viega voice

PLUMBING STUDENTS SAVE TIME ON SCHOOL BOILER PROJECT

JOURNAL OF PLUMBING, HEATING AND PIPE JOINING SYSTEMS FROM VIEGA LLC

MA

RC

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5 WATER QUALITYPROMOTING

AND HYGIENE

VIEGAPEX SOLUTION FOR GUITAR-SHAPED BAR

PRORADIANT PROJECT WINS ASHRAE AWARD

Contents

3 Letter from the CEO

5 Letter from the COO

6 In your neighborhood

8 Balanced growth

11 Looking to the future

14 Time-tested solutions worth

standing behind

16 Commercial plumbing made easy

17 Regional training opportunies

20 The personal side of

PEX manufacturing

26 Redeem points to get the

things you want

29 See an actual Viega installation

in your parking lot

30 Training opportunities are everywhere

31 TechTalk

WHAT’S INSIDE

ViegaPEX solution for guitar-shaped bar

24

Promoting water quality and hygiene

12

ProRadiant project wins ASHRAE award

22

Featured on the coverViega is going places! Our exciting new mobile Viega ProMotion Truck

is on the road, taking Viega’s message of quality and

innovation from coast to coast. Look for us on the road!

18Plumbing students save time on school boiler project

2 v i e g a v o i c e • M A R C H 2 0 1 5

LETTER FROM THE CEO

Dave Garlow

2015 is shaping up to be a year of opportunity and optimism. Indicators

point to continued growth in commercial, industrial and residential construction,

and we’re taking bold steps to ensure that Viega is well positioned to take

advantage of that growth in the coming years.

January marked successful exhibitions at the NAHB International Builders’

Show, the world’s largest light construction trade show, and AHR Expo, the

world’s largest HVACR marketplace. We always return from these shows

energized by the excitement and innovation demonstrated.

We’re also anticipating the coming expansion at our McPherson, KS

facility with additional manufacturing space for our MegaPress system –

the only carbon steel press fittings for hydronic and gas applications. This

capacity at a central location in the United States will help get more products

to market faster.

But Viega isn’t just about

products and manufacturing. We

want to change the way the world

thinks about water quality. That’s

why we’re staking a leadership

claim on innovative methods of

plumbing system design, helping

to educate the entire industry

on best practices for reducing

stagnation in commercial

plumbing systems.

We’re taking all this good news with us on the road with the new Viega

ProMotion Truck. It’s not always easy for our customers to get out to trade

shows, so we’re bringing that excitement and optimism directly to the field. In

the Viega ProMotion Truck, you can walk around and see for yourself how Viega

solutions can be installed in real-world applications.

2015 is set to be a year of new opportunities across the industry, and, as

your trusted partner, we look forward to sharing them with you.

WE WANT TO CHANGE THE

WAY THE WORLD THINKS ABOUT

WATER QUALITY.

v i e g a v o i c e • w w w . v i e g a . u s 3

www.ViegaRewards.us1-800-976-9819

Register online and earn points for what you want

The g loba l leaderin p lumbing, heat ing

and p ipe jo in ing systems

Look for the Viega Rewards label on 5⁄16" and 1⁄2" coils of ViegaPEX™ Barrier tubing

Scan the QR code or go to

www.ViegaRewards.us and type

in the unique product number.

Keep track of your Viega Rewards

online and redeem points for a wide

variety of the latest electronics,

RIDGID® or Viega tools, home and

outdoor gear, and great

travel opportunities.

S T A R T E A R N I N G

REWARDSREWARDSEARN POINTS FOR WHAT YOU WANT

PEEL BACK

LABEL HERE

RIDGID® is a registered trademark of RIDGID, Inc.

LETTER FROM THE COO

Robert Boots

Innovation is a buzzword that is used in our industry frequently. It’s so

common that often we do not even stop to think about what it actually means.

True innovation is two-fold. It’s doing something different than everybody else,

and it’s doing something more efficiently than was done before. Innovation with

quality, that’s the drumbeat that Viega marches to.

It’s one thing to talk about being unique in the industry. It’s something else

to actually bring new concepts and new technologies to market. Take the Viega

MegaPress system, for example. No other manufacturer offers a press fitting

system suitable for black iron hydronic and gas applications. Now, with Viega

MegaPress, installers don’t have to thread or weld black iron connections.

They can make secure connections in a much faster, much more efficient way.

That’s innovation.

But we aren’t stopping there.

This year, the North American

market will see a host of exciting

new solutions from Viega. Viega

is engineering and designing and

executing new strategies, new

methods, and new opportunities

for our industry, which means

that our business partners

have access to new strategies,

methods and opportunities too.

Viega stands for quality and innovation—doing things differently, not for the

sake of being different but to help the industry improve. We are opening new

doors for the industry and we’re inviting our business partners to join us as we

work together to make 2015 the best it can be.

INNOVATION WITH QUALITY, THAT'S THE DRUMBEAT

THAT VIEGA MARCHES TO.


Keep up to date with what’s happening in your neighborhood. If you have regional news you would like to share, please send your updates to [email protected].

IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Caldwell, IDProject: IB Builders OfficeContractor: IB BuildersInstalled: Viega ProPress for copper and stainless, Viega MegaPress, Viega ProRadiant, Viega PEX Solutions Applications: Domestic water, natural gas, radiant heating, potable water

Billings, MTProject: Towne Place Suites apartment complexContractor: Precision PlumbingInstalled: ViegaPEX Ultra tubing, Viega PEX Press polymer fittingsApplications: Potable water

Pasadena, TXProject: Sun ProductsContractor: Rainbow Water PurificationsInstalled: Viega ProPress for 316 stainlessApplications: Commercial R/O system

New Orleans, LAProject: The Giani BuildingContractor: Pontchartrain MechanicalInstalled: ViegaPEX Ultra tubing, Viega PEX Press fittings, Viega MegaPressGApplications: Potable water, natural gas


Nashua, NHProject: Marriott Residence InnContractor: Eckhardt & JohnsonInstalled: Viega ProPress, Viega PEX SolutionsApplications: Potable water (hybrid)

University Park, ILProject: Governor State University dormitoriesContractor: Best PlumbingInstalled: Viega PEX Solutions, Viega ProPressApplications: Potable water (hybrid)

Ft. Stewart, GAProject: Georgia Army National Guard Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site (GAARNG MATES) Contractor: Bramlett MechanicalInstalled: ViegaPEX Barrier tubingApplications: Radiant heating and cooling

Benson, NCProject: GALOT Motorsports ParkContractor: John Strickland ContractingInstalled: ViegaPEX Barrier tubing and manifoldsApplications: Radiant cooling for drag strip

Baltimore, MDProject: The Real News Office BuildingContractor: White Hall PlumbingInstalled: ViegaPEX, Viega ManaBlocApplications: Potable water


BALANCED GROWTHJohn Messenbrink, President, Mechanical-Hub.com

...PROJECTS THAT WERE ONCE PUT ON HOLD ARE BACK IN ACTION. A CONSTRUCTION RENAISSANCE, PERHAPS?

L ately I’ve heard and read a lot of

forecasters talk about the 2015

economy with a “trending positive”

tone. Yet vague terms such as the

always-popular “New Normal” or new

buzz term “Circular Economy” come to

the forefront. But what do these terms

actually mean to contractors when you

strip them all down to the basic core? To

contractors, it’s about their livelihood: It’s

about making a profit, getting consistent

bidding and work, not laying off hard-

working employees, providing insurance

for the workforce, and offering a good

income for all employees. Let’s face it,

for many, the past 5+ years have been

no walk in the park.

Yet 2015 feels different, like we’re

thawing out from some deep freeze.

Ears to the ground, contractors have

expressed encouragement by stepped-

up construction in their particular area

and projects that were once put on

hold are back in action. A construction

renaissance, perhaps? I’m not so sure

I’d go that far, but growth for 2015 is

expected, albeit more balanced. “It looks

like people are starting to spend more

money. They have been waiting for the

last six years here in our area. We have

a lot more work on the books and more

jobs coming up this spring,” said Dale

Arndt, Owner, Arndt & Son Plumbing,

Brooklyn, WI.

Hard Data IndicatorsAccording to Kiplinger, hiring is on the

rise, job openings are at a near-record

level and layoffs are scarce. Continued

job growth and consumer confidence

may trigger more robust income and

spending increases, pushing growth

over the 3% gross domestic product

(GDP) mark.

In fact, the 2015 Dodge Construction

Outlook states that total U.S.

construction starts for 2015 will rise

9% to $612 billion, a larger gain

than the 5% increase to $564 billion

estimated for 2014.

Single-family housing will rise

15% in dollars, corresponding to an

11% increase in units to 700,000, the

Dodge Report states. It’s expected that

access to home mortgage loans will

be expanded, lifting housing demand.

However, the millennial generation is

only gradually making the shift toward

homeownership, limiting the potential

number of new homebuyers in the

near term.

Commercial building will increase

15%, slightly faster than the 14% gain

estimated for 2014. Office construction

has assumed a leading role in the

commercial building upturn, aided by

expanding private development as well

as healthy construction activity related

to technology and finance firms, states

the report.


Key Contractor SignalsAs we have turned the calendar

to the new year, there is hope

that we have turned the corner

economically. Looking ahead, there

are five critical components that

signal a fortuitous year, and topics of

which contractors should take heed.

Increased Bids and Work

When talking with contractors

across the country, the underlying

feeling is that customers are starting

to open up their wallets for home

improvement projects including

upgrading mechanical systems. “We

are approximately at a 60% higher

rate of unbilled contracts than at

the same time last year,” said John

Abularrage, President, Advanced

Radiant Design, Inc., Stone Ridge,

NY “Our open proposals adjusted

for estimated

probability is

nearly 40% higher than the same

time last year.”

According to Jason Ridgeway,

Owner/President, Ridgeway Home

Services, West Chicago, IL, 2015

portends to be a big year for the

high-end custom home market.

“Plans for new large homes started

to die off in 2011 and by 2012

completely stopped. 2014 was the

first time we have seen interest in

building large homes again and for

2015. This tells me that the people

with money are again spending

it, which hopefully will start

to stimulate the rest

of the economy.

Business Diversification

Throughout the lean economy,

smart contractors adapted

accordingly and diversified their

business where appropriate. Arndt

said that his company had always

been diversified doing plumbing,

residential, commercial in-floor

radiant heating, snowmelt systems,

well pumps, and service. “Radiant

heating and snowmelt systems are

up for us, along with remodels and

service,” said Arndt.

The replacement market

continues to flourish as well.

“We are seeing customers opting

for replacement options versus the

repair route. When the economy

was down, people were

looking for the

...PEOPLE WITH MONEY ARE AGAIN SPENDING IT...-Jason Ridgeway, Owner/President, Ridgeway Home Services


cheapest route to fix what they had, trying

to get them through tough times,” said

Ridgeway. “I think this part of the market

has recovered and will grow in 2015.”

For Abularrage, the major growth

opportunities have been diversification

into the HVAC market and a pointed focus

on the alternative energy market,

particularly geothermal and biomass

boilers. “As with all alternative energy

sources, low temperature radiant heat as

a delivery system leverages the system

efficiency and payback,” said Abularrage.

For Ridgeway, his company has done

more geothermal work then furnace and

air conditioning followed by boiler and

chillers, then conventional furnace and

A/C. “We have seen major growth in green

building technologies and incorporate

them into almost all the homes we are

installing in today. Green systems will

be the key to our growth and will stand

us apart from all the other heating and

cooling contractors, ”said Ridgeway.

Energy Efficiency

All eyes are on upcoming efficiency

standards. For example, the Department

of Energy (DOE) has been working since

2011 to enact new pump efficiency

standards targeted at improving energy

efficiency in the commercial buildings

industry. The pump industry is undergoing

some unique changes as new regulations

governing pumps are nearing finalization

— the new regulations will phase out the

least efficient pumps in the U.S. market

in favor of pumps that meet minimum

efficiency standards.

Effective April 16, 2015, the DOE’s

Final Rule energy efficiency mandates

will require higher Energy Factor (EF)

ratings on virtually all residential gas,

electric, oil and tankless gas water

heaters, completely altering the water

heater landscape. These changes will

have an impact on how water heaters are

manufactured, distributed and installed,

affecting manufacturers, wholesalers,

installers and customers alike.

Incentives and Rebates

Be sure to take advantage of local,

state and national incentive programs

for solar, geothermal, fuel cell and small

wind energy, although national renewable

energy incentives up to 30% in the

residential sector post December 31,

2016, remain nebulous.

One trend that Abularrage is involved

with is the biomass boiler market:

high-tech, microprocessor-controlled

cordwood gasification boilers and wood

pellet boilers. These systems utilize local,

renewable and carbon neutral fuel source.

“We've been designing/installing these

systems for five years and the market

keeps on growing. Currently, New York

State Energy Research and Development

Authority (NYSERDA) has just instituted a

rebate program for these systems and

the market is now exploding,”

said Abularrage.

Associations

Joining a trade association has its many

advantages. From PHCC to RPA to

MCAA, being a member keeps you on

the pulse of the industry and provides

you with a wealth of knowledge and

information. “Webinars are teaching us a

lot about new products — pumps, boilers,

water heaters, piping connections, pipe

material and fittings, etc. Thanks to PHCC

and RPA for all the info we get from them

for being a member. It pays to belong to

our associations; it is your livelihood, get

involved!” said Arndt.

JOINING A TRADE

ASSOCIATION HAS IT'S MANY ADVANTAGES.

FROM PHCC TO RPA

TO MCAA...

1 0 v i e g a v o i c e • M A R C H 2 0 1 5 v i e g a v o i c e • w w w . v i e g a . u s 1 0

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

V iega LLC has been manufacturing plastic

plumbing and heating components since 2009

at our 439,000-square-foot factory in McPherson, KS.

In 2011, we started making our own PEX resin at our

manufacturing facility in Peach Tree City, GA, making

us the only manufacturer to quality control our PEX

from raw material to finished product.

But something new is coming. Viega LLC broke

ground in January 2015 for the location that will be

producing Viega MegaPress fittings by 2016.

Viega MegaPress is the only carbon steel press

fitting system that can be installed for both hydronic

and gas applications. Previously, Viega MegaPress

fittings were produced in our German factories. The new

80,000-square-foot facility being built in McPherson, KS,

will make it possible to forge Viega MegaPress fittings

here in the United States.

“Adding production capabilities in McPherson will

ensure that we are prepared for future growth and the

continued demand for Viega products,” said Dave

Garlow, president and CEO, Viega.

Viega owns and operates strategically located

manufacturing and distribution centers across the

United States. Each facility is ISO 2008:9001 certified

and operates with a comprehensive, state-of-the-art

quality management system that guarantees the best

possible products and services. The new McPherson

facility will meet the same standards of quality

and excellence.

“We are looking forward to the future,” said

Robert Boots, Vice President and COO, Viega.

“We’re committed to always raising the bar, internally

and externally in the industry. The best days are yet to

come. Viega is always moving forward.”

ADDING PRODUCTION CAPABILITIES IN MCPHERSON WILL ENSURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED FOR FUTURE GROWTH...-Dave Garlow, President and CEO, Viega LLC

v i e g a v o i c e • w w w . v i e g a . u s 1 1

I n the United States’ plumbing industry, focus

on water quality and waterborne pathogens is

increasing. For public water systems, the EPA regulates

88 different contaminants. Of these, Legionella has

received the most recent attention. This strongly

indicates a market need to better understand

waterborne pathogens and how to minimize the

risks they pose.

Understanding Microbial Colonization in Plumbing SystemsLegionella is a bacteria that can be found naturally in

the environment. Unlike bacteria that affect the

digestive system when consumed, Legionella affects the

body’s respiratory system. Once aspirated, the bacteria

establishes itself in the lungs, causing pneumonia-like

symptoms. If not treated properly, Legionellosis can be

fatal and may result in legal action against building

owners and engineers among others, not to mention

damage from negative public relations surrounding

the case.

Sources for Legionella in a building system may

include piping systems, cooling towers, decorative

fountains, standalone ice machines, spas, etc. Found

naturally, when originating from water systems, bacteria

can exist in aerosolized droplets that may be

easily inhaled. Though not a concern in nature,

microbial colonization in plumbing systems can pose

a significant threat.

Legionella bacteria that reside in stagnant water

conditions will flourish within a broad temperature range,

typically 68°F to 122°F. This is primarily because they

are largely undisturbed and allowed to colonize without

disruption. Because bacteria multiply exponentially every

few minutes, undisturbed sections of the piping can

be the source of Legionella contamination for the

entire system.

As the bacteria multiply, some will detach from the

colony and begin colonizing elsewhere in the piping

1 2 v i e g a v o i c e • M A R C H 2 0 1 5

system. The bacteria secretes a polysaccharide slime,

forming a biofilm on the inside of the pipe wall. As the

bacteria colony grows, so does the biofilm. Once

established, bacteria in a piping system can be very

difficult to eliminate. Once the biofilm is allowed to

form, it serves as a protective blanket for bacteria living

within it.

Common treatment methods include thermal and

chemical disinfection. Some disinfectants disrupt the

bacteria’s DNA. Other disinfectants interfere with the

bacteria’s metabolic processes. However, if the colony

is not rendered inert throughout the system, it will

re-colonize after treatment, regardless of the method

used. Arguably, one of the best approaches for

minimizing the risk of Legionella in a building plumbing

system is to prevent it from

occurring in the first place.

Minimizing Microbial Colonization Through Plumbing System DesignDesign strategies to increase flow can be coupled with

good operational and maintenance practices and a

secondary disinfection program to effectively prevent a

problem before it begins. With flow, temperatures can

be better maintained and disinfectant residual can reach

much more of the system.

One solution is to install fixtures in a series (daisy-

chain) so their individual drops (dead legs) are avoided.

Anytime one fixture is used, the remaining fixtures will

see flow up to the point of connection even if they are

not used.

In the case of seldom-used remote fixtures, water

can be forced through the fixture (up to the point of

connection) with the use of a venturi. This concept

manipulates the pressure across the fixture to induce

flow thereby eliminating the dead leg that serves

that fixture.

These concepts require the designer to reconsider

the branch-and-tee concept. This means conventional

sizing and layout may not be suitable for all parts of the

plumbing system. Piping layout, fixture location, system

balancing and pressure calculations may vary from

current industry practices.

Water quality and sound plumbing design involve

far more than installing piping to connect fixtures. As

plumbing requirements and risks evolve, so too must the

plumbing industry.


TIME-TESTED SOLUTIONS WORTH STANDING BEHIND

R ikos Engineering Ltd. is an engineering and design

company dedicated to creating energy saving

solutions for high-rise buildings and building operations.

Operating in the Greater Toronto Area, Rikos Engineering

Ltd. offers engineering and consulting services for

mechanical and electrical retrofits, but they are also

known for their epoxy pipe lining service.

“We offer a non-intrusive approach to the

rehabilitation of an entire mechanical system,” said

Avram Musafija, Project Consultant and Client

Relations at Rikos. “It alleviates a lot of the pressures

when it comes to repairing pinhole leaks and other

deficiencies in mechanical systems, specifically the

hot water recirculation systems.”

The Rikos epoxy pipe lining solution is one that has

been used for more than 40 years. An environmentally

approved, food-safe solution protects the interior of

a piping system and helps improve water quality.

Epoxy pipe lining is expected to double the lifespan of

copper pipes and Rikos offers a 25-year warranty on

its systems.

Rikos is constantly seeking new technologies and

efficiencies to improve and streamline procedures.

The company thinks that if a process can be more

efficient, it should be. Rikos is proud of every job they

have completed, dedicating 100% of their focus and

effort to each project. For this reason, it only works on

one large-scale project at a time.

Musafija recalled a project Rikos worked on recently

in downtown Toronto.

“It was a very large, very long building,” Musafija

said, “and we had to replace the mechanical headers,

which carry water to the entire building. You’d think

it would be a simple, quick job, but we had to use so

much copper because of the length of the building.

The idea of soldering? It was insurmountable.”

This particular project included a huge

mechanical system that had to have parts of risers and

headers rebuilt before Rikos could use its revolutionary

pipelining solution. To complete the mechanical

rebuilding portion of the project would have taken

more than a month using the full force of Rikos’

technical crew. That’s where Viega ProPress systems

come into the picture.

PINHOLE LEAKSINTRODUCING HEATED

COMPRESSED AIREPOXY INJECTION


“Pressing allows you to move so quickly that you can

give clients schedules that surpass their expectations,”

Musafija said. “No client really wants a technical

workforce to continue for extended periods of time. It’s

just not convenient. It’s an intrusion. We would never

have been able to finish in the time we did without

Viega ProPress.”

Rikos’ use of Viega system solutions isn’t new. The

company has been one of the largest consumers of

Viega press fittings in Canada.

“Even though we’re a smaller company, we’ve been

using Viega ProPress for quite some time,” Musafija

said. “Enough to call ourselves proponents of it.”

Viega ProPress systems are the only press systems

Rikos uses, and the company made that choice for a

few specific reasons.

“Viega press fittings are more durable and much

more resilient over time than any other fitting,” Musafija

said. “The quality of copper has to be the highest

standards, which is what we hold our company to.”

Rikos prefers Viega ProPress systems because of

the heritage of excellence Viega has as a company.

Viega is a system solution provider with a history of

quality and true innovation and that’s how Rikos

sees itself.

“When you guarantee something for 25 years, you’re

promising a relationship,” Musafija said, “and part of

that is being there and being reliable. We offer the right

solution for the right reasons, and for us, Viega is our

right solution. From a material standpoint, other

technologies are subpar.”

Because Viega stands behind its system solutions,

Rikos can stand behind them too.

“That’s how we like to function,” Musafija said. “We

have special relationships, industry partners who help us

step forward and advance what we do. We’re proud to

say we use Viega because, just like our company, Viega

offers a warranty to support their product. It’s not a new

product. It’s been tried and tested.”

APPLYING COUNTER PRESSURE

BONDING AND CURING A REJUVINATED SYSTEM

WE WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FINISH IN THE TIME WE DID WITHOUT VIEGA PROPRESS.


COMMERCIAL PLUMBING MADE EASY

In commercial projects like hotels or condominiums,

a reliable, efficient plumbing system can be the

difference between popularity and infamy. How long

does it take to get hot water to the faucet in the

bathroom of that expensive condo? How much does

the water bill cost at the end of the month for the

managers of that five-star hotel?

When it comes to plumbing systems, no solution

is greener, more efficient or easier to install than a

Viega ManaBloc water distribution system. The Viega

ManaBloc system uses a homerun method of plumbing

installation, which plumbs individual PEX tubing lines

to each faucet. The benefits of the homerun method go

beyond just easy installation.

“Not having any fittings in the wall or ceiling is huge,”

said Anthony Bracco, Director of Sales and Marketing

for Modern Plumbing Industries, Inc., in Winter Springs,

FL. “For any plumber, leaks are always a concern.

Eliminating them is always a nice value add for

an owner.”

Modern Plumbing Industries, Inc., installed Viega

ManaBloc systems in the Sky Lofts at 55 West in

Orlando, FL, which feature high-end condominiums with

two or three bedrooms, two bathrooms and even

two-story units.

By using flexible ViegaPEX Ultra tubing, installers can

run the supply line from the Viega ManaBloc to the

fixture without many additional fittings. ViegaPEX Ultra

tubing can bend around obstacles, unlike rigid pipe,

which must be cut and joined over and over again.

By eliminating connections behind the wall, the Viega

ManaBloc system significantly helps reduce the chance

for leaks.

But the Viega ManaBloc offers another benefit that

conventional plumbing systems don’t—centralized

control over the entire plumbing system.

Direct Mechanical Ltd. in Fredericton, New

Brunswick, installed the plumbing systems in a new

62-unit apartment complex. The most common

plumbing method is branch-and-tee but the building

designers wanted something better than common.

“They wanted the homerun system,” said David

Mullins with Direct Mechanical Ltd. “They wanted to be

able to isolate each fixture from the mechanical room.”

Because each fixture has an individual PEX supply

line all running to a central point, building managers or

installers or even maintenance workers can control the

entire plumbing system from the Viega ManaBloc. This

eliminates the need to shut the whole system down for

a single repair.

Commercial plumbing projects don’t have to be time

consuming. Installing a Viega ManaBloc system saves

installation time and provides a more efficient plumbing

system for a building than the conventional branch-

and-tee method.

“The Viega folks claimed they were the best,” said

Mullins. “It worked out well for us. Viega is a good

product. Definitely a time saver. The system

was flawless.”


Controlling pathogens in a commercial plumbing system

According to the CDC, reported Legionnaires’ disease cases have doubled in

the past decade and approximately 25% of those cases were associated with

nearly new or recently renovated buildings.

Viega and water quality expert Tim Keane, of Legionella Risk Management,

Inc., are offering a training course on how to maintain water quality and

minimize microbial growth in commercial plumbing systems. Don’t miss

this opportunity to learn about waterborne pathogens and how to guard

against them.

Pathogen Control by Design seminars cover the following information:

• Course studies of Legionnaires' disease outbreaks

• Legionella guidelines and standards from a liability perspective

• Pathogens

• Design strategies for pathogen control

• Material selection

These seminars will be supported with key articles in publications, ongoing

white papers, a new microsite, literature and ongoing training by Viega

Technical Managers.

Regional seminar locations and dates are as follows:

March 19 | Miami, FL

May 12 | Washington, DC

July 21 | Chicago, IL

September 1 | Houston, TX

October 22 | New York, NY

For more information on these events, visit www.viega.us/training.

REGIONAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES


S tudents at Assabet Valley Vocational High School

gain hands-on plumbing experience on city

projects, including installing new boilers and repiping

the boiler room at Richer Elementary School in

Marlborough, MA.

Joe Atkinson, Department Head of plumbing,

electrical and HVAC for the City of Marlborough, needed

to replace two old cast iron boilers at Richer Elementary

School. Along with students from Assabet, Atkinson

installed four new high-efficiency boilers, new circulating

pumps, a new water heater and domestic hot water lines,

completely overhauling the school’s boiler room.

For the boiler room at Richer Elementary, they

installed the new heating system using Viega stainless

steel piping and Viega ProPress for 316 stainless fittings,

with 4" sizes on the main line and 2" sizes on the boilers.

They pressed the new hot water line with Viega ProPress

for copper and joined the new gas piping with Viega

MegaPressG fittings.

Atkinson explained that the boiler room

tear-down was started in the middle of July, but the

actual installation began in the middle of September.

The heating system had to be completely installed

and operational by October 15 according to local legal

requirements, a deadline that he and the Assabet

students were easily able to meet.

“If we hadn’t used the Viega press systems in that

boiler room, the project would have taken the entire

summer to complete in order to make the hard deadline

in October,” said Atkinson. “Any other method would

have taken too much time, regardless of whether we

threaded, welded or soldered.”

Assabet students in the vocational school’s plumbing

program regularly work on Marlborough’s municipal

plumbing projects. The program balances

classroom education with the hands-on projects,

splitting the junior and senior classes in half on a

rotating schedule.

“When the new plumbing instructor, Brian

Allard, started at Assabet he approached the

city about getting the students in his program

involved in real-world projects, similar to the

carpentry program, and now they actually

work on most of the city’s plumbing projects,”

said Atkinson. “The Richer school installation

was my first time working directly with the students on a

project and it worked out really well.”

According to Atkinson, he has four different groups

of students working on his projects, rotating on a weekly

basis. The students are graded on the quality of their

work. Some are new to Viega press systems, but the

plumbing instructors provide in-depth training on the job

PLUMBING STUDENTS SAVE TIME ON SCHOOL BOILER PROJECT

ANY OTHER METHOD WOULD HAVE TAKEN TOO MUCH TIME, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE THREADED, WELDED OR SOLDERED.


sites. Atkinson also shares all of his pressing knowledge

with his students directly.

Atkinson regularly installs Viega press systems in city

buildings and explained that his very first experience with

using pressing to join pipe was a repair at Marlborough

City Hall.

“Marlborough already had a

press gun when I started in 2010

and I was skeptical of it,” he said.

“But, soon after I started here, there

was a cold water line coming into

city hall in the crawl space under

the basement that was leaking.

Since the water couldn’t be

completely shut off, it couldn’t

be soldered. I installed a Viega

ProPress fitting using the press

tool while the water was running.

It held and I couldn’t believe it. Since I’d never used it

before, I expected it to leak, but it didn’t. That sold me

on press pipe joining and I started using Viega’s press

systems on everything.”

The city keeps its own inventory of fittings for

Viega ProPress fittings for copper and stainless, Viega

MegaPress and other Viega systems and pipe.

“Now I have cabinets and shelves full of all the

different types of fittings to cover stainless, copper and

black pipe, as well as Viega piping,” said Atkinson. “I use

it almost exclusively now.”

The plumbing, electrical and HVAC department

for the city is responsible for 23 buildings and several

pumping stations. Atkinson continues to install

Viega systems on repairs, system conversions

and new installations in the buildings that he

is responsible for, which include the city’s fire

stations, police station, waste and fresh water

treatment plants, schools, recreation center,

library and city hall. He

believes that he has

installed at least one Viega

press fitting in each of the

23 buildings.

In the entire time

that Atkinson has been

installing Viega press

systems, the city has

encountered only one

fitting that leaked.

According to Atkinson, the fitting was the wrong size tee

that had been accidentally installed.

“Viega makes systems that are very tolerant and

allow me to do some of the tricky things that I need to

without any problems,” he explains.

Atkinson and one Assabet student were able to pipe

an entire commercial boiler system with new pumps and

a new boiler in a week with 3" stainless steel and Viega

ProPress for stainless.

“The systems are just so fast,” Atkinson said. “The

stainless that we installed in the boiler room looks so

great that it’s a shame we had to insulate and hide it.

Viega makes me look like a superstar.”


T he Viega story is about innovation, daring to do

manufacturing differently than everyone else,

simply because it’s the right thing for our business

partners and for our great industry. Our latest innovation

is vertical integration of our PEX manufacturing process.

Viega is the only manufacturer to quality-control our PEX

tubing from raw material to finished product.

Viega is the only manufacturer who can say we

produce our own resin and extrude our own PEX tubing

from it.

Why does that matter? Quality is personal. If you want to provide the best

possible quality, it’s something you have to do

yourself. That is the story Viega has been telling

since 1899. Viega has a heritage of excellence in

manufacturing with high-performance products and

innovative concepts that better the industry.

By consolidating our resources, Viega can now

completely control the quality of our PEX tubing, and that

provides a host of benefits for our business partners.

ViegaPEX Ultra tubing offers the highest industry

rating for UV exposure and chlorine resistance. Our

tubing can withstand up to six months of exposure to

sunlight without damaging its performance. With this

level of manufacturing quality, engineers can specify a

higher-performing product in their projects.

THE PERSONAL SIDE OF PEX MANUFACTURING


PE

XQUALITY AND INNOVATION ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF VIEGA.

ViegaPEX Ultra tubing made from our own resin also

offers increased flexibility in comparison to the PEX

tubing made from third-party resins. This allows installers

to reduce labor costs as well as minimizing the number

of fittings, which also reduces potential leak points in a

plumbing system.

Beyond offering a higher UV exposure rating and

more flexibility, manufacturing our own resin allows

Viega the freedom to do our own research and make our

own improvements. This freedom and increased control

over our resin will help us meet changing codes and

standards with greater efficiency and better results.

Another reason to trust ViegaQuality and innovation are the heart and soul of Viega,

and our driving purpose as a company is to make our

great industry better through new installation methods,

trustworthy pipe and tubing solutions and dedicated

customer service. As our industry strives to keep up with

the technological advancements of our age, Viega is the

innovative partner you need to stay one step ahead of

the curve.

You’ve heard that if you want something done right,

you should do it yourself? That’s what Viega thinks too.

By controlling the quality of our PEX tubing from start

to finish, Viega has taken another step in keeping our

quality the highest and providing innovative opportunities

for our business partners.

If it has Viega’s name on it, you can trust it.

Travis GawithLine Manager, Viega LLC


VIEGA RADIANT PROJECT HELPS WIN ASHRAE TECHNICAL AWARD

G reensleeves is an HVAC design and control

software firm. The company has developed

advanced control algorithms to leverage the physics of

systems like ground-source heat pumps and radiant

heating/cooling.

In 2012, Greensleeves installed its Energy

Exchange™ solution, which includes the Viega

ProRadiant mat system, in the new 42,000-square-foot

Davis Building at the University of Findlay. In 2014,

the Davis Building and Greensleeves won first place

in the 2014 ASHRAE Technology Awards in the new

educational facilities category.

“We were very excited and honored to receive this

level of professional, global recognition,” said Stephen

Hamstra, P.E., FAEE, President, Greensleeves. “We are

a small company with only eight employees and very

young—only five years old, with this project done in our

second year of operation.”

Hamstra has been involved with ASHRAE since the

late 1970s, when he was in college, and believes that

the ASHRAE Technology Awards make it possible for the

industry to highlight truly great examples of engineering,

construction and operation.

“For a lab/science building this project has very low

energy consumption and it has a very unique HVAC

system design,” Hamstra said. “The HVAC design using

thermally massive radiant cooling (Viega radiant mats)

allowed us to use ground-source heat pump technology

where we can directly use cool (earth temperature) water

from the closed circuit ground-source heat exchanger

for sensible cooling. The combination of the radiant

cooling embedded in a thermal mass also allowed for

a much smaller central chilled water plant – 60 tons

instead of closer to 150 tons.”

The Davis Building was the only project submitted

that utilized ground-source heat pump technology

combined with radiant cooling.

“Viega’s mat system installed very rapidly and was

easy to work with,” Hamstra said.

“The radiant cooling provided by

Viega’s mat system was one of our

key strategies for low energy

consumption and also controlling the

project first cost.”

Radiant technology has been

around for thousands of years,

dating back to the Roman Empire,

and is widely recognized as a highly

efficient means of controlling the

climate of a space.

“Radiant heating and cooling

addresses the physiology of human

comfort better than any other

method of heating or cooling,” Hamstra said.

“Additionally, radiant systems can provide this superior

comfort with much less energy use, and when applied

in a manner such as this project, the central energy

plant can often be reduced in size, allowing a reduced

first cost.”

Greensleeves worked with Viega to design the

perfect solution for the Davis Building.

RADIANT HEATING AND COOLING ADDRESSES THE PHYSIOLOGY OF HUMAN COMFORT BETTER THAN ANY OTHER METHOD OF HEATING OR COOLING.-Stephen Hamstra, P.E., FAEE, President, Greensleeves


“Design support from Viega was wonderful,”

Hamstra said. “If there were questions or concerns Viega

addressed them very quickly.”

Hamstra did receive a call from the owner of the

Davis Building after construction was complete, telling

him that the radiant floor system was leaking.

“We quickly called Viega and our representative

met us on site with the owner and the architect

present,” Hamstra said. “We were worried that the

concrete shrinkage cracks had damaged the Viega

tubing. After much examination, we confirmed that

there was no leak, and the next day a graduate student

confessed that she had spilled about 10 gallons of water

from a lab experiment on the second floor — this was

the water that we thought was a leak! The Viega system

has been 100% tight — no leaks in the three years

since construction.”

Hamstra is the most proud of the comfort level and

ongoing energy performance that the Davis Building

is providing, stating that it is performing better than

Greensleeves anticipated. The University of Findlay has

agreed to continue their relationship with Greensleeves

as they monitor the performance of the Davis Building,

testing to improve their control algorithms.

The most important lesson Hamstra and his team at

Greensleeves learned from the Davis Building project is

to challenge the status quo.

“Don’t accept ‘We’ve never done that before' as a

valid reason for anything,” he said.

Hamstra believes that if you do the math, stay true to

the laws of physics and pay attention to detail, you can

be successful even with new, unproven concepts.

“Engineers need to embrace this technology and

overcome the momentum of always doing the same

thing over and over again,” Hamstra said. “The key will

be to have engineers, contractors and owners all reach

a level of comfort with this technology. Award-winning

projects like this help to build that confidence in

the marketplace.”


With flexible ViegaPEX Ultra tubing, of course!

F ull-service air conditioning, heating, plumbing and

green-energy services provider Sahara Mechanical

installed Viega PEX Solutions for water lines at the new

Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill in Phoenix. The

company also installed Viega ProPress for copper lines

throughout the building.

Sahara Mechanical recently expanded its

capabilities, adding plumbing to its services. Based in

Tucson, AZ, Sahara was hired to convert a commercial

building that previously housed two suites into a single

suite for the new restaurant and bar. Shawn Springer, the

foreman for the project, had just joined Sahara

Mechanical and the plumbing for the bar was his

introduction to Viega press fittings.

“Combining the two halves of the building is one of

the larger projects that Sahara has done,” Springer said.

“But we got all of the piping in very quickly and it was

easy to install the Viega systems.”

The 14,500-square-foot space previously housed a

take-out restaurant and a bridal shop and is located in

the City North area of Phoenix.

“The most unique feature for this renovation is the

huge guitar-shaped bar,” Springer said. “ViegaPEX Ultra

tubing was specified for the job because the bar had to

have water lines.”

According to Springer, the guitar-shaped bar was

roughly 80 feet long and had to be plumbed for service

stations and sinks.

“Because the bar is laid out like a guitar, water lines

needed to conform to the shape. ViegaPEX Ultra was

perfect for working with the shape,” said Springer. “The

tubing is flexible to work with. It was easy

to snake through the framing, attach

with suspension clips and install the

Viega PEX Press tees.”

Springer explained that the hot

water line alone required approximately

150 feet of tubing. The majority of the

lines were 1" but had up to 1¼" lines

as the largest diameter of ViegaPEX Ultra.

He and his assistant piped the entire

building and also installed Viega ProPress

in copper to feed plumbing fixtures in

the kitchen and restrooms. Although

Sahara had used Viega press

systems previously, it was Springer’s

first experience with the products.

HOW DO YOU PLUMB

A GUITAR-SHAPED BAR?

THE VIEGAPEX ULTRA SYSTEM WAS PERFECT FOR WORKING WITH THE SHAPE... THE TUBING IS FLEXIBLE TO WORK WITH.-Shawn Springer, Foreman, Sahara Mechanical


“The Viega rep provided a brief training session,”

Springer said. “It’s a very easy system to learn and use

and my assistant picked it up quickly as well.” Sahara

saved a significant amount of installation time by using

Viega press systems over traditional methods.

“Using solder and a less flexible line material could

have easily doubled our installation time or more,”

Springer said. “With Viega ProPress, all you do is cut

the pipe, slide it together, mark it and then press to join.

That’s a whole lot faster than solder!”

For Springer, the Viega systems made a great first

impression. However, he emphasized the importance of

marking during the installation.

“We had an installer who thought marking was a

waste of time,” Springer said. “When we tested the

system we only had two leaks, and both of them were

fittings that he had not marked before joining.”

Thanks to the Viega Smart Connect feature, which

is only available on Viega press fittings, installers can

easily identify unpressed connections during

pressure testing.

“Everything done properly worked great and made

the installation go very quickly,” Springer said.

Springer explained that the Viega press systems

were used for every application possible for

the renovation.

“Pressing just takes so much less time and is a

whole lot safer,” he said. “The time savings is great, but

the safety is also really important to us. When you’re

installing in tight spaces and near other materials, you

don’t have to worry about burning things or catching

something on fire.”

Sahara Mechanical continues to use Viega systems

on several applications including a multifamily resort

project. But for this new country-themed bar, ViegaPEX

Ultra tubing and the Viega PEX Press fitting system

provided the ideal solution for a unique bar.


REDEEM POINTS TO GET THE THINGS YOU WANT

WE’RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS THE REWARDS

PROGRAM THEY HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR.

Dalyn Cantrell, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Viega LLC


T he new Viega Rewards program gives

professional installers the opportunity to earn

points for each purchase of qualifying Viega products.

Similar to the way frequent flyers accumulate travel

miles, program participants can claim rewards and

achieve greater incentives at a higher status.

By registering on ViegaRewards.us, customers can

enter their rewards code numbers, track and redeem

points for a variety of rewards, including the latest

electronics, home and outdoor gear, travel opportunities,

Ridgid press tools and much more. Points accumulate

with the registration of each qualifying product and

rewards are calculated and distributed at the end of

each month. Points keep accumulating each time you

register a qualifying product, so the more you buy, the

more you earn.

“We’re excited to be able to offer our business

partners the rewards program they have been asking

for,” said Dalyn Cantrell, Vice President of sales

and marketing, Viega. “Viega Rewards is simple,

straightforward and allows participants to start earning

points immediately.”

Qualifying Viega products include 5⁄16" and ½"

ViegaPEX Barrier tubing. The products will have a unique

product number and a QR code for easy entry on a

mobile device. This code lets you earn points, which

you can put toward electronics, outdoor gear, travel

opportunities and much more!

As part of the Viega Rewards program, Viega

has hosted two events around the country—one in

Denver, CO, at the Wynkoop Brewery and the other

in Portsmouth, NH, at the Portsmouth Brewery. Not

only did the events include door prizes, everyone who

attended was automatically upgraded from the initial

program tier to the next level.

Since both events have been so successful, Viega

will host more events in the future. If you’re a contractor

with an interest in radiant heating or cooling, don’t miss

out on this exciting opportunity to reward yourself for

your Viega purchases.

GETTING STARTED IS EASY!1. Register at www.viegarewards.us

2. Log in

3. Enter the redemption code

4. Start earning rewards!

Conveniently access the website by scanning the QR code on the Viega

Rewards label. Try it now!


With purchase of your tool kit you qualify to get over $200 worth of Viega ProPress fittings

The inline form and the 270˚ swiveling barrel of the RIDGID RP 200-B press tool allows access to tighter spaces, enabling press connections

in difficult-to-reach areas.

DESIGNED TOGETHER TO PERFORM TOGETHER

Viega ProPress Fittings

• Flameless press technology reduces installation time up to 60%

• Patented Smart Connect® feature helps installers verify secure connections

• Compact series jaws (same as RP 210-B and 100B)

• Secure connections in less than 6 seconds

RIDGID RP 200-B Press Tool

Contact your local Viega supplier to learn more.

Fitting prices are based on list price.

SEE AN ACTUAL VIEGA INSTALLATION IN YOUR PARKING LOT

You’ve got a big project coming up, and you have

to install piping systems for multiple applications in the

same building. You need copper mains and black iron

for gas. Maybe even a hybrid system for some of the

potable water, and your client wants to try radiant heat-

ing too.

There’s only one company around that can provide

for each of those system requirements. Viega. But what

if you’ve never installed Viega systems before? If you

could see them installed in a true-to-life project, what

would you say?

Now you could try to get into a job site where Viega

systems are being installed. That’s one way to do it. But

Viega has a better option. It’s free and it comes to you.

The Viega ProMotion Truck is a 30-foot-long mobile

showroom in a customized F-550 Super Duty truck. You

can walk through and see Viega’s range of commercial

and industrial plumbing systems, as well as radiant

flooring and fire sprinkler solutions. Inside the Viega

ProMotion Truck, you get to see what actual installations

look like.

“Viega’s mobile showroom is spacious enough for

several people to walk around inside and comfortably

explore our products and applications,” said Jeff

Neczypor, the U.S. Director of Sales for Viega.

The truck’s showroom is tall enough and wide

enough for many people to experience it at the same

time. With a television inside as well as a television

outside, there’s plenty of space for everyone to see and

hear and learn about Viega system solutions.

“Outside of an actual project,” Neczypor said, “our

promotion truck is your best opportunity to see what

actual Viega installations look like and how they can

integrate with existing systems.”

Viega is excited to announce our new mobile

promotion truck, which hit the road at the beginning of

August and is traveling from coast-to-coast across the

continental United States showcasing Viega’s

innovative system solutions.

Local Viega representatives will be on site to

conduct product demonstrations, hand

out information and answer any

questions you may have about

how Viega press technology

can revolutionize your

next project.


Are you looking for new ways to improve? There

are many options, ranging from reading articles

to watching how-to videos or attending industry

meetings. The industry is full of avenues we can

all use to increase our knowledge and improve

our skill set, but industry training isn’t limited

to organizations like ASPE or ASHRAE. One of

the most underutilized educational options is

manufacturer training.

Nearly all manufacturers, rep firms and

distributors offer training in one form or another.

With Viega training, for example, you get what

you want, whether it’s product specific or system

related. If you want training on Viega ProPress

systems, we offer it. If you want training on

water quality design techniques, we do that too.

Working with our industry partners allows us

not only to share the Viega message but also

to educate on all things plumbing, heating and

piping related.

If you want training, contact your local

supplier, salesperson or industry representative

to see what options you have. You might be

pleasantly surprised with what you find.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES ARE EVERYWHERE

Register for classes at viega.us/training


TECHTALKViega Tech Talk Experts Jeremy Ferriter, Jason Allison and David Melendy

Can you explain the function of the

Boiler Protect feature on the Hydronic

Mixing Block?

The Boiler Protect feature is designed to protect

a conventional non-condensing boiler from the

damaging effects of flue gas condensation. The

byproducts produced from flue gas condensation

are acidic and will attack the boiler’s heat

exchanger and flue piping, shortening their

lifespan. When the Hydronic Mixing Block is

in Boiler Protect mode, the mixing valve will

close the circulator, which will turn off if the

temperature of the boiler drops below the set

point. This prevents the cold return water from

re-entering the system and allows the boiler to

quickly recover and achieve its set point. Once

the set point is met, the valve in the Hydronic

Mixing Block will re-open and the system will

return to normal operation. If you are working with

a condensing boiler, you can disable the boiler

protection feature by setting the boiler type to

“Condensing” in the boiler settings menu.

My company does a lot of installation and

servicing of steam systems. What products

do you offer for steam applications and what

are the operating parameters?

Viega offers metal press systems for low-pressure

steam applications. Low-pressure steam is

defined as steam measuring 15 pounds per

square inch (psi) or less. Viega ProPress copper

fittings with EPDM sealing elements are ideal for

steam piping systems utilizing copper tubing from

½" to 4". Viega MegaPress carbon steel fittings,

also with EPDM seals, are suitable for low-

pressure steam and are designed to be installed

on steel pipes from schedule 5 to schedule 40.

Viega MegaPress fittings are available from ½"

to 2" and are perfect for everything from a steam

boiler installation to a repair on an existing steam

line. Viega ProPress for stainless is available

with EPDM and FKM sealing elements, both of

which are compatible with low-pressure steam.

Viega ProPress for stainless is offered in both

304 and 316 from ½" to 4" and is the best choice

for steam lines when resistance to corrosion is

desired. No matter what application you run into,

Viega offers a fast, safe, consistent and reliable

connection for low-pressure steam applications.

How do I join two dissimilar metals using

the Viega ProPress system while avoiding

galvanic corrosion?

There are two ways to prevent galvanic corrosion

when joining two dissimilar metals. Viega advises

to use one of the following methods for the Viega

ProPress system:

• Install a Viega ProPress flange with a gasket

and bolt insulators as the connection between

two dissimilar metals. Both the gasket and

the powder-coated flange face will assist in

preventing galvanic corrosion between the

dissimilar metals.

• Install a dielectric union between the two

dissimilar metals. The dielectric union uses

an EPDM flat gasket to create the dielectric

connection. Unlike the flange and gasket

connection, the Viega dielectric union offers one

end as Viega ProPress end and the opposite

end as a female pipe thread connection.


304_EN_0315_1

VIEGAVOICEViega LLC 100 North Broadway, 6th FloorWichita, KS 67202

Return address requested

[email protected]

©2015, FostaPEX®, MegaPress®, ProPress® and Viega® are registered trademarks of Viega GmbH & Co. KG. ManaBloc®, and Smart Connect® are registered trademarks of Viega LLC. Zero Lead™ is a trademark of Viega LLC; ViegaPEX Ultra™ and ProRadiant™ are trademarks of Viega GmbH & Co. KG. Eco Brass® is a registered trademark of Chase Brass and Ingot Metal Co.

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDWICHITA KS

PERMIT NO 485

The term Viega does not apply to a specific company within the various separate and distinct companies comprising the Viega group of companies. The term Viega as used in this publication refers to the Viega brand itself or generally to the Viega group of companies. References to activities in North America specifically refer to activities of Viega LLC.

Zero Lead identifies Viega products meeting the lead-free requirements of NSF 61-G through testing under NSF/ANSI 372 (20% or less maximum weighted average lead content).

Please recycle this magazine

a publication of Viega LLC

March 2015

Director of Marketing

Kevin C. Fox

Marketing Manager

Tim Allbritten

Creative Marketing Manager

Bob Ale-Ebrahim

Marketing Coordinator

Roberta Rickard

Graphic Designers

Jason Green

Nicole Mandina

Creative Writer

Amy Williams

Contributing Authors

Jason Allison, Robert Boots,

Derek Bower, Jeremy Ferriter,

Dave Garlow, Jason McKinnon,

David Melendy, John Mesenbrink,

Amy Williams

Contributing Photographers

Darren Decker, Jim Oertle,

Brandon Chauncey

Future articles and tips

Please send in your interesting

stories and tips relating to

Viega products for possible

publication in future issues

of the Viega Voice to

[email protected].

viega voice

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