Skills On Site Nov/Dec 2011

Skills on Site Nov/Dec 2011 1

www.nurcha.co.za

2 Skills on Site Nov/Dec 2011

QUALITY BUILDING MATERIALS AT THE LOWEST PRICES191 stores and expanding throughout southern Africa

Our everyday prices are the lowest in town,

we’ve checked!www.cashbuild.co.za

CODE RED 331 • GO Advertising 63282

HOME ACCOUNT

PREPAID

4728

VALID ONLY IN SOUTH AFRICA

4728

VALID ONLY IN SOUTH AFRICA

Selected products may not be available in all stores. Prices include 14% VAT and are only valid in RSA until 31 December 2011. E & O.E.

For any queries, please visit www.cashbuild.co.za or contact us on our share call number 0860 100 582

DISTANT ORDERINGYou can pay at one store for collection or delivery from any of our 191 other stores. Remember to

bring your ID when placing and collecting an order. Direct deliveries from the manufacturer on full loads of cement, bricks and roof tiles.

FREE LOCAL DELIVERYAll delivery rates are subsidised by Cashbuild.

Handling fee applies to bricks and cement. Enquire in-store for details.

CEMENT

DEPENDABLE QUALITY FROM TRUSTED BRANDS.

CASHBUILD GUARANTEESLOWEST PRICES ON CEMENT!

Check your local store for price.

DIRECT DELIVERY

THE CHEAPEST WAY TO BUY;

- Cement- Bricks

- RooftilesIs to buy large loads directly delivered

from the supplier. No handling fee applies.

PVA PAINTDULUX BERGER-MASTER NUKOTE PVA • White5 Litres SKU: 5062

116.9510 Litres SKU: 5071

199.9520 Litres SKU: 5063

329.95PLASCON CROWN ARCTIC PVA • White5 Litres SKU: 5050

99.9520 Litres SKU: 5051

259.95

MEDAL CONTRACTORSPVA • White5 Litres SKU: 5056

79.9510 Litres SKU: 5068

149.9520 Litres SKU: 5057

272.95CHAMPION EXTRA THICK PVA • White5 Litres SKU: 5002

59.9510 Litres SKU: 5037

99.9520 Litres SKU: 5001

169.95

MELODY PVA • White20 Litres SKU: 300002

119.95

DURAM ACRYLIC PVA • White5 Litres SKU: 301223

149.9520 Litres SKU: 301224

489.95

BUILDERS TOOLS

TYROLEAN MACHINESKU: 941701

199.95

BUILDER’SLINE70lb 4211SKU: 941052

33.95

OUTSIDECOVETROWEL SKU: 9121524

37.95BRICK TROWELWooden Handle275 - 280mmSKU: 9121512

47.95250mmSKU: 9121511

52.95

GAUGING TROWEL 150mmSKU: 912103

24.95200mmSKU: 912120

33.95

OUTSIDESHARPTROWEL SKU: 9121526

37.95

POINTINGTROWEL 150mmSKU: 9121510

24.95200mmSKU: 912122

31.95

STRAIGHT EDGE2,0mSKU: 905102

194.95

HAWKPLASTERINGPlasticSKU: 9121516

38.95

PLASTERING TROWELNOTCHED280 x 6mmSKU: 9121514

38.95

PLASTICFLOATSKU: 9121517

23.95

WOODENFLOATSKU: 975

19.95

POWER TOOLS

SKILANGLEGRINDER 9780AA • 2000WSKU: 974237

817.95

SKILPLANER1555AA • 550WSKU: 9741122

654.95

SKILCIRCULARSAW5003AC • 1200WSKU: 972608

663.95

Free items only available from 23 November 2011.

BOSCH IMPACT DRILL • Keyed ChuckPSB 5000500W SKU: 971101 349.95

IncludesFREE handscrewdriverset.

FREE

BOSCH ANGLE GRINDER PWS-6670W SKU: 9741115 349.95

FREEIncludesFREE 115mmgeneral purposediamond blade.

BOSCH ANGLE GRINDER GWS20-2302000W SKU: 9741119 1 152.95

FREE

IncludesFREE 230mmgeneral purposediamond blade.

WHEELBARROWS

LASHER CONCRETEWHEELBARROW SKU: 914 415.95

CONCRETEWHEELBARROW SKU: 915 335.95

POLYWHEELBARROW SKU: 300133 431.95

SKILORBITALSANDER7003AA • 145WSKU: 300955

206.95 NEW!

SKILPNEUMATICHAMMER 1758AASKU: 300973

849.95 NEW!

SKILHEAT GUN8003 CA • 1800W SKU: 300956

289.95 NEW!

SKILCORDLESS DRILL DRIVER2006AB • 12VSKU: 300954

485.95

NEW!

SKILIMPACT DRILL 6495 MA • 1100WSKU: 300953

848.95 NEW!

http://www.cashbuild.co.za

http://www.cashbuild.co.za


November/ December 2011

CopyrightAll rights reserved. No editorial matter published in “Skills On Site” may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission of the publishers. While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction, the editor, authors, publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in the publication - whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences arising therefrom. The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields.

COVER STORY4 Gap Housing Delivery

CEILINGS AND PARTITIONS7 How to instal a suspended ceiling11 Domestic Electric Water Heater

PAVING17 How to Pave a driveway

PAINTING23 Tips for contractors25 Keep Buildings cool

SUCCESS27 Building big careers

FINDING FINANCE32 Developing inner cities

Promech Publishing has a BEE rating of 168.75%

Proprietor and Publisher:PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel: (011) 781-1401

Fax: (011) 781-1403E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.promech.co.zaPrinted by:CTP PrintersTel: (011) 230-7000

The “Skills On Site” team - Top: Susan Custers, publisher; Jackie Nene, subscriptions/circulation; Raymond Campling, editor. Seated: Zinobia Docrat, production; Colleen Cleary, advertising sales; Catherine Macdiva, administration.

AcknowledgementsIn order to bring you the most up-to-date infor-mation from around the globe, we make use of Internet websites that are current and provide information that is relevant to local builders. Information from the following sites has been included in this issue: WikiHow – www.wikihow.com, Stock.Xchange – www.sxc.hu

INSULATION34 How to install window insulation film

IN TOUCH36 In touch

7

23 34

new pic

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.promech.co.za

http://www.wikihow

http://www.sxc.hu


Since 1995 Nurcha has been involved with funding contractors on subsidy housing projects and in 2002 expanded its mandate to include developers seeking funding for affordable housing projects.This programme has been particularly successful and to date has funded 140 projects delivering over 31 000 houses! The combined loan and project values of all of these projects equate to R 877 million and R 3.9 billion respectively – making a major contribution to the government effort to deliver affordable housing to deserving South Africans.

And it is here that Nurcha has recently made a further significant impact with the signing of two of its biggest ever loans for the construction of “gap” housing in Rosslyn and Protea Glen. In June a R 39.2 million loan was signed with Cosmo-politan Projects Tshwane for the construction of 252 affordable houses in Rosslyn. This represents the first of five phases for a total project of 1162 houses that will be built over the next five years. The project value of this first phase is R 76.9 million.

“Gap” Housing DeliveryNurcha is an innovative development finance institution that provides bridging finance to contractors and

developers that are involved in the construction of subsidy and affordable housing, infrastructure and community facilities.

COVER STORY

Nurcha funding has delivered more than 31 000 houses like this one Anton Cronse of Cosmopolitan and Morgan Pillay of Nurcha signing of the agreement


Prime LocationThe site is situated just off the R566 which links Ga-Rankuwa to Rosslyn and Pretoria North and on the Western boundary of Rosslyn Industrial Area. It is cen-trally located within the Tshwane metropolitan area and is in an established existing suburb with transport links and all associated amenities.The houses will range in size be-tween 40m2 and 60m2 and the selling prices for the serviced stand and house as a package will vary between R 285 000 and R 325 000. These will be targeted at people earning between R 9 200 and R 10 600 per month.

This loan is one of the latest in a number of successful interac-tions between Nurcha and the Cosmopolitan Group. To date Nurcha has approved some 30 loan applications from Cosmo-politan with a loan value of approximately R240 million.Cosmopolitan, as a group, is well qualified and ex-perienced in the development and sale of property and housing packages. Protea GlenDuring August 2011 a further loan, to the value of R 73.5 million, was signed with Cosmopolitan Projects Johannesburg for the construction of 793 “gap” houses in Protea Glen, just south of Johannesburg. This is the third phase in a 2704 housing project and work is expected to start in February 2012. The project value of this phase is R 279.1 million. Protea Glen falls within the boundaries of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and is one of the fastest growing areas in South Africa. Being a township under development, there are currently few transport modes available, but this is expected to change as new home owners move into the area and densities increase. The Putco bus service, mini-bus taxis and the recently established Rea Vaya bus service is available to commuters travelling to the CBD and the nearest railway station, Naledi, is ap-proximately 5 km away.Strategic UpliftmentThe site is also situated close to all amenities including clinics, hospitals, shops, parks and schools. Sites have been set aside for the development of more schools and shopping centres as densities increase. The existing Protea Glen industrial area is situated 2 km

COVER STORY

west of the development and provides much needed employment opportunities for the local community. Cosmopolitan has also made a point of supporting emerging sub-contractors and sourcing 60 % of ma-terials through local BEE suppliers.All the units in this development fall within the “gap” housing definition – that is housing priced between R 105 000 and R 391 000 which caters for the income group earning between R 3 500 and R 11 000. By way of explanation, households earning below R 3 500 qualify for a “free” subsidy house. The con-ventional financial institutions generally issue bonds to people earning above R 11 000, which leaves a “gap” for those households earning between R 3500 and R 11 000. They either have to raise their own finance or are generally obliged to rent accommodation until they are able to purchase. It is here that Nurcha is work-ing with developers to provide affordable housing for this “gap” market without compromising on quality.Nurcha remains committed to playing a leading role in supporting the government vision of building sus-tainable human settlements and will continue funding contractors and developers involved in the delivery of much needed affordable housing for the people of South Africa.

Contact details:Nurcha, Tel: (011) 214 8700, Fax: 011 880 3981, Email: [email protected], Web: www.nurcha.co.za

http://www.nurcha.co.za


the cement innovation company

Free Application Demonstrations

Cemcrete (Pty) Ltd www.cemcrete.co.za [email protected] Tel. (011) 474 2415 Fax. (011) 474 2416

cement innovationWith over 60 products ranging from beautiful swimming pool plasters, to internal and external wall and floor finishes, cement and acrylic-based waterproofing systems, adhesives, grouts and mortars; and more; you’re bound to find the perfect product for any renovation or construction project.

CreteCote, Cemcrete’s new innovative floor product, does more than just give you a beautiful floor finish. It’s amazing adhesive qualities allows it to be applied to even the most difficult of surfaces such as old screeds and concrete, even after the removal of carpets; saving you time and money. CreteCote is extremely durable (being cement-based), and is waterproof, easy to clean and easy to maintain. CreteCote is available in ten attractive colours and can be further enhanced with Cemcrete’s CreteStain colour systems.

Cemcrete’s growing swimming pool range now includes BeadCrete; a specialised swimming pool plaster with stunning glass beads to bring even more sparkle to your pool. PoolCrete and Pool Coating (an easy to apply swimming pool paint that can revitalise your pool) remain ever popular in this industry.

Not only do we provide quality products, but our national sales team offers expert advice and technical assistance, helping you choose the most suitable product and application as needed.

View www.cemcrete.co.za for our full range or visit our show room at 227 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parktown North, Johannesburg. Or our Ideas Centres at 10 Telford Road, Industria, Johannesburg and 1 Franschhoek Crescent, Panorama, Cape Town for loads of inspiration...Cemcrete- the cement innovation company

Looking to expand your business offering?Join Cemcrete’s Steve van Straaten at one of our FREE one day product demonstrations. Learn the mixing and application of these beautiful cement-based coatings and more. Steve has more than 33 years experience in the construction industry, the last 13 which he has specialized in Cemcrete’s wide range of decorative coatings.

CALL NOW, during office hours, TO SECURE YOUR PLACE:

Steve van [email protected] 267 7456

Wall Coatings

Floor Coatings

Swimmingpool Coatings

http://www.cemcrete.co.za


http://www.cemcrete.co.za



the cement innovation company

Free Application Demonstrations

Cemcrete (Pty) Ltd www.cemcrete.co.za [email protected] Tel. (011) 474 2415 Fax. (011) 474 2416

cement innovationWith over 60 products ranging from beautiful swimming pool plasters, to internal and external wall and floor finishes, cement and acrylic-based waterproofing systems, adhesives, grouts and mortars; and more; you’re bound to find the perfect product for any renovation or construction project.

CreteCote, Cemcrete’s new innovative floor product, does more than just give you a beautiful floor finish. It’s amazing adhesive qualities allows it to be applied to even the most difficult of surfaces such as old screeds and concrete, even after the removal of carpets; saving you time and money. CreteCote is extremely durable (being cement-based), and is waterproof, easy to clean and easy to maintain. CreteCote is available in ten attractive colours and can be further enhanced with Cemcrete’s CreteStain colour systems.

Cemcrete’s growing swimming pool range now includes BeadCrete; a specialised swimming pool plaster with stunning glass beads to bring even more sparkle to your pool. PoolCrete and Pool Coating (an easy to apply swimming pool paint that can revitalise your pool) remain ever popular in this industry.

Not only do we provide quality products, but our national sales team offers expert advice and technical assistance, helping you choose the most suitable product and application as needed.

View www.cemcrete.co.za for our full range or visit our show room at 227 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parktown North, Johannesburg. Or our Ideas Centres at 10 Telford Road, Industria, Johannesburg and 1 Franschhoek Crescent, Panorama, Cape Town for loads of inspiration...Cemcrete- the cement innovation company

Looking to expand your business offering?Join Cemcrete’s Steve van Straaten at one of our FREE one day product demonstrations. Learn the mixing and application of these beautiful cement-based coatings and more. Steve has more than 33 years experience in the construction industry, the last 13 which he has specialized in Cemcrete’s wide range of decorative coatings.

CALL NOW, during office hours, TO SECURE YOUR PLACE:

Steve van [email protected] 267 7456

Wall Coatings

Floor Coatings

Swimmingpool Coatings

First, ducts, pipes and cables hidden above a dropped ceiling remain accessible for repair or modification. And second, suspended ceilings are better sound barriers than drywall ceilings. Made up of a metal grid that supports lightweight pan-els, a suspended ceiling is well within the capabilities of most contractors, using only simple tools. Drop-in ceiling panels have become more attractive in recent years, with a wide range of designs to choose from. While suspended ceilings are not for everyone, or for every situation, they make a lot of sense in basements and in first-floor rooms with bathrooms overhead. If a leak appears in the overhead plumbing, a suspended ceiling can allow quick and easy repair.

We installed our suspended ceiling in a wood-frame drywalled room, though concrete or concrete-block basement walls wouldn’t have changed the instal-lation much. In this case, simply use masonry screws instead of nails to secure the perimeter molding that supports the ceiling at its edges.

Choosing a system The installation steps vary from one manufacturer to the next, but not significantly.

► Once you’ve chosen a ceiling package, give some thought to the grid layout.

► While home centres and retailers will be happy to work up a parts list based on a scaled drawing of the space, you should have a general sense of how the components go together before getting started.

► Typical systems have an L-shaped perimeter bracket, or molding, to support the suspended ceil-

ing at the walls. ► From this molding, long stringers, called main run-

ners, are installed every 1.2m and run the length of the room.

► The ends of the main runners rest on the perimeter moldings and everything in between is suspended with wires secured to the joists above.

► Cross tees are installed across these runners at in-tervals of 61cm. This grid is all that’s needed to support 2 x 1.2m ceiling panels. With 2 x 61cm panels, an ad-ditional set of connectors divides each 2 x 1.2m. area.

Step by Step Project Guide

Setting the Perimeter First work out the maximum height of the new sus-pended ceiling. If you don’t plan to install a drop-in fluorescent fixture, measure down about 10cm from the existing ceiling joists and mark the wall.

► This space is just enough to angle the tiles into place. (If you do plan to install a drop-in fixture, place the mark 15cm from the joists.)

► At this mark, draw a line around three sides of the room using a 1.2m level.

► Measure down from the joists at several locations around the room to be sure that you’ll have enough space above the panel grid at all points across the

CEILINGS

How To Install A Suspended Ceiling

Framing for a suspended ceiling

If your latest project includes a new ceiling, don’t panic at the thought of overhead drywall work. In the right situation, a suspended ceiling offers some real advantages over the permanent variety.

All you need for a suspended ceiling is sufficient head clearance. Requirements vary, but most codes stipulate a minimum 230cm ceiling height in new construction. Some codes, however, will accommodate a lower ceiling height if it’s part of a renovation project, so it pays to ask. You’ll need roughly 10 cm of space between the old and new ceilings to tilt the panels in place, and an additional 5 cm if you intend to install drop-in, full-panel fluorescent ceiling lights.


existing ceiling. ► If your ceiling joists don’t lie on a level plane, measure

down 10cm from the lowest point on the lowest joist. ► When the three perimeter lines are level and at

the correct height, connect them with a chalkline on the remaining wall.

► With the perimeter established, locate the wall studs and nail the perimeter molding in place so that the top of the molding lines up with the perimeter lines. Use 6d nails and don’t mark the painted surface of the molding.

► Cut the molding to fit with tin snips. For long walls, butt the ends of two pieces of molding.

► When you come to an inside corner, install the first length of molding tight against the corner and butt the second length against the first. For outside corners, a mitered joint is better looking. Using your tin snips, cut both moldings at a 45 degree angle and secure them in place with 6d nails.

Installing the Runners With the perimeter molding in place, install the main runners at right angles to the joists and 1.2m apart. The trick here is to lay out the panel grid so that the ceiling looks balanced from side to side. Most rooms will fit a number of full-size panels plus an edge gap that will need partial panels. Ξ Measure across the room parallel to the joists and

divide by the panel length to get the number of full panels that will fit in the space. Ξ To determine the perimeter gap at each wall,

subtract the sum of the panel lengths from the room dimension. Ξ If the gap is only a couple of centimetres short of

a full panel, you may be able to start against one side wall and continue across to the opposite wall

with full-size panels. Ξ If the gap is anything less, it’s best to divide it in

CEILINGS

A suspended ceiling can improve the look of a room

Will your project need ductwork?

two, placing half on each side. Ξ If the gap is 40cm wide, for example, it will look

better if both sides of the room have a 20cm-wide row of partial panels. In this case, start your first main runner 20cm from the wall, continue across the room with full panels, and end with a main runner 20cm from the opposite wall. Ξ A similar calculation should be made in the op-

posite direction. Here cross tees are positioned in slots on each main runner. Ξ If you need to trim a few centimetres from the front

ends of the main runners to fit a row of partial panels, be sure to trim the same amount from each runner so that the cross tees will be parallel to the wall and the panel openings are square.


To install the main runners, measure out from the start-ing wall the gap distance you worked out and snap a chalkline across joists. Then, measure 1.2m from this line and snap a second line. Ξ Repeat this procedure every 1.2m increments until

you reach the far wall. Ξ To support the main runners, screw small eyebolts

into every third joist along the chalklines. Then, fasten lengths of 16-gauge wire to each eyebolt. Ξ Twist the wire at least three times around itself at

the top. Then, stretch string tightly across the room between perimeter moldings, about every 2.4m, so that the string is aligned with the bottoms of the molding. Ξ Use this string to level each main runner as you

hang it from its wires. Ξ Set the lead end of the runner on the perimeter

molding and lower it until it touches the first string. Sight across the runner to work out where to bend the first wire support. Ξ Bend the wire, feed it through the nearest hole in

the runner, bend it up and twist it at least three times Ξ Continue hanging the runners like this until each

is supported every 1.2m. If your room is longer than the runners, join them end to end, using the slots and tabs built into the ends of each. Place an additional wire support near each of these joints. Ξ Trim the excess from the last length of runner with

tin snips. With the runners in place, tie them together

with the cross tees spaced 61cm apart. Ξ The cross tees have a hook on each end that fits

into a slot in the runners. Ξ If the system you’ve chosen has 2 x 1.2m panels,

install the panels in the centre of the grid now to help square the assembly. If your system has 2 x 61cm pan-els, install the 61cm connectors before moving on. Ξ These connectors parallel the runners and fit slots

in the cross tees. With the 61cm connectors in place, install enough of the centre panels to square the grid. Ξ With the grid more or less square, cut and install

pieces to connect the grid with the perimeter mold-ing. Again, the factory ends hook into the runner and cross-tee slots while the cut ends rest on top of the perimeter molding.

Adding FixturesIf you plan to install a full-panel, drop-in fluorescent light fixture, you’ll need to protect the wiring that extends between the electrical box connected to a ceiling joist and the fixture. Codes will require that these wires be encased in flexible metal conduit. ◊ Starting with the fixture, mount a 90degree conduit/box connector in one of the channel knockouts in the fixture. Then, feed three 14-gauge insulated wires (black, white and green) through a length of flexible conduit and into the channel box. Fasten the conduit in place by tightening the connector’s set screw. Join these lead wires to the fixture’s leads as you would normally, connecting like-coloured wires. ◊ Set the fixture in the grid in place of one of the panels, and connect the remaining end of the con-duit to a blank, junction-box cover plate. Break the knockout from the plate and join it to the conduit with a standard box connector. Finish by making the wir-ing connections and fastening the plate to the box.

Ductwork and diffusers◊ Heating ducts will also need special atten-tion. In most cases, the job requires bringing the ductwork down to a level just above the top of the panel, cutting an opening in the panel and inserting a diffuser. ◊ If your duct ends in a rectangular boot, make sure the boot has side tabs that will allow you to screw through the diffuser and panel and into tabs in the duct boot. This may require a bit of custom sheetmetal work on your part, but it won’t need to be fancy. ◊ If your ductwork ends in a downward fac-ing elbow, or if you’ve had to bring your own duct to the room, you might choose a round diffuser with adjustable output. These plastic or metal dif-fusers are sold at most hardware shops. Again, the trick is in bringing the duct to the panel. ◊ To decide the best position, lay a level or a straightedge across the grid. Then, extend the duct down to a point just above the panel. ◊ You’ll also need to frame a structural sup-port across the joist space containing the duct so

CEILINGS

Think about your wiring requirements

A suspended ceiling can improve the look of a room


CEILINGSthat it doesn’t settle under its own weight. ◊ With the duct ready, measure carefully from two sides of the grid and position the diffuser on the panel accordingly. ◊ Trace around the diffuser with a pencil and cut along this line to make the opening. ◊ Finally, install the panel, push the diffuser into the duct and screw it to the duct by working through an nearby opening in the grid. Finishing upWhen it comes to cutting panels to fill the smaller perimeter openings, always cut with the finished side of the panel facing up and always use a sharp utility knife. Avoid using power equipment--you’ll make far too much dust and the job won’t get done any faster. Begin by measuring the grid opening and adding about 1cm for the new flange. Slice through the panel completely, using several passes if needed. To create a new tegular flange, lay the flange of a complete panel over the cut piece and scribe the new flange line. Cut along this line, but only to half the panel’s depth. Then, lay the knife on its side and slice into the panel from its edge, at the same height as the factory flange. This will remove just enough material to produce a custom flange. Install the cut panel so the new, un-painted flange faces the wall. By Merle Henkenius, Courtesy of Popular Mechanics

EISH!

www.husqvarna.co.za


Most electricians and plumbers know that few people think of a geyser, which is more often than not, installed in the roof and out of sight. However, if a geyser fails the thought of having to take a cold bath or shower would be horrible for most people. Electrical and plumbing contractors understand that geysers, like any other appliances, are not manufactured to last forever and may have problems during its lifespan, such as the failure of the element or thermostat. If a geyser begins to leak, then it has come to the end of its lifespan. There are laws that set guidelines for the installation of geysers. Leading geyser suppliers, Kwikot recom-mend house owners and contractors alike should take note of the following information before installing or replacing geysers:

1. Government LegislationAs per the SA Government Gazette No. 22355, Notice No. 509 and Regulation No. 7079 dated the 8th June 2001, all fixed electric storage water heating systems must comply to SANS 10254 Installation Specification (SANS – South African National Standards

as specified by the South African Bureau of Standards.

In a nutshell this legislation re-quires that all geysers, in-

over-f l o w

p i p e , piped to

the exte-rior of the

bui lding, v a c u u m

breakers on the on the

cold and hot water supply

and the temper-ature and relief valve (safety valve) must be piped to the exterior of the building. Geyser installations before the date specified, will be exempt from the legislation until such time as the geyser has to be replaced or/ and changes or replacement of the pipe work has to be made. The onus falls entirely on the plumber, to inform the homeowner that he the plumber is compelled to bring the installation up to standard in order to comply with SANS 10254. Failing to do so, the matter must be brought to the local municipal building inspector for the area, which may then lead to some legal recourse having to be taken.

2. Information About Your Geysera. Make of GeyserIt is most important to know what make of geyser, model and capacity in litres is installed in the home e.g. Kwikot 600Dual 150lt. b. Age of Geyser, Guarantee Period and Conditions of GuaranteeThe second thing to know is how old the geyser is and whether it is still under guarantee. If it is a Kwikot geyser this can be obtained from the code on the

PLUMBING

Domestic Electric Water HeatersIf one had to ask what is the most important household appliance in a home or what appliance people could not do without, their answers will vary from fridges, ovens, deep freezes, microwaves, dishwashers and wash-ing machines etc.

clud-i n g r e p l a c e -ments, installed after the 8th June 2001 must be installed in accordance with the installation specification, which requires the installation to have a SANS specification geyser drip tray with


PLUMBING

serial plate sticker on the front end. This code refers to the date the geyser was manufactured. For example Code 10-H-5 would read as follows:• 10 being the month of October• H would be the year being 2005• 5 would be the guarantee period from date of manufacture, which would be 5 years. Year 2004 would be coded with a G and year 2006 with an I. The years are in sequence with the alphabet.With reference to Kwikot geysers the guarantee is subject to certain conditions: 1. The water supply must be equivalent to main met-ropolitan supply authorities.2. The geyser installation must comply to SANS 10254.3. The geyser must be installed under cover and not exposed to the weather elements.4. Only genuine Kwikot replacement parts must be used i.e. element and thermostat.5. Repairs and in the event of replacement of the geyser, may only be carried out by Kwikot and its authorised agents.

3. Function of key parts and safety devicesA geyser has no working parts as such and its is worthwhile knowing the function of certain parts and accessory products used in the installation.

a. Drain cockThe drain cock is fitted on the inlet pipe on the bottom of the geyser and although water is passed through it to fill the geyser, it’s primary function is to drain water from the geyser.

b. Sacrificial magnesium anodeElectrical conductivity takes place in water and the sacrificial anode gives additional protection to the glass-lined tank. The conductivity will firstly eat away the anode and once the anode has totally dissolved, it will attach any weak point in the tank lining. It is important to have the anode checked and replaced at regular intervals.

c. Temperature & pressure relief valve (safety valve)The safety valve as it is commonly known, is the most important safety device on a geyser. Should the pressure within the geyser start to build up and reach an abnormal level, the safety valve will automati-cally open to release this pressure when the water temperature reaches between 94 and 97ºC, or if the pressure exceeds one and a half times the working pressure of the geyser. The safety valve outlet must be piped to the exterior of the building.

d. Vacuum breakersThe function of a vacuum breaker is to allow air into the plumbing system of the geyser so that the geyser will not drain in the event of no water supply, which could result in the geyser tank collapsing. A Vacuum Breaker must be installed on both the cold and hot water supply.

e. Geyser drip trayGeyser installations must include a drip tray. The geyser is placed on the drip tray and the feet of the geyser must be raised off the bottom of the drip tray. The drip tray must be positioned in a downward slope towards the outlet so that any water accumulated in it can run out. The outlet on the drip tray must be piped to the exterior of the building.

4. Geyser maintenance/serviceIn the past, geysers were only worked on when the


element or thermostat failed and it was common for the geyser lifespan to expand beyond 15 years. Although geyser technology has advanced, the quality of water supply is no longer what it used to be and this has a major influence on the longevity of the geyser.Just like a car has to be serviced, so does a geyser in order to get the best lifespan. Where the water quality is still of, a reasonable quality, it is recommended to have the geyser serviced every two to three years. The servicing must be carried out by a qualified plumber and should encompass the checking of the magnesium anode and replacement thereof if needs be, the removal of lime in the tank, replacing of the element and thermostat pocket in the event of lime build up. The safety valve should also be checked for any signs that could cause a blockage in the future, normally as a result of lime build-up. In areas where the water conditions are harsh, the geyser should be serviced at least every 12 months. Geysers that have been installed where the water supply has a high content of lime should be fitted with Incalloy Elements, which are far more resistant against lime build-up.

5. Seasonality effect on geysersMany homeowners have the same high temperature setting on their geysers irrespective of what season it may be, which not only is a waste of electrical energy but also a waste in terms of your hard earned earnings every month.In winter geysers have a greater heat loss, thus resulting in the stored water in the geyser cooling down a lot quicker. This heat loss is also attributable to the drop in temperature in the roof. This will result in the geyser having to re-heat the water more frequently. Also the ambient cold water temperature is colder in winter so the geyser has to heat the water from a lower temperature. The geyser will therefore use more electricity in winter than in summer. In winter the geyser thermostat should be set at 65ºC in inland areas and at 60ºC at the coast and never at set at its maximum. In summer the thermo-

PLUMBING


stat should be set between 50 and 55ºC. The tem-perature setting should never be set below 50ºC as this could lead to bacterial growth in the geyser.Making these seasonality tem-perature chang-es on the ther-mostat will assist in reducing the electricity con-sumption and save you money in the long run.

6. Switch-1ing ON and OFF of geysersSwitching the geyser ‘On’ and ‘Off’ in order to conserve elec-tricity and save on your electric-ity bill every month does save money, however how much can be saved? The following is based on fact.a. Geysers manufactured to SABS standards are strictly controlled in terms of their standing heat loss. The insulation requirement for geysers is regulated by SANS 151 specification. b. The maximum allowable heat loss for a 150lt ca-pacity geyser (most common geyser size) is 2.6kW per 24 hours at a stored temperature setting at 65ºC and no water is drawn off during the 24 hour period. This translates to a temperature loss of between 10 to 15ºC over the 24 hour period.c. A 150lt size geyser will take close to 3 hours to heat from completely cold (15ºC) to 65ºC, which equates to the usage of 8.72kW of electricity with a 3kW ele-ment and will cost approximately R 3.58, however one must remember that a geyser is seldom heated from completely cold as not all the hot water is drawn off at once.d. Let’s say the water in a 150lt size geyser has reached the temperature setting of 65ºC and the geyser is then switched off at the electrical distribution board for 12 hours and no water is drawn off. This will equate to an approximate saving of 1.3kW of electricity and at R0.41c per kW, this will generate a saving of R0.533c per day. If this practise is carried out every day for a 30 day month, the saving would be 39.0kW or R15.99

PLUMBING

per month, not the 100’s of Rands many think they will be saving.e. Switching off the geyser over peak electricity de-mand periods (mornings and early evenings), will assist Eskom in lowering the electricity demand, however saving little monetary wise. Switching the geyser ‘on’ and ‘off’ will cause no harm to the geyser, however in the long run may cause the spring in the geyser on the distribution board to become faulty.f. The only real way to reduce electricity consump-tion on a geyser, which will be of financial benefit, is to reduce the amount of water that is heated and drawn off i.e. reduce your hot water consumption (as the old adage goes “Bath with a Friend”) and reduce the temperature setting of the water on the thermostat. An ideal setting would be 50 to 55ºC in summer and 60 to 65ºC in winter. The temperature should never be set at maximum nor should it be set below 50ºC as this promotes the growth of bacteria in the water.

7. Demand for hot waterThe demand for hot water varies by household and is dependent on the number of persons in the household and the number of bathrooms.It is important that when building a home or buying an existing home you enquire about information pertaining to the geyser size and this enquiry should


Poly Builders Wheelbarrow

Trowels

No.2 Spade

Hacksaw

Crow Bar

Pick and Poly Pick Handle

Bowsaw

Bolster andClubHammers

PRESERVE YOUR

SUCCESS GROW YOUR

BUSINESS WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS

Sales: (011) 825-1100 | Fax: (011) 825-7428 | Email: [email protected] or [email protected] or visit

their website www.lasher.co.za or www.lasher.mobi

Tough, Reliable Tools. Guaranteed.

Follow us on

also include the make of geyser and how old it is. If the home you are interested in buying has a 150lt geyser and two adult occupants and your family consists of 5 persons, the 150lt will not be adequate if you all bath/shower around the same time. In this instance a 200lt capacity will suffice.

8. Common geyser problemsAs a geyser does not having working parts as such, not much can go wrong with a geyser if it is installed properly and correctly. Based on Kwikot’s experience most problems are related to the geyser installation and not the geyser itself.The following are common geyser related problems:

a. No hot waterThis problem is generally as a result of the thermostat been faulty or the element has blown.

b. Water is too hotThis problem may be caused by, the temperature being set to high on the Thermostat (a common problem in summer) or the Thermostat may be faulty.

c. Water is not hot enoughThis problem may be caused by, the temperature being set to low on the Thermostat (a common problem in winter) or the Thermostat may be faulty.

d. Continuous drip from the over flow pipe It is normal for the over flow pipe to discharge water as this is normally as a result of water expansion taking place during the re-heating cycle of the water. However if the drip continues (does not stop), then this requires urgent attention.

9. What to do if a geyser gives problemsa. Determine whether the geyser is still under guarantee. If still under guarantee, contact the manufacturer or their service agent, if known, in your area.b. If the geyser is no longer under guarantee, con-tact a qualified plumber in your area. It’s always good to have the name and number of a reputable qualified plumber always at hand.c. It is important also to establish from the plumber whether the geyser problem is covered by house owners insurance. For example if the geyser itself is leaking and the guarantee period has expired, this may result in an insurance claim. This is normally explained in the insurance handbook.

10. Importance of house owners insurance coverIt is highly advisable to have insurance cover on your geyser in the event that the geyser may have to be replaced once out of guarantee and for any major damage resulting from the geyser.Kwikot, Lionel Schultz, Tel: (011) 897 4600, Fax: 086 634 8913, Email: [email protected]

PLUMBING



http://www.lasher.co.za

http://www.lasher.mobi



PLUMBING

Build with Confidence

c h o i ce

The

www.afrisam.com 0860 141 141

That’s because AfriSam’s A1 All-Purpose cement provides great quality and great results. So, when you need to build with confidence, build with the brand you can trust.

A1 builders use A1 cement

2Reducing our

Carbon Footprint

http://www.afrisam.com


PAVING

As a contractor you may often be called upon to pave household drives. Most homes will benefit from having a paved driveway because it is less likely to damage cars with flying stones as with gravel, or leave vehicles muddy, in the case of a dirt drive.

It is a moderately difficult project which will need the following materials and equipment:Gravel Asphalt mix and liquid cement Asphalt spreader Gravel spreader Crushed gravel

Step 1Examine the ground on which the asphalt is to be laid. If the stone under the driveway isn’t deep enough to give a firm foundation or the new or repaved drive-way would be higher than the surrounding ground, excavation is usually needed. Start the driveway paving project by spreading a layer of gravel on the driveway. Use markers to mark where the boundaries of the driveway will be. Con-tact a gravel service to dump the gravel on the area. Spread the gravel until it is at least 5cm thick but no deeper than 20 cm.

The asphalt base should be between 5 and 20 cm deep – the deeper it is, the longer it will take to cure

Step 2Find a supplier for an asphalt mixture. Coarser grades of asphalt last longer. Use an asphalt service if nec-essary, or mix the asphalt yourself if you have the equipment necessary. Take the asphalt mixture and

How to Pave a Driveway

Most properties will benefit from a well tarred driveway

the melted liquid cement and mix them together, being very careful of the heat from the liquid cement.

Step 3Spread the asphalt evenly across the driveway area. Use an asphalt spreader or whatever tool you have handy to make the asphalt lie smoothly.

Step 4Have a supply of crushed gravel ready as soon as the asphalt is spread. Use a gravel spreader to scatter the gravel on top of the asphalt while it is still warm. Use a drum roller to roll over this gravel layer to push it down into the asphalt for a chip seal that will make the driveway more resistant to the weather and to constant use.

Applying a sealant once the asphalt is dry will extend the lifespan of the surface


Fortunately for us, he never enjoyed one.

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

All Nkosi Johnsonever wanted was anormal childhood.


Step 5

Let the asphalt dry, and avoid driving on the paved area for at least a day as the asphalt cools and cures. Applying a sealant once the asphalt is dry will extend the lifespan of the surface.

LifespanA properly laid driveway should last 8 to ten years and will show the following signs of wear and tear:

PAVING

Years Asphalt Deterioration

1 Newly laid asphalt looks great. 2 This year the pavement is looking gray. That’s called oxidation. 3 Now the sand is working its way out of the asphalt. 4 After the fourth year, some loose gravel will be seen. 5 At this point a lot of gravel will start to be swept up. 6 Those cracks you see spell trouble. Moisture is seeping in. Chuckholes aren’t far behind. 7 This year sections of the asphalt looks like a crocodiles back. 8 Large sections of asphalt have begun to break loose. 9 This is the year for those dangerous chuckholes.10 The asphalt is now ten years old, and will need to be replaced.

www.oriole.co.za


www.abe.co.za


www.abe.co.za


PAINT ACCESSORIES

SANDPAPER

HYGIENE PRODUCTS

Tel : (011) 873 1266 Fax : (011) 873 3464 Fax : (011) 825 5832 Email : [email protected]

Cape Town BranchTel : (021) 511 7041/2/3 Fax : (021) 511 9829Email : [email protected]

Durban Branch Tel : (031) 700 5080/1/2/4/5/6 Fax : (031) 700 3071 Email : [email protected]

Agents G.G. Longmore (Pty) Ltd Tel : (043) 722 3051 Fax : (043) 722 6955 Email : [email protected]

James Nash Agency Tel : (041) 484 3290 Fax : (041) 484 6830 Email : [email protected]

Ing’s Agencies Tel : (051) 448 2583 Fax : (051) 447 8981 Email : [email protected]







PAINTING

“The best way for contractors to stop such mistakes is by ensuring that workers learn the tricks of the trade early on. With good advice from a professional on the do’s and don’ts of painting, they will quickly become valued members of the business,” says Dawid Du Ples-sis, technical services manager at Prominent Paints.“However, some contractors who have been in the industry for a long time may find it difficult to teach these basic principles, just because they have become second nature to them. But there are some pointers that can help make sure that the right skills,” he says.

Top tips1. Tools should be of high quality because qual-ity rollers or brushes offer both ease of use and a high quality application of paint. Workers should be taught to look after these tools because it will make their jobs easier and better.

Tips for ContractorsMost painting contractors do their jobs professionally and efficiently and that is a good attitude to have, but it doesn’t always extend to workers. Whether it is as a result of being new to the job, too sloppy in their approach or just careless, workers can make mistakes that can have a bad impact on the contractor’s reputation.

Painting with the right tools makes the job easy

Keep rollers and brushes clean and they can last for a long time

2. Brushes and rollers are among the most ex-pensive consumables, but by simply giving them a good wash and taking better care of them it will save the company money. “And that’s a benefit to everyone working at the business.”

3. Safety is crucial so tools should always be kept in good condition, as poor quality or badly maintained tools can easily lead to injury. Workers should also learn that personal protection equip-ment - such as eye goggles, gloves and safety shoes - are a non-negotiable issue.

4. Some small tips have big consequences if they are not understood. For example, checking whether a ladder can hold your weight is always a good idea, but it is even more important to remember to take into account the additional weight a heavy bucket of paint may add.

5. Painters that are new to the job are some-times seen cutting holes in the lids of containers, simply because nobody told them to remove the safety band first. This is both inefficient and costly, as the container can no longer be resealed and any unused paint is wasted.

6. It is also very important to read the instruc-tions provided on the packaging. “It is vital that the painter understands the product they will be working with before they begin. After all, just about all you need to know to get the best use from any product is provided with it. If these in-structions aren’t followed, the job may have to be redone.”

7. Remember about 90% of paint failures are not due to the product itself failing, but rather is a result of incorrect preparation or application. Prominent Paints is aware that the majority of contrac-tors understand the importance of educating new employees on the subject of painting and believes in the value of pointing out what may seem obvious issues.“After all, it is often the obvious ones that we forget the easiest - especially since what we might take as standard practice may not be understood as easily by new employees,” Dawid concludes.Prominent Paints, Tel: (011) 389 4700, Fax: (011) 864 1570, Email: [email protected]

Paint failure normally as a result of poor preparation

This paint brush is ruined.

PAINTING



abeproof thermoshield is a cost-effective water-based coating that uses advanced insulation technology to reduce the interior temperature of buildings while, simultane-ously, serving as a waterproofing coating.

Mike Armstrong, a.b.e. strategic product manager, says abeproof thermoshield is specially formulated with fine spherical particles that minimise surface temperatures on roofs and walls by re-emitting most of the heat energy away before it can penetrate a building. “This lowers interior temperature and reduces energy costs for cooling the building. The product is ideal for roofs and walls in both commercial and residential buildings. It is effective even with dark colours,” he states.

Keep Buildings Cool

Steel roofing can produce lots of heat in buildings. A coating of a.b.e.’s new abeproof thermoshield, pictured here during and after application, can substantially lower the interior temperature of such buildings while still serving as waterproofing agent

a.b.e. Construction Chemicals’ new abeproof thermoshield heat insulating, shielding and waterproofing coating is the ideal “green” product for the hot, wet summers around the corner for most parts of South Africa.

“abeproof thermoshield can be applied to substrates such as concrete, aluminium, steel, fibre cement sheets, masonry, brick and wood. Furthermore, the product also has anti-mould and anti-fungal proper-ties,” Armstrong adds. abeproof thermoshield is one of seven new, environ-mentally-friendly waterproofing products recently launched in South Africa by a.b.e. Construction Chemicals. The other products are abeproof acrylic primer, abeproof anti-root, abeproof PU ECO, abeproof acrylic, matrix K11, and duraproof dekflex. a.b.e. will locally manufacture this range of low VOC waterproofing products based on technology with proven global applications sourced from within the Materis Group. a.b.e. is part of the Chryso SA Group which, in turn, is part of the Materis Group with its head office in France. a.b.e. Construction Chemicals, Mike Armstrong, Tel: (011) 306 9000, Web: www.abe.co.za

PAINTING


http://www.abe.co.za


www.hrp.co.za

www.macsteel.co.za


Building Big Careers

SUCCESS STORY

Engineering company, Aurecon, encourages and helps its emerging professionals to further their careers and achieve their ambitions. They do this by providing advanced learning opportuni-ties to support them in achieving their goals.

The company’s efforts and the hard work of two of the group’s successful young engineers shows that this type of investment can have good paybacks for everyone involved. Mpho Ramphao and Tumelo Thothela, were honoured by industry recently for their commitments to growth within their careers and also within the communities that their industries impact.

Water infrastructure Mpho Ramphao, a young engineer in Aurecon’s Cape Town office, specialises in providing of waste-water treatment facilities that work efficiently. He has worked with internationally acclaimed researchers and has authored and co-authored seven technical papers and has presented these at conferences.

His commitment to the improvement of oth-ers lives is displayed by his tutoring of Matric Mathematics and Sci-ence at his high school in rural Polokwane. Since 2010, he has also been an examiner for fourth-year civil engineering students for wastewater at the University of Cape Town. Although still young, he also serves on the Board of SAILI, a non-governmental organ-isation that identifies promising scholars in the Western Cape,

places them in better schools and provides support and other oppor-tunities to nurture their potential.

A big heart“I believe that engineers should use their profession to better the lives of citizens. Engineers have an obligation to meet the basic needs of all humans for water, sanitation, food, health, and energy, as well as to protect cultural and natural diversity. Improving the lives of the five billion people whose main con-cern is staying alive each day is no longer an option; it is an obligation,” he comments.Mpho was recently appointed as Consulting Engineers South Africa’s (CESA) Young Engineer of the Year for 2011. As part of this award, he recently attended a specialist water convention in Davos, Switzerland. In addition he will serve on CESA’s Young Professionals Forum (YPF) for the coming year.

In today’s busy and fast-paced business world the skills, abilities and commitment of a company’s staff is a way of gaining a serious advantage over opposition companies.


Toyota Forklift

Toyota Forklift is the global marketleader in materials handling equipment with a reputation forsafety & efficiency, innovativeresearch & development andquality products…

AND helping you reach new heights

Taking you to new heights

TEL : +27 (0) 11 395 0600 EMAIL : [email protected] WEB : www.eiegroup.co.za


http://www.eiegroup.co.za


This prestigious award con-firms that Mpho is an ex-cellent example to young engineers in South Africa.

Future roadsAnother of Aurecon’s young engineers, Tumelo Thothela, recently present-ed a technical paper at the Conference on Asphalt Pavements for Southern Africa (CAPSA) 2011. Tu-melo’s presentation was about improving the wear performance (durability)

of road surfaces - especially the top surface or seal aggregate - by pre-coating it. It revolved around the durability requirements for seal aggregates on roads, more specifically, the difficulty in finding high quality rock and aggregates to make top surfaces. It also looked at the pressure on the construction industry to look for more environmentally friendly ways that causes less harm to the environmentAmong the many well-recognised professionals, Tu-melo’s paper won the award for the best technical paper contribution by a newcomer at this the 10th annual CAPSA conference.

Caring for staffThe breadth and depth of technical expertise at Au-recon is second to none, with young engineers who join Aurecon also joining world class professionals from more than 40 different disciplines working together across the company in knowledge sharing groups. “We are very proud of young professionals like Mpho and Tumelo. They are the future of our industry, and judging by their achievements, we are in good hands,” concludes Mlu Mabaso, Aurecon’s Human Capital Leader, Africa – Middle East.Aurecon, Jody Boshoff, Tel: (012) 427-2066, Fax: 086 606-0671, Email: [email protected]

SUCCESS STORY

Mpho at the Soccer World Cup last year



www.arcelormittal.com


LEADING INFO

These statistics are provided exclusively for Skills on Site readers by Databuild, the leading provider of construction related information in South Africa. Databuild has been providing information for thirty five years and tracks projects from

planning through to awarded stages. Each month Databuild will provide statistics reflecting trends in the industry. For more information about Databuild please contact us on (011) 259-4500 or visit us at www.databuild.co.za

Value of awarded projects by province in Rmillions July 2011Province Value RmEastern Cape 426

Free State 393

Gauteng 674

Kwazulu Natal 1129

Limpopo 236

Mpumalanga 780

North West Province 149

Northern Cape 197

Western Cape 956

Grand Total 4940

Grade 2 Value Rm Grade 3 Value Rm Grade 4 Value Rm Grade 5 Value Rm Grade 6 Value RmEastern Cape 2.0 2.8 7.0 19.9 4.0 23.7 8.0 76.6

Free State 3.0 1.4 2.0 8.1 2.0 4.8 1.0 8.4

Gauteng 2.0 9.2 19.0 19.2 3.0 7.0 9.0 84.4 7.0 44.3

Kwazulu Natal 13.0 7.8 35.0 51.1 27.0 79.6 18.0 68.9 25.0 214.6

Limpopo 1.0 0.5 11.0 17.1 11.0 35.4 1.0 6.5 7.0 89.6

Mpumalanga 8.0 19.2 1.0 4.5 4.0 19.0 1.0 7.0

North West Province 4.0 6.5 1.0 4.3 4.0 20.3 2.0 36.0

Northern Cape 1.0 0.5 1.0 3.8 1.0 0.9 2.0 18.7

Western Cape 15.0 23.3 8.0 7.9 12.0 38.6 1.0 3.0 1.0 13.5

Grand Total 35.0 42.6 90.0 135.9 65.0 195.0 41.0 225.7 54.0 508.7

Tracking Projects

http://www.databuild.co.za



In a R41 million finance deal, Nedbank has backed the redevelopment of a existing nine-storey building at 16 Frederick Street in Marshalltown into a modern residential apartment building. Once completed, the property will be 4 503m2, consisting of 138 residential units, including 68 studio units, 48 one-bedroom units, 17 two-bedroom units and five duplexes, as well as 300m2 of retail space on the ground floor and 36 parking bays in the basement. A sales agreement has already been concluded with Diluculo Investments to buy the building based on renting the units out when they have been refurbished. The deal forms part of Diluculo’s long-term strategy to buy residences specifically in the affordable housing rental market.

Developing Inner Cities

FINANCE

Nedbank Corporate Property Finance is investing in rebuilding inner city centres in a move known as ur-ban renewal and revitalization with the backing of a development in the CBD of Johannesburg.

Frederick Street - outside pause area

Frederick Street - kitchen

Home in townThe development of 16 Frederick Street is being undertaken by Lemay Properties, as the developer and Lemay Construction as the contractor. This is the second finance partnership Nedbank Corporate Property Finance has entered into with the Lemay Group, showing Nedbank’s approach of working closely with clients.“Nedbank Corporate Property Finance is pleased to participate in the exciting urban renewal taking place in inner city Johannesburg, the powerhouse of Africa,” says Ken Reynolds, Nedbank Corporate Property Finance divisional executive for Gauteng. “The nine-storey building is in the heart of the CBD, on the corner of Frederick and Sauer Streets, directly opposite the Standard Bank superblock. It offers easy


FINANCE

Ken Reynolds

office buildings into good quality residential develop-ments. The surrounding buildings are in impeccable condition, and this building is, in fact, the only one available in this node for a full refurbishment for an ‘A’ grade tenant. Nedbank Corporate Property Finance, Ken Reynolds, (011) 294 1649, Email: [email protected]

and convenient access to various modes of transport, including the Metro Taxi rank and Ghandi Square Bus Terminal.”

Urban development

The project falls within the Urban Development Zone of the Johannesburg CBD, the focus point of the inner city development programme aimed at converting old,

derelict

Frederick Street - exterior



1. Understand window insulation film. The window insulation film this article discusses is heat-shrink film stretched across the interior window frame to form a bubble. Window laminate films that stick directly to the glass like automotive window tint are very different.

2. Choose windows to insulate. You won’t be able to open the window without removing the film. You may want to leave windows on opposite ends of the house uninsulated to open them.

3. Prepare windows. Remove debris, close the window, lock it, clean the window and frame, and

clean and adjust the blinds if any.

4. Open the box of window insulation film and take out the tape. Don’t use sharp objects in case you damage the film inside.

5. Test tape adhesion. Stick a small piece of tape onto the frame. If the tape pulls off very easily, there is moisture or grease on the frame. Clean off grease with a rag and residue-free solvent such as methylated spirits. Metal frames must be smooth; any loose paint or rust should be removed.

How to Install Window Insulation FilmWith a lot of focus today on global warming and ‘greening’ the environment, some customers may ask for their windows to be insulated. This saves energy and money on heating and cooling. Here are some guidelines to assist you in insulating windows using insulation film.

6. Apply the tape to the frame. It goes on the front of the molding and on the sill right in front of the upright moldings. Put it just inside a ridge on the molding. Cut an end in the proper place with a scis-sors before laying it down. When you finish one piece, rub down the corner and peel the backing paper a few centimetres to overlap it with the next piece. Be careful not to touch the sticky side or the frame area with your fingers. This creates a layer of grease.

Insulation


7. Rub down the tape using firm pressure. Use squeezed up paper kitchen towels.

8. Remove the backing from the top piece and about 15cm from each side piece at the

top end.

9. Unpack the film. The film is thin and easily damaged by hard objects. It also has static cling, so keep it away from dirt and dust, preferably off the floor.

10. Think about how to best fit the film to the window. If you have individual window-sized sheets, it should be easy, but if you have very tall windows measure first. You can join sheets with the double-sided tape or spread them a little with wide clear mailing tape. It is easier to hide these fixes at the top of the window after attaching the film from the bottom up than at the bottom after attaching the film top-down as usual.

11. Unfold the first 30cm of film along the entire width of the window. Leave the rest of the film stuck together. Do not unroll the film before applying it because the inside surfaces facing the glass will start to attract dust.

12. If the bundle of film is dusty, put the dusty surfaces on the outside, toward the room, so they can be cleaned off.

13. Work down the window attaching the film. Unroll about 15cm at a time from the bundle of film, peel the tape backing paper off and stick the film to the tape. Keep the sides slightly tight and even from side to side. Wrinkles are OK: they will be removed later.

14. Peel off the last few centimetres and the bottom tape while holding the film away from the tape with the other hand. Attach the bottom of the film. Do not pull the film

tight; rather, push in on it a little to make sure it sticks to the full width of the tape across the sill, including at the corners.

15. Carefully rub down the film onto the tape all the way round. Do not use a hard object. A clean cloth will work.

16. Trim the extra film with a knife. Pull very gently at the film where you are cutting it to keep it upright to the window and tape, and, holding the knife parallel to and pointing away from the centre of the window, trim the extra film less than a centimeter from the edge of the tape.

17. Use a hair dryer to shrink the film, remov-ing wrinkles. Hold it a several centimetres away; you’ll see the film begin to shrink. Closer will not work better. Work in a pattern. Shrinkage in one space will remove wrinkles all over. Don’t try to shrink one area

enough to remove all wrinkles before proceeding to the next. That will cause uneven tension and maybe separate the film from the tape.

Tips• If you are using your own tape choose a tape with good cut resistance such as builders tape.

• If possible choose a day when the outside weather is not very cold. This will make it easier to dry the frame out completely because the rate of condensation will be less.

Insulation


In TouchAccess to potable water is no longer a pipe dream for rural residentsThe Kwa-Zulu Natal Department of Water Affairs is providing a water supply line for more than 12 000 rural residents with the assistance of DPI Plastics, a leading manufacturer of water reticulation, drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa. The Hluhluwe Project is a multi phase contract aimed at supplying potable water to the Hluhluwe rural community, and consists of water treatment works at Hluhluwe dam, a 5 Mℓ reservoir and a 400 km bulk and reticulation pipework.

DPI Plastics product manager for pressure pipe sys-tems, Renier Snyman points out that the company has delivered more than R12-million worth of piping to the project since 2009. “Phase V, was due for completion in September 2011. To date, the overall project is currently 67% complete, with DPI Plastics having delivered more than 4 000 6m lengths of pipes the site,” he explains. “Once the entire project is complete, the pipeline will provide potable water to a population of 12 856, in an area spanning 146 km2.”Renier notes that the products supplied to the project are unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (U-PVC) pipes, with diameters ranging between 160 mm and 400 mm. “The DPI Plastics U-PVC range of pipes was se-

lected for this project owing to its high level of quality and the fact that its manufacturing process takes place under controlled conditions.”He does, however, admit that the lo-gistical aspects of the contract have proven to be the largest challenge faced by DPI Plastics throughout the duration of the project. “Safely transporting pipes of up to 400 mm in diameter to Hluhluwe from Jo-hannesburg has been a logistical challenge, due to the fact that pipe batch details are approved prior to despatch, and specific pipes have to be loaded in time to meet delivery deadlines.” Despite DPI Plastics being awarded a large number of high-profile con-tracts during the course of 2011, Renier highlights the fact that the future outlook for the South African piping industry remains a challenge. “Supply is currently outweighing demand in the local industry, and this has prompted a number of manufacturers to reduce product quality in order to minimise costs. This can harm the reputation of plastic piping in general, and can also have a knock-on effect on other industries too,” he continues. He stresses that as a Southern Af-rican Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA) founding member, DPI Plastics remains com-mitted to its main focus of delivering high-quality products to its clients. “DPI Plastics remains dedicated to providing value-added service, with free training to contractors on its entire range of products. This service

is offered as part of an all-in-one solutions package aimed at ensuring that contractors are provided with comprehensive training in pre and post-installation applications; thereby, ensuring that all DPI Plastics products are being utilised to their full potential,” he concludes. DPI Plastics Contact, Martine Goodchild, Tel: (011) 345-5600, Email: [email protected], Website: www.dpiplastics.co.za

Renier Snyman, product manager for pres-sure pipe systems


http://www.dpiplastics.co.za


In TouchLafarge Education Trust opens doors for students from poor communities Ellouise Williams, a former Lafarge Lafarge Education Trust bursary recipient, was the first to graduate as a Chemical Engineer in her poor fishing community. Speaking at a Meet and Greet ceremony for the Trust’s

2011 bursary recipients, held at the Lafarge Industries South Africa head office in Longmeadow on 12 August 2011, she said that she felt that society had given up on her, but then the Trust opened a door which has enabled her to move into a brighter future. “I always wanted to study, but did not have the money to do so.” She is now employed in that field by a company in her community and she is finally able to help support her family.Recents studies have shown that every person em-ployed in a disadvantaged community is able to support another 10 people on average. Cheryl Carolus, chairperson and trustee of the La-farge Education Trust, addressed students from very poor backgrounds about the opportunities available to them to create a better life for themselves as a result of winning bursaries from the Lafarge Educa-tion Trust. Cheryl said that it was very exciting to see the successes of disadvantaged students from poor communities who were hungry to learn. Successful

Lafarge beneficiaries go on to supply scarce skills and make a valued contribution to the economy, she said.This year’s most outstanding student was Gisella Josling who scored 10 distinctions. She said that her achievement was due to hard work and the peace of mind that came with knowing that someone was taking care of her and paying her school fees. Incen-

tive awards of R250 per distinction for top performing students were handed out at the ceremony.Also singled out as an inspiration was Kamohelo Xaba. The daughter of a Lafarge employee, she joined a bookdrive to obtain books for libraries that the Trust builds and made a selfless contribution of R600 towards this worthy cause. Carolus introduced the Lafarge mentorship programme where final year students are allocated a mentor who is a Lafarge employee working in their field of study. These mentors become significant role models for their students and play a vital role in motivating them to succeed; they also enjoy getting involved and mak-ing a meaningful contribution to giving back to the communities in which they work. Lafarge bursary students are also given career ex-posure, said Carolus. In August this year they visited Lafarge’s Lichtenburg plant where they learned


In Touchabout the types of jobs available within the company and were able to engage with staff who are already working in the fields to which they aspire. Carolus added that Lafarge gives many of its bursary students the opportunity to gain work experience within the company, and some top performing students could ultimately be offered jobs at Lafarge. “Lafarge is always looking for good loyal employees and this is your chance to prove yourself and be part of the team,” she said.An intern development programme is being structured by Lafarge in collaboration with all its departments and business units. Currently six students are doing in-service training in the Lafarge business units and they stand a chance to be offered jobs if they excell. The Lafarge Education Trust was established in 2007 and commits over R1-million annually towards spon-soring students to further their studies. Currently the Trust is supporting 54 students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Mpogeng Nkgadima, Lafarge Education Trust, Tel: (011) 657-1195, Website: www.lafarge.com

http://www.lafarge.com

www.cnci.org.za

Skills on Site Nov/Dec 2011 39A.Shak 2404. S.O.S. November 2011.

2404 A. Shak Nov'11 Skills on Site fpfc ad .indd 1 10/6/11 9:33:28 AM

www.ashak.co.za


www.vermontsales.co.za

Date post:	13-Mar-2016
Category:	Documents
Upload:	promech
View:	220 times
Download:	5 times

Skills On Site Nov/Dec 2011

Documents