Vicinity’s Inaugural 42MW Electric Boiler Now Operational
CAMBRIDGE, MA — Vicinity Energy, a decarbonization leader with the nation’s largest portfolio of district energy systems, has announced the launch of eSteam, its carbon-free thermal energy solution.
This milestone follows a swift two-year journey from concept to execution. Vicinity’s inaugural 42MW industrial-scale electric boiler is now operational at its Cambridge, MA, facility, underscoring Vicinity’s Clean
2024 ASPE Convention & Expo Draws Record Attendance
ARLINGTON, VA — The 2024 ASPE Convention & Expo, a premier event in the plumbing engineering and design industry, marked a significant increase in both attendance and exhibitor participation, reinforcing its status
BY JOHN MESENBRINK OF CONTRACTOR’S STAFF
As Donald Trump assembles his cabinet for confirmation and readies for his second term in office, contractors will try to gauge the president-elect’s potential policies as they relate to increased tariffs, tax reform, regulatory rewiring, the skilled trades, and American investment, to name a few.
During the first Trump Administration, we saw significant efforts to reduce regulations alongside strong support for US manufacturers and their export initiatives. ➤ Turn to Elections 2024, page 6
The 2024-2026 ASPE Board of Directors at the Breakfast Awards Ceremony held October 21st.
SPECIAL TO CONTRACTOR ➤ Turn to ASPE, page 32
The industrial-scale electric boiler at the heart of Vicinity’s eSteam district energy solution. ➤ Turn to Vicinity, page 10
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Dan Quinonez Named PHCC Chief Operating Officer
The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors— National Association (PHCC) has announced the promotion of PHCC Educational Foundation Executive Director Dan Quinonez to PHCC Chief Operating Officer.
“I am pleased to announce this expanded role for Dan, as he continues his position as the Executive Director of the PHCC Educational Foundation,” said PHCC CEO Cindy Sheridan . “Drawing on
Belinda Wise Elected President of PMI 2025 Board of Directors
ATLANTA, GA — Plumbing Manufacturers International members elected Belinda Wise as President of the 2025 PMI Board of Directors during PMI’s 70th Annual Meeting of the Membership held November 6th.
A member of the Neoperl USA Board of Directors, Wise succeeds Chip Way , Director of OEM sales at Lavelle Industries. Way will remain on the board as immediate past president. The meeting was held during the PMI24 Manufacturing Success
Gen Z Is Eager to Take Up the Skilled Trades, but Faces Barriers
TOWSON, MD — A new survey released today from DEWALT, a Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK) brand and leader in total jobsite solutions, found that high schoolers enrolled in skilled trades programs are fully commit ted
Features & Departments Columnists
EDITORIAL STAFF
VP/Market Leader-Buildings & Construction
Mike Hellmann, mhellmann@endeavorb2b.com
Group Editorial Director-Buildings & Construction Mike Eby, meby@endeavorb2b.com
Editor-In-Chief Steve Spaulding, sspaulding@endeavorb2b.com
Editor-At-Large John Mesenbrink, jmesenbrink@endeavorb2b.com
Contributing Writer Kelly Faloon COLUMNISTS
Al Schwartz, Management
Pat Linhardt, Hydronics & Radiant Patti Feldman, Technology Matt Michel, Marketing
Art Director, Susan Lakin
Ad Services Manager, Deanna O’Byrne
Production Manager, Sam Schulenberg
Classified Production Designer, Terry Gann
Audience Development Manager, James Marinaccio
Dan Quinonez
Belinda Wise, President of the 2025 PMI Board of Directors.
In Brief
Stellar Industries has named Jeff Oelke Director of Customer Service and Quality. Oelke brings more than twenty years of experience in operations and quality assurance with such companies as Winnebago Industries, and most recently, McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing Inc Oelke is succeeding Nick Anderson in the role.
Versatile Credit, a leading provider of consumer financing solutions and Aqua Finance, a provider of consumer-friendly financing solutions, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing financing options in key sectors such as home improvement, HVAC, water treatment, and more. The collaboration brings together Versatile’s multi-lender platform and Aqua’s specialized lending products, creating a more robust offering.
Luis Delgado, CCM, President and National Group Lead for STV’s Program and Construction Management (PM/CM) Practice, recently became the new Chair of the Board of Directors of the Construction Management Association of America at CMAA2024, the association’s national conference in San Francisco.
Endeavor Business Media has announced that Amanda Landsaw has been named Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Previously Landsaw was the company’s VP of Audience Development. Landsaw brings over 13 years of experience in media and marketing to the role.
Height safety leader, Guardian, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Pedro Caceres as its new Chief Executive Officer. Since joining Guardian in June 2024, Pedro has held key leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer and Acting CEO, driving significant improvements in responsiveness, operational efficiency, and customer delivery.
Penn Valley Pump Co. Inc. (PVP), a leading manufacturer of Double Disc Pumps, has completed the sale of the Company to Ingersoll Rand Inc. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1980, PVP has been manufacturing its Double Disc Pump™ line of positive displacement pumps for use in the municipal, industrial, chemical and food industries.
• Rheem Celebrates Plumbers with Racing Sweepstakes Offer
• Watts and Bradley Co-Sponsor Harry Warren, Inc. Networking Event
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Elections 2024: What Will it Mean for the Trades?
➤ Continued from page 1
“A second President Trump term presents an opportunity to build on this by investing in critical infrastructure, fostering domestic job growth, and boosting U.S. exports from domestic plumbing manufacturers. However, the industry continues to require meaningful regulatory reform,” says Dain Hansen , Executive Vice President, Government Relations, The IAPMO Group.
The plumbing sector, for example, is a $92 billion sector of the economy and the work that contractors do supports every community and family in America, stresses Hansen. “I anticipate that the Trump Administration would focus on preserving local jurisdictions’ flexibility to adopt standards that meet their unique needs. There will also be an opportunity to get the various federal departments and agencies on the same page by adopting voluntary consensus standards that will save taxpayers money, expand incentives and opportunities, and promote long-term resiliency.”
According to Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI), CEO and Executive Director, Kerry Stackpole , its members appreciate the desire to moderate regulations but also prefer stability. “We have made great strides relating to environmental responsibility, sustainability, and water efficiency. Our members are proactively planning for likely changes in the economy and working through the potential impact of tariffs and new circumstances in international trade. We hope the new administration will
seek stability, lower interest rates, and work to minimize uncertainty in all markets,” says Stackpole.
But Stackpole is realistic in his approach. “We do expect a greater focus on deregulation. PMI members have clearly illuminated the importance of water conservation and consumer preference for WaterSense products,
In addition, “We expect to see federal agencies offering a more cooperative approach with communities to educate contractors,” says Ben Brubeck , ABC’s Vice President of Regulatory Labor and State Affairs. Brubeck also says that there is a sense of relief in terms of tackling big-ticket items such as inflation, attention to
Republicans win the White House and Congress—what is the tenor moving forward?
for example. Water shortages and having access to safe, clean water is a bipartisan issue. States such as California will continue to favor more water efficiency rather than less and this state continues to have a major influence over the rest of the nation. As we do every day, PMI will work to find reasonable middle ground for plumbing manufacturers within this dynamic.”
Hansen concurs saying that as this Administration seeks to cut government spending overall, “We will continue to advocate for programs that are industry supported, protect public health, and that help deliver clean water and sanitation.”
Mike Bellaman , President and CEO, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), has said that ABC is optimistic about the future of America’s construction industry and the opportunities to advance policies that protect free enterprise, reduce regulatory burdens and expand workforce development. With leaders and lawmakers committed to promoting economic growth and supporting the principles of fair and open competition, there is confidence that the construction industry will thrive and all workers will be given the opportunity to build America with fewer obstacles.
the skilled trades and the loosening of the regulatory grip of the Biden administration. “This is good for advocacy work,” says Brubeck.
Seeing Red
Did I mention an all-red Congress?
“A Republican Congress and administration will bode well on energy policy as PHCC members confront bans and restrictions on natural gas connections and appliances across the country,” says Mark Valentini , Vice President of Legislative Affairs, PHCC-National Association. “This will also bode well for tax policy as certain provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 are set to expire which have been beneficial for many contractors, especially when considering Congress revisiting the corporate tax rate and potentially lowering it to 15% down from 21%.”
Valentini’s cohort, Charles White, VP Regulatory Affairs, PHCC-National Association, says that we can expect to see legislation on tax reform and energy in the new Congress. “Tight margins particularly in the House will require all Republicans to be on board to pass anything,” says White. “It is possible that the
new administration will review regulations that are currently in litigation, like the residential gas furnace rule, and perhaps decide to pull back those rules for revisions. This could also affect decisions on whether to appeal adverse court rulings such as the recent ruling against the US Department of Labor’s Overtime Rule.”
Tariffs and the Industry
There is a back-and-forth debate brewing whether instituting tariffs is beneficial to the American economy and the American worker. IAPMO’s Hansen says that economists have different views on the topic of tariffs, but the plumbing industry is well-positioned to support continued domestic production of what our country needs—and increase US exports to other countries.
“Any policy that strengthens our manufacturing muscle is good for the economy and increases job opportunities in the trades. Programs such as the Market Development Cooperator Program and Standards Alliance at USAID, along with the Department of Commerce’s Foreign Commercial Service, provide vital support to US exporters. We hope the administration will continue backing these programs to ensure US products remain competitive overseas. We continue to monitor the impact tariffs are having on our global industry as manufacturers move locations to avoid these costs,” says Hansen.
While IAPMO is cautiously optimistic and vigilant, PMI shares concern. “During his campaign, President Trump spoke about his desire to increase tariffs—as high as 60% on Chinese goods, 10% to 20% across the board on all foreign goods, including Europe, and 25% on imports from Mexico, unless they curb the number of immigrants coming across the border. If he’s successful, these tariffs will have an inflationary impact, increasing the costs of production and in turn the costs of products in the marketplace. That’s certainly one of the biggest concerns plumbing manufacturers have right now.
Belinda Wise of Neoperl Elected President of PMI 2025 Board of Directors
➤ Continued from page 3
Conference in Atlanta, where PMI celebrated its 70th anniversary.
In addition to Wise and Way, the members of the
2025 board will be Board Vice President Bob Neff, Delta Faucet Company; Board Secretary/Treasurer Lowell Lampen, Kohler; and At-Large Directors Troy Benavidez, LIXIL; Kate Olinger, Uponor-GF Building Flow Solutions; Michael Reffner, Moen; and Paige Riddle, LSP Products.
In remarks after her election, Wise encouraged all members to leverage the power of their collective network. “The strength of our association lies in the knowledge and experience of each one of you. I look forward to fostering even greater collaboration among our members, facilitating the exchange of ideas, and creating platforms where we can work together to solve the challenges of today and tomorrow,” she stated.
Wise recognized Way for his contributions as the 2024 PMI board president. Wise also announced that the 71st Annual Meeting of the Membership will be held as part of the PMI25 Manufacturing Success Conference from Nov. 3-6, 2025, at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago.
In remarks summing up 2024, Way recognized new PMI manufacturing members Falcon Water Technologies, represented by President and CEO John Confrey , and LSP Products, represented by Paige Riddle, Senior Director, Product Management. Way also presented the PMI President’s Award to C.J Lagan of LIXIL.
Board members approved at 70th Annual Meeting of the Membership.
During his state of the association report, PMI CEO/Executive Director Kerry Stackpole spoke of how the plumbing manufacturing industry is a force for global change, making leading contributions toward better water efficiency and hygiene, access to clean water and sanitation systems, and sustainable building and green living. These contributions ultimately save water, reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, prevent illness, and save lives. Stackpole named Lars Christensen of BLANCO as the recipient of the PMI Ambassador Award, given each year to an employee of a PMI member company.
PMI24 Sponsors
The Nov. 4-7 PMI24 meeting earlier featured the inaugural PMI Women’s Breakfast, a celebration of the contributions of women to the plumbing manufacturing industry, and the presentation of the Paul Patton PMI24 Manufacturing Success Award to Jake MacDonald, Director, Quality, BLANCO North America.
The 2025 Plumbing Manufacturers International Board of Directors, with PMI CEO/Executive Director Kerry Stackpole (far left). l-r: Michael Reffner, Moen; Kate Olinger, Uponor-GF Building Flow Solutions; Troy Benavidez, LIXIL; board president Belinda Wise, Neoperl; immediate past board president Chip Way, Lavelle Industries; Paige Riddle, LSP Products; board secretary/treasurer Lowell Lampen, Kohler; and board vice president Bob Neff, Delta Faucet Company.
Smart Boiler Control 294
Smart Steam Control 289
Vicinity’s Inaugural 42MW Electric Boiler Now Operational
Continued from page 1
Energy Future commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The electric boiler will enable Vicinity to deliver its award-winning carbon-free thermal energy product, eSteam, to its customers starting this heating season, marking a pivotal advancement in urban sustainability. Boston and Cambridge-based customers have partnered with Vicinity to use eSteam in their buildings as an immediate solution for reducing carbon emissions.
eSteam
Vicinity will import renewable electricity through its co-located substations to power the electric boiler, generating carbon-free eSteam. Leveraging its established underground steam network, Vicinity delivers eSteam directly to customers, enabling cost-effective compliance with performance standards, accelerating clean energy adoption and the broader energy transition.
“The delivery of eSteam marks a pivotal moment in advancing urban decarbonization,” said Kevin Hagerty, President and CEO of Vicinity Energy. “The strong interest we’ve received from customers underscores the growing and urgent need for carbon-free thermal energy. As we approach capacity, the enthusiasm of early adopters reaffirms that district energy electrification is not only a viable solution but also the most efficient and costeffective pathway to decarbonize a city quickly.”
Vicinity is contracted to supply eSteam to leading organizations like Emerson College and life sciences leader IQHQ, emphasizing the unprecedented demand for carbon-free thermal energy in Boston and Cambridge. Their adoption of eSteam reflects its broad, transformative impact on industries focused on advancing sustainability goals.
The Clean Energy Economy
“I grew up not too far from this location, and I have seen the transformation of this community from this site
in particular, which is now going to reduce our neighborhood’s carbon footprint,” said Massachusetts State Senator Sal DiDomenico . “I want to thank Vicinity for choosing Cambridge, because we need to show the rest of the nation and the world that innovation is happening here in our great city. We are changing lives, and we’re doing work here that is not happening anywhere else in this country or the world.”
“The launch of eSteam marks a major step forward in our journey toward cleaner energy,” said Jennifer Lamy, Associate Director of Sustainability at Emerson College. “Starting this semester, eSteam will begin heating campus buildings, and in the next several years, all of Emerson’s steam-heated buildings will be heated with carbon-free eSteam. Our use of eSteam will contribute significantly towards our goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.”
“This project is a terrific example of the leadership and vision of businesses seizing the opportunities of the clean energy transition,” said Brad
Campbell, President and CEO of the Conservation Law Foundation. “The commercial heating and power sector has long been considered ‘hard to decarbonize,’ but Vicinity is showing it can be done with existing technology in a competitive environment.”
“We at the Environmental League of Massachusetts know that technological innovation can both tackle climate change and create opportunities for our communities,” said Elizabeth Turnbull Henry, President of the Environmental League of Massachusetts. “Vicinity’s commitment to decarbonization with the launch of eSteam is
exactly the kind of leadership we need to build a resilient, sustainable future for generations to come.”
Vicinity Energy
Vicinity Energy is the largest owner and operator of district energy systems dedicated to decarbonizing its operations and investing in innovative renewable thermal energy technologies. Operating 19 district energy systems in 12 cities, Vicinity delivers reliable and sustainable steam, hot water, and chilled water to 260 million square feet of building space nationwide. To learn more, visit www.vicinityenergy.us.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the launch of eSteam, Vicinity’s carbon-free thermal energy solution.
Recently, Secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development Yvonne Hao and Undersecretary of Economic Foundations in the Office of Economic Development Ashley Stolba joined Vicinity Energy for a tour of its Kendall facility.
Vicinity CEO Kevin Hagerty, Chief Sustainability Officer Matt O’Malley, and Vice President of Operations Don Silvia led the tour, showcasing the district energy leader’s latest upgrades which are enabling them to electrify their regional operations.
➤
Dan Quinonez Named PHCC Chief Operating Officer
➤ Continued from page 3
his strong association management background, strategic mindset, leadership and creative direction, Dan will assist me in driving strategy and operations for the association; he will also
oversee most revenue-generating areas of the organization.”
Focus on Training
Since joining the Foundation on June 1, 2023, Quinonez has overseen the
Here for What’s Next in Heating
release of new plumbing and HVAC training materials, an increase in annual giving campaign donations, expanding the PHCC Academy ® to develop more post-apprentice courses, the addition of new scholarships for
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veterans and Latino applicants, and an industry joint effort to train the US competitor for the WorldSkills competition.
“I am truly honored to take on this new role and am excited to collaborate closely with CEO Sheridan, the PHCC team, and all of our members,” said Quinonez. “Together, we will enhance operational performance and remain dedicated to delivering exceptional value to our members, all while upholding the highest standards of quality and service in everything we do.”
Past Service
Before joining the PHCC Educational Foundation, Quinonez served as a Senior Account Executive for the Kellen Company, a prominent Association Management Company. In this capacity, he served as the Executive Director for the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) and the Professional Electrical Apparatus Reconditioning League (PEARL), playing a pivotal role in expanding and promoting these organizations through various initiatives, including education, outreach, technical advancement, and advocacy.
His other roles included working with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in Washington DC, where he advocated for the home building community. In addition, he served in the United States Army Reserves for 12 years.
Quinonez’s appointment was part of an internal structural reorganization of PHCC that is designed to increase membership, sponsorship opportunities and industry exposure.
“I am excited to head into 2025 with this new organizational structure and am looking forward to a new phase of growth for PHCC,” said Sheridan.
by Al Schwartz
Expanding Your Income Stream
How do you make your money these days? Are you a service shop? Are you a commercial, residential or industrial contractor? How about a retrofitter or a remodeler? While it is difficult to pigeon-hole what we all do into one of these groups, it is also true that many companies categorize themselves in this way.
If service work is your primary source of income then you consider yourself a service shop, even though you probably do the occasional remodel, custom home or small commercial job (like a tenant improvement for a strip center). Likewise, if your shop does large municipal, commercial or industrial projects, you still probably do small service repair work, alterations and retrofitting for your clients, even if you don’t actively solicit this type of work. If you make money from these jobs, even though they may only be a small or ancillary part of your operation, you are diversifying. In the jargon of today, you are creating “income streams.” If you already have as much work as you can handle (few do these days), or want, then work outside of your primary niche can be considered a nuisance, but how many of you out there can say that you truly are so swamped that you’d turn down the opportunity to make a few bucks just because the work is outside of the normal course of your business? Cultivating these smaller niches could turn something that is a bother into another reliable income stream. Of course, moving in that direction can be costly up front, but if there is a light at the end of that tunnel it could be rewarding too!
New technologies, new ideas, new opportunities
Beefing up your efforts to increase marginal income from work that is not a usual part of your day-to-day operations is but one way to diversify your income streams. The advent of new technologies as well as the current “green” agenda has opened the door to many, many more opportunities to fatten your bottom line.
On the technology front, digital equipment has taken the “art” out
Having the ability to go after these suggested income streams is something most businessmen can do easily.
of some of the most basic work both plumbing and HVAC contractors do and turned it into high tech child’s play. Balancing duct systems used to require a lot of manual labor and experience to accomplish quickly and well. New hand-held digital meters that register air flow and temperature remotely now make such work a snap. Sewer cleaning and rodding was a task that required a modicum of experience to do correctly. While almost anyone can run a drain cleaning machine, it takes experience to adequately determine the type, and distance, of the stoppage and not lose a head or snap a cable in the line.
Today, we have digital video cameras that can not only show a picture of the stoppage, but can record the distance from the clean-out and give a real-time view of the condition of the entire line. These are only two examples of how technology has increased the opportunity to make money within your already existing business. Investing in this type of technology can allow you to offer services that you could not, economically, offer before.
The “green” agenda has also opened up new fields, which an astute and savvy businessman can take advantage of. Energy audits have become almost mandatory in municipal and commercial settings. Starting with high SEER rated HVAC equipment, better duct sealing and insulating, as well as lowflow toilets, shower heads and flow restricting aerators, touchless faucets... the list goes on.
Local, state and federal governmental entities have created a gold mine for the trades. I recognize that it is difficult to remember that your task was to drain the swamp when you are up to your butt in alligators, but let’s be real here, the government has created its own monster, in both specification and payment. Once you learn the ways of said monster you can make a good dollar by making it your pet. Truly, the convoluted nature of government work makes anyone who understands it an invaluable asset to a bureaucrat.
And another thing...
Retrofitting old style fixtures and systems, especially when mandated by the federal government can move your company into an entirely new area while your investment in both equipment and personnel can be negligible. After all is said and done, you are already in the business. You have the education, material, personnel and equipment to do this type of work. Contacting local, state and/or federal governmental agencies about energy audits should set off all sorts of bells among the department heads. There is nothing a bureaucrat likes more than to make themselves look good on the public’s dime.
Following on the heels of energy audits, the new buzzwords “energy management” makes everyone smile. What those two words mean to you as a contractor depends on how much effort you want to put out to
get new business. As with energy audits (which focused on identifying and then maximizing efficiency and minimizing waste of resources such as water, heat, electricity, etc.), energy management means taking the audit to the next step and making the program ongoing.
Going after it...
As an example, let’s say that Tiny Town, USA has half dozen buildings that they want to have audited for waste and efficiency because Uncle Sam has mandated it, and also dangled the carrot of grant money if the town complies.
ABC Plumbing and Heating contacts the mayor’s office (or whatever the local head of government is called) and offers to do the audit for X number of dollars (income stream #1). The town then agrees to affect the repairs recommended by ABC Plumbing and Heating and to have them do the job (income stream #2). After the repairs have been made, ABC Plumbing & Heating solicits the ongoing maintenance and upgrading contract for the buildings as part of the energy management program (income stream #3).
This same scenario can be extrapolated through commercial, industrial and to a lesser extent residential work. The potential for increasing your company’s bottom line is limited only by your imagination and willingness to go after the business.
With our economy on the ropes after COVID and the political tinkering that has been done of late, any increase in income is welcome, I am sure. Having the ability to go after these suggested income streams is something most businessmen can do easily. So why not?
The Brooklyn, NY-born author is a retired third-generation master plumber. He founded Sunflower Plumbing & Heating in Shirley, N.Y., in 1975 and A Professional Commercial Plumbing Inc. in Phoenix in 1980. He holds residential, commercial, industrial and solar plumbing licenses and is certified in welding, clean rooms, polypropylene gas fusion and medical gas piping. He can be reached at allen@proquilldriver.com.
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Rethinking Water to Safeguard the Future
PMI’s Kerry Stackpole on outreach and education to promote better water conservation.
BY STEVE SPAULDING
Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) is a voluntary, not-for-profit association of plumbing product manufacturers. Its mission is to promote the water efficiency, health, safety, quality and environmental sustainability of plumbing products while maximizing consumer choice and value in a fair and open marketplace.
Lately, a big part of that mission has been the association’s Rethink Water Initiative, helping to promote reliable access to clean, safe water for all Americans, including future generations. That initiative has a lot of different components, given how large and diverse the water industry is. “Responsibly Managing Building Plumbing Systems” is a new section of the PMI website developed to illustrate the complexity of modern plumbing systems, and to help policymakers understand how the many different components—pipes, pumps, valves, drains, fixtures etc.—interact.
To learn more, CONTRACTOR spoke with Kerry Stackpole, PMI CEO and Executive Director.
CONTRACTOR: Tell me about the new emphasis on building plumbing systems as part of the Rethink Water Initiative. Why now, and what does PMI hope to accomplish?
Stackpole: It’s shifting the focus to the men and women who are going to be tasked with really addressing the question of water scarcity and the cost of water going forward.
Many of them are focused on what I call the long view, looking 20 or even 30 years out. However, there are some opportunities like legacy product replacement that could help communities in the near-term.
The obvious example is if you pull out a 5 gallon per flush toilet and replace it with a 1.28 GPF toilet. Do that today and we get water savings by dinnertime. So, the 30-year view is good, but we think the legacy prod -
uct replacement focus is better to get the kinds of immediate results some communities really need.
CONTRACTOR: Is there a sense that in the drive towards greater water conservation, some policy makers might be overlooking possible drawbacks or complications?
Stackpole: The short answer is yes. And a lot of it has to do with policy makers not really understanding the impact of the policy they’re setting. For example, if you lower the flow in a showerhead or a faucet the impression is that we’ve done something. We’ve saved water, and that’s a great thing. And they’re not wrong. But the challenge is that some of our systems are not designed for all of this low-flow technology.
I live in a house built in 1971. You know, it’s all 5-gallon flush infrastructure, it was built for a much greater flows of water. So, if you mandate a .8-gallon flush toilet, for that house, it sounds like a good idea, but here’s what’s going to happen: the water is
not going to make its way down the sewer pipe because there’s not enough flow to move it. Likewise, the reduced inflow and large pipe means the wa ter is going to sit in the pipe longer, which creates that opportunity for opportunistic pathogens.
So sometimes policy makers are making decisions based on a goal without consideration of, you know, will this actually work?
Now I want to be clear, we don’t question anybody’s intentions. We understand that everybody wants to do the right thing, but we also recognize that the right thing requires a little more study and a little closer examination in some instances. If you’re in a new development and you’ve right-sized the pipe flows, then you know cranking down water flows might not be a problem.
But when you’re talking about all the legacy neighborhoods in the cities and the towns, old buildings that are still maintained by the original piping, it becomes problematic.
Our goal here is really to help policy makers see the big picture. Here’s a way to work on [water conservation] and address it with products that have been tested and have demonstrated high performance and definitely meet the desire that policymakers have to reduce the use of water.
do you mean? And you have to walk them through.
The fundamental mission of Rethink Water is to ensure clean, safe drinking water for future generations, and one of the ways we do that is to educate policy makers, regulators and to some degree consumers about how they can make good choices and how they can make an impact.
You know, it’s not very often in our lives that you or I can make a significant impact on social good. I mean, yes, we can volunteer in our communities, we can help in our churches, but actually doing something in your home where you can save water, you really are contributing to an overall social benefit, and it won’t make things any worse for you, the end user.
That’s the great thing. You can help the problem, and in return your water costs will go down. Your electric bill will go down (because there is that energy and water nexus). From our standpoint, it’s a win-win.
To learn more about Rethink Water, visit www.safeplumbing.org/ advocacy/rethink-water
OF CONTRACTOR’S STAFF
Spreading Goodwill
These industry businesses give to their communities all year long, not only during the holiday season.
By Kelly Faloon
Charitable giving of time, money or materials is not limited to December as people need help all year. The plumbing and heating community is one that gives generously, every year, to local and global causes. We’ve collected here only a sample of the charitable works the industry has sponsored this year.
Alleviating Hunger
Water heater and boiler manufacturer Bradford White Corp. supported three charitable organizations this Thanksgiving season: Jaws Youth Playbook, Mel Trotter Ministries and Philabundance Food Bank. The company’s charitable contributions include both monetary support and employees’ volunteered time.
• Once again, the company partnered with former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski and his foundation Jaws Youth Playbook. Its $5,000 donation supported a Thanksgiving Turkey Drive where full meals were distributed to needy families across Philadelphia.
• The company sponsored this year’s Camp Out for Hunger, and provided a $10,000 donation to the Philabundance Food Bank, the event’s beneficiary. Each year, local Philadelphia radio hosts Preston & Steve “camp out” at the Wells Fargo Center complex for a week, broadcasting live and encouraging donations of food or funds to Philabundance.
• In addition, employees at Bradford White’s headquarters in Ambler, PA, hosted a food drive and donated the collected items to Camp Out for Hunger in support of Philabundance.
• Bradford White’s contribution to Mel Trotter Ministries in Middleville, MI, included time and money for the Thanksgiving Community Meal at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, MI. Its $10,000 donation allowed many unhoused individuals and families to eat a full meal around a community table on Thanksgiving. In addition, 25 Middleville employees and their families volunteered at the event.
“We love being a part of the communities where we live and work and believe that no one in them should have to go hungry,” said Rebecca Owens , Bradford White’s senior communications manager. “We’re so thankful that organizations like these exist, and [partnering with them and brightening] Thanksgiving for our neighbors in need is a meaningful way to kick off the holiday season.”
Restoring Water
Back in October, Harts Plumbers, Electricians & HVAC Technicians in Tacoma, WA, helped Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 91 get back to normal fundraising activities by repairing the organization’s plumbing issues and restoring water to its facility.
VFW Post 91 was established to serve veterans returning from combat, specifically those in the 91st Infantry Division from World War I, known as the “Wild West Division.” Originally constructed in the 1950s, the building had many plumbing components failing due to age. This eliminated its ability to host critical fundraising
Denver’s High 5 Plumbing, Heating & Cooling surpassed $100,000 in donations last summer through its High 5 Cares program. It was created to give back to the community and spotlight different nonprofits throughout the year. High 5 donates $4,000 to
events and generate revenue for the veteran community for the past year.
“I had the opportunity to meet with the leadership team at Post 91, and being a veteran myself, I was moved by the passion and commitment that their leadership demonstrated in creating a place of camaraderie and support for fellow veterans,” said Jason Fournier , president of Harts. “Every [one] of those individuals answered the call during multiple foreign conflicts over the last several decades, so we at Harts felt compelled to return their sacrifice and acts of service with one of our own.”
Harts secured donations from its primary supplier, Winsupply of Puget Sound, to assist with the project.
“On behalf of VFW Post 91, I would like to thank Harts and Winsupply of Puget Sound for donating time and materials to restore our plumbing system,” said Commander of VFW Post 91 Elwin L. Farnsworth . “With their support, Post 91 can continue to accomplish our mission of helping veterans in need, as we have since the post was founded in 1918.”
if it wasn’t for the support from our staff and the community.”
It was the donation to Judi’s House that pushed High 5 beyond the $100,000 mark. In 2002, former NFL quarterback Brian Griese and his wife, Dr. Brook Griese , a clinical
the selected nonprofits in addition to funds generated from employee donations, High 5 club memberships and the proceeds from the High 5 clothing line.
“When we first started the program in 2018, we wanted to make an impact by supporting the incredible nonprofits throughout Denver,” said Levi Torres, Co-Owner of High 5. “We couldn’t have reached this huge milestone so quickly
Supporting Veterans Funding Nonprofits
psychologist specializing in childhood trauma and loss, founded Judi’s House in Denver in his mom’s memory. Judi Griese died of breast cancer when her son was 12.
“Being a business owner means more than returning a profit; it means supporting your community and helping it thrive, noted co-owner Cassi Torres
To celebrate Veteran’s Day, November 11, SFA Saniflo USA donated to the Gary Sinise Foundation, established in 2011 by award-winning actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise It focuses on creating programs that entertain, educate, inspire and
strengthen communities while ensuring that the sacrifices of America’s brave service members and their families are honored and supported in practical, transformative ways.
Saniflo’s contribution will directly
➤ Turn to Goodwill, page 35
Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski (right) during the Turkey Drive.
Two Harts Plumbing volunteers as VFW Post 91.
High 5 Cares makes a donation to Judi’s House, an organization supporting children dealing with loss.
John Kremer and his family, recipients of one of the specially adapted smart homes through the RISE program.
Presented in partnership with Radiant Professionals Alliance
by Patrick Linhardt
HYDRONICS MANAGER AT CORKEN STEEL PRODUCTS
CO.
A Hard-to-Find Air Vent in a Steam System Evaluation
Inever knew that there was a Christmas version of an automatic air vent for a residential steam heating system. When I finally found it, I instantly knew this story would be for the holiday issue. Just look at that deep pine green and vivid red color scheme. It screams Santa will soon be coming down the chimney.
This was one of my first site visits I made after the hernia operation. One of my favorite contractors asked me to meet at a house on the west side of town in a neighborhood of well-kept modest houses built in the 1920s. My wife and I looked at a house on this street 40 years ago when we were looking for a Tudor-style residence.
I was there to help evaluate the system and give advice to the homeowner. When we walked in through the garage, I noticed supply and return pipes exposed in the ceiling. The boiler room was a short walk through a finished basement where there wasn’t a pipe in sight.
Trouble on the Return Side
The boiler was piped as expected on the supply side, no reason to change any of that. The return side, however, looked odd. There was one pipe coming out of the bottom of the boiler room wall, literally on the floor. It then rose up to join the equalizer to create the Hartford Loop. That’s how it’s done, but the return piping was missing a few things. We walked back out of the boiler room and found a built-in bookcase right over the pipe, running along the outside wall between the boiler room and the garage. Okay, the missing parts must be in the garage since I’ve seen systems with the end of steam and return mains exposed in the garage.
Exploring the garage, I found no evidence of the end of the mains, just the exposed pipes running through the garage in the ceiling. When I run into a dead end, I start back at the beginning. In this case, it would be the supply lines leaving the boiler room. Before
starting that journey, the nice lady that has lived in the house for the last 50 years or so joined us.
She reported that the house has heated fine for years and that her recently departed husband knew all about the steam system. Also, he did all the remodeling to finish the basement. I’m sure he was a fine man, but I was cursing his carpentry that covered every square inch of wall and ceiling outside the boiler room.
Tracking the Mains
The steam supply main off the boiler header split into two mains, very typical for a system this size. I tracked the first main out of the boiler room, across the ceiling to the garage, where it took a right-hand turn, re-entered the remodeled space and disappeared. I retreated to track the other main.
The ceiling of the basement was a combination of drop-in tiles and finished drywall. It became evident that
the finished drywall covered the path of the two mains. This one went to the center beam of the house and took a left turn. We found a few access panels in the finished drywall covering the center beam. Looking through them, I saw the two steam mains and the two dry returns.
A skilled home remodeler causes the author access problems in his latest system troubleshooting.
Just as we’re making some progress, I started to feel a little puny. I asked the nice lady if I could sit down and have a glass of water. The chair I picked was just outside the boiler room, looking out at the portion of the finished ceiling where we last caught sight of the mains. They were concerned about my health, while I was trying to use my x-ray vision to see through the drywall. I directed the contractor to remove some ceiling tiles near where I now suspected we would find the next clue. The nice lady didn’t quite understand what we were looking for or why it was important, but was willing to let us look. When I got my strength back, I climbed up a small ladder below where the ceiling tiles were removed.
Watchman of the Coal Pile
I couldn’t look directly down into the channel of drywall, so I did the modern thing and stuck my phone in to take some pictures. Sure enough, the green and red air vents started showing up in the photos. The photo is a close-up of one of the two vents. One vent for the end of the steam mains and one vent for the end of the dry returns.
What you can’t make out is the slogan below the man in uniform. It
reads, “Watchman of the coal pile.”
That dates the vents to the coal-burning boiler era. Another clue is the part number, “No. 76.” This vent was for a naturally inducing a vacuum in a coal-fired steam system.
It had a built-in check valve that allowed air out, but closed to prevent air from re-entering the piping as the coal fire in the belly of the boiler lost temperature. The check valve allowed the system to go into a vacuum, which kept the boiler making steam at lower than 213ºF degree boiler water temperatures. That would lead to less coal being burned, or so the manufacturer claimed.
New Vents, Better Access
The general wisdom of the industry is to replace any vacuum vents on automatic-fired steam boilers with standard vents, allowing air back into the piping in the off cycle to allow condensate to freely flow back to the boiler. I recommended replacing the vents and making an access panel in the drywall so future generations can service the system.
So, the end of steam mains and dry returns were separated from the boiler room by the remodeling. The wet return that they tied into was buried behind a wall and under a bookcase before appearing in the boiler room.
On the medical front, I’m recovered from the hernia and awaiting surgery for the removal of lymph nodes and part of my large intestine, per the advice of my oncologist and the collective wisdom of the cancer community. Thanks for letting me share my journey, it seems to help to write it down.
Patrick Linhardt is a forty-year veteran of the wholesale side of the hydronic industry who has been designing and troubleshooting steam and hot water heating systems, pumps and controls on an almost daily basis. An educator and author, he is currently Hydronic Manager at the Corken Steel Products Co.
This “Watchman of the Coal Pile” air vent had a built-in check valve that allowed air out, but closed to prevent air from re-entering the piping as the coal fire in the belly of the boiler lost temperature.
ICE MAKER SUPPLY OUTLET BOX
WASHING MACHINE SUPPLY OUTLET BOX
WATER HEATER CONNECTORS REPAIR PARTS
Presented in partnership with Radiant Professionals Alliance
Sneaking Water Into the Building for a Chilled Water Rescue
Making the chilled water outside would eliminate a compressor failure issue— but could we make it all work?
By BRIAN NELSON,
This chilled water rescue involved a cooling system that was eating outside unit compressors and was no longer working. We got the call in May to get the cooling working by June for the summer season. Always up for a challenge, we said yes but then had to hustle to figure out what we were dealing with.
The existing system had three 5-ton outside units about 100 feet from the house. Buried line sets went from the condensers across the yard and then under the house where they popped up in a mechanical room in the center of the basement. The refrigerant from the outside units went to heat exchangers in the mechanical room that made chilled water which was then pumped to six air handlers installed throughout the building.
We figured that the compressors had failed from both a lack of oil return due to line set length and excessive short cycling. The outside units had been controlled by aquastats on the chilled water piping inside; if tighter control was wanted of the chilled water temperature, compressors would cycle on and off quite frequently. If a wider temperature swing of chilled water supply temps was permitted, the compressors would cycle on and off less frequently, but dehumidification capacity would be reduced. The end result was that compressors failed frequently and the system was unreliable. We figured that the cooling load was about 10 tons, but if two of the three outside units were down the five tons of capacity remaining would never meet the cooling load. We knew that making the chilled water outside would eliminate the compressor failure issue and greatly increase system reliability. But that would mean getting chilled water supply and return pipes from the existing chiller pad to the mechanical room buried in the middle of the house. Could we
successfully
the line sets, we would be committed to our chilled water concept...
Conduit Struggles and Ultimate Victory
snake in chilled water supply and return pipes of suffcient size through the existing conduit? Once we yanked out
Our next step was to determine what size chilled water supply and return lines would successfully connect 15 tons of cooling outside with the inside equipment. One constraint was that the remote chillers would be 100 feet away from the house. Another constraint was the diameter of the conduits that were buried under the building. Because of the sharp bends in the conduits that ran from the mechanical room in the middle of the basement all the way to the remote chiller pad, we had a real struggle removing the old line sets. So we had the landscaper excavate
yank out the old line sets and reuse the buried conduit that was under the house? Would we be able to
Dead or dying outside units.
Refrigerant lines up through the floor into the mechanical room.
We can reuse these conduits (left), New chilled water supply and return from the chiller pad (right).
SPECIAL TO CONTRACTOR
Hydronics & R adiant
Presented in partnership with Radiant Professionals Alliance
➤ Continued from page 24
from the remote chiller pad to the house and then cut the concrete floor in the mechanical room where the line sets came up. We cut off the conduits and line sets where they entered the building and removed the sharp elbows in the mechanical room floor where the conduits went from horizontal to vertical and rose up into the room. These steps let us finally pull out the old line sets that were under the building.
Next step was to snake in a black poly well pipe into the existing conduit— hoping that we could make it all the way to the center of the building where the mechanical room was. From the outside we pushed in a poly well line into one of the conduits at the edge of the building and were profoundly relieved when the poly well line appeared in the hole in the basement floor! Our chilled water rescue would be successful!
Outside Chiller Pad Work
Now that we had the chilled water supply and return pipes snaked under the building into the mechanical room, we could pivot to addressing the outside chiller installation. The landscaper was eager for us to finish so that they could re-sod the area before the summer season.
We put the supply and return lines into a trench the landscapers dug between the house and the chiller pad; the lines rose up out of the ground on the back side of the chiller pad. We pressure tested the lines and then the landscaper backfilled and re-sodded the trench—the homeowner never
noticed the disruption to his lawn.
Our supply and return pipes were both 1¼" diameter—this informed our pressure drop calculations so we could design our outside and inside piping. We brought in three 5-ton Multiaqua units that were each equipped with internal pumps. The three chillers were connected to a 120-gallon buffer tank via supply and return mains. We used 2” copper for ease of assembly with press fittings. Because of time and budget constraints, we opted against a reverse return scheme and all three chillers got branch flow to the mains. As with all of our chiller projects, we connected the Multiaqua units via stainless steel flex hoses for ease of installation and alignment. Each of the chillers got an air separator for automatic air venting and purging as well as thermometers and ball valves. We used compression adapters to transition from the copper pipes to the black poly well lines at the edge of the chiller pit. We pressure tested and had no leaks—the press process was an amazing technology!
The three chillers were controlled by buffer tank temperature and staged on and off based on their chilled water setpoint.
Inside Pumps and Strut Framework
Now that the outside work was complete we could pivot to the inside mechanical room. We assembled a strut framework over the hole in the basement floor and carefully laid out all of our components to figure out our layout. We had measured the pressure
drop across the existing chilled water circulator, so we knew the existing system pressure drop and flow from the pump curve. We sized our new circulators by adding the pressure drop from the 100-foot supply and return lines out to the remote chiller pad to the existing system pressure drop. There was no appetite from the homeowner for variable speed pumping as all six air handlers had three-way zone valves and the original system had been constant circulation. He didn’t want to expand the rescue project to include replacement of all of the zone valves; it was nearing the end of May and we had to get the cooling system back up and running.
We put the air separator at the top of our strut framework and then worked our way down. We installed the two new circulators (with one pressure gauge each with ball valves on supply and return pressure taps so we could confirm flow), made our connections to the existing chilled water piping, and then dropped down into the hole in the basement floor. Using two more compression adaptors, we made the transition from copper to the poly well lines.
The two circulators were controlled by a Tekmar pump control that would do lead lag rotation of each pump.
System Insulation
Hands down the worst part of any chilled water system is the insulating! All of the piping fun evaporates when one sits down to carefully wrap every fitting and pipe! Ideally, the installer of the piping is also the insulator so they can intelligently assemble the piping so that it is somewhat easy to insulate. If the two teams are separate, then there is usually a lot of cursing from the insulators because the fittings have been
jammed together in a way that is hard to insulate. Circulator volutes are the absolute worst! It is indicative of our low energy prices that insulation clamshells are not commonly available for a lot of the circulators sold in the US. I will make a bold statement here—I don’t see any place for fiberglass insulation in the chilled water world. People install it because “that’s the way we have always done it” and “the customer thinks that white pipes means he is getting the best.” We have ripped off so much fiberglass insulation used on chilled water piping that is absolutely saturated with condensation—the vapor barrier has failed and the yellow insulation wicks in water like crazy! Once it is soaked through, it has no more insulative value. For those of us who need to cut into the fiberglass insulation to make a repair to a leaking fitting, or to replace a circulator, or to access a purge point, we know that we will never be able to reinstall the original insulation so that it will be vapor tight. On the other hand, using Armaflex to insulate is tedious too—but it won’t make you itchy! And it doesn’t ever wick in condensation and get ruined.
System Start Up
Once the inside and outside piping was insulated we fired up the three chillers and dropped the temp in the buffer tank. We started the inside circulators and tested operation and got great discharge air temperatures at all of the air handlers! We were excited to be done with this project—just in time for summer. We pumped in the glycol for antifreeze protection because we didn’t want to forget and then have to rescue one of our rescues—another chilled water rescue success!
Three new Multiaqua 5-ton chillers.
Air separator and circulators on the strut frame(left). Insulation complete, floor repaired and cooling working again(right).
What’s the easiest way to handle tight service space inside a high efficiency boiler?
Just open the front panel and drop the hinged control enclosure to see the difference. Need more? Simply remove four screws and take the side panels off for unobstructed access.
Platforms to Streamline Tasks and Boost Productivity
h2x
(www.h2xengineering.com) is an all-in-one duct and pipe sizing software solution designed to simplify complex tasks like heat load calculations and system sizing for residential and commercial projects. Contractors working on heating systems, ventilation, or cooling can easily upload or create plans, set key parameters, and use drag-and-drop tools to design efficient system layouts. The software automates calculations based on industry standards like CIBSE, ensuring compliance and performance.
h2x offers robust export options, allowing contractors to generate branded reports, AutoCAD and Revit-compatible drawings, and detailed bills of materials for seamless project management. Scalable pricing options and free training modules available.
GlassHouse
Built for the trades and home services industries, GlassHouse ( www.glasshouse.biz , 615/246-6227) is an outbound sales and customer intelligence platform offering a range of customer engagement functions.
The solution provides property and homeowner contact data via a multistep verification process, pulling from multiple data sources to ensure homeowner data is accurate and up to date. Leveraging a deep catalog of consumer data, the platform aims to empower operators in trades and home services with buyer insights/intelligence that can help in targeting ideal customers and identifying downstream costs before accepting a job.
Contractors can research potential customers in targeted neighborhoods by delving into a prospect’s digital footprint through using what the platform refers to as “digital door knocking” as an effective way to target prospects in a geographic area via email, text, and phone and pull contacts near existing jobs.
Users can also elicit customer reviews by automatically sending customers to the review site they use the most.
Glasshouse integrates with several
h2x pipe and duct sizing software in action.
Software for field service, pipe sizing, customer engagement and more.
field management systems and office or accounting solutions to help automate your outbound targeting and client research.
Pricing: Collect reviews and manage reputation: free; Find prospects, outbound platform: 7-day free trial, then priced per brand/office location— unlimited users and searches.
ReachOut Suite
ReachOut Suite (www.reachoutsuite. com ) is a field service management platform that digitizes and streamlines operations for field service companies. The solution, which is scalable and addresses field service processes ranging from booking to invoicing, offers five distinct pricing tiers with a variety of features to accommodate a company’s needs.
A Free Forever plan, capped at 25 jobs per month, includes essential features like work order creation, inspections, calendar management, and invoicing. The software has many configuration options.
The Standard plan, suitable for small and growing businesses and capped at a monthly limit of 250 jobs, adds features such as job templates, map view, inventory, and route optimization.
The Premium plan (according to the developer the most popular and suited
for medium-sized firms and with no cap on number of jobs per month) adds advanced functionalities including image capture and tagging, multiagent work orders, custom reports, job revision, and job creation from the mobile app.
The Ultimate plan, suitable for companies with extensive customer interactions and geographically dispersed teams and with no limit on the number of jobs, adds a customer hub, open APIs, third-party app integrations, and a dedicated account manager.
The Enterprise plan offers a fully customized version of Reachout with branding, features, workflows, and integrations—separately hosted—for a business’s own use or for that of its partners and their customers.
Pricing: packaged pricing plans range from free to $25 per user/per month (excluding Enterprise).
Samsara
Samsara ( www.samsara.com ), a platform designed to help field service contractors improve their operation through real-time telematics, asset tracking, and workflow automation, recently introduced a new enterprise-grade ruggedized weather-resistant Bluetooth-enabled Asset Tag that connects critical assets to the cloud.
Powered by a long-lasting, non-replaceable Li-Ion battery with up to four years of life, the compact device (0.9 x 1.1 x 2.6 in) mounts easily using included double-sided VHB tape. It helps reduce downtime and boost productivity by providing near real-time location updates for high-value assets like toolboxes, service gloves, jackhammers, and chemical totes. These location updates are accessible through the Samsara Driver App, an iOS and Android mobile application which connects drivers to the Samsara platform for real-time communication and workflows in the field.
The Inventory Filtering feature can help field service and construction fleets avoid service disruptions by pulling a summary of assets and applying filters to identify tools that are near. Pricing: pricing for the AT11 will vary per fleet. For more information on pricing, visit: https://www.samsara.com/ products/equipment-monitoring/asset-tag.
Pervidi Paperless Inspection Software
Pervidi paperless inspection software (www.pervidi.com, 800/3618725, covered in March 2020 column) recently introduced integration of A.I. for Enhanced Inspection Efficiency into its platform. The innovation, branded Pervidi A. I. 2, is purposed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of inspections while also reducing safety risks.
How it works: The Pervidi A. I. is equipped with advanced image recognition capabilities, enabling it to analyze visual data from a user’s mobile camera, automatically identifying defects or anomalies it has captured. It can also enhance field technician inspections by offering a second layer of input analytics that can augment (but not replace) the inspector’s capabilities.
Patti Feldman writes articles and web content for trade magazines and manufacturers of building products. She can be reached at productpad@yahoo.com
We get it. With relationships built for the longhaul, our pros are determined to help you find the right fit. Our trusted PEXa plumbing system has choices that set you up to win big. na.rehau.com/plumbing
Matt Michel
10 Simple Ways to Show Appreciation to Your Customers
No one likes to do business with companies that take their business for granted. We all want to be appreciated. It’s human nature to want to be appreciated, so show your customers the appreciation they desire. Here are ten ways.
1. Say Thank You
Say thank you… a lot. Train your team to say thank you. Thank people for calling you. Thank them at the door. Thank them when the work is completed. When you are saying thank you after work is performed, remind them that your business is built on referrals from nice people like them and you would appreciate it if they would tell their friends and neighbors about you.
2. Mail Thank You Notes
Use old fashioned, snail mail to send out thank you notes after jobs. These can be as simple as post cards. Have your technicians and plumbers sign a stack during service meetings and have the office mail them on their behalf.
3. Send Thanksgiving Cards
Thanksgiving occurs every November. Take this as an opportunity to mail cards to your customers, thanking them for their business.
4. Call One Customer Per Day
The late, great Ron Smith used to advise contractors to call one customer a day to see how they were doing and to thank them for past business. Ask them how you could be better. In today’s impersonal world, this personal touch goes a long way.
5. Take Lots of Notes for Your CRM
Almost every company has some type of customer relationship management (CRM) function with their field service software. Encourage call takers to make personal notes about customers in their CRM databases and encourage field personnel to supply similar information during debriefs after a service
It’s human nature to want to be appreciated, so show your customers the appreciation they desire.
call. This should be entered as well. The CRM record should be referenced on or before every interaction.
6. Offer a Loyalty Program
A good loyalty program rewards people for patronage. No one does this better than airlines and hotel chains. The reason is they work. Tie yours into annual maintenance programs. Give people in your loyalty program preferential treatment, discounts, and special offers available only to your most loyal customers.
7. Leave Good Leave-Behinds
Too many contractors go cheap in the leave-behind department. Leave more than a refrigerator magnet and an invoice or work order after a service call.
Find useful items that can be branded. Since women tend to be the decision makers for home services and are often the people who not only call, but wait for your people to arrive, target them. Give away jar openers, plastic pot scrapers, coffee cups, note pads, and so on.
8. Give Good Customers Apparel
When a customer spends a fair amount of money with you, replacing a water heater or other major work, leave behind a nice t-shirt, sweatshirt, or polo shirt. Not only does this show appreciation, but it helps market your company when customers wear them washing the car, doing yard work, running errands, and so on.
9. Give Loyal Customers Camp Chairs
Give your most loyal customers camp chairs with your company brand. They are surprisingly affordable and are used at community events taking place outside, backyard barbecues with neighbors, and kids outdoor sporting events. Again, gifts like camp chairs are not only thank you statements and reminders, they market your company.
10. Execute
Above all, the best way to thank your customers is by doing what you say you’re going to do. Execute. Perform. Fix the problems right the first time. Act like invited guests when in their homes. Be excellent.
For more information on growing your contracting business, visit www.ServiceRoundtable.com . For easy to read, inspirational stories about contracting, buy Matt Michel’s book, Contractor Stories on Amazon.
2024 ASPE Convention & Expo Draws Record Attendance
Continued from page 1
as an essential gathering for industry professionals nationwide.
Held over six days from October 18th to the 23rd in Columbus, OH, the event attracted 4,116 industry experts, including master plumbers, architects, code officials, design engineers, and manufacturers, solidifying its reputation as a cornerstone for innovation and networking in plumbing design.
The event featured a comprehensive agenda, including a business meeting, an extensive technical education program, and a vibrant exhibit floor that showcased a wide array of companies and products. The show floor, a highlight of the Expo, was bustling with new exhibitors and exclusive product showcases specifically catering to the plumbing engineering and design community.
Excited for the Future
Billy Smith , FASPE, ASPE Executive Director and CEO, praised the Convention’s success, stating, “The enthusiasm we witnessed at this year’s event confirmed that interest in our industry
held at the Center of Science and Industry. With a DJ, refreshments, and a lively atmosphere, the gathering provided attendees with an ideal setting to forge connections, exchange ideas, and enjoy the evening’s entertainment.
Both attendance and exhibitor participation at the event held in Columbus, OH, exceeded expectations.
is at an all-time high. We are excited about the future growth of ASPE and the plumbing design community and look forward to continued collaboration with our members, Affiliates, and partners to maintain a strong voice in the built community.”
The networking opportunities kicked off with the highly anticipated Sunday Night Party, presented by NIBCO Inc.,
Award Ceremony
On Monday, October 21, the ASPE Breakfast and Award Ceremony honored Society award recipients and inducted the 2024-2026 ASPE Board of Directors and the 2024 class of the Kenneth G. Wentink College of Fellows. Among the distinguished awardees was Jennifer Hoff, who received the Kenneth G. Wentink Award
RectorSeal® Acquires PF WaterWorks
HOUSTON, TX — RectorSeal, a leading manufacturer of HVAC/R and plumbing accessories, has announced the acquisition of PF WaterWorks. PF WaterWorks creates and sells innovative and environmentally friendly plumbing products primarily through the retail channel.
With a focus on plumbing drains and tubulars, PF WaterWorks is an innovation leader well known for its product line, which serves homeowner needs through a portfolio of patented problem-solving products.
In addition to supporting established customer partnerships in retail channels, RectorSeal will add the PF WaterWorks product line to its plumbing wholesale channel, building on its brand-preferred retail presence.
Sanjay Ahuja , owner and leader of PF WaterWorks, will continue to focus on the retail segment and support RectorSeal’s overall retail presence
through product innovation. Sanjay holds several individual patents and is a degreed engineer with a strong product and business development track record.
“We are thrilled to bring Sanjay and his team to RectorSeal. I have had the pleasure of knowing him for several years, especially with PF WaterWorks being based in Houston,” said Jeff Underwood, President of RectorSeal.
“I have watched him build his company into a major supplier to many shared customers based on core RectorSeal values. I look forward to his
continued fellowship.”
“The PF WaterWorks team is excited to be part of the RectorSeal family, which will add significant organizational resources and distribution capabilities,” said Sanjay Ahuja, President of PF WaterWorks.
“I am excited that our past innovations and exciting new products will continue to make life easier for the end users,” said Ahuja.
Since 1937, RectorSeal has offered products that have built a steadily growing and loyal following among contractors due to differentiated and proven product performance. Further, the company is often the first to tackle and solve challenges professional trade contractors face. In 2015, RectorSeal became part of the Contractor Solutions of CSW Industrials, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSWI).
Please visit www.rectorseal.com for additional details.
of Excellence for her contributions. Hoff, Owner and CEO of Taffy Events Strategies, remarked, “I am honored to receive the Kenneth G. Wentink Award of Excellence. It is a privilege to work with ASPE, and I greatly value the partnership we forged so many years ago. On a personal note, receiving this particular award is especially meaningful as I got to work with Ken during my early ASPE days.”
On the Expo Floor
Later that morning, the Expo officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, signaling the start of two full days of product exhibitions. Attendees were welcomed by the Innovation Wall and Theater, which highlighted 20 state-of-the-art products and provided a platform for exhibitors to present their latest innovations through sessions held directly on the show floor. The event also recognized exhibitor achievements with the Best Booth Awards, presented to Prevost and Watts, celebrating creative and impactful displays. With unprecedented demand, 78% of the 2026 ASPE Convention & Expo exhibit space has already been reserved. The next Convention is scheduled for October 8–14 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, promising even more opportunities for professionals to connect, learn, and lead in the plumbing design industry. For more information on future events, visit the ASPE Convention & Expo website.
The American Society of Plumbing Engineers
ASPE is the only professional organization devoted to the training and certification of plumbing engineers and designers. ASPE and its 7,600 worldwide members are dedicated to protecting the health, welfare, and safety of the public through the dissemination of technical data and information to expand the base of knowledge among plumbing engineers, designers, contractors, code officials, inspectors, and manufacturers. For more information, visit ASPE.org.
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• Electric pipe cutting machine reduces messy pipe prep
• Pre-cut pipe available in 9 different lengths up to 20 feet
Gen Z Is Eager to Take Up the Skilled Trades, but Faces Barriers
Continued from page 3
to their future career (68%), but faced challenges accessing critical training with 52% of students reporting they were placed on a waitlist. Once enrolled, 55% participated in internships, 47% in mentorship opportunities, and 46% have had real work experience highlighting the value of technical training programs in fostering skilled career development.
In
recognition of National Apprenticeship Week DEWALT surveyed pre-apprentices across the US.
DEWALT commissioned the study, Gen Z in the Skilled Trades, ahead of National Apprenticeship Week (November 17-23, 2024). The survey explored Gen Z’s (those born 1997-2012) commitment to skilled trades and identified which obstacles might stand in the way of establishing a lifelong career in the field. Participants, all pre-apprentices in the US, were students ages 14-18 enrolled in either a
trade or vocational school, or a skilled trades training program at their local high school.
“Annual hiring in the US for critical skilled trades roles could be more than 20 times the projected annual increase in net new jobs from 20222032*, as Gen Z enters the workforce,” said Maria Ford , President, Commercial & Industrial, DEWALT. “Skilled trades jobs play an essential role in our country’s infrastructure and economy, and through our Grow The Trades initiative, DEWALT is committed to meeting the demand Gen Z is driving for training and educational funding. This is a call to the industry to embrace this generation’s passion and their needs to remain lifelong tradespeople.”
Gen Z Is Gaining Early Exposure and is Optimistic
The survey found that 80% of students were first introduced to a career in the trades by the time they were 15 years old, with more than a quarter being exposed at age 13 or younger.
The majority of students who took the next step and enrolled in skilled trades education feel optimistic about their career choice with 77% somewhat to extremely optimistic. Those around them, particularly their parents as well as their friends, are also positive about careers in the trades. In fact, 80% of respondents say their parents view careers in the trades somewhat to extremely positively, and 71% say the same of their friends.
Gen Z’s Optimism is Validated
In addition to feeling optimistic about their career choice, students are also confident about future job opportunities. The majority of respondents (84%) believe they will be hired immediately following graduation and more than two-thirds (67%) have already had conversations with potential employers who expressed an interest in hiring them.
Key Barriers: Training and Values
Beyond access to training, key concerns include the cost of trade school (43%), availability of networking opportunities (39%), finding time for class and related class work (35%), and access to equipment and tools for successful training (33%).
Survey results also show another set of barriers awaiting the Gen Z cohort once they are in full-time positions. Gen Z’s value system differs from that of Boomers and Gen X, the generations they’ll encounter in many management positions. The majority of respondents, for example, rated work-life balance (85%) and a caring boss (79%) as somewhat or extremely important expectations of a future job, a likely departure from previous generations’ expectations.
Meeting Expectations is Critical for Retention
While this generation is committed, one in three students say they will leave the skilled trades entirely if the industry does not meet their expectations. Among Gen Z’s most critical needs to stay in the field are a positive work-life balance (37%) and a clear path to advancement (35%).
View more survey findings at bit.ly/dewaltgenz.
National Apprenticeship Week Activities
As part of its National Apprenticeship Week celebration, DEWALT is hosting an event on November 20 and 21 at DEWALT’s headquarters in Towson, Md. to inspire and educate pre-apprentices about career opportunities in the trades. Attending are 150+ pre-apprentices from technical schools in Baltimore and Philadelphia.
The students will interact with DEWALT and industry leaders through an expert panel of tradespeople and representatives from trades education-focused non-profits, a tour of DEWALT’s research and development labs with engineers building cutting edge tools and technology, and demonstrations of the latest innovation at DEWALT’s national training hub, Stanley Black & Decker University. All activities aim to help young attendees learn more about career paths in the trades and the resources available to support them.
To learn more about DEWALT’s Grow The Trades initiative, 100th Anniversary, products and solutions, visit: www.DEWALT.com.
Spreading Goodwill ➤
support these vital initiatives, including the construction of specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders, as well as essential outreach programs that address mental wellness and provide essential resources to those in need.
Continued from page 19
“Supporting the Gary Sinise Foundation aligns perfectly with our values at Saniflo,” said Regis Saragosti , CEO of SFA Saniflo North America, “and it’s an honor to contribute to an organization that does so much for our nation’s heroes.”
Making Wishes Come True
Family and friends joined Make-A-Wish Maine and Pine State Service Experts (Portland, ME) to surprise seven-year-old Stella Axelsen of Westbrook, ME, at the reveal of her very own rockstar-themed “She Shed” in her backyard. A huge fan of Taylor Swift and Jojo Siwa, Axelson has a respiratory disorder and has wished for her own private getaway, a wish that was granted courtesy of Service Experts.
Make-A-Wish Maine’s mission is to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Since its founding in 1992, it has granted more than 1,900 wishes for kids in each of Maine’s 16 counties. Make-A-Wish has granted more than 360,000 wishes nationwide to children battling critical illnesses.
The Pine State Service Experts team put the finishing touches on the She Shed the day of the big reveal, after which a group including Make-A-Wish Maine, Service Experts and 50 of Axelson family and friends lined the driveway to celebrate her arrival home to
to rock out in
which is complete with a karaoke machine, friendship bracelet supplies, and more.
“As a company, we have always been committed to delivering total home comfort to our local communities,” said Dave Moody, Chief Marketing Officer of Service Experts. “Our seven-year partnership with Make-A-Wish has given us the chance to bring that comfort to more than just our customers as we’ve given families like Stella’s the hope and healing a granted wish can bring.”
Drilling a New Well
Made possible through HometownH2O and the Water Well Trust (WWT), Brandi Bentley-Brown , Rimrock, AZ, received a new water well system to provide dependable water access.
Since the shared well serving their home and five other households went dry in 2018, Bentley-Brown and her family have had to haul water daily, adding to their challenges without a reliable water source.
Despite managing mast cell activation syndrome, she has been working extra shifts to help make ends meet.
Along with addressing her own health, Bentley-Brown cares for her mother, who is battling cancer, and assists in raising her three nephews. Additionally, her son is undergoing medical treatment, adding to the strain of the family’s expenses.
“What drives me to do this work is knowing that I can help people solve their water problems,” said Nathan White, Owner and Operator of Northern Arizona Pump. “We’ve been drilling in this area for [more than] 50 years, so it’s great to be able to give back to the community in this way. For us, being able to restore access to clean, dependable water is more rewarding than anything else.”
HometownH2O is a united effort between twotime Super Bowl champion Chris Long , his foundation’s Waterboys initiative and Xylem to address water scarcity issues, which currently leave more than 2.2 million Americans without access to clean water. HometownH2O works alongside WWT, a national nonprofit that helps fund and supply water to low-income families.
“Access to water is essential, yet too many families in rural areas still face significant challenges,” said Susan O’Grady , Xylem’s senior director of marketing, building services and agriculture. “With our partners, we’re not only helping to solve immediate water access issues, but also raising awareness about the ongoing water crisis in communities across the country.”
Stella Axelsen relaxes in her She Shed.
50 of Axelson family and friends lined the driveway to celebrate her arrival home.
see her shed for the first time. She and her friends will get
her private getaway,
Brandi Bentley-Brown poses with volunteers from HometownH2O and the Water Well Trust (WWT).
PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR
#1
HYDRO•X POWER FLUSH VALVES AND FAUCETS from Zurn combined with EZ Gear technology offers sustainable power, reliable operation, water efficiency and ADA compliance. Hydro•X Power technology delivers renewable, uninterrupted hydropower designed to last the life expectancy of a commercial restroom. Geardriven ceramic cartridges drive both flush valves and faucets for maximum reliability, while minimizing maintenance and unplanned downtime.
Zurn Elkay
WWW.ZURN.COM
#2 ELVARI WASHROOM ACCESSORIES
CONTRACTOR’s Products of the Year are chosen by our readers, based on pageviews of our Weekly Product Galleries.
#4 AUTO DRAIN SHOWER SYSTEM from Chicago Faucets is an anti-stagnation solution suited for use in healthcare facilities, nursing homes, or gyms. The diverter with integrated Auto-Drain drains the water from the pipes regardless of the position of the diverter handle. The latest enhancements include a diverter for dual shower sprays. In addition the Auto-Drain pressure balancing valve 1911 model has been added for facilities that desire a Low Flow shower.
Chicago Faucets
WWW.CHICAGOFAUCETS.COM
#7 COOL BRAZE REUSABLE HEAT
ABSORPTION PUTTY from RectorSeal blocks soldering, brazing, and welding heat conduction and sparks from damaging nearby soldered fitting joints, piping and valves. It can be used on a variety of surfaces and metals, including composite panels, rubber and plastics. It is especially useful for protecting reversing valves, ball valves and TXV components. Developed to completely stop the transfer of heat up to 3,000° F; effective when using MAPP gas, oxy-acetylene, MIG, TIG, arc and propane torches. Can be reused multiple times; it is easily rejuvenated with a spritz of water before being stored back in its convenient plastic jar. The putty is nontoxic, nonflammable and odor-free.
RectorSeal
WWW.RECTORSEAL.COM
COLLECTION from Bradley is a complete suite of stainless-steel accessories for commercial applications, available in a palette of modern finishes. With more than 650 individual products, the commercial collection offers grab bars, paper and soap dispensers, waste receptacles, LED mirrors, hooks, shelves and more. Constructed of durable, stainless-steel. Bradley
#5 THE REHP SERIES ELECTRIC HEAT PUMP
WWW.BRADLEYCORP.COM
#3 NCC199CDV COMMERCIAL CONDENSING
WATER HEATER from Noritz provides a compact and versatile rack system that combines up to six tankless water heaters in a compact rack. The plugand-play design simplifies installation, ensuring minimal disruptions to construction projects, retrofitting operations or system upgrades. Its advanced features, such as modulating burners and precise temperature controls, contribute to optimal energy use. Noritz
WWW.NORITZ.COM
WATER HEATER from Rinnai extracts heat from ambient air to deliver consistent hot water, meeting the highest standards for energy efficiency up to a 4.0 UEF. Engineered for environmental sustainability, the REHP Series operates without emissions and is easy to install with zero clearance required for tight spaces and ergonomic handles for effortless placement. Homeowners can choose from 50-, 65-, and 80-gallon models, ensuring flexibility and comfort for customers aiming to implement energy-efficient home upgrades.
Rinnai
WWW.RINNAI.US
#6 ADAPT PREMIUM CONDENSING
TANKLESS WATER HEATERS from A. O. Smith include an integrated recirculation pump and patented heat exchanger, installation flexibility and efficient performance. The line offers 2and 3" dual pipe venting, ½- and ¾" gas line options, and universal indoor/outdoor installation. Included kit allows for field conversion from natural gas to liquid propane.
A. O. Smith
WWW.HOTWATER.COM
#8 DROPSPOT BOTTLE FILLERS AND WATER COOLERS from Sloan are designed to be aesthetically attractive with standard stainlesssteel or black powdercoated finish options, while supporting facility maintenance teams with an easily accessible filter. Advanced sensor and dispensing technology ensures hygienic, hands-free operation with rapid refills. Designed to provide safer drinking water, they achieve NSF 61 standards, ensuring there’s no chemicals or contaminants indirectly imparted to drinking water from drinking water systems. It is available in three configurations, each with a filtered and unfiltered option.
Sloan
WWW.SLOAN.COM
#9 SVF STAINLESS VERTICAL FIRE-TUBE BOILER LINE from Weil-McLain now includes 500, 600, 725, 850 and 1,000 (pictured) MBH models. Features corrosion resistance; intuitive, user-friendly control systems for advanced diagnostics, troubleshooting and remote monitoring capabilities; and thermal efficiency up to 98%. The line is ideal for new, hybrid and replacement applications. Contractor-friendly design includes integrated roller casters, shipping ramp and 3-in-1 vent adapters for quick installation.
Weil-McLain
WWW.WEIL-MCLAIN.COM
#10
EVERLAST SERIES 1000 PUMP
STATION from Smith & Loveless is an aboveground wastewater pump station. The complete, factory-built and -tested system is fast and simple to install in both new installations and replacements of submersible pumps.
Incorporates premium efficiency motors designed for wastewater, resulting in reduced energy consumption costs and a smaller carbon footprint. All mechanical equipment is safely located and easily accessible above ground and outside the wet well, eliminating confined space hazards during routine maintenance and operation. Smith and Loveless WWW.SMITHANDLOVELESS.COM
porcelain accents, streamlined sticks, industrial wheels and levers. The 25-plus finish options include 12 ultra-durable physical vapor deposition finishes guaranteed not to tarnish. Each solid-brass faucet is designed to coordinate with a complete line of matching kitchen accessories.
California Faucets
WWW.CALFAUCETS.COM
#14
PU130 ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT MOBILE
#17 VIETNAM STAINLESS-STEEL 150 LB.
#11 CUSHION GRIP ADJUSTABLE WRENCH
from Crescent Tools features the Quick-Fit Jaw has a 1-degree slope on the lower jaw ensuring fast fitment on fasteners, despite differences in dimensions. Offcorner loading prevents the rounding of fasteners. The wide jaw design allows for more access and capacity when in use. The smaller knurl minimizes the risk of accidental backoff. They come in a range of sizes: 6" 8", 10", 12" and a two pack (6" and 10").
Crescent Tool
CHARGING UNIT from Volvo Construction Equipment enables offgrid rapid recharging of electrified equipment. It includes 48 V directcurrent, fast-charge technology to service a full workday and beyond. In addition to recharging at a 20 kW charge rate, it can simultaneously provide 40 kW of power to support tools, lighting, office trailers, and more. The unit hybridizes with other power generation systems.
Volvo WWW.VOLVOCE.COM
FITTING from Merit Brass is readily available in sizes ranging from 1/8 in. to 4 in., 304 and 316 types of stainless steel. The ISO (standard) pattern conforms to ISO491983 (E) and the MSS SP-114 fittings are certified to ASTM A-351. Manufactured by Kingdom Industries, Merit continues to be the exclusive U.S. distributor of its fitting offering. Merit Brass
WWW.MERITBRASS.COM
WWW.CRESCENTTOOL.COM
#12 KOJO PROCUREMENT PLATFORM delivers procure-to-pay for trade contractors. Connect office teams, field crews, warehouse, and vendors in an all-inclusive platform to lower material costs, reduce waste, and increase productivity. Increase profits — realize direct material cost savings of $100-$1,000s per purchase order, plus a 90% average decrease in leftover materials. Improve Labor Productivity — focus on higher value activities by automating daily processes.
KOJO
#15 TRADES STARTER TOOL KIT from Snapon Industrial offers everything a tradesperson needs to start a successful career. It includes 12 of the company’s most frequently used tools: slotted screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, claw hammer, combination pliers, adjustable joint pliers, wire stripper/cutter, aluminum lighted level, 25' tape measure, retractable utility knife, hacksaw, explosion-proof flashlight and voltage sensor. Features a backpack made of 168OD heavy-duty material.
SnapOn
B2B.SNAPON.COM
#16
ESYBOX
MAX MODULAR WATER
WWW.USEKOJO.COM
#13 KITCHEN COLLECTION: POT FILLERS
from California Faucets allow designers to mixand-match dozens of handle styles with a wide variety of artisan finishes. Handle styles include sweeping curves,
PRESSURE BOOSTER PUMP from DAB Pumps is a scalable booster pump solution for large homes, apartment buildings, hotels, light industrial use, hospitals, golf courses, and other applications where high pressure or high flow is needed. Due to the modularity of its components, only a few details are required to choose the product composition best suited to the project. The functional and compact design allows it to be positioned even in the smallest spaces. DAB
WWW.DABPUMPS.US
#18 SMARTSTOW CARGO VAN PARTITION from bott Smartvan is a partition and bulkhead combination with integrated modular storage. The soft-touch surface in the cabin perfectly blends in with the van’s interior, and the vehicle-specific fit provides maximum comfort, keeping the sound of the cargo in the back out and the air conditioning in the cabin. Systainer Systems
WWW.BOTTSMARTVAN.COM
#19
PEX-B PIPE from Jones Stephens is manufactured in cross-linked polyethylene, The pipe is durable, corrosive-resistant, and flexible, ensuring that the installation of PEX-B piping is simple and quick. Available for potable water applications, the pipe is offered in red, white, and blue coils and sticks, up to 1” in size. Additionally, Jones Stephens offers a full range of F1807 brass and F2159 poly crimp fittings, up to 1” in size. Jones Stephens
WWW.JONESSTEPHENS.COM
#20 SYSTEM 1738 PVC FLUE GAS VENTING
SOLUTION from features pipe, fittings, termination kits and cement crafted to exact performance standards, ensuring safety and reliability. With a maximum flue gas temperature rating of 149° F, the system meets the requirements of UL 1738 for gasburning water heaters, furnaces and boilers, Categories l and lV. Resists UV degradation with clear markings indicating material type, application and temperature rating. IPEX
WWW.IPEXNA.COM
software spotlight
FUSION BY ESUB SUBCONTRACTOR SOFTWARE links external field personnel to the back office. Built exclusively for commercial subcontractors, it is designed to optimize productivity and profits for the trades. The simple, intuitive user interface streamlines workflows, solves communication bottlenecks, and delivers a comprehensive solution to challenges faced by modern subcontractors.
Subcontractors control and own their project data in a platform designed to protect their profits. Field teams can easily quantify labor so the office can monetize more of their labor. Replace disjointed spreadsheets, emails, texts and other manual processes that cause inefficiency.
eSUB
WWW.ESUB.COM
▲
AMERICAN EXPRESS VIRTUAL
CARDS WITH PIVOTLYNX from Pivot Payables allows American Express US business and corporate card members to generate virtual cards within its accounting automation application. This ensures requests are routed to managers for budget approval and cost accounting.
Pivot Payables
WWW.PIVOTPAYABLES.COM
▲ BOLT TRADE CONTRACTOR
SOFTWARE from ECI Software Solutions is a web- and mobile-based project management and scheduling software for small to large trade contractors in the residential new construction industry. It provides all trade contractors with project management and scheduling functionality to manage their businesses, reduce wasted trips, and track and collect extra purchase orders.
ECI Software Solutions
WWW.ECISOLUTIONS.COM
ROADFLEX PROACTIVE
▲
WORKIZ RESERVE WITH
GOOGLE is an online booking feature that allows service pros to reach more customers, book more jobs and stand out from the competition. Customers can connect directly to online booking through Google search results. This can increase the pool of potential customers available to each business owner and streamline scheduling, payments and other essential functions. Users gain prime placement at the top of Google search results.
Workiz
WWW.WORKIZ.COM
AI-POWERED FUEL RISK PLATFORM offers advanced features to meet the unique needs of contractor fleets, such as enhanced fuel management and improved security that drive cost savings. Preventative fuel fraud technology employs three-point authorization systems to verify the vehicle, driver and fuel card at the fueling location. This ensures that only authorized transactions occur. Instant control features allow users to monitor real-time transactions and set spending limits.
RoadFlex
WWW.ROADFLEX.COM
▲ RESTROOM FIXTURE SPECIFICATION DIGITAL RESOURCES from Sloan include MasterSpec, building information modeling files and DesignSpec. MasterSpec specifications are completely written out and formatted in Microsoft Word, so all that is required is to select the specific products. BIM files provide realistic visualizations and robust metadata. Sloan
WWW.SLOAN.COM
▲ REVENUEMAX DIGITAL MARKETING SOLUTIONS from Scorpion are designed to deliver profitable revenue and more ideal jobs to home services businesses by helping them get found online by their ideal prospects, chosen by those individuals, and understand exactly what’s driving revenue growth.
Scorpion
WWW.SCORPION.CO/REVENUEMAX
▲ HOUZZ PRO PROJECT MANAGEMENT STREAMLINING from Houzz adds new tools to manage complex projects, stay organized and reduce costly errors. The budget feature enables pros to systematically compare their estimated costs for a project against actuals in real time. Pros can pull files and photos from their Google Drive into project documents, including estimates, invoices or daily logs.
Houzz
WWW.HOUZZ.COM/PRO
▲ HOUSECALL PRO UPDATES include an improved online booking tool, and 24/7 video monitoring for vehicles to record clips of unsafe behavior or disturbances. A new collection of common industry services has been added to the price book. The software now offers offline viewing for scheduling in areas with poor Wi-Fi or no cellular service.
Housecall Pro
WWW.HOUSECALLPRO.COM
▲ PREFERRED CLOUD REMOTE BOILER ROOM MONITORING PLATFORM from Preferred Utilities allows facility managers, engineers and other stakeholders to monitor all equipment in their boiler rooms, regardless of equipment manufacturer. It can deliver data access from anywhere in the world, on any device (desktop, laptop or mobile).
Preferred Utilities Mfg. Corp.
WWW.PREFERRED-MFG.COM
A Complete Potable Water Piping System
A cost-effective piping system for distributing potable water.
• Certified to applicable ASTM standards
• Components listed to NSF 61 for potable water applications
• Compliant to UPC and IPC Model Plumbing Codes
• Affordable alternative to metal
Elections 2024: What Will it Mean for the Trades?
“Our stance on this issue all along is that tariffs are harmful to the economy because they increase costs for manufacturers and have an inflationary impact on customers wishing to purchase plumbing products. These increased costs lead manufacturers to provide fewer jobs and they have less money for compensation as well. From an economic standpoint, we see no benefits from tariffs. PMI has always been an advocate for free and fair trade among nations,” says Stackpole.
ABC’s Brubeck says that tariffs are a negotiating tool to renegotiate policies with other countries. “While having a hard time getting materials from overseas, resolving the domestic supply chain is a good thing,” says Brubeck.
Commitment to the Trades?
While President Trump’s first term had support
from the trade’s rank and file, the Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Rule, for example, received more negative public comments than perhaps any other rule, suggests White. Those negative comments came overwhelmingly from those same rank and file workers. “Polling data throughout the election shows that the President-elect enjoyed substantial support from skilled blue-collar workers, but his future actions must support their jobs in the workforce,” says White.
Bellaman says that ABC looks forward to working with the Trump administration and Congress to advance policies that solve the issues that the construction industry faces, including the skilled labor shortage of more than half a million, widespread regulatory burdens and inflation and tax challenges. “We welcome the opportunity to work with a president who is willing to welcome all of the US construction industry to rebuild America.”
Global Bathroom Industry Trade Bodies Partner on the Windsor Declaration
In a landmark collaboration, global bathroom industry trade bodies have united to support the ambitious commitments outlined in the newly signed Windsor Declaration.
Led by the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) in the United Kingdom, Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) and the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) in North America, this coalition aims to address pressing global issues, including water scarcity and infection prevention, through sustainable product innovation, robust research, and cooperation with government entities worldwide. The Windsor Declaration, endorsed by industry leaders at the recent Windsor Summit, outlines a commitment to improve water efficiency, reduce infection risks, and advance global sanitation. It is a pioneering initiative that emphasises the need for responsible manufacturing, public education, and regulatory alignment to make meaningful strides toward sustainability in bathroom products.
BMA
Tom Reynolds, Chief Executive of the BMA, stated, “The Windsor Declaration represents a united front within our industry to tackle the critical issues of water scarcity and sanitation. We believe that by pooling our resources, knowledge, and influence, we can inspire real change and support the global transition to more sustainable water management practices. Our industry
has the potential to be a driver of positive environmental impact, and we are committed to that cause.”
PMI
NKBA
Reflecting on the importance of this international alliance, Kerry Stackpole, CEO of PMI, highlighted PMI’s ongoing Rethink Water initiative, stating, “The Rethink Water initiative has been a cornerstone of our commitment to promote water conservation and efficiency across North America. The Windsor Declaration allows us to take that mission globally, uniting industry voices around the world to rethink how we manage water and make sustainable choices accessible to consumers everywhere. Together, we can influence regulatory frameworks, share best practices, and drive public awareness to benefit both our industry and the planet.”
Bill Darcy Jr., Global President and CEO of NKBA, added, “The commitment to water efficiency and hygiene is more crucial now than ever. The NKBA is proud to stand alongside BMA and PMI in this mission, recognising that sustainable practices must be the new standard across the kitchen and bath industries. By collaborating, we’re setting a path forward for products that not only meet consumers’ needs but also contribute positively to our shared environmental challenges.”
The Windsor Declaration
Key components of the Windsor Declaration include a pledge to:
• Improve Water Efficiency through enhanced product labelling aligned with ISO standards, empowering consumers to make informed decisions.
• Promote Infection Prevention by developing products that improve hand hygiene and inhibit microbial growth.
• Drive Research and Development in areas such as leak reduction and the creation of innovative materials and plumbing solutions that address global sanitation needs.
• Advocate for Regulatory Support to enforce water efficiency standards and modernise sanitation systems.
The Declaration calls on governments to support these objectives through investment in infrastructure, regulatory support, and public awareness initiatives to educate communities about the importance of water conservation and hygiene.
As the Windsor Declaration gains momentum, the BMA, PMI, and NKBA encourage other industry players, governments, and stakeholders to join them in creating a future where water resources are managed sustainably and sanitation standards are universally elevated.
View the Windsor Declaration and sign up at bathroom-association.org.uk/the-windsor-declaration.
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Reflections on an Anniversary Year
This, our December issue, is the official wrap-up of our year-long 70th Anniversary celebration—and I honestly wish there were a few more months in the year. I’ve had a great time delving into the history of this publication and the industry it serves.
It may be a cliché, but that doesn’t stop it from being true: the more things change, the more they stay the same. For all the amazing advances made in the trade, for all the new science and technology, plumbing is essentially the same work as when the ancient Romans practiced it. 1954 may be a lifetime away, but the people then— just like the people now—needed toilets that flush, hot showers and clean drinking water.
Yes, people will always need plumbers. But will plumbers always need a magazine like CONTRACTOR? I think as long as we keep serving their business and technical needs, as long as we stay engaging and informative, the answer will be “yes.”
ADVERTISER INDEX
And as those business and technical needs change, this publication will change to meet them. We have some big developments coming in 2025. While I’d love nothing better than to
As I write this, the election is over and the results are in (you can read about the reactions and expectations from around the industry in our cover story). Now the markets and the
numbers and bring in some expert opinions next month in our 2025 Industry Forecast.)
share them with you, our crack legal department has sworn me to secrecy! I’m afraid you’re just going to have to keep reading. I will say this about spending a year working on anniversary stories: it puts things in perspective. History isn’t just a collection of names and events with dates attached to them; it isn’t just black-and-white pictures on a page. History is people living their lives. History is something that we, all of us, make happen. We’re making it happen right now.
businesses that comprise those markets have the one thing they so desperately crave, which is clarity about the future. With that clarity, people can make their business plans and set their budgets for the coming year. And it looks like we have all the makings for a prosperous 2025. Recession fears have (for the moment) abated. Energy prices are stable. The supply chain looks healthy. Inflation is under control and interest rates are starting to come down. (We’ll do a deep dive on all the
But, as we’ve written here before, real success is measured not so much by the money you make as it is by the things that money allows you to do. The comfortable retirement once your working days are done. The good things you can do for your family, for the profession, and for your community. The feature this month (starting on pg. 18) is a collection of stories from around the industry of contractors and manufacturers giving back to their communities in ways large and small.
All of us here at CONTRACTOR wish you, our readers, a happy holiday season and a successful 2025—however you measure success. We appreciate the trust you have placed in us, both this year and over the past seven decades. And we hope to continue to serve the needs of plumbing, hydronic and mechanical systems professionals for many more years to come.
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