What Long Term Revisions to the EPA Lead and Copper Rule Mean for Plumbing. Because of recent awareness of lead pipes and lead water contamination across the United States, especially in Flint, Michigan, it’s no surprise that the EPA is revising the rules for lead and copper. As a building manager in Chicago, you’ll want to be up-to-date on the changes so that you can make the best decision when it comes to ensuring the safety of your resident’s drinking water. EPA Lead and Copper Rule The EPA started regulating lead and copper potable water pipes in 1991. Since then, there have been numerous minor and major revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). The initial rule mandated that lead and copper cannot exceed a certain number of parts per billion in 10 percent of sampled taps. Specifically, copper cannot exceed 15ppb, and lead cannot exceed 1.3ppb. The Flint Water Crisis and the EPA’s Lead Copper Rule Proposed Revisions to the Lead Copper Rule Changes to the Lead and Copper Rule were proposed on November 18, 2015, by Rep.
How to Deal with a Plumbing Emergency on a Tight Budget. When you have a plumbing emergency, knowing what to do and how to pay for it can expedite the repair process and help limit the amount of water damage on the affected floors and inside the units. Here at Nu Flow, we recommend having a 24-hour emergency maintenance number available for your tenants to call, an emergency maintenance plan and an emergency budget. What is a plumbing emergency? An emergency with your plumbing is any type of situation in which your building could experience catastrophic water damage if the problem isn’t remedied quickly.
This includes burst pipes, overflowing toilets, flooded bathrooms, leaking water heaters and boilers, sewer backups and plumbing pipes that are leaking in numerous locations. What should I do if I have a plumbing emergency? If you have an emergency, you should turn off the water to the affected fixtures or tenant unit. Do you have a plumbing emergency budget? What should you do if you do not have a plumbing emergency budget? 4 Hazards of a Poorly Maintained Ventilation and Exhaust System. Most modern buildings utilize a mechanical system to maintain the indoor comfort of the staff members, residents and visitors. The mechanical system used is typically the HVAC unit. HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning.
When the system is in operation, it either heats or cools your indoor air and filters it for certain air pollutants before delivering it throughout your building via a duct system. HVAC systems, especially advanced systems, also allow fresh air into the building to improve ventilation prevent stale, stuffy air. Ventilation and Exhaust Systems The ventilation portion of your HVAC system provides fresh air and climate controlled air to the rooms of your Chicago building.
Exhaust systems are typically found in kitchens and bathrooms. Hazards of a Poorly Maintained Ventilation System A poorly maintained ventilation system: 1. 2. 3. 4. How Cleaning the Exhaust and Ventilation System in Your Building Improves Indoor Air Quality. The Value of the Plumbing Contractor Property Manager Working Relationship. If you are like most Chicago property managers, you have an in-house maintenance team that provides timely repairs to your building’s plumbing system. Most of the time, these repairs involve fixing small leaks and replacing fixtures, but what happens when the job is larger than your maintenance team can handle? In this instance, you need to have a good working relationship with a licensed plumbing contractor. What is a licensed plumbing contractor? A licensed plumbing contractor is plumbing company that is licensed with the state and appropriately bonded and insured.
They are familiar with all of the plumbing codes, rules and regulations for the cities and the state where they provide services. In Illinois, you can find contractor databases on the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the City of Chicago websites where you can search company names and license numbers. How are plumbers licensed? Apprentice plumbers must be enrolled in a qualified training program.
Creating Optimal Air-Flow: Your Apartment Building Ventilation System. Apartment building ventilation systems should provide your residents with fresh, clean air while controlling the loss of climate controlled air and humidity. This can be accomplished with a variety of ventilation systems, including natural, mechanical and hybrid systems. As a Chicago property manager, you should take the time to learn what type of ventilation system is in your building and if that system meets your residents’ needs. Signs Your Apartment Building Ventilation System is Not Meeting Your Residents’ Needs The biggest problem with bad ventilation is poor indoor air quality and low levels of comfort in your Chicago apartment building.
It may also cause your heating and cooling equipment to work harder, resulting in an increase in your electric and/or gas bills. 5 signs: Stuffy rooms or stale airHigh indoor humidity levelsVisible moisture on windowsIncrease in indoor allergy systemsResidents complaining of feeling ill while inside the building Ventilation System Basics 1. 2. 3. When Trenchless Pipe Repair is Not the Best Option for Your Building. Trenchless pipe repair is a great, affordable option that allows you to fix your plumbing pipes without breaking through walls and digging up your landscaping. However, there are certain instances where trenchless pipe repair may not be your best option. Your Pipes Are Beyond Their Useful Lives Trenchless pipe repair only works if you have some useful life left in your pipes.
If the walls of your plumbing pipes are incredibly thin or significantly cracked, they may not be able to withstand the preparation process that trenchless pipe lining technology requires. In order to successfully install pipe liners and epoxy coatings, your plumbing pipes must be cleaned using either a specially designed tool that has cutting blades or an abrasive material that is blown down the pipes. If it is determined that the preparation process could cause significant damage to your pipes, due to their current wear and tear, you would be better served by having your pipes traditionally replaced. Corrosion. Laying the Groundwork for an IoT Smart Building with a BAS System. As winter approaches, you may be thinking about the high costs of heating your multi-unit residential building in Chicago and the increased lighting costs that come with reduced sunlight.
Thankfully, reducing your overhead costs may be as simple as utilizing a Building Automation System (BAS) with the Internet of Things (IoT), and once you install the system, you won’t just save money during winter, you will save money all year long. Creating Your Smart Building When building automation and the Internet of Things are combined, you have what is known as a Smart Building. A building that is 'smart' utilizes advancements in technology to monitor the structure’s vital systems and components, including the HVAC system, lights, security system and water. Building Automation Systems (BAS) The process of precisely controlling your residential building’s mechanical and electrical systems starts with a Building Automation System.
The Internet of Things (IoT) Open Source Technology. Know the Answer to These 3 Questions Before You Have a Plumbing Problem. When it comes to your plumbing pipes, it is imperative that you know the details of your system before it starts failing. Water damage from leaking pipes can lead to mold, mildew and even fungus growth, which could negatively impact your residents’ health. It also wastes water and increases water bills.
The EPA estimates that 1 trillion gallons of water are wasted each year as a direct result of leaking water fixtures and pipes. Thankfully, you can prevent these catastrophes. 1. Every Chicago property manager should know the macro and micro-details of their residential building system before a plumbing problem occurs. Booster Pumps. 2. In multi-unit high-rise apartment buildings, condos and co-ops, the vast majority of the vertical vents and risers are located in the walls. 3. Traditional Total Pipe Replacement. Inspecting and Lining Your Plumbing Pipes with Nu Flow Our pipe lining experts, here at Nu Flow, can inspect your building’s plumbing pipes via a building pipe assessment. Know the Answer to These 3 Questions Before You Have a Plumbing Problem.
How To Make Your Packaged Rooftop Unit Last Longer with Preventive Maintenance. As a facility manager, building engineer or building maintenance staff member, it is your responsibility to make sure that the commercial HVAC rooftop unit on your building is well-maintained and functioning correctly, but what happens when budget cuts make performing timely maintenance and repairs nearly impossible? The short answer is that your rooftop unit may not last as long, and you may start experiencing failures and the need for budget-busting repairs. What is a Packaged Rooftop Unit?
Commercial rooftop HVAC units contain your air conditioner and furnace in one neat package that sits on top of your residential high-rise commercial or industrial building. They typically contain an evaporator coil, a reheat coil, an air filter, an exhaust system, return air dampener, a burner or heating unit, one or more fans and a heat exchanger that is all controlled by a processor. All of these components work together to provide you with cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter.
Residential Pipe Lining: Solves Clients Leaky Roof Drain Plumbing Problem. Epoxy pipe lining can be used to stop leaks in all types of drains, including potable water lines, sewer lines and drain lines. Recently, we had a homeowner call us about a leaky roof drain in a residential home in Highland Park. She told our technician that every time it rained, she noticed water spots along the wall that encased the drain. She wondered if we could apply our residential pipe lining technology to her water leak problem.
Needing more information on the condition of her pipe, we agreed to send a a licensed plumber from partner company, Althoff Industries, out to perform a camera inspection. Roof Drain Camera Inspection and Assessment On the scheduled appointment date our plumber arrived to perform the camera inspection. Relaying the images, our plumber found some corrosion, leaves, dust and scaly buildup. Explaining the Findings Our plumber empathized with the situation. Roof Drain Repair with an Epoxy Liner Repairing the Residential Pipe with an Epoxy Liner. Top 4 Multi-Unit Residential Plumbing Mistakes. If you are a property manager or owner of one of the 600 apartment buildings, condos or co-ops that has a membership with ABOMA or a Chicago property manager that will soon be in control of one of the 40 new Chicago highrises that are currently being built, you are probably wondering how to avoid large-scale plumbing repairs and plumbing mistakes.
The first step to preventing plumbing mistakes is understanding the most common plumbing errors performed in multi-unit, high rise residential buildings. 1. Not Explaining the Hazards of Drain Cleaning Chemicals on Pipes When most plumbing consisted of copper, cast iron and other metals, using caustic drain cleaners to occasionally unclog pipes rarely caused damage to the plumbing system.
However, caustic drain cleaners do cause problems with plastic pipes. Conventional, store-bought drain cleaners contain a mix of powerful chemicals that are designed to eat through clogs. 2. 3. 4. Preventing Pipe Corrosion with Nu Flow. Why Your Elevator Machine Room Likes to 'Play it Cool' Do you know the optimal operating temperatures of your elevator machine room equipment?
According to a National Institute of Standards and Technology report entitled High Temperature Operation of Elevators, elevators operate best when their machine rooms are kept between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Machine room air temperatures that are hotter or colder can lead to equipment failures. Traction Elevators Traction elevators are commonly found in high-rise buildings that have more than four-stories.
These elevators are often chosen for their speed and ability to be designed for any height. Traction elevators are operated by a machine controlled rope and pulley system that raises and lowers the elevator. Elevator Machine Rooms Rooftop elevator machine rooms are practical and economical because they do not take up valuable space inside your building, but the rooftop location can spell disaster for your elevator’s mechanical and electrical components. Hazards of a Hot Elevator Machine Room. 'Tenant Star' Programs: Occupying Tenant Space Efficiently.
Have you heard of the new Tenant Star programs? The EPA is currently working with Energy Star to develop energy efficient tenant programs that provide incentives for decreasing the energy usage in tenant spaces. The legislation for the program was passed and signed into law by President Obama on April 30, 2015. A feasibility study by the Department of Energy was completed in April 2016.
Proposed Benefits of Tenant Star Tenant Star programs appear to be primarily geared towards commercial and retail tenants, which comprise approximately 20 percent of all energy consumption in the United States, as reported by the Energy Star feasibility study entitled Energy Efficiency in Separate Tenant Spaces on page 4. On page 5 of the feasibility study, it is estimated that 940 trillion Btus and 5 billion dollars could be saved each year if all commercial buildings were able to reduce their energy consumption by 20 percent.
Planning for 20 Percent Energy Savings Tenant Star Program Benchmarks. A Future Look at Your Commercial HVAC System. Have you thought about the age and condition of your commercial HVAC system? If you’re like most property managers, you don’t think too much about your HVAC system until you are too hot or too cold or the unit stops working. In order to keep your HVAC system running efficiently, it is important to consider your unit’s past and present while planning for the future. Past When was your building’s HVAC unit installed? Most HVAC systems are designed to last a maximum of 20 years with proper maintenance. Without proper maintenance, your unit may only have an expected useful life of 10 years.
In fact, most air conditioning and heating technicians state that every year after the first 10 is a bonus year in the life of your heating and cooling system. If your HVAC system is at or past the 10-year mark, you should seriously consider replacing it, especially if it still uses R-22, which is also known as Freon. Present How often do you have your commercial HVAC system serviced? Future. Which Leaks First? Copper vs. Plastic Water Plumbing Pipes. When it comes to choosing copper vs. plastic water plumbing pipes, one of the things you need to take into consideration is the durability of each type. Copper has been used since the late 1940s and gained wide popularity in 1963. Plastic piping was first manufactured in the 1960s but wasn’t widely used until the early 1990s.
Copper Water Pipes Copper water pipes are still the most common type of plumbing pipes used today because of their longevity, durability and corrosion resistance. Copper plumbing can be purchased as rigid or flexible tubing. Rigid copper tubing comes in three types, including M, L and K, with M having the thinnest walls and L and K having the thickest walls. Copper Pipes and Corrosion Copper water pipes are extremely prone to corrosion when they are subjected to high water acidity. Er eats away at the walls of the pipe, causing pinhole leaks and leaks at seams and joints. Stopping Copper Pipe Leaks Plastic Water Pipes. 5 Reasons to Have a Building Performance Assessment Done This Summer. Two Common Types of Plumbing Pipes Used in Multi-Unit Residential Construction.
Stop Chemical Leaching from Plastic Pipes with Epoxy Liners and Coatings. Get Better Indoor Air Quality Management Results By Following These Tips. Stop Detecting Leaks and Start Solving the Problem with Epoxy Pipe Lining. Pipe Retrofitting Solution for Leaky Pipes. Is Your Environment Leading to PVC Pipe Failure? 5 Questions Every Property Manager Should Have about their Plumbing Pipes. Understanding Energy Benchmarking and Its Importance for Your Residential Building. Top 4 Reasons Your Chicago Building Is Experiencing PVC Pipe Failure. A Frozen Air Conditioner is Not a Sign that Elsa Made a Visit. Is Your Building Plumbing System About to Become Your Worst Nightmare?
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Waste Drain Vent Pipe Corrosion Leads to Big Problems. 20, 70, 100? At What Age Will Your Chicago Plumbing Pipes Burst? #1 Modern Convenience Taken for Granted in Chicago Multi-Unit Buildings. Improve Resident Comfort Levels with this HVAC Installation. Behind The Walls: A Plumbing System for Multi-Unit Residential Building. How Pinhole Leaks in Copper Piping Can Lead to Tenant Disaster. Attracting Millennials to Your Residential Building with Green Features. How Internal Pipe Coating Saves Money vs. Pipe Replacement. The Power of Prevention for Your Chicago Building Plumbing Drain System. Inspect Your Multi-Unit Hot Water System to Prevent Higher Utility Bills. A Property Manager's Responsibility to Clogged Common Area Drains.
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Listen: It's a Millennial Homebuyer Knocking. Why We Charge for a Plumbing Pipe Assessment. Water Pipe Assessment Solutions to Fit Your Budget. Awesome Company Culture Attracts Millennial Building New Hires. What You Can Expect During a Pipe Lining Assessment. Up To Code Solutions for Life Safety Regulations at Your Chicago Property. Corroded Plumbing Pipes are Ticking Time Bombs. Why 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind' Thinking Leads to Big Plumbing Problems.
Fresh Ideas to Increase Your Building Product Sales with the Large Builder. The Skills Gap Facing the Building Industry. The Future of Building Maintenance for Chicago Property Management. 7 Steps to Hiring a Chicago Contractor for Condo Building Repairs. Six Environmentally Friendly Plumbing Solutions for Property Managers. Worth 1000 Words: Tell Your Building Materials Story with Instagram. Protecting Drinking Water from Lead In Pipes. A Chicago Property Manager's MidWinter Building Check-Up List. Chicago Property Manager: Tankless Water Heater vs. Traditional. Why A Lighting Upgrade is a Good Idea for Your Chicago HOA. 12 Facts Chicago Property Managers Should Know About Going Trenchless. How the Building Industry Attracts the Female Homeowner on Pinterest. How to Fix a Salt Corroded Garage Drain Pipe. Why Routine HVAC Maintenance is Important - Year Round! Who Needs to Say 'Yes' in the Building Products Market Is Surprising. Mapping for the Building Products Market.
A Chicago Property Managers Guide to Saving An Aging Plumbing System. Energy Retrofits for a Chicago Property Managers Building. How Houzz is Changing the Building Industry. Re-Commissioning Your Building to Ensure Its Sustainable Future. Selling your Building Materials in the Digital Age: Virtual 'homework'
Building Automation Systems Average 15% Savings for Property Managers. 9 Plumbing Maintenance Tips For Chicago Property Managers. Added Cost or Smart Move? Preventive Electrical Maintenance Plans for Your HOA. How a Chicago Property Manager Plans Ahead for Inevitable Emergencies. Fight the Chicago Winter for Your Residents With a Green Energy Audit. Chicago Property Management: Resolution for a Smarter Building. Chicago Property Manager: Signs That Your Tenant Has A Leaky Shower. 9 Tips for Hiring a Right Pipe Restoration Contractor.
Chicago Property Manager: Winter HVAC Preventive Maintenance Tips. What is the Right Pipe Lining Solution for Chicago Property Managers? Chicago Property Managers: Energy Savings Resolution. Chicago Property Managers: How to Become Best Friends with Your HOA. An El Nino Winter: What This Means for Chicago Property Managers. Property Management or Resident? Who is Responsible for a Busted Pipe? $1 Million Savings With Pipe Restoration. It's All In Who You Know: A Property Manager's Best Allies.