# Need ideas for Maintence plan.



## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

I have an opportunity with a local small school (1000 kids max) to put them on a plumbing Maintence plan. We currently do all the emergency and plumbing that the in house crew can't handle. 

What would you suggest I offer. 
I am thinking:
baseline:
-Everything should get snaked or jetted first. 
-Everything faucet related needs rebuilt or new sensor type. 
-What about the lead law? is it time to replace all faucets & drinking fountains.
-hwh drained and burners cleaned. 

Other issue: they have a hot water storage tank that needs painted. Should I consider painting? 

Parking lots drains: baseline jetting and I think it's time to have a septic truck clean all catch basins. 

Earlier this summer we found a 24" storm drain that nobody knew about. I Think it's time for a crawler?


Any thoughts or suggestions would be great


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

what is there annual budget for this? before spending time putting something together, try and get some input on what areas they are worried about, if it is lead, then put together a presentation on how bad lead is and how they could end up in litigation if they dont get rid of it( that always motivates them to spend the money)..


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

No budget set. They asked me to come up with an plan and a price.

I am looking for suggestions as to what service to offer.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

the best service is to remove possible issues that deal with kids, if the faucets are old and contain lead, then show them documentation that they should upgrade to new faucets, then show them all the touch free sensor faucets that can help stop the spread of germs and kids from getting sick, anything you can make the school look good in the eyes of the parents will help them spend more money, now its up to you to show them for health and safety and long term returns on there investment( not expenditure )..is how you sell to customers like that..


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## rwh (Dec 17, 2014)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> the best service is to remove possible issues that deal with kids, if the faucets are old and contain lead, then show them documentation that they should upgrade to new faucets, then show them all the touch free sensor faucets that can help stop the spread of germs and kids from getting sick, anything you can make the school look good in the eyes of the parents will help them spend more money, now its up to you to show them for health and safety and long term returns on there investment( not expenditure )..is how you sell to customers like that..




This sounds like a great way to sell faucets and make everyone feel good. As a plumber, father, taxpayer, etc. I am concerned very little with the lead content of the lavi faucets, or the drinking fountains for that matter.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

I wouldn't clean all the drains but I would recommend a complete drain and lateral inspection to highlight any possible issues.

Everything else sounds good.


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## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

gear junkie said:


> I wouldn't clean all the drains but I would recommend a complete drain and lateral inspection to highlight any possible issues.
> 
> Everything else sounds good.


I second this. A preliminary and thorough inspection of the laterals throughout the facility with a very detailed report (for your records) indicating where potential problems can or will arise. Sensor faucets are great for kids but not for high school kids as they deface the sensors with scratches and markers making down time constant. 

Look at their flushometer valves throughout the facility. Flush and time each one (a typical 1.6 flushometer flushes at rate 4-4.5 seconds, and can be a good gauge for determining water waste). I did this for my local high school I do work for and discovered not only constant running valves but toilets averaging as much as 11gpf so I did some investigation into water use....after replacing all the flush valves and following up a 3 month billing cycle while maintaining them in proper operation....they saved an average of 300,000gallons of water/month just in buttoning up toilts urinals and faucets (it's not detrimental due to the schools typical water use fee breaks, however it's the image it portrays in today's water drought issues we deal with) I've done this with restaurants as well and have decreased their waste upwards of 50,000 gallons/month. 

I'm currently working on eliminating the schools old Bradley hand wash stations at the locker room restrooms. These sensor stations are old but more importantly have longer down times due to special ordering of parts and due to the general design of the unit with transformers contactors and what not, as well as the solenoid a being an in line design so when ones down, the all 3 in the station are down. I will be having custom 10' long stainless steel hand wash trough sink that will utilize standard Chicago push style metered faucets all off of individual angle stops that will be hidden with tamper proof stainless skirting making repairs or replacement as breeze as well as being able to turn of each individual one and place out of order and schedule repair. They loved this iidea as making repairs to the current units were a p.i.t.a. for scheduling in the girls locker rooms so typically someone was always staying late after school fixing them.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

rwh said:


> This sounds like a great way to sell faucets and make everyone feel good. As a plumber, father, taxpayer, etc. I am concerned very little with the lead content of the lavi faucets, or the drinking fountains for that matter.


when it comes to stuff like that..the PTA mommies have all the power, and anything that sounds good for kid safety they will buy into...this is to make money for your company.....not charity work..


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## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

Jet thru clean out(s) main sewer line(s) once a quarter, and inspect all fixtures and flushometers. Recommend fixture replacements when needed at a 10% discount on labor only.


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## rwh (Dec 17, 2014)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> rwh said:
> 
> 
> > This sounds like a great way to sell faucets and make everyone feel good. As a plumber, father, taxpayer, etc. I am concerned very little with the lead content of the lavi faucets, or the drinking fountains for that matter.
> ...



I get it. Screw them how you can. Water conservation is a noble cause. Lead leaching from essentially lead free lavi faucets that no one drinks from? Waste of money. About as dangerous as the asbestos in the vinyl flooring.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

rwh said:


> I get it. Screw them how you can. Water conservation is a noble cause. Lead leaching from essentially lead free lavi faucets that no one drinks from? Waste of money. About as dangerous as the asbestos in the vinyl flooring.


I gather from your comments you are not a business owner ..thats fine, we all can have our opinions..


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## plungerboy (Oct 17, 2013)

rwh said:


> I get it. Screw them how you can. Water conservation is a noble cause. Lead leaching from essentially lead free lavi faucets that no one drinks from? Waste of money. About as dangerous as the asbestos in the vinyl flooring.


I'm not looking to screw them. They asked me for some ideas and it my job to present them and let them decide. 
If they choose an expensive option then that's a bonus for me.


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## rwh (Dec 17, 2014)

plungerboy said:


> rwh said:
> 
> 
> > I get it. Screw them how you can. Water conservation is a noble cause. Lead leaching from essentially lead free lavi faucets that no one drinks from? Waste of money. About as dangerous as the asbestos in the vinyl flooring.
> ...



I was replying more to shtrnsdwnhill. In my opinion the drain work sounds worthwhile. If the faucets have functional issues, sell the upgrade. The lead part is a sales pitch.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

rwh said:


> I was replying more to shtrnsdwnhill. In my opinion the drain work sounds worthwhile. If the faucets have functional issues, sell the upgrade. The lead part is a sales pitch.


ummmmmmmm, thats part of it..I guess the company you work for doesnt sell any services or products................


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

rwh said:


> I was replying more to shtrnsdwnhill. In my opinion the drain work sounds worthwhile. If the faucets have functional issues, sell the upgrade. The lead part is a sales pitch.


Isn't everything a sales pitch? You say it like it is a bad thing.


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## rwh (Dec 17, 2014)

plbgbiz said:


> rwh said:
> 
> 
> > I was replying more to shtrnsdwnhill. In my opinion the drain work sounds worthwhile. If the faucets have functional issues, sell the upgrade. The lead part is a sales pitch.
> ...



I should have said "The lead part is a hustle."


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

rwh said:


> I should have said "The lead part is a hustle."


sorry but it is not, in the early days of manufacturing faucets, they did use lead in the mix to seal pinholes and porous brass...so when water sits over night in a faucet it leeches into that water....does the school still have those old faucets?? unknown..just like the schools are abating lead paint and asbestos and any other material the EPA comes up with that is dangerous for long term exposure..
now if you want to talk about hustle..lets talk radon....


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## rwh (Dec 17, 2014)

Radon, biggest hustle of all.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

rwh said:


> Radon, biggest hustle of all.


Agreed,,thats a complete scam...


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> Agreed,,thats a complete scam...


Not necessarily,here in ky radon is a major issue,in fact our old courthouse has had every county clerk die of cancer,they did radon test and it was as high as it could be,come to find out the original drains went into a cave out in the yard,but several yrs ago all the sanitary lines were rerouted to the city sewer,but come to find out all the floor drains in the basement were still going into this cave/septic system all these yrs causing the high radon readings,also these floor drains in basement had no traps on them at all,the Radon had a straight shot into the blding,we put traps on all the drains and added negative pressure pumps all around the blding,and it brought the radon levels down to minute levels,so radon is serious business in ky,we all believe that the radon caused the cancer in all our clerks thru the yrs:yes:


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