Zurn Blog

For a lot of us, “the dead of winter” means that we’re knee deep in snow — or dealing with stubborn ice accumulation brought on by chilly weather. If you’re a small‐to‐mid‐sized business or a home with a demanding driveway, you can prevent these precarious precipitation issues by including a PEX Snow and Ice Melt System the next time you pour concrete. What is a PEX Snow and Ice Melt System? A PEX Snow and Ice Melt System is a convenient way to stop snow or ice from accumulating on your property. Easily embedded in your concrete slab, it provides a long‐lasting winter solution that makes shoveling, salting, sanding and snow‐blowing driveways, walkways and patios a thing of the past. How it works The PEX piping is filled with a mix of water and anti‐freeze, such as propylene glycol. This fluid is in a closed loop that circulates through the PEX piping embedded in the concrete and a boiler. The PEX piping transfers heat to the concrete so the snowflakes melt when they touch the concrete. The system's snow sensor continues the fluid circulation until the concrete surface is safe and dry. Debunking the a‐b‐c grading myth If you believe that PEXa, PEXb or PEXc is a distinction between good, better and best, you’ve been misinformed. This a‐b‐c designation is actually a European classification that denotes the manufacturing method of the pipe: “a” designates that the pipe was manufactured using the Engel method. “b” designates that the pipe was manufactured using silane method. “c” designates that the pipe was manufactured using Electron Beam method. The truth is, all PEX pipe is made to the same exacting standards and must be third‐party certified to be used in North America. However, because there are subtle differences in burst strength, flexibility and chlorine/UV‐ resistance levels, one type of pipe stands out from the rest. PEXb melts best PEXb is structurally superior, thanks to the resin blend. Its silane manufacturing method far exceeds the strength standards and achieves the highest UV/chlorine rating, making it a radiant heating and snow melting standout because of its strength and flexibility. Learn more about our full line of PEX products on zurn.com.

The workforce shift to home environments emptied commercial buildings across the nation. Dynamic gyms, bustling offices, lively dormitories, and other once-filled public spaces pressed pause at least once in recent months. As building owners reopen, there are water safety issues to consider. Lead, copper, and harmful organisms, like Legionella, often accumulate in stagnant water, making it hazardous for employees, guests and residents. There are steps building owners can follow to prevent contamination and improve water quality over the long term. Flush Out as a First Line of Defense Before people begin flowing through your doors, flush out your building’s water system via all points of use. If you detect odor, you’ll want to get water moving through a few times, until it subsides. If occupants return in segments, consider repeating the flushing protocol for several months in corresponding phases. Now is also a good time to do some maintenance: Check on pressure reducing valves and backflow preventers. If there is standing water, look for debris and sediment in the water, especially for solutions with steel-on-rubber elements. Inspect the strainer screens. Strainers also catch debris and sediment, which can build up over time. Clean out strainer screens, as part of the flushing protocol. To minimize any aerosolizing of bacteria from the water system, clean out flow controls or aerators in your system. Consider changing them over to a laminar product. Is your building smart? You can schedule automatic flushouts based on your operation. Set sensor faucets to turn on once a day to purge the lines. Use smart, also known as IoT-enabled, technology, like Zurn plumbSMART, to monitor usage, set up custom alerts for high or low usage, and track trends. That data can be used to adjust the building’s water management plan for optimized performance and ideal intervals. Combat Bacteria and Control User Temps Water temperature also helps reduce risks associated with water stagnation, particularly against bacterial growth. While the right hot water temperature can combat bacteria, such as Legionella; it can scald hands during handwashing. So, how can you address both safety issues at once? Thermostatic mixing valves control temps at the source, instead of the water heater. That way you can: Inhibit bacteria growth before it reaches point of use Cut down on wasted running water, while waiting for right temps Ensure consistent, safer temps for user comfort Prevent risk of bacteria growth and scalding at once Upgrade economically without major install steps or system changes Understand the Risks of Legionella and Take Control Legionella is a naturally occurring bacteria in fresh water that can be hazardous to humans. The bacteria can grow in large plumbing systems. People who breathe in aerosolized contaminated water droplets may develop a serious lung infection known as Legionnaires’ disease. Usually this disease is treatable with antibiotics. However, it is fatal in about 1 of 10 people.1 Maintaining a temperature of 140° F in hot water heaters can minimize the potential of Legionella growth. In Summary… All these proactive steps can help building owners battle the issues of water stagnation and improve water quality. Zurn offers a range of water control and connected products and solutions to fit your goals and budget for water safety and quality. Visit zurn.com to learn more. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Legionnaires’ Disease Fact Sheet, 7/18/2016.

What makes more sense? Choosing the right touchless technology. When it comes to sensor product actuation, you have two options—solenoid or motor-gear operation. Before we break down the differences, let’s quickly cover the mutual benefits. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll stick to restroom fixtures. First and foremost, they’re touchless, whether it’s a faucet or flush valve. Both allow users to wash their hands or flush the toilet without physically touching a handle or button, which helps cut down on germ transference and user concerns. Both come with low-flow options to reduce water waste. Both can be upgraded to connected capabilities, using IoT wireless monitoring for data insights. Finally, both typically outlast many manual alternatives. To sum it up, both are preferred by today’s restroom standards for efficiency and hand hygiene. Now let’s break it down further by taking a look inside the technology. How Solenoid Sensors Work Solenoid technology combine an IR sensor, solenoid valve, power source, and electronics module to physically start and stop waterflow, using push/pull movement. Once it senses an object's presence in front of the faucet or flush valve, the solenoid pulls open to initiate the flow of water. When the object is no longer present, the sensor and control electronics push the solenoid valve to terminate the flow of water, but only after a predetermined time has passed. Another differentiator is the location of the technology. Solenoid valves are positioned in the direct path of the water flow in order to properly sense the user. However, this can be problematic over time as dirt and debris accumulate. When that does occur, the fixture may cease to actuate, which leads to repairs or replacements. All and all, solenoid sensors operate dependably and accurately. How Motor-Gear Sensors Work Motor-gear platforms take sensor operation to the next level of performance, making them ideal for high-use commercial restrooms. The dual action of the ceramic disc cartridge and motor-gear operation reduce the moving parts in the water pathway. But it’s much more than working with less. The ceramic disc cartridges wipe against each other in a way that self-cleans and prevents debris buildup. TPE-constructed components, such as the diaphragm, gaskets and seals, resist corrosion. That and all the above allow motor-gear solutions to tack on more years to their lifespan—typically lasting around one million cycles, if not longer. Added features take the benefits from the maintenance team to the guest experience. The technology’s soft close activation creates a seamless, quiet flow. The gears turn slowly and steadily, which releases pressure and prevents water hammer. And while water hammer damages the plumbing line (not great), it’s equally negative for the user—no one enjoys loud clanking, flush after flush. Motor-gear faucets and flush valves also tend to deliver even greater precision. Their downward and forward angled IR sensors detect users without delay or wasting water. No matter how you upgrade, you can’t go wrong with touchless solutions—solenoid or motor-gear operation.

Bluetooth comes up short with range, analytics, bandwidth, security and more. Imagine this: You’re confronted with a DIY project or some serious cleaning you can no longer put off. You pop in your wireless headphones to get in the zone. It’s working its magic. You’re feeling productive, enjoying a podcast you’ve been meaning to check out. You quickly run outside to throw out the garbage and...(signal lost). The problem is Bluetooth can only take you so far. That is, unless you’re willing to carry your device with you from task to task (which is a no). Bluetooth falls short in other areas aside from limited proximity, such as bandwidth, security, and data mining. Leverage LoRa for a Smart Restroom True IoT-enabled, Cloud-enabled products rely on LoRa devices for their intelligent data analytics and far-reaching range. In fact, LoRa literally translates to Long Range. Its function is in the namesake. How much so? Your entire ecosystem of plumbing products should only require this single gateway device. LoRa covers a 1,000-ft spherical radius and can communicate with up to 900 products—you can acquire loads of restroom insights from that! What’s more, you get a lot of gusto from the gateway. LoRa has a very persistent signal. As mentioned, with Bluetooth you must be close in range. Even when you put a mesh network together, you are limited by distance and the number of products that can communicate to one device. LoRa, on the other hand, manages an entire building of products, great distance and far fewer disruptions, while cutting down on power consumption. Whether it’s hardwired or battery operated, Zurn has the largest number of smart plumbing products that will keep you connected anywhere in your building. Connected Faucets Connected Flush Valves Connected Backflow Prevention

New construction tends to organically LEED the way to increased energy and water efficient measures. More and more commercial operations innovate through technologies, and contractors design smarter and leaner every time they break ground. Customers expect businesses to be more environmentally aware, which adds even more motivation. Still, you don’t have to go back to square one to reduce your footprint and achieve your LEED certification. Existing buildings can earn points (and prove them) by upgrading to IoT-enabled technology. LEED recognizes green buildings across the world with approximately 70,000 building projects rated and registered as LEED in the US alone since the program came out. For existing businesses that may not want to rebuild, data helps them find opportunities and prove efficiencies. LEED rating systems for existing buildings Building owners have options for pursuing LEED certification, depending on their goals, such as cost savings, increased productivity or operational enhancements: LEED Operations and Maintenance (LEED O+M) – used to certify the operations and maintenance of a building project – rates both the physical systems and the way the building is operated. You can work towards LEED O+M for the entire building or simply approach a specific area within the building, such as a cafeteria or exercise room. LEED for Interior Design and Construction (LEED ID+C) centers around improving the interior for people’s wellbeing, not just the environment’s. This option works well for shared spaces, especially ones in metropolitan areas or that experience high traffic over long periods of times, such as office buildings. Smart water solutions for both certification options In both cases, the Smart Water Systems help owners score points for certification (and score points with customers). Connected products, enabled by IoT technology, improve, measure and verify a building’s water consumption and water system efficiency. The LEED Smart Water Systems credit focuses on data collection, analysis and data-driven efficiency improvement. This is where smart technologies come in. Connected plumbing fixtures and devices gather data to alert owners of leaks and dive deeper into water usage insights. From there, facilities teams can better control water consumption, performance thresholds and preventive maintenance. For example, with connected faucets and connected flush valves, facilities teams can closely track fixture usage patterns and water consumption metrics and trends. They can set customized alert parameters to detect issues and repairs needed, and reminders to perform preventive maintenance at low-traffic times. They can also learn more about the restroom environment itself, allowing them to lower flow settings, etc. Connected backflow preventers can monitor flow, pressure and allow for remote shutoff. Maintenance and facilities teams can also view relief valve discharge over periods of time. That way, they can get a better handle on total water used from your municipal water supply and segregate those metrics from your building’s use of other water sources. Backflow preventers dually work towards LEED by conserving indoor greenspaces. Bottom line: Monitoring is the key to gaining a better understanding of an existing building’s water system and usage patterns and data takes you to the certification finish line. Connected products allow facilities management teams to identify opportunities to reduce water consumption and make data-driven decisions that can prevent major issues or water loss. Top 3 Reasons LEED certification is much more than a rubber stamp to show your commitment to sustainability. There are measurable operational benefits and economic impacts. Here are the top three: Higher building occupancy and lease rates According to data analysis by the S. Green Building Council, LEED-certified buildings attract more tenants at higher rents than non-green buildings. Reduced energy and water use A year-long assessment of 22 sustainably designed US buildings, revealed the LEED-certified buildings used 25% less energy and 11% less water than industry average. What would that mean for your utility bills? Competitive market advantage and improved financial performance Real estate investors look for a faster return, making the property more valuable. On top of that, building owners may experience local and federal tax breaks, greater profits from a boost in productivity, and lower energy and water consumption costs. Interested in connected products to improve your building’s efficiency? Visit zurn.com/plumbsmart to start your path to LEED Certification without a complete rebuild.

Virtual, split schedule, or in-person with safety measures—however you’re back to school, you’re doing what’s best for your students, staff and community. There’s the physical aspect to promoting hygiene. There’s also the emotional aspect. You want everyone to feel comfortable within your environment. K-12 education faces unique challenges, depending on age and structure. By nature, younger students want to be social and interact and play. At the middle and high school levels, students engage in collaborative learning. They also frequently flood the hallways throughout the day. How can you maintain positive interaction for development while adhering to safe measures? Take steps that make sense for your community As school facilities reopen, many are encouraging handwashing education, social distancing strategies, and cleaning and disinfecting best practices. Many are also addressing fluctuating building occupancy levels and density of traffic flow. Here are a few of the practical steps school administrators and facility managers plan to integrate to offer some peace of mind and help minimize the spread of germs. Implement alternating schedules to reduce student volume during the school day. Reorganize desks in a pattern that encourages socializing from an appropriate physical distance, such a circle with the teacher’s desk included. Reduce the frequency students switch classrooms or enter the halls for breaks to control traffic flow. Add temperature stations at all entrances, which can be run by staff or automated. Upgrade HVAC air filters, and supplement HVAC systems with portable air cleaners. Install HEPA filtration. Increase ventilation by keeping classroom windows open, even a few inches, when appropriate for temperatures. Add handwashing stations or make hand sanitizer easily accessible throughout your building, especially around entryways with doorknobs or handles. Make restrooms the ultimate sanitation station School restrooms are the epitome of shared-surface, high-traffic areas. Consider updating restrooms with touchless technologies that contribute to a cleaner environment. Touchless solutions that are IoT-enabled (connected) allow facility and maintenance managers to monitor and understand restroom usage so they can adjust traffic patterns and cleaning protocols. Touchless and smart technologies for restrooms include: Connected sensor faucets – a concealed sensor lens enables hands-free operation to reduce the spread of germs, while wireless monitoring technology tracks data on usage, water consumption, and preventative maintenance No-splash handwashing systems – sensor-operated faucets and soap dispensers mounted in a wide, shallow basin enable students to complete handwashing quickly and effectively in school restrooms without touching surfaces, bumping elbows or splashing water Handwashing scorecard – connected solutions capture students’ handwashing ratio, frequency and duration in real time to promote hand hygiene Connected sensor flush valves – enable facilities managers to monitor flush valve usage count, water consumption, and preventative maintenance for toilet systems and urinals—all while students and staff go through the motions without manually flushing. Investment in upgrades to smart, sensor-operated restrooms will create value for schools over the long term no matter what the new normal looks like. Zurn offers a range of connected solutions, depending on your budget and desired results. If you’re looking for a more immediate ROI, Zurn’s touchless solutions (without smart capabilities) also enhance the restroom experience, helping to reduce germs on surfaces and hands. For additional information and best practices for cleaning and disinfecting, visit the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC), a division of ISSA.

Did you know there’s a global observance today? It’s nothing to do with pumpkin spice or bubble wrap appreciation (that is indeed a real designation). No, today we draw our attention to something more critical and relevant than ever—sustainable sanitation and public health. November 19 marks World Toilet Day—an awareness and actionable campaign spearhead by the United Nations. Just how critical is WTD? Currently, 4.2 billion people around the globe do not have access to safely managed sanitation. 673 million lack any form of toilet systems and 3 billion lack basic handwashing facilities. Untreated human waste can spread diseases into water supplies and the food chain for billions of people, and an estimated 432,000 people diarrheal deaths occur every year. World Toilet Day aims to tackle this global problem and achieve sustainable sanitation and water for all by 2030. Since commencing in 2001 and an annual observance starting in 2013, its reached great milestones through working with public and private sectors, including hygienic programs and toilet system installations in healthcare facilities in wide-reaching developing countries. Last year, we were fortunate enough to donate our solutions and monetarily for future projects underway this year and beyond. We look forward to hearing more about the progress after installation and will keep our audience updated. Here are some ways you can join the movement and raise awareness on your own. Straight from the UN—here’s how YOU can recognize WTD Learn: Read up As strange as it is to say, the history of the toilet, and plumbing in general, is a fascinating read. From the ancient Romans to the Middle East to John Crapper and today’s futuristic thrones, there’s plenty to learn about. A Brief History of The Flush Toilet Share: Post something From facts to inspirational stories, share posts from the UN-Water, Plumbers Without Borders, or even Zurn. You can find stories, data and social media content from the UN website. Don’t forget #WorldToiletDay! Act: Act on it With the help and guidance of UN-Water and its partners, you can host an event to raise for the cause. You can even virtually connect with others interested in making a difference. Whether it’s simply educating yourself on this global crisis, posting for others to learn too, or taking action, no measure is insignificant. If this year has taught us anything, it’s that we can find community during challenges and personal growth after problem solving. Above all, we are thankful for our health.

Connect the right power source for your restroom Is your maintenance team manually monitoring each fixture in every restroom? Are your guests still manually (and miserably) flushing levers, pushing buttons or lifting handles? You’re ready to automate both experiences by upgrading to connected, touchless flush valves and faucets. This IoT-enabled technology delivers real-time alerts and insights for preventative maintenance, while the sensor operation ensures a hands-free, stress-free visit for users. Building owners optimize water usage, costs, and resources and keep their guests happy. The case is made in your mind, but you still have question marks around your options. Does it matter if you connect using hardwire or battery powered? Are there pros and cons specific to your industry? Here are considerations to help guide your decision and get you closer to less manual and more data. BATTERY BENEFITS Battery-connected fixtures make a smart, flexible choice for lower-traffic restrooms or operations where power outages could impact safety. They reduce costs, simplify the installation process, and cut down on maintenance through real-time alerts and insights. Lower Costs Battery powered solutions save up to 30 percent in energy costs by eliminating the power running to fixtures. Simplified Installation With no need to run wire to fixtures, you’re guaranteed a more non-intrusive install with fewer steps and grumbles from your team. Low Maintenance Battery powered also helps you sidestep any downtime in the event of a power outage. And while batteries must be swapped, low-to-medium traffic environments only require replacements every three to four years. Recommended industries at a glance include hospitals, small businesses, restaurants, retail, public buildings and educational institutions. Connected Battery Sensor Faucets Overview Connected Battery Sensor Flush Valves Overview HARDWIRE HIGH POINTS Now, if you experience high traffic at steady rates or if you have too many restrooms to even count off the top of your head, you may want to consider hardwire. Hardwire-connected fixtures help your team lower long-term operational complexity and consumable items costs—again through the valuable tracked and analyzed data. Reduce Operational Complexity When you go hardwired, you eliminate ongoing battery-replacement cycles in larger buildings, as sensors receive their power in a mechanical chase or drop ceiling. That means, you’ll also reduce your consumable items cost. Recommended industries at a glance include airports, stadiums, entertainment venues, high-rise buildings and large-scale hotel proprieties. Connected Hardwired Sensor Flush Valves Overview Connected Hardwired Sensor Faucet Retrofit Kit Overview BOTH EQUALLY SMART Whether you choose battery or hardwire, you can connect your maintenance professionals to valuable product data to ultimately achieve a seamless guest experience (and save some costs in the process). From alerts to analytics, connected flush valves and faucets give you, your team and users an advantage. Remote, Real-time Alerts Receive high-use and high-water-consumption warnings and real-time alerts remotely via email, text and/or mobile push notifications. These timely alerts can help prevent flooding, leaks or any other major repairs in your restrooms. Advanced Analytics A virtual inspection monitors your devices and sends alerts on restroom anomalies created by factors other than the electronics. You can also keep track of handwashing scores when combined with connected flush valves to promote hand hygiene best practices. Data, Data, Data Your team can do a ton with the ongoing insights you receive: ☑️Plan ahead with an automated maintenance calendar ☑️Manage and maintain daily product performance better through smart analytics ☑️Dive deeper into product trends ☑️Assess your user patterns ☑️Pinpoint peak hours for scheduling and identify high-demand usage for your future projects All this great data will allow you to cut back on water, manual maintenance and costs. CLOSER TO CONNECTED Ready to upgrade to both a touchless and connected experience? You have options now with battery and hardwire. Already have touchless, but still want a smart restroom? There’s no need to swap out entire fixtures. Retrofit kits can get you connected in fewer steps and at a much lower cost. Sensor Data Delivery 101 Data that’s collected gets communicated from the faucet/flush valve sensor to a gateway. Once transported to a portal, it’s analyzed to deliver real-time notifications and deeper-dive insights to facility managers and maintenance personnel via email or text.

Handwashing seems like a relevant topic…well always. We do it daily, multiple times a day. It helps us maintain hand hygiene. It helps us prevent our germs from transferring to other hands, doorknobs, shared objects, etc. Well in honor of Global Handwashing Day—which is Oct. 15 (put it in your mobile calendar)—we’re going through the tips you may miss every time you lather your mitts. Now, you’re probably thinking: Okay, I’m an adult; I know how to wash my hands. Well, would you believe us if we told you only five percent of adults wash their hands properly after using the restroom, according to a Michigan State University study? It’s true. Let us explain. Most of us know the magic number, recommended by the CDC, is at least 20 seconds to wash your hands. But did you know not drying your hands completely can spread germs? Yeah, like 1000X more germs. Woof. Did you also know you should wet your hands before you use soap and start to wash? If you’re among the 95 percent of people who aren’t washing their hands properly—it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 below. We can all have a hand in protecting our health and each other’s. Wet your hands with water (warm or cold) and apply soap. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Don’t forget your thumbs! Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Here are 20 songs for 20 seconds, because the birthday song can get old (get the joke?). Rinse your hands well under clean, running water. Dry completely your hands using a clean towel, paper towel or hand dryer. Finally, make a point to wash your hands every time you sit down to eat, grab a snack or use the restroom. It’s an easy habit to form and a way to do your part. Support This Way If you want to do more than properly wash your hands, you can spread awareness (instead of germs), get involved in causes, like Global Handwashing Partnership, or upgrade to a touchless restroom. Visit GlobalHandwashing.org On their website, you can find ways to promote hand hygiene or give to the cause through virtual events. You can also share their material or follow us on LinkedIn to repost their message while saving a step or two. Install touchless solutions within your facility’s restrooms From flush to wash to dry, make the entire experience hands-free and worry-free for your staff and guests. Our fixtures and hand dryers that activate using sensor technology detect the user without delay or wasting water. Tell healthcare facilities about our touchless product donations Finally, if you know of a healthcare facility in need of touchless sensor flush valves or faucets, you can direct them to our donation page to see if they qualify.

When our ‘normal’ worlds turned upside down, we began speculating what would permanently imprint our daily lives. What new habits would stick around for good? What would we instantly go back to doing as soon as we could? Formal handshakes? Maybe. Maybe not. Hugging loved ones? Absolutely. We will return to enjoying time with friends and family, dining and entertaining, and travelling for both work and play. Perhaps those familiar practices will be slightly modified, but we will bounce back as a society even safer than before. The smart toilet era is here! hands-free technology We’re already seeing it unfold. Businesses are turning to hands-free technologies to ensure public health and peace of mind. Touchless solutions, especially in the restroom, allow for more control over the environment to reduce the spread of germs. Many of our customers are installing touchless faucets and flush valves, even as we write this blog. But technology can take us a step further than touchless in this new environment. Now is the time connected products and solutions, like plumbSMART, will really help rebuild user confidence. Data driven insights allow businesses to promote best practices, clean more effectively and conveniently, and space out users—all to ease guests’ anxieties. Did you miss our Touchless + Connected Webinar? Download it now! Let’s look at a recent use case An airport client recently installed connected flush valves and faucets. Shortly after, the maintenance team received high activation alerts on their plumbSMART dashboard for one specific flush valve. The flush valve activated 358 times during the night on May 15—a non-peak hour for the airport. The maintenance team identified the problem in real time. They quickly assessed that debris was obstructing the diaphragm. Within minutes, they were able to clear the debris from the diaphragm and get the flush valve back in working order—all before the airport even opened the next morning. These insights are only possible with a connected flush valve or a connected faucet. If not identified sooner, the restroom lines would elongate, the toilet could overflow, the environment would be messier and possibly unsanitary. Above all, guests would be turned off and their well-being affected. Connect your restroom to deeper insights and better hygiene Decision makers will install touchless, hygienic solutions in their restrooms as we consider the user experience and adapt to make it better. Here’s what a connected restroom can offer: Handwashing scores Smart maintenance schedules Usage patterns and trends Real-time alerts for preventative maintenance and cleaning tasks Reduction in water usage consumption Improved efficiencies and costs Ability to identify leaks and stop them How will your restroom look in the coming months? Explore touchless and connected solutions.