PLUMBING


BY JULIE REYNOLDS CONTRIBUTING WRITER


duplex sewage ejector systems to handle waste, but these large and complex ejector devices require digging a deep pit


I 28 and storing sewage. In addition, the


equipment is heavy and therefore cumbersome to install. Last, but not least, when maintenance or repairs are needed, the mechanic is often forced to climb down into the pit to service it, a most unwelcome chore. So it’s no surprise that when the


duplex sewage ejector that handled four, lower-level restrooms at Fordham University’s Walsh Library in Bronx, N.Y., failed this past summer, contractor Fred Schultz was keen to try a more modern plumbing approach. A plumbing installer for 41 years and the owner of Serve-


HOW THE SANICUBIC WORKS • Effluent enters the Sanicubic Classic through one of five different inlets — one on either side of the unit at the bottom and three along the top. Each adjustable inlet can range in diameter from approximately 11/2” to 4”. • As soon as the wastewater level reaches the trigger point in the long pickup or dip tube located inside the Sanicubic Classic, the pumping system activates. • Effluent is pumped from the Sanicubic Classic through 1 1/2- inch PVC or CPVC piping connected to the top of the lifting station. Maximum pumping distances are 36 feet vertically and 328 feet horizontally or a combination of the two. • As required by many local plumbing codes, the Sanicubic Classic also has a 11/2” stack vent at the top of the unit for venting to the outdoors.


n commercial structures, multiple sublevel fixtures often lead installers to default to


Classic duplex grinding system ‘works perfectly’ in library application


Well Plumbing & Heating in South Richmond Hill, N.Y., Schultz did some research and then recommended that the university replace the broken sewage ejector with the new Sanicubic Classic duplex grinder system from SFA Saniflo Inc. “I had seen the Sanicubic in a magazine, and I liked the concept,” Schultz says. “It looked fairly simple compared with the other systems, and I already had good experience with Saniflo products, so that gave me confidence using it.” The Edison, N.J.-based Saniflo offers a complete line of macerating toilet systems and graywater pumping systems for residential and


commercial applications. What is a Sanicubic? Introduced in


the United States in 2009, the Sanicubic is a duplex grinder system that can handle waste matter from multiple plumbing fixtures, processing up to 60 gallons per minute. Sitting directly on the floor, the compact (233/4" widex191/4" deepx161/2" high) device requires no digging, making it ideal for plumbing applications such as the Fordham library restrooms. A pair of one-horsepower motors


drives individual grinders with fast- rotating cutting blades. These efficiently and effectively reduce solids in the wastewater. And since it is designed to handle waste much more frequently than a sewage ejector, there is no need to store sewage. The effluent is immediately removed through a 11/2" discharge line to the sewer. (See sidebar.) The immediate discharge


“eliminates any smell that you would get with a sewage ejector,” Schultz says, adding that the powerful Sanicubic was ideal for a campus setting. “At a college, a lot of things go into toilet bowls. The Sanicubic will chop anything up, avoiding backed-up plumbing.” Another benefit is easy installation,


Schultz says. “This product is light, so it will be easier to service; one person can handle it. To repair the duplex sewage ejector, we had to remove the pumps with a chain hoist, and we had to get a pump guy in. With these units, plumbers can do the job.”


“No sewage ejector sits above the


ground like this product, says Saniflo sales agent Morris Platsky of JAS Inc. in Glen Rock, N.J., who helped Schultz plan the installation. “Sanicubic is the next generation. It’s a perfect alternative to the bulky sewage ejector.” He says it’s a more economic


choice. “Sewage ejectors normally run $20,000 to $30,000. Sanicubic saves money, mess and time, and it’s a self-contained unit.” “Sanicubic absolutely lowers our


costs,” Schultz agrees. “You could probably cut the cost of a


Installer Fred Schultz of Serve-Well Plumbing & Heating in South Richmond Hill, N.Y., with the Sanicubic Classic installation at Fordham’s Walsh Library; and upper left with Saniflo sales agent Morris Platsky, looking over the remaining, outdated duplex ejector pump. Obviously the Sanicubic is less complicated, less costly and easier to install, and uses 11/2" plastic pipe instead of 4" and 6" pipe and fittings.


conventional sewage ejector in half. I wouldn’t hesitate to go with Sanicubic again. Everything worked perfectly, just like they said.”;


Julie Reynolds, an associate of O’Reilly/DePalma, is a communications expert in the building and architectural products field. For more than two decades, she has been writing about issues of interest and concern to American consumers. For 15 years, Reynolds directed public affairs and corporate communications at the National Fire Protection Association. She has worked with the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition since its founding in 1996 and with the Home Safety Council since 2003.


phc january 2011 www.phcnews.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88