Wm. T. Spaeder CFO, Mary Kay Reber, shares her thoughts from her experience at the Women in the Mechanical Industry Conference 2023.
Learning About Construction
Holiday Plumbing Tips
Even if it seems obvious, we all get busy over the holiday season with cooking, travel, guests and family which can lead us to forget the simple things. So here are a few gentle reminders for ways of avoiding clogged drains and other plumbing problems this Thanksgiving.
Debunking Home Sprinkler Myths
While many of us may have thought about installing a home sprinkler system, there are some common misconceptions that make the prospect seem undesirable. Let’s examine the data and find out what is true and what is not.
How to Prevent Pipes from Freezing in Erie, PA
Protecting your pipes from cold conditions is the key to preventing a pipe freeze. Here are a few simple ways to ensure that your system ready for the change in weather.
Why Restaurant Grease Trap Cleaning is Essential
Restaurant grease trap cleaning is one of the most essential tasks for any restaurant owner. Failing to clean a grease trap can result in clogs, fines, and odors.
What is Hydro Jet Sewer Line Cleaning and When Should You Do It?
Hydrojet sewer line cleaning is the best way to remove stubborn blockages from main sewer lines. Find out how it works and when you should use hydrojet cleaning.
Project Showcase: Wayne Middle School Fire Protection Retrofit
Sprinkler Fitter Foreman Erik Williams talks about retrofitting a fire protection system at Wayne Middle School in Erie, PA. The school was built in 1914 and is being renovated. From older building materials (brick and plaster) to lack of original drawings, there are many challenges with these types of retrofits.
When Do You Need HVAC Cooling Tower Maintenance?
Cooling towers play an important role in a commercial HVAC system, and proper cooling tower maintenance can help ensure their efficiency and longevity. In this article, we’ll talk about when you should expect to have your cooling tower serviced by a professional, and we’ll mention a few things that can cause poor cooling tower function if left unmaintained.
5 Reasons to Install Touchless Faucets
Automatic faucets deliver just the right amount of water at the right flow and temperature. Since they work by sensors and with pre-set water temperatures, you don’t have to worry about people scalding themselves or wasting water by leaving the tap on. In this article, we’ll talk a bit about how electronic taps work and go over five main benefits of using them.
HVAC Maintenance: Why Indoor Air Quality is Important for Staff Health
HVAC maintenance is one of the most important things you can do to support the health of your staff and employees. Good indoor air quality (IAQ) is important to both prevent negative health concerns and support a high-functioning workplace.
Top 10 Commercial Plumbing Repairs and Issues
From frozen pipes to tankless water heater issues, here are 10 common commercial plumbing repairs for business owners in the Northeast to know about.
9 Tips to Lower HVAC Energy Consumption in Commercial Buildings
HVAC energy consumption in a commercial building counts for a large portion of total annual costs. Find out what you can do to save on HVAC energy bills.
Is it Time for a Commercial HVAC Upgrade?
Commercial HVAC systems are designed to last for many years, but they don’t last forever. Choosing the right time to upgrade your commercial HVAC system can allow you to take advantage of new technologies that save you money.
Project Showcase: Donjon Dry Dock
At the Donjon Dry Dock in Erie, PA, we replaced the 20” and 48” discharge piping on four pumps as well as four valves. All of the piping was fabricated in the fab shop of the Wm. T. Spaeder Company.
Why Get an HVAC Inspection?
Periodic HVAC inspections are essential for improving the longevity of your air conditioning and heating system as well as monitoring its energy efficiency.
FARO Laser Scanner Streamlines BIM Workflow
Wm. T. Spaeder Company used the FARO laser scanner to create point clouds which can be used for reference in the BIM modeling process. Laser scanning provides near perfect measurements and takes the guess work out of modeling.
Installing Central AC in Your Old House
One of the questions we get as HVAC professionals is about installing central air conditioning in older houses. Many houses on the East Coast, and in Erie where our headquarters is located, were built 100+ years ago. It is entirely possible to successfully retrofit these historic structures without losing the integrity of the house, but there are a few things to keep in mind.
Holiday Inn Plumbing Project
Plumbing foreman, Josh Estes, speaks about the work we are doing at the new Holiday Inn on Peach Street in Erie.
Wm. T. Spaeder Featured in Revizto’s “Hard Hat Huddle”
Sr. VDC Coordinator, Frankie Davis Jr., was invited to participate in Revizto’s “Hardhat Huddle” webinar series. In this webinar, Frankie discussed how Spaeder uses Revizto to help coordinate projects with different trades.
Heat Stress Safety Week
Early June is Heat Stress Focus Week at Wm. T. Spaeder. In this article, we discuss some of the issues we encounter when dealing with warmer weather and how being cognizant of these issues and taking the necessary precautions can protect us from needless incidences.
A/C Energy Saving Tips
Warm weather is finally here! Is your air conditioning system in tip-top shape? Here are some tips to get you’re A/C running to the best of its ability and, ultimately, save you some cash!
Residential Fire Sprinklers: Safeguarding Your Home & Your Loved Ones
Often when we think of fire protection, we think of sprinkler systems for commercial buildings. At the same time, one of the most important places we should consider is our homes – the place where ourselves and our loved ones reside.
Steamfitters Apprenticeship Program
In the video above, we interview two Steamfitters apprentices working at Wm. T. Spaeder, Jared Szczesny and Mark Holcomb. Here they give us a firsthand look at both about the apprenticeship program as well as their goals for the future.
Citizen’s Bank Renovation: Mechanical Design-Build Process
In the video, we discuss a little about the design-build process for a third-floor office space renovation at Citizen’s Bank in Erie, PA. We were contracted to complete the HVAC and Fire Protection.
Legionella & Maintaining Healthy Water Systems
If you own or manage a business property, it is vital to educate yourself on what Legionella is, how to test for it, and the best ways to control it. Wm. T. Spaeder’s Water Treatment department is equipped to help you take the proper steps to ensure your water systems are properly maintained and Legionella free.
Silica Safety – The Basics
Although silica has been generated for years in construction and through that time has always been dangerous, only recently have studies been able to confirm that exposure to respirable silica is having effects on our workforce.
Project Showcase: Peters Township High School Fire Protection
In this video, we walk you through the process of testing a fire pump. These tests are conducted annually for our clients to ensure they have properly functioning fire protection.
Augmented & Mixed Reality in Construction
Eli Thompson (VDC Department) demonstrates an unvarnished look at using Augmented & Mixed Reality on an active construction site.
Podcast #4 – EksoBionics Construction Exoskeletons
In the latest Episode of Wm. T. Spaeder's “Leveling Up in Construction” Podcast, we interviewed Zach Haas, the head of business development at...
Furnace Tips: Simple Cost Saving Solutions
While many people know Wm. T. Spaeder for its commercial and industrial work, we also have an active Residential Service Department cognizant of home owner needs. We put together a quick list of tips that you can do over the winter months to help cut down on expenses and ensure that you have a “healthy” HVAC system.
Why Fire Pump Testing is Important
In this video, we walk you through the process of testing a fire pump. These tests are conducted annually for our clients to ensure they have properly functioning fire protection.
Prevent Frozen Pipes in Your Home
The leaves may still be falling, but brings us closer to our old friend, Old Man Winter. The decreasing temperatures will lead to icy conditions outside. Sometimes, you may find that ice trying to sneak its way into your home and cause thousands of dollars of water damage.
24/7 Mechanical Repair and Emergency Services
Wm.T. Spaeder’s commitment to 24/7 mechanical repair and emergency services keeps your business running.
Project Showcase: Hospital Plumbing Part II
In Part II of this project showcase, we continue to follow foreman Eric Bowman as we move through the construction process of a large hospital project in Erie, PA.
Podcast #3 – 3D Scanning in Construction
Episode #3 focuses on how construction companies can use 3D Scanning to help save time and money as well as work more efficiently.
Podcast #2 – LINQ
Jonathan Marsh interviews Kevin Soohoo about the LINQ, an innovative construction tool that makes everything in your project searchable. We're in...
Podcast #1 – A/R & M/R in Construction
This is our flagship episode of the Wm. T. Spaeder podcast about advances in construction. Episode 101 focuses on how construction companies can use augmented and mixed reality on projects to save time and money as well as work more efficiently.
Project Showcase: Hospital Plumbing Part I
We’re proud to be trusted to do the mechanical contracting for a number of large hospital projects. In this video, foreman Eric Bowman highlights some of what we are doing for a project in Erie, PA as we lay the groundwork during the initial stages of construction.
Wm. T. Spaeder Co. – Over One Hundred Years
The Wm. T. Spaeder Company has been a family run business since the early 1900’s. From this time, we’ve seen many changes in the economy and innovations in construction technology. We’ve continued to grow and expand, adapting, learning and thriving on the challenges that come with all the turns and twists of the industry within which we work.
Skid Design & Pre-Fabrication for Georgia Power Plant
In late 2018, Wm.T. Spaeder was contracted by a water treatment design firm to design and fabricate thirteen (13) unique equipment skids for a large power plant in Georgia. This power plant was in the process of decommissioning their settling ponds and replacing them with a new wastewater treatment system to treat flue gas desulfurization (FGD) waste as mandated by new EPA regulations and these skids will become part of that complex treatment process.
Wm. T. Spaeder & New Health Industry Expansions in Erie, PA
With the upcoming health insurance split-up between Highmark and UPMC, both Allegheny Health Network and UPMC has taken steps to update their facilities. Our company was happy to contribute our services to the various plumbing, HVAC, and fire protection work at each facility including the Allegheny Health Network East Side Health & Wellness Pavilion, AHN St. Vincent Hospital and UPMC Hamot.