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September 2009
Welcome to The Lagina Meter – your connection to news and trends in the commercial plumbing industry, brought to you by “your trusted plumber,” Lagina Plumbing.
In this issue:
The end of copper, PVC pipe? Aquatherm has advantages
Copper and PVC have long been the material of choice for many plumbing uses, particularly for potable water systems. But we're seeing growing interest in polypropylene piping made by the German company Aquatherm and available in the U.S. since 2007.
Aquatherm piping offers a number of advantages for building owners, including the integrity of joints that virtually eliminates the risk of leaks, but also thermal stability that can reduce costs and an incredible durability, according to David Baldus of Hydro-Flo in Brookfield, the area manufacturer’s rep for Aquatherm.
Ends are Heat-Fused
 Pipe ends are heat-fused, creating a connection that is leak-proof. The fusion process chemically unites each piece. To see it in action, watch the butt fusion video or the socket fusion video. A user needs to acquire a fusing system, which basically consists of brackets, trimmers and a heating plate.
Aquatherm’s piping is well suited to prefabrication to further ensure quality; we’re pleased to be able to work with it in Lagina Plumbing’s prefabrication shop.
Lagina Plumbing will use the Aquatherm piping for the plumbing system it is designing for a Milwaukee high rise, and on more projects in the near future.
Could Become Material of Choice
“While Aquatherm products are not yet widely used in the U.S., we expect that to change because they are such great materials for plumbing,” said Jim Lagina, president of Lagina Plumbing. “If you’re looking for the greatest reliability in plumbing systems, Aquatherm is the new material of choice.”
Aquatherm’s “greenpipe” is recognized as one of the safest and longest lasting potable water systems available, Lagina said. Baldus noted the product’s 50-year warranty. Climatherm piping was developed for applications outside the potable water installation. Climatherm includes all the advantages of Aquatherm greenpipe, but is engineered and priced for chilled water, hydronic heating, and industrial applications.
Natural Insulation Value
Unlike copper and steel, Aquatherm’s pipes have a natural insulation value. When combined with the thin and efficient Aquatherm Advanced wrap, the system has a thermal value equal to or better than what is required by ASHRAE Std. 90.1.
“In many cases, you don’t have to add insulation to the pipes,” Baldus said.
In these challenging economic times, Aquatherm piping offers another advantage -- the material is not subject to dramatic price fluctuations that affect metals. Building owners and developers thus get more precise cost estimates for plumbing projects, and contractors are relieved of the risk of taking a hit if commodity prices sore.
Contributes to LEED Points
Based on its thermal and durability attributes, Aquatherm’s piping can contribute to water-related points for LEED -- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Additionally, as a polypropylene product, greenpipe and Climatherm are recyclable, unlike piping with chlorine composition, such as PVC.
“It lasts long, and if you do need to remove it, it’s recyclable, so it has a lower carbon footprint,” Baldus said.
The piping comes in sizes up to 10 inch. In some cases, the smooth inner walls of Aquatherm’s pipe allow for use of smaller pipes than with conventional piping.
Aquatherm’s piping is UL listed and meets all plumbing codes.
Ask us how Aquatherm greenpipe or Aquatherm Climatherm piping can benefit your next building project.
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In Memoriam: Al Zien, a Plumbing Industry Leader and Visionary
The Lagina Plumbing family mourns the death of Allen Zien -- a plumbing industry pioneer who passed away June 24 at age 93. Through the family business, Zien Plumbing, Allen was years ahead of the times by his use of plumbing prefabrication. Lagina Plumbing owes its current use of plumbing prefabrication to insights learned from Allen back in the 1970s.
“He was a true leader in our industry,” said Jim Lagina, who worked with Zien early his career.
 Zien continually sought a better way to do things, Lagina added. That determination led to what became known as the Zien Wall, a patented prefabricated plumbing system used in high-rises and other multi-story structures.
The system earned U.S. Patent No. 3618622, and is described by the Patent and Trademark Office as “utilizing factory preassembled units incorporating both water supply and drainage piping complete for one or multiple floors and installing the units generally prior to the construction of the wall which is to contain the plumbing, and thereafter erecting the wall to fit the plumbing. The units are assembled from pipe sections rigidly joined together and with the supply pipes tied or banded to the drain pipes at prearranged crossings to provide the plumbing for a plurality of service rooms disposed adjacent to one another or one above another as may be desired, and to provide a generally rigid portable unit suitable for transfer from the factory to the construction site.”
A Market Leader
“It was cutting-edge stuff, no one in the marketplace was looking at things the way he was, nor coming up with innovative and more efficient ways to develop plumbing systems,” said Lagina.
Gary Mueller, who also worked with Zien and Lagina, said Zien didn’t know the phrase “can’t do.” According to Mueller, who is now retired, Zien was a creative thinker who liked to solve challenges.
“He started the Zien Wall with a one-story system and eventually were making four-story systems that would be dropped in place with a crane. It was pretty amazing,” Mueller said.
When Lagina Plumbing moved into its current facility in 2007, the company included a prefabrication shop to gain the quality control and efficiencies of prefabrication that Jim Lagina learned from Zien.
Prefab Even More Efficient These Days
“Now, with technologies such as Auto CAD and Total Station, prefabrication is an even more efficient and preferred way to build plumbing systems,” Lagina said.
Part of Zien’s creativity was his response to challenges posed by tough economic times, Mueller said.
“We had our share of difficult economic times, but we learned how to get through those times by becoming leaner and smarter,” Mueller said.
Zien encouraged those around him to take the same “think smarter” approach to things, according to Mueller. “To him, if you tried something new and it didn’t work, it was not the end of the world, it was a learning opportunity, a chance to figure out how to make it work.”
Zien was one of four brothers who joined the family business, and became “the engine” of the business due to his people skills, Mueller added. “He really had a way with people -- both customers and employees,” Mueller said.
A Man of Character
Both Mueller and Lagina praised Zien for his character.
“He was just an honest, respectful guy and a total optimist,” Mueller said. “And he was good to the community without expecting any attention for that work.”
Lagina agreed, noting, for example, the work Zien did for Habitat for Humanity. “He just did it because it was the right thing to do; he never got his name on anything and he didn’t expect to.”
Read Allen Zien's Obituary in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Lagina Plumbing Donating Installation
for New Fixtures for Milwaukee City Hall
Lagina Plumbing is donating the labor to install 22 new toilets at Milwaukee City Hall. Kohler donated a portion of the fixtures while United P&H donated some and provided others at low cost. "As a business located in the city of Milwaukee, we're happy to provide this support and to help the city gain higher efficiency in its water use," said Jim Lagina, president of Lagina Plumbing.
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Water Rates Rising? Use Less with Efficiency Products, Systems
Recent news stories have noted increases in the cost of water for some municipalities. You can cut your water use, and thus your water costs, by installation of water efficiency products. The folks at Kohler have a great selection of proven products, some as simple as faucet aerators. Give us a call to learn more about options for reducing your water use.
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Thinking Big Despite the Recession? Share Your Vision
While some companies only think of how to cut back during a recession, others temper their lean measures by thinking big and planning long-term. If your company is of the visionary sort, let us know why you think big; we'll share your valuable insights with others via the Lagina Meter, so together we call can become stronger and get beyond these challenging times. Let us know via e-mail.
Building? Expanding? Renovating? We Can Help.
Thinking of new construction or a building upgrade? Call us for creative, resourceful and dedicated plumbing design, fabrication and installation. Call 414-645-7527.
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