Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Add Ports to a MANABLOC

Viega’s MANABLOC plumbing manifold allows you to run a separate line to each fixture from a central location. Each line has its own shut-off, making maintenance on one line possible without cutting off water to the rest of the house. Water reaches fixtures more quickly with these “home run” setups, while pressure stays more stable if multiple fixtures are running.

Each MANABLOC is divided between hot and cold on the inside and has a set number of hot and cold distribution ports. If you need to add more ports, a MINIBLOC may be installed in-line. It adds more hot ports if placed on the hot water line or more cold ports on the cold line. Visit SupplyHouse.com for more Viega products and MANABLOC accessories.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Pipe Insulation Tape

Poly Tape works indoors and outdoors to cover insulation joints and fittings. Designed by Nomaco to cover joints in their Insul-Lock pipe insulation, it is completely waterproof and UV resistant. This makes the tape perfect for use with outdoor air conditioning insulation. You can also wrap the tape around fittings and couplings for an extra layer of protection.

See SupplyHouse.com for more pipe insulation products and instructional videos.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Save $$$ this “Trade Tuesday”

After Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday are over, don’t forget about Trade Tuesday. SupplyHouse.com’s annual sale can help you save big money while stocking up on supplies this heating season. The larger the order, the more money you’ll save. For 24 hours starting this Tuesday (November 29th) at midnight, all orders placed on SupplyHouse.com will receive a 5% discount with promo code TT5. As always, all orders over $300 ship free within the continental United States.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

A SharkBite Starter Set

SharkBite fittings connect to copper, PEX, and CPVC. They require no tools, making it easy for homeowners to make quick repairs. SharkBite fittings can help contractors, too – whether as a temporary solution until a properly-sized copper or PEX fitting can be found, or simply to reduce inventory.

The SharkBite Contractor Kit includes many common couplings, elbows, tees, and caps, as well fitting removal tools and the U702 Depth Gauge/Deburr Tool. The kit's convenient carrying case provides easy storage for all included fittings and pieces added later on.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Taco's Zone Sentry Valves

The Zone Sentry from Taco offers the latest in zone valve technology. The valves have easy-to-use wiring and can be installed in various orientations. They operate quietly and use significantly less energy (up to 93%) than standard zone valves. An LED indicator and manual override button keep the user informed and in control. They are available as sweat or threaded, in 1/2”, 3/4”, and 1” sizes.

With the creation of the Zone Sentry valves, Taco phased out the older EBV (electronic ball valve)-style valves. Although parts for EBV valves can no longer be obtained, the Zone Sentry replacement actuator head works on both EBV and Zone Sentry valves. For more zone valves and Taco products, visit SupplyHouse.com.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Weil-McLain Aqua Plus

Weil-McLain’s new Aqua Plus indirect water heaters are now available on SupplyHouse.com. Aqua Plus models feature a stainless steel tank and a large-diameter stainless steel heat exchanger, ensuring maximum hot water output and guarding against corrosion. A sacrificial magnesium anode rod and 2”-thick dense foam insulation further promote these goals. The tanks come in five different sizes, ranging from 35 gallons to 105 gallons. They all include a temperature and pressure relief valve as well as an inspection port for easy inspection and cleaning. Adjustable feet make installations on uneven surfaces possible. The pewter and gold color options let you match the unit with any Weil-McLain boiler.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Zoning a Hydronic Heating System

When you’re creating zones in a hydronic heating system, you have two options: circulator pumps and zone valves. Both do the same job of allowing heat into areas (zones) of a building that call for heat from the thermostat. Each method is reliable, and the choice between the two ultimately comes down to a matter of personal preference. The one advantage of using circulators is that your entire heating system does not depend on a single circulator. Zone valves have the benefit of smaller electrical draws.

SupplyHouse.com offers a wide-range of circulator pumps, zone valves, and controls from leading manufacturers.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

PEX Tube Talons

PEX tube talons hold PEX tubing to wood surfaces. They are normally used in plumbing applications (to hold PEX lines in place) and heating applications where PEX must be secured to a subfloor. They are not recommended for joist bay installations, where there should be a gap between the wood surface and the tubing. The talons combine a plastic piece that holds the PEX with a nail to attach to wood.

SupplyHouse.com offers basic tube talons by the bag for 3/8”, 1/2”, 3/4”, and 1” PEX. Sioux Chief’s 555-23 talons are unique in that they work with three different sizes of PEX tubing: 1/2”, 5/8”, and 3/4”. This means fewer purchases, as well as reduced inventory for contractors.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Liquid Capacity of PEX Tubing

PEX tubing carries water for potable plumbing systems and hydronic heating systems. Each size of PEX has a maximum capacity. The numbers listed below apply to standard PEX only (not PEX-AL-PEX).

• 1/2" PEX: 0.92 gallons per 100' of tubing
• 3/4" PEX: 1.84 gallons per 100' of tubing
• 1" PEX: 3.03 gallons per 100' of tubing

Visit SupplyHouse.com to purchase PEX products for both plumbing and heating.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Insulate or Re-Insulate Your Pipes

SupplyHouse.com stocks two types of pipe insulation: Insul-Lock and Thermacel. Insulating pipes cuts down on wasted energy: boiler piping loses less heat to the boiler room, domestic hot water lines preserve more heat on the way to fixtures, and air conditioning refrigerant lines stay cooler.

1/2” thick Thermacel insulation is available in 6’ lengths for 1/2”, 3/4”, and 1” nominal plumbing and heating pipes (i.e. pipes with outside diameters of 5/8”, 7/8”, and 1-1/8”). Insul-Lock also comes in 6’ lengths, but with more wall thickness and pipe size options. Insul-Lock makes installation easy with a pre-cut slit and adhesive strip. It can even replace old or worn pipe insulation. For more information, please view the video featured on the pipe insulation product pages.

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Circulator Pump SALE

Through this Friday, save 5% on four popular circulator pump models by using promo code PUMP. Buy now and save on the Taco 007-F5, Grundfos UPS15-58FC, Bell & Gossett NRF-22, and Wilo Star S 21FX. This offer comes just in time for heating season. Free shipping is available on all orders over $300 delivered within the continental United States. To receive more SupplyHouse offers and coupons, sign up for our email newsletter.

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Slant/Fin Baseboard Splice Plates

The Slant/Fin residential baseboards and baseboard covers available on SupplyHouse.com are available by the foot in 2 to 8 foot lengths. For longer baseboard runs or distances that are a few inches away from a full foot, the solution may be a splice plate or filler sleeve. 2-inch wide splice plates cover small gaps between baseboard sections. Filler sleeves take care of larger gaps (7” or 14” for most models), and also include a back plate. Gaps between covers allow more spacing options. Right and left end caps can also lengthen baseboard covers. The covers can be cut if necessary, with a chop saw being the preferred tool. Visit SupplyHouse.com for Fine/Line 30, Fine/Line 15, Base/Line 2000, and Multi/Pak 80 baseboards and accessories.

Friday, November 04, 2011

Thermostats & Daylight Saving Time

Programmable thermostats operate based on a schedule, usually of four operating periods each day. This saves money by allowing home comfort systems to operate at lower capacity overnight and during non-peak periods of occupancy. Many programmable thermostats have an option that allows them to update their clock automatically for time changes due to daylight saving time. The clocks in Honeywell VisionPRO 8000 and Prestige series thermostats not only automatically adjust for daylight saving time, but also maintain the correct time during power failures. Other models that feature automatic time-changing ability include White-Rodgers 90 Series, Robertshaw i2, and Venstar Color Touch thermostats.

Thursday, November 03, 2011

“Power Stealing” Thermostats

“Power Stealing” thermostats do not need batteries to operate, negating the need for any maintenance and preventing unexpected shutdowns. They “steal” 24-volt power from a furnace, boiler, or control to which the thermostat is wired. Most zone valve controls and switching relays have transformers that provide low voltage thermostats with the necessary 24 volts. Batteries may be needed for backup power to the thermostat in the event of a power failure. For a wide selection of thermostats, including Honeywell, White-Rodgers, and Robertshaw models, please visit SupplyHouse.com.

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Rotten Egg Smell in Hot Water

Anode rods protect the lining of water heater tanks against corrosion. In rare instances they can contribute to foul-smelling hot water that has the odor of rotten eggs. This may occur when there are high sulfur and low oxygen concentrations in supply water. The anode rod promotes the generation of hydrogen which, along with sulfur-eating bacteria, is the final cause of the smell.

Removing the anode rod may be the easiest fix for this problem, but doing so shortens the life of the tank and voids the warranty on most models. Many manufacturers offer specially-designed aluminum anode rods that, along with chlorination of the unit, minimize the unpleasant smell. A.O. Smith units require a KA-90 anode rod to fight the rotten egg odor, while Bradford White recommends A420 anode rods. These are the water heater brands SupplyHouse.com carries. For information on other water heaters, contact a local installer, representative, or retailer.

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Rifeng Radiant Heat Manifolds

Rifeng heating manifolds provide high quality at affordable prices. Equipped with flow meters, shut-off valves, and temperature gauges, the manifolds may be ordered in configurations ranging from 2 to 12 loops. Manifold packages include loop fittings with the necessary EK20 thread to connect PEX or PEX-AL-PEX tubing to the loops. The shut-off valves connect to the manifold’s BSP supply threads and have standard NPT threads on the other side. Rifeng two-wire actuators can be ordered separately. Mr. PEX four-wire actuators also work with Rifeng manifolds.