Keep Plumbing Costs Down By Working With a Company that Arrives Prepared

By Bobby Bellini, President of Varsity Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

How prepared is your plumber when he arrives on the job? This question can have a big impact on how much you pay and how much inconvenience you experience. Recently, two different Resident Managers—one from a condo in Chelsea and one from a co-op on the Upper East Side—shared with me stories about plumbing jobs that should have been simple, but became long, drawn-out fiascos that ended up wasting valuable time and costing much more than they should have. Why? Because, in the case of the first call, the plumbers showed up without the proper materials, even after an estimator had visited the property, looked over the project, and priced out the job. In the case of the second call, the plumber who showed up to address a standard apartment leak didn’t even have a service vehicle stocked with parts, and was forced to wait two and a half hours until the required repair materials were delivered to him by his office, at the co-op’s expense.

Don’t let this happen to you. There are many companies out there that offer low prices, but don’t deliver. In some cases they don’t even have service trucks with standard inventory driven to the job site for the serviceman to immediately draw the materials required for the repair. Also, many companies don’t have the warehouse space necessary to store the parts they need, if and when their estimator’s stock falls short. Both scenarios can add time and cost to any job, turning a low estimate into an overpriced and time-consuming endeavor.

At Varsity Plumbing and Heating, our headquarters in Flushing features a 28,000-square-foot office as well as an 8,000-square-foot parts warehouse with over a million dollars worth of inventory. This, along with our fleet of fully stocked trucks, allows us to service our clients at any time of day, without having to depend on suppliers.

Varsity Plumbing’s fleet of trucks stand at the ready outside their 32,000-square-feet of office and warehouse space at their Flushing, Queens headquarters.

Whenever we receive a call for proposal, we send out a trained estimator as quickly as possible. Our estimators take continuing education classes every year, and have years of on-the-job experience. After visiting the site, analyzing and diagnosing the problem, our estimator returns to the Varsity office with a full report, and writes up a detailed proposal. This proposal is reviewed by the estimator’s supervisor, to make sure nothing has been left out. Then the proposal is sent over to the property’s Super or Resident Manager, and if required, to the Managing Agent as well. If the proposal is accepted by the building, it is sent to our service manager and warehouse manager for scheduling and preparations, ensuring that all the parts needed for this particular job are in the warehouse prior to the job being scheduled. If materials are required, they are immediately brought in to ensure that we can complete the job as quickly and efficiently as possible. Once all the materials are in-house, the job is loaded onto the plumber’s truck BEFORE he heads out to do the job. That is how it should be done, and it really is that simple.

In the case of the aforementioned properties, both plumbers arrived on the job without all of the required materials. In both cases, the Resident Managers, who had scheduled their staff and daily tasks around these plumbing repairs, had to juggle schedules and waste time waiting, along with the plumbers, for the proper materials to be delivered to the buildings so the jobs could be completed.

When the bills came in, both of these Resident Managers called the plumbing companies to complain, explaining that they should not be charged for the time the plumber was waiting around for parts, due to their own poor planning. They both had to waste more valuable time on the phone arguing their point.

Next time you have a plumbing problem, call someone who can provide a solution, in a prompt, efficient, cost-effective manner. Plumbing skills are only part of the equation when it comes to good service. Staff, storage, transportation and supplies are equally important. Be sure that your plumber arrives prepared so that your property can get the job done at the right price in the shortest amount of time.

Family owned and operated since 1962, Varsity provides a wide range of services to all kinds of properties, from co-ops and condos to rentals and commercial properties. Varsity’s expertise includes plumbing, heating, sewer and drain cleaning, water quality, backflow prevention, pumping systems, and fire sprinkler/standpipe systems. With offices in Flushing, Queens, and Bohemia, Long Island, Varsity serves New York City, Long Island, and northern New Jersey, and requires mandatory drug testing and criminal background checks for all field employees. Company President Robert J. Bellini serves as Past President of the Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York and is a member of the NYC Plumbing Licensing Board.

 

Be Sure to Hire the Right Plumber for the Job

It may be the most overused tag line in all of advertising history: “No Job Too Big Or Small.” You see it in ads for painters, roofers, carpenters, and of course, plumbers. And I’m writing today to tell you to watch out whenever you see those words.

Often, they are used by smaller companies looking for small jobs. In the case of plumbers, the firms using that line are often trying to pick up work like leaking faucets, dishwasher replacements, or snaking out clogged toilets. You may think that by hiring them you’ll be saving money—but beware!

We were recently called in to an apartment building where a number of units on the fourth floor had tubs and sinks that were not draining properly. Luckily, the manager was experienced enough to realize this might need a more complicated fix than just snaking out the waste line, and called Varsity. Turns out he was right.

Our technician visited all of the affected apartments and discovered something very strange: half of the fourth floor—yes the floor itself—had been built incorrectly! Instead of being level, the floor was slightly pitched, making it virtually impossible for the tubs and sinks to drain properly. The building was relatively new, and the waste lines and fittings worked for a while, but when they got blocked up just the slightest bit, the waste water would no longer drain.

We diagnosed the situation, and came up with a remedy—we raised the floor in all of the affected bathrooms four inches, then pitched and connected the waste lines and fittings properly, so that gravity could do its job.

In another situation we were called in to replace a toilet and unclog a waste line. When we got there we saw that the actual toilet bowl had exploded! When we asked the homeowner what happened, she told us that she had a clogged toilet which she could not clear with a plunger. She looked online and called (you guessed it) a “No Job Too Big Or Small” outfit, who sent a serviceman over with a heavy-duty electric snake.

Instead of asking the right questions, and walking through the house to determine how the problem occurred and how best to move forward, he forced the snake down the toilet bowl and started spinning it. Well, that snake went right out the waste line, took a right turn and went into the second bathroom. It came up through the waste line and broke right through the toilet bowl!

Luckily, this homeowner got our name from a friend who had just used Varsity to replace an old toilet and was happy with the work we did. After replacing the broken toilet, we went down to the basement, traced the waste line, and found a clean-out trap up above the dropped ceiling. We drained the waste line, cleared the blockage and repaired the problem.

All of our technicians are trained to analyze every situation and to make sure they have a full plan of attack—from start to finish—before they begin a job. We take the time to train our plumbers on an ongoing basis, whether it is for new local governmental rules and regulations or continuing education.

So the next time you need plumbing work, don’t fall prey to an advertising catch line.  Choose a firm that has been around for many years, has a solid reputation for doing good work, and makes sure their customers are satisfied. Check to see if they are licensed to do the work you need, and have technicians who are drug tested, bonded, and trained to leave your place just as clean as when they arrived.

Or just call Varsity at 877-VARSITY, and feel confident that we will solve your problem quickly, do a good job, and charge a fair price.

Varsity will always leave your home looking as good as when we arrived, and will be sure the problem is completely repaired.

 

 

 

 

 

For Prompt, Efficient Plumbing Repairs Create a “House Account” for Your Building

By Bobby Bellini, President, Varsity Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

  Having a house account makes all the work quicker, easier and less expensive for you, and guarantees that we know what parts you might need, so we have them on hand.

Imagine walking into the basement of a house you’ve never been in before and fumbling around to locate the light switch. Eventually you’ll be able to turn on the lights and find what you need. Now imagine that scenario multiplied dozens of times, which is what happens when a service technician walks into a high-rise apartment building for the first time, and tries to sort out the plumbing problem we’ve just been called in to solve.

Of course, we can get it done, but it takes time to determine where the water main comes in, what kind of pressure booster pumps the building has, how the roof tank is tied in to the water system, what type of sprinkler system there is, whether the building has a backflow preventer, where the waste line is, and much more. And of course, you pay for that time while we examine and diagnose what your building needs. And if that time is for an emergency or on a weekend, it can add a substantial cost to the job.

Preparing for Problems in Advance

In order to avoid this type of situation, we recommend that your building set up what we call a “House Plumber Account.”  When a new building joins Varsity as a House Account, we send a Plumbing Supervisor to your property in advance of any issues, who spends an hour or two analyzing your systems, putting them into our computers, and getting our staff prepared to handle any situation that may arise in your building. Then, when a problem comes up, we can get right to work fixing it. This system saves our clients a significant amount of money each year.

Not only does having a house account make all the work quicker and easier—and less expensive for you—it also guarantees that we know what parts you might need at any given moment, and can either stock them in our 8,000-square-foot warehouse, or have them on hand at one of the many plumbing supply houses we use as vendors. Either way, it’s a big win for our clients—since it reduces the need to have a plumber on site waiting for a part to be delivered while being billed for the plumber’s time.

Quicker Response, Lower Cost

There is an additional benefit to having a House Account: Emergency response time. When a major disaster hits, like Hurricane Sandy last year, we are inundated with requests to help. And of course, our first responsibility is always to our existing clients—those with House Accounts. Only after we came to the aid of our regular customers were we able to reach out and help new clients solve their problems.

We at Varsity Plumbing have been helping owners and managers solve plumbing problems for over 50 years, and we’ve learned a few things that help our clients save money and get their buildings back in working order as quickly as possible. This summer alone, we have helped one of our customers replace all the HVAC valves in their 75-unit apartment building; another had us all raise the bathrooms and lavatories on an entire floor by four inches because they were installed incorrectly; and for another property we changed out the sump pump system and related piping because they were incorrectly sized. In each of these cases, being a House Account saved time—and money—for these clients.

To discuss establishing a Varsity Plumbing House Account, call our President, Bobby Bellini, at 877-VARSITY (877-827-7489). To learn more about Varsity’s services, visit our website at VarsityPlumbing.com.

Varsity can handle any type of plumbing, heating, fire sprinkler, backflow prevention, pumping, or water quality issue, from a simple faucet leak to a building-wide system replacement.

Varsity Plumbing and Heating of Flushing, Queens on Backflow Prevention Devices: Are you in compliance?

As seen in the July 16, 2013 issue of New York Real Estate Journal:

By Bobby Bellini, President, Varsity Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

Back in 2010, New York City initiated a vigorous enforcement campaign to ensure that all buildings requiring Backflow Prevention Devices have them properly installed and operational. Since then, thousands of properties have begun the long and sometimes very costly process of meeting the City’s requirements. Many have successfully completed their installations and testing, and have received the stamp of approval from the City’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), yet tens of thousands, and possibly as many as 100,000 buildings have yet to finish—or even start—meeting their compliance requirements.

Backflow preventers, which are designed to prevent contaminated water or chemicals from flowing back into the public drinking water system, are required in a vast number of NYC buildings. At the start of the enforcement campaign, the City began mailing out compliance letters to buildings, giving them 30 days to initiate the process of installation, which requires the services of a licensed professional engineer or registered architect. In a recent conversation with the DEP’s Cross-Connection Control Unit (CCCU), which oversees the Backflow Prevention Outreach Program, we were told that at this point, nearly three years into the enforcement campaign, the DEP is guessing that over 200,000 buildings will need some sort of backflow preventer to safeguard the city’s water supply, and only a fraction of those have been finished as we write this in June 2013.

Act Now, Don’t Wait

            CCCU inspectors are currently flagging each building that needs a backflow preventer, as they go about their business and see issues. Once a building is flagged, a 30-Day Notice will be generated and mailed out to the owner or manager. Whether you have begun the process at your building yet, whether you have received a 30-Day Notice from the City or not, all property owners and managers should be working on meeting the City’s backflow prevention requirements NOW. Once you’ve received a 30-Day Notice, your building MUST respond to the CCCU with a progress report within those 30 days, proving that you have secured the services of a Licensed Master Plumber (LMP), a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or a Registered Architect (RA) to begin the process of installation. We at Varsity have a complete turnkey system to help our clients handle this process, from Day One, with just one simple phone call to 877-VARSITY.

Avoid Surprises: Hire the Right Team

We have heard horror stories from managers who came to us after working with other contractors only to discover that their 30-Day Notices were never responded to and they were now facing violations. Or their engineer and plumber disagreed on what work had to get done and what it might cost. Our team of Licensed Engineers and Master Plumbers has seen thousands of properties since the DEP started the Backflow Prevention Outreach Program. We respond to your needs quickly and professionally, and tell you exactly what is needed to satisfy the CCCU and exactly how much it will cost.

Varsity’s fully licensed team includes an engineer and master plumber to do the analysis, file the plans, install and test the required devices and complete the follow-up paperwork, ensuring that all City codes and regulations are met. At Varsity we provide a one-call solution to this issue, from engineering to installation to compliance to DEP sign-off, simplifying a very complex process for building owners. If your building has already received a 30-Day Notice before you request a proposal from us, we will send out an immediate request for a 30-day compliance extension from DEP. Next, we prepare a specifications proposal based on your building’s needs and configuration. Once the proposal has been accepted by the building, our engineer sends a follow-up letter to the DEP explaining that his services have been retained, the process of compliance is under way, and requesting 90 days more to file the plans and applications. Once the plans are filed and approved by the DEP, the installation can be done. When the installation is complete, Varsity’s Licensed Master Plumber and Professional Engineer perform the required testing and inspection, and file the required reports with DEP and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), which oversees the entire Backflow Prevention program, for final approval. Once this process has been completed, your building is in full compliance with the State and City backflow prevention regulations.

Failure to Comply Can Be Costly

Failure to comply can lead to fines of up to $2,000 and, if ignored, the City can shut off the water supply to the building. According to the DEP, the cost of installation ranges from $3,000 for a one-story building to around $35,000 for high-rises. Buildings with more complicated situations, such as elevated building drains or roof tanks that will require more powerful pumps after backflow prevention devices are installed, can face even higher costs. Because Backflow Preventers cost thousands of dollars, don’t be forced to rush into paying more then you need to just to avoid or cure a DEP violation. By calling Varsity, you will know exactly how much the job will cost you, and can plan those figures into your budget. Then, when you get your 30-day letter, and are on the DEP time clock, you will be ready to start the job and be prepared to pay for it.

Hundreds of co-op and condo buildings, managers and owners have chosen  

Varsity Plumbing to handle their backflow prevention needs because they know we care about their properties, and that we honor our founding principles, established by my father, Bob Bellini, who founded Varsity way back in 1962: do a good job; charge a fair price; stand behind your work; and always keep your word.

For more information on hiring licensed professionals to be sure your building is in compliance, or to request as proposal, contact me, President of Varsity Plumbing, at (718) 358-5400 or email your request to RJBellini@varsityplumbing.com. To view our informational video, go to bit.ly/18btvVs or scan the QR code below.

Scan the QR code to view our video on Backflow Prevention.

Bobby Bellini explains how a Backflow Preventer stops contaminants from flowing out of a building’s water system and into the public drinking water supply.

Bobby Bellini Hits a Home Run at Family-Owned Varsity Plumbing

A bit of Varsity history, as seen in Real Estate Weekly, July 3, 2013:

“My father was all about work,” says Bobby Bellini, President of Varsity Plumbing and Heating, the firm his father founded 50 years ago. “He was very regimented. He’d blow reveille in our house about 4:30 in the morning with the most annoying whistle you could possibly imagine.” We’re sitting in the conference room at Varsity’s headquarters in Flushing, Queens, and from the next room comes a trilling whistle. “That’s it!” yells Bobby as the sound comes again from his father’s office down the hall.

“I was the last of the three brothers to join the company, in the Fall of 1985,” says Bobby. “I was in college and then playing professional baseball, but Dad said, ‘You’re coming to work.’ So every day my brothers Ricky and Tommy and I would be roused out of bed by my Dad walking in, switching on the lights, and whistling till we couldn’t take it any more. Then we’d pile into the Suburban and leave every day at 5:10 am. We’d pick up our two neighborhood friends, take turns driving, and arrive at the office by 6:15 to start working.”

Building the Business Through Hard Work

The days were long and hard, and the Bellini brothers often stayed till 7 pm. “He was tough,” Bobby says of his father Bob, “but we built the business that way.”

Bobby was an outfielder with the Baltimore Orioles Minor League system at the time, and he recalls trying to fit in his workouts before and after working 12-hour days. His father would drop him off at a local track to run for an hour before work. After work, he’d practice hitting at the batting cage near his home. But in between practices and training, Bobby and his brothers Rick and Tom, were helping Bob Sr. build the family’s plumbing business.

Family owned and operated since 1962, today Varsity provides a wide range of services to all kinds of properties, from co-ops and condos to rentals and commercial properties. Varsity’s expertise includes plumbing, heating, cooling, sewer and drain cleaning, air and water quality, backflow prevention, pumping systems, and fire sprinkler/standpipe systems. Varsity’s headquarters, located in Flushing, New York, features a 28,000-square-foot office as well as an 8,000-square-foot parts warehouse with over $1 million worth of inventory, enhancing its ability to service its clients at any time of day, without the need to depend on suppliers. Their Long Island operation, Varsity Home Service, has grown to become Long Island’s premiere plumbing, heating and cooling service provider. From their office in Bohemia, they serve a customer base of over 25,000 Long Island homes. Varsity holds Licensed Master Plumber status throughout Long Island, the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester County and the State of New Jersey. They enforce a policy of drug testing, criminal background checks and credit checks for all employees. “We will not send anyone into your home that we would not invite into our home,” Bobby emphasizes.

For years Bobby has served as President of the Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York. Founded in 1889, the organization works closely with the City Buildings Department, City Council, the DEP, other agencies and City representatives to ensure that properties are operated safely and that code regulations are in place and enforced. The Council has been actively involved in initiatives such as backflow prevention, energy efficiency and requirements for using Licensed Master Plumbers to perform these kinds of health and safety-oriented installations and inspections. He remains an active Member for the Council, and is also a Member of the New York City Plumbing Licensing Board.

Supporting the Community

From the early days of Bobby’s involvement with the company, Varsity has supported a number of charities, contributing time and money to fundraising efforts. For nearly 20 years, they have supported the Boomer Esiason Foundation to fight Cystic Fibrosis. Founded in 1994, a year after the NFL quarterback’s son Gunnar was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, the Foundation has raised millions of dollars to help find a cure for this degenerative genetic disorder, as well as providing support for families affected by it.

Growing up in East Islip, Long Island, Bobby and Boomer went to the same high school “He was this 6’4” blond athlete destined to become a superstar, and I was this 5’3” 110 pound sophomore,” Bobby recalls. “We were both on the varsity baseball team, and Boomer took me under his wing, and kind of looked out for me.”

Bobby recalls the first fundraiser Boomer put together for the Foundation at the Irish Coffee Pub in East Islip. “Varsity contributed $5,000, and the event raised about $16,000.” Since then the organization has raised over $100 million, with funding support from business such as Varsity, along with national corporations and caring individuals.

Bobby teamed up with Boomer once again for a recent celebrity baseball fundraiser at the new Yankee Stadium against former Yankee greats. “We won 11-2,” says Bobby of his team, Boomers Bombers, which also included former Mets pitcher John Franco, Craig Carton, who co-hosts Boomer & Carton on WFAN, former NHL great Doug Weight and former NBA great Wally Szczerbiak. The opposing team included former Yankees such as outfielder Mickey Rivers, second baseman Homer Bush, Lee Mazzilli and General Manager Brian Cashman.

In addition to supporting the Boomer Esiason Foundation, Varsity has organized a food drive for “Long Island Harvest,” sponsored Little League and other local sports teams, and supports local churches, synagogues, and Fire Departments.

It’s a Family Affair

In addition to supporting meaningful charities and building relationships and trust with his customers, one of Bobby’s top priorities is family. His father Bob still visits the office nearly every day, and his brothers Rick and Tom, both Vice Presidents, are there daily as well. His brother-in-law, Mike Lyons, serves as Chief Financial Officer, and his sister Theresa manages the office of Varsity Home Services, their Long Island operation in Bohemia. Bobby’s daughter Erica worked at the company for a couple of years before setting off on her own.

Bobby still lives in Suffolk County, Long Island, near where he grew up, and still spends much of his down time enjoying the company of his family. On weekends and holidays, the siblings, their father, kids and various cousins often head up to the Finger Lakes region for fishing, quad riding, hiking and other outdoor activities.

“The most important thing for me is to continue building relationships with our customers by earning their trust and their confidence,” says Bobby. “Throughout the past 51 years, we have always remained true to the founding principles my father subscribed to when he started the business back in 1962: Do a good job, charge a fair price, stand behind your work, and always keep your word.”

That may sound like a simple formula, but it is that kind of an attitude that separates Varsity from their competitors.  How many times have you found yourself dealing with a contractor who has done a less than satisfactory job, and trying to get them to come back out to your building to fix their work? More often than you’d like, that’s for sure. “We try to treat every project like it is our own job, “ says Bellini, “we try and get it right the first time, and if there is an issue, we get right back on it until it is done correctly. We feel a sense of responsibility towards our clients, many of whom have been with us for years. We still have clients that started out hiring my Dad back in 1962, and now we are serving their children.”

Bobby Bellini (Number 24) played with “Boomers Bombers” against former Yankees players at Yankee Stadium to raise money for the Boomer Esiason Foundation to fight Cystic Fibrosis. With Bobby, from left to right, Craig Carton of WFAN, former Mets pitcher John Franco, and former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason.

Bobby Bellini celebrates Varsity’s 50th Anniversary with Mr. Met, clients, friends and family, at Citifield last summer.

 

 

An Update on the Backflow Prevention Outreach Program

We spoke recently to the NYC DEP Cross-Connection Control Unit (CCCU) this month, and they gave us some very interesting information regarding the Backflow Prevention Outreach Program. All of our clients—managers, owners, board members, superintendents, resident managers and facilities manager alike—need to keep the following in mind:

Backflow 30-Day Notices are Still Being Sent Out.

Rather than targeting a specific neighborhood or section of town, the CCCU is relying on their inspectors to flag each building that needs a backflow preventer. So as inspectors go about their business and see issues, they start the process. The DEP still is guessing that over 200,000 buildings will need some sort of backflow preventer to safeguard the city’s water supply, and only a fraction of those have been finished as we write this in June 2013.

Be Prepared—Have Your Inspections Done Before the CCCU Flags You.

We encourage you to be pro-active and contact us to inspect your property and figure out if you need a backflow preventer, what type, and to give you a firm cost estimate. This is the smartest way to go, because waiting for the 30-day letter opens you up to violations if you do not get back to the CCCU with a progress report within those 30 days.  Once you get the 30-day letter, you need to show that you have secured the services of a Licensed Master Plumber, a Licensed Professional Engineer or a Registered Architect. We at Varsity have a complete turnkey system to help our clients, and just one phone call from you gets the process started.

Avoid Surprises—Hire the Right Team.

We have heard horror stories from managers who came to us from other contractors; their 30-day letters were never responded to and they were now facing violations. Or their engineer and plumber disagreed on what work had to get done and what it might cost. Our team of Licensed Engineers and Licensed Master Plumbers has seen thousands of properties since the DEP started the Backflow Prevention Outreach Program. We respond to your needs quickly and professionally, and tell you exactly what is needed to satisfy the CCCU and exactly how much it will cost.

Know The Cost and Plan Out the Job.

Backflow Preventers cost thousands of dollars. Do not get rushed into paying more then you have to just to satisfy a DEP violation. By calling Varsity at 877-VARSITY (877-827-7489), you will know exactly how much the job will cost you, and can plan those figures into your budget. Then, when you get your 30-day letter, and are on the DEP time clock, you will be ready to start the job and be prepared to pay for it.

Have Your Annual Testing Done by a Certified Backflow Tester.

Our technicians are trained and certified backflow testers. You must have your device tested annually, and that report must be filed properly with the DEP. Be sure you are in compliance, and do not leave yourself open to violations. The City and the DEP are very serious about this issue, and fines and violations add up quickly. Protect the City’s water supply and protect your property by performing annual testing as required.

Hundreds of co-op and condo buildings, managers and owners have chosen Varsity Plumbing to handle their backflow prevention needs because they know we care about their properties, and that we honor our founding principles, established by founder Bob Bellini, way back in 1962:

• Do a Good Job • Charge a Fair Price

• Stand Behind Your Work • Always Keep Your Word

Be pro-active about installing required Backflow Prevention Devices.  Call 877-VARSITY about our complete Turnkey Compliance Service.

Fire Suppression Tips: Don’t Scrimp When it Comes to Safety!

Don’t take a chance with Fire Suppression Inspections. Do them right the first time and be sure your system is able to save lives when it has to!

Be sure to use a Licensed Master Fire Suppression Piping Contractor.

It takes years to accrue the knowledge and experience needed to become a Licensed Master Fire Suppression Contractor. Varsity’s technicians have studied extensively to get this designation. We see violations for everything from incorrect color coding, to sprinkler heads painted shut, to improper signage. Remember, if you pay someone to do your sprinkler work, and they do not do it right, you will have to pay a fine when the FDNY gives you a violation, and you’ll have to pay again to have the job done properly. Have your sprinkler work done right the first time by calling or emailing Varsity at 877-VARSITY or mkovner@VarsityPlumbing.com.

The FDNY is being very strict with violations.
The New York City Fire Department inspects buildings annually to ensure that they meet all City fire safety requirements. Their inspectors test all sprinkler and standpipe systems as part of these annual inspections, and issue violations and accompanying fines for any items that fall short of the City’s strict Fire Code. Protect your building, your residents and your finances, with annual safety inspections of your own. Varsity offers Annual Fire Suppression Inspection Contracts which ensure that your building is checked regularly, and any shortcomings are fixed BEFORE the FDNY inspectors show up on their annual rounds, saving you from having to pay costly fines.

Have Real Inspections done.

We have all heard of those fire suppression inspection companies that charge very little, and claim they are inspecting your building properly. In many cases this is physically impossible. We know of companies that have their inspectors “inspect” 25 buildings a day. Just take a moment to think about that—it should take at least an hour to go through a property, test a few valves, look for correct color coding and the correct signage. Add travel time to that, and you can see why we call those companies “card-signers”.  Your fire prevention equipment is designed to save lives, and must be taken very seriously. Don’t try to do your inspections on the cheap—pay someone a fair price to do the job right the first time.

Don’t take a chance with Fire Suppression Inspections. Do them right the first time and be sure your system is able to save lives when it has to!

Hundreds of co-op and condo buildings, managers and owners have chosen Varsity Plumbing because they know we care about their properties, and that we we honor our founding principles, established by founder Bob Bellini, way back in 1962:

• Do a Good Job • Charge a Fair Price

• Stand Behind Your Work • Always Keep Your Word

Oil-to-Gas Conversion Update: Be Sure to Choose the Right Professionals

New York City’s Clean Heat initiative bans the use of No. 4 and No. 6 heating oil, which are responsible for 85 percent of all the soot pollution from buildings. The 10,000 buildings in the City currently using these “heavy” oils must convert to a cleaner form of heating fuel by the middle of 2015.

Many buildings are switching to dual fuel or natural gas boilers, a change that will not only help reduce pollution, but will result in significant fuel savings as well. Choosing the right professionals to help your building make these changes will help you avoid some potential pitfalls and unexpected expenses.

Running New Gas Lines

First, in order to accommodate the influx of natural gas, buildings need to re-pipe the supply line from under the street into the basement, or create new gas lines if there are none in place.  The work from the city gas main to the building will be done by Con Ed crews, but the gas line from the basement to the boiler must be done by a licensed plumber. We strongly suggest using someone who has years of gas line experience and has worked with the other trades that need to be consulted. These might include excavating companies, asphalt and sidewalk re-pavers, and companies that specialize in repairing sub-basement walls.

As you can imagine, this can be tricky work, involving digging up the pavement or sidewalk, excavating below street level, drilling through the basement walls of a building, and connecting underground pipes. Be sure you choose your plumbing contractor carefully. At Varsity we handle these jobs for large and small buildings alike, and you can feel comfortable—and safe—when you assign these jobs to us.

Since most buildings have gas for stoves or other appliances already run to the building, many people assume that they can just connect those lines to the boiler. This is usually not the case.  The line that Con Ed will bring to the building will be a high-pressure line, and in most cases, will not interrupt or affect a property’s original gas service.

It’s important to note that the gas lines that run throughout the property for laundry machines or for stoves use low-pressure service, and that is not sufficient for bringing gas into the building to use as heating fuel.

Dual Fuel

Many buildings are choosing to install burners that can burn either No. 2 oil or natural gas. This gives you the option to switch from one fuel source to the other, if price or supply becomes an issue. Of course, this means you still have to install and maintain a large fuel tank, but it gives you tremendous flexibility in the future, and is probably a wise move.

Gas conversions are a way for buildings to save hundreds of thousands of dollars in fuel costs over the years, reduce pollution, and meet the City’s new regulations.  We applaud all of you who are moving in that direction ahead of next year’s deadline. Just be careful when you choose a plumbing contractor to do the work.

As always, I encourage you to contact me at anytime to discuss how Varsity can help with the conversion from oil to gas in your building. Whether you choose us to do the work or not, I’m happy to go over the details of your project with you to help you make an informed decision.

Converting from “heavy” oil to gas or dual fuel can save thousands of dollars annually, reduce pollution, and comply with NYC Clean Heat regulations.

Year-End Reflections

Bobby Bellini, President of Varsity Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

As our 50^th Anniversary year draws to a close, we have lots to reflect on and many more things to plan for in the coming year.

We hope you took advantage of our 50^th Anniversary discounts of $50 off, advertised on our Website and our Facebook pages. Our Anniversary celebrations also included educational events and recreational events for our customers.

For 50 years, we have honored our founding principles, established by my dad, Bob Bellini, way back in 1962:

• Do a Good Job • Charge a Fair Price
• Stand Behind Your Work • Always Keep Your Word

And we will continue to honor those principles as we move forward into the New Year and beyond. We want to make sure you know what we stand for, and that we know without our customers—old and new—there would be no Varsity Plumbing and Heating.  Thank you for trusting us with your homes, offices and properties.

With 2013 comes plenty to think about and be aware of regarding your property. Following is a round-up of some of the important issues facing property owners:

Backflow Preventers: This is a huge issue for building owners and managers now and into the future. Only about one-quarter of the 128,000 buildings the DEP has designated as needing backflow prevention devices have done the necessary installations.  When you get your 30-day notice, contact us immediately. We have a complete one-call turnkey program that takes you from filing an extension to examining your premises and choosing the correct device to having an engineer design the system to installation and compliance. This issue will not be going away any time soon, and we encourage you to take it seriously.

Water Filtration: More and more people are coming to the realization that our drinking water is not entirely safe.  From the lack of filtration at most of our reservoirs, to chemicals being added by many water departments, to water running through old corroded pipes, more and more people are concerned about the quality of their drinking water. The EPA has identified more than 84,000 potential contaminants, but requires municipalities to test drinking water for the presence of only 90.  We have installed under-the-kitchen-counter reverse osmosis systems for many clients, as well as whole building filtration systems to protect everyone in the buildings you are responsible for.

Lunch & Learn Seminars: Many managing agents and owners have had us come talk to them—in their office—about plumbing issues their buildings face. From backflow prevention devices to water filtration, we have helped many of our clients understand the regulations they face and how to operate under the rules simply and at a reasonable cost.

Building-Wide Pipe De-Scaling: Our building-wide electronic de-scaling systems keep your pipes, boilers and hot water heaters running at the peak of efficiency while removing mineral “hardness” from your entire water supply. Instead of spending thousands of dollars a year on salt, which can cause health problems, these systems use a low voltage electronic vibration that shakes deposits loose over time, preventing future build-up. Water hardness is reduced to the point where it actually extends the life of water heaters and boilers.

Hurricane Sandy: Superstorm Sandy taught us all the hard lesson of how important it is to have back-up generators ready to pump water out of basements—and even higher floors—and boiler rooms, and up to residents for drinking water and flushing during power outages. We know how to install these generators so they won’t get flooded when water fills the basement, and we also know how to design pumping systems to prevent those basements from filling up with water. Let us do a walk-through of your property to help you improve your building’s preparedness and prevent future long-term damage when another big storm hits.

Please call us at 877-VARSITY to schedule an on-site analysis, a Lunch & Learn session, or to address any of your plumbing, heating, cooling, or water quality needs. We are available 24/7 and eager to help.

From our family to yours, Happy Holidays and here’s wishing you and your family a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Working to Help Victims of Hurricane Sandy

Bobby Bellini, President of Varsity Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

By Bobby Bellini, President of Varsity Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

We are doing everything we possibly can to help restore heat and hot water to our local residents. More than two weeks after this unprecedented storm the situation remains dire for hundreds of thousands of people in the metropolitan area facing devastating damage and still without gas, electricity, water, sewer and heat. We are continuing to add trucks and vans to our fleet and have staffed up with more technicians, phone operators and equipment. When our trucks pull up, residents are running up to us begging for service. We are there to help, and will continue to work round the clock in the face of dropping temperatures and the coming winter.

Many people don’t realize how bad it is on the South Shore of Long Island in Nassau, Queens and Brooklyn. Roads are covered with up to eight feet of sand, making it impossible for repair crews to reach gas lines. With darkness falling by 5 pm and temperatures dropping, people are huddled in the dark, afraid to go outside in many neighborhoods, freezing. Many people have no plumbing, no heat, no gas, no food, no water. The devastation is enormous, and many homes are beyond repair.

Don’t forget: you must act now to make your claims to FEMA and your insurance company. If your Heating Equipment was submerged with seawater, it must be completely replaced. This is also true of your outdoor Air Conditioning Condensers. A/C season may be a long way off, but you must make your claims now. Don’t leave it till next spring only to find that the equipment has seized up and is useless.

Also: If power lines or gas lines were submerged and filled with seawater, they must be dried out and blown out before the utility can turn them back on. Varsity can do the work and issue the certification that the utilities require so you can get your heat, hot water and gas restored.

We are working to help as many people as we can get their heat and power back on. Beyond that, there are the longer term needs to assess and address. Varsity can install emergency back-up generators, sump pumps and water removal equipment, boilers, and all heating, plumbing and air conditioning parts and systems. Call us today at 877-VARSITY and we’ll do everything we can to get there.

Many people don’t realize how bad it still is for hundreds of thousands of people all over the Metro area in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Varsity is trying as hard as we can to help people get their water, power and gas restored.