Why Cost of Ownership Matters

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One of the most important factors that designers and facilities managers must consider when selecting materials for their projects is the total cost of ownership of those materials or products.

Total cost of ownership is the true cost of a product, taking into account not only a product’s initial purchase price as well as its lifetime costs. For instance, a second-hand car with an appealing purchase price may turn out to have maintenance costs that will make it considerably more expensive to own over the long-term compared to a brand new car that comes with a three-year warranty. If you don’t do your homework to check out how good a deal the car really is, you might wind up paying more for the second-hand “bargain” than you would have paid for the new car.

When selecting bathroom partitions, there are multiple factors to consider when deciding on the best choice for your project. Design, color, and texture choices must work with the total bathroom concept, and the partitions must provide a range of flexible configurations and options. In addition, the material the partitions are made from should be attractive, durable and easy to care for, and the purchase price should be a fair price for what you are getting. Once you’ve checked off all those boxes, there is one more box left to consider.

 

True Cost to Own

It’s important to look not only at the purchase price of the partitions you are considering, but also at what it will cost to maintain and repair those partitions over their expected lifetime, and how well the product warranty protects your investment. Just like the person buying the used car, if you don’t’ carefully consider what your purchase will cost over time, you’ll wind up paying a lot more than you ever expected.

 

Compare Costs

The chart below compares the initial and total costs of four of the most widely selected types of partitions over a 25-year period, based on replacing each type of partition at the end of its warranty period. Over a 25-year period, Scranton Products HDPE partitions cost significantly less than the other materials, while providing the longest life cycle due to their performance, durability and long warranty.

 

Consider What’s Inside

When selecting the right material for your partitions, take a close look at what’s inside. Constructed of 1” premium HDPE resin, Scranton Products bathroom partitions are solid throughout and will never absorb moisture. Impermeable and non-porous, solid plastic HDPE does not support the growth of mold, mildew, and bacteria. With the exception of Scranton Products solid plastic HDPE, the products below are constructed with either a cardboard, particleboard or kraft paper core. These products are at high-risk for moisture penetration, and are subject to mold and mildew.

 

 

Consider Durability

Formulated with a solid color throughout, Scranton Products HDPE will never chip. In addition, in an impact test conducted following ASTM standards, Scranton Products solid HDPE plastic had 59 times greater resistant to impacts, dings, and denting when compared to metal.

 

Consider Maintenance

Scranton Products HDPE bathroom partitions will never rust or corrode, and never require painting, significantly reducing maintenance costs. Graffiti can be easily wiped clean with a common non-abrasive cleaner, and scratches are difficult to see and can be easily repaired. In addition, Scranton Products bathroom partitions are fully power washable and steam cleanable, reducing cleaning time and costs.

 

Consider Warranty

To protect your investment, Scranton Products backs its partitions with a 25-year warranty – the best warranty in the industry.

 

Consider the True Cost

When considering bathroom partitions, look for partitions that offer a true low cost of ownership and that provide an outstanding warranty to protect your investment. Invest in Scranton Products HDPE – the smart choice.

To learn more about how Scranton Products partitions are the smart choice, download our cost of ownership brochure.

Download Cost of Ownership Brochure

 

What Plastics Can Become

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As landfills continue to grow at a rate the country is trying to keep pace with, small businesses across the US as well as in other countries are finding ways to repurpose one of the items found readily in those landfills – plastic. Most plastics are made of organic polymers, with a high molecular mass, but are also combined with chemicals and other synthetic materials, that do not make them suitable for recycling. Other plastics like polylactic acid (PLA) and high density polyetylene (HDPE) are suitable for making renewable products that allow us to reduce our carbon footprint.

 

Here in the US, and in other developed countries, recycled plastics are being used to manufacture a wide variety of commercial items and products, including: milk jugs and plastic bottles; plastic decking and outdoor furniture; lawn and garden products; toilet partitions; cutting boards; storage lockers; playground equipment; building construction; office products; automobile parts, carpeting; and even clothing. And thanks to our human ingenuity and creativity, plastics are being considered for use in other unusual ways, even for making roadways. “The Plastic Road” is a project concept developed by an engineering firm in Europe. They expect to have a usable case study by the end of this year.

 

The state of Texas has also been used as a pilot state for a similar use of recycled plastics. Dykes Paving,  an Atlanta based small business, holds several patents in recycling inventions. The firm conducted a study to find an innovative way to use recycled plastic bottles to reduce the costs of the state’s road repair bills. Because much of the state’s vast network of roads is built from clay, which causes the roads to crack and buckle, the idea was to support the crumbling clay using recycled plastic bottles as “pins”. This would provide sustainable materials for long-term use, and lessen both the environmental impact as well as the financial burden on the state. This small business is not alone in its innovative thinking by using plastic products as they relate to sustainability.

 

Because of its strength, durability and ease of recyling, one of the most commonly used plastics in the U.S. in the manufacture of products made from recycled plastic is HDPE, labeled #2 for recycling purposes.

 

An industry leader in the manufacture of products made from recycled HDPE, Scranton Products is committed to developing and using sustainable building products that reduce plastic waste and keep it from landfills. We manufacture high quality bathroom partitions, lockers and other products that offer many advantages due to the inherent strengths of HDPE plastic. These products will never absorb moisture; are dent and scratch resistant; don’t support the growth of mold or bacteria; never need painting; and are 100% recyclable.

If you are interested in sustainability, and wish to learn more about our products and our corporate commitment to people and our planet, please visit our website.

The Top Guide for Facility Maintenance & Property Solutions

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Managing a facility isn’t always the easiest job because you need to stay on top of everything. As a facility manager, you have strict codes and guidelines to adhere to in order to supply your occupants with a safe and healthy environment.

To properly follow through on the maintenance of your facility, we’ll provide you with some crucial tips so you can ensure that your building is a safe environment that runs as efficiently as possible.

Guidelines for Standard Maintenance

It’s important to always be a step ahead of maintenance. To do so, it’s strongly advised that you perform system checks every few months. Check your heating system, water pumps, and electrical systems to make sure that everything is in order and that the systems are performing as expected.

When you perform your inspections, don’t leave any stones unturned. It’s important to be thorough in your examinations because you could spot a slight issue that, if left unchecked, could result in serious problems. By checking these systems and spotting any issues, you’ll save yourself a ton in future repair costs.

Preventive maintenance is key to averting severe damage of system failures because you can effectively catch the issue before it becomes financially taxing. You’ll want to:

  • Check your heating system
  • Evaluate your water system
  • Assess the electrical systems

Improving & Maintaining Indoor Air Quality

Many factors can have a detrimental effect on your indoor air quality. Common sources include pollen, dust, and fungal spores. You can help to combat these pollutants in a variety of ways.

Never underestimate the value of a floor mat. This is your first line of defense in preventing these pollutants from making their way from occupant shoes into your building. Placing a floor mat on the exterior of your building and directly inside the entryway or lobby will help to reduce these materials from working their way into your air.

One of the hot spots for poor air quality can be found in your facility’s bathrooms. Due to the heavy foot traffic and the abundance of moisture and humidity, the restrooms can be a breeding ground for pollutants. Luckily, there are several steps to increase the air quality of your restrooms.

Automatic air fresheners can be effective for combatting the odors, but the problem may be within your bathroom stalls.

Most plastics can absorb moisture and sprout mold, further reducing the quality of your air. So think about getting new bathroom stalls and partitions made of stronger materials like high-density polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE materials are impervious to mold growth and provide a durable structure that can outlast most plastics.

Make Your Facility Sustainable & Efficient

It’s every facility manager’s goal to make his or her building more sustainable and operate at maximum efficiency. There are several things you can do to increase the efficiency of your facility and make it more sustainable and eco-friendly. Some of these steps can help to reduce operating costs as well as reduce your facility’s environmental impact.

Making the switch to green cleaning materials has several benefits because they’re made from natural ingredients, which can reduce the adverse health effects and chronic illness. Using green cleaning products will help to reduce any VOC emissions from contaminating your air.

Another approach to keeping your building efficient and sustainable is through the use of sustainable building products. You learned earlier that HDPE is more durable than most thermoplastics and building materials. But did you know that it’s 100% recyclable too? Almost all HDPE products are made from post-consumer material, making it a versatile and sustainable building material you can use to make your facility more eco-friendly and sustainable.

Want to learn more tips about maintaining your facility? Check out these blog posts, How HDPE Can Save Your Facility Maintenance Costs and Maintenance Tips for Commercial Restrooms

Top Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Bathroom Partition or Locker Material

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When redesigning a commercial bathroom or adding lockers to a locker room or hallway, architects are burdened with a significant amount of detailed planning. Functionality, convenience, and design need to be considered through each step of planning to completion. Because of the numerous working elements that go into building a new bathroom or locker room, it’s easy for architects to overlook some crucial aspects of two of the most important pieces of infrastructure in the entire design: bathroom partitions and lockers.

To work toward a more convenient and more cost-efficient commercial bathroom and locker installation for architects and facility managers, Scranton Products is here to highlight seven crucial mistakes that architects may make when choosing bathroom partitions and locker materials.

Here’s a list of the most common mistakes you’ll want to avoid when picking out your bathroom partitions or locker materials.

Choosing Lockers and Partitions That Lack Durability

Too often, architects forget about the importance of the durability of locker and partition material. It can be easy to think that since these materials aren’t exposed to the natural environment, their durability doesn’t matter. However, many factors can affect the lockers or partitions and even reduce their physical appeal, such as graffiti and scratches. The more durable your lockers and partitions are, the less those factors will contribute to devaluing them. If you take the time to look into high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material, you’ll see how it can improve the durability of your partitions and lockers.

Not Considering Germ Resistance

Bathrooms and locker rooms can be cesspools of germs and bacteria. Thanks to high levels of moisture, it’s easy for bathroom partitions to accumulate mold or mildew. Results from a laboratory test showed that, for a clean and healthy bathroom, opting for HDPE bathroom partitions such as Hiny Hiders Partitions gives you more microbial resistance than phenolic bathroom partitions.

Building Lockers and Partitions That Aren’t Reliable

Reliable and strong materials will help to maintain your lockers and bathroom partitions so they remain appealing and functional over time. Sometimes certain materials don’t serve as reliable bathroom partitions or lockers, which can lead to the following:

  • Rust and corrosion
  • Dents
  • Screw release

You’ll want to choose a strong material, like HDPE, that can withstand these common issues.

Using Non-Sustainable Material

When architects don’t choose sustainable, environmentally friendly materials for bathroom partitions or lockers, they limit the reusability of the materials and aren’t building in the most environmentally friendly way. When building your bathroom partitions, you want to make sure that you use sustainable products, such as the HDPE you’ll find in Hiny Hiders Partitions, for several reasons:

  • HDPE Hiny Hiders Partitions are 100% recyclable and are available with up to 100% post-consumer content, unlike phenolic material and SCRC.
  • HDPE Hiny Hinders Partitions feature 25% to 100% pre-consumer content, while SCRC has none and phenolic material has a maximum of 22%.
  • Unlike phenolic material, HDPE Hiny Hiders Partitions have low-emitting materials and are free of urea-formaldehyde resins.

Not Accounting for Locker Noise Level

The noise made from just one locker being slammed shut can be excruciating. Now multiply that by 10, 15, 20, or more, and you’ll have one booming sound. This is a critical aspect of lockers that architects don’t tend to account for when selecting their locker material. If you’re building lockers in hallways or rooms with shared walls, you want to be sure that you opt for the quietest ones available. Too often architects automatically settle on metal lockers, which create a loud, distracting environment around the locker room. HDPE Lockers are built to be three times quieter than generic metal lockers.

Overlooking Aesthetics

A mistake that architects frequently make is overlooking the aesthetics of different locker materials. While it’s easy to think that all lockers essentially accomplish the same goal and that their looks don’t really matter, there are some significant benefits that go far beyond beautification. For example, traditional metal lockers continually fail to advance their design with their protruding vents and bulky locks.

Duralife HDPE lockers solve both of these issues by breaking away from the confines of generic and bulky locker construction. Duralife lockers have vents cut into the locker surface and have built-in combination locks, resulting in a sleek-looking locker that eliminates the risk of students getting clipped by locker pieces extending past the surface.

Ignoring Future Maintenance Costs

When installing bathroom partitions or lockers, you want the price of building them to be the only cost that you have to worry about. You don’t want to have to throw away money each week for locker or partition maintenance that you weren’t aware would be so recurrent. Unfortunately, this is the result of a mistake that architects frequently make. Think about the common maintenance requirements for SCRC and phenolic bathroom partitions and metal lockers:

  • Rust and corrosion
  • Dents
  • Scratches
  • Lack of screw retention
  • Mold and mildew buildup
  • Germ growth
  • Graffiti

Fortunately, HDPE bathroom partitions and lockers are designed to withstand these harmful issues. That means maintenance costs of HDPE material is much lower, so over time, they’re a financially viable solution compared to their competitors.

 Making the Right Decisions

Architects and facility managers can make numerous mistakes when selecting materials for new bathroom partitions or lockers, all of which lead to constant inconveniences. When architects make any of the following mistakes:

  • Choosing less durable materials
  • Not considering germ resistance
  • Building with unreliable materials
  • Thinking sustainability isn’t a factor
  • Not accounting for noise levels
  • Overlooking aesthetics
  • Ignoring future maintenance costs

The result is usually bathroom partitions and lockers that don’t perform as desired. The truth is that many architects frequently make these mistakes because they don’t know about the benefits of HDPE materials. When you choose HDPE Hiny Hiders bathroom partitions or Duralife lockers, you opt for materials that are more durable, safer, convenient, and more cost-effective, leading to lower maintenance costs and a longer lifespan.

Want to learn more about HDPE products can benefit your facility? Contact us at Scranton Products!

 

How to Choose Lockers for Your School

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Whether you plan on building from the ground up or you’re performing some much-needed renovations at your school, you should consider a wide array of factors when selecting your building materials. However, while the foundation may be strong and reliable, you may want to consider changing some of the interior materials, like your lockers.

As a facility manager, you should consider all your options, not just for cost, but also for longevity. When it comes to choosing lockers, you’ll want to be sure that you’re making the right decision.

Determining Locker Life Cycles

When you’re looking at the costs related to new lockers, their life span should be considered. Ordering a new set of lockers is a major investment for your school, so you want to be sure that the lockers will last for a long time without having to be replaced soon after installation or repaired extensively.

During your research, you should look at products at both ends of the cost spectrum. While cheaper materials may seem to be the better option, they may actually end up costing you a lot more by wearing out sooner than expected. Sometimes, spending more upfront on higher-quality materials can be the most cost-efficient decision down the line, as the lockers may hold up better, while the cheaper alternatives may require extensive maintenance and repairs.

Choosing the Right Materials

After you’ve found some great locker options, you’ll want to compare them as far as durability and longevity to see which locker material is the best choice for your school.

Metal is the most popular material used for lockers due to its strong construction and easy installation. However, there are some issues with metal lockers that may alter your choice of this material.

Rust is a major factor to consider. This is more common in locker rooms, but once present, rust removal can be time-consuming and painstaking. Metal lockers also require a fresh coat of paint every so often, which can lead to harmful VOC emissions.

A material that some facility managers use instead of metal is HDPE (high-density polyethylene), which is a highly durable solid plastic. Choosing HDPE over standard metal has many advantages. The number one advantage is that HDPE lockers have a greater impact resistance than metal, resulting in fewer dents and surface damage than normal metal lockers.

And since HDPE is a performance plastic, it isn’t susceptible to rust growth. It can even stand up to mold growth due to its solid plastic construction.

Maintaining Your Lockers

Keeping up with locker maintenance is important. Whether the lockers endure heavy damage or some light scratches, it’s important to address the issues early on.

After about five years, metal lockers will require paint, maintenance, and of course, cleaning. However, when you choose HDPE as your locker material, you only have to perform some light cleaning, as heavy maintenance and repainting aren’t necessary.

After 10 years of use, HDPE lockers will require some minor maintenance, while metal lockers will probably need multiple paint jobs, as well as more involved maintenance to ensure that the lockers are in good shape to continue serving their storage purposes.

Why HDPE is the Better Choice

While metal lockers may seem to be cost-effective during installation, they can become more costly over time when they require a lot of attention and maintenance. HDPE locker materials, on the other hand, require little maintenance and no paint touch-ups.

You don’t have to hire crews to conduct extensive maintenance on the lockers due to their solid construction and their material that’s resistant to most locker-related issues. They mainly require sporadic cleaning rather than an entire time-consuming and costly repainting process. Choosing HDPE material over metal is a smart choice when factoring in the total costs of the lockers and their maintenance.

Taking the Next Step

When it comes to making the final decision of which type of lockers to use at your school, you’ve seen here that there are a lot of factors to consider to make the best choice for your school and budget. You learned that metal can be a useful material for your lockers, but it’s not without its flaws.

But determining which material you inevitably go with shouldn’t be too hard once you look at the projected life span of each material while factoring in the expected maintenance and repair costs. You’ll see which option is better for your school in term of quality, longevity, and sustainability.

Want to learn more about how to choose the right lockers for your school? Check out this blog post, School Lockers Ranked by Durability, Longevity & More, from your friends at Scranton Products.

Your Commercial Restroom Cleaning Checklist

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Keeping your commercial restroom clean is essential if you want to run a high-quality facility, prevent dangerous health hazards, and deter vandalism. To help you and your cleaning staff stay on top of routine cleanings, we’ve created this commercial restroom cleaning checklist. This helpful guide will make sure that you don’t miss a single inch of grout so your guests can enjoy a comfortable, welcoming experience inside your facility.

The 7 Steps for Cleaning Your Commercial Restroom

No matter how big or small your restroom might be, it shouldn’t take a small army hours to clean it. Follow these seven steps and you can have your commercial restroom looking new in no time:

1. Put Up Wet Floor Signs

Place signs inside the bathroom and at the entrance to let anyone who may enter know that the floor

could be slippery.

2. Dust, Sweep, and Empty Trash

Dust all fixtures, vents, countertops, etc. before sweeping the floors. Then empty the trash receptacles and put in a new liner.

3. Refill Soap, Paper Towels, and Toilet Paper

Refill all soap, paper towel, and toilet paper dispensers so occupants will have access to the sanitation products.

4. Clean Toilets and Urinals

For the best results, pre-treat the toilet bowls and inside the urinals first and allow the cleaner to sit for

one to two minutes. Then, clean the toilets and urinals thoroughly both inside and out.

5. Clean Sinks, Mirrors, and Countertops

There should be no smudges, fingerprints, water stains, soap buildup, or other marks when you’re finished.

6. Clean Walls and Fixtures

Wipe down the walls, doors, knobs, bathroom partitions, and other fixtures.

7. Mop the Floor

With a wet mop, work your way from the back of the restroom toward the door. Allow the floor to dry completely before opening the restroom to guests to prevent any unwanted injury.

Keeping Your Commercial Restroom Clean

Now that you’re familiar with the necessary steps to ensure that your commercial restroom is absolutely clean, you’re ready to continue keeping this vital section of your facility free of germs, dirt, and bacteria. Follow through on a regular restroom cleaning regimen to help keep your commercial bathrooms spotless and sanitary.

Want to learn more about how to maintain and even transform your commercial bathroom? Check out this blog post, 8 Ways to Improve Your Commercial Bathroom’s Experience, from your friends at Scranton Products.

Renovating Your School’s Locker Room: Your Go-To Guide

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An outdated locker room isn’t just an eyesore. It can be downright dangerous for students and faculty depending on the materials used and the overall condition of the facility. Although, completely renovating your school’s locker room is no small task, as any superintendent or school board member can tell you. So to help you make sense of the renovation process, we’ve created this custom guide!

Follow the steps of this guide so you can easily renovate your school’s locker room!

Understanding Your Renovation from Start to Finish

Depending on the scale of your renovation project, planning, and construction can take months or even years. To make sure that your plan goes off without a hitch, it’s important to understand each stage of the renovation process. Equally as important, you’ll want to spend adequate time at each stage to see the process through completely. Trying to rush through a stage could result in extended projected timelines and going over budget.

Steps Toward Getting Started on Your Locker Room Renovation

Step 1: Fundraising

Having the money to pay for your renovation is probably the most important step. Most schools acquire these funds through fundraising or by selling a school bond. A school bond is kind of like a mortgage for a house, where a lender agrees to give you a certain amount of money with the understanding that you’ll make regular payments plus interest to repay the loan.

Step 2: Pre-Planning

During the pre-planning stage, you’ll want to establish a planning committee. If possible, it’s best to form your committee with people from a diverse set of disciplines and backgrounds. At this stage, the planning committee will be primarily responsible for determining what the goals are for the facility.

Step 3: Programming

Defining the types of activities and requirements of the space you’re designing is known as programming, a term borrowed from architectural planning. This is one of the most crucial stages of the renovation project and needs to be completed early on. Otherwise, you could end up delaying the project or, even worse, creating a facility that doesn’t meet your original expectations.

Check out Scranton Product’s Tufftec Lockers Product Kit Now!

Step 4: Schematic Design & Development

Now that you’ve completed your programming and come up with project budgets, you’re ready to talk to an architect and have them begin designing your facility. Review these designs with your planning committee and check in periodically so you can fine-tune the design as the architect works on diagramming the locker room.

Once the schematics are approved, the architect will get to work creating blueprints. These blueprints will also be used during the bidding stage and for estimating construction costs, so it’s important that your planning committee reviews the blueprints closely and makes sure they’re exactly what you want.

Step 5: Bidding

Once the architect has prepared all the proper documents, you’re ready to start taking bids for your project. During this stage, you’ll show your blueprints and other paperwork to general contractors, electricians, carpenters, and other needed subcontractors. They’ll in turn bid on the project (offer you a price to complete the project).

Step 6: Construction

The planning process is officially over! Now, you’re ready to break ground, so to speak, and start with the actual renovation of your locker room. During this time, you should plan to visit the locker room regularly to make sure that the renovations are being carried out according to your specifications. Any issues should be brought to the attention of the architect and project administrators.

Step 7: Purchasing Equipment/Furniture/Materials

Now’s the time to start finding the right equipment and materials to help get the job done. Look out for any low-cost maintenance materials, such as lockers, partitions, and even benches. Once you’ve reviewed all of your options, choose the materials that are guaranteed to last you for a considerable amount of time. Metal lockers are the usual choice for locker rooms, however, HDPE plastic lockers have proven to outlast metal lockers and they even provide a more durable structure.

Check out Scranton Product’s Duralife Lockers Product Kit Now!

Step 8: Debut Your New Locker Room

Once the crew has made the finishing touches on your locker room with installing the materials and having painted the walls, you’re ready to unveil the newly renovated locker room!

Renovating Your School’s Locker Room

Now that you’re aware of the crucial steps towards renovating your locker room, you’re ready to get started! Remember that a renovation project of this magnitude requires considerable funds, the best materials, and the right crew to get the job done. A project like this takes time, but after it’s finished, you’ll have a newly renovated locker room that you can be proud of.

Want to learn more about choosing the right materials for your locker room renovation? Check out this blog post, Lockers That Can Save Your School Money, from your friends at Scranton Products.

Common Questions About Shower Stalls

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If your facility has a designated shower area and locker room, there are a few steps that you need to take to ensure that the area is protected from the elements. You also want to be sure that you’re using the best materials to help reduce your maintenance costs and the man hours spent cleaning and servicing your shower stalls. When it comes to picking the right shower stalls, you’ll need to know what to look for in order to get the best results.

Here’s some of the most common questions about shower stalls.

How Can I Improve Privacy for the Shower Stall Occupants?

Most people can feel pretty vulnerable in the shower, especially if there are several other people showering in the same area. There are several different styles of shower stalls, including open partitions, which provide the most exposure. Enclosed shower stalls seem to be the preferred model, but there are unavoidable sightlines in the door gap or through the bottom of the stall sometimes. The best way to improve privacy in the shower area is by utilizing a material that leaves no sightlines and offers an enclosed and secure experience for the occupant.

How Can I Combat the Growth of Mold and Mildew?

Constantly scrubbing away mold in your shower stalls may seem like an uphill battle because everything is working against you. Mold and mildew thrive in moist environments. Since shower stalls constantly have water flowing through them, the idea of tackling the mold may seem daunting. However, this could be because of the materials you’re using for your shower stall. Finding the right materials can help reduce the time spent cleaning by resisting mold growth while standing up to the constant exposure to moisture and humidity.

Why Do I Have to Replace My Shower Stalls?

Shower stalls can take a beating over time. They can easily become scratched and dented after just a few uses. You’ll want to keep your shower stalls in great condition and lasting as long as possible. However, if their interior becomes infested with mold, replacing the shower stall is a must. When it’s time for a replacement, you’ll want to find a material that can last a long time in the harsh shower elements and can forgo the costly replacement.

Is There a Way that I Can Reduce My Shower Stall Maintenance Costs?

Considering the elements that can have a negative effect on your shower stalls, you don’t want to forego maintenance because it could lead to detrimental health issues for your occupants. However, you can replace your shower stalls with a more durable material that can withstand the moisture and humidity.

HDPE solid plastic is a great option for your shower stalls because it’s durable, solid, and dent- and scratch-resistant. Best of all, though, is that HDPE solid plastic is nonabsorbent. It can actually resist the growth of mold, which can help save you costs when it’s time for maintenance because these stalls can be power washed and steamed cleaned.

Want to learn more tips on maintaining your shower stalls? Check out this blog post, How to Remove Mold in Your Shower and Locker Rooms, from your friends at Scranton Products.

Why Work With An Industry Leader?

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Industry leaders offer a unique value to their clients.

It starts with a razor-sharp focus on their clients’ most important issues. Industry leaders dig deep into these issues and come up with innovative ways to solve them. They also know that innovation is more than coming up with great ideas. Industry leaders know how to innovate. They excel in operational execution and have the methodologies and processes in place to deliver value consistently to their customers.

As North America’s leading manufacturer of HDPE bathroom partitions and lockers, Scranton Products is a proven industry leader, focused on responsive innovation, and offering our customers quality products that are built and tested to the highest standards.

What drives innovation at Scranton Products? It is understanding the needs of our customers – the need for high-value

As a market leader, our products are built to stand up to the harshest environments and are backed by Scranton Products’ industry-leading warranties, so you can rest easy that your investment is protected for years to come.

As a market leader, we are committed to sustainability. All of our products are made from recycled materials and are 100% recyclable. They are also free of VOC emissions and are GREENGUARD Gold Certified. In addition, throughout our manufacturing process, we’re conscious of our impact on the environment and practice factory-responsible recycling.

As a market leader, we are a true partner to our clients, offering responsive innovation, cutting edge solutions, unsurpassed product quality, excellent customer support, and one of the largest distribution networks in the industry.

To learn more about Scranton Products and the unique value we offer our clients, please visit: https://www.scrantonproducts.com/products/

 

Pathway To Privacy – A Brief History Of Bathroom Partitions

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Most of us take bathroom convenience and privacy for granted but people haven’t always had the level of bathroom luxury that we enjoy today. In ancient Roman and Asian societies, for example, bathing and toilet facilities were shared. For the poor and middle classes, these facilities left much to be desired. The wealthy enjoyed cleaner and more pleasant facilities but the bathroom experience was still communal. When the Roman Empire fell, the bathroom experience only got worse. Eventually, public facilities had to be closed down somewhere in the 16th century, blamed for widespread sickness.

It wasn’t until the end of the 16th century that the first flushing toilet was invented in England. It was installed in a separate room in the castle to allow the Queen of England privacy but, unfortunately, the toilet didn’t flush well and wasn’t a big hit with the queen.

During the Industrial Revolution, toilet enclosures were built for use on city streets to accommodate workforce needs in the big cities. Some public toilets went underground during the Victorian era as less space became available at street level. These facilities were held to a high standard by the local health boards and provided a higher level of privacy.

The bathroom evolved further during the Industrial Revolution and early 20th century. As more and more women shopped and worked out of the home, private retiring rooms with partitions were developed to accommodate their needs and afford additional privacy.

In 1904, Frank Lloyd Wright, the great American architect, and innovator came up with an innovative way to make it easier to keep toilet enclosures clean. While working on the design of the Larkin Building in Buffalo, NY, he designed the first ceiling hung toilet partitions as well as suspended toilet bowls and sinks.

Partitions Allow For Greater Privacy

It certainly has taken a while to evolve the concept of the modern restroom that allows for individual privacy and provides a pleasant and sanitary space. In the last century, toilet partitions have played an important role in ensuring bathroom privacy. Over time they too have evolved, starting with the first, basic partitions made of wood or powder-coated steel, to a range of partitions developed over the last 40 years, such as baked enamel, laminate, phenolic, and stainless steel. Unfortunately, these materials don’t stand up to the wear and tear of today’s public bathroom and present many disadvantages:

  • They are prone to scratches and dents
  • Graffiti is not easily removed
  • They are susceptible to moisture and humidity
  • The core materials can be a breeding place for mold and bacteria
  • Maintenance issues outweigh any initial cost benefits

A more innovative approach to partitions has solved these problems while creating modern partitions that are extremely durable, aesthetically pleasing and sustainable.

Partitions for the 21st Century

Made from HDPE Plastic, Scranton Products restroom partitions offer a unique combination of sophisticated aesthetics, innovative design, superior privacy, and outstanding durability. A solid-core and non-porous surface make HDPE partitions highly resistant to moisture and humidity, therefore, these partitions never rust, corrode or need painting. They are resistant to mold and bacteria, resist dents and scratches, and graffiti easily wipes off.

Public restrooms have come a long way since the “communal experience.” Today, we expect public restrooms to provide a high degree of privacy, cleanliness, as well as high design. With its Aria Partitions®, Eclipse Partitions® and Hiny Hiders Partitions® product lines, Scranton Products offers a range of options that include sleek, modern design and the higher in privacy, making them the best choice for today’s public bathroom environments.

To learn more about Scranton Products bathroom partitions options, contact our sales specialists today. You can also download one of our product brochures for more detailed information.