Locating A Water Source For Chemical Proportioning

If using chemical proportioners, first and foremost end users need a location with a water source. And while some janitors’ closets are properly outfitted with the appropriate plumbing for chemical dispensers, others are not.

“Not all storage closets in existing structures have a mop sink and water available,” says Thomas Engoren, president of Seaway Supply Co. in Melrose Park, Ill. “A lot of times people think they can put a mixing station where it’s convenient, and they don’t even realize they need to add water.”

Not only does the location need water, but also the appropriate amount of water pressure.

“In an existing building, if you’re using the venturi concept, you have to have decent water pressure to create the siphon,” explains Bob St. Lawrence, vice president of sales and marketing for Lafferty Equipment, Little Rock, Ark. “If you don’t deliver a certain amount of water pressure [35 to 105 psi] you’ve got to make a determination about positioning and how you’re going to deliver water to that unit.”

Bergholtz advises facility managers to investigate the janitor’s closet to determine if it has the right setup for installing a wall-mounted chemical proportioner.

“The first parameter regarding where to put the dilution system is to look at the options the architect afforded you,” he says. “For instance, did they put threaded spigots in the closet? What type of sink do they have?”

According to Bergholtz, the best setup for a chemical proportioning system is in a room with a spigot about three feet off the ground and a floor drain instead of a sink.

“If you have a janitor’s closet with a sink three or four feet off the ground, it’s hard to lift and empty that mop bucket,” he says. “With a spigot you can mount the dilution system lower versus mounting it above a sink that’s 3.5 feet off the ground.”