Commercial water heaters a fit for large hotel
Problem: Located in Ashland City, Tennessee, a new four-story Hampton Inn welcomes travelers from around the globe. Opened to the public on March 3, 2022, the hotel has had consistent occupancy thanks to its proximity to Nashville. During planning and construction, hotel general manager Sammy Naquin knew he needed a dependable water heating solution to help provide a continuous supply of hot water for the 75-room hotel, which also includes a kitchen and industrial laundry facilities. “In the past, I’ve had problems getting enough hot water up to the top floors at peak hours when more people are showering,” he says, so he knew the water heaters he chose for the Hampton Inn had to guarantee hot water for every room at all times of the day.
Solution: Naquin worked closely with A. O. Smith to specify two 750,000 Btu/h Cyclone XL commercial gas water heaters. With a smaller footprint than other large commercial properties, the Cyclone XL was the ideal solution to ensure ample hot water and allow adequate room for installation and maintenance. It excels in applications with maximum hot water requirements by adjusting the firing rate to meet demand. The unit has a dual stainless steel heat exchange system that utilizes a two-step heat transfer process to deliver thermal efficiencies of 97%. It also comes equipped with the iCOMM Connectivity Platform, allowing hotel management to remotely monitor and adjust each unit’s settings.
Result: “We have been incredibly pleased with the consistency Cyclone XL has provided—the water temperature you get on the first floor is the same temperature you get on the fourth floor,” says Naquin. “We’ve been busy since opening and even with reaching room capacity on multiple occasions, we have received positive feedback from guests about always having hot water.” 800-527-1953; www.hotwater.com
Hanging system transforms how pipes are supported overhead
Problem: A Illinois commercial customer’s job required that the hot, cold and vent pipes be supported overhead. At Water Plumbing of Roselle, Illinois, needed to find a quick and easy solution to hang all three pipes together in an overhead installation.
Solution: The company used HAP Bullets from HAP System that are designed to work with HAP Hangers for overhead pipe installation. HAP Bullets combined with HAP Hangers provide flexibility for hanging one or multiple pipes overhead from an anchored 3/8-inch threaded rod. The plumber starts by threading two HAP Bullets on the threaded rod. HAP Hangers are secured to the Bullet by using the provided attachment screws. Height adjustment can be made quickly by spinning the HAP Bullet/Hanger assembly up or down to the desired height.
Result: The HAP Bullet, PL-1111-BTR1, used in combination with small and medium HAP Hangers, provided a quick and cost-effective solution for overhead pipe installation for the plumber. 847-787-7777; www.hapsystem.com
Supply box system delivers labor savings at hotel project
Problem: The Grand Hyatt Nashville is a massive construction project with 591 guest rooms and various amenities. As such, plumbing was a challenging process for the building team Clark Construction and Bell Associates. To save on labor costs, mechanical contractor Lee Company recommended using Oatey’s MODA Supply Box System for plumbing connections in each guest room which eliminates the need for a copper stub-out, saving time and effort. However, the white finish of the MODA boxes’ faceplates did not match the color of the surrounding HVAC grille, causing aesthetic concerns. A color match was necessary for approval.
Solution: In order to address the aesthetic concerns with the MODA Supply Boxes, local sales agent Jim McClain took it upon himself to create a makeshift paint shop within his warehouse facility. Alongside the help of other individuals, they prepped, painted and repackaged 600 MODA faceplates within just 12 hours. This allowed for the plates to be installed in the hotel’s guest rooms over several months. While only the plates were painted, it was sufficient as the lavatory plates would be concealed behind the vanity. The MODA modular boxes are made of durable PVC and offer advantages such as recessed valves and plumbing, which appealed to the installers.
Result: Due to the installation of the MODA Supply Box System, the Lee installation crew was able to achieve substantial labor savings. The MODA modular boxes are becoming increasingly valued due to their savings in installation time. They are now a part of Lee’s standard protocol for commercial jobs. 800-321-9532; www.oatey.com
Company streamlines 404 tub-to-shower conversions at hotel
Problem: The Four Seasons Houston hotel opened in 1982 and is now in the latter stages of converting 40-year-old cast iron tubs to modern showers. Project assistant-superintendent, John Upshaw of Turner Construction says converting 404 bathtubs to step-in showers in a building constructed in the ’80s, is no small feat. “When we demo out a tub, we’re essentially running into different conditions in 404 different bathrooms,” Upshaw explains. The team had to adapt to unexpected plumbing rough-in configurations and various shower-enclosure sizes.
Solution: ShowerLine, the solution, is a high-quality PVC linear drain system and features a fully sloped trough where water exits through either a vertical or a side waste outlet. Plumber Larry Adams, from Kilgore Industries in Houston, says he highly recommends the QuickDrain linear drain system because it’s easy to install and provides flexibility for the drain installation. Adams was the foreman apprentice during the original construction of the building in the 1980s. “These are old cast iron tubs, so the drains were set at different positions and often off-center,” explains Adams. But jack-hammering or core-drilling through the concrete to adjust drain positioning wasn’t an option. Since the hotel is constructed via post-tensioned slabs, core-drilling would compromise the building’s integrity. To allow enough room for Adams to stub out the existing DWV lines, they had to chip out the concrete surrounding the existing pipe. “Fortunately, we were able to find a location between the rebar to chip a small area around the drain,” he says. There was also no way to solder the existing copper pipe to a new copper joint because of jagged pieces of metal coming through the concrete and less than half a hand space, so plumber Adams had to use a mechanical fastening coupling between the copper and the transition material.
Result: Thanks to QuickDrain’s PET shower pans’ flexibility, the construction crew was able to cut the drain support panel in half to allow Adams to make the mechanical connection. “The finished installation looks great, and as long as it looks good, the hotel is happy,” says Turner. 866-998-6685; www.lrbrands.com/quickdrain/
Contractor uses duplex vortex pump systems for restroom additions at large medical warehouse
Problem: The HCA Healthcare HealthTrust location in Lakeland, Florida, functioned as one large warehouse before the decision was made to section off an end of the building to accommodate offices, restrooms, and break rooms for the staff. The project landed with project manager Nate Hefner of Feddon Mechanical. HealthTrust previously installed one restroom and two connecting restrooms in different warehouse sections. The new project scope required tying new restrooms into the existing sanitary sewer, with the furthest restroom roughly 850 feet away from existing sanitary sewer access. “The original spec included grinder pumps to be excavated 6 feet deep and 4 feet wide down in the ground to then pump up across the warehouse,” Hefner explains, “but before we pulled the trigger on that, we decided to reach out to Saniflo to see what they had to offer, since we had an existing relationship with our local sales representative.”
Solution: After confirming that they could accommodate the electrical components to operate the Saniflo systems, the Sanicubic 2VX duplex lift station came out on top as the unit that could adequately handle the flow and distance of the plumbing system. The decision was made to install two units to handle the wastewater coming from three new single user restroom facilities. The powerful 1.5 hp pump system provides above-floor drainage for multiple plumbing fixtures for an entire commercial structure, thus eliminating the need for costlier and less convenient pit installations.
Result: “Using Saniflo products that were readily available and didn’t require long lead time was cost-effective, compared with the equipment initially specified,” Hefner explains. 800-363-5874; www.saniflo.com
