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About Danielle Scott

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So far Danielle Scott has created 25 blog entries.

What is the OBIC Armor System?

What is the OBIC Armor System? You may have heard of the OBIC Armor system, but what exactly is it?  OBIC Armor provides a fast, easy, and cost-effective method for repairing and preventing damage to municipal and industrial sewers, as well as potable water systems.  The spray-applied OBIC 1000 (flexible polyurea) cures quickly, making it an ideal choice for rehabilitation projects.  OBIC Armor is our multi-layer system, consisting of OBIC 1306 (6-8 pound closed cell foam) sandwiched between two layers of OBIC 1000 (polyurea). What are the benefits of OBIC 1000? OBIC 1000 is the coating of choice in the wastewater industry for numerous reasons: Chemical Resistance - OBIC 1000 is highly resistant to a wide range of chemicals and corrosive substances commonly found in wastewater environments, helping to protect structures from degradation. Waterproofing - It creates a seamless and waterproof barrier, preventing water infiltration and corrosion

2024-06-26T12:00:35-04:00June 26th, 2024|Educational|
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Installer Spotlight: Advanced Rehabilitation Technology Saves the Day for Middle School Package Plant

Installer Spotlight: Advanced Rehabilitation Technology Saves the Day for Middle School Package Plant The Virgil Grissom Middle School package plant, located in Virgil Grissom, Indiana, was a large steel structure located behind the school so the wastewater could be treated onsite.  It was beginning to deteriorate due to its age, showing signs of active groundwater I&I. The issue in question was whether to replace the package plant or find another viable solution.  "Replacement costs would include buying the land for a new package plant, applying for permits for the project, having to dig out a place for the new structure and pour concrete, and having a new package plant built," said Derrick Short, Business Development Manager for Indiana and Illinois, with Advanced Rehabilitation Technology (ART). "Plus, then they would be left with the old one as an eyesore with a tank in the ground." It didn't take

2024-06-17T14:21:10-04:00June 17th, 2024|Installer Spotlight|
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OBIC Featured on Subsurface Stories Podcast!

OBIC Featured on Subsurface Stories Podcast! On May 13th, Mike Hoffmaster, VP of Business Development here at OBIC, was featured on Subsurface Stories: The Underground Infrastructure Podcast.  In the episode, Mike shares insights from OBIC's largest OBICcon event yet, emphasizing the power of collaboration and education within their certified installer network.  Discover how OBIC's commitment to quality and extensive warranties sets them apart in the industry, supporting a rapid expansion from North America to emerging markets in Asia and Europe. Listen Now! If you’d like to learn more about the OBIC advantage, discuss your next project, or schedule a demo, please Contact Us or give us a call at 866-636-4854 and our team will be happy to help you!

2024-05-28T11:38:01-04:00May 28th, 2024|Educational|
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Installer Spotlight: Midwest Infrastructure Coating Protects Headworks Building From the Start

Midwest Infrastructure Coating Protects Headworks Building From the Start As a past wastewater technician, Michael Vavruska, Regional Director of Missouri and Kansas for Midwest Infrastructure Coatings, knows a thing or two about the extreme demands that a wastewater structure goes through on a daily basis.  Which is why the City of Pacific, Missouri turned to him during the planning stage of a new headworks building to discuss how to best protect their investment before service would even start. "The City of Pacific has been a past customer of ours and was already familiar with OBIC," said Vavruska.  "They wanted to protect the new headworks, as well as an existing lift station that was located down the road, from I&I issues and H2S corrosion.  In the final stages of the headworks facility construction, we came in and applied OBIC 1000 polyurea single-layer coating to protect the concrete from

2024-05-13T18:25:03-04:00May 13th, 2024|Installer Spotlight|
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Everything You Need to Know About OBIC Chemical Grouts

Everything You Need to Know About OBIC Chemical Grouts OBIC products provide customers with long-term solutions to costly and sometimes dangerous situations.  Every product is backed by a team of chemists who employ rigorous testing to ensure consistency and quality. This year we launched an online store where you can purchase any of our chemical grout products 24/7.  Being available 365 days a year provides a convenient, one-stop location for our customers and solidifies OBIC as a go-to solution for our certified installer network. We offer two different chemical grout configurations, depending on your needs: Hydrophilic polyurethane grout seeks out water, is absorbed into cracks and pores of the concrete and masonry, and has a tenacious bond to wet concrete.  It is used to stop leaks via crack or joint injection. Hydrophobic grout repels water.  Hydrophobics are not well suited for crack injection, but are excellent for

2024-04-25T07:19:18-04:00April 25th, 2024|Educational|
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Installer Spotlight: CTR Coatings Performs Impressive Leach Field Lining

Installer Spotlight: CTR Coatings Performs Impressive Leach Field Lining The owners of an apartment complex in eastern North Carolina began noticing quite a few leaks around and into the groundwater system from its leach field holding container.  This was primarily due because of its age - it had been built in the 1970s - but also because it was built from cinder blocks. Since the leach field was responsible for removing contaminants and impurities from liquid after it left the septic tank, they wanted to ensure that the proper filtration process of the leach field could occur.  The only way to do that would be to stop the exfiltration of the old cinder blocks. OBIC-certified installer, CTR Coatings, was called in to resolve this issue with a long-lasting solution.  The first challenge they encountered was that someone had previously put a cementitious layer on top of the

2024-04-01T07:46:41-04:00April 1st, 2024|Installer Spotlight|
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Excellence Abounds at OBICcon24

Excellence Abounds at OBICcon24 And that's a wrap!  A successful OBICcon24 took place on March 12 and 13 at OBIC headquarters, with 66 men and women in attendance from our installer partner companies, representing 33 U.S. states and Canada. What is OBICcon?  Each year, the OBIC family comes together for in-depth education, hands-on training and fellowship, complete with a wide variety of sessions on sales, marketing, product and company updates, as well as special guest speakers and nightly networking events. "We are grateful to all of the installer partners that have invested time and resources to be here with us during OBICcon," said Dustin Schlachter, Chief Visionary Officer of OBIC. "Thank you for investing in your team and your company.  We are honored to provide guidance and education that will help us all grow, improve, and succeed." With the OBIC product line continuing to evolve, this annual

2024-03-20T09:48:40-04:00March 20th, 2024|Installer Spotlight|
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OBIC Announces New Certified Installer in Minnesota and Wisconsin: Summit Infrastructure

OBIC Announces New Certified Installer in Minnesota and Wisconsin: Summit Infrastructure OBIC is proud to introduce Summit Infrastructure as its newest certified installer with a service territory of the upper Midwest in the U.S.  Summit specializes in repairing the structural integrity of damaged and aging manholes, lift stations, wastewater treatment structures, potable water tanks, culverts, and industrial/manufacturing assets. Why OBIC Co-owners Cody Vande Wettering and Cody Reynolds recognized the need for applications like OBIC in the infrastructure rehab industry.  America's infrastructure assets are nearing (or past) their useful life and need help.  After working with Dustin Schlachter, CEO of OBIC, for a few years, they were confident in the product and were motivated to help communities protect and extend the life of their infrastructure. "The quality of the products and cost-effectiveness of the solution is a main differentiator over other products on the market," said Cody

2024-03-07T15:31:50-05:00March 7th, 2024|Installer Spotlight|
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Exterior Manhole Chimney Rehabilitation Featured in Midwest Journal of Trenchless Technology

Exterior Manhole Chimney Rehabilitation Featured in Midwest Journal of Trenchless Technology We're very proud to be featured in the article "Protecting Infrastructure Inside & Out" in the most recent Midwest Journal of Trenchless Technology, the publication of the Midwest Society for Trenchless Technology (MSTT).  The publication advances MSTT efforts to promote greater understanding and use of trenchless technology methods throughout the Midwest. The article highlighted a unique project that Midwest Infrastructure Coatings, one of our certified installers with a service territory of Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas, began for the city of Independence, Missouri.  The city has been actively working to address the I&I issues of some of its 14,700 manholes for the past 20 years, especially the brick and block-built ones whose structural integrity was failing.  After several other products were unsuccessful, they turned to OBIC and Midwest Infrastructure to secure exposed exteriors and interiors of

2024-03-01T11:13:44-05:00March 1st, 2024|Educational|
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OBIC Launches Polyurethane Grouting Sealant Line and E-Commerce Store

OBIC Launches Polyurethane Grouting Sealant Line and E-Commerce Store At OBIC, we have earned a reputation for our industry-leading lining system that prevents leaks from occurring.  What is not so well known is that our lining system will not adhere to running water, so we first had to become experts in the science of stopping leaks. The OBIC line of hand-injected and pump-injected polyurethane grouts is uniquely designed to stop even the toughest leaks.  Not only do we use them in all of our water and wastewater rehabilitation projects, but they are also available for customers to purchase at our online store.  OBIC grouts do not require professional installation and are available for purchase to anyone looking to stop fast leaks, slow leaks, and everything in between.  Zero experience is required, and after receiving an installation how-to sheet, anyone can successfully install OBIC grouts. Dustin Schlachter, CEO

2024-02-06T15:49:22-05:00February 6th, 2024|Educational|
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OBIC Announces Internal Promotions for 2024

OBIC Announces Internal Promotions for 2024 OBIC is pleased to announced that Michael (Mike) Hoffmaster has been promoted to Vice President of Business Development, and Trey Hesselschwardt has been promoted to Director of Corporate Training. Dustin Schlachter, CEO and Chief Visionary Officer of OBIC, said, "Mike has helped to expand our market and network of certified installers and has spent nearly four decades in the construction industry." Serving previously as Director of Business Development, Mike's industry connections and knowledge in the trenchless industry are invaluable.  "It has been exciting to be part of the OBIC team and experience its growth not only across North America but around the world," stated Hoffmaster. "It has been a pleasure to learn from Dustin.  His experience with starting OBIC not only from the manufacturing aspect but also running the largest multi-layer polyurea installer company in the US has been extremely beneficial." There

2024-01-29T10:32:45-05:00January 29th, 2024|Educational|
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What is Microbially Induced Corrosion (MIC) of Concrete?

What is Microbially Induced Corrosion (MIC) of Concrete? In a previous blog, “What are the Main Causes of Manhole Deterioration”, we highlighted various problem areas existing in manhole structures, and we mentioned Microbially induced corrosion (MIC) in passing. So, what is MIC and where does it come from? Microbially induced corrosion (MIC) can be defined as the process by which live microorganisms cause changes in the physical properties of a structural material. You may have also heard it referred to as microbially influenced corrosion, biocorrosion, or just microbial corrosion. In the case of concrete, a common material of construction for wastewater manholes, lift stations, and treatment plant structures, MIC can reduce lifespan by as much as 50%. Sulfate naturally occurs in drinking water and so it eventually ends up in the wastewater stream. Those sulfates are converted to hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) by sulfate-reducing bacteria. This process

2024-01-19T18:21:21-05:00January 19th, 2024|Educational|
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Celebrate National Trivia Day With Some Sewer System Trivia!

Celebrate National Trivia Day With Some Sewer System Trivia! Trivia nights are a wintertime staple activity throughout the country.  National Trivia Day is January 4th, and in honor of this day, we wanted to do an online "trivia night" blog that features - what else? - sewer system trivia!Let's test your sewer system knowledge!Q: What city in Texas has 6,000 miles of sanitary sewer piping and 120,000 manholes?A: HoustonQ: What city in Alabama has 566 miles of sanitary sewer piping and 11,629 manholes? A: TuscaloosaQ: According to USEPA estimates, how many billions of gallons of wastewater are treated in Wastewater Treatment Plants in the US per day?A: approximately 34 billionQ: What city in Colorado has 1,500 miles of sanitary sewer piping and 800 miles of storm sewer piping?A: DenverQ: What city in Ohio has 3,000 miles of sanitary sewer piping and 100 lift stations?A: CincinnatiQ: What kind of

2024-01-02T10:54:35-05:00January 2nd, 2024|Educational|
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Installer Spotlight Video: Advanced Lining

Installer Spotlight Video: Advanced Lining This month, we're proud to highlight Advanced Lining, an OBIC-certified installer with a vast service territory spanning Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and western North Dakota! Watch this new spotlight video to hear from Seth Huggins, co-founder, and Tyler Garner, operations manager of Advanced Lining, as they provide faces to the company name and explain why they chose OBIC over other companies in the industry.  "OBIC products allow us to offer affordable solutions to our customers that are efficient, long-lasting and worry-free," said Seth. "In addition to offering a superior product line, OBIC also provides support and training opportunities for their installers." Since becoming an installer in 2019, they've already been featured in two industry publications, Cleaner magazine and I&I magazine, for successful work providing structure coatings for when it absolutely, positively must last. Watch Advanced Lining's video now! Interested in

2023-12-19T10:11:44-05:00December 19th, 2023|Installer Spotlight|
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Installer Spotlight Video: Midwest Infrastructure Coatings

Installer Spotlight Video: Midwest Infrastructure Coatings This month, we're proud to highlight Midwest Infrastructure Coatings, an OBIC-certified installer with a service territory of Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas! Watch this new spotlight video to hear from Bryon Baker and Kolby Baker, co-owners of Midwest Infrastructure Coatings, as they provide faces to the company name and explain why they chose OBIC over other companies in the industry.  "We are a small, grassroots company that started from nothing more than a truck, a wheelbarrow, and a bucket of tools," said Bryon. "As we have grown, we have established a solid reputation with our customers. They know that we are committed to offering the highest level of products and services on every job." "The flexibility offered by the OBIC product line allows us to tackle any job that needs to be done," said Bryon. "Regardless of the severity of the inflow

2023-11-27T07:31:29-05:00November 27th, 2023|Installer Spotlight|
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Experts in the Field are a Part of OBIC’s Commitment to Highly Trained, High-Quality People

Experts in the Field are a Part of OBIC's Commitment to Highly Trained, High-Quality People Trey Hesselschwardt is the Chief Training Officer with OBIC and has been with the company since its founding.  What does a Chief Training Officer do?  First, he helps new applicators come on board with equipment training and OBIC's process methodology.  Second, he answers questions via phone calls on a daily basis.  Third, he travels around the world to visit installers in-person, walks through situations they've never experienced before, and navigates through that with the best OBIC product choices.  He makes 2 or 3 visits per month, with the goal to see every applicator at least once per year or more. Trey Hesselschwardt "I want to empower our applicators by teaching and giving them the tools to succeed.  The best part of my job is the ability to help people and

2023-11-09T10:23:03-05:00November 9th, 2023|Educational, Installer Spotlight|
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Installer Spotlight Video: CTR Coatings

Installer Spotlight Video: CTR Coatings This month,  we're proud to highlight CTR Coatings, an OBIC-certified installer with a service territory of Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas! Watch this new video to hear from Troy Reed, Vice President; Shane Reed, Operations Director; and Andrew Reed, Operations Manager, as they provide faces to the company name and give details of their offerings and differentiators.  They provide insight into what's important to today's municipalities - and after working on 16,000 manholes in 120 cities - they should know! Watch video now! Interested in becoming an OBIC-certified installer?  As an OBIC installer, you are never alone.  As a family-owned business, we know that supporting our installers means more than phone calls to nameless operators or generic emails.  We take the time to get to know each of our installers so we can offer the personalized support you need to build

2023-10-23T14:54:13-04:00October 23rd, 2023|Installer Spotlight|
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How to Stop a Leak in a Manhole – The OBIC Way

How to Stop a Leak in a Manhole - The OBIC Way "Good morning, welcome to the first day of your OBIC Applicator Training.  This morning we are going to learn about our manhole leak stopping procedure." OBIC-certified applicators around the world are fully trained and prepared through our Certified Installer Program that involves classroom time and on-site training.  One of the most important skills an OBIC applicator will learn during the program is how to stop structure leaks.  As we have discussed in previous blogs, groundwater infiltration from collection system cracks, hole, joint failures, mortar joints and faulty connections is an expensive problem.  Various studies estimate that 40% of groundwater infiltration comes from manholes.  A single 5 gpm leak can cost $10,000 per year in WWTP treatment cost! Leaks must be stopped efficiently and permanently as they threaten the structural integrity of your critical infrastructure.  So

2023-10-03T10:02:50-04:00October 3rd, 2023|Educational|
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Join OBIC in Celebrating World Trenchless Day on September 28!

Join OBIC in Celebrating World Trenchless Day on September 28! Celebrated on the fourth Thursday of September, World Trenchless Day serves as a global celebration that shines a spotlight on the many benefits of trenchless technology in underground infrastructure. Here are just some of trenchless technology's benefits: 1. Safety Trenchless methodology is a substantial advantage versus open-cut construction methods.  Although OSHA regulations assure trench protection and fall arrest systems, the absence of excavation eliminates those issues altogether.  Another safety item that benefits from trenchless methods is the potential for traffic accidents, especially accidents from workers performing their duties along roadways with active traffic present.  In the case of a manhole rehabilitation, a trenchless rehab job might take 3 or 4 hours versus an excavation project that might have traffic disrupted for multiple days, resulting in increased safety exposure. 2. Economics Trenchless projects are generally less expensive for

2023-09-26T09:05:27-04:00September 20th, 2023|Educational|
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What’s the Best Way to Prep a Wastewater Structure for Rehabilitation?

What's the Best Way to Prep a Wastewater Structure for Rehabilitation? Proper surface preparation is the absolute key to any successful coating/lining project.  Depending upon the substrate surface, as much as 40% of the project cost can be the surface prep.  Because of this, many contractors will cut corners on the preparation portion resulting in potential long-term failure.  When it comes to wastewater infrastructure work, you should be looking at the long game, which is why OBIC goes above and beyond to extend the life of your structure for up to 50 years with a faster return on investment than replacement projects.  So let's discuss in more detail what the best method is for preparing the surface of wastewater tanks, structures, and components before a rehabilitation project begins. OBIC-certified applicators are trained in Surface Preparation Standards published by the SSPC (Society for Protective Coatings) and NACE International. 

2023-09-06T09:51:50-04:00September 6th, 2023|Educational|
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What is a Stress Skin Panel in Wastewater Structure Coating?

What is a Stress Skin Panel in Wastewater Structure Coating? We regularly refer to the OBIC Armor three-layer system for wastewater structures as a stress skin panel.  During a recent conversation with a public works director, he asked for a more thorough explanation.  A brief summary of that explanation around what a stress skin panel in wastewater structure coating is follows, and we're sure there are more people who would benefit from this information as well! The OBIC Armor liner system is a sandwich-structured composite.  It consists of an inner and outer layer of flexible polyurea with an inner core of hybrid polyurethane.  Sandwich panels exhibit great strength, which is why they are commonly used in airplane construction, vehicle fabrication, and building construction. Let's take a closer look at sandwich panels.  The inner and outer layers are referred to as "skins" and the inner material is the

2023-08-28T09:58:13-04:00August 28th, 2023|Educational|
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Who Has the Best Warranty in Manhole Rehabilitation?

Who Has the Best Warranty in Manhole Rehabilitation? Did you know that our professionally-installed OBIC Armor multi-layer system is backed by a 10-year manufacturer and applicator warranty?  During a recent trade show where we were an exhibitor, we were asked WHY we offer a 10-year warranty on our multi-layer OBIC Armor System.  We thought this was an unusual way to phrase the question since, typically, it's something more akin to "tell me about your 10-year warranty".  We responded that the system has a 50-year design life and it performs so well, (although issues do occur) that we have very few warranty call backs.  The lady nodded and asked for a follow-up contact, so we guess that she was satisfied with the interpretation. So, as the lady asked, why do we offer a 10-year warranty on our OBIC Armor System?  Let's delve in a bit deeper. By definition,

2023-08-07T10:04:01-04:00August 7th, 2023|Educational|
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OBIC and CTR Coatings Win UCA’s Sewer and Water Project of the Year Award!

OBIC and CTR Coatings Win UCA's Sewer and Water Project of the Year Award! We are very proud to announce that OBIC Products and our certified installer, CTR Coatings, were selected for the 2023 Underground Construction Award for Sewer and Water Project of the Year! The project they were nominated for took place in Lake Lure, North Carolina.  It's a truly amazing story of how CTR was able to alleviate the burden at Lake Lure's treatment plant through the elimination of I/I.  This underwater manhole rehab project was also a featured article in Trenchless Technology magazine! An awards ceremony was held February 6 in Orlando, Florida, in which (featured left to right) Bob Klopfenstein (OBIC), Neal Bryant (CTR), Mike Hoffmaster (OBIC), Mike Weichold (CTR), Troy Reed (CTR), Kristi Kimpel (OBIC), and Dustin Schlachter (OBIC) attended and graciously received the award. CTR Coatings was founded in 2010, and

2023-07-24T09:15:03-04:00July 24th, 2023|Awards, Installer Spotlight|
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Come Have Lunch and Learn With OBIC!

Come Have Lunch and Learn With OBIC! Come and enjoy a complimentary lunch while learning from our knowledgeable product experts!  Lunch and learns and demos are a cost-effective way to provide your staff with insight and information on products and processes.  Learning about OBIC sewer lining repair systems can help your staff plan and execute their projects while learning how to avoid common pitfalls. We customize the lunch and learn agenda based on your specific needs.  OBIC has a wide variety of sewer lining repair products available that cover sanitary sewer, storm sewer, potable water and bridge decks.  We understand that your time is valuable, and will work with you to customize the agenda to ensure we are addressing your needs and interests. Potential Applications/Topics: Manholes Wet wells Stormwater culverts Tanks and treatment plants Since lunch and learns are customizable based on each client's needs and interests,

2023-07-10T15:44:37-04:00July 10th, 2023|Educational|
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OBIC-Certified Installer Featured in Trenchless Technology Magazine for the Rehabilitation of 828 Manholes in New York

OBIC-Certified Installer Featured in Trenchless Technology Magazine for the Rehabilitation of 828 Manholes in NY The Trenchless Technology article, "Manhole Maintenance in Tonawanda, New York to Proactively Address I&I", features OBIC-certified installer, Advanced Rehabilitation Technologies (ART), as they successfully work with the Town of Tonawanda, New York to rehabilitate 828 manholes and counting! Before they were selected for the project, however, they were tasked with installing a test application in one of the worse structures in the town's system. After several months, all the test sites (OBIC and other manufacturers) were visited and lining materials were evaluated by Tonawanda staff. OBIC Armor 1000 was found to be best suited for their needs and so the project began. Learn more about these impressive test results and how ART was able to help the town reduce service calls pertaining to backups, basement flooding and related matters by 50%!

2023-06-22T11:11:06-04:00June 22nd, 2023|Installer Spotlight|
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