still, many plumbing engineers rarely consider siphonic systems for buildings in the United States.

Understanding Siphonic Systems

Most people are familiar with the principle of the siphon. A siphon is created by placing one end of a flexible tube into a container filled with fluid—say, a car’s gasoline tank. The other end of the tube goes into a container placed at a point lower than the first. Once you start the flow of fluid, usually by suction, gravity takes over and continues to draw the fluid through the tube. If air does not enter the tube or the tank does not run dry, the liquid will continue to move from the tank into the container. The greater the elevation difference between the inlet and outlet of the tube, the faster the fluid will flow. This effect is known as a siphon.

This same principle can be applied to a roof draining system. However, with a roof, because the piping only drops downward, the priming process occurs naturally, with no suction needed to initiate it. The priming starts at the drain itself. A unique air baffle inhibits the addition of air into the piping system and stops the vortex, producing a more linear flow. Smith drains, combined with a properly designed siphonic system, will completely fill up, or prime, with the water and initiate a siphonic flow within as little as 15 seconds.

Traditional Drainage Systems

How exactly are a traditional system and a siphonic system different? A conventional drainage system is an open system, meaning air is always present, and there is little if any pressure change throughout the entire system. As a result, the pipe is usually only half full of water. Even during periods of heavy rainfall, the rest of the pipe is full of air. This results in a channel flow, much like a trench drain.

Horizontal flow in a traditional system is induced by sloping or pitching the horizontal pipe downward, usually at 1/8” per foot at minimum. The capacity of a conventional drainage system is limited by drain size and the depth of the water buildup or head pressure on the roof. A traditional system often requires several vertical drops, which generally run together under the building’s foundation and connect with the storm drainage system. While this traditional system is prevalent in the United States, it is the least efficient form of storm drainage.

Because siphonic drainage systems with Smith drains can use smaller piping to move the same amount of water, they can cost as much as 50 percent less than traditional drainage systems.

Benefits of Siphonic Systems

A siphonic system is a closed system, meaning that the airflow is shut off by the air baffle, causing the piping system to completely fill with water and fully use gravity in the vertical drop. When the piping system primes, it depressurizes, meaning the water pressure through the system is reduced because of gravity on the vertical drops. In this setting, atmospheric pressure pushes the water into the drains with a force of 14.7 pounds per square foot. The capacity of the siphonic system is determined by the piping system itself and the height of the roof drain above the point of discharge.

Because the piping primes and operates when 100-percent full, or full bore, the same amount of water can be carried off the roof through smaller piping at higher velocity. This can reduce the cost of the piping system by up to 50 percent compared with a traditional system.

A siphonic system offers greater flexibility in design and an easier installation than a traditional system, because flow velocity is independent of the pipe orientation, so the pipes can be laid flat. The ability to run the piping flat also means it can be easily installed in a ceiling, reducing or eliminating trenching and excavation underneath the slab. Finally, higher velocities nearly 100 times that of a traditional system mean that a siphonic system is also self-cleaning, reducing the need for maintenance.

Most buildings or structures can benefit from siphonic roof drainage, but siphonic systems are especially ideal for buildings with large footprints, such as airport terminals, aircraft hangars, covered malls, office complexes, factories, convention centers, warehouses, train stations, retail stores, and distribution centers. The only situation that is not ideal for a siphonic system is a building with divided roofs, or cricket systems, with multiple peaks and valleys. In this instance, the system can be more challenging to balance, and overflow systems are usually more complicated.

Jay R. Smith’s siphonic drains meet or exceed the performance requirements of ASME A112.6.9, and they are UPC (Uniform Plumbing Code) approved. When used with a rainwater harvesting system, these drains can help achieve LEED certification through innovative design, reduction of materials, reduced site disturbance, reduced runoff, and reduced water consumption.

For more information, visit www.jrsmith.com.

MCAA thanks Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. for being a major sponsor of MCAA2020 and providing the badges and lanyards.

Murphy Company Cuts Project Installation Time with Sioux Chief Products

Using a range of Sioux Chief Manufacturing Company products, Murphy Company dramatically cut down its installation time of plumbing products for a new high-rise in St. Louis. Murphy also turned to Sioux Chief for custom products, which were rapidly produced in nearby Kansas City, MO, ensuring the project stayed on schedule.

Ballpark Village is a dining and entertainment district across from the St. Louis Cardinals’ Busch Stadium. It played a major role in the revitalization of downtown St. Louis, MO. When Murphy was awarded the plumbing work for the high-rise portion of the project, they knew that keeping such a large job on schedule would be a challenge. Recognizing the time constraints, they called on Sioux Chief to offer solutions in several areas of the plumbing installation.

Using Sioux Chief’s FinishLine system saved Murphy hours of time during the rough-in, top-out, and finish stages of setting the drains and cleanouts for the new St. Louis building.

The FinishLine drain and cleanout system was a key factor for ensuring a quick, clean installation without having to worry about whether the floor height would be correct or level, because the system is designed to account for variations in jobsite conditions. Using the FinishLine system, Murphy Company saved many hours, because they could quickly install the parts during the rough-in as well as the top-out and finish stages of setting the drains and cleanouts. Murphy Company found that the FinishLine products allowed for a perfect finish every time.

The Ballpark Village high-rise also had fire-rating requirements at all floor penetrations that needed to be addressed. The method that had been used on the first few floors was time-consuming and expensive, so Murphy looked for an alternative. Sioux Chief designed a custom drain anchoring and penetration system that filled the bill. Because its FinishLine components are interchangeable and manufactured in Kansas City, Sioux Chief was able to provide the customized products and get them to Murphy quickly.

Murphy estimated that using Sioux Chief’s Ox Box for various plumbing connections in the new Ballpark Village building saved them 20–30 minutes per installation.

For the rough-in of the pressure piping, Sioux Chief offered solutions in several areas. Its Ox Box for washing machine and icemaker installations was the clear choice, and Murphy also decided to use the Ox Box for the lavatory and kitchen supply. Their decision was based on the fact that installers only had to touch the terminations twice, reducing the risk of leaks. Murphy also took into account the amount of time to fill the system for testing, drain the system to install supply stops, turn the water back on, and run water to each unit to check for leaks. They estimated saving 20–30 minutes per installation. All of Sioux Chief’s Ox Box products offer heavy duty, dezincification, and stress corrosion cracking-resistant brass ball valves.

Dave Book, Murphy’s vice president of Purchasing and Facilities, said “We have used Sioux Chief products on many of our projects. Besides using all of their access boxes on the Ballpark Village project, Sioux Chief gave us even more insight to their capabilities with their ability to custom-build accessories for a quick and inexpensive FinishLine floor drain installation.”

Sioux Chief also supplied a number of brackets, shower drains, and closet flanges for the Ballpark Village project, which was completed in 2019. Murphy has been using many of these Sioux Chief products for years and continues to see the value of installing products that are not only innovative but also made in Kansas City.

For more information, visit http://www.siouxchief.com.

MCAA welcomes Sioux Chief as a new member.

Message from William Hughes, M/SC Chair: Prime Pairings

This issue of Smart Solutions exemplifies how member contractors and manufacturer/supplier partners pair their expertise with the right products to keep projects on time and within budget while meeting clients’ needs. For example, Hermanson Company used Miller Electric’s new XMT® 350 FieldPro System welder along with a custom-built pipe turner to speed up welding in close quarters. For a senior living facility, Daikin’s know-how allowed for successful installation of a new chiller that involved coordinating with Chicago city services around street access while ensuring the well-being of 200-plus senior residents.

Despite having limited experience with snowmelt systems, A&R Mechanical Contractors Inc. knew they could rely on Viega for a client’s custom-designed system, successfully installed in time for a snowy winter. Rock Hill Mechanical was confident that Anvil International’s Gruvlok® system was a better choice than the originally specified PVC products for the mechanical room of St. Louis’ new aquarium, and the ease of installation allowed them to meet the job’s tight timeline. John W. Danforth Company quickly installed a new, more efficient hot water system in a nursing home, thanks in part to Ferguson’s expertise in selecting the ideal replacement system.

Partners in Productivity

Member contractors count on manufacturer/supplier products and services to help them improve productivity and keep costs down. R&S United Mechanical Services turned to NIBCO INC. for their innovative, easy-to-install, and cost-effective press joinery system solutions for several high-profile New York City projects. Letsos Company and CFI Mechanical used Uponor PEX for two high school plumbing projects to realize faster installation and cost savings over traditional approaches.

After winning a major renovation project, the Dorvin D. Leis Company, Inc. decided to ditch the string and tape for cutting-edge Trimble products and software, saving time and increasing productivity. LAARS Heating Systems adopted MobiliForms from iBusiness Technologies, then created new digital workflows that save the company significant time with each service visit. XOi Technologies’ cloud-based mobile app is helping Havtech streamline communication and improve efficiency.

Expert Advice

Annually, in the construction industry, about 8 percent of all falls from elevation involve the use or misuse of ladders. In this issue, CNA offers guidelines for selecting, inspecting, and using ladders safely. Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.®—the first American company to design, manufacture, and market a siphonic roof drain—explains how the drains work, how they can improve efficiency, and how they can save money in labor and materials.

MCAA2020 is your chance to get expert advice in person from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with them!

Johansen & Anderson Perseveres Through the COVID-19 Pandemic with Jonas Construction Software

While some businesses struggled to produce the information needed to apply for a federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan when the pandemic spread, Rick Cronholm, owner of Johansen & Anderson, was able to pull all the necessary reports in less than 30 minutes, thanks to Jonas Construction Software.

Having already done payroll, time entry, and union reporting in the Jonas software, Cronholm could run reports for any pay period within minutes. The guidelines for comparison for the PPP were not clearly outlined, so the ability to be flexible and run multiple scenarios for the application was a huge win for Cronholm—and one less challenge for him to worry about.

“Since Jonas tracks all visit schedules associated with the maintenance agreements, this allowed us to optimize routes and keep our technicians busy, while rescheduling visits when needed.”

— Rick Cronholm, Owner, Johansen & Anderson

“It’s so easy to pull all the reports for any scenario and to filter them by specific date and different periods,” said Cronholm. “When it comes to job costing or union reports, I could pull any scenario for the PPP loan just by putting the dates in.”

For many businesses, the COVID- 19 pandemic revealed technology and communication gaps across the company as a whole. With construction deemed an essential service, businesses had to react quickly to continue operations safely within government guidelines. Those that did not have the right technologies in place ultimately struggled or failed, while others, like Johansen & Anderson, successfully resumed business with minimal disruptions.

Johansen & Anderson has been using Jonas for over 10 years, and it has made life a little easier for them during the pandemic. The software provided a level of comfort that helped them continue doing business as usual from a technology standpoint.

“A big help to us was having the maintenance agreements in Jonas so we were able to manage visits efficiently,” said Cronholm. “Since Jonas tracks all visit schedules associated with the maintenance agreements, this allowed us to optimize routes and keep our technicians busy, while rescheduling visits when needed.”

Johansen & Anderson has been using Jonas Construction Software for 10 years; Owner Rick Cronholm appreciates that the software provides “a great snapshot of the company financials in order to keep an eye on how well the business [is] doing.”

Even before COVID-19, reporting was important to Cronholm. “The Executive Dashboard within Jonas always gave me a great snapshot of the company financials in order to keep an eye on how well the business [is] doing,” he noted. So when COVID-19 hit, Cronholm already had full insight into Johansen & Anderson’s business and financials.

As the pandemic rapidly spread across the country, states shut down businesses. Cronholm stated, “My first concern was definitely whether we were going to be declared essential or not. When it was decided that we were essential, my concern went straight to the safety of my employees and what we will have to do differently to keep our employees and customers safe.”

Everyone was stocking up on personal protective equipment, including masks and gloves. While Johansen & Anderson had gloves stocked up, it was a problem finding masks. From a technology standpoint, Cronholm was not sure about how the phone forwarding would work or how to keep the communication lines open between departments with everyone working from home. Limited staff could come into the office, but he wanted to make sure all bases were being covered.

Johansen & Anderson relies on Jonas Construction Software to stay on top of the company’s financial status.

Cronholm went on to say that it was overwhelming at first to have to reschedule commercial site service visits. The residential side of business was even more of a challenge, because approximately 30 to 40 percent of clients did not want anyone coming into their homes. “Luckily, we have all of our data in one system [with Jonas], so we could easily see and contact clients with visits coming up,” Cronholm observed.

After surviving the initial impact of the pandemic, Cronholm realized that there were technological improvements Johansen & Anderson could make to better prepare for the future. The first was to review their firewall and network restrictions and possibly move towards using the cloud, as many Jonas clients have already done. The second was to start using the Jonas mobile solution to set up their technicians with tablets to complete work orders from the field. “I think that COVID-19 really showed a lot of companies any holes, room for improvement, and how they can be better streamlined overall,” Cronholm concluded.

For more information, visit try. jonasconstruction.com/mcaa.

With eSUB Software, Braconier Cuts Payroll Processing Down to Minutes

Braconier VP Touts ‘Transparency and Accountability Across the Board’

Braconier adopted eSUB’s comprehensive software platform to standardize project management and operations, cutting processes such as timecard inputting and payroll processing from a full day down to minutes. The platform also helps Braconier document every aspect of their projects, which helps keep things running smoothly.

Braconier prides itself on providing systems that the community and public rely on, such as hospitals, aerospace facilities, and government buildings. They attribute much of their success to a culture of treating each other as family and supporting one another in their continuing efforts to be the best in the industry.

A critical piece of supporting employees is empowering them to do their jobs effectively with the latest technology. “We get the best out of our people because we give them the best information,” said Scott Calahan, vice president of Operations for Braconier. “That’s what eSUB does. It gives our people information.”

‘People Were Doing Their Own Thing’

Braconier has successful, experienced leaders in the field, but many used manual processes without standardization. “Several project managers and field leaders were doing things their own way—spreadsheets, Word documents, PDF documents,” said Calahan. “With timecards, some would take a picture of paper timecards and email them to the office, while some would call in their time. A lot of people were doing their own thing, not a real standard process.”

The Braconier team selected eSUB to help standardize their core processes. Developed exclusively for trade contractors, eSUB mobile and cloud-based project management and document control software seamlessly link the field and office. eSUB standardizes project management procedures so users can easily enter data, site events, labor activities, material costs, workforce information, documentation, and more into a fully searchable database updated in real time.

“The ability to go back in time and gather information on a project is valuable. … We have everything documented.”

—Steve Van Wormer, Project Manager, Braconier

Calahan continued, “We used to track RFIs [requests for information], change order requests, and project documents in our spreadsheet or accounting software. The accounting software was too complex for those purposes, and everyone had to take the time to modify the spreadsheet. With eSUB, the project cost tracking is in real time, and we receive notifications if we’ve passed the time limit to get a receivable back.”

eSUB’s comprehensive platform delivers the ability to create and track project documentation for complete visibility on project information. Project managers and field leaders can create RFIs, change requests, purchase orders, and more using eSUB’s customizable templates. The two-way email integration delivers a detailed project correspondence with date and time stamps to serve as the contractor’s historical timeline of the project. The timeline can help resolve conflicts before they arise and improve collaboration and communication with general contractors and customers.

Steve Van Wormer, project manager at Braconier, explained, “The ability to go back in time and gather information on a project is valuable. We can search previous field notes and daily reports or delayed responses to see where we got held up. We have everything documented.”

Because eSUB is integrated with Braconier’s accounting software, “There’s no double entry—everything is sent to eSUB and streamlines the entire process.”

—Liz Vigil, Project Coordinator and Estimator, Braconier

Standardizing Operations to Save Time

As an operations platform, eSUB captures critical labor and cost information on projects. Because eSUB integrates with the Sage 300 construction and real estate accounting system, Braconier’s project coordinators, project managers, and field supervisors minimize double entry while getting real-time cost information.

“eSUB … serves as a central location to get an overview of the job and know if your job is going in the right direction.”

—Scott Calahan, Vice President of Operations, Braconier

“I set up all the jobs and phasing with cost codes in Sage 300, and that information is sent to eSUB,” said Liz Vigil, project coordinator and estimator at Braconier. “There’s no double entry—everything is sent to eSUB and streamlines the entire process.”

The Braconier leadership team adopted a phased implementation process that started with timecard management. The previous timecard process included either handwriting timecards on paper or taking pictures of the timecard itself. Some field supervisors had collected time on spreadsheets. The payroll administrator received all this information via email and fax and manually entered it into the payroll system.

“We used to spend a full day of inputting timecards and processing payroll, and now with eSUB, it takes minutes,” noted Calahan. “The way that eSUB combined timecard management with daily reports is brilliant. It takes only an extra couple of minutes to take a picture and note what happened onsite that day. It was successful starting out with timekeeping, then daily reports, and additional modules such as RFIs and other pieces of eSUB. It helped us get more adoption across the board.”

Easier Onboarding

With the standardized processes now in place at Braconier, the onboarding process for new project managers has become much easier. Once they learn eSUB, any project manager or foreman can jump into the middle of a project and know exactly where it stands. When customers are not responding to them, anyone from the team can view the status of the documents.

Mr. Calahan elaborated, “eSUB gives us a good platform for our core project management processes. It serves as a central location to get an overview of the job and know if your job is going in the right direction. A foreman, project manager, or even the president can log into eSUB and get the same project information in real time.

“We have very skilled and self-sufficient field supervisors,” Mr. Calahan went on to say. “eSUB is an empowering tool for them to see where they stand financially and with working hours on a project—and it’s something they can easily do themselves. It allows for transparency and accountability across the board.”

For more information, visit www.esub.com.

Holmberg Mechanical Saves Time, Meets Regulatory Requirements with Help from Anvil International

Timeline on Track for Seattle’s New Colman Dock

Holmberg Mechanical knew Anvil International’s Gruvlok® products would help them meet the quick turnaround time required for the new Colman Dock in Seattle, WA, which will service the largest ferry system in North America. But the job posed another challenge. Because the dock is a publicly funded project (with a price tag of $455 million), Holmberg Mechanical had to comply with Buy America Act (BAA) standards. They needed to secure the right materials on time and with the proper BAA certification.

Anvil’s Gruvlok products met both criteria. Holmberg installed hundreds of Gruvlok fittings and couplings for the first hydrostatic test, which involved more than 1,000 linear feet of 6″ piping. The test was successful, and all Gruvlok products performed perfectly. Randy Hart of Holmberg Mechanical, who has been in the industry nearly 30 years, commented that Gruvlok technology “is a foolproof design that reduces labor when compared to welding.” Anvil International provided Holmberg all the required documentation to comply with BAA standards. Anvil is an MCAA major sponsor.

The combination of Gruvlok technology, excellent communication, and the ability to deliver all materials and documentation in a timely manner made the project a success for Holmberg Mechanical and Anvil International. This five-year project is expected to be complete in 2023.

For more information, visit www.anvilintl.com. MCAA thanks Anvil International for being an MCAA major sponsor.

SitelogIQ Speeds Up Processes Using XOi Technologies

SitelogIQ, a full-service facilities solution provider in California, has proof that seeing is believing—and they are speeding up their quote approval process as a result. “We’re capturing XOi content—physical video, pictures—onto quotes, which has expedited how fast those quotes are approved. We seem to get less contested quotes, less questions,” said Jason Saunders, service operations manager for SitelogIQ.

“If we can show them rather than tell them, it gives them a nice verification,” explained Service Manager Eric Yocum. “We’ve had some customers tell us right away that they want video on every future work order.”

In addition, SitelogIQ found that using XOi reduced the lead time for sales follow-up on field-originated opportunities from two weeks to one or two days.

Although they initially purchased XOi to help technicians, the company realized many additional benefits, including increased customer transparency. In particular, SitelogIQ found that partnering with XOi:

  • improved the clients’ perceived value of mechanical services;
  • improved workflows throughout the organization, resulting in greater efficiency;
  • helped property managers provide better documentation to offsite supervisors and building owners;
  • eliminated most of the data collection from field service calls; and
  • spurred creation of a video training library featuring senior journeymen.

XOi’s Six Tips to Create Safe Business Practices During COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses of all sizes and types are wondering how to stay active and safe given the need for social distancing. Using the XOi platform can help you protect your teams and your customers by taking advantage of video, photos, and augmented reality tools. XOi offers some techniques for using its technology to keep workers working and businesses running while ensuring safety.

1. Social Distancing

By sharing content from workflows virtually, rather than in person, Vision allows your team to connect to the home base and customers using videos, photos, and written recaps of services provided instantly and with no face-to-face interaction. XOi’s Live Call functionality allows technicians to get live support from an technician, who can see what the tech in the field is seeing and use augmented reality tools for collaborative problem solving.

2. Limiting Exposure to Team Members at Risk

Protect those on your team who are at higher risk for contracting COVID-19 by utilizing them in the virtual environment. Record their expertise and create training videos that capture their years of know-how. Let them support others in the field through the augmented reality support of Live Call.

3. Maintaining Quality Work While Limiting Field Exposure

A quick and customizable review workflow will allow quality control from service managers directly in the field without requiring them to travel to a jobsite or engage in multiple diagnostic conversations. Technicians can see “what right looks like” for each step in a process through video, photo, or text instructions and know what must be completed for the job to be finished. XOi customers show an average 35-percent increase in service requests completed after implementing XOi. That means more jobs completed in less time with high quality, protecting your employees and your bottom line. XOi customers also use these workflows to institutionalize the knowledge and make it readily available to their entire teams through the XOi platform.

4. Growing and Establishing Differentiation While Social Distancing

Sharing a quality recap that includes photos and videos virtually after each service builds trust and respect among customers. Showcasing this automatic transparency not only will help reassure existing customers but also can be a positive factor when you head to the bidding table.

5. Not Over-Burdening Experienced Techs

New technology can be intimidating or seen as a burden by techs who have been operating well without it. The ease of implementation is the deciding factor in workforce adoption. Users on XOi’s platform average only two minutes of use to capture meaningful information shareable with both their companies and their customers. The platform was created with simplicity in mind, with features such as automatic note dictation, electronic workflows that replace paper ones, and instant submission. Users can take a picture of a data plate and automatically generate tags for unit make, model, and serial number. They can easily access an extensive knowledge base with over 50,000 schematics, wireframes, and manuals. Users can also import their existing libraries of information into the platform, tagging all content to create a fully searchable source of relevant information to help technicians solve problems.

6. Reducing Unnecessary Jobsite Visits

Live Call can connect your techs safely to your customers virtually to put eyes on the site or on the unit before making the decision to send someone to the location. Once you know what you are looking at, you can ensure that you are sending the right technician with the right skills—and avoid sending out additional trucks and employees when they are not needed.

For more information, visit http://www.xoi.io.

Essential Considerations for Recommissioning Buildings Standing Empty During the Pandemic

Academic Researchers, Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. Offer Expert Advice and Solutions

Because of shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, many buildings have been sitting empty for months. Those vacancies mean fixtures and drains are being used infrequently, if at all, which could lead to severe problems.

Many of these issues, such as sewer gas emissions and water stagnation problems, are familiar but have never happened on such a large scale. The fact that many buildings have been closed up for months has much more significant implications than just one structure here and there. There is little consensus on how to handle this novel situation.

Researchers Offer Recommendations

Researchers and engineers at Purdue University studied this issue and recently published a report, Considerations for Large Building Water Quality and Extended Stagnation, that can offer a bit of guidance.

Where there is prolonged water stagnation, one issue of particular concern is the growth of Legionella bacteria that can cause disease. Many buildings have experienced problems with stagnation after just hours or days of being closed. The widespread effects of weeks to months of stagnation is unknown.

The presence of other microbes should also be considered. Most cities add a disinfectant to potable water to eliminate the problem. However, those disinfectants’ residual stability dissipates rapidly over time. In fact, the Purdue paper stated that decay occurs at a stagnant tap more than 140 times faster than in the corresponding municipal water. It also pointed out that the rate could be even faster in “green” buildings designed for low water use. Pipes holding stagnant water also experience more corrosion because of the decreased effectiveness of corrosion control over long periods.

The Purdue paper recommended periodic flushing, but even that is not without drawbacks. There are over 5.6 million commercial buildings in the United States. Imagine the stress a dozen or so large buildings could put on municipal water and sewerage departments. Therefore, Purdue researchers recommended drawing up a recommissioning plan and reviewing it with local authorities and health departments.

The safety of workers must also be considered. Flushing can release high concentrations of chemical and microbiological contaminants. The Purdue researchers recommended screening workers for preexisting conditions that may make them particularly vulnerable to contaminants and issuing the proper personal protective equipment to avoid exposure.

Quick Fix for Emissions

When buildings are closed for weeks or months, sewer gas emissions are a concern. Insert Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.’s Quad Close Trap Seal into a drain’s strainer throat, and sewer gases are sealed off.

Fortunately, sewer gas emissions are easier to address. For this problem, Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® has an easy and affordable fix that takes just a minute or two to implement. No special tools are required, and this fix comes with a ten-year warranty. Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® is an MCAA major sponsor.

The labor-saving “Stink Stopper” Quad Close® Trap Seal Device automatically closes to minimize evaporation in floor drains and opens to allow water in. The Stink Stopper is made from a chemically resistant elastomer and is available in several sizes guaranteed to fit almost any drain.

You simply pop the Quad Close Trap Seal into the drain’s strainer throat, and sewer gases are sealed off. Installation is usually a one-step process. However, in the current situation, where buildings have been vacant for weeks, priming the floor drain trap with water after installing the device is recommended.

Installing Quad Close Trap Seals is also an excellent preventive measure for buildings that have already opened. No one could have predicted the shutdown of so many buildings, and it is unlikely that anyone can predict what we might face in the future. Taking simple steps now could prevent potential problems.

For more information, visit www.jrsmith.com. MCAA thanks Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® for being an MCAA major sponsor.