Applying heat trace cables to branch sprinkler lines on fire suppression piping can be risky business. Protect yourself with the correct information because, fire suppression branch line heat tracing may not be approved by the fire inspector.

One fire inspector we consulted said, "unless it's been tested to all of the NFPA 13 guidelines and specifications, forget it."

What is NFPA 13 and what does it state?

• NFPA 13 is the standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems. It is not a testing standard as some fire inspectors may believe.
• NFPA 13 (4-3.1.8.2) states that you cannot use heat tape instead of a heated valve room to freeze protect preaction valves, deluge valves, and supply pipe.
• NFPA 13 (5-14.3-.1-.2) states that pipes leading up to this point can be freeze protected by a reliable means, which includes electric heat tracing.
• NFPA 13 Chapters 4 and 5 state that branch lines must be preaction, dry type, or antifreeze systems.

Additionally, I.E.E.E. recommends that the fire alarm panel should have an alarm input from the heat tracing control device that monitors pipe temperature, voltage, and electrical current of the heat tracing cable.

Is there a UL listing for branch circuit lines?

To our knowledge, there is no listing to meet. Read the fine print in the products UL listing for heat tracing of fire suppression pipes, and you'll see it excludes branch sprinkler lines.

Delta-Therm's Ed Witte states, "using heat trace cable for piping other than the branch lines can be acceptable by building personnel if the installation is in compliance with NFPA 13, but the system must be approved by the authority having jurisdiction prior to the project start to avoid any possible issues."

When you have an application for fire suppression or sprinkler pipe heat tracing, get approval from the fire inspector in writing.

Landings and stairs retrofitted after Wisconsin energy law repeal

CLIENT
In the Ojibwa language, Wausau means “a place that can be seen far away.” So it's fitting that the city should be home to Dudley Tower, the tallest structure in central Wisconsin. Built in 2007, the 10-story office building has 500 employees, two of its occupants being a well-known law firm, and Miron Construction Co., one of the largest contractors in the Midwest.

CHALLENGE #1
Employees enter the building by walking up one of several attractive two-inch thick concrete staircases, or utilizing a long, sloped concrete ramp, also two-inches thick. In the winter, keeping these areas free of snow and ice was a constant battle.

Shoveling and salting was labor intensive given the number of snowfalls each year in the Wausau area. The building's corner location, at First and Scott Streets, made it susceptible to tremendous wind currents. Its close proximity to the Wisconsin River exacerbated the situation.  

“With the winter time conditions, which we found out afterward, just to keep the snow cleared was a full time job,” said Wade Reimer of Miron Construction Co. “Then having a place to go with all the snow. We had challenges there.”

At the time of construction, the International Energy Conservation Code prohibited the installation of heat trace cables in sidewalks or pathways in the state of Wisconsin unless the building was used for medical purposes. Though the owner and its builders wanted to take a proactive stance against snow and ice, they could not do so legally. However, said Reimer, “the owner of the building had the vision that the law would be repealed.”

In 2008, the law was repealed and not a moment too soon. Workers had had enough of shoveling and salting after one full season. Dudley Tower now had the green light to pursue a better method.

CHALLENGE #2
After opting to install a competitor's cable and retrofitting 3,000 square feet, the owner expected to be free from snow and ice woes. But a year later when the system wasn't performing adequately, Delta-Therm was called in. It was determined that the system's 37 watts per square foot was not enough to melt the snow and ice. But because it partially melted it, ice formed at the nose of the stairs creating a hazard instead of preventing one.

“With the present system that we have in place, we have had to barricade off the corner stairs,” said Reimer. “We don't even use those stairs when it snows. We have chains that we hang across.”

SOLUTION
In the fall of 2009, Reimer supervised a project to replace half of the competitor's cable with Delta-Therm's mineral insulated cable. Portions of stairs, landings and the handicapped ramp were treated.

“The system runs about a third of the time as what the competitor's system would run,” he said. “You're using more energy for a shorter duration of time, and you're getting safer conditions.”

Delta-Therm's system has weathered 15 to 20 snow storms since then, enough for Reimer to make some startling observations.

“I could get the pavers to be 100 degrees at a 0 degrees outside temperature,” he said.

Delta-Therm's president Tom Slagis offered cautious calculations when consulting with Dudley Tower, recommending a minimum wattage output of 55 watts per square foot.

“There were some shortfalls on our competitor's design that were never addressed,” said Slagis. “Our design was based on A.S.H.R.A.E. standards and our own empirical data that tells us we should be around 55 watts per square foot on a typical application.”

Reimer boosted that to 80 watts per square foot, and asked for four runs of cable on each stair tread instead of three. “We wanted a clean walking surface,” said Reimer.
Slagis also identified several “heat sinks,” or areas between the heated portions of pavement and stairs that needed to be insulated. Reimer was able to address those trouble spots to prevent heat loss.

“We had the opportunity to tear all that out and put insulation between the heat sinks and the heated areas,” he said. “We would not have done that if we hadn't gone with Delta-Therm.”

RESULTS

Quality
Reimer is convinced that the Delta-Therm system is superior to the competitor's system. “As it snows, it doesn't even stay wet for very long and you'll see steam coming off of the pavers,” Reimer said. “It dries very quickly and we have a large handicapped ramp so that's a very important thing.” Meanwhile, the competitor's cables are not fully melting the snow and ice.

Installation
Reimer says his workers were able to space the Delta-Therm cable farther apart than the competitor's cable, therefore getting the same amount of heat, but buying less cable because of its quality. “It's able to take on more wattage so you're able to raise the heat temperature a lot quicker and sustain the heat a lot better than you are with that other cable,” he said.

Maintenance
The competitor's cable, which is one continuous piece, will have to be entirely removed if there's a problem with performance. Delta-Therm's cable comes in sections making replacement, if needed at all, a whole lot easier.

“I think that through all of this, the Delta-Therm system is probably going to be easier to maintain or to replace a component of it,” Reimer said. “I'm a firm believer in the mineral insulated cable versus the competitor's cable,” said Reimer. “It's built a lot better, the connections are all well-thought through, and designed properly.”

Know How
Delta-Therm was better than the competitor at communicating with and meeting the needs of its client. “I would say they were more knowledgeable by far, and by far more professional,” said Reimer. “We've got a system in the ground that's working, and Tom is still calling me wondering how it's going every time we have a snow storm. I never heard anything from the other people.”

 

Melting snow and ice is normally done for safety concerns. But Delta-Therm’s mineral insulated roof deicing cable assemblies went one step further to save the delicate exterior of a historic church in Chicago.

CLIENT
Located at the corner of Adams and Ashland in Chicago’s Jackson Blvd. Historic Landmark District stands Church of the Epiphany, an 1885 Romanesque church. The historic gem boasts two Tiffany mosaics on either side of its altar, stained glass windows, light fixtures from the 1920s, and walls of terra cotta blocks, among other unique architectural elements.

Built in the Richardsonian style after the famous 19th century architect who built Boston’s Trinity Church, the building is well known for its historical significance to the Chicago area and represents one of only three churches to have 19th century stenciling. The stenciling features a delicate lily motif that runs throughout the interior of the church.

"If you could select a dozen churches in Chicago that are of great significance to the city, it would be in the top 12 in terms of its architecture," said Ward Miller, an architect on the Church of the Epiphany Restoration Project.

The fragility of such a structure - with all its beauty, history and architectural significance – was discovered several years ago when parish members learned the exterior of their church was in great jeopardy.

CHALLENGE
Water and ice were wreaking havoc, causing structural damage every winter to the delicate sandstone exterior. Possibly due to undersized downspouts and high gables, a frozen waterfall would form and cling to the north side of the building, shielded from sun by mature trees. The process occurred when snow and ice would fall, melt, and drip down the sandstone only to refreeze later in the afternoon or evening. Layer upon layer would build up, and soon it was apparent that the original sandstone exterior was being compromised.

The frozen mass, said Miller, "was three times the actual size of the stone work at the corner."

In addition, water was infiltrating over the southeast corner of the church, damaging interior and exterior walls. Rotted window frames, loose bricks, and gutters dislodging were all indicative of water damage and drainage problems that needed immediate attention.

"It was really more of an issue about preserving this historic landmark for the next century," Miller explained.

SOLUTION  
Renovations at the church took place over a period of 10 years. To address the frozen waterfall, in 2001, 1,200 feet of Delta-Therm’s mineral insulated roof deicing cable assemblies were installed in a zig zag pattern, attached at the lower two feet of the lowest part of the gabled roof. Melt water was sent down a drain.

"The roof deicing system was designed to be removable because they were going to replace the roof," said Ada Cryer of Delta-Therm.

When it came time for the scheduled roof tear-off, Delta-Therm’s product was removed and successfully reinstalled on a new asphalt roof.

"It’s my understanding that they re-used the entire system," said Miller. "That was the original intent."

In addition, heat tape installed on the flying butresses above a breezeway prevented snow and ice build-up. This allowed the sidewalk below, which was a pathway connecting the church to its school (now a parish/community house) to remain clear and dry.    

RESULTS  
"People were absolutely delighted that the system worked as well as it did," said Miller. "It was almost unbelievable. We were just so impressed by the difference it made in alleviating a terrible situation."

Members of Church of the Epiphany began questioning if they had gotten the same amount of snowfall the year the system was installed. But after two years, they began to realize that the system was 100% efficient in alleviating the frozen waterfall and keeping the sidewalks clear.

"There was absolutely no icing on the facade," said Miller.

The public right of way is clear each winter. Sidewalks around the church do not have ice pooling from the church’s dramatic roof since the heat tape melts it before it can accumulate and drip over the roof edge onto the sidewalks below.

"It really did resolve all our issues pertaining to ice and drainage," said Miller. "It was a very happy, happy congregation."

Tim Crets is enjoying the best of both worlds. As a customer service representative for Delta-Therm, Crets gets to talk to customers, and he exercises his technically-savvy side as well.

I knew that I could understand what people wanted and the type of system that they wanted because I already know the electrical side of everything, he explained.

The 31 year-old Palatine resident spent four years in the Navy as an aviation electrician. Before that, he earned an associate's degree in electrical engineering from ITT.

His education and training in the Navy - which he says taught him discipline, hard work and attention to detail provided the perfect springboard for a position at Video Jet Technologies in Wood Dale. I worked as a Technician III for five years there, he said.

After being laid off, he called a friend at an employment agency who told him about Delta-Therm.

I took this job because I wanted to get out of the technical field and I wanted to deal more with the customers, he said.

Crets joined the Delta-Therm family in December of 2008. He provides inside support and application design for two direct sales people, answers customers' technical questions, provides field assistance which includes take-offs and job site visits, and follows up on completed projects.

We needed to add someone in the department with some type of electrical background who could pick up the electrical terms and application design quickly, and who could handle himself on a job site, said Ada Cryer. We decided that Tim's associate's degree in electrical engineering, Navy experience, and five years providing technical support on industrial manufacturing printers ideally suited him for this position.

Crets is currently working on a project in Glencoe, IL for a customer who is installing a custom roof and gutter deicing system. He has been visiting the residence to take measurements and communicate with the consulting firm on the project.

 The customer seems to love every bit of it, he said.

Being patient and having a fast response time, plus an overall friendly disposition are the secrets to being a successful customer service representative, he said. Also, it doesn't hurt that he can talk sports with just about everyone in the Delta-Therm office.

There's not one person that I don't get along with, he said, adding that there are a lot of baseball fans in shipping and manufacturing.

Crets is a big St. Louis Cardinals fan. No one here in the Chicago suburbs gives him a hard time about that, he jests, because they know my team is doing so good.

Raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Crets graduated from DeSoto High School in 1997. His military service took him to Pensacola, Florida and later, Chicago. He lived in Schaumburg before moving to Palatine to be closer to Delta-Therm's Wauconda location.

In his spare time, Crets hunts turkey and deer. He has been known to tinker with mechanical things like radio-controlled cars and helicopters, and he likes taking long bike rides through Deer Park near his apartment.

Crets is happy to be part of the Delta-Therm team, and sees potential with his position in the company.

This job gives me a lot of opportunity to encounter people face-to-face, he said. I'm not locked up in a factory somewhere. It's nice to talk to people and help them out.

page 1 of Q.I.G. for wiring a DTC120-G to Power Control Panel with G.F.P.E.

We just added 9 new Quick Install Guides to our literature library for our DTC120-S, DTC120-PS, and DTC120-G snow melting and roof deicing control line.

These are full color illustrative guides on how to install and wire your control to one of our three load switching panels: Enclosed Contactor, Control Panel with G.F.P.E., or Low Noise Relay Panel. There is one wiring guide per control and load switching device, step 5 changes depending upon which panel you are wiring the control to.

page 2 of Q.I.G. for wiring a DTC120-G to Power Control Panel with G.F.P.E.

Below are the pdf files for each quick install guide:

DTC120-S snow melting control
	DTC120-S Wired to Enclosed Contactor Panel
	DTC120-S Wired to Power Control Panel with G.F.P.E.
	DTC120-S Wired to LNR Panel
DTC120-PS snow melt control
	DTC120-PS Wired to Enclosed Contactor Panel
	DTC120-PS Wired to Power Control Panel with G.F.P.E.
	DTC120-PS Wired to LNR Panel
DTC120-G roof deicing control
	DTC120-G Wired to Enclosed Contactor Panel
	DTC120-G Wired to Power Control Panel with G.F.P.E.
	DTC120-G Wired to LNR Panel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

page 1 of Q.I.G. for Installing M.I. Cable Snow Melt Assembly in Concrete

We just added 3 new Quick Install Guides to our literature library for M.I. snow melting cable assemblies today. These are full color illustrative guides on how to install your M.I. snow melting cable assembly in an asphalt, concrete, or sand bed (pavers) slab. 

page 2 of Q.I.G. for Installing M.I. Cable Snow Melt Assembly in Concrete

Click here to download the pdf files:

• M.I. Cable Snow Melt Assembly in Asphalt Q.I.G.
• M.I. Cable Snow Melt Assembly in Concrete Q.I.G.
• M.I. Cable Snow Melt Assembly in Sand Bed Under Pavers Q.I.G.

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Chuck Garcia is no stranger to heat trace. He came directly from the heat trace industry and joined Delta-Therm in May, 2009. He says he needed a change due to the limited growth potential because he was handling inside sales in a small office.

"I obviously wanted to go somewhere where I could be in outside sales," said the 29 year-old, who lives in Cedar Lake, IN. "It was a pretty decent job all in all, but outside sales is just something I’m geared toward."

Since mid-May when he joined Delta-Therm, Garcia has targeted the industrial market in the larger portion of northwest Indiana, and central/northern Illinois (with the exception of the area north of Chicago).

Representing the Delta-Therm name has nothing but advantages, in his opinion. "We’re talking equal product here," he said, adding that "we (Delta-Therm) do a better job of reaching out to our customers and solving problems right away."

Garcia’s strong work ethic unfolded at an early age. In addition to carrying a full load of classes as a high school sophomore at Crown Point High School in Crown Point, IN., he managed to work a 30-hour per week construction job for a local real estate company. He did everything from plumbing and drywall to foundations and minor electrical wiring - until he graduated. The goal was to flip the houses he rehabbed.

"Some of them would be rented and some would get sold right away," he said.

Moving on from there, he sold cleaning products to restaurants and factories, supervising the Hood and Duct division.

But Garcia brings even more sales experience to the table. He sold insurance and investments, covering a large territory and completing coursework to obtain his CLU (Certified Life Underwriter) status. Unfortunately, the company he was working for sold the whole division and he was forced to find other employment.

He also sold automobiles for Schepel Auto Group, a Pontiac dealer in Merrillville, IN. When visiting friends at the dealership, his boss reminds him that his desk is still there.

"I left on good terms with every employer," he said. "It’s just that I have to do what’s best for my family."

Garcia has been married for nearly nine years and has three children:
Allison, 5; Alex, 2; and Anthony, 1.

He was happy to join the Delta-Therm family and quickly learned that knowledge is paramount among its employees.

"It’s comforting to know that there isn’t a warm body in the building here that hasn’t in some manner or another experienced the heat trace business," he said. "I don’t think there’s anyone here who couldn’t talk about the product."

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Detection is at the heart of any Delta-Therm snow and ice melting system. If snow and ice can't be accurately identified by the sensor, the system won't perform optimally.

 

This winter, Delta-Therm's skilled engineering team redesigned the existing sensor for the MPS, Snow Melting or Roof and Gutter Deicing Control, ultimately changing its shape from what looked like a microphone to what now resembles a disc, or hockey puck. The improved MPS, designed to automatically activate roof deicing or snow melting cables, can do its job even better.

 

For optimal performance, a roof and gutter snow melting system sensor should be placed in the area where you want the snow melted, explains Delta-Therm engineer Ed Witte. The new disc shape sensor allows for this.

 

The disc sensor is planted inside the gutter under a heating cable drip loop. Protected from wind, which can alter its ability to detect snow, the disc senses moisture from the roof. The previous sensor, MMP, or Mr. Microphone, (appropriately named by engineers) was more susceptible to wind conditions, making it more difficult to activate the roof deicing cable system.

 

The Mr. Microphone sensor was challenged when presented with only a light dusting of snow, and it sometimes experienced igloo problems that prevented the sensor from detecting moisture. However, in certain applications, such as roofs without gutters, the Mr. Microphone design will still be offered to customers.

 

Standard components of the system are the MPS control panel, RG moisture sensor, RG temperature sensor and RG sensor adhesive pad. The control panel monitors conditions at the sensor and activates when two conditions are met: the ambient temperature of the thermistor is below 35 degrees Fahrenheit, and snow or moisture is present on the sensor. Once one of the previously mentioned conditions ceases, the system shuts off after a specified amount of time for roof deicing, 75 minutes; for snow melting, 5 hours.

 

The new sensor can be affixed using Delta-Therm's VHB tape, an added benefit providing security in adverse weather conditions.

 

Trapping snow in windy, extreme cold is difficult, said Witte. The new disc shape sensor has the best success rate of the available sensors on the market, as is proven with the disc-shaped GS Sensor used with our DTC120-G Roof and Gutter Snow Melting System.

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Although Jim Sutter officially joined the Delta-Therm family in early March, he has been a familiar face at the company for a few months. Jim’s experience lies in building and documenting control panels. He came on board as a temporary employee in November and has been assisting lead engineer Ed Witte on a variety of projects.

“When I first got here, I built a couple of panels and since then, I've worked on miscellaneous things, building sensors and doing some drawings,” said Sutter, who is single and owns a condo in Schaumburg.

Sutter's background includes a seven-year stint with Cox Automation in Bloomingdale where he worked on machine building. He also spent three years with Dynomax, Inc. which specializes in the designing and manufacturing of machine tool spindles. “For Dynomax, I built machines and did facility and machine wiring, and control panels,” he said.

While at Cox Automation, Sutter learned AutoCAD, a software application for 2D and 3D design and drafting. He'll use these skills in the engineering department by providing schematic drawings for Delta-Therm's control panels.

His position with Delta-Therm will provide engineering, technical, on-site, manufacturing and sales support, said Witte. “His AutoCAD experience is valuable with panel layouts and is equally valuable with site plan drawings for our sales associates,” said Witte. “He is quite capable with tools and test equipment which will help speed up new product and listing agency testing.”

Sutter says his greatest asset may be his attention to detail and quality. He hopes to adopt new skills at Delta-Therm, and already finds himself engrossed in a challenging project. “I'm working on a new sensor at this point and trying to get a process done as far as manufacturing it,” he said.

In his spare time, Sutter enjoys wood burning and making furniture for friends. He recently purchased a large piece of oak and burned in the saying, “Together is a wonderful place to be.” The finished product was given to his sister's in-laws to hang above their fireplace. “It came out really nice,” he said.

Sutter graduated in 1984 from Conant High School in Hoffman Estates. He completed several courses at the College of DuPage and also attended William Rainey Harper College in Palatine. He hopes to obtain his associate's degree one day.