Resources

Kitchens, like restrooms require flushing and checking each system. Ice machines can be a source for growing microbes if left to sit. Dried out floor drain traps can create odors. Janitorial closet faucets and service sinks need to be run and flushed as well.

Some of the biggest risk for transmission of infection is in the restrooms. A regular flow of users, touching the same handles on toilets, faucets, soap dispensers, paper towel dispensers, and entry doors can spread infection. Touch points can be addressed with touch-less solutions, or antimicrobial treated handles and touch-less surfaces.

Every facility manager knows which systems are critical and must be operational at all times. Many facilities have established preventative maintenance schedules to keep critical systems running and plan for upcoming repairs and maintenance. But changing the basic operations of a building changes all of those plans. What happens if the building has been closed for an extended period?

Veterans Day holds a special place for me, it’s a time to thank those who do the often-thankless job of defending our values, our ideals, and our families. It’s a day to celebrate the people who willingly put on the uniform, putting themselves in danger, committing to get their hands dirty in order to protect and serve.

With a new academic year starting, schools are consulting ever-changing guidelines as they prepare for the return of students. What is clear is that handwashing and hygiene will play a critical role in the ability of schools to reopen and stay open. As the preferred choice of schools for more than 100 years, Chicago Faucets is committed to helping building managers equip their schools for the safe return of students.

Last year, as we approached our 40th Anniversary, we detailed the account of who we are, and where we came from as a company. This year as we continue to celebrate that anniversary, we sat down with some of our amazing staff members to learn more about them, and who THEY are as individuals. Who do you think has the best plumbing joke?

For more than 100 years, Elkay Manufacturing has been making innovative products and providing exceptional customer care. Family owned since 1920, Elkay began by making residential butler and pantry sinks. Elkay began in a small 2,100 square foot space on the North side of Chicago. It was 1920, a time when the quality of a business was solely measured by customer service, integrity and, above all, craftsmanship.

As an American company, Sloan is proud to provide restroom solutions with products made right here in the USA. Sustainable, smart, and stylish, our product are designed with a vision towards the future.

As buildings prepare for re-opening, we’re seeing an increased investment in touch-free and sensor solutions.In this blog, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions we’ve heard from our clients about upgrading to touch-free parts in facility restrooms. We hope to help you avoid some of the common setbacks that cost time and money, and to identify the right solutions for your specific restrooms and budget.

Healthcare presents unique challenges when it comes to maintaining extremely high levels of sanitation within a complex environment. To meet this challenge

Upgrading your facility with anti-microbial solutions can take anywhere from a few months -- when property managers and engineers are in agreement on which solutions to apply -- to a few years.

Often overlooked areas in the plumbing system where microbes can grow are places where air can enter the plumbing system, and standing or stagnant water. These situations can be addressed.

Air carries microbes, and the use of faucet aerators pulls these microbes into the water you drink and wash your hands with. An aerator draws air into the water stream to make the water feel softer. Lucky for you, aerators are not the only way to make your water soft and attractive. Consider a laminar flow, which doesn’t allow any air into the stream but provides the same, soft water effect.

When it comes to filters, it’s all about how the filter is rated. “A 5 micron filter is a 5 micron filter,” says Chris, “so it’s not a brand choice.” Instead of considering which brand to use in your facility, decide first what you want to filter out, and what you want to let through. This is going to be specific to the application point of use in the facility.

Hot water at 140 degrees or higher kills bacteria, but code requires that water coming out of a source cannot be hotter than 110 degrees, for safety reasons. Still, water temperature in hospitals is often higher than other non-medical facilities. In many hospitals, boilers are set to 140 degrees, then the temperature is reduced at the faucet or point of use through a thermostatic mixing valve.

Once you’ve identified the solutions you’ll use for your facility, establish a performance and maintenance plan, or a “P&M Plan.” This ensures that your facility is maintained to the agreed upon standard beyond any near-term COVID-19 concerns.

To reduce the spread of pathogens including bacteria and viruses, keeping surfaces clean and washing hands are essential. However, those physical surfaces people touch in your facility can be made to either play host to pathogens, or help fight it.

With the spread of COVID-19, many individuals and organizations are evaluating options for limiting the spread of pathogens and bacteria in their places of work, play, and residence. Because our team supplies and advises facilities across a range of industries, including healthcare facilities, we’re able to apply leading edge solutions from one industry to another. In this series, we’ll explore some of the standards and protocols implemented in the medical facilities we work with which may be applied in schools, office facilities, or residential buildings to reduce the spread of pathogens.