Going Linear - the Case for the Linear Shower Drain - NTCA Training

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JohnfrWhipple

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Did anyone here take in the NTCA's last training episode "Going Linear"?

Going+Linear+Power+Point+Presentation+PDF.jpg


Going Linear
 
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JohnfrWhipple

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The presentation is over. You can contact Noble Company and get a copy I think but that will not include the "Voice Over"

I was pretty pissed off when I posted this and have since cooled down. I want a level head when I continue the review of this presentation.

I sell ACO drains. I do not sell Noble Company Linear Drains (I do see the small square ones they offer).

So this conflict is alarming to me. When an educator shows an ACO drain on a product neutral meeting and says something like....

This drain has no slope to drain. There is nothing wrong with that - you can make them this way..... But make sure you consider this when sourcing a linear drain....


Something like that.

The fact is the ACO drain is slope side to side. There is a slope. Water fills inside and then runs side to side. Obviously water travels left and right and then falls down the drain hole.

I have an ACO drain behind my stove and under my pot filler. I use my pot filler every day. There is never water in this drain.

So as a salesman and user of ACO linear drains - this false information I find very "Anti-educational" for lack of any real word...
 

JohnfrWhipple

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The presentation lacked real insight.

The presenter focused on his company's drains strong points and then "Soft Sold" them walking a thin line.

Really surprised Noble Company did not show more installs of there own. I have help build a lot of showers with their drain.

The biggest advice I can give anyone using a Schluter Tile Top, a Proline, Noble freestyle or Cera Line linear drain is block the incoming water from hydrating the thin-set under the tile. This design flaw (advertised as benefit) causes the thin-set to stay wet for longer and the thin-set grows nasty mild right at the drain grate. All the soap. Soap scum. Body wash and on and on sitting just below the height of the tile grate.

I did not make this realization until I had installed these drains for years and re-visited the old jobs. The showers that look the best after two years.... ACO showers.

The benefit of internal slope in a drain - zero.

Also with the Noble Drain you need to remove screws to get the cover off. The grate is folded instead of just a break so you need a small brush like a tooth brush too clean these small cavities. The ACO drain - nope. AND Nope.

So while you may improve the drainage marginally internally you do so at the sacrifice of creating hair catchers everywhere. Look at this installation pictures. You tell me what drain will catch more hair.

And when selling benefits of linear drains I think having a hair strainer in a linear drain is a huge benefit. I have a wife and three daughters. Removing hair from the tub is a part time job!!!

I count 14 hair catchers in this Noble Drain....


maxresdefault.jpg


17 in this photo.

See the three center holes? Those are to screw down the drain grate. The perimeter screw holes are to adjust the grate height. So you make the drain very "Installer Friendly" but at what cost of regular cleaning

Lets look at the inside of an ACO drain...

ACO-58.jpg


I found one hair catcher on the drain shown to the left.

It's a hair strainer!!!


modern-showers.jpg


This hair strainer comes out and can be cleaned and replaced. No screw drivers needed to remove the grate. Zero hair catheters inside the drain base. And if you like me think stating that this drain has no slope to drain is wrong then you will understand why I was pissed off with Dean's comments.

JW
 
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