From health care facilities with strict sanitation standards to hotels that demand quiet, long-lasting performance, plumbing material choice matters. Charlotte Pipe not only understands the needs of modern plumbing design, but also offers a well-rounded perspective on the role that both cast iron and plastics can play in plumbing systems that stand the tests of time. 

With decades of expertise with both materials and a wealth of value engineering resources available, Charlotte Pipe helps address common challenges engineers face across a wide range of industries. 

In this article, we explore how plumbing engineers and contractors in health care and hospitality settings made informed value engineering decisions. If you’re facing similar choices, Charlotte Pipe’s free specification review service is designed to help guide your next move.

Delivering a Time-Saving Solution for an Oregon Hospital

Faced with an expansion project at the Salem Hospital in Salem, Oregon, engineers at Alliant Systems needed a plumbing solution that would deliver time and labor savings. The solution: Charlotte Pipe’s cast iron starter fittings.

Cast iron starter fittings offer significant advantages in plumbing installations, particularly for projects looking to achieve time and labor savings. These fittings streamline the bathroom installation process by reducing the number of fittings and time spent on each connection. For example, as demonstrated in the Salem Hospital project, using starter fittings saved approximately 30 minutes per bathroom installation. This efficiency not only speeds up project timelines but also lowers labor costs, making them a valuable component for engineers and contractors aiming to maximize productivity and cost-effectiveness.

Achieving Broad Chemical Compatibility for a Louisiana ICU

Similarly, Ochsner Health in Jefferson, Louisiana, needed an emergency expansion to meet the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mechanical contractors Gootee Construction selected Charlotte Pipe’s ChemDrain^® CPVC pipe and fittings instead of the alternative polypropylene/PVDF system. Here, the pipe and fittings provide an easy-to-install, corrosive waste solution solution for the hospital’s ICU rooms and dialysis treatment areas. 

With no need for expensive machines, the ChemDrain system’s one-step installation method reduces labor costs and ensures time savings for projects with challenging deadlines such as the Ochsner Health facility expansion. Additionally, the system’s high-yield temperature and broad chemical compatibility safeguard its reliability and strength over time. With a reduced need for frequent repairs or replacement, ChemDrain is an optimal choice for laboratory applications. 

Elevating Guest Comfort for a South Carolina Hotel

During the construction of the Cambria Hotel in Columbia, South Carolina, the engineering team at LeBlanc Welch Inc. negotiated with contractors and building owners to specify cast iron over PVC for the vertical stacks and transition fittings in the plumbing system. By selecting cast iron, the engineers resolved concerns regarding noise control, liability, and potential rework. 

Acoustic performance plays a critical role in occupant experience, especially in settings such as hotels where plumbing noise can travel throughout the building. In this case, specifying cast iron made the difference in minimizing noise between floors and ensuring guests of the hotel could relax and sleep in comfort. An extremely dense material, cast iron is the quietest system available for sanitary or storm applications and is approximately 750% more effective in silencing plumbing noise compared to plastics.  

To compare the capabilities of cast iron and plastics systems and determine which is best suited for your project, download Charlotte Pipe’s Value Engineering Considerations brochure.