The biggest project Jordan Haugtvedt has worked on lately ended up getting a big helping hand, thanks to Viega ProPress and MegaPress technology.
Haugtvedt has been with Q&Z Heating and Plumbing in Grand Forks, North Dakota, for nine years and currently holds the position of journeyman/foreman.
When the local hospital came calling, asking not only for new plumbing but also some low-pressure steam piping used on steam humidifiers, Haugtvedt knew that his previous experience with Viega ProPress and MegaPress would be just what the doctors ordered.
Haugtvedt estimates that the project used up to 10,000 fittings, from ½” all the way up to 4”.
“It took us about 18 months, start to finish,” Haugtvedt said. “We did three stories, including 11 patient rooms on the second floor. It was a good-sized project.
“ProPress fittings helped us out. Doing everything with ProPress makes the job faster, compared to solder or sweating.”
In this case, the team was working on an addition to the hospital, along with a remodel. Remodeled areas were closed while work was being done, so dodging patients and staff wasn’t a problem. That said, working with press technology ensured that the areas didn’t stay closed any longer than necessary. Haugtvedt said perhaps the toughest part was finding qualified help, since the pandemic has made labor shortages even worse than they already were.
“The nice part in speeding up the process was that we were short-handed due to Covid, so I was able to do more work with fewer people,” Haugtvedt said.
Of course, following the necessary rules and codes was a high priority as well.
“Hospitals have all sorts of different codes to follow to make everything OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) compliant and just kosher in the hospital world in general,” Haugtvedt said. “Again, being able to press really helped us with that.”
Not having to pull permits or do any hot work while using clean, quick press technology was a boost to the project.
For the low-pressure steam system, Haugtvedt said he and his crew used 1½” 90s, unions and male adapters – around 40 fittings in all – while taking proper condensate drainage into account. When it came time to figure out what direction to go for this project, Haugtvedt said it didn’t take him and his coworkers long to pick.
“Ever since I got here, all my company uses is Viega,” Haugtvedt said. “I wouldn’t use anything else. It’s efficient. It’s easy. They’re the ones to use.”
Being able to get the job done in a hurry – while also measuring up to all the specifications and special needs of a hospital project – was especially helpful for the Q&Z crew.
