When it comes to downsizing older meters for new equipment, it's not unusual to run into issues in spacing and sizes between the two meters. How do you bridge the gap between the new meter and the old lines that are in place? Red Hed Manufacturing was recently called in to help a Louisiana utility as it downsized from an older meter to a more compact version that left a gap. Here's what we did to help them solve the problem and how it worked out in the end.

When winter is here and the ground is frozen hard, the performance of your tap machine may be the last thing on your mind - until it stops working. Unfortunately, when these expensive machines break down, it can be hard to find the money in the budget for a replacement. When it's got your task list at a dead stop, did you know that you can repair a Reed tap machine or service a Muller tap machine? At Red Hed Manufacturing, we want to provide you with additional options that save your utility money and allow you to continue using equipment that can be difficult to repair otherwise, starting with your tap machine.

Since the Flint water crisis has come to a head, utilities and municipalities all over the country have started paying much more attention to the socially and economically costly problems that can develop from existing lead lines in the system. Has your department made a plan for removing or replacing these lines? If not, you may want to get into gear exploring your options. But while many utilities are looking at replacing existing lead lines, they haven't considered the ramifications it will have on the rest of the existing system. Here are some considerations to keep in mind when replacing your utility's existing lead lines.

It's not just a catchy phrase in Game of Thrones. Winter really is coming, and in the waterworks industry, that means time spent dealing with cold, icy weather, damage to the system and frozen lines. It also means running around when you realize you haven't prepared your inventory properly. Here is some more information on how to keep your water utility functioning well in the cold and what to keep on hand ahead of time.

You know what it's like. Everyone has to go read meters or replace them at some point or another and this process can be challenging - but there's a solution: meter pits. Meter pits allow reading, changing out or repairing a meter without entering a customer dwelling. Also, if you're having trouble reading a transponder because the dwelling is set back to far from the road, a Red Hed Manufacturing meter pit is your solution.

Everyone has seen some type of drought over the years, whether it's just a really dry summer or an unmitigated lack of rain that goes on for months on end. It's easy to see the lack of water in a drought. Lawns are brown, creek beds are dried up and washing your car in your driveway will put you on the lecture list from the neighborhood environmental activist. But while it's easy to see these signs, one area we often don't consider is the state of the aquifers.

Curb and corporation stops often cause as much confusion as they do answers for fast and effective water shut off. What's the difference between them? What are the different types? In this post, we'll cover what you need to know about curb stops and corporation stops so that you can apply that knowledge effectively in the field.

With today's many options available in the market, many people wonder if brass fittings for plumbing or waterworks systems are worth the additional cost. This zinc copper alloy has been used for centuries and is very common in plumbing fittings and fixtures from homes to large industrial complexes. The effectiveness of this metal in plumbing allows you to provide safe, durable components to your plumbing system. If you're wondering how well brass will work in your system, here are five awesome benefits to take into consideration when planning your next project or expansion.

Flanges are a common component found in many waterworks systems, taking up a relatively small amount of space while providing superior water pressure. But what about situations where you have a tight fit, meter vault, for example, or along a section of pipe? If you're dealing with minimal amount of wiggle room in your setup, one possible solution is a space-saver flange. Designed to take up an absolute minimum of space, a space-saver flange is mounted first to the smaller pipe or fixture and then to the larger pipe or fixture, allowing the diameter to change without any serious change in the dimensions of the allotted space. Here are some situations where a space-saver flange can be beneficial.

With the concern over the past few decades about the content of lead in household materials and how it can leach into our drinking water, the passage of laws that limit the amount of lead in potable water pipes, fittings and fixtures have become common. Though this is a great general change in policy, the devil is in the details - specifically, the term "lead-free". Though many consumers expect that to mean that the material used to create the piece contains no lead, this isn't always the case. In this post, we'll take a look at current lead-free requirements as compared to 100% lead-free components.