Code change prompts parking garage pipe replacement
CRW Mechanical goes big with Viega’s press connect system.
CRW Mechanical ran over a mile of pipe on the project — about 5,600 feet, and used hundreds of Viega MegaPressG fittings.
By Kristin WhitE
CASE STUDY
Time savings, cleanliness and ease of installation — there were many advantages to CRW Mechanical’s use of Viega MegaPressG recently on a large project in Virginia.
The crew was brought in to work on an existing shopping center in Herndon, Virginia. The complex included 19 gas meters that had previously been installed inside a parking garage, but the local building code changed to require the meters be placed outside. So the CRW crew had to reroute all the piping to the exterior of the building and relocate the meters. Plus, the old pipes were corroded and rusting, so everything needed to be replaced.
“We were able to design it ourselves, so we could brainstorm and find the best route for the piping,” explains Brian Curtis, project manager. “We had to jog some things around the parking garage in places. But we now have everything piped to the racks, so once the meters are set in, we’ll tie into the existing system for each tenant and be set.”
Viega’s MegaPressG technology allows contractors to make flameless connections on 1/2-inch to 4-inch gas pipe in 16 seconds or less, saving time and labor, Viega notes.
CRW Mechanical has used MegaPress fittings in the past, but this project was the first time crews would install the larger-diameter ones (3-inch and 4-inch sizes). However, CRW has used larger ProPress fittings, so installation was familiar.
The contractors suggested MegaPressG fittings to the shopping center owners, noting that they would be quicker, cleaner and less smelly than weld and screw fittings. MegaPress was approved, and the crews got to work.
“We ran over a mile of pipe!” Curtis notes. “About 5,600 feet — and we used hundreds of MegaPressG fittings. So time was definitely a deciding factor for us. And the cleanliness — not having to weld and then clean up after the welding — it’s big.”
A.J. Hodges, foreman on the project, agreed the time savings were huge.
“A 4-inch weld joint vs. a 4-inch press joint — that’s like 30 minutes down the tube!” he says. “There is a significant time difference for press.”
The complex included 19 gas meters that had previously been installed inside a parking garage, but the local building code changed to require the meters be placed outside. The CRW crew had to reroute all the piping to the exterior of the building and relocate the meters. Plus, the old pipes were corroded and rusting, so everything needed to be replaced.
The complex included 19 gas meters that had previously been installed inside a parking garage, but the local building code changed to require the meters be placed outsideThe CRW crew had to reroute all the piping to the exterior of the building and relocate the meters. Plus, the old pipes were corroded and rusting, so everything needed to be replaced.
The CRW Mechanical crew was able to save nearly 500 hours on the job by using press technology over the more traditional welding on the project.
Rudy Ford, president of CRW Mechanical, confirmed the time savings: According to his calculations, the crew saved nearly 500 hours on the job.
“We were able to knock it out fast. Then we were waiting on the other crews to get their parts done,” Curtis says. “Plus, not having to clean and do the fire watch and all of that is so much off the stress level. A lot of jobs, you have to get a burn permit every morning — so just taking that out of the job saved a lot of stress.”
For Hodges, the use of Viega pressing was eye-opening.
“These fittings made the job a lot easier and more time-efficient,” he says. “And I enjoy welding. It breaks my heart to say that [pressing] tops welding! I was impressed with the speed. And after pressure testing, with no leaks, I’m truly a fan at this point.”
Photos courtesy of Viega.
Kristen White is the former manager of public relations and communications for Viega.
