On the Road

Getting Into the Mix

If you guessed “c” you’re correct! It probably wouldn’t surprise you to hear that most plumbing designers would answer this correctly. Why is it then that so much trouble stems from these little ... >> More

Revisiting ‘Homes of the Future’

In 1933, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) constructed a model community, Norris, Tennessee, as part of the Norris Dam project. The series of small homes served as the archetype for modern and ... >> More

Viega ProPress® will LIVESTRONG® in Kansas City

U.S. Engineering, in Kansas City, Mo., has installed Viega ProPress® copper in the new Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan. The $200 million, 365,000-square-foot stadium seats 18,500 ... >> More

Minimum DFUs and drainline carry

It’s amazing how, after being in this business for 27 years, there are still code issues that come up that I’ve never heard of, even once, in all those years of designing projects. Granted, 15 of those 27 years ... >> More

Code requirements for drainage system cleanouts

When designing sanitary or storm drainage systems, it is important for the design professional to think about how the drainage system will be maintained. For a long time, the plumbing codes have had ... >> More

The cold, hard truth about snowmelt systems

Washington, D.C., is not exactly the Arctic Circle, but we have installed a surprising number of snowmelt systems over the years, everything from walkways and front steps to a 28,000-sq.-ft. ... >> More

Elevators and sprinklers

Oh, how I long for the simpler days of years past; especially the days when it was not necessary to sprinkler elevator hoistways and elevator machine rooms. Actually, I did not want to get into the pros ...  >> More

Flagship solar combisystem controller: SLIC

In December of 2011, my company, SolarLogic LLC, reached a major milestone in solar heating control. At the MREA annual solar heating conference in Milwaukee, we announced the release of our ... >> More