What happens when a long-time Pool and Spa and Outdoor Living Contractor decides to find out what solvent cement works best, and how they work with less expensive pipes and fittings?
“I have been a fan of Weld-On for many years, so I wanted to find out once and for all which was the best PVC solvent cement. Now I know.” – Adam Aylward, Pool & Spa Contractor
Weld-On has had the privilege of servicing our customers for over 70 years. During this time, our focus has been on researching and developing high-quality solvent cement products that support a wide range of industries, including pool and spa, industrial, irrigation, and agricultural. We also wanted to produce products specifically designed for our customers to maximize their high-volume, fast-paced workflow and working conditions. Our connection with our customers and understanding who they are and how they work is as important to us as the products we develop.
One of those connections recently happened while Weld-on attended a larger pool and spa show. A customer approached our sales rep and told him about the testing he had conducted to help him choose the suitable PVC solvent cement for his company. His passion for the industry and his desire to find the best PVC glue for his company were so compelling we decided to share his story with you.
THE CUSTOMER:
Adam Aylward, Pool & Spa Contractor
Adam Aylward has been a Pool and Spa and Outdoor Living Contractor for over 24 years. His decades-long career includes large residential and commercial pool installations, small hotels and apartment complexes, aquatic centers and Universities. While speaking with him, you understood he is a professional with a lot of experience. In his current job, he and his crew lay about 2500 feet of pipe every two to three days. These pipes are connected by 300-400 fittings that move thousands of gallons of water daily.
THE PROBLEM
He was approached by a sales rep wanting to sell him pipes and fittings from overseas to help reduce costs. As a professional contractor and installer, he knew there was a significant difference in the quality of pipes and fittings he would get overseas and in the larger box stores. His experience and training caused him to reconsider how this cost-saving tactic could affect his company’s present and future business and impact his reputation in the industry. Any good installer knows that PVC joint failure is not an option. The impact is a snowball effect that costs time, money, and reputation and could cause the loss of future business.
THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
To find the best PVC solvent cement Adam wanted to approach the problem scientifically. He decided to test Weld-On solvent cement against a DIY brand of PVC glue. He was also curious to discover how PVC pipe and fittings from overseas and from a big box store in the United States tested alongside the two products.
He wanted to be impartial and remove as many variables as possible that may contaminate his results. He created two sets of experiments. The first set used Weld-On PVC solvent cement with the overseas pipe and fittings and the box store brand pipes and fittings. The second set was DIY-brand glue using overseas and box store-brand pipes and fittings. All pipes were clean, and he followed the manufacturer’s instructions for using the cement.
“If you don’t do it right the first time, then we have to get out the concrete erasure, but we never need it with Weld-On.” – Adam Aylward, Pool & Spa Contractor
THE RESULTS
After 24 hours of curing, he decided to put the pipes to what he called the “torture test.” In his warehouse, he secured one side of the pipe to a pallet of bricks and attached the other to his forklift to slowly create enough tension on the glued joints to see which solvent cement lasted the longest. After recreating the experiment many times, the results were clear. Weld-On solvent cement was far superior to the DIY brand. Adam said, “I have been a fan of Weld-On for many years, so I wanted to find out once and for all which was the best PVC solvent cement. Now I know.” He went on to say that he insists his subcontracts use Weld-On when working on his projects, fortunately, and has never had anyone push back. Contractors who pave over pipes and fittings have a saying, “If you don’t do it right the first time, then we have to get out the concrete erasure. This means they use the jackhammer to remove the failed pipes below the concrete, but concrete erasure isn’t needed when they use Weld-On.”
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Weld-On training and support staff are available to answer any questions about products or solvent welding techniques. To talk to a real person, call our technical hotline at 1-877-477-8327, email us at [email protected] or connect at www.weldon.com/technical-training, to schedule free training.
About Weld-On
Weld-On Adhesives, Inc., a subsidiary of IPS Corporation, is the pioneer and leading manufacturer of Weld-On® solvent cements, primers and cleaners for PVC, CPVC, ABS and other plastic piping systems. Weld-On products are globally recognized as the premium products for joining plastic pipes and fittings. Headquartered in California, Weld-On has state-of-the-art operations throughout the United States, as well as China, and a worldwide network of sales representatives and distributors.
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