The appeal of installing waterless urinals can often be boiled down to two main categories. Those two categories are water conservation (traditional urinals can use up to 26,000 gallons per year) and lower water costs. These are excellent reasons to explore the feasibility of waterless urinals. Just be aware there may be some hidden costs you’ll need to research before making a move. 

A huge factor in whether waterless urinals are suitable for you is the existing plumbing in your building. Aged plumbing not designed for a waterless application creates extra costs in service repairs. In addition, moving to a waterless system could highlight existing pipe problems and create new issues if the pipes are on an upward slope. Manufacturers recommend that drain lines slope down at least ¼ inch per foot to ensure proper drainage. 

Waterless Urinal Maintenance  

While these urinals are water-free, they are not maintenance-free fixtures. Part of the waterless urinal system involves urine passing through a cartridge. The cartridge prevents odors and sewer gasses from entering up through the pipe and into the restroom. A layer of liquid sealant forms a seal inside the cartridge. 

Changing the cartridges in waterless urinals needs to happen regularly. In addition to the cartridges needing to be changed, the pipes will need to be flushed out with a small amount of water from time to time. These costs need to be accounted for and weighed against the current costs of your building’s traditional urinals. 

 

Looking for an Expert Opinion? 

Being conscious of our environmental footprint and looking for ways to lower water usage are excellent reasons to consider waterless urinals. ColonialWebb has experience working with customers who want to switch to a waterless system and customers who have switched back to traditional fixtures. If you’re looking for a consultation or more information about waterless urinal systems, contact us here, and we’ll be happy to guide you in making the best choice for your building. 

The following indoor air quality text was originally published in video form on September 23, 2021; please scroll to the bottom of the post to view the video.

When the global pandemic first hit in 2020, Indoor Air Quality [simple_tooltip content=’An acronym for Indoor Air Quality, IAQ refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. Understanding and controlling common pollutants indoors can help reduce your risk of indoor health concerns.’](or IAQ)[/simple_tooltip] became the elephant in the room for people that were responsible for HVAC equipment — this includes everyone from CEOs to facility managers and property owners. Measures were taken for businesses to regularly sterilize horizontal surfaces, enforce mask-wearing, and increase social distancing. Individuals were doing their part, but it became clear that the infrastructure of buildings needed to adopt new practices as well.

This brought some questions to the forefront of businesses looking to optimize their indoor spaces, like, “What long-term solutions can be implemented to prevent another pandemic from happening again?” And more precisely, “How can we prevent the spread of germs and disease?” For the individuals responsible for managing HVAC systems, the pandemic has marked a shift in attitude towards indoor air quality from being a nice to have to being a need to have. The good news is that the basics of good IAQ have not changed within the context of HVAC.

There are four essential things that every commercial facility needs to be concerned with when it comes to the quality of their air:

Ventilation

The role of ventilation is to add the proper amount of fresh air from outside of your space to the air inside of your space and remove an equal amount of the old air. The role is so vital that [simple_tooltip content=’An acronym for the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers, ASHRAE’s mission is to serve humanity by advancing the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, and their allied fields with a vision of a healthy and sustainable built environment for all.’]ASHRAE[/simple_tooltip] claims it is one of the most important jobs of an HVAC system. It is the difference between fresh air and stagnant, uncomfortable air. And at its worst, poor ventilation can trap indoor air containing toxins and contaminants that can make people sick.

Put simply, the way to prevent this from happening is to increase both the amount of mechanical and natural ventilation within the building. To start, you need to at least meet the building code minimum outdoor air ventilation rates and ensure that building exhaust systems are exchanging the proper amount of air. It’s important that you know what these rates are for your specific facility type within your locality. You will want to find a test and balance professional that can help you measure your systems to see where your air ventilation rates are so that you can adjust accordingly. Testing, adjusting, and balancing are not within the skill set of most HVAC service technicians, so ensure you get the proper help you need.

ASHRAE recommends four to six air changes per hour (ACH) of ventilation for typical commercial buildings to eliminate airborne viral pathogens. However, if doing this causes an increase in energy consumption, it can be offset through other strategies like using Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERV) and improving Building Envelope Performance.

Filtration

Kind of like the lungs of an HVAC system, filters ensure that air circulating through a building is refined for human consumption — they trap particulates and contaminants that can affect our well-being. Therefore, it is important to ensure filters are replaced at the appropriate times and not get overloaded between changes.

According to ASHRAE, a filter rating of MERV 13 is recommended for most building systems. If this isn’t doable, then at the very least, have a minimum of MERV 11 filters. The chart below depicts the overall effectiveness of various MERV-rated filters. The higher the MERV rating, the more effective the filter is at capturing certain types of particles, such as bacteria and virus carriers.

Check out our blog post for more insights into MERV ratings.

System Inspections

The third essential for good IAQ is HVAC System Inspections. Much like taking your car to a mechanic for an inspection or going to the doctor for a yearly physical, your HVAC system needs to be thoroughly reviewed and assessed by experienced HVAC professionals to confirm that all system components function properly. This includes everything from temperature and thermostat checks to inspections of cooling systems, electrical connections, refrigerant levels, safety measures, coils, pressure, and more.

Filters are not the only thing that needs to be maintained in your system, so make sure to check your HVAC service agreement to ensure that comprehensive system inspections are indeed happening. Additionally, ensure that at least one Performance Level Inspection is included in your agreement. This will provide insight into the efficiency of your system and documentation for future maintenance or upgrades.

Temperature Control

We’ve all been in a building that was kept too cold for no good reason or where the heat wasn’t working during a cold spell in the winter…it’s pretty distracting, isn’t it? Both cold and hot temperatures can negatively impact productivity, concentration, and work performance.

Additionally, Thermal Discomfort negatively impacts the efficiency of the human immune system and exacerbates the impacts of illness, so it’s important to consider temperature and resulting thermal discomfort. Most temperature ranges found within buildings won’t significantly impact the viability of pathogens themselves but will affect how humans respond to them.

To better manage the temperature in your facility, you will want to implement a good thermostat system or invest in a [simple_tooltip content=’BAS (Building Automation System) An integration of digital, electronic, and/or pneumatic controls and devices to provide unattended and automatic operation of buildings systems. Systems may include HVAC, elevators, fire suppression, smoke control, security, lighting, and other subsystems.’]Building Automation System[/simple_tooltip]. These systems can vary in complexity depending on the needs of the building and keep a building’s climate within a specified range optimized for its respective occupants.

Conclusion

While getting started with Indoor Air Quality, the topic might seem vast and possibly even intimidating, but this shouldn’t be a reason to stop you from deploying the best practices we covered in this blog post. The most important thing is understanding your buildings, the respective HVAC systems, and how the spaces are utilized.

Good IAQ doesn’t have to be costly and doesn’t have to involve incorporating practices beyond the capabilities of the building professions and trades. Taking the time to better the quality of air in your buildings will lead to more productive and happier occupants and a better ROI from those occupants. Additionally, it prevents costly mechanical system repairs, legal costs, and bad publicity.

We hope this blog post helped you understand how to get started optimizing your HVAC system for IAQ. If you are an owner or manager of a commercial facility and looking to improve your indoor air quality, please visit our Indoor Air Quality service page and consider getting in touch with us to find out how we can help. Stay tuned for future IAQ content, where we will discuss topics like Ultraviolet Irradiation and Bipolar Ionization.

 

If you work with HVAC systems, then you might already know quite a bit about air filtration. After all, changing air filters is the cornerstone of most service agreements; it’s one of those things that has to be done on a regular basis and can mean the difference between bad and good indoor air. Filtration is like the gatekeeper, or first line of defense in any HVAC system — contaminants are on the offense and have to be stopped by filters before entering recirculated air.

In order to capture contaminants, your HVAC system likely requires the installation of at least one MERV rated air filter. You might be wondering, what exactly are MERV air filtration ratings?

[simple_tooltip content=’An acronym for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values, this system of rating air filters measures the ability to capture particles between 0.3 and 10 microns. The higher the MERV rating the better the filter is at trapping specific types of particles. The rating is derived from a test method developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).’]MERV[/simple_tooltip] is an acronym for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. It is an industry-wide accepted rating system created by [simple_tooltip content=’An acronym for the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers, ASHRAE’s mission is to serve humanity by advancing the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, and their allied fields with a vision of a healthy and sustainable built environment for all.’]ASHRAE[/simple_tooltip], the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning that measures how effectively a filter captures particulates using Microns. The MERV measurement scale uses a number system from 1 through 20 to rate the efficiency of capturing particulates:

• A filter with a higher MERV rating, such as a MERV 13 filter captures smaller particulates than a filter with a lower rating, such as a MERV 8.
• Lower rated filters tend to be in places such as residential spaces, while higher rated filters tend to be in communal or commercialized spaces with larger HVAC systems.
• More filtration isn’t always better. While a MERV 17 filter might make sense for a space like a surgical room in a hospital where sanitation is of the utmost importance, it wouldn’t make sense in a large commercial building because the filter’s smaller pores will block more airflow in a system.

The graphic below will give you a broad view of common applications and the sizes/types of contaminants captured for different MERV rated filters:

If you are responsible for HVAC systems in a commercial space, using MERV 13 filters is what we recommend at ColonialWebb, especially if you are looking to take the necessary steps to better your Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). If your system doesn’t allow MERV 13 or the added cost is simply out of the equation, then the next best thing is MERV 11.

The filtration needs of any indoor environment differ depending on the size, use, and number of occupants. Regardless, it is important to make sure that you are supplying tenants with air that will keep them comfortable and healthy.

If you are looking for more information on indoor air quality, we recently published a long-form blog post, Why Indoor Air Quality Matters, that serves as a great introduction to the topic. Additionally, if you are responsible for the HVAC systems in your buildings, you might be interesting in learning more about ColonialWebb’s HVAC and Indoor Air Quality services. We hoped this post helped you learn more about the MERV rating system!

When you’re trying to run a successful business – or are leasing office space to various tenants – the last thing you want to deal with is problems with your HVAC system. Rather than creating a comfortable, safe, and clean environment for your tenants, a commercial HVAC system that has not received [simple_tooltip content=’Routine Maintenance is any maintenance task(s) that are performed on an ongoing or scheduled basis. This type of maintenance is done to pinpoint and prevent problems before experiencing equipment downtime.’]Routine Maintenance[/simple_tooltip] can disrupt the day-to-day operations of your business. And worse than that? A commercial HVAC system that isn’t maintained regularly can result in costly repairs or replacements. So, what exactly is routine maintenance? It is defined as regular inspections or planned servicing which can be performed daily, monthly, quarterly, or annually. Routine maintenance is essential for keeping systems up to date and operating correctly to keep building tenants comfortable throughout the seasons. Without routine commercial HVAC maintenance, even the best equipment can start to wear out due to extended use or age. However, under the care of a trained technician, regular service will help keep all major components of your system lasting as long as possible. Here are some common questions that we hear at ColonialWebb, followed by my response:

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Q: What kind of routine maintenance does my commercial HVAC system require?

A: The type of commercial HVAC Routine Maintenance required for your system depends on if a technician is looking at your cooling, heating, or air ventilation setup. The CW team is experts at understanding the different parts of your HVAC system, and we offer various routine maintenance plans that can be customized to your needs.

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Q: How much is that going to cost me?

A: There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The cost depends on numerous factors, including things like:

• The size of your building
• Location (or region) of system
• Age of unit
• The type of unit. Typically, older units need more energy to produce the same amount of heat or air as newer units. And some models are more energy-efficient than others, which helps save money over time.

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Q: What is the life expectancy of my equipment with Routine Maintenance?


A: Your system should last between 10 and 20 years, given the proper care. If you want to dig deeper, ASHRAE has put together a list of the life expectancy for most HVAC-R equipment. 

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If routine maintenance isn’t something that you are performing regularly on your mechanical equipment, then look no further… Here at ColonialWebb, we are experts at maintaining HVAC equipment.  Whether it’s routine maintenance, repairs, retrofits, or installs, we have all of your commercial HVAC needs covered.  For more information, Click Here.

Have you ever entered a building and noticed a difficulty with opening the door followed by a rush of air moving inside? That rush of air is known as [simple_tooltip content=’Negative Air Pressure is when the pressure of the air in one area is lower than it is in another. For example, in the HVAC world, this occurs when the air pressure is lower inside of the building than the pressure outside of the building. Whenever this happens, it will cause air to flow into the room from the outside, especially when a door or window is opened.’]Negative Air Pressure[/simple_tooltip]. Typically, it is caused by a building’s HVAC system(s) exhausting more air than what is brought into the building from outside air inlets. Negative air pressure is usually most noticeable in extremely cold weather or hot, humid weather as that’s when your HVAC system is already at its max capacity.

When a building is negative, it will pull outdoor air through every opening, crack, and crevice; this air is unconditioned and unfiltered. Businesses like restaurants are even more susceptible to this as they have large exhaust systems for cooking. Often, the makeup air is turned off or not supplying the correct amount of air to keep the building in a positive pressure.

Negative air pressure causes occupants to be uncomfortable and significantly increases energy consumption. It is important to understand if your building is positive or negative, as this may help you know why you are getting occupant complaints and experiencing high energy consumption.

To avoid negative air pressure from occurring, outside air dampers on HVAC system(s) need to be opened more. This adjustment will allow the proper amount of outdoor air to replace the exhaust air. The dampers need to be opened to the degree that they will allow a little bit of extra air through – doing this will maintain [simple_tooltip content=’Positive Air Pressure is when the pressure of the air in one area is higher than it is in another.  For example, in the HVAC world, this occurs when the air pressure is higher inside of the building than the pressure outside of the building. This is what is desirable when installing and maintaining HVAC systems in buildings.’]Positive Air Pressure[/simple_tooltip] within the building.

When a building is in a positive pressure, which is desired, air will exit through doors and any openings. Instead of letting in unfiltered air from the outside, this is the air that has been filtered and conditioned by traveling through the HVAC system.

If you are looking to take care of a negative air pressure problem in your building, then you might be interested in HVAC services from ColonialWebb.

As a plumbing service technician for over 20 years, I have seen [simple_tooltip content=’A Low-Flow Toilet operates by using less water than a traditional High-Flow toilet. This type of toilet has become popular in residential and commercial plumbing in recent years as using less water to flush the toilet is environmentally friendly and reduces spending on water.’]Low-Flow Toilets[/simple_tooltip] become popular in recent years. Most people hold two common assumptions oriented around low flow toilets, including:

1. They’re eco-conscious
2. They make it more difficult to flush

The truth is, there are a few factors that business owners should consider when it comes to low-flow toilets. First, as the name suggests, these toilets use way less water than a traditional high-flow toilet, an obvious benefit. The EPA has even concluded that switching to low-flow toilets can save you hundreds of dollars each year. And let’s not forget that using less water is an excellent option for an environmentally friendly bathroom and an attractive option for going green.

The most apparent disadvantage of low-flow toilets is that they aren’t quite as effective as traditional toilet models when flushing away waste, primarily because of their overall water-saving purposes. In addition, the low water volume can lead to problems like clogging and foul odors. Another concern that business owners should keep in mind is that low-flow toilet installations can sometimes be tricky when trying to implement them into your existing plumbing systems, which is mainly dependent upon the age of your property. The waste piping in older buildings was not installed with the proper fall or pitch to support these fixtures, which unfortunately causes more clogs. In addition, these older properties have galvanized steel or cast iron drain pipes that, over time, become corroded and rusty. And if an older property upgrades to low-flow toilets, there is often not enough water to keep waste moving through the pipes.

I’ve seen many customers endure numerous service calls before concluding that the water savings from the low-flow toilets cost more. Of course, we all agree that we should be responsible and environmentally friendly. However, having to flush three or four times for one sitting, buying multiple plungers, using cheap toilet paper, and even utilizing professional jetting services is not worth the water savings of installing low-flow toilets.

The bottom line is that building owners should keep these things in mind when installing low-flow toilets in their facilities as it could be more expensive in the long run.

Have you ever heard of the saying, “Communication is the key to success?” The same adage applies to the world of building automation. Controls protocols are standardized forms of communication that allow the equipment in a building to communicate. There are many types of protocols, but there is a big difference in Open Protocols vs. Closed or Proprietary Controls.

[simple_tooltip content=’A Building Automation System (BAS) mainly focuses on automation of indoor conditions like Heating, Ventilation, Lighting, and Air-Conditioning. At the same time, its motive is to provide cost and energy efficient solutions and thereby making the buildings intelligent. In making the building intelligent, the most important thing is the communication between the different devises. Building Automation Protocols are the rules and standards of which communication is possible between different devices. An Open Protocol allows vendors’ equipment to interoperate without the need for proprietary interfaces. The main advantage of using Open Protocols is ease of expanding and the ability to allow secure remote access to the system through any standard web browser.’]Open Protocol[/simple_tooltip] allows customers the freedom to work with multiple controls contractors in supporting their building automation infrastructure. This is opposed to [simple_tooltip content=’A Closed or Proprietary BAS is a stand-alone system where all elements are produced by the same manufacturer and these elements will not be compatible with any other manufacturer’s equipment. The drawback of Closed Protocol systems come in the form of restrictions. By being bound to one manufacturer, you will also be restricted in where you can go for repairs. Additionally, it means that a decision to migrate to another manufacturer will need a complete change of system.’]Closed or Proprietary[/simple_tooltip] building automation systems that require work to be done by the manufactures technicians, which often leads to more costly service. Instead, open protocol systems can be serviced by any experienced contractor, giving customers more flexibility and options. Open protocol systems communicate seamlessly with equipment produced from different manufacturers and can be used with both new and existing equipment.

If you have the option to upgrade your building automation system, focus on an open protocol system, and don’t be afraid to ask questions! If you have questions about this relatively complex topic, you can reach out to me directly. ColonialWebb provides an Open Protocol Distech Controls Product Line that we provide to our customers built on the Niagara framework infrastructure. If you’d like to learn more about ColonialWebb’s BAS Services, Click Here.

While [simple_tooltip content=’Regular or routine maintenance that is performed on equipment in order to prevent downtime.’]Preventative Maintenance (PM)[/simple_tooltip] in mechanical systems is often commonplace, the same cannot always be said for electrical systems. If you depend on the proper running of electrical equipment, it’s time to consider scheduled electrical maintenance to prevent interruptions, downtime, and failures.

Electrical distribution systems have developed to become highly reliable over the years, with many systems spending dozens of years in service. However, distribution systems fail and can result in catastrophic failure of a facilities’ services. Additionally, one of the potential downfalls of an electrical system’s long service life is that many of the components may not have readily available replacement parts in a time of failure. A few questions that a facility owner may want to ask themselves when assessing whether PM of electrical equipment is a good idea:

• Does my electrical system support mission-critical activities?
• Does my facility already budget PM to other systems?
• How can a good PM program for my electrical equipment extend its life?

Depending on the type and age of your electrical systems, multiple PM actions should be considered, including:

• Infrared Thermal Imaging of all distribution components
• Annual PM shutdown services
• Breaker load testing
• Assessments of bonding and grounding systems

If your electrical distribution system serves critical loads, is more than ten years old, or has been prone to intermittent failure, now may be the time to start looking into a comprehensive preventative maintenance program.

The following text was originally published in the form of a video on August 11, 2021, please scroll to the bottom of the post to view the video version.

If you are reading this blog post right now, then you are inhaling and exhaling air; a process of exchange that occurs approximately 10 times every minute. And if you happen to be indoors at this very moment, then you are surrounded by air that is made up of gases like nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide among others. The composition of this air affects your health, comfort, and overall quality of life.

Indoor Air Quality or (IAQ) is exactly what it probably sounds like. The EPA defines it as “The air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants.”

Pollutants & Side Effects

To understand why indoor air quality matters, it is important to first get an understanding of the pollutants that can be found in each space and how they affect us. These pollutants can be categorized into four groups:

1. Gases
2. Particulates
3. Microbial Contaminants
4. Mass or Energy Stressors

These groups of pollutants include toxins that we have all heard of, like carbon monoxide, asbestos, radon, mold, and bacteria to name a few. Additionally, each of these toxins affects our well-being in different ways; the impact is variable and can depend on the length of exposure:

Acute Side Effects from bad IAQ might include short term symptoms like watery eyes from spraying a household cleaner or a headache from being in a building with mold in its walls.

Extreme Side Effects can include respiratory diseases or death from contaminants like carbon monoxide or asbestos.

To make matters worse, people who are often most susceptible to the negative effects of air pollutants, mainly young children, older adults, and individuals with cardiovascular or respiratory diseases tend to spend the most time indoors.

Pollutant Sources

If you are wondering where these pollutants come from, most are rooted from sources inside of buildings, although some can be brought indoors from outside.

Indoor Sources include:

• Household products, like cleaning supplies, insecticides, and paints.
• Combustion sources like tobacco, fireplaces, and cooking appliances that let out carbon monoxide.
• Old building materials and off-gassing chemicals from new building materials.
• Natural sources such as radon, pet dander, and mold.

Outdoor Sources can enter buildings through:

• Open windows, doors, ventilation systems, and abnormalities in a building’s structure, like a cracked wall or foundation.
• Smoke from chimneys and VOCs from running water or cooking.
• Dirt and dust left behind by shoes and clothing can be hosts for pollutants that adhere to those particles.

Remember earlier when I mentioned that the air that we breathe is typically a mix of gases, like nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide among others? Whenever we inhale this air, our body acts as a filtration system, and we exhale the gases that we don’t need, like carbon dioxide. If we take a pollutant and throw it into the air’s composition, such as radon, or asbestos fibers, then we are ingesting a substance that our body cannot naturally filter. This is when the human reflex of breathing no longer becomes a process of exchange. In essence, we become storage vessels for contaminants and are left to deal with the consequences.

HVAC Systems and Indoor Air Quality

When it comes to facility management, the basic upkeep of an HVAC system is often prioritized over the quality of the air that flows through it. Additionally, since the effects of air pollutants are felt and not seen, it can be easy to act like they aren’t there. In the face of the recent pandemic, we can no longer take this approach. IAQ means the difference between the spread of germs, bacteria, and disease — and in some cases, life and death.

According to the EPA, Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. The World Building Council claims that improved air quality can increase productivity by 11 percent and according to a 2015 double-blind study from Harvard, it can double the cognitive function of those in offices with average levels of the same pollutants.

In simple terms, HVAC systems are like the respiratory systems of our buildings. Unlike our body’s respiratory system though, there are ways to optimize this system to benefit air quality.

Solutions

So, what do we need to do to make the quality of indoor air good? First, reduce contaminant sources and second, capture and exhaust contaminants close to their source. When it comes to HVAC, we can take basic measures like improving ventilation, upgrading filters, conducting performance level inspections, and improving temperature control. These are all things that we will cover in a future blog post.

If you are an owner or manager of a commercial facility and looking to improve your indoor air quality, then please visit our Indoor Air Quality service page and consider getting in touch with us to find out how we can help. We offer a wide range of HVAC services that will modernize your building’s approach and create a healthy work environment for the individuals inside.