Contractor - March 2025

Distributed Pumping Soars at Seattle Museum of Flight

SEATTLE, WA — The Museum of Flight in Seattle is the largest inde pendent, non-profit air and space museum in the world and home to thousands of exhibits from the history of air and space flight.

The Museum of Flight had been running its original cooling equip ment since its installation in 1987. With the equipment aging and energy costs rising, it became increasingly apparent the Great

➤ Turn to Distributed, page 14

ORLANDO, FL — The 2025 AHR Expo occupied the Orange County Convention Center February 10-12, hosting more than 1,800 exhibitors, and showcasing the latest technologies, products and services to an estimated 50,000 attendees over three days.

While the main focus of the show has always been HVAC/R, the size and the scope of the Expo have drawn exhibitors from across a broad swath of the built environment industry, including plumbing, piping, tools, IAQ,

SPECIAL TO CONTRACTOR

On Feb. 10, President Trump unveiled plans for 25% tariffs on all US imports of steel and aluminum, which accounted for an estimated $61 billion, or 1.8%, of total goods imported to the US last year. The tariffs are scheduled to go into effect on March 12. They would lead to a substantial increase in the ef -

LABEL

WWETT Show Returns to Indy

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment and Transport (WWETT) Show, the premier event for wastewater and environmental service professionals, returned to the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis February 17-20, 2025. WWETT brought together over 500 exhibitors and thousands of professionals from municipalities, private contractors and manufacturers for learning, networking and to discover the latest products and technologies shaping the wastewater industry.

Highlighted exhibitors include PolyJohn, Amthor

ABMA Elevates Simoneau to Chair

VIENNA, VA — The American Boiler Manufacturers Association (ABMA) has announced the historic appointment of Nancy Simoneau, President of Groupe Simoneau, as the first woman and the first international member to serve as Board Chair in the organization’s 137year history. This milestone underscores ABMA’s commitment to promoting diversity and representation within the industry.

Founded in 1888, ABMA has long been a leader in the boiler industry, representing

WASHINGTON, DC — The national December 2024 not seasonally adjusted construction unemployment rate was 5.2%, up 0.8% from December 2023, according to a state-by-state analysis of US Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors.

The analysis found that only six states had lower estimated construction unemployment rates over the same period and 44 states were higher. All but three

Features & Departments

Heat Pump Water Heater Payback How

with Ryan Colker of ICC about off-site construction standards.

Gas Water Heater Ban Backlash

with a Crippling Error Code

Editorial Offices

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, David Eckhart

Ad Services Manager, Deanna O’Byrne

Production Manager, Sam Schulenberg

Audience Development Manager, James Marinaccio

CALO, Tray Kane CMO, Amanda Landsaw EVP Endeavor Business Intelligence, Paul Mattioli EVP Building, Energy and Water Group, Mike Christian

The Indiana Convention Center

Nancy Simoneau

In Brief

The American Society of Safety Professionals has published a new voluntary consensus standard for safety training on construction and demolition sites.

ANSI/ASSP A10.2-2025, “Safety, Health and Environmental Training for Construction and Demolition Operations,” establishes best training practices to help eliminate hazards that cause injuries, illnesses and fatalities.

Marcone Group has announced that Phil Mause has joined as Chief Commercial Officer. In this newly created role, Mause will manage growth through Marcone’s sales and marketing efforts. Most recently, Mause served as Sr. VP leading the strategic account and services teams at omnichannel marketplace RB Global.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association, has announced that Craig Webb, founder and president of Webb Analytics, has been selected as a business advisor in the NKBA Global Connect program. Webb Analytics is consulting firm offering strategies for the construction supply industry.

The National Center for Construction Education and Research’s annual I BUILT THIS! Contest is returning February 1 through March 14, 2025. Students are invited to showcase their building projects for a chance to be recognized. High school, career and technical education students, and postsecondary construction trainees or apprentices are eligible to participate.

The Construction Management Association of America is in the process of publishing Spanish translations for 11of its publications. This marks the first time CMAA’s Construction Management Guidelines have been available in a language other than English. The first of CMAA’s Construction Management Guidelines in Spanish—Pautas de Gestión de Tecnología (Technology Management Guidelines)—is now available.

Osmoflo Water

Management and Aqua Membranes have announced an exclusive partnership agreement. This collaboration will combine Aqua Membranes’ 3D Printed Spacer Technology® for Reverse Osmosis (RO) membranes with Osmoflo’s integration and operational expertise in delivering innovative water and wastewater treatment solutions.

• Vortex Launches New Water Division

• Stronger Together: VDMA Valves Joins CEIR – Taps & Valves Europe

• Complete Mechanical Services Celebrates 25 Years of Excellence

• Marki Huston Appointed Chief Executive Officer of Viega North America

Videos & Media Galleries

You could win a $25 gift card just for taking CONTRACTOR’s all-new Monthly Plumbing Quiz! Choose a card from Amazon, iTunes or Cabela’s. Every month the quiz focuses on a different topic, such as green plumbing, the history of

 The engine that could: how contractors can produce a solid business plan

 8 Simple ways to boost your monthly cash flow

and Digital Twins: The Key to Scaling Digital Transformation in Plumbing by Rose Morrison, Construction

Ensuring Harmony Between Hydronic Heating and Fireplaces: 5 Insights for 2025 by Oscar Collins, Editor-in-Chief at Modded

Heat Pumps and the Future of Sustainability

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The Heat Pump Water Heater Payback

BY JOHN MESENBRINK, EDITOR-AT-LARGE

The push toward electrification isn’t necessarily an inexpensive one, from an upfront investment in equipment and installation, that is. But the story for heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) is payback, and the associated rebates and tax credits that may come with it.

Having said that, how can rebates/tax credits alleviate some of the consumer purchasing burden for heat pump water heaters? “There is a definite push in regions and markets where the reduction of the carbon footprint is a major priority,” says Randal Oshiro, Engineering Manager, Noritz. “However, these programs are not universal and the experience for end user will vary significantly by region and utility. The accessibility and ease of these programs have positive correlation with heat pump adoption within the regions.”

Eligibility Criteria

Oshiro also emphasizes that rebates and tax credits often provide strong assistance to customers in the transition provided they are simple enough to navigate and major infrastructure work is not necessary. “However, for families where the power infrastructure requires major overhaul, the rebate does not make too much of a dent into the extra costs and time incurred, especially in situations where hot water is an immediate need (emergency replacement),” says Oshiro.

Added to that, “Most rebates are midstream and taken at point-of-sale in many markets, and contractors may not be aware these exist. For example, at the checkout of a big box store, the units get marked down by the rebate amount so it makes the transition to high efficiency electric equipment easier for the consumer,” says Eric

To tap into the savings of heat pump water heaters, it’s crucial to understand the eligibility criteria for both tax credits and rebates. Generally, for the federal tax credit:

• The heat pump water heater must be installed in a primary or secondary residence located in the U.S.

• It must meet specific energy efficiency criteria set by the Department of Energy. Learn more about the Heat Pump Water Heaters Tax Credit at www.energystar.gov/about/federal-tax-credits/heat-pump-water-heaters For rebates, criteria can vary widely depending on the offering entity. Common qualifications include:

• Purchasing and installing equipment within a certain timeframe.

• Buying a model that meets certain ENERGY STAR® or energy efficiency qualifications. Learn more about ENERGY STAR® certifications for heat pump water heaters here.

• Residency within a specific location or utility service area.

(Source: Bradford White Corporation)

How to Claim

Claiming these incentives doesn’t have to be a complex process:

• Documentation is Key: Keep all receipts and manufacturer’s certificates for the heat pump water heater, as they typically contain information about energy efficiency.

• IRS Form 5695: For federal tax credits, fill out IRS Form 5695 and submit it with your tax return. This form is specifically designed for residential energy credits. Learn more about this form at www.irs.gov/instructions/i5695.

• Utility and State Rebates: Check with your local utility company or state energy office for applicable rebates. They often have a separate application form and may require a copy of your sales receipt and installation certificate.

• Deadlines Matter: Be aware of deadlines for both tax credit and rebate applications, as missing these can disqualify you from receiving the incentive.

(Source: Bradford White Corporation)

Ashley, Senior Product Development Manager, Noritz.

ROI

But it usually comes back to the return on investment, doesn’t it? “The story for heat pump water heaters is really payback,” says Gregg Holladay, Business Development Manager – Specialty Markets, Bradford White Corporation. “A water heater that provides up to $4.00 in hot water for every $1.00 spent saves the homeowner not only 3,000 kWhs per year, but also about $400 in operating cost as compared to a standard electric tank. Add a significant utility rebate, about $750 in some markets, plus up to $2,000 in tax credit, and the payback is very fast on a product with a 10-year warranty,” continues Holladay.

In addition to federal incentives, various states, localities, and utility companies extend rebates and incentives to promote these environmentally friendly water heaters. Together, these financial incentives not only lower the initial investment cost but also contribute to long-term savings on energy bills. Bradford White has a rebate finder on its website so anyone can find rebates and tax credits using their zip code. You can search for rebates and tax credits in your area at forthepro.bradfordwhite.com/ product-rebates-tax-credits

“We also teach/train contractors on products and remind them of what is

available in their market on a regular basis. Our job is to equip them with knowledge and expertise so they are confident talking to homeowners,” says Holladay.

The Role of Utilities

Furthermore, a large number of utilities and energy organizations offer rebates on heat pump water heaters across the country. “The most effective way to influence the consumer’s purchase decision are instant rebates that the contractor can offer on invoice,” says Francois Lebrasseur, Market Development Manager - Utility Segment, A. O. Smith. According to Lebrasseur, there is a 30% Federal tax credit on HPWH in 2025 (up to $2,000) on the project cost—product + installation—net of local incentives. Some States (NY, WI, GA, NC) have rolled out the Inflation Reduction Act Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEEHRA) discounts for low- and medium-income customers that include a discount for HPWH, up to $1,750. (Resource: https://www.hotwater. com/water-heater-rebates.html) Lebrasseur says that normally the utility rebates are established for each calendar year and applied to purchases that year. “The Federal tax credit is in place as is for product purchases in 2025. The Inflation Reduction Act HEEHRA programs are implemented by each State energy office with various timetables and program designs,” says Lebrasseur.

For heat pump water heater installations, rebates can help consumers overcome higher initial costs.

A. O. Smith

Safety • Ease

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ABMA Elevates Simoneau to Board Chair

➤ Continued from page 3 manufacturers and suppliers at the forefront of technological advancements. Simoneau’s appointment signifies a significant step forward in leadership diversity within ABMA and sets a new standard for the industry as a whole.

In addition to Simoneau’s appointment, ABMA is pleased to recognize Carrie Murakami, National Inside Sales Assistant Manager at Miura America Company, as the inaugural recipient of the Women in the Boiler Industry (WIBI) Rising Star Award. This award highlights outstanding achievements and contributions by women in the industry, showcasing ABMA’s dedication to supporting and empowering women professionals.

WIBI

The WIBI initiative was launched to celebrate and support women shaping

the future of boiler technology and operations. The Rising Star award acknowledges the progress made in advancing women’s leadership in the

accomplishments exemplify the talent and expertise that women bring to the industry. She serves as a trailblazer and role model for others, like Carrie, who

‘We are excited for ABMA to be part of recognizing the rising stars in our field.’

historically predominately male industry and inspires others to break barriers and excel.

“We are excited to have Nancy Simoneau as our first woman and first international Board Chair and to present the inaugural WIBI Rising Star award to Carrie Murakami at the 2025 Annual Meeting,” said Scott Lynch, President & CEO of ABMA. “Nancy’s leadership and

represents the next generation of rising stars in the boiler industry.”

Industry Shift

Simoneau’s appointment and Murakami’s recognition come at a pivotal moment in the industry, as it shifts towards embracing a more diverse workforce. Their achievements serve as a powerful reminder of the potential for success

when individuals are given equal opportunities to thrive and contribute.

“We are thrilled to see the progress of the WIBI professional community since its launch in late 2023 and the advancements of female representation within the boiler industry. We are excited for ABMA to be a part of recognizing the rising stars in our field. This award is not only a celebration of individual achievements but also a testament to the collective strength, shared capabilities, and potential of women in our industry” said Shaunica Jayson, ABMA Vice-President of Membership & Marketing.

ABMA looks forward to the continued success and growth of women in the boiler industry, as they continue to shape the future of the industry through innovation and leadership. For more details about WIBI and ABMA, please visit www.ABMA.com.

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Low Construction Unemployment in Dec.

➤ Continued from page 3

states (Minnesota, New Jersey and Rhode Island) had construction unemployment rates below 10%.

National NSA payroll construction employment was 191,000 higher than December 2023. As of December 2024, SA payroll construction employment was 701,000, or 9.2%, above its pre-pandemic peak of 7.6 million.

The construction employment market is holding up relatively well compared to its pre-pandemic level. As of December 2024, 27 states had lower construction unemployment rates compared to December 2019 and 23 states had higher rates.

“High interest rates, rising labor costs and uncertainty about future materials prices due to tariffs are acting as a drag on new construction plans. Nonetheless, construction employment continues to

grow as older projects move forward and some new projects break ground,” said Bernard Markstein, President and Chief Economist of Markstein Advisors, who conducted the analysis for ABC.

“Much depends on the future course of

creased 0.6% from November. Only six states had lower estimated construction unemployment rates than in November. Meanwhile, 41 states had higher rates and three posted the same rate.

‘Much depends on the future course of Federal Reserve monetary policy.’

Federal Reserve monetary policy, efforts by the new administration to spur economic activity and the threat of price increases due to tariffs.”

Recent Month-to-Month Fluctuations

In December, nationally, the NSA construction unemployment rate in -

The Top States

Six states with the lowest estimated NSA construction unemployment rates for December were:

• Oklahoma, 1.7%

• Florida, 2.4%

• New Hampshire, 2.7%

• Georgia, Hawaii and Oregon (tie), 3.2%

Oklahoma posted its lowest December NSA estimated construction unemployment rate on record. Florida and Oregon had their second-lowest December unemployment rate on record, both behind their low in 2023 (2.1% and 2.7%, respectively).

The Bottom States

The five states with the highest December estimated NSA construction unemployment rates were:

46. Illinois, 9.0% 47. Maine, 9.1% 48. Minnesota and New Jersey (tie), 10.6% 50. Rhode Island, 16.5% Rhode Island had the largest year-overyear increase in its NSA estimated construction unemployment rate (up 4%) among the states. Minnesota and New Jersey had the third- and fourth-largest year-over-year increase in their rates, respectively (up 2% and 1.9%).

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Leak Detection Devices Can Reduce Average Claim Costs by

BY STEVE SPAULDING

Nationwide Insurance Co. has partnered with Resideo, a leading home technology company, to analyze the role Resideo’s Honeywell Home and First Alert devices played in loss prevention for their customers. The study found both a frequency and severity reduction for customers who had at least one Resideo device installed. In fact, these customers yielded a reduction in average claim costs of $4000.

Data collected between 2018 to 2022 reveals that about one in every 60 homeowners annually files an insurance claim related to non-weather-related water-damage or freezing pipes at the average cost of $13,954. All told, water leak damage is a multi-billion-dollar problem for US property insurers.

Research shows that 93% of water leaks can be lessened or minimized if an automatic water leak detection and shutoff system had been present in the home. Installing water leak detectors—ideally connected to a water shutoff valve—in the home can help prevent detrimental

water damage, but simply having leak detectors by themselves can be a benefit.

Insurers See the Value

“Insurers that specialize in high value properties have required flow-based leak detection on a small portion of homes for well over a decade,” says Ian Greene,

Marketing Director for FloLogic, a manufacturer of leak detection and automatic shut-off devices. “Today, the bar is much lower for the risk profiles that prompt a leak detection requirement—homes that aren’t typically occupied, have a minimal replacement value, or have any history of leaks, will require a device.”

More mass-market insurers are recommending and even requiring leak detection as a condition of coverage. Some insurers offer premium discounts for having leak detection, while some insurers simply make leak detection a requirement without any discounts.

The increased level of catastrophic property loss events—including wildfires and mass storms—has created a challenging insurance market. Catastrophic events are difficult to predict or prevent, but non-weather water damage (the second leading cause of insurance claims) is quite preventable thanks to leak detection technology.

Resideo has been added to USAA’s PERKS program to help its members protect against water damage and optimize home efficiency. USAA members can purchase Resideo’s Honeywell Home smart thermostat and its First Alert® WiFi Water Leak & Freeze Detector at a discounted price through the PERKS program and eligible Homeowner policy holders can enroll those devices for a connected home discount. Additionally, Nationwide is helping to offset the cost of smart home solution purchases and installation.

The Role of Contractors

Contractors are beginning to embrace leak detection sales and installations.

“More are realizing they are equipped to install devices because the plumbing work is well within a licensed plumber’s wheelhouse,” says Greene, “whereas years ago many were skeptical, or perhaps intimidated with the idea of installing a home technology. Software is always improving with an aim toward making devices more user-friendly and better integrated with the home ecosystem. Devices with and enhanced ability to monitor real time water flow can help contractors address plumbing issues early on and enable more proactive services.”

To learn more about Resideo, visit www.resideo.com/us/en/

To learn more about FloLogic, visit www.flologic.com

ID 31173319 © Lane Erickson | Dreamstime.com

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FloLogic’s premium smart leak control offers higher margins with every sale and install. Now even more so, with a new product line that enhances protection and plumbing system integration. Introducing:

Distributed Pumping Soars at The Museum of Flight

Under the new FloLogic Gateway platform, our PinPoint™ sensors protect common leak areas allowing instant shutoff. They also monitor for water intrusion, humidity, and temp extremes. Plus they work independently in an alert-only setup — the perfect introduction to the complete FloLogic system. Leak control technology so

The solution’s automatic balancing ensures the preservation of more than 40 historic aircraft from the first century of flight by reliably maintaining constant temperature throughout the museum’s 3-million-cubic-foot, six-story, glass-enclosed Great Gallery.

➤ Continued from page 1

Gallery’s cooling system was approaching the end of its life cycle. It suffered from poor Delta T, was poorly balanced and unable to reach the design temperature everywhere within the building—a critical factor when considering that maintaining ±2° from the set temperature is essential for the preservation of the historic aircraft. The museum decided to embark on a project of upgrading and retrofitting the gallery’s cooling system.

Distributed Pumping

As the museum’s engineers began investigating replacing the constant speed, chilled and condensing water pumps with high-efficiency, variable speed pumps, they became aware of Grundfos Distributed Pumping—a solution that replaces large centralized pumps and traditional balancing and control valves with smaller, more intelligent pumps throughout the building delivering flow and pressure only when and where it’s needed, automatically balancing the system and significantly reducing energy consumption.

“It became readily apparent there was a real energy savings opportunity in Distributed Pumping, because you’d eliminate the designed-in friction and pressure drops that were necessary for our old control valves to have a good accurate control range,” explains Fenton Kraft, Engineering Services Manager at The Museum of Flight.

“This Distributed Pumping system takes out a lot of complexity that traditional pumping systems

have,” says Chris Ireland , Technical Sales Manager, Grundfos. “All the programming is built into the primary pump controller and the distributed pumps. We simply started up the pumps, about a ten-minute process for each pump, and we were up and running.”

Specifications

In collaboration with sales partner Hurley Engineering, Bogard Pascua Engineers, and a team of Grundfos experts, an optimized Distributed Pumping system was designed with the following specification:

• 10°F chilled water Delta T

• 1 new water-cooled chiller

• 1 new cooling tower

The new chilled water system includes:

• Hydro MPC-E 2 CRE 125-1-1 (condenser water pump)

• Hydro MPC-E 2 CRE 95-1-1 (primary pump)

• 12 MAGNA3s (one distributed pump placed at each AHU, and two placed at the largest AHU)

Outcome

For the entire 2023 cooling season the new Distributed Pumping system resulted in 74% pump energy savings, equivalent to 34,000 kWh or $3,400. This does not take into account even further savings from the chiller and cooling tower energy reduction due to the increased efficiency of the new equipment, optimized operation and reduced working hours.

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ASHRAE Wraps 2025 AHR Expo, Winter Conference in Orlando, FL

➤ Continued from page 1

controls, hydronics, radiant, software, trade publications, code development organizations, media influencers and much, much more. A full list of exhibitors can be found at https://ahr25.mapyourshow.com/8_0/#/.

To date, there have been 75 AHR Expos since the inaugural launch in Philadelphia in 1930. In 1947, AHR Expo brought in ASHRAE as a show co-sponsor, and in the early 1970s, AHRI joined the co-sponsorship. Both esteemed organizations continue the partnership to the present day.

Education Offerings

As always, the Expo provided attendees opportunities to increase the range and scope of their technical and business knowledge. In 2025 this included both free industry seminars and forcredit sessions. Learning credits were offered in Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and American Institute of Architecture Learning Units (LUs). Topics ranged from commercial energy audits, the finer points of data center construction, heat pump system design, commissioning, decarbonization and many more.

This year the Expo included seven panel series, which brought some of the top experts in the industry together to discuss the important topics of the day in front of an audience, typically with a Q&A session following. Panel topics in 2025 included AI and Plumbing, Cybersecurity in HVACR, Refrigerant Transition, Workforce Rollover, Regulations, and New Business Opportunities.

If there was one can’t-miss panel session on the program, it would probably have to be Tuesday’s State of the Industry discussion, with Talbot Gee of HARDI, Dominick Guarino of the National Comfort Institute, M. Dennis Knight, 2024-2025 President of ASHRAE, and Stephen Yurek of AHRI, and moderated by Bryan Orr, HVAC School & Kalos.

For attendees pressed for time, two education options included the Pod -

cast Pavilion and the New Product Theaters. The Pavilions offered more than 50 sessions from podcasters around the industry, all offered live.

The New Product Theaters offered product demonstrations from top manufacturers in convenient 20-minute blocks.

Networking Opportunities

The show presented numerous opportunities for attendees to rub elbows and forge connections. On the show floor, some manufacturers offered coffee and breakfast pastries in the early hours, while others provided an open bar during the expo’s closing hours.

After hours there were several manufacturer-sponsored networking events, including the Burnham Holdings Hospitality Event held at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, the Heatcraft Customer Appreciation Event, and the not-to-bemissed Taco opening day party at the Rosen Center Hotel.

ASHRAE Winter Conference

Running from February 8-12 and co-locating with the Expo, the 2025 ASHRAE Winter Conference brought together HVAC&R industry leaders, experts and professionals for an engaging and impactful event focused on key

topics such as artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and workforce development.

The conference attracted close to 3,800 attendees and featured more than 400 committee meetings, 111 technical sessions and numerous networking and social events.

In his State of the Society Address, 2024-25 ASHRAE President Dennis Knight provided updates on the current Society Year theme: Empowering Our Workforce: Building a Sustainable

Future. “As we look to the future, I call upon each of you to continue to be passionate ambassadors for our industry,” said Knight.

Mark Your Calendars

The 2025 ASHRAE Annual Conference will take place June 21-25 in Phoenix, Arizona. The next AHR Expo will take place February 2-4, 2026, and the next Winter Conference will take place January 31-February 4, 2026, both co-locating in Las Vegas, NV.

In honor of the Orlando location, Mickey Mouse ears made from pipe and fittings at the Viega booth. Product demonstrations are one of the main draws of the Expo.

AHR’s Podcast Pavilions put the top voices, personalities, and perspectives from around the industry on stage, live and in-person.

ASHRAE President Dennis Knight addresses the Society at the 2025 Winter Conference.

ASHRAE

AHR Expo

AHR Expo

•

•

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by Al Schwartz

Changing Realities: The Skilled Trades Demand a New Paradigm

In many past columns, I have written about the woeful lack of quality trainees and apprentices in the trades and pinpointed the lack of viable educational opportunities as one of the prime reasons for the problem. In other columns, especially when discussing Douglas Greene’s STC high school trade center projects and Humberto Martinez’ Construction Career Days program, I addressed the mind set of our educators. For whatever reason, today’s educational administrators and school boards do not consider the trades as an acceptable career path for students. At best vocational education is used as a dumping ground for problem students or those deemed “inadequate” for the college course track. It seems that the ball has started rolling lately, and those attitudes are beginning to change... very slowly, but changing they are.

Then and Now

It’s interesting to note that 50 or so years back, getting into the trades was the thing most desired for high school seniors. Then, trade craft was respected, and wages were in the upper echelon of the day. Getting into an apprenticeship program was difficult, and father/son/uncle/relative referral was common. How things have changed. Construction wages are still higher than the average white collar wage, and blue collar benefits are generally on a par with, or greater than, those jobs. True, construction work can sometimes be seasonal, but so can white collar work. Staying for years, or decades, with one firm is no longer common. The days of long-term employment with a single company are behind us.

What do They Know?

At least with a trade education and a modicum of talent, a craftsman can still earn a living with his hands—if not with a shop, then for himself. Most white collar employees are at the mercy of available openings and must vie against many others looking for the same job. What’s the problem here? The responses I got from readers all beat around the bush, but pretty much say

For whatever reason, today’s educational administrators do not consider the trades as an acceptable career path for students.

the same thing: educational snobbery. There, I said it and I’m glad. Sometime over the last half century, the academic/ institutional mindset decided that a college education is the gold standard of our educational system and anything that had to do with (gasp... cue the horror music) manual labor was considered beneath contempt. The folks who establish and decide upon curricula for our educational systems have, en masse, turned their collective backs on an industry that is an integral part of the national and international economy.

and the educational establishment.

Adapting to the New Realities

What these academicians don’t realize is that sooner rather than later, there will not be many people out there who can construct their ivory towers, install or service the systems in their homes or offices. Without qualified and quality journeymen and masters, the trades will fall into a hodgepodge of “handymen” and quasi-qualified workers. Unfortunately, these “elites” cannot see the forest for the proverbial trees. They won’t, either, until their myopic visions of what constitutes a quality education comes back to bite them in the butt. Quality workmanship has already fallen to regrettable levels in many markets and isn’t likely to

The problem is serious and getting worse. Long range planning is a must, but equally important is a concerted effort, starting immediately, to get more people into the trades, get them educated and out into the work force. Perhaps the new administration in Washington can get the message and help the situation. I recall a conversation with an elected official from North Dakota, back when the oil fields were going full blast (and hopefully will again, soon).

This gentleman was well aware of the problems caused by lack of qualified welders and was asking me where or how they could get more pipe certified welders. I didn’t have a ready answer, beyond getting more people invested in the trades. We needed, and still need, a new paradigm on this issue.

What Can You Do? Prefab!?

Speaking now of large commercial projects, how do you man and perform on a large project when you can’t get enough

are to survive intact into the new century. Adapting to survive the realities of the industry as it exists today will require foresight, innovation and a willingness to try new things. Nothing should be off the table. Nothing should be considered taboo when the problem is so severe. From a strictly anecdotal point of view, it is sometimes noted that the military always seems to be ready to fight the last war. Making a new plan with innovative ideas and acting upon it is what will make the difference in the long run.

Remember, Albert Einstein once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

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.

55516317 © Goodluz | Dreamstime.com

Standards Unlock the Full Power of Prefab

A new suite of off-site construction standards delivers the framework contractors need for success—ICC’s Ryan Colker has the details.

BY STEVE SPAULDING

The virtues of off-site construction—also called prefabrication or modular construction—are well known to the industry. Working in a facility means a safer, more controlled, more efficient environment— less like a job site and more like a factory floor. That can create savings in material, manpower, energy costs and more. Apart from acting as a workforce multiplier, off-site construction is ideal for multifamily applications (with repeating layouts) which makes it an important tool for tackling the nation’s housing crisis.

Currently, a patchwork of state and local regulations hampers the widespread adoption of off-site construction. Different regulations from state to state creates confusion that can lead to delays and increased costs. Misunderstandings and a lack of expertise can complicate inspections and approvals.

Luckily, the International Code Council (ICC) has come up with a suite of standards to bring some order and sanity to the off-site situation: ICC/MBI 1200, 1205 and 1210. CONTRACTOR spoke to Ryan Colker, Executive Director, Energy Resilience and Innovation at ICC to get the facts.

CONTRACTOR: Can you tell us a bit about how these standards came about in the first place?

Colker: Well first, recognizing a lot of the challenges that industry and society are going through, such as workforce availability and housing affordability. Add to that, obviously, sustainability. These areas called for solutions and offsite construction is a key mechanism to address them.

We saw one of the key barriers to advancing offsite construction was the regulatory landscape. Offsite construction is regulated in 39 states at the state level and any offsite elements need to

‘The offsite construction approval-reviewinspection process falls to local officials who often don’t have the expertise.’

go through those programs. However, each of those programs operates a little bit differently. Do they cover just volumetric? Do they cover just commercial? Just residential? Do they allow third party plan review and inspection, or must all those activities be conducted by the state?

So, if you’re looking to build a factory that’s supporting multiple states, that landscape eats into the efficiency of the factory. At the same time, there are several states that don’t have statewide programs, so the entire offsite construction approval-review-inspection process falls to local officials, who often don’t have the capacity or the expertise to support these projects.

So, we saw a real opportunity to help streamline that process. That’s really how the standards were born.

CONTRACTOR: Can you break down the differences between the different standards?

Colker: The standards are mostly process focused. They do not dictate what would normally be included, say, in the building code. 1200 and 1205

were the first ones, created in collaboration with the Modular Building Institute. They’re companion standards, targeted at slightly different players in the space.

1200 covers the design and manufacturing side of the process. What do you need to include on construction drawings? What sort of quality assurance process do you need to have in the factory, and how will that support the review and inspection process? How do you differentiate between on-site and offsite constructed elements?

1205 covers the review and inspection process. You know, in an offsite construction context, a lot of activity is happening in a factory, which could be hundreds or thousands of miles away, from the job site, and the local code official has no visibility into sort of what’s going on in that factory.

So, 1205 lays out the process whereby plans are reviewed, and the in-factory work is inspected so that when it does get to the local job site the local code official knows exactly what they’re getting and that it all

meets the requirements of the building code.

1210 is strictly focused on MEP systems, energy efficiency and water conservation in offsite construction.

CONTRACTOR: I understand both Colorado and Rhode Island have recently adopted the new standards?

Colker: Yes, we’re seeing a lot of positive response. Salt Lake City was the first to adopt the standards (actually, before they were even finalized). In January, Standards 1200, 1205 and 1210, as well as Guideline 6: A Guideline on Advanced Panelization became effective in the state of Colorado. Colorado is the second state to adopt 1210 (along with Rhode Island) and the first to adopt Guideline 6. The other states to adopt 1200 and 1205 are Virginia, Utah and Montana.

CONTRACTOR: What is Guideline 6 all about?

Colker: Basically, it’s a new approach to things like panelized systems, treating them more like products, and giving them product-level approval. Guideline 6 explores what that would look like, and what measures would be needed to make that effective.

It has a lot of potential for things like, say, bathroom pods, or even mechanical pods. You would be able to package, for example, solar inverters into a self-contained unit. And, in the future, if you have a unit in place in, for instance, a multifamily building, then as technology changes and gets more efficient a contractor could simply pull out the old unit, put in the new unit and easily capture a lot of future energy saving opportunities. I think that’s certainly an evolving area.

Also, we are at work developing standard 1215, although that’s mainly for tiny houses.

CONTRACTOR: Thanks for talking with us today.

Colker: My pleasure.

OF CONTRACTOR’S STAFF

By John Mesenbrink

Are mandates pushing for the banning of natural gas appliances moving too quickly? Across the country, such bans are facing pushback.

In the final days of the Biden administration, the US Department of Energy (DOE) published a new rule banning non-condensing, natural gas-fired water heaters—which currently accounts for approximately 40% of manufactured tankless water heaters—by 2029, precipitating the re-shuffling and re-engineering of tankless production.

Proponents of the ban claim that in addition to reducing emissions, leading to a what the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy says is a “significant conservation of energy,” consumers could see a reduction in energy use, cutting costs by nearly $100 a year for the average family. On the flipside, how much will consumers pay for the new equipment?

Some reports see a consumer investment of nearly $450, or they may opt for a less efficient water heater alternative, rendering the ban somewhat counterproductive in its objective.

In any event, as you might imagine, the new administration is already looking to overturn the aforementioned gas water heater ban. Recently, Representative

Gary Palmer, R-Ala., introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to block the Biden Administration’s recent attempt to ban natural gas water heaters. “This radical ban on gas water heaters proves that the administration’s focus is on furthering an agenda instead of what is best for the American people,” says Palmer. In addition, according to information compiled by Politico, republican lawmakers in 26 states have already passed laws prohibiting gas bans. The nation’s first ban on natural gas hookups in new buildings—in Berkeley, Calif.—was also repealed earlier this year, after a federal appeals court ruled it violated federal law.

Big Picture

The fight against water heater bans points to the larger issue of moving toward all-electric prematurely. “We are moving extremely fast,” says Mike Prencavage, Jr., Owner, The Family Plumber, Los Alamitos, Calif. “Here in California, new construction projects no longer allow natural gas appliances to be installed. By January 1, 2029, a complete ban of natural gas on residential

Recently, Mike Prencavage Jr. toured SoCalGas’s [H2] Innovation Experience and new model net zero home. Pictured here is a tankless unit using a hybrid hydrogen fuel mix.

PHCC

service or repair will take effect rendering it impossible to purchase appliances such as water heaters, stoves or dryers that run on natural gas. There are quite a few plumbing contractors here in California that are completely unaware of these bans.”

Prencavage Jr. says that when informing a client on these new regulations, it’s been eye opening for them see the large estimate cost to convert home appliances over to another energy source. “There is a huge, unexpected cost to any consumer looking to switch their appliance over to a different energy source. In the retrofit space, you’d expect to spend more than $6,000 for most single-family dwellings to upgrade the utility supply in the home. New construction cost would increase based on technical training and supply. These new construction companies will be charging much more for skilled labor that must be certified and trained to install these alternative systems and appliances. The dramatic change will leave many blindsided.”

Not to mention that the electrical infrastructure in California is already stretched to its limits.

“Our current power supply, which is primarily outsourced from other states, is already at max capacity.

Roaming blackouts during heat waves, and more recently fires that have potentially been started by our already aging electrical infrastructure, do not promise that electricity is the best alternative energy option. Add more strain to the system and bad things will inevitably happen,” adds Prencavage Jr.

Over on the other side of the country, New York, for instance, has proposed that any new residential construction in the state having three stories or less must be “all electric,” with limited exceptions. According to the New York State Association of Realtors, a similar requirement for all buildings, residential and commercial, four stories or more is set to begin January 1, 2028. Proposals call for transitioning existing homes and businesses from natural gas and oil heating systems to electric or geothermal heating systems, starting in the year 2030.

electrification. We are seeing this across the country, including here in Washington state. We recently had a major weather event that shut down power to hundreds of thousands of people for weeks. These people were without heat, and unable to cook for several weeks.

it. Unfortunately, the grid is still mostly powered by fossil fuels and nuclear; the renewable portion of the grid is growing but the entire electrification movement is predicated on the accepted ‘fact’ that the grid will be completely ‘green’ at some point in the relatively near future.”

Starting in 2030, homeowners will only be permitted replace a gas furnace, water heater, or oil furnace with an electric one. This change would take effect for larger residential and commercial buildings starting in 2035.

The Possible and Practicable

All of this talk, and governmental action—on a state and federal level—should at the very least elicit an ongoing conversation. Is transitioning to all electric even feasible? Is this what consumers want?

“We all want to do what is best for the environment and our future generations, no doubt,” says Jason Pritchard, Managing Partner, PriCor Technologies, Seattle, and PHCC-NA President-Elect.

“But at this moment in time, these mandates just seem premature. Our electrical grid is not prepared to accommodate a full conversion from fossil fuels to

‘The market will speak and select the best solution. Most likely, what works best in Maine won’t work best in Louisiana.’

Those with natural gas were in a much better position to care for themselves,” continues Pritchard. Also, there could be confusion with the electrification message. “The problem comes from the conflation of electrification and decarbonization,” says Robert O’Brien, Oil & Energy Service Professionals (OESP), National President and President, Technical Heating Company, Mount Sinai, N.Y. “They are not one and the same, a heat pump, for example, is only low carbon to the extent of the cleanliness of the grid powering

According to O’Brien, having every option available to decarbonize makes the most sense, and if decarbonization is the goal, setting targets and letting the market decide the best solution has always been the best approach. “Selecting one fuel as the magic bullet stifles research and development of other fuels, some of which may not even be a wild dream at this point. Picking winners and losers is not a viable option. The market will speak and select the best solutions to meet the goals. Most likely, the solution or solutions that work best in Maine won’t work best in Louisiana. It’s a complex problem requiring complex solutions,” says O’Brien. To reiterate, fuel choices should remain in the deciding hands of the consumer. Prencavage Jr. says that when asking fellow contractors on whether the gas bans are justified, they are in unison in the thought that more efficient home appliances would help cut costs down on home ownership while doing their share to collectively contribute to a carbon footprint reduction. However, “unless the surplus of natural gas resources was unavailable for distribution, I believe that all customers should have a choice of what type of utilities are supplied in their homes. The public should actually be made more aware of alternative fuels—such as hydrogen—which could lead to a more natural progression of emission change rather than it becoming forced,” says Prencavage Jr.

So as the debates continue, the freedom of fuel alternative choices struggle lingers on as well. “There are always early adopters who want to be out in front of any trend and the ‘Luddites’ who resist any change for any reason. The 80% in between just want to be reliably comfortable at a reasonable cost, and if it helps the environment, that’s a bonus,” says O’Brien.

John Mesenbrink is CONTRACTOR’s Editor-at-Large

A Beckett oil burner operating on B100 biofuel.

An inside look at the heat exchanger of a forced-air furnace.

Mike Prevencage, Jr.

by Patrick Linhardt

HYDRONICS MANAGER AT CORKEN STEEL PRODUCTS

CO.

100-Gallon Tubs and Hour-Long Showers

Before my intestinal surgery, I met a contractor and his helper to go over a small high efficiency hot water boiler installation. Turned out that both had the same type of surgery for different (other than cancer) reasons. The helper’s was done when he was a kid and everything is fine. The contractor was about 9 – 10 months out from his surgery and was also doing fine. Nice news to hear before it’s your turn on that very narrow surgery table.

The contractor recently called to look at this job that he didn’t install but wanted some advice. We have a bond through surgery, so we set up a time. The homeowner greets me in the driveway and calls me “the rock star of hydronics.” He seems like the jovial type, always trying to get a joke in every conversation. We all walk to the basement while he’s going on about how bad the system performs.

Familiar Handiwork

The photo is of what I first saw, the boiler and the other zones are around the corner to the left. If you look closely, the tank was disconnected by the contractor that put in a high efficiency combination boiler. I won’t mention the brand because it wasn’t their fault that it didn’t work to the homeowners’ satisfaction.It’s a good size custom home that the man of the house has lived there with his wife since it was built about twenty years ago. She is now facing her own cancer journey, a part of which I was told is soaking in their 100-gallon tub. I’m thinking that’s why there is a 120-gallon indirect-fired water heater in this basement. Usually, I will design for that size only in large multifamily projects.

Now I’m being told that there was an early adoption high efficiency boiler that was original with the house and piped to the indirect-fired water heater. I then realized that this was probably designed by a former workmate when he was at a different supply house. When I finally got around the corner, I could see his style and what was left and what was changed.

The new contractor’s crew that put in the combi boiler—which came with the low loss header and internal boiler loop pump—hooked up the space heating supply and return piping correctly to the low loss header. They disconnected the indirect-fired water heater from the existing boiler system piping and ran a cold water feed to the combi. The hot water from the combi was piped directly to the existing hot water main feeding the house.

This house has a dedicated re-circulation line with pump because the soaking tub is on located on the opposite side of the house. It was piped into the cold water feed, but set to run continuously to keep it warm and have hot water right away in the primary bath. The main complaint, I was told, was that his wife can’t fill

Misinformation in the design stage of a boiler retrofit causes hot water capacity issues for a homeowner’s hydrotherapy.

the tub with hot water. With what I had seen so far, I doubted that it could.

Capacity and Flow

This combi boiler has the capacity to heat water continuously if it senses flow in the domestic water system, like a faucet or shower. That amount of flow through the boiler is usually set with some kind of flow restrictor. The assumption we make to figure out that flow rate is the temperature rise. I use 80 degree F, or raising water from 40 degree F to 120 degree F. The input on this boiler is 199,000 btu, output around 185,000 btu. We take that ouput and divide by 8.3 (weight of a gallon of water) then by 60 (minutes in an hour) and then the temperature rise. That comes out to about 4.5 gallons per minute that the combi can maintain when

the water is real cold coming out of the ground in the middle of winter.

I noticed that there wasn’t a flow restrictor installed, but there was a ball valve that we could adjust. Through a little trial and error, we got the flow adjusted so that it could maintain hot water draw at the tub. Or at least that was until we went to the tub. Yes, it was at the right temperature, but the fancy out of the ceiling tub spout is designed for 10 gpm. It shoots a tight stream of water at 10 gpm, but breaks up at only 4.5 gpm. This takes us back to the information provided during the design that a 120 gallon indirect fired water heater can store enough hot water to fill the 100 gallon tub at the required 10 gallons per hour, or what we call the dump load.

I proposed that the indirect heater would have to be hooked up to the boiler as a space heating zone to be able to allow the woman of the house to have the tub ready for therapy. I quoted the contractor the parts he would need. The homeowner agreed to the concept and I came back to help with laying out the piping. The contractor pointed out that the combi was only rated for 120,000 btus for space heating, which will take more time to recover the tank temperature. He checked with the homeowner, who was trying to get a settlement from the contractor that put in the combi. Maybe a new boiler was going to be provided…

Shower Trouble

I came back when it was re-piped. Everything looked good and the tank was coming up to temperature when I left. We got it back to original design, except for boiler output. I was waiting for the call the next morning to find out if the woman of the house had a nice therapy soak in the tub. When I got the call, the complaint was now about the shower. She ran out of hot water after about 20 minutes, with a shower flow of 6 gpm. That’s easy math. The tank is drained and the low output of the boiler can’t keep up.

If I was told at the beginning that we needed to have continuous 6 gpm to take an hour-long shower, I would have gone another direction with the repair/upgrade. Two 199,000 btu instantaneous hot water heaters for the domestic side and a small boiler for his small radiant zones would be an option. Right now, I have quoted a 285,000 btu boiler to pair with the indirect. On paper, that combination can fill the tub easily or provide a warm shower for almost an hour.

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.

Patrick Linhardt

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Heat Pump Rescue — Struggle with a Crippling Error Code

Nelson Mechanical finds the reason for a crippling error code in a heat pump system that was driving the homeowner nuts.

IBy BRIAN NELSON, SPECIAL TO CONTRACTOR

love working with copper pipes and fittings and circulators and valves. I love working with heat pumps and boilers and controls and making systems work well and rescuing those that don’t.

I love designing heating and cooling systems on screen and paper and then laying them out and installing them. There is something very satisfying about the tangible nature of installing copper pipe and sweating fittings and wiring motorized valves. I don’t mind designing and installing ductwork and making it beautiful—it too can be satisfying in its own way.

But I do not love working on impenetrable proprietary closed systems that resist all of our efforts to rescue them and get them to heat and cool correctly. Being defeated at every turn by an inflexible robot brain is not my idea of fun.

But many times we don’t get hired for a rescue to have fun; we get hired because we stick with it until we have figured out the issue(s) and made necessary corrections to achieve comfort and efficient operation.

This particular rescue was a real challenge as we had to figure out what was causing a crippling error code in a heat pump system that was driving the homeowner nuts.

System Worked Well (Until It Didn’t)

The system was a modern multi-zone heat pump system with one outside unit connected to two branch boxes which served five inside units. The branch boxes had electronic expansion valves and talked to the wall controls and inside units; the two branch boxes then communicated to the outside unit. The system was sized using a Manual J heat loss and the manufacturer’s design software. All of the piping lengths and diameters were spelled out between outside unit and branch boxes and to all of the five inside heads.

The design software also spelled out the compatible wall controls, wire lengths, and type of wire.

According to the homeowner, the system worked very well the first summer. No issues with any of the five inside heads and very comfortable and efficient oper-

great discharge air temperatures, and all zones were at setpoint, even on the hottest days.

So there was no rhyme or reason for this F4 error code: “Low discharge superheat across compressor which was determined by monitoring both suction

ation. Pretty vanilla installation that has been successfully installed both here in the US and globally.

Unfortunately, after the first summer, the homeowner started to get the same error code over and over that made no sense. What had been a successful cooling system was now a lemon! (according to the homeowner).

Chronic Error Code F4 that Made No Sense

The homeowner noted that during the cooling season, about once a month, the entire system would grind to a halt and flash F4 as an error code. In every other respect, the cooling was working quite well. All of the inside zones had

and discharge temps across compressor and most likely caused by liquid flooding back to outside unit from indoor units”.

The homeowner had to turn off power to the five inside heads, the two branch boxes, and the outside unit, wait a few minutes, and then turn everything back on to clear the error code. This was quite frustrating for them and confounding for us.

Tech Support Just Reading the Script

We called tech support and were not surprised by the reply from the first level of support; they had us confirm again the length and diameter of the lines between outside unit and branch boxes and in-

side units. They had us pull off the wall controls to confirm the gauge and type of the wires between the inside units and the wall controls. They had us recover the refrigerant charge to confirm that we had the correctly calculated the refrigerant charge in the system.

All of that checked out and corroborated our original entries into the manufacturer’s design software.

If in Doubt, Replace Boards

They were stumped, so they recommended replacing the main PCB on outside unit. These boards are never fun to swap out and we had to take apart most of the outside unit to remove and replace the board. Then we had to wait patiently for the next appearance of the F4 fault code. Sure enough, a month later the F4 fault code appeared again.

Tech support then pivoted to blame the pressure sensors. We had to take apart the outside unit again (and recover the refrigerant charge) to remove and replace the pressure sensors. As before, we had to wait patiently for the next appearance of the F4 fault code. And sure enough, it came back a month later. As I mentioned earlier, this was not how I wanted to spend my rescue time!

Senior Level Tech Support – Finally!

All of our suffering with lower-level tech support finally paid off and we were admitted to the next level! We finally had someone that wasn’t just reading a script or a fault tree; they could actually think outside the box to look at our puzzling situation.

They suggested that maybe there was an issue when the pressure sensors were telling the robot brain what their pressure was. Because the system was working perfectly, and then it had an error code driven by pressure (and temperature) information, maybe the pressure read-

The dreaded F4 error code returns!

Nelson Mechanical Design

ing was corrupted by a sudden drop in voltage on the control board?

It seemed like a stretch but at this point we were desperate. The homeowner was sure we didn’t know how to work on heat pumps and was lobbying to junk the entire system and have us replace it.

Start Data Logging

We set up our data logger on the power coming into the outside unit and set the sampling rate to one second. We had to visit the site quite a few times over the next month to collect the data and clear the data logger cache. No dips in power, but also no F4 error code.

Finally, the homeowner called to report the return of the F4 error code. We raced over and confirmed from the data logger that power had indeed dropped from 245 volts to 35 volts for half a second! Not long enough to make the microwave blink 12:00 or cause a computer to restart but long enough for the control board voltage to drop.

Our senior tech support guy surmised that if the drop in voltage happened when control board was trying to read refrigerant pressures, it would suddenly see catastrophically low pressures and shut down. This was because each pressure sensor was fed 5 volts DC and then sent a return signal to the control board. If the pressure was suddenly fed 1 volt DC, the return signal to the control board would appear to be really low refrigerant pressure.

This was great news to finally find a culprit and be able to tell the homeowner that we knew why the fault was occurring.

Of course, all they wanted to know was: what were we going to do about it?

Manufacturer: Don’t Alter Anything – Homeowner: Rip it Out!

Now that we knew that intermittent voltage dips were causing the F4 error codes, we had to find a solution. The manufacturer said we should relocate the system to a location where there were no dips in voltage. Ha! That wasn’t very helpful here.

The homeowner didn’t want to continue suffering with a system that was so sensitive to incoming power quality. Meanwhile, the manufacturer said we would void the warranty if we altered their equipment.

Backfeed Sensors with 5 VDC?

At this point we were game for anything. We noted that the existing transformer on the heat pump control board was soldered in place. We didn’t want to

try to solder anything onto the control board for fear of destroying it. If we could somehow backfeed 5 volts DC onto this control board, we could make sure that board voltage never dropped and therefore there would never be another fake F4 error code.We remembered that the sensors were fed with 5 volts DC and we could easily splice onto those wires. So, we got a separate regulated power supply to make clean reliable 5 volts DC and connected that to the sensor wires.

We then powered that regulated power supply with a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) commonly used to protect computers.

We told the homeowner (but not the manufacturer) what we had done. We said that we would warranty the outside unit ourselves as we were confident that we had solved this (miserable) mystery. The F4 error code never came back. The homeowner was finally happy, and we were glad to return to the world of hydronics and copper pipes and circulators!

Brian Nelson is the co-owner of Nelson Mechanical Design, a “green” mechanical contractor serving the energy efficiency and home comfort needs of Martha’s Vineyard, MA since 2004. The company designs, installs, and services just about anything to do with heating, cooling, domestic hot water, water treatment, geothermal, heat pumps, and radiant. NMD is committed to preserving the fabric of the Island it calls home. To learn more visit nmdgreen.com

The outside heat pump.

Branch boxes connecting five inside units.

Dismantling the heat pump to replace main board.

Sensors that we thought were faulty.

Datalogger used to measure incoming voltage.

The transformer soldered to the main board.

Nelson Mechanical Design

Nelson Mechanical Design

Nelson Mechanical Design

Nelson Mechanical Design

Nelson Mechanical Design

Nelson Mechanical Design

Patti Feldman

5 Nifty Options to Help Streamline Your Workday

Panatrack (www.panatrack.com, 262/361-4950) is a flexible cloudbased software solution that offers construction and job-based contractors a powerful, all-in-one solution for managing their valuable tools, equipment, and supplies. It adapts to your unique requirements, allowing the user to track item custody, location, status, and ownership. The system can track assets by unique identifiers such as asset tags or serial numbers, while also managing consumables and supplies by quantity.

The software offers seamless operation through a browser-based desktop interface for office management and a mobile app for on-the-go tracking, both supporting barcode scanning, ensuring a team can easily update and access information in the office or on a jobsite, helping improve accuracy, enhance efficiency, and provide real-time updates, for time and cost savings.

Beyond basic tracking, Panatrack also offers deployment management, rental management, and maintenance management.

Pricing: annual subscription, fee per year.

Bolt

Bolt ( ecisolutions.com/products/ bolt-trade-contractor-software/), for mechanical and specialty trade contractors active in new residential construction, is SaaS software (backed by ECI Software Solutions) that addresses planning, scheduling, and managing projects and that also facilitates communications about the associated tasks and activities.

Featuring a real-time dynamic interface and integrated messaging, the solution enables creating, updating, and sharing schedules (including drag & drop of work orders on the route screen), assigning tasks to crew members, tracking job progress in real time, and providing automated notifications and reminders to help maximize daily crew efficiency. You can also customize the system to allow users to add reasons why a job or task needs to be rescheduled.

The filter icon allows you to prioritize tasks by city, builder, work order types,

Reviews of the Panatrack cloud-based solution, Bolt SaaS software, the Jobber platform, Beam AI, and GC Pay construction management software.

or date. You can automatically populate builder purchase orders directly into the solution, enabling accepting them with a single click.

The software provides onscreen views of productivity, project milestones, completion statuses, and details of work orders, including materials needed. An integrated Spanish/English mobile app enables each team member to select the preferred language for communication.

Pricing: subscription based, tiered depending upon the features and number of users required.

Jobber

Jobber, which provides home services software for residential and commercial clients (www.jobber.com, covered in the April 2019 column) recently introduced two additions to its platform: Marketing Suite and Jobber Copilot, which provides AI tools to help optimize business operations. Marketing Suite is available as a fee-carrying add-on for Jobber customers on most plans; Jobber Copilot is free and offered to customers in beta on every plan.

Marketing Suite includes features to expedite customer reviews and referrals and helps automate email campaigns.

Jobber automatically asks for a Google review when your customer pays your service invoice. You manage your reviews in Jobber by keeping track of your ratings and responding to your customer reviews. All customers can also benefit from marketing insights and the ability to build their website as part of their Jobber plan.

Jobber Copilot acts as an AI business coach, data analyst, and marketing specialist—ask it how you can improve your business and receive tailored strategies and actionable advice with helpful resources. In addition, users get instant insight from your data to help in making informed decisions.

Pricing: scaled fees per month, choice of monthly or annual subscription plan. Free 14-day trial.

Beam AI

Beam AI (www.ibeam.ai) is cloud-based software for contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and distributors that automates the process of performing accurate takeoffs for ductwork, piping, fittings, and other mechanical components for both small scale and large intricate mechanical systems.

How it works: the software automates the take-offs by analyzing the digital plans to accurately calculate the equipment quantities. The user drags and drops blueprint files specifies requirements and scope of work, hits Proceed, and the software generates results which undergo a quality assurance review to ensure accuracy and alignment with your scope. The solution features auto-detection of spec details and keyed notes.

A one-screen overview of the bid opportunities shows which are won and which are still in the bidding stage.

Pricing: based on an annual subscription model with varying costs dependent upon project needs and scale. Demo available; one free trial.

GC Pay

GC Pay (www.gcpay.com, 877/447-2584) is cloud-based construction management software for expediting payment process between a contractor acting as the general contractor and that company’s subcontractors. The solution, a SaaSbased platform, automates the payment process and features several capabilities that expedite the workflow.

Users have the ability to directly input jobs, contracts, subcontracts, billing data, and change orders with the solution’s construction ERP integrations, and can manage routing of pay app approvals, collection of lien waivers and compliance documents to expedite payment to subs. Plus, users can view a signed copy of the lien waiver before releasing payment, create and exchange subcontractor lien waivers, and create custom lien waivers, pulling in 80+ data points directly from GC Pay.

GC Pay streamlines the process of collecting subcontractor banking information separately by allowing subs to securely submit their bank details, eliminating the need for manual collection. Pricing: per month, user-based or volumed based.

Patti Feldman writes articles and web content for trade magazines and manufacturers of building products. She can be reached at productpad@yahoo.com.

6 Reasons You Should Not Remain a Single Truck Operator

You’re a single truck operator.

You’re proud of your independence. No one’s your boss and you don’t have any employees to make life difficult. And you’re cheating yourself and your family. Here’s six reasons why.

1.

There is Little Work/ Life Balance

No employees means there’s no one else to do the work. You get a job and you have to get to it, even if it cuts into family time. If you do turn down work or try to delay it, you can’t really enjoy, say, your kid’s Little League game because you’re thinking about the work you passed on or might lose when the customer calls another plumber. You may be independent, but it comes at the expense of your work/life balance. You are the only plumber on call, so you are always on call. The work/life balance is tipped heavily towards work.

2. Cash Flow is Uneven

With company size comes a leveling of cash flow. It can still be uneven, but it rarely dries up. When it does, the company can bridge the gap with a bank line of credit.

No employees means there’s no one else to do the work.

As a single truck operator, you are either doing work, chasing work, or waiting, hoping for work. The dry periods can be really dry. Since few banks will extend a line of credit to a single truck operator, the only choice to bridge a shortfall is using credit cards.

3. Paperwork is Always Waiting

Single truck operators don’t just do the plumbing, they do the paperwork too. After a full day in the field, the single truck operator is greeted by the need to complete the day’s paperwork, not to mention staying on top of all of the government forms and filings. Some plumbers enlist their wives to help, typically without pay. She may help, but it’s no fun for her either, especially if she’s holding down a full-time job, home schools, etc. By contrast, larger companies have an office manager and bookkeeper to handle the paperwork.

4. Injury/Illness

If a single truck operator gets hurt in an auto accident or job-related injury and can’t work for a time, the company can’t make money. The customers must be referred to a competitor. Household income is not totally reliant on the plumber’s wife. If she doesn’t work outside the home, she’ll have to start.

Most plumbers do not think a serious injury will happen to them. It doesn’t have to be that serious. Tear an Achilles and it’s six weeks when you cannot even drive and additional weeks before you can perform actual work.

Given what an injury could do to his family’s income and well-being, the single truck operator should ask himself if he is being independent or selfish.

5. Age

As plumbers age, the work may not get harder, but the plumber’s joints make it seem that way. Age is inevitable. If the

plumber runs a company with employees, he can supervise instead of strain.

6. Exit Value

When age finally makes it impossible to keep working, the single truck operator better have sufficient savings and investments to live on, because he doesn’t have a business to sell. You cannot sell a job and that’s all a single truck operator owns. Sure, it might be able to get a little for his customer list, but this is probably no more than the very low five figures.

By contrast, the plumbers who build true businesses that can operate without them have choices. Many have grabbed the brass ring from private equity, selling their businesses for seven or eight figures with some selling before they turn 50 years old. That can be the future for the single truck operator who chooses to grow.

Want to grow your plumbing business? Start by joining the Service Roundtable, plumbing’s largest and most affordable business alliance. Learn more at ServiceRoundtable.com. For inspiration, pick up a copy of Matt Michel’s book, “Contractor Stories” at Amazon.

by Lynn Karam CEO OF LEK MANAGEMENT

The 2025 Tax Season is Upon Us! Are You Ready?

Although it may be hard to believe, the 2025 Tax Season is already upon us! With it comes the responsibility of preparing your 2024 documents to ensure that your business and all of its employees have everything which is necessary to fulfill tax reporting obligations.

The filing deadline for sole proprietors is April 15, 2025. The deadline for S-corporations and Partnerships varies, depending on their fiscal year. It always falls on the 15th day of the third month following the end of the company’s fiscal year. If the 15th falls on a weekend, check with the IRS for the new filing date as it varies. Finally, for a C-Corporation , their filing deadline is on the 15th day of the fourth month following the end of the fiscal year.

One strategy that many businesses use to reduce their overall taxable income is to defer income from the prior year by invoicing clients in January instead of December and/or delaying year-end bonuses. Another savings strategy to discuss with your CPA is prepaying deductible business expenses.

Once you have all your documents assembled, consider whether you should take the standard deduction or itemize deductions; depending on your situation, the way you approach deductions can make a big difference!

Does your business make donations to non-profit organizations throughout the year, either from the business itself or by matching gifts made by your employees to their favorite charities? Contributions to qualified not-for-profit organizations may be tax-deductible if you itemize them. Be sure to keep receipts for all donations made to make reporting them easier.

The new year is also a good time for business owners to assess the health insurance plans for their companies. Renegotiating health insurance options during Q4 of the previous year to secure better plans for the new year could present another opportunity for savings during tax season. Try to find plans with better coverage-to-cost ratios.

Our resident small-business tax authority offers tips to make filing easier and less stressful.

As all business owners know, health insurance coverage is a major investment. Insurers often adjust premiums and coverage options in the new year, so it can be a great time to work directly with providers or insurance brokers to negotiate better terms for yourself and your employees.

Helpful Tips

Here are a few preparation tips for the tax season:

• Verify all of your employees’ information to ensure it is accurately listed on their W-2s. We recommend sending out a company-wide communication to enable every employee to personally verify their information as it currently appears in your payroll system.

• If there is an option available for your employees to set up their own account in the company’s payroll system, you should encourage them to do so; this will enable them to have direct access to their W-2 whenever it’s required.

• Prepare the company’s financial statements , primarily the Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet. Accurate statements, prepared in advance, will make the filing process much smoother and less stressful.

• Ask your accountant to prepare the financial statements, and take time to review them carefully with him or her. Identify potential deductions or offsets.

• If there are expenses in question, request that the accountant review the transactions listed in that specific expense.

• If you’ve realized Capital Gains from selling investments, review your portfolio for unrealized losses. Take a closer look at any underperforming assets you may have sold before the year ended, as this could help reduce taxable income while keeping your overall portfolio balanced.

• Stay informed about proposed tax law changes that could affect your return.

• Keep track of any tax documents you receive. Compare the information reported on the tax documentation to the information your accountant is reporting on your financials. If they are not the same for any reason, investigate further to identify which source is reporting the accurate information. Then make sure to correct the inaccurate information before submitting your documents.

While filing your payroll taxes is not a requirement to file your corporate return, the information reported on your W-2 should always match the information on your employment tax reports. Mismatched information can trigger queries and possibly an audit, which is the last thing any business wants. However, if you do receive a letter from the IRS, don’t panic—there are qualified Enrolled Agents readily available, experts in tax resolution, who can represent you and your business with the IRS.

There are many reasons why the IRS sends letters, and it’s not always due to an impending audit. Quite often, they just want to clarify information to address perceived (or real) discrepancies, or possibly to collect unpaid taxes. Whether it’s missing documentation or something more complex, experts in tax resolution services can be invaluable to help address the situation in an expedient way. A professional who is authorized by the IRS to act on your behalf, such as an enrolled agent, (who may just happen to be the person who prepares your taxes—always ask!) can provide you with the right guidance and take the necessary steps to promptly resolve these issues.

Founder and CEO of LEK Management Inc., Lynn Karam has two decades of experience in finance, operations, and strategic planning. Karam is an Enrolled Agent authorized by the United States Department of the Treasury to represent clients who are undergoing an audit and to negotiate with the IRS on her clients’ behalf.

by Ricardo Aguirre CEO OF AMERICAN PLANT MAINTENANCE

Heat Exchanger Assessments, Tube Bundle Repairs Can Lead to Big Savings

Heat exchangers are used to transfer thermal energy from one type of liquid or steam source to another kind of liquid source at a wide range of facilities. Whether heating a space or some type of fluid in a manufacturing process, using leftover heat is an energy efficient way to preheat another system. The process requires maintaining effective heat transfer between the two sources, which is why regular testing and maintenance of the heat exchanger is so crucial to efficient and trouble-free operations. Read on for an overview of heat exchangers and learn how a regular assessment program saves energy, reduces costs, and helps facility staff stay focused on their priorities.

Heat Exchanger Basics

A heat exchanger is a system used to transfer heat between a source and a working fluid. They are used in both cooling and heating processes for space heating, refrigeration, air conditioning, power stations, chemical plants, petrochemical plants, petroleum refineries, natural-gas processing, and sewage treatment. A variety of open loop and closed loop heat exchanger designs are used depending upon the application, including plate and frame, shell and tube, brazed plate, and submerged tube.

The steam system has a function, either heating space or heating fluid for a process. When that heat is used, leftover heat turns into condensate, which returns to the boiler as water that can be used to preheat something else. For example, using leftover steam to preheat domestic hot water means the water system will not have to work so hard. The concept also applies in manufacturing settings. If frying potato chips at a specific temperature, for example, the heat exchanger allows the steam to heat the oil and then modulates how much steam it takes to guarantee the correct temperature for frying oil. The temperature at which the heat is reached can be precisely controlled by controlling the pressure of the steam. The heat exchange process involves maintaining effective heat transfer between the two sources, which is made

Operational integrity – A heat exchange assessment should begin with basic identification and documentation of the heat exchangers. The documentation should include the tag #, location, type, manufacturer, model, and application. For example, APM heat exchanger surveys identify each exchanger with a unique number on a stainless steel tag, which provides a quick and easy way to reference the heat exchanger’s location and information.

Regular testing and maintenance is crucial for efficient and trouble-free operations.

challenging by the fact that heat exchangers are highly susceptible to scale build-up from treated or untreated water. In addition, these mineral deposits attach to the tube bundle surface, creating the following issues:

lbs 1 gallon water × DT ×

Therm losses =

Btus 1 therm × efficiency gallons of water

Formula for measuring thermal losses.

Energy losses – Scale build-up and leaks reduce the effectiveness of the system’s heat transfer capability. Even a thin layer of scale can reduce heat transfer by 3 to 6 percent, costing thousands of dollars in wasted energy. Open loop systems (domestic hot water, clean steam generators, steam exchange humidifiers, and some manufacturing processes) have the most scale because of the constant makeup water, which contains dissolved minerals. They should be cleaned annually. Closed loop systems (building heat systems and some manufacturing processes) should be cleaned at least every three years, or as needed.

Increased heating time – As scale develops, it takes a heat exchanger far

longer to transfer heat. For example, if the facility requires reliable access to hot water, descaling the heat exchanger helps maintain the energy transfer time as designed by the manufacturer.

Leaking tube bundles – As the scale attaches to the heat exchanger, it begins to corrode the surface. Over time, the scale can eat away the metal and create leaks. Inspection, testing, and cleaning helps to avoid emergencies where a leak suddenly appears and the heat exchanger fails to work correctly.

Most heat exchangers will leak undetected until the steam system experiences water hammer, an increase in failed traps and valves, or pressure/temperature issues. In most cases, these problems can be prevented through a regularly scheduled inspection, testing, and descaling program.

Four Key Objectives of Heat Exchanger Assessments

Regular heat exchanger assessments are critical to their efficient use. The four most important objectives of such a program— which should include testing, maintenance, and repairs—are ensuring operational integrity, guaranteeing thermal efficiency, promoting water conservation, and promoting chemical conservation.

Hydrostatic pressure testing is then conducted, in which the heat exchanger is taken offline to identify and verify the functionality of isolation valves and ports for cleaning. Pressure testing will then be carried out to verify the integrity of the bundle. Fluid is run through the heat exchanger at a pressure slightly above the operating pressure to enable investigators to determine if there is a leak from one medium to the other (e.g., from the water side to the steam side).

Heat exchanger survey reports include summary data listing the total number of exchangers, highlighting those with “function-impeding issues,” and a graphic presentation of results. Information includes total estimated annual steam losses; total estimated annual therm losses; heat exchanger valve status; and tube bundle failures.

In the case of leaking heat exchangers, the assessment will include measurements of the water volume leaking, the temperature coming from the tap water, and the temperature desired as an output. A spreadsheet is developed to calculate how much energy is lost, which can be used by utilities to provide incentives to repair leaking heat exchangers.

All the operational integrity information is folded into a final report with assessment details, along with information on the cost of cleaning each heat exchanger and/or any necessary repair costs.

If there are no leaks, borescope pictures can be used to capture visual assessment and prove scale build up in the bundle and an assessment of whether it can be cleaned in the future. If necessary, the

➤ Continued on page 34

Best Practices

report might include suggestions for installation of a port that allows for cleaning-in-place procedures.

Thermal efficiency – Since fuel is being used to create heat, operators need to ensure that the heat goes where it is intended. In a catastrophic scenario, for example, a leaking heat exchanger, water that had been heated up to a certain required temperature is leaking from the water side into the steam side and flowing away with condensate. That water must be replenished, and, since replenishment water will be street water that usually comes in at a temperature of about 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, it will take considerable energy to be heated up again to the desired output temperature of 130 Fahrenheit. This waste of water that has already been heated represents a serious loss of thermal efficiency.

Buildup of whiteish scale on the water side of the heat exchanger also prevents the efficient transfer of heat. Perfectly clean metal transfers heat from one medium to the other way far better than metal caked with scale. In addition, the scale buildup starts to reduce the volume of medium that can go through that heat exchanger, so all things being equal, it will take more time to get the same amount of water out as the scale builds up and reduces the element’s usable volume. In this case, thermal efficiency is improved by descaling using a clean-inplace process, which is far less disruptive for facilities and operations personnel. Removing scale is extremely important because scale increases the differential

pressure through the heat exchanger. It also reduces flow and increases energy demand on pumps and reduces the ability to transfer heat effectively and efficiently. Scale also creates an environment for under-deposit corrosion, which can shorten the life of the heat exchanging equipment.

It can be difficult to measure precisely how much energy is lost due to the scaling because that will depend upon the chemical composition of the scale, the size of the bundle, and the pressure on both ends. The assessment report may contain a picture taken by a borescope showing the bundle as installed and one with the current status to illustrate the amount of scale buildup.

Water conservation – In the case of a leaking bundle in a heat exchanger, water must be replenished, which can result

the street could destroy the boiler or corrode it faster.

Operators producing steam are looking to capture all the heat out of that steam, then return the steam that turns into condensate to the boiler. In effect, the condensate is like liquid gold—operators seek to preserve as much condensate as

A regular heat exchanger assessment helps eliminate unwelcome surprises at understaffed facilities.

in significant additional costs, depending upon the community water costs.

Chemical conservation – This element is especially critical for steam production applications. The makeup water going into the boiler for making steam is highly treated with chemicals, including corrosion inhibitors and other chemicals to prevent bubbling up and wet steam in the system. Without the addition of these chemicals, water from

possible and bring it back to the boiler. A leaking heat exchanger leads to diluting water. The water ends up colder and lacking the right chemistry, so more water must be added to restore that chemistry. If not caught in time, the boiler can corrode quickly.

Establishing Return on Investment

The heat exchanger assessment program should include energy savings calculations with return-on-investment data so operators can evaluate the business case for performing the cleaning and get an estimate of the significant overall savings that can be achieved. The information includes a calculation of approximate heat exchanger cleaning program payback time in years, based on assumptions for cost of steam, percentage transfer loss due to scale buildup, and fouled heat exchangers.

APM Steam has found that the average steam cost for most facilities is about $15 per 1000 pounds of steam produced. Ten of those dollars (about two-thirds) of the cost is energy. Establishing the ratio of water to chemicals cost depends on the facility and how much treatment the water needs, but estimates suggest about $3 for water and $2 for chemicals

to make 1000 pounds of steam. APM Steam generally provides operators with a conservative assumption that they can save about 3 percent of their energy consumption by cleaning scaling.

The heat exchanger assessment should be undertaken at least every three years, depending upon location. In an area with poor water quality (i.e., one with hard water that creates a lot of scaling), operators might test more often, while areas with good water treatment may not require more frequent testing. Testing should ensure that heat exchangers are hitting their set points, are free of scale, and are not leaking. Regularly making sure that is the case and addressing issues promptly is the way to go. Scale build up over time degrades the system and is likely to lead to more issues.

Staying on Top of Issues is More Cost-Effective Than Waiting for Things to Fail

Heat exchangers are vital equipment in a facility, and problems are not always visible. Failed tube bundles and heat exchanger isolation valves can adversely affect operational integrity of building heat, domestic hot water, or other facility processes. Conducting a regular heat exchanger assessment and following up with cleaning and repairs saves time and money. It also helps eliminate unwelcome surprises at understaffed facilities where staff have to do so much with so few resources. Rather than requiring staff to drop their regular duties and respond to an emergency, a regular cleaning program using external resources makes better use of staff and makes maintenance tasks more predictable.

Ricardo Aguirre has been the CEO of American Plant Maintenance since 2016.

Scale reduces flow, increases energy demand on pumps, and reduces ability to transfer heat effectively and efficiently.

Example of stainless steel tag used to identify each heat exchanger.

A variety of open loop and closed loop heat exchanger designs can be used, depending upon the application.

Brazed Plate Submerged Tube Plate and Frame

Shell and Tube HEX

WWETT Show Returns to Indianapolis, IN

➤ Continued from page 3

International, Custom Truck One Source, Tornado Global Hydrovacs and Allan J. Coleman, among others. Each presented cutting-edge technologies and services designed to drive efficiency and enhance operational capabilities in the field.

Keynote

An inspiring keynote address was delivered by Justin Wren, founder of Fight For The Forgotten, a nonprofit dedicated to providing clean water to vulnerable communities. Wren’s work has transformed the lives of thousands, including the Batwa pygmies in Africa, through sustainable water solutions and community empowerment. A UFC veteran, accomplished wrestler and advocate for social change, Wren’s journey combines professional excellence with a deep commitment to humanitarian efforts.

“Justin’s story and mission resonate with the very essence of the WWETT Show,” said Marc Acampora, Group Director of the WWETT Show. “His passion for solving water-related challenges mirrors the dedication of our attendees to advancing the industry.”

Educational Offerings

The 2025 education program featured more than 90 sessions, ranging from expert-led seminars and workshops to technical tours of local wastewater facilities. Key topics included sanitation, safety, disaster preparedness, repair techniques, cyber security and risk management.

New workshops will focused on real-world applications, such as managing wastewater systems during disasters. Technical tours of Lucas Oil Stadium’s Wastewater Management System and the Carmel Wastewater Treatment Plant were offered.

‘This is more than a trade show, it’s where the industry comes together to shape the future of wastewater and environmental services.’

Attendees were able to earn Continuing Education Units (CEU) and Professional Development Hours (PDH), enabling them to enhance their professional credentials while gaining ac-

tionable insights to implement in their operations.

Rising Stars

For the first time, the WWETT Show

recognized the industry’s rising stars under 40 with the Young Professionals Award, celebrating their achievements and contributions to the wastewater sector. Winners were honored at a special ceremony, where their innovations and leadership were offered as examples of the industry’s bright future.

Networking

Attendees enjoyed unique opportunities to connect with peers and leaders during events such as the Women in the Industry Mixer and the WWETT Show Welcome Party. These gatherings foster meaningful relationships, spark collaborations and encourage knowledge sharing among professionals from diverse backgrounds.

Out on the Floor

The expo floor, the heart of the WWETT Show, featured live product demonstrations, interactive displays and solutions tailored to meet the industry’s most pressing challenges. From cutting-edge vacuum trucks and combination machines to advanced treatment equipment, attendees explored the latest technologies designed to improve efficiency, safety and environmental compliance.

‘Where the Industry Comes Together’

“The WWETT Show continues to set new benchmarks by delivering essential education and access to the world’s leading brands, suppliers and manufacturers, all dedicated to advancing efficiency and safety across both municipalities and private sectors,” said Marc Acampora, Group Director of the WWETT Show. “This is more than a trade show, it’s where the industry comes together to shape the future of wastewater and environmental services.”

With participation from leading global brands and suppliers, the WWETT Show connects buyers with manufacturers, enabling attendees to make informed purchasing decisions and discover solutions that help them stay ahead in the industry.

To learn more, visit www.wwettshow. com

Crowds take to the expo floor at the Indiana Convention Center for the WWETT Show.

WWETT Show

Bring Back the Trades to Host Skills Expo

RYE, NH — Bring Back the Trades (BBTT), a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of skilled tradespeople, has announced its upcoming Skills Expo at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, on Saturday, October 25, 2025. The event is made possible through a partnership with F.W. Webb, the largest wholesale distributor of plumbing, heating, HVAC, and industrial supplies in the Northeast.

Tepid Water Solutions

The BBTT Skills Expo presented by F.W. Webb is set to be a transformative experience for middle school and high school students, their parents, and adults interested in learning about the trades. The event is designed to engage, inspire, and inform, showcasing the exciting, technology-driven world of skilled trades through hands-on exhibits and interactive displays.

Bradley’s tepid water solutions are designed to create a safe tepid temperature, a necessary addition to your safety planning. The current ANSI standard calls for emergency eyewash and drench showers to deliver tepid water for 15 minutes. This assures that a user would not be subjected to very cold water and possible hypothermia or very hot scalding water and possible skin burns. Tepid Water Solutions. Brought to Life.

To learn more please visit bradleycorp.com/industrial

Event Highlights:

• Interactive Exhibits: Businesses from various trades will host engaging, science-fair-style displays that encourage attendees to roll up their sleeves and explore.

• Engaging Experiences: Outside the stadium, attendees can get up close with cutting-edge equipment, tools, and vehicles used in today’s trades.

• Guest Appearances: Special appearances by industry leaders and trade advocates, with a keynote discussion to be announced soon.

• Giveaways and Prizes: Attendees will have the chance to win exciting giveaways, including co-branded items from F.W. Webb and BBTT.

• Family-Friendly Activities: Designed to engage participants of all ages, the event provides opportunities for parents and community members to explore career paths alongside students.

“This event is more than a career fair— it’s a movement to change perceptions of the trades and shine a light on the incredible opportunities they offer,” said Steve Turner, Founder and President of Bring Back the Trades. “We’re excited to bring the Skills Expo to a venue as iconic as Gillette Stadium, thanks to the support of F.W. Webb. Together, we’re creating a space where students, parents, and the community can discover how rewarding and vital skilled trades careers can be.”

“We at F.W. Webb are proud to partner with Bring Back the Trades to help elevate the Skills Expo to the next level at Gillette Stadium,” said Jeff Pope, Owner and President of F.W. Webb. “

For more information, visit BBTT.org To learn more about F.W. Webb Company, please visit fwwebb.com

Partnership to Launch Mental Health App

COCONUT CREEK, FL — ABC Cares Foundation, the charitable arm of the Associated Builders and Contractors Florida East Coast, has joined forces with behavioral health leader Harm Reduction Center (HARC) to introduce a mobile app designed to address the current mental health challenges faced by construction industry workers. This first-of-its-kind app provides workers immediate, confidential access to mental health services, removing barriers and eliminating the stigma often associated with seeking help. Participating construction companies will display QR codes at job sites, allowing workers to discreetly scan and connect with licensed providers for support.

“Construction professionals are the backbone of our communities, and their mental well-being is essential,” said Aaron Palazzolo, Director of Development for ABC Cares Foundation. “This initiative offers an accessible, stigma-free solution.”

The app’s design prioritizes privacy and confidentiality. All interactions are HIPAA-compliant, ensuring workers’ personal information and treatment details are securely protected. Workers

The app prioritizes privacy and confidentiality.

can connect directly with licensed mental health providers without employer involvement, and in-person appointments are scheduled within 48 hours. The app offers access to therapies, case management, psychiatric care, addiction counseling, and more.

The construction industry is facing a mental health crisis, with suicide rates four times the national average and significantly higher instances of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse disorders. “These statistics are unacceptable,” said Peter Dyga, CEO of ABC Cares Foundation. “This partnership is about action—making mental health care more accessiblete.”

The collaboration with HARC, a trusted leader in behavioral health and

substance abuse treatment, ensures the highest standard of care. The center’s evidence-based approach addresses trauma, addiction, and psychiatric

needs, tailored to each individual’s situation. The ABC Cares Foundation remains at the forefront of supporting the construction industry, offering fi-

nancial assistance, mental health resources, and disaster relief support.

For more information on ABC Cares Foundation, visit www.abccares.org.

We Lower Costs, Not Standards.

From single fittings to full mini-split systems, BLUEFIN® parts and units are readily available for less than the leading brand. They’re also built with reliability in mind and supported by exceptional after-sale service, because our job’s not done until yours is.

Our prices are low, but we’re raising the bar on what you should expect from a supplier.

See how Bluefin products can support your next project only at

S&P Global: Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Would Mean Little Change for GDP, Prices

➤ Continued from page 1 fective tariff rates on these metals (from the current 2.95% on steel imports and 3.91% on aluminum imports).

The President is exercising his authority under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, claiming the tariffs are in the interest of national security.

S&P Global, a financial intelligence company, has issued its first estimate on how the tariffs could affect consumer prices and GDP. S&P Global Ratings finds that the impact is minuscule, but the indirect effect on downstream sectors that use steel and aluminum— such as automakers and can manufacturers—is potentially large.

The new tariffs would represent a near 0.34 percentage point increase in the effective tariff rate, which would raise the price of imports gross of tariffs by 0.34%. This translates into an approximately 0.04% increase in the personal consumption expenditures price index. US consumers and companies are likely to bear the brunt of the costs, particularly in the first year. But lower foreign producer prices and a stronger dollar exchange rate could help limit the adverse impact on macroeconomic conditions in subsequent years.

The tariffs could reduce goods imports by the same 0.34% assuming unitary demand elasticity, which is likely overstated. All else equal, this would increase GDP by 0.04% in the first year as demand shifts toward domestically produced substitutes—if domestic producers step in to fill the void (again an upper limit).

The announced tariffs come at a time when industrial production and capacity utilization of these metals have declined to unusually low levels (charts 1 and 2).

Level

Data through December 2024, three-month moving average.

Sources: Board of U.S. Federal Reserve and S&P Global Ratings Economics. Copyright © 2025 by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC. All rights reserved.

Chart 2: Capacity Utilization: Manufacturing: Durable Goods: Iron and Steel Products

Sources: FRED, S&P Global Ratings Economics.

Copyright © 2025 by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC. All rights reserved.

The overall US steel and aluminum trade deficits stand at $14 billion and $13 billion, respectively, with a notable surplus on both metals with Mexico. Mexico accounts for 36% of US exports of iron and steel (steel accounts for the majority of the iron and steel category), and 29% of US exports of aluminum. Canada tops the list on US imports of both steel and aluminum (see charts 5 and 6), which totaled $19.5 billion in 2024. The US exported $34 billion of these metals in 2024, or 1.6% of the total goods exported to the rest of the world.

Effective Tariff Rate

Given current US imports of steel and aluminum, the new tariffs represent an estimated $11.2 billion tax increase on American importers of these metals. This leads to a near 0.34 percentage point increase in the effective tariff rate to approximately

2.67%, from 2.33% (calculated as of 2024 data).

In 2024, customs duties from steel and aluminum were $1.8 billion, down from $3.1 billion in 2018. The new tariffs, on a static basis, represent a 15% increase in the 2024 total tariff revenues—or $76 billion, which was just 3.1% of the $2.43 trillion in individual income tax revenue.

Elasticities and Prices

In most models, economists assume the elasticity of demand for imports for these metals is unitary (meaning that a change in price leads to an equal change in the quantity demanded), and the supply of imports for these metals is infinitely elastic in the first year. As a result, the price of imports before tariffs is unchanged and the price of imports after tariffs rises by the full amount of the tariff.

A 0.34 percentage point increase in the tariff rate raises the price of imports gross of tariffs by 0.34%. This translates into a 0.037% increase in the personal consumption expenditures price index using standard import content of consumer spending at 11%. (In other words, about 11% of U.S. consumption can be traced to imports.) It is not surprising that import content of consumer spending is so low given that nearly two-thirds of the consumer price index consists of services, and for most services the largest cost is labor. History suggests that the costs of tariffs have largely been borne by US consumers and companies. In past instances of new tariffs, almost all of the additional cost was passed through in the first year. A combination of lower foreign producer prices and a stronger dollar exchange rate could mitigate the increase in the cost of steel and aluminum, limiting the adverse impact on macroeconomic conditions in subsequent years.

GDP

Given our unitary demand elasticity, the tariffs reduce goods imports by that same 0.34%. All else equal, this would increase GDP by 0.038% in the first

Chart 1: Production Index of Primary Metals and Its Core Components

year (goods imports constitute 11.2% of GDP) as demand shifts toward domestically produced substitutes.

Implicit in this calculation is that domestic substitutes can be supplied at the going price and that production of them can be raised instantly. This may be overstating reality. S&P believes there is scope for domestic steel production to pick up without running into capacity constraints (as measured by the average over the long run) in the near term since capacity utilization is running at 10-year lows. This could happen with a tempered impact on prices.

In time, steel tariffs could enable higher pricing and stronger profits for domestic steelmakers. On the other hand, aluminum tariffs wouldn’t lead to more output in the US without years of smelting and electricity investments. Dormant cost-efficient domestic primary aluminum capacity does not exist.

Countermeasures from Trading Partners

If history is any guide, the planned

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tariffs would raise the risk of countermeasures from other countries. These could come in the form of a dispute between members of the Word Trade Organization over trade rules, imposition of tariff/nontariff trade restrictions (including on politically sensitive indus-

tries), or some combination of these. These would be negatives for a business environment that just recently received a boost from a friendlier regulatory environment and a perception of forthcoming tax cuts.

The 2018 steel and aluminum tariffs led to countermeasures from Canada, China, the EU, and Mexico. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, many duties were targeted at US agrifood exports, including EU tariffs on distilled spirits, juices, butter, cheese, and pork. Big manufacturers like Boeing also lost access to international markets.

President Trump hinted that farmers, if targeted in retaliation to any new tariffs, would be helped (presumably from the tariff revenues collected). Indeed, during the first Trump term, the administration authorized $61 billion in emergency relief payments to cushion

Higher prices for imported products could ease competitive pressure that the US producers are under. It could also lead US producers to raise their prices—citing the new tariffs as the reason. That means US producers that rely heavily on imports of steel and aluminum would likely see their cost of doing business rise.

farmers and ranchers from any retaliation, an amount roughly equivalent to all of the tariff revenue collected from US businesses.

Downstream Impact

The $11 billion (additional) hit on import costs is negligible in a $29 trillion economy, but the effect of tariffs would not be limited to the prices of imported steel and aluminum. The downstream users of steel and aluminum, such as the construction and auto industries, will be affected disproportionately.

All else equal, the tariffs would increase costs to automakers, food processing and packaging including can manufacturers, construction projects including homebuilding and infrastructure, and possibly defense contractors. Tariffs and nontariff barriers tend to disproportionately burden the small and midsize businesses. Profits are likely to be squeezed at the margin.

To the extent businesses can pass on the rising cost, consumers would also eventually see their prices increase. Overall, pressure on inflation would rise just as markets and consumers are appearing to be sensitive to inflationary expectations.

For further insights, visit S&P Global Insights at www.spglobal.com/en

AHR EXPO TAKEOVER

The 2025 Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration (AHR) Expo was held February 10-12 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL The Expo is an annual showcase of the latest technology, innovations and services from all corners of the industry. This year the AHR Expo hosted more than 1,800 exhibitors and welcomed an estimated 50,000 attendees. Here are some of the latest and greatest products discovered by the CONTRACTOR editorial team during three days walking the show floor. For full coverage turn to our lead story on the cover, and for even more news from the big show visit us online at www.contractormag.com.

▲ M18 FUEL RINGER ROLL

GROOVER for 1-1/4" to 4" Schedule 10/40, 6" Schedule 10 and 2" – 6" Schedule 10/40 from Milwaukee Tool is the industry’s first cordless roll groover designed to optimize the productivity of on-site grooving. Delivering fast setup to finish and portability to work anywhere, the product enables operators to work where it’s most convenient without the limitations of a cord, even at the point of installation. Milwaukee Tool WWW.MILWAUKEETOOL.COM

▲ BRONZE TRANSITION PRESS FITTINGS from Viega were nominated for an Innovation Award at AHR.

DYNAFORCE

SERIES BOILER from Camus Hydronics is fully modulating with an efficiency rating of up to 99% and features a vertical cylindrical heat exchanger which is constructed entirely of stainless steel. The Dynaforce can be fired with either natural gas or propane. Models range from 600,000 BTU up to 5 million BTU with a turndown ratio of up to 5:1.

Camus Hydronics CAMUS-HYDRONICS.COM

CLEARDRAIN PVC from RectorSeal effectively eliminates major contributors to clogged HVAC/R condensate drains. Its polymer surface is electrostatically repulsive, offers low surface energy, and protects against bacteria, viruses, molds, biofilm, and other microorganisms with its hydrophobic properties. RectorSeal RECTORSEAL.COM

▲ SE-FM ENERGY TRANSFER

STATION from Armstrong Fluid Technology optimizes system-wide performance while maintaining high turndown ratios. Its modular design allows for flexible configurations with lower first costs.

Armstrong Fluid Technology ARMSTRONGFLUIDTECHNOLOGY.COM

▲ SYSTEM 1738 UNIVERSAL CONCENTRIC VENT KIT from IPEX is engineered for a wide range of appliances with varying collar space requirements. The compact, horizontal design allows for the easy installation of a tankless appliance tightly on an exterior wall.

IPEX

IPEXNA.COM

INSULPEX INSULATED PIPE from REHAU is specially designed for the efficient transfer of hot or chilled water through buried pipelines. It consists of PEXa oxygen-barrier pipe surrounded by a solid layer of CFC-free polyurethane foam insulation and an LDPE outer jacket. Available in one- and two-pipe configurations; the twopipe configuration combines supply and return pipes for even faster installations. REHAU

WWW.REHAU.COM

▲ TRANSITION FITTINGS between Uponor PEX and parent company GF’s ChlorFIT piping allow for the ideal blend of strength, durability and flexibility. The fittings will be available in April of 2025.

Uponor WWW.UPONOR.COM

LVR ELECTRIC BOILER from Cleaver-Brooks provides an energyefficient solution with zero onsite emissions, making it an ideal choice for businesses looking to meet sustainability goals while reducing their carbon footprint. Available in capacities ranging from 90 to 540 kW (335 to 1850 MBtu), the LVR is well suited for a variety of applications. Its modular design enables scalability for facilities with evolving energy demands. Cleaver-Brooks CLEAVERBROOKS.COM

VERITUS AIR SOURCE HEAT

PUMP WATER HEATER from Lochinvar maximizes energy savings thanks to its high coefficient of performance (COP). The unit utilizes a low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerant (R513A) to help facility managers meet sustainability goals and adhere to local regulations. The unit’s modular design allows for flexible installation options, and its user-friendly Smart Touch™ control panel makes it simple to adjust settings and monitor performance.

Lochinvar LOCHINVAR.COM

▲ WEBSTONE HYDRO-CORE PRESS

▲ PRO SERIES XTP TANKLESS ELECTRIC WATER HEATER from eemax has a new safe stop system to prevent dry fire. It can be mounted in a vertical or horizontal position. eemax

WWW.EEMAX.COM

ALPHA COMFORT SYSTEM

▲ L1 WIFI WATER LEAK AND

MANIFOLD from NIBCO is a redesign of the Hydro-Core double ball drain. It now features fully integrated press end connections for fewer potential leak paths and less brass. It retains the original manifold’s core functionality in a compact new body. The forged brass assembly includes closely spaced tees for hydraulic separation and drain valves for isolation and future service. Designed for use with water, oil or glycol mix in residential or light commercial heating systems, the manifold is available in sizes 1" and 1-1/4", including reducing branch options.

NIBCO

WWW.NIBCO.COM

FREEZE DETECTOR from First Alert is a compact, smart device that monitors temperatures and sends mobile push and email notifications, alerting you to water leaks, freezing temperatures and humidity out of the set range. It signals issues via audible and visual alerts and may also be easily monitored via the app. Includes a 5' cable sensor that detects water along its entire length; loop and lay the sensor through a basement or utility room.

First Alert

WWW.FIRSTALERT.COM

THE ALPHA COMFORT SYSTEM, North America, is designed for domestic hot water recirculation systems without a dedicated return line. It has a bypass valve with a thermal actuator and offers scheduling via the built-in digital timer. It has a built-in Bluetooth timer that can be easily set via company apps. Offers guided setup, which recommends the right mode and the right setting, reducing the risk of pinholes. FLOWSENSE automatically makes sure enough flow is created to kick on common water heaters without exceeding the velocity for the most common pipe types. AUTODADAPT technology automatically detects if the comfort valve is closed, minimizing bleed-over. Grundfos

WWW.GRUNDFOS.COM

▲ THE CMK-224 FLOOR STANDING COMMERCIAL RACK SYSTEM from Noritz provides even more powerful hot water delivery by racking four NCC199CDV tankless units installed back to back, while also delivering greater space savings for businesses and commercial facilities. Noritz NORITZ.COM

▲

VERTEX HV HIGH EFFICIENCY

CONDENSING

GAS WATER HEATER

from A. O. Smith combines efficient performance with its installation. The ENERGY STAR® certified design is the ideal replacement for an existing gas unit, particularly for homeowners looking to comply with upcoming 2029 NAECA 4 residential regulations. The unit consumes up to 31% less energy than standard technology, saving homeowners up to $500 over five years in energy costs. The powerful performance of up to 65,000 BTUs/ hr also delivers up to 33% more hot water, easily meeting the needs of five or more people.

A. O. Smith

WWW.HOTWATER.COM

GEOSPRING SMART HYBRID HEAT PUMP WATER HEATER utilizes heat pump technology to provide up to 4.7 times more energy efficiency than standard electric water heaters and up to 20% more energy efficiency compared to other heat pump water heaters, according to the company. The FlexCapacity feature, made possible with a patented, electronic integrated mixing valve, can provide up to 60% more hot water than standard units.

GE Appliances

WWW.GEAPPLIANCES.COM

SERIES 250 BUTTERFLY VALVE is designed for domestic water, technical cooling, and HVAC systems. Made to last at least twice as long as competitive valves, it delivers UL-certified reliability, improved flow characteristics, new disinfectantresistant gasket formulations, and multi-material compatibility. The Series 250 reduces installation complexity and streamlines system maintenance, says the company.

Victaulic

WWW.VICTAULIC.COM

▼ LG INVERTER HEAT PUMP WATER HEATER from LG Electronics packages innovative inverter and heat pump motor technology into a sleek unit, This ENERGY STARcertified water heating solution minimizes the need for supplemental electric resistance heat, supporting electrical consumption savings across wider heating operating ranges of 23°F to 120°F (ambient temperature), and bringing state-of-the-art innovation to water heating. New 58- and 80-gallon models feature demand response and water leakage detection sensors.

LG Electronics WWW.LG.COM

by Steve Spaulding

Overheard in Orlando

I’m writing this editorial in the brief week I have just after the AHR Expo in Orlando (which is our top story on the cover, and we’ve also done an “AHR Takeover” of our New Products section starting on pg. 40) and just before the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas (we will have a comprehensive write-up of KBIS in our April issue).

To find the time to put this issue together I had to talk my way out of attending the Water and Wastewater Equipment Treatment and Transport (WWETT) Show that is going on in Indianapolis even as I type this sentence. Nevertheless, thanks to some excellent resources provided by the show organizers, we have a write-up of the show in this issue starting on pg. 3.

The big buzz at AHR was the coming refrigerant changeover. EPA regulations that go into effect this year set a 750 global warming potential (GWP) limit for air conditioning. This means that R-410A (with a GWP of 2,088) is out, and the new A2L refrigerants are in.

This is a bigger deal for manufacturers than contractors, and a bigger deal for HVAC/R contractors than for plumbing contractors, although heat pump water heaters do use refrigerants. Every manufacturer I talked to said they were on top of the changes, and that end users should see little-to-no changes in their day-to-day. Among water heater manufacturers—especially those with tankless or condensing products—the big talk was about the new efficiency standards from the Department

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of Energy (which we have been reporting on since they were formalized back in 2023). The standards are set to go into effect in 2029, but manufacturers have been busy designing, engineering, re-tooling and re-imagining their production processes to meet the coming standard.

And again, everyone I talked to said they were on top of the coming changes.

Except… what if those changes weren’t coming? The new administration is very strongly anti-regulation (especially any regulation dating from the Biden administration). This created what I can only call a palpable sense of uncertainty. What if, after all this investment, all the money and manhours, the new standards simply never showed up?

Most people I talked to—contractors and manufacturers alike—were guardedly optimistic about the coming year. And in fact, it looks like it would just require a small drop in interest rates for this to be a very strong year. Yet uncertainty—around standards, regulations, tariffs, the supply chain and even taxes—was a common trend.

The response of the larger companies seems to be an “all of the above” strategy; a broad enough product offering to satisfy whatever their customers might demand, while still being able to satisfy whatever state or federal regulations they might need to meet.

The response of the small companies seems to be to wait and get bought up by a bigger company! There has been a wave of consolidation among manufacturers that, again, seems to be about having as broad a product offering as needed to face whatever the future may bring.

Just today comes news from the Department of Energy that indeed, the new appliance standards (which were required by Congress, but are referred to in the press release as “Biden-Harris administration mandates”) are being postponed. This includes gas-fired instantaneous water heaters. In addition, gas-fired tankless water heaters are going to receive a new energy efficiency category (which makes sense).

We’ll have to see how all this shakes out. CONTRACTOR will continue to report on the evolving situation— and hopefully help our readers manage whatever uncertainty they may have.

Taking pictures at the 2025 AHR Expo in Orlando, FL.

RELIABILITY AND EXPERTISE YOU CAN COUNT ON

Quality heating, cooling and power solutions are critical for your business. Whether it’s a planned event or unexpected outage, count on our experts to proactively prepare engineered solutions and deliver rapid emergency response, no matter the size of your project or facility. From a sensitive single room to a warehouse stocked with perishables or an entire medical center, count on United Rentals for your tailored, rental-ready emergency response solutions. Call 877.767.6797 or visit UnitedRentals.com/PHVAC

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