Contractor - July 2025

Geothermal Hydronics Down on the Farm

BY JOHN MESENBRINK, EDITOR-AT-LARGE

CASCADE, IA — When All Seasons Heating & Cooling, Dubuque, Iowa—a 75-employee sheet metal and mechanical contractor set up to do design builds or bid and spec jobs—was called to provide an HVAC solution for a newly constructed building at large agricultural farm in nearby Cascade, meeting with the facility owner and reviewing their wants and needs to determine

➤ Turn to Geothermal,

BLS: Tariffed Construction Materials Prices Rise in May

WASHINGTON, DC — Construction input prices increased 0.2% in May compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released June 12th. Nonresidential construction input prices increased 0.3% for the month.

➤ Turn to Tariffed, page 8

PPI Announces its Projects and Members of the Year

IRVING, TX – The Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. (PPI) has announced the winners of its Projects and Members of the Year. The award-winning 2024 projects included the tallest building in Texas, the largest bridge in Florida and a massive under-the-bay force main pipeline.

“We had many innovative, first-of-theirkind projects nominated this year,” stated PPI President, David M. Fink . “And the common thread is that they all had an environmental benefit. This wide range of win -

WE KNOW DRAINS INSIDE AND OUT

ANGELA GRIEB

DRAIN BRAIN FOR: 20 Years LOCATION: On the Road SPECIALTY: Relationship Building GO-TO TOOLS: Honesty & Integrity

THE SOLUTION IS CLEAR As the industry’s Drain Brains, General Pipe Cleaners knows the ins and outs of drain cleaning better than anybody. For the last 95 years, we’ve focused solely on providing expert solutions to the biggest drain problems.

Keynote Speakers Announced for PHCC CONNECT 2025

FALLS CHURCH, VA — The Plumbing-Heat ing-Cooling Contractors—National Associ ation (PHCC) reveals Ryan Jenkins and Elliot Eisenberg as the keynote speakers for CONNECT 2025 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, October 27-30 at DeVos Place.

A global keynote speaker, Ryan Jenkins is a Wall Street Journal best-selling author on team connection, generational differences

HometownH2O Collaboration Upgrades OH Family’s Water Access

RAYMOND, OH — An Ohio family once again has access to safe, reliable water, thanks to a collaborative effort between Xylem Inc., the Water Well Trust (WWT) and HometownH2O, a program of the Chris Long Foundation’s Waterboys initiative. As part of the project, the family’s well underwent a complete overhaul, including donated equipment and drilling and installation services for a new well.

Soldier and Plumbing Instructor Helps Bring Service Members Into the Trades

LILBURN, GA — Sean Nelson, founder of Stars and Pipes Plumbing Atlanta, brings a dual commitment to his local community and the US Army. As a Sergeant First Class (E-7) in the Army Reserves, Sean is a plumbing instructor at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. There, he teaches the reclassification course to soldiers transitioning into the Plumbing

Construction Employment Growth: May 2024 v. May 2025

& Departments

6 Tariff Negotiation for Contractors

FMI’s Matt Gierke with lessons from the pandemic for today. 14 German Design, American Made Viega North America invests in new Ohio facility.

18 Forum: Water Heater Technology is Evolving Bradford White’s Louise Prader on offering consumers choices.

Feature: Made in America 2025 Meet companies building and employing here in the USA.

Hot Water System Gets Electrified Heat pump water heater from Laars uses CO2 refrigerant.

Columnists

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

Ryan Jenkins Elliot Eisenberg

➤ Turn to Hometown, page 42

Xylem

➤ Turn to Soldier, page 42

and Pipes Plumbing

In Brief

Registration is now open for the  2024 ASHRAE Decarbonization Conference: Decarbonizing Existing Tall Buildings, October 21-23, 2024 in New York City. This three-day conference will focus on replicable decarbonization technical solutions for existing large and tall buildings, addressing the unique challenges posed by the density of construction in this sector.

Thompson Pump has renewed its ISO 9001 certification and achieved ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 certifications, reinforcing its commitment to quality management, employee safety and environmental stewardship. The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certifications, awarded by a third-party auditor, place Thompson Pump among a select group of companies recognized internationally for operating with rigorous, measurable standards.

Ripley PR has been selected to join the Worldcom Public Relations Group—a global partnership of independent PR firms. With this partnership, Ripley PR joins a network of top-tier agencies across 45 countries.

B&I Contractors has announced the relocation of its Sarasota operations to a new facility. This strategic move underscores the company’s continued growth and long-term investment in Sarasota County and the surrounding region. B&I’s expansion comes in direct response to rising demand, new market opportunities, and a commitment to supporting the region’s evolving needs.

Captain Rooter has announced the launch of its new website.

Boasting a more streamlined and user-friendly experience, the new website enables visitors to browse the company’s range of plumbing and drain services in Eugene, OR, as well as the surrounding areas of Florence, Springfield, Corvallis, Albany, Reedsport, Cottage Grove, Oakridge, and Winchester Bay.

IAPMO Group Indonesia

inaugurated the renovated sanitary facilities at Salafiyah Kholidiyah Islamic Boarding School in Plumpang, Tuban, East Java, as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative to improve hygiene and public health in educational institutions. The project involved a complete overhaul of the school’s previously deteriorating sanitation infrastructure.

Videos

& Media Galleries

Scenes from the 2025 KBIS Show

Boiler Tips

Tariff Negotiation for Contractors

What risks are contractors facing? What are the tough conversations they need to have with their customers? And what lessons does the pandemic hold for our current situation? FMI’s Matthew Gierke has the answers.

BY STEVE SPAULDING OF CONTRACTOR’S STAFF

The current state of the trade war can be summed up in two words: complex and uncertain.

To illustrate, since April, tariffs on Chinese goods have gone from 10% to 104% to 145%, then were temporarily lowered to 30%, with numbers floated that range from 80% (in May) to 55% (in June). Meanwhile there are carve-outs and exceptions for electronics, rare earth minerals, and for steel and aluminum (so long as those metals will be going to US-based automobile manufacturers).

Those are just for one of the US’s major trading partners, and all against a backdrop of suits and countersuits that could shift the playing field at any moment.

One company trying to guide its clients through this maze is FMI Corp. ( https://fmicorp.com ), a management consulting and investment banking firm that specializes in the built environment.

Matthew Gierke is a principal with FMI, helping contractors solve business challenges related to project planning, execution, and financial performance. Gierke also leads FMI’s peer groups business, which works as a forum for construction industry leaders to collaborate on success strategies.

Gierke spoke with CONTRACTOR about the risks of the current economic environment, and some of the steps contractors can take to mitigate that risk.

Matthew Gierke.

dor letters [during the pandemic] that your equipment was going to be 10 weeks late, or it was going to be 26 weeks late, or 60 weeks. I expect that if this tariff uncertainty continues, we’re going to start seeing the same thing again as manufacturers draw down their inventories and then wait to restock.

What most contractors learned during COVID was that buying early is really important. How quickly can I get my project bought out? How quickly can I buy everything, lock in pricing, lock in deliveries? Because the earlier the better.

Contractors also learned to work with the customer to lock in design choices, and so that drove a lot of conversations upstream. Customers were being asked to issue letters of intent to buy materials early, even before we knew what the entire scope of the project would look like… What size of building are we really going to build? What’s the mechanical system that we’re going to install? We have to make those decisions earlier and then we can’t change them.

‘Pick good projects and execute them profitably and protect yourself against this pricing risk.’

CONTRACTOR: Given the current tariff situation, can you give some idea of the level of risk contractors are facing?

Gierke: [Tariffs] are perhaps not the biggest risk contractors are facing, but they’ve certainly created the largest amount of uncertainty in their businesses.

FMI put out a whitepaper that instructed contractors to be ready for conservatively 5% to 7% price increases this year. And I thought that was conservative at the time.

The Construction Industry Roundtable Report— which is about 130 CEOs and executives of architectural engineering firms and large commercial contractors that was conducted in April and May—that survey they came back and said respondents expect their pricing for materials to increase anywhere from 5% to 10%.

That 5% to 10%, that is typically the entire net income of a contracting business, that’s everything… if prices go up 5% to 10% and contractors do nothing, that’s the difference between, frankly, making something or making nothing or even losing money. So, the moral of the story is: pick good projects and execute them profitably and protect yourself against this pricing risk.

CONTRACTOR: In some of the writing you’ve done on the FMI site, you drew parallels between the situation we’re in now and the disruptions the industry went through back during the pandemic. What are some lessons to take from the pandemic?

Gierke: I haven’t mentioned overall supply chain disruption yet—the extended time that it takes to get materials—that’s often an even larger impact to our projects and to our business… remember those ven-

It’s the same with contracts. Contracts are meant to drive discussions around risk and how risk will be shared… Contractors modified force majeure clauses and inserted clauses around cost sharing or price sharing for material price escalation. Clauses around time-impacted materials and price-impacted materials, but all of that was really meant to drive a conversation about where the risk lies and how that risk was being handled.

All these lessons really revolve around communication—communication upstream with customers, with your vendors, with designers, with your field, with your project managers. Communicate early and often.

Something else to keep in mind, the average plumbing and mechanical contractor makes about 5% net a year. Pre-COVID, that number was closer to 4%. So, something happened during COVID. Those contractors that adapted to the risks, who took on those risks, who mitigated those risks, actually became more profitable—and that’s net of things like the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) funding that was available during that time, or employee retention credit for those firms that qualified.

For contractors who can solve this problem, they’ll come out ahead.

ADAPT ABILITY DAP T ABILIT

Ultra Flexible Tankless Technology.

As a plumbing pro, youre not just in the field, youre on the clock... so every minute matters. That's why our new Adapt™ tankless water heater conforms to your exact needs with 2ʺ or 3ʺ venting, ½ʺ or ¾ʺ gas line, NG or LP hookup, and versatile indoor/outdoor installation.

Less Inventory. Fewer Trips. More Savings.

And the perks don't stop there. This cutting-edge tech has an integrated recirculation pump for hot water on demand, X3® Scale Prevention Technology, and Wi-Fi capability. For a universal tankless solution, nothing flexes like the A. O. Smith Adapt. The ultimate hot water toolkit. www.hotwater.com

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Tariffed Construction Materials Prices Rise in May

Overall construction input prices are 1.3% higher than a year ago, while nonresidential construction input prices are 1.6% higher. Prices decreased in 2 of the 3 energy categories last month. Natural gas prices were down 18.7%, while prices for unprocessed energy materials were down 3.5%. Crude petroleum prices increased 1.3% in May.

“Construction materials prices continued to increase at a faster-thanideal pace in May,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu . “While input prices are up just 1.3% over the past year, that modest escalation is entirely due to price decreases during the second half of 2024. Costs have increased rapidly since the start of this

Producer Price Index Percent Change

year, with input prices rising at a 6% annualized rate through the first five months of 2025.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

“Accelerating input price escalation is largely due to rapid price increases for tariff-affected goods like iron and steel,”

said Basu. “Expect this dynamic to remain over the next few quarters; these data predate tariffs on iron and steel rising from 25% to 50%, which went into effect on June 4. Despite rising input prices, contractors remain relatively optimistic about their profit margins, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index. With cooler-than-expected economywide inflation in May, the number of expected rate cuts in 2025 has risen. If those expectations are realized, it would provide the construction industry with a much-needed tailwind.”

Visit abc.org/economics for the Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index, plus analysis of spending, employment, job openings and the Producer Price Index.

Offering market leading efficiency and a 20 year average life span, the Smart 316 Indirect Fired Water Heater provides a solution for every home.

Tariff Negotiation for Contractors

Continued from page 6

CONTRACTOR: What are the most important things a contractor needs to communicate

that a typical customer might not understand?

Gierke: One is the cost increases that have already hit various types of contrac-

EVERY HVAC BRAND FROM A-Z

We’re missing 1 letter – but we have the other letters covered! Thousands of parts, complete with full 3D schematics and cross reference info, so you always know how a part fits into the larger unit.

We stay stocked and offer free 1–2-day shipping to 90% of the USA. Whether you’re working on a minor fix or a major overhaul, do less searching and more finding this HVAC season. And if you find a brand that begins with X, let us know.

Daikin DiversiTech

EWC Controls

Fantech

Field Controls

Goodman Hart & Cooley

Honeywell

tors—33% since COVID for plumbing and HVAC. Customers don’t really realize that the cost of building their projects has gone up by at least that much.

Honeywell Home

ICM Controls

iCool

Johnson Controls

KMC Controls

Lennox

LG

LifeBreath

Little Giant

MARS

Navac

Nu-Calgon

Oxbox

Panasonic

QMark

Rectorseal

Resideo

Rheem

R.W. Beckett

Santa Fe

Supco

Tekmar

Testo

Trane

US Motors

Venstar

White Rodgers

York

Z-Flex + MORE!

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of building a school project, a healthcare project, a manufacturing facility, a warehouse has gone up anywhere from 33% to 45% since COVID, and that’s a hard number to wrap your head around.

That’s already in the past, that’s baked in. So what we’re talking about, in 2025, the 5%, 10% more (depending on the mix of materials and what you’re building), that’s on top of that. For customers who aren’t, say, repeat buyers of construction, who aren’t in the marketplace all the

‘We need them to make decisions earlier so we can get that stuff here, sooner.’

time, which I think is most customers, they’re going to get a little bit of sticker shock, so we have to prep them for that.

Because those costs, at the end of the day, are their project costs. They’re not the contractor’s costs… those are the customer’s costs to bear. That’s a tough conversation.

Contractors are expected to know everything about what’s going on in the construction materials market, and supply chains, and delivery—but that’s not our business. Our business is building great projects for our customers. We are not experts in the futures market for various commodities.

The second thing that I don’t think customers realize is just how much these price increases are coupled with material delays, shipping delays or extended lead times.

So, customers really do have to participate and make decisions earlier about what it is that’s going to be the design basis of their project… We need them to make decisions earlier so we can get that stuff here, sooner, in order to build their projects on the schedule that they want.

Our Products Are Built to be the Best®

Residential or commercial. Tank or tankless. Electric or gas. Bradford White offers exceptional performance and exclusive innovations such as Microban® antimicrobial technology inside all tank-type water heaters.

Geo Hydronics Down on the Farm

Continued from page 1

the total design of a geothermal system was top priority.

The main objectives included in-floor heat for the main farm shop, forced air heating and cooling for the offices and in-floor heat for the wash bay. The building consists of a very large farm shop, approximately 13,000 sq. ft. with 20 feet plus ceiling height; the office is approximately 1,200 sq. ft.; and the wash bay is 5,500 sq. ft. “We chose to heat the wash bay with an LP boiler and in-floor system so it can pump a large amount of heat in the area during subzero conditions in winter,” says Dan Fens, whose role at All Seasons Heating & Cooling starts with designing the system to staying on the project through each phase: sales, service, and project management for each job all the way to the finish line.

Installation

Starting the project in June 2023 and completing it in January 2024, All Seasons Heating & Cooling installed forced air and hydronic ClimateMaster geothermal units, which includes a 26ton horizontal loop, or slinky loop as Fens describes it, installed under the back parking lot and farm field behind the building, dug in at about 10-12 feet in depth. “We went extra deep on this building to cover the loads due to the overhead door opening and closing all day long, causing extended run time on the systems,” says Fens. In particular, there are three ClimateMaster TBW five-ton water-to-wa-

ter geothermal units heating the shop floor and a ClimateMaster TES five-ton split with a matching variable speed air handler to help with backup heat as the overhead doors open and close throughout the day, and the TES unit also provides cooling and dehumidification over the summer months.

The offices are heated and cooled with a ClimateMaster three-ton TEV two stage geothermal unit with a variable speed blower. All the flow centers installed are pressureless so there is no extra stress of pressure on the piping, both on the infloor system and on the source piping in the ground looping. “These are all my personal preferences to use for ease of servicing later,” says Fens Piggybacking off of that ease of servicing concept, Fens recalls that the only real challenge on the design and install of the project was moving the main mechanical room around and fitting all the units in while still having easy access to service the equipment in the future.

Operational Savings

Furthermore, the most important goal for the farm owners, of course, was cost of operation, or savings, for the geo system. According to Fens, operational costs were estimated at $2,100.00 per year versus an LP system, which is around $9,100.00 per year to operate, if LP is factored at $2.00 per gallon. Local utility Maquoketa Valley Electric Coop power company also provides a .053 cent discount rate for geothermal customers in the area, which also helps reduce operating costs.

“I did get the heat plus reading from the power company for the total bill for the last 12 months of heating for the farm shop and office areas on geothermal,” says Fens. “During the design phase of the project, I had estimated the annual operating cost at $2,100.00 per year. The actual cost of heating was $1,597.84, so 27,270 kwh used on the geo rate. Because the farm is extremely busy with the overhead doors opening and closing consistently throughout the day, this is proof of what a heavy-duty loop installation can do for the efficiency of a system. This is what we strive for on every installation we do, high quality looping is a critical part of a geo system,” continues Fens. The tax credits and utility rebates helped with the investment options of 30% residential and 40% for American-made equipment for agriculture and commercial installations, “but the bottom line is a well designed and installed geo system is our future,” says Fens. “It is the only system that will pay for itself over the lifetime of the system,

almost every time. Even without tax credits and rebates, once the geo looping is installed it is a lifetime of free energy. Essentially you are installing your own power source that produces pure energy, it doesn’t need to be refined and has no carbon footprint.”

Some other basic benefits of installing geothermal include a 10-year parts and labor warranty from a well-known manufacturer and a 15-40% heating and cooling savings, which can vary by power company and region. “I believe geothermal is the right thing to do for our environment and I feel better on a personal level installing it over gas or electric equipment. This is who I am and what I believe, which is why I have stayed with geothermal for more than 26 years, installing more than 2,000 systems,” says Fens.

Fens’ work and experience shows as the owners are completely satisfied. “They expected a great system for their investment and so far it has been great,” says Fens.

➤

The offices are heated and cooled with a ClimateMaster three-ton TEV two stage geothermal unit with a variable speed blower.

Another view of the mechanical room.

A ClimateMaster TES five-ton split with a matching variable speed air handler is used to help with backup heat as the overhead doors open and close throughout the day,

All Seasons Heating & Cooling

All Seasons Heating & Cooling

All Seasons Heating & Cooling

German Design, American Made: Viega’s North American Commitment

While a German-owned company, Viega LLC has made a substantial commitment to the North American market. Currently, Viega employs 1,200 professionals across the United States working in multiple facilities including their North American headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado, the Viega seminar center in Nashua, New Hampshire, the Viega Experience Center in New York, and a manufacturing plant in McPherson, Kansas. This not only represents a significant investment in American talent but also reflects Viega’s longterm commitment to serving customers throughout North America.

Strategic Expansion

Viega’s new facility, opening in September in Mantua, OH—about 40 minutes south of Cleveland—represents a strategic expansion to meet growing demand for Viega products across the eastern United States.

The decision to build this facility was driven by several factors. First, Viega’s innovative press technology solutions have seen robust market share growth, particularly in construction throughout the Northeast and Midwest. The new facility will enable the company to better serve these markets with improved logistics and faster delivery times.

The facility encompasses approximately 220,000 square feet. It will serve as both a manufacturing center for press fittings and as a regional distribution hub. The new plant will create 68 new jobs across production, logistics, engineering, and administrative roles.

Sustainability was a central consideration in the facility’s design. The building is pursuing LEED Gold certification, featuring energy-efficient systems, water conservation measures, and extensive use of natural lighting.

Viega has also invested in state-of-the-art automation for its manufacturing processes, helping to ensure quality consistency and worker safety. The facility in-

cludes a dedicated training center where contractors and distributors can receive hands-on experience with Viega systems and technology.

Grand Opening

The new Ohio facility will be operational as of July 2025 and grand opening festivities are scheduled for September 4, 2025 in Mantua, OH.

The company hopes to engage the local community, political leadership and other partners who reflect the economic significance of Viega’s investment in the region and the job creation it represents.

Members of Viega’s North American leadership team will be present, led by Chief Executive Officer of Viega North America, Marki Huston. The company’s Global Executive Leadership will also be in attendance. During the celebration, Viega will recognize community partners, local construction teams and employees who have worked tirelessly to bring this project from concept to reality.

Keynote Speakers Announced for CONNECT 2025

➤ Continued from page 3

and the future of work, and has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Fortune and CNBC for his thought leadership. Jenkins will present a keynote titled, “Connectable: How Leaders Can Move Teams from Isolated to All In,” sponsored by Kohler.

Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized economist and public speaker known for making economics engaging, relevant and accessible. As Chief Economist for GraphsandLaughs, LLC, he serves clients nationwide and shares daily economic insights through his widely read 70-word commentary. At CONNECT 2025, he will headline the Workforce Breakfast with

his keynote, “Economic Crystal Ball: What the Trends Mean for Your Business.”“We’re thrilled to welcome Ryan Jenkins and Elliot Eisenberg as our keynote speak-

ers for CONNECT 2025,” says Dan Callies, PHCC National president and president of Oak Creek, Wisconsin-based Oak Creek Plumbing. “Their expertise on team connection and economics is incredibly timely and valuable for our members. Attendees can expect to leave inspired, informed and better equipped to navigate the future of the industry.”

For more details, including the schedule-at-a-glance, visit phccweb.org/CONNECT. This site offers information on education sessions, speakers, exhibitors, registration and hotel reservations, as well as the many attractions of Grand Rapids, known as America’s best beer city. Register today here.

A computer rendering of the new Mantua, OH facility.

Viega

by Al Schwartz

Is the Log Jam Breaking?

The present, anemic, state of new blood entering the trades is nothing new. If you have read this column for the past fifteen or so years you know that I am an advocate of trade craft and trade excellence. The problem has been that, in today’s world, there are not enough people interested in entering the trades or, when they do, staying long enough to learn anything.

Paradigm Shift

Also, with the inception of the digital age, it has been more than difficult to wean the prospective apprentices off of social media long enough to teach appreciation of working with one’s hands (or working at all, truth be told). While there have been many halfhearted and regional programs set up to help get young people interested in the trades, they have not been successful over a large area of the country.

Too, the media and the “educational elite” have downplayed the importance of learning a trade skill, as opposed to, say, a degree in lesbian dance theory. This attitude is changing, more rapidly now, as the lack of skilled people in the construction trades is reaching a tipping point. Whether it is too little, too late, or an idea whose time has come is anyone’s guess. To gauge by the number of articles recently posted about trade careers or the present administration’s vocal support of the trades, the paradigm seems to be shifting. After all, when construction of new buildings and infrastructure improvements are impacted by the lack of qualified people in the trades, someone in a responsible position is being exposed. I guess it all comes down to “who’s ox is being gored.”

Skilled Trades Centers and More

A contributor, and friend, Dr. Douglas Greene, has been forwarding links to articles to me about this topic. All of them have a common theme: trades and trade education have become the new “it” issue. Dr. Greene has, personally, led the charge in his home state of Washington by implementing a program of building Skilled Trade Centers in various high schools. This is not verbal pablum,

Are we seeing the beginning of something that will revitalize the construction industry and it’s manpower issues?

either. Dr. Greene puts his own money where his mouth is. By endowing these programs with funds, he has made the idea of trade education “cool” in these school systems. The number of students vying for openings far outstrips the available spots in the classes at these centers. Here are a few headlines regarding what is being done to help bring trade education into the thinking of the mainstream:

Trump: Harvard Grant Money Could Go to Trade Schools

—Newsmax

In the battle between Trump and Harvard, trade schools may be an unlikely winner

—CNBC

Kalama High students build tiny home to practice career skills

—The Columbian

Does that tell you something? Humberto Martinez, one of the people who started Construction Career Days is another giant in the effort to bring the trades back into vogue here is the

USA. That program has been successful in showing high school students that they can enjoy a trade career that brings a feeling of personal accomplishment, satisfaction and financial security.

National Stage

Now the present administration, headed by a guy who knows construction, is shining a light on the woeful lack of opportunity that young people have to do something with their lives other than going to expensive colleges to learn, basically, nothing of true import. I have written on this topic many times, and while I am not sanguine about the work ethic of the current generation, I must applaud the efforts now being made to turn the problem into a possible solution.

To the title of this column. We have now, and have for a while, a log jam of jobs going wanting for lack of people interested in pursuing trade careers. There are, according to Mike Rowe, about 7 million jobs going wanting in the trades due to lack of available people who want to learn a skill. Based upon recent events, I ask, “has the log jam been broken?” Are

we seeing the beginning of something that will revitalize the construction industry and it’s manpower issues? It may be too soon to tell, and whether or not it is too little... too late… Just the fact that the issue is being given exposure in the media in the way that it has is hopeful.

Who Knows?

Admittedly, yours truly has not had any meaningful conversations with the prospective apprentices that these programs are aimed at getting into the trades. I cannot make any predictions about how many would think that working with one’s hands is a good thing to make into a career or just a flash in the pan—until at some point having to get up every morning and going to work becomes too onerous for their sensibilities.

In years past, a trade career was considered a goal for many high school students, especially those who, for whatever reason, did not see college as a viable career path. It may be that the trade alternative is now being viewed in that light again. If we look at it from strictly a mercenary point of view, leaving high school and learning/working a trade, produces more money per capita, more quickly, than most college graduates and it is those skills which keep the craftsman (craftswoman?) at the top of the earnings pyramid for life!

I’m not saying that doctors, lawyers, accountants and other professionals can’t make a bunch of money, I’m saying that the vast majority of college graduates do not make the kind of money that a journeyman in any trade can make. Add to that the personal satisfaction of actually making something along with the salary and you can surely agree that getting a job where saying, “you want fries with that?” pales in comparison.

The Brooklyn, N.Y.-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 omeletman01@gmail.com.

ID 32051372 © Darren Baker | Dreamstime.com

Water Heater Technology is Evolving—and Consumer Choice Remains as Important as Ever

Home service contractors can play a significant role in educating and guiding the end consumer, helping them to navigate an expansive marketplace.

BY LOUISE PRADER, SPECIAL TO CONTRACTOR

As water heater technology evolves, consumers have more options than ever before—including both tank and tankless options as well as different fuel sources, each offering unique benefits. At the same time, an ever-changing regulatory landscape makes it more vital than ever for customers to understand how their chosen model uses and conserves energy—and how it affects performance.

Home service contractors can play a significant role in educating and guiding the end consumer, helping them to navigate an expansive marketplace. Manufacturers, too, play a vital part in protecting consumer choice, investing in a wide range of different product types.

Bradford White Water Heaters has long been a leading name in residential and commercial water heater technology— and according to Louise Prader, Senior Director of Product Management, the company remains committed to helping contractors and customers alike to enjoy all the advantages of efficient and reliable products.

Q. Broadly speaking, what are some of the developments contractors and consumers should be aware of with respect to water heater efficiency and reliability?

A. Home and business owners want water heaters they can depend on for consistent, reliable comfort; for long-lasting performance; and for energy efficiency, helping to reduce monthly utility costs. What this means is that manufacturers like Bradford White are taking an “all of the above” approach to water heater technology—understanding that different customers have different needs and expectations, and there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all water heating solution. Our customers are central

to our decision making, and based on their preferences, we are always exploring new ways to promote performance and efficiency—including electric and gas-powered units of all kinds.

At the same time, we are more committed than ever to developing products that come with long lifespans, using high-quality materials and technologies to help customers protect their investments.

Q. You mention the importance of consumer choice. While some customers are fully on board with the eco-friendly benefits of electrification, others may still prefer gas-powered options. What’s the role of consumer choice in this space—and how can contractors position themselves as true customer advocates?

A. Contractors should be ready to ask plenty of questions about what their end user hopes to achieve through their water heater, taking into account energy efficiency concerns but also capacity and usage, installation requirements and cost. By listening to each consumer’s goals, contractors can better provide a tailored and effective water heating solution.

Additionally, part of what it means to advocate for consumer preference is ensuring home and business owners have all the information they need to make a judicious decision—for example, speaking to government rebates and incentives and more.

One factor that can’t be overemphasized is the need for contractor training and education—an area where contractors should lead. As water heater technology progresses, companies like Bradford White continue to invest in training contractors to install, configure and repair newer units—all while educating their own clientele on how to choose the technology best-suited to their needs.

Yet another important note: for consumers who prioritize energy efficiency, electrification isn’t the only way forward. Some of today’s most advanced water heaters are high-efficiency gas units— units that run on natural gas and significantly curb energy expenditures, all while offering the same level of water heating you would expect from a standard model.

Q. What about heat pump water heaters? Where do these stand within the competitive landscape,

and what should home service contractors know about them?

A. Heat pump water heaters use electricity to transfer heat, rather than generating it—which makes them a fairly energy efficient solution. Recent guidelines from the DOE and other government agencies have incentivized heat pump adoption.

At Bradford White, we are seeing more and more consumers gravitate toward this technology. Advantages include notable energy savings, while downsides include a higher installation cost and, in colder environments, a slightly less robust performance than other types of water heater.

We fully endorse home service contractors offering heat pump water heaters not as a one-size-fits-all solution, but rather as one great choice among many others.

Q. How would you advise home service contractors as they seek to navigate an ever-changing technological and regulatory environment?

A. It’s impossible to overemphasize the role of offering products based on user preference. Even within a more rigid regulatory environment, there is still plenty of space for contractors to help consumers identify the water heating solution best aligned with their specific needs.

That’s why, at Bradford White, we are committed to producing high efficiency gas products and heat pump electric products—ensuring we can always provide the very best options for our customers, no matter what specifically they’re looking for.

Louise Prader is the Senior Director of Product Management for Bradford White Water Heaters, a leading American manufacturer and five-time ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year.

Made in America 2025

Our annual round-up of plumbing equipment and materials manufacturers working and employing here in the USA.

Welcome again to our annual Made in America feature, where we shine a spotlight on manufacturers producing the tools, equipment and materials plumbing and heating pros need here in the USA.

The big story in manufacturing since the start of 2025 has been tariffs, which come as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, high tariffs should work to make American-made products more competitive. On the other, sourcing raw materials—particularly steel and aluminum—has suddenly become more expensive.

While the long-term hope is that tariffs will speed the process of re-shoring—returning manufacturing and good-paying manufacturing jobs to the US—in the short-

By Steve Spaulding, Editor-in-Chief

term, uncertainty surrounding tariffs and their effect on the supply chain has been a drag on the sector.

The Institute for Supply Management’s Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) registered 48.5% May, marking the third consecutive month of contraction. The PMI fell 0.2 percentage points from April’s reading of 48.7%, indicating manufacturing economic activity contracted at a faster rate in May. Manufacturers have also had to contend with the same lack of skilled labor the trades are facing. According to Manufacturing Today, lack of appropriately skilled workers could result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030—a gap that could cost as much as $1 trillion annually by that same year.

But there are some bright spots. Re-shoring is happening, with more than 1 million jobs added to US manufacturing over the last four years. Also, the American brand still counts for something with consumers. A recent poll from the nonprofit Reshoring Institute found nearly 70% of the respondents said they prefer American-made products. Slightly more than 83% said they would pay up to 20% more for products made domestically. Domestic manufacturing is vital for the American economy. It strengthens the critical supply chain, it saves energy and reduces emissions involved in transporting goods, and it employs more than 15 million Americans. Let’s look at some great American companies and their formulas for success!

AB&I Foundry

AB&I Foundry is a US manufacturer of cast iron soil pipe and fittings used in commercial construction for drain, waste, and vent (DWV) plumbing systems. When you work with AB&I, we make you part of the family. Our team cares about every customer at every level, finding solutions to help you succeed. AB&I products are Made in America and set the standard for quality and durability. When buying from AB&I, contractors can be confident they are receiving quality products from people who care. AB& Foundry: Your True Industry Partner ww.ABIFoundry.com

Anaco-Husky

The Husky High-Performance Heavy Duty Coupling by Anaco is specified by more engineers than all other brands combined. Manufactured at their state-of-the-art facilities in Corona, California, no other coupling is more dependable, durable, or built to a higher standard of quality. From the specially-designed gasket made from Neoprene to the Series 300 stainless steel shields, bands and screws — only the finest, most corrosion-resistant materials are good enough for the Husky. Available in 1½-inch – 15-inch sizes, there’s a Husky for virtually every application. www.Anaco-Husky.com

vancement for the industry leading Cyclone family of condensing gas water heaters. The Cyclone XL models are all Energy Star qualified products, delivering efficiencies of up to 97 percent. It features a unique dual stainless-steel heat exchange system, providing a two-step heat transfer process that delivers a thermal efficiency of 97 percent. It also works seamlessly with the A.O. Smith iCOMM™ connectivity platform, which provides remote monitoring, control of the set point and differential, and run history for each connected unit. www.aosmith.com

Aquaguard WAGS

Aquaguard is the US manufacturer of the only 100% mechanical automatic water heater safety shut off valve on the market. The WAGS Valve is low cost property protection, and easy to install on tank water heaters. The cold water supply is piped through the WAGS valve which sits in a drip pan. When and if a tank leaks, water builds up to approximately 1 inch in the drip pan and activates the WAGS valve to shut off the cold water supply to the water heater, thereby creating vacuum so no additional water leaks out of the tank. The product was prototyped, developed, and patented in the late 1990s, and manufactured in Rhode Island ever since. www.wagsvalve.com

Bradford White

From its start more than 140 years ago Bradford White’s goal has been to deliver high-quality, superior products made by American craftspeople. The company remains committed to that goal in 2022 and proudly employs over 1,800 people at their American facilities to manufacture Built to be the Best™ commercial and residential water heaters that lead the industry in performance, reliability, efficiency, safety and innovation. www.bradfordwhite.com

Bradley

For more than 100 years, Bradley has created the most complete and advanced commercial washrooms and comprehensive solutions that make industrial environments safe. Bradley is the industry’s leading source for multi-function handwashing and drying fixtures, accessories, partitions, solid plastic lockers, as well as emergency safety fixtures and electric tankless heaters for industrial applications. Bradley is committed to manufacturing in the US with two plants in Wisconsin and one in Ohio. The company’s USA-made products include lavatory systems, such as Verge, Express and Frequency models, lockers, and many washroom accessories and partition models. Headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wis., USA, Bradley serves commercial, institutional and industrial building markets worldwide. www.bradleycorp.com

BrassCraft

BrassCraft® was founded in Michigan with the goal of providing professional plumbers with the rough plumbing products they can trust. The Designed, Machined and Assembled in the USA logo is proudly printed on the packaging of many of their products including water stops and gas connectors. This logo symbolizes products engineered at the BrassCraft headquarters in Novi, Mich., machined at one of their manufacturing facilities in Lancaster, Texas or Thomasville, N.C., and assembled by an American workforce. Many of these same products also qualify under the Buy American Act, an initiative promoting the purchase and use of US products for government

A. O. Smith

A. O. Smith’s Cyclone LX is designed, engineered and assembled Mcbee, SC. The LX design is the latest ad-

projects. BrassCraft continues its committed legacy of supporting the US economy, the American workforce and Pros looking to get the job done right. www.brasscraft.com

Channellock

Channellock, Inc., is investing in a 35,000 square foot expansion of its finished goods warehouse and distribution facilities. The project will bring the company’s total presence in Meadville to more than 260,000 square feet of production and distribution space. With more than 370 full-time associates, Channellock, Inc., is among the largest employers in Crawford County, PA. www.channellock.com

Chicago Faucets

Chicago Faucets has been America’s leading manufacturer of commercial faucets for over 110 years. With manufacturing, research, and development facilities located solely in the United States, the company produces products that are made with an unwavering commitment to quality. The Chicago Faucets’ foundry, manufacturing, assembly, and distribution facilities are located within a 350 mile radius of their corporate office. This provides a high degree of control of product quality and an ability to deliver quickly to any location in the United States. On July 12, 1901 Chicago Faucets founder, Albert C. Brown, took his savings and opened a small shop in the near West Side of Chicago. Today his spirit lives on in the hundreds of Chicago Faucets employees who every day seek to meet customer needs with innovative, high quality products. Whatever your requirements may be, Chicago Faucets offers stan -

dard and made-to-order products that are designed to meet any commercial application. www.chicagofaucets.com

Climate Control Group

Headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, the Climate Control Group (CCG) is a diverse collection of subsidiaries providing HVAC products and solutions for a variety of applications and markets. CCG designs and manufactures market-leading products essential for the comfort and efficiency of climate-controlled spaces. The ClimateMaster brand specializes in geothermal and water source heat pumps, offering sustainable solutions for energy-efficient heating and cooling. CCG continuously advances the field through innovation and quality, making significant contributions to the comfort and sustainability of climate-controlled spaces across different sectors. ccgi-hvac.com

Daikin

The Daikin Texas Technology Park (DTTP) is a new state-of-the art business campus that consolidates many of Daikin’s HVAC manufacturing and logistics facilities across North America. Daikin invested over $400 million to construct the facility on a 500 acre site just outside of Houston, TX. With over four-million operational square feet available, which is equivalent to 74 football fields with end zones, the DTTP supports the design, engineering and assembly of a wide array of energy-efficient heating and cooling products. www.daikincomfort.com

DeWalt

DeWalt, a Stanley Black & Decker brand, has been powering the pros for more than 100 years. Through its commitment to innovation, safety and productivity, DeWalt has been delivering tools to meet the needs of professional tradespeople around the world since 1924 when Raymond DeWalt’s forward-looking vision resulted in the founding of DeWalt. DeWalt has championed the trades sector since its founding, and in 2019, the company began offering annual DeWalt Trades Scholarships to support and grow the next generation of trades professionals. DeWalt continues to expand its commitment to the future generations of tradespeople.

www.dewalt.com

Elkay Manufacturing

The Elkay Manufacturing Company began as a vision of Leopold Katz and his son Louis on the North side of Chicago back in 1920. Founded with the goals of manufacturing the highest quality sinks and providing the best service possible, the company began to thrive. Today, Elkay’s products, designs and innovations continue to lead the industry, such as the Perfect Drain (pictured), where they eliminated the flange to create a seamless surface that’s more attractive and hygienic. With more than 3,500 employees worldwide, they are proud to be America’s number-one selling stainless steel sink company. Over the years the company has expanded to include the manufacture of faucets, water coolers, drinking fountains and bottle fillers. A cabinetry division achieved Elkay’s goal of being a more complete supplier of kitchen and bath products for both residential and commercial installations. www.elkay.com

The industry-leading, high-efficiency KNIGHT® residential boiler is at the head of the class with 13 models available in either floor-standing or wall-mount configurations. The KNIGHT heating boiler has a multitude of adjustable parameters to suit your unique application making it one of the most flexible residential boilers you can install. Learn more about Knight Residential Gas Boiler at lochinvar.com.

General Pipe Cleaners

Clogged drains demand “The toughest tools down the line.” And General Pipe Cleaners—a fourth-generation, family-owned business, based proudly in the USA—has remained a leading manufacturer of high quality drain-cleaning and pipe inspection equipment for nearly 90 years. Company breakthroughs began with Flexicore cable, a radical design introduced in the 1940’s. With its patented process of wrapping spring wire tightly around a wire rope core, General’s innovation surpassed all competitive products—remaining the standard for drain cleaning snakes ever since. Trusted industry standards—like the long lasting Super-Vee, best selling Speedrooter 92, and unique Kinetic Water Ram drain cleaners—followed. Jet-Set water jets slash though grease, sand and ice, and the Gen-Eye video pipe inspection systems and Hot Spot digital pipe locator feature everything to trouble-shoot 1-1.2” through 10” lines—including Wi-Fi capability. Surveys confirm: multiple generations of plumbers and drain cleaning professionals call General their preferred brand. www.drainbrain.com

For the 43 million Americans who rely on water wells for their drinking water, Goulds Water Technology, a Xylem brand, is committed to helping communities in need gain access to safe, clean water. At the Goulds Water Technology facility in Auburn, New York, 200 dedicated workers build nearly 2,500 residential and wastewater pumps every day with pride and a pledge to quality. Our employees and partners also make a positive impact one project at a time through Xylem Watermark, our corporate citizenship program. www.goulds.com

Harris Products Group

A leader in serving brazing and soldering needs for HVAC/R and plumbing professionals, the Harris Products Group has manufactured quality products for more than 110 years. A Lincoln Electric company, Harris operates plants in Mason, Ohio, Gainesville, Ga. and Winston-Salem, N.C., where it produces brazing and soldering alloys (including Sterling and Bridgit) that are available in rods, solid wire and rings; air-fuel gas equipment; oxy/fuel equipment; and MAP gas. Its products are available through a network of wholesalers. www.harrisproductsgroup.com

InSinkErator

Based in Racine, Wis., InSinkErator, a business unit of Whirlpool Corporation, is the world’s leading provider of food waste disposers. InSinkErator also produces instant hot water dispensers and organics recycling systems, which divert food waste from landfills to anaerobic digesters for recycling into renewable energy. Racine architect John W. Hammes invented the disposer in 1927 and founded InSinkErator in 1938. Eighty years later, the company still calls the USA home, has operations in over 80 countries with 1,300 employees, and offers a high-performance line of disposers called Evolution Series®, with advanced sound, grind and anti-jam technologies. Worldwide, InSinkErator advocates for disposers as an environmentally responsible alternative to landfilling of food waste. www.insinkerator.com

Kohler Co.

consin, headquarters. Enameled cast iron is a premium material that offers exceptional durability and strength, and lasting beauty. Available in many shapes and sizes, along with various installation styles, Kohler enameled cast iron provides a functional and stylish option for any kitchen. Sterling’s exclusive Vikrell material is manufactured in the plumbing brand’s Alabama plant. Vikrell offers consumers a durable, beautiful product and for trade professionals, it is a great solution as it is lightweight and easy to install. Many Sterling Vikrell baths and showers are multi-piece units, allowing easy maneuvering around the jobsite and some models offer caulk-free installation. With many sizes and styles available, Sterling Vikrell baths and showers provide a solution for any bathroom layout and decor.

www.kohler.com

Laars

Laars® Heating Systems is based in Rochester, N.H., where a team of 168 dedicated American tradespeople manufacture and distribute top-rated products used in residential and commercial space heating, radiant floor heating, volume water heating and the industrial process markets. The company’s innovative solutions for heating applications are powered by advanced design and technology and offer durability, performance and efficiency.

www.laars.com

Lochinvar

Lochinvar’s heritage of excellence dates back to 1939, when Walter Vallett, Sr. founded the Walter Vallett Company. For generations, employees and customers have enjoyed growth and energy-saving innovations from Lochinvar. Today, Lochinvar continues its leadership position in the industry and is proud to offer products designed, engineered, and assembled in the USA. The company is a leading producer of energy-efficient boilers, water heaters, pool heaters, commercial package systems and other sustainable options. Lochinvar focus solely on serving their customers and offers them a product portfolio that delivers unmatched quality, performance and application flexibility. Lochinvar has a solution for every water heating need.

www.lochinvar.com

Goulds Water Technology

Kohler enameled cast iron kitchen sinks are handcrafted in the global plumbing company’s Kohler, Wis-

PERFORMANCE MEETS PARTNERSHIP.

HEAT

TRANSFER FLUIDS FOR ANY APPLICATION

PROVIDING GLYCOL-BASED HEAT TRANSFER FLUID TO KEEP YOUR HVAC SYSTEMS AND PROJECTS RUNNING SMOOTHLY.

Thermal Charge® offers application-specific heat transfer fluids, innovative inhibitor technology, and industry-leading service and fulfillment so you can power through every challenge, need, and demand. Visit thermalcharge.com to find the right heat transfer fluid for your application.

as the only tankless water heater company to manufacture units in North America and is the full realization of a dream of Rinnai’s Japan-based ownership, to have such a facility in North America, first expressed in 2014. www.rinnai.us

RWC

As an RWC brand, SharkBite manufactures its EvoPEX push-to-connect fittings and PEX-B pipe in Cullman, Alabama, as it provides hundreds of manufacturing jobs to the Cullman community. The majority of its new SharkBite Max fittings are either made or assembled in Cullman, too. From start to finish, SharkBite is able to control the quality of its products, offering professionals a more efficient method for rough-in plumbing compared to traditional methods. www.rwc.com

Shurtape

Shurtape Technologies, LLC, proudly crafts—and supplies—the right tape solution for every job and takes great takes great pride in manufacturing many of its products in the USA. Founded in 1880, the company’s well-known brands include Duck Brand, FrogTape®, T-Rex® Tape and Shurtape®. Shurtape is committed to maintaining high standards of quality and craftsmanship, ensuring that its products meet the needs of customers both domestically and internationally. www.shurtape.com

Sloan

Sloan’s AER-DEC® is an integrated sink system with a soap dispenser, faucet, hand dryer, and sink basin all designed to work together as one touch-free and

highly efficient system. The sink helps maximize space and allows for a cleaner design by moving the soap dispenser and hand dryer to the deck. The all-in-one sink system is made at a Sloan facility in Mesa, AZ. www.sloan.com

Stellar

Founded in 1990 in Garner, Iowa, Stellar has grown into a prominent manufacturer of top-quality work trucks, trailers and service truck and van accessories. With operations spanning across multiple US locations, Stellar takes pride in being a 100% employee-owned and -operated company. Today, Stellar has achieved international recognition and is the No. 1 choice for productivity solutions in numerous markets. With a reputation for quality and reliability, Stellar continues to meet the diverse needs of customers worldwide. www.stellarindustries.com

Tyler Pipe

Tyler Pipe and Coupling is an American Manufacturer of cast iron soil pipe and fittings used primarily in commercial construction DWV plumbing systems. This sustainable and environmentally safe product is made from nearly 95% post-consumer scrap metal and is recycled at the end of its long service life. That’s Tyler Tough. www.TylerPipe.com

Uponor

With pipe manufacturing in our award-winning Apple Valley and Hutchinson, Minn. plants, along with

distribution from our Lakeville, Minn. facility, Uponor PEX-a is proudly moving the industry forward with efficient, sustainable solutions for residential and commercial plumbing, fire safety, radiant heating and cooling, and hydronic distribution systems. Flexible, durable Uponor PEX-a provides greater installation efficiencies, jobsite safety, and profitability potential for contractors along with superior longevity, performance, and a solid warranty for building owners and end users.

www.uponor.com/en-us

Woodford Manufacturing

The Woodford Model 19 freezeless, anti-burst residential wall faucet prevents burst pipes—even if the hose is attached in freezing temperatures. The Woodford Model 19 outdoor faucet, with its easily identifiable oval handle, features a patented pressure relief valve that prevents pressure build-up and burst tubes. For just a few dollars more than a freezeless faucet, the homeowner can rest easy knowing their faucet won’t burst in freezing weather, even if they forget to remove the hose. This product is made in the USA and is backed by a 5 year Limited Warranty. woodfordmfg.com

Wright Tool

For nearly a century, Wright has been manufacturing USA-made, professional-grade wrenches, sockets, drives and other hand tools for hardworking Americans in the industrial, contractor and MRO markets. With three patented innovations, Wright Grip 2.0, Wright Drive 2.0®, and Wright Square™, Wright is known for innovation, engineering and forging excellence. Located in Barberton, Ohio, equipped with cutting-edge technology, fueled by all-American ingenuity and a commitment to high-quality professional grade tools, Wright is ready to take on the future. www.wrighttool.com

by Patrick Linhardt

HYDRONICS

MANAGER AT CORKEN STEEL PRODUCTS CO.

Another Day, Another 1950s-Era Hydronic System

Ihad been counting the days to the end of my chemotherapy treatments and feeling like I was just occupying time and space when the call came in. The feeling like you can’t wait for the day to be over so you’re that much closer to starting a recovery from the side effects. It was one of our company’s highest volume boiler customers, and a good friend for 40 years. He wanted to meet in a couple of days and I was looking for a distraction to kill some time. The appointment was set on a day with the chemotherapy pump along for the ride. Thankfully, the relationship with the pump is over for now. On to the scan at the end of July.

The address he texted turned out to be in rural Northern Kentucky, not too far out from the suburbs, but with a road name that makes you think of West Virginia, Lower Tug Fork Road. When I got to the address, it turned out to be a Lutheran Church, built in the late 1950’s just up the hill from Tug Fork the steam, in the middle of the God’s countryside.

Pumps, Valves, Zones

The contractor was running late because of road construction on Upper Tug Fork Road, so I went in to meet the representative from the church. We exchanged the usual pleasantries and got to talking about the boiler system you see in the photo, which is pretty typical for the turn of the century.

They liked to have plenty of zones back in the 1950s. This one has five different zones of heating, using five different pumps, all with the important flow control valve to prevent cross circulation and the overheating it can cause in the zones already satisfied.

On most jobs I check to see if the flow control valves are in the operational mode or if they are locked in the manual bypass mode. With my chemo-fogged brain, I forgot that day. Amazingly, I usually find at least one flow control operating in the manually open mode. Before I could ask about how the church operates the heating system, the

The author encounters problems in the basement of a Lutheran Church.

rep started talking, which is great because most times I quote the replacement boiler from the tag info, without detailed info about the system. He had details and was willing to share, the most important point being that the education wing was now on a separate system, and the pump/piping for that zone was valved off.

He continued to tell me that two of the other zones were rarely used and that he would turn the system on once a week on Saturday night to warm the church and basement zones for Sunday services, then shut it off if the predicted outdoor temperatures for the week stayed above 32°F. Last year he stated that the boiler used only $3000 of fuel oil for a full season, which seemed on the low side.

Condensation Issues?

He said everything worked fine, except the boiler leaked water at startup. I immediately thought it might be flue gas condensation since he said the leak came from the back of the boiler and stopped after some amount of run time. But the flue pipe wasn’t showing any signs of rust and jacket below was fine.

Normally flue gas condensation is caused by long boiler run times at low boiler water temperatures. This can be from running on an outdoor reset curve that operates the boiler at temperatures below 140°F or from cast iron radiation systems that have a lot of water volume and therefore take a long time to get up to temperatures above 140°F. I’ve seen it most on standard efficiency copper-fin boilers heating large mass cast iron radiators.

The contractor finally made it to the meeting in the boiler room and we briefed him on the current situation. The boiler wasn’t actively leaking at ambient temperature. It stayed at 12# fill pressure with a dry floor the whole time we were there. The contractor and I have both encountered boilers that leak only at certain temperatures.

He also is not afraid of taking a cast iron sectional boiler apart for inspection. He got on the phone with the local distributor and found out that the O-rings, that seal the sections together in a watertight heat exchanger, were still available. They weren’t sure if the current cast iron section is compatible with the old sections.

If a boiler section(s) is bad, then the contractor was going to work with the other distributor. (I’m his high efficiency guy and the other is his cast iron guy.)

Replace or Repair?

The talk now was about taking the boiler apart to inspect the sections for a leak or a seal that is damaged or cast iron sealing surfaces that aren’t allowing the gasket to maintain a seal as the section goes through its temperature increase during operation. Typically with a boiler that is 50-plus years old, the advice would be to replace rather than attempt repairs. I was planning on quoting a high efficiency hot water boiler, but it would have to be propane fire.

The church rep, however, did not like the idea of changing from fuel oil to propane. For one thing, the oil burner was recently replaced/upgraded. Then you have to consider the way the system would be operated: turn on once a week or so and heat up really fast. That fits the way the existing system is, hot burning fuel oil. The features of a cooler-fire propane modulating condensing

boiler would be wasted. They want to run all the time at a low fire to keep the boiler water temperature in line with the outdoor temperature.

I didn’t have anything to quote, which sometimes happens. The job wasn’t going to take up any more of my time, other than the drive. Mach-E take me home!

Patrick Linhardt is a forty-one-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.

A view of the mechanical room.

The boiler tag.

Hydronics & R adiant

Presented in partnership with Radiant Professionals Alliance

Lennox and Ariston Group Announce Joint North American Venture

Partnership combines Lennox’s strength in residential distribution with Ariston’s technology and manufacturing capability.

DALLAS, TX — /PRNewswire/ — Lennox (NYSE: LII), a leader of innovative climate solutions in the HVACR industry, and Ariston Group (Bloomberg: ARIS IM), a global leader in sustainable climate and water comfort, have entered into a joint venture that will bring a competitive product portfolio of residential water heaters to homeowners in the United States and Canada. This strategic partnership brings the trusted brands, distribution channels, and expansive customer network of Lennox with Ariston Group’s advanced global and regional expertise in water heating technology, R&D, and manufacturing. Together, the two companies aim to strengthen their market presence and drive innovation across the North American residential water heater landscape.

Value and Growth

leader in water heating, including heat-pump-based high-efficiency water heating solutions. The new joint venture’s offerings, when coupled with existing Lennox products and technology applications, will enable a perfect home comfort environment. Our partnership, grounded in shared principles and goals, provides additional value and growth opportunities to our dealers, distributors, and contractors.”

A New Chapter

“Ariston Group entered the North American market in 2016, building its presence through three acquisitions, recognizing this region as a strategic priority for profitable growth,” said Paolo Merloni, Executive Chairman of Ariston Group. “We are pleased to announce this new chapter with Lennox, an outstanding partner whose market leadership we respect deeply. This joint venture allows us to add to our existing commercial presence and brands an alliance with a strong partner. We are proud to be the technology provider behind high-efficiency solutions that will carry the Lennox brands.”

“This joint venture aligns with our strategy to deliver accelerated growth by expanding our product offerings within the residential market, further strengthening our customer relationships,” said Alok Maskara, Chief Executive Officer of Lennox. “We are excited to work alongside Ariston Group, a renowned global

The joint venture will support the growth of Lennox and Ariston Group water heater sales across their respective channels and customers in the USA and Canada. Beginning in 2026, water heater products carrying the Lennox brands will be sold through Lennox stores, the direct-to-dealer network, and the distributor channel. Through its Ariston USA subsidiary, Ariston Group will continue selling to current customers under its brands.

The newly established joint venture will be called Ariston Lennox Water Heating North America and will be operational after customary closing conditions are met. Ariston USA will own 50.1% of the joint venture, while Lennox will own the remaining 49.9%. Leadership of the joint venture will be appointed jointly by Ariston Group and Lennox.

Additional information is available at www.lennox. com and www.aristongroup.com

Rheem® Water Heaters Earn Recognition at GOOD DESIGN® Awards

GOOD DESIGN has showcased the most innovative and cutting-edge industrial, product and graphic designs produced around the world since 1950.

ATLANTA, GA — Rheem®, a leader in the water heating and HVAC/R industry, received two GOOD DESIGN® Awards from the Chicago Museum of Architecture and Design.

The Rheem® Maximus® Super High Efficiency Gas Water Heater with LeakSense™ and the Rheem® IKONIC® Super High Efficiency Condensing Tankless Water Heaters were both winners in the Building/Architectural Materials category.

The Rheem Maximus Super High Efficiency Gas Water Heater with LeakSense delivers high demand hot water while saving energy and installation costs and reducing carbon footprint, all with smart leak detection controls. The ENERGY STAR®-certified Rheem IKONIC

Super High Efficiency Condensing Tankless Water Heater offers a compact, space-saving design and integrated

digital controls while providing continuous hot water.

“We dedicate this recognition to our development teams for their innovative spirit and vision in creating industry-leading products that meet the needs of plumbers and homeowners while positively impacting the future of our planet,” said James Courtney, Product Management director at Rheem. “We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to our valued customers for their enduring partnership, which has helped us achieve 100 years of business excellence.”

GOOD DESIGN receives thousands of entries each year and has showcased the most innovative and cutting-edge industrial, product and graphic designs produced around the world since 1950.

Maximus Super High Efficiency Gas Water Heater.

Rheem

Flexibility meets efficiency

Presented in partnership with Radiant Professionals Alliance

Rinnai America Recalls Boilers Due to Carbon Monoxide Hazard

This recall involves Rinnai-brand i-Series Plus residential wall-mounted gas boilers with model numbers IP175S, IP199S, IP175199C and IP199199C.

The US Consumer Products Safety Commission has announced the recall of Rinnai i-Series Plus brand gas boilers. The boiler door can fail to seal properly due to incorrect screws, allowing carbon monoxide (CO) gases to escape, posing a carbon monoxide poisoning hazard.

Specifics

This recall involves Rinnai-brand i-Series Plus residential wallmounted gas boilers with model numbers IP175S, IP199S, IP175199C and IP199199C. The top white label on the side of the boiler states MADE IN JAPAN and has the model numbers followed by a reference code in parenthesis, TYPE OF GAS

NATURAL GAS and SERIAL NO. followed by letters and numbers. The boilers are rectangular and metal and have the name Rinnai printed in black near the top and a temperature display/keypad near the bottom of the front of the boiler.

About 2,030 were sold in the US, with an additional 249 sold in Canada through Independent heating and plumbing contractors and wholesale distributors, and online at Amazon.com, Homedepot.com and Lowes. com from September 2024 through February 2025.

Remedy

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled boilers and contact Rinnai to arrange to have a certified

technician install the repair at no cost to the consumer. Consumers who must continue using the boiler while awaiting repair should have working carbon monoxide alarms on each level of their homes and outside sleeping areas.

Consumers can contact the Rinnai America Corporation toll-free at 800/621-9419 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or email the company at recall@rinnai. us, or visit the company website at https://www.rinnai.us/support/recalls or at https://www.rinnai.us and click on “Recall” at the bottom of the page for more information.

Visit the CPSC at www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

HTP Brand Boilers Recalled Due to Fire and Carbon Monoxide Hazards

This recall involves HTP-brand ELU Elite Ultra residential wall-mounted gas boilers with model numbers ELU-150WBN and ELU-199WBN.

The US Consumer Products Safety Commission has announced the recall of HTP brand residential gas boilers. The official recall date is June 05, 2025. The boiler door can fail to seal properly due to incorrect burner door studs, allowing flames and gases to escape, posing fire and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning hazards that can result in death or serious injury.

Specifics

This recall involves HTP-brand ELU Elite Ultra residential wall-mounted gas boilers with model numbers ELU-150WBN and ELU-199WBN.

The boilers are black in color and measure about 20 inches wide and 34 inches high. The serial number, model number and product name are located on the rating plate on the left-hand side of the boiler.

About 96 units were sold in the US, with an additional 9 sold in Canada. Units were sold through independent heating and plumbing contractors and wholesale distributors from October 2024 through February 2025.

Remedy

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled boilers and contact HTP to arrange to have

a certified technician install the repair at no cost to the consumer. Consumers who must continue using the boiler while awaiting repair should have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their homes.

Contact HTP toll-free at 800/3239651 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or email recall@ htproducts.com , or go online to https://htproducts.com/safety-notice. html or at www.htproducts.com and click on “Urgent Recall” at the top of the page for more information. Visit the CPSC at www.cpsc.gov/ commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

Recalled i-Series Plus Boiler.

Recalled HTP-brand ELU Elite Ultra boiler.

Hydronics & R adiant

Presented in partnership with Radiant Professionals Alliance

Bronx Domestic Hot Water System Gets Electrified

Innovative heat pump water heater from Laars uses CO2 refrigerant.

NEW YORK, NY — 850 Bryant Ave is a 48-unit, six-story apartment complex in the Bronx. The property was selected for an electrification upgrade to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and modernize aging mechanical systems. As part of a broader initiative to enhance sustainability, the project focused on replacing its existing gas-fired domestic hot water (DHW) system with a high-performance commercial heat pump water heater.

Once the engineering team evaluated the site, however, they decided on an optimized hybrid approach in which the onboard control system automatically alternates between the heat pump and the existing gasfired system based on real-time efficiency. This strategy aims to ensure optimal performance year-round while maximizing carbon footprint reduction and to provide redundancy by using existing equipment.

Project Origins

The Association for Energy Affordability (AEA), a nonprofit that specializes in energy efficiency and electrification upgrades for low and moderate-income buildings, often partners with local organizations to identify and implement high-efficiency solutions. AEA plays a key role in helping building owners access state and federal funding opportunities to support weatherization and electrification initiatives.

At 850 Bryant Ave, AEA collaborated with the South East Bronx Community Organization (SEBCO) and the Father Gigante organization to secure a grant through New York State’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). With funding in place, the team moved forward with a long-overdue upgrade to the building’s aging mechanical systems, aiming to implement a domestic hot water solution that offered both high efficiency and low emissions—this aligns with New York City’s carbon reduction goals and Local Law 97 compliance.

The installing contractor, A&C Plumbing, has been serving the community since 1982. The company boasts more than 50 years’ worth of institutional knowledge, and holds both Oil Burner Equipment Installer, Class “B” and New York City Master Plumber Licenses. A&C specializes in gas conversions, #2, 4 & 6 oil burners, and combination dual fuel equipment using both scotch marine steel and cast-iron boilers. The company performs a wide range of hydronic repair, maintenance and installation services.

The Right Equipment for the Job

After evaluating several options, the project team selected the Laars E-Therm® electric air-source heat pump water heater. One of the deciding factors was its use of

R-744 (CO2) refrigerant, which not only performs well in the low ambient temperatures that New York City experiences during cold winter nights but also has a global warming potential of just 1—helping future-proof the installation against refrigerant phase-out regulations.

The Laars E-Therm includes everything needed for a “plug-and-play” installation: pre-charged with CO2 refrigerant, an on-board double-wall DHW heat exchanger, and DHW pump.

The Laars E-Therm is a part of a complete Laars® solution that utilizes stratified storage tanks and LaarsLinc® Pro-I/O™ Tank System Control to monitor the stored water’s stratification temperature profile. LaarsLinc then adjusts the heat pump’s output to ideally balance tank target temperatures.

A major advantage of this system is that it uses a natural refrigerant, CO2, that outputs DHW up to 180°F and is a refrigerant which will not be “phased out” over time like many synthetic refrigerant systems. Thanks to its integrated double-wall heat exchanger, the unit accepts incoming potable water directly and delivers hot water without requiring a secondary double wall heat exchanger loop.

This design reduces operational complexity and improves overall system efficiency compared to those that require an external double wall heat exchanger; it requires fewer components to install, less space, and fewer potential failure points.

These factors, combined with the unit’s high DHW output temperatures and modular scalability, made it a practical and forward-thinking choice for this multifamily electrification effort.

Project Details

Location: Bronx, NY

Building Specs: 48-unit, six-story multifamily residence

Scope: Electrification of the domestic hot water system Key Stakeholders: Association for Energy Affordability (AEA), Rathe Associates, A&C Plumbing, South East Bronx Community Organization (SEBCO), Father Gigante Organization

Conclusion

The successful deployment of the Laars E-Therm and stratification tank system at 850 Bryant Ave highlights its potential as a scalable, efficient, and sustainable domestic hot water solution for multifamily buildings. By leveraging advanced heat pump technology and a natural refrigerant, this project sets a benchmark for future electrification upgrades in New York City’s residential sector.

“The installation of the Laars E-Therm is going to make a huge difference in the performance of this building. We’ll achieve greater efficiency with less equipment,” said Francis Rodriguez, Weatherization Director at Association for Energy Affordability, Inc. “The plugand-play design made our lives much easier and will continue to do so for those performing maintenance. We’re so happy with how this project went. We’ll most likely use this install as a prototype for all heat pump water heater installations going forward.”

The Laars E-Therm Heat Pump Water Heater installed at 850 Bryant Avenue.

Laars Laars

(Left to right) Kevin Gauthier of Laars Heating Systems and Greg Rathe of Rathe Associates standing in front of Laars Stratified Storage Tanks.

•

•

•

Matt Michel

14 Recommendations

Congratulations, you’ve just had your “entrepreneurial seizure” as Michael Gerber puts it. You’re ready to become a “businessperson.” Okay, Mr. Plumbing Entrepreneur, here are 14 recommendations for building your money machine.

1. Attitude is Everything

It’s a cliché, but attitude really does determine your altitude. How you view the world will determine how far you go and how much you will enjoy the journey. Cultivate a positive mental attitude. Approach problems as opportunities. No one wants to hang around with negative people, work for negative people, or do business with negative people. Thus, it should be no surprise that there’s a strong correlation between success and positivity.

2. Set Goals

There is magic in goal setting. Try it. Set positive goals and write them down. When you set a goal, your subconscious mind starts working in the background on ways to achieve them. You will be amazed at how much more you will achieve.

3. Learn to Read Financial Statements

If you intend to run a business, you must be able read an income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. The income statement shows the flow or revenue and expenses for a period of time. The balance sheet shows your assets, liabilities, and equity for a specific point in time. The cash flow statement shows the flow of money for a period of time. Have them prepared monthly and take time to study them. Calculate the key business ratios.

4. Guard Your Cash

Cash is king. No plumbing company was ever forced to close if there was money in the bank. Beyond the cash flow statement, know your cash position at all times. Build your cash reserves so that you can cover several months of operating expenses. You’ll sleep better at night.

5. Charge Enough

The single biggest reason plumbing companies struggle is also the easiest to fix. They don’t price to be profitable. The

Here are 14 recommendations for building your money machine.

biggest two reasons they don’t price correctly are ignorance and fear. They don’t know what they should charge and/or fear people will object when they figure out. There are lots of price calculators available. The one provided by the Service Roundtable is proven and has helped thousands of plumbers set the right service price. If you fear charging enough, remember, failing to charge enough is subsidizing your customer.

6. Flat Rate

One of the greatest innovations in service pricing was flat rate, or retail pricing. Labor and material and gross profit are combined into a single number that’s the price for each task. Marketing research shows that consumers believe companies that flat rate are more honest and price competitive.

7. Be Unique

Why should anyone do business with you? How do you look different from a thousand other plumbing companies. Find a way to be unique, to stand apart, and focus on it.

8. Wrap Your Truck

The first marketing dollar you spend should be on your truck wrap. Your truck is a mobile billboard, generating

at least 30 thousand impressions per day according to the Outdoor Advertising Association. Wrap it boldly and brightly.

9. You’re Growing or You’re Dying

A lot of plumbers reach a plateau and decide to just sit there. Half of them plateau as single truck operators, which is incredibly selfish considering what this means to your family if you’re ever put in a situation where you can’t work for a period of time.

Look in your backyard. Everything you see is either growing or dying. It’s true for nature. It’s true for people. It’s true for companies. Try to grow every year.

10. Network, Network, Network

Business is about relationships. When you meet someone who lacks a relationship with a plumbing company, you become the person he will call for problems. Moreover, you become the person he recommends when asked. So, build relationships with people who have lots and lots of connections. These are community centers of influence. You will find them at your local Chamber of Commerce mixers, in leads clubs like BNI, and in service clubs like Rotary, Lion’s, Kiwanis, Optimist, and Civitan. This is more powerful than

you can imagine. Join organizations where you can network.

11. Get Out of the Truck, ASAP

When you’re turning a wrench, you’re working for wages. When you employ people who are turning a wrench, you are building wealth. You should work towards getting out of the truck and hanging up the tools as soon as possible. Stop working like a tradesperson and start working like a businessperson.

12. Give People Options

Always give people choices. Give them options to repair, replace, or upgrade. Give them options to use parts and products made in the USA—which might cost a little more—or cheaper imported options. Give them options between tankless and storage water heaters, between 5-year, 7-year, and 10-year water heaters. Some people will always choose the cheapest. Some will always choose the best. You can’t know who will choose what, so give them options and they can decide.

13. Not Everyone is Your Customer

You will inevitably encounter customers who want service at a level you cannot provide at the prices you charge or who want prices too low for the service you offer. They are not your customers. It’s okay to fire them and focus on the customers you can serve well.

14. Make Yourself Unnecessary

The goal of every plumbing company owner is to become unnecessary. Hire people better than you. Give them things to do that you dislike or suck at. Work on what you enjoy and are good at with the ultimate objective to make yourself so unnecessary that your business effectively runs itself without the need for you to be involved on a daily basis. That’s business freedom. Let freedom ring.

Matt Michel is CEO of the Service Roundtable (ServiceRoundtable.com). The Service Roundtable is an organization founded to help contractors improve their sales, marketing, operations, and profitability. The Service Nation Alliance is a part of this overall organization.

ID 139210274 © Sidelnikov | Dreamstime.com

Patti Feldman

Business Solutions for Field and Office

Conduit Tech (www.getconduit. com) is an HVAC design and sales platform for HVAC pros. Accessible on iPad Pros, HVAC Pros can use LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and Augmented Reality to help visualize and design the perfect install in every home.

LiDAR is a remote sensing technology that measures distances by emitting laser pulses and calculating the time it takes for the light to bounce back. These sensors provide highly precise measurements of dimensions and elevations, generating accurate 3D representations of a room or space.

How it works:

With Conduit Tech, creating an accurate load calculation starts with a LiDAR -powered scan, combined with a proprietary property database and location -specific data. By combining LiDAR scanning, 3D modeling, and ACCA- certified Manual J® calculations, Conduit Tech transforms a load calculation into a highly visual, interactive experience and proposal.

Contractors can capture precise roomby-room measurements in minutes using an iPad Pro, generate 2D floor plans and 3D models, and walk homeowners through system options in real time. This helps customers see exactly where ductless heads or registers will go, understand how the system works, and even customize the design, minimizing last-minute changes and creating a smoother install process.

Pricing: annual contracts with monthly billing

TrueContext

TrueContext (www.truecontext.com) is field service workflow software for use on field service personnels’ mobiles devices. It enables field personnel to create, customize, and populate forms to suit your company needs, facilitating and streamlining data collection, including orders, signatures, and photos.

The solution is designed to optimize workflows and technician productivity and has the ability to generate reports and analytics that provide operational

Reviews of the Conduit Tech design and sales platform, TrueContext field service software, and the QuoteIQ business management tool.

insights. It is offered in three scaled plans differentiated by the type of apps you can build, the number of conditional logic rules per form, and the maximum number of users.

All the plans connect business systems with the field via several different cloud storage connectors and support organizing forms by due date, priority, or locations.

The Essentials tier, suitable for a small number of straightforward linear workforms, includes job dispatching, organize of mobile-native form design and data collection, repeatable sections, version control and change management, and conditional form comments. Reports include Basic and Advanced Analytics, Job Reports and Customer Work Order Records, as well as customizable reports and records. In addition to facilitating organizing forms by due date, priority, or locations, it can issue real time SMS notifications.

Pricing: per month, billed annually.

The Advanced tier, suitable for teams that want to improve the quality of their field data captured across con -

nected workflow, adds mobile search and other productivity-enhancing capabilities including conditional term logic, template-based forms, and inform help. It also connects with several third-party business systems, including Google Cloud Storage, DropBox Storage, Salesforce, ServiceMax, ServiceNow, and ZenDesk.

Pricing: per month, billed annually.

The Enterprise plan, configured for organizations looking to reap the benefits of infield intelligence, includes those third-party business connections and also has additional features to optimize workflow and technician productivity, including Camera-to-Text, document scanning, customer feedback forms, data routing, and teamwork.

Pricing: individually customized.

QuoteIQ

QuoteIQ (www.myquoteIQ.com) is a business management tool suitable for contractors performing residential or commercial jobs, including those in the HVAC and plumbing sectors, particularly contractors who manage field

crews, commercial service contracts, or documentation-heavy jobs. It provides tools for streamlining quoting, job scheduling, and client communications. Three monthly no-contract plans are available: Beginner, allowing one user; Pro, for up to five users; and Elite, for unlimited users.

All the plans have the ability to create and send estimates and invoices, collect payments, and track expenses and include Map Measure Pro (a mobile app that allows users to measure distances, areas, and perimeter on interactive maps), a Map Street view, a business analytics dashboard, a National Average guide, business calculators, mass import of contacts, a website version, and live chat and email support.

They also include the Review Multiplier, which gives the user the option of asking a customer to go to your review page immediately after the invoice is paid through QuoteIQ, making the review process feel as seamless as possible, with the aim of helping you collect more reviews.

The Pro plan adds several productivity enhancing features including QuoteIQ Cam, which includes customizable inspection and job forms suitable for documenting equipment checks, service notes, and maintenance records; email and text automation; a Before/After Photo Generator which allows technicians to snap before and after photos directly in the app and attach them to invoices or job records; in-app texting; a website contact form; an hourly rate calculator; and On The Way text.

For contractors who need to keep accurate records for legal or compliance reasons, QuoteIQ automatically stores all inspection forms and photos for peace of mind and for helping protect against potential disputes

The Elite plan adds InstaQuote and InstaSchedule, which allows your customer to self-schedule appointments based on your availability, mass text and email campaigns, and TimeTracker Pro.

Patti Feldman writes articles and web content for trade magazines and manufacturers of building products.

Conduit Tech

What’s the easiest way to handle tight service space inside a high efficiency boiler?

Just open the front panel and drop the hinged control enclosure to see the difference. Need more? Simply remove four screws and take the side panels off for unobstructed access.

HometownH2O Collaboration Upgrades OH Family’s Water Access

➤ Continued from page 3

The Olson Family

Andrew and Megan Olson, and their son, Declan Ward, have been living without a reliable water source for two years. Their well pump failed when the pump and the motor came apart and fell into the well. A local installer attempted to retrieve the pump but was not successful. Since then, the family has been contending with Megan’s muscular dystrophy (MD) diagnosis, and an unreliable water supply further exacerbated the situation.

Over the last two years, they have had to travel around to different friends’ homes to shower and do laundry on the weekends, which made it difficult to do much else. Outside of daily tasks, the family’s limited water supply prohibited them from many of the hobbies they routinely enjoyed, such as gardening, backyard bonfires and exercising.

“Everything in our daily lives was more difficult without water. I will feel so much better when we can finally turn

the faucet back on, given our reality of floating around to different friends’ houses to take showers, cook food or do laundry,” said Meg Olson, Water Well Trust beneficiary. “It was such a relief to get the call from the Water Well Trust, knowing our family would soon have access to water in our own home.”

Innovative Solutions

Along with a new well, project partners worked to build a wooden access ramp for Megan. They also provided other

services, such as yard cleanup and installing a basketball hoop. Donations from local distributor Warren Pump & Supply Co., well driller and pump installer Seismic Drilling Co., as well as The Vinyl Institute, who donated PVC piping material, rounded out the project and were instrumental to its success.

“Hearing what the Olson family has gone through the past two years makes it meaningful to be a part of this incredible project that will ensure water security for years to come,” said Alex Rodriguez,

Soldier and Plumbing Instructor Helps Bring Service Members Into the Trades

Specialist role, helping them develop critical technical skills for their careers in and beyond the military.

As a senior non-commissioned officer, Nelson covers an extensive curriculum. Soldiers under his instruction learn various topics, including safety standards, code compliance, system installation and repair, water distribution and wastewater systems, and the proper use of plumbing tools. By serving as a mentor and leader to service members transitioning into skilled trades, Sean is helping reshape a new generation of tradespeople who bring discipline, accountability, and purpose to their work.

“Staying connected to the Army while teaching has been incredibly rewarding,” said Sean. “It keeps me sharp and

reminds me why doing every job with excellence matters.”

Stars and Pipes

Sean Nelson brings that same commitment and precision to his civilian role leading Stars and Pipes Plumbing Atlanta. Alongside providing plumbing services in the Atlanta Metropolitan area, he and his team focus on empowering customers through education. The company’s blog provides homeowners practical advice on various topics, such as sump pump installation and maintenance, handling clogged drains, high water pressure solutions, and knowing when to call a professional plumber. By sharing this information, Sean helps homeowners make smarter choices and feel more in control when plumbing issues arise.

Sean leads the team at Stars and Pipes Plumbing Atlanta with the same values he instills in his military students: adaptability, problem-solving, and discipline. Technicians arrive on time, fully equipped, and ready to resolve plumbing issues with efficiency and professionalism, making the experience as smooth as possible for clients.

Diverse Service Offering

Similar to training more professionals to serve more homeowners in need of plumbing assistance, the company continues to expand its offerings. One of the most requested services is advanced leak detection. Using cutting-edge and non-invasive technology, the team detects leaks earlier, helping homeowners avoid mold, rising water bills, and structural damage.

Market Development Manager at Xylem. “Our mission at Xylem is to find innovative solutions to make a water-secure world, so being able to support the positive change in the Olson family’s living situation is an honor.”

The Olson family’s well upgrade is the 22nd project for HometownH2O, a domestic water initiative dedicated to supplying clean water to families in need. Currently, more than 2.2 million Americans lack access to clean water, making this joint effort between Long, his Foundation’s Waterboys initiative, Xylem, and the Water Well Trust a vital resource for families across the country.

Xylem, in conjunction with its Goulds Water Technology brand, is engaged in regular water well initiatives to provide secure water access to rural areas, striving to increase public awareness ofthe challenges surrounding lack of water access.

For more information about the Chris Long Foundation and HometownH2O projects, visit waterboys.org/ hometown

Stars and Pipes Plumbing Atlanta also offers water heater repair and replacement services. Leveraging over 10 years of experience, the team offers expert diagnosis to identify the cause of insufficient hot water, unusual noises coming from the tank, rusty or discolored water, or leaks around a unit. The team then repairs or replaces a unit, prioritizing energy-saving options.

In a region like the Atlanta Metro area, aging infrastructure and heavy rain make sewer line problems increasingly common. Tree root intrusion and soil movement add to the challenge. Stars and Pipes Plumbing Atlanta addresses these issues with modern methods like video inspection and trenchless repairs, offering long-term reliability and less disruption for homeowners.

For more information visit starsandpipesatl.com

Volunteers from the Water Well Trust (WWT) and HometownH2O along with members of the Olsen family.

Xylem

Plastics Pipe Institute Announces its Projects and Members of the Year

ners included a building, a bridge, an under-the-river pipeline, rehab of an oil production water supply plus a turnpike. This proves that plastic pipe in a myriad of applications can provide an economical, long-life, sustainable solution for nearly any project. Our congratulations to all the winners, plus the environment and our infrastructure which will greatly benefit from each of these projects.”

The awards were presented during the group’s annual worldwide meeting held in Indian Wells, Calif. May 12–15, 2025. PPI is the major North American trade association representing the plastic pipe industry. Each year the PPI membership reviews and votes on Project of the Year and a Member of the Year for each of the five PPI divisions: Building & Construction, Drainage, Energy Piping Systems, Municipal & Industrial, and Power & Communications. The PPI Member of the Year Award is for an individual’s outstanding support and contributions to the association and the industry.

Winning Projects and Members

PPI Building & Construction Division Project of the Year

The Waterline Complex, Austin, Texas PPI Member Company: GF Building Flow Solutions LLC, Apple Valley, MN

The tallest building in Texas at 74 stories, the Waterline is a mixed-use complex that will be qualified to achieve LEED® Gold certification due to the use of sustainable features and products including an energy-efficient PEX-based radiant heating and cooling system along with a corrosion-resistant, hybrid PEX and CPVC domestic water system.

These systems were installed using 1,841 feet of Wirsbo hePEX™ PEX-a pipe for radiant heating and cooling in the hotel lobby plus ½ to 1½inch diameter Uponor AquaPEX® PEX-a pipe for unit piping in the hotel and residences along with 2 to 8-inch diameter Uponor ChlorFIT® Schedule 80 Corzan® CPVC for mains, risers, and mechanical room. Both Uponor and Wirsbo are part of GF Building Flow Solutions, which received the Project of the Year Award from the Building and Construction Division of the Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc.

PPI Drainage Division Project of the Year

Howard Frankland Bridge, Tampa, FL

PPI Member Company: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS), Hilliard, OH

The new Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa is the largest in Florida with more than 2.6 million square feet of bridge deck area, and costing $875 million.

Originally built as a single, four-lane, three-mile span in 1960 as part of I-275 connecting Tampa to St. Petersburg, the new bridge will have two separate

roadways with each having four general purpose lanes and two express lanes.

Use of polypropylene pipe provided the project with a drainage system that would prevent erosion of the low-lying areas leading up to the Causeways. The strength and stiffness of the pipe, also provided the required premium joint performance. Slotted high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe was used to handle runoff, and mitigate hydroplaning. Both types of pipe needed to be resilient to saltwater and not corrode in this aggressive environment. Nearly 10,000 feet of ADS HP Storm polypropylene pipe plus more than 7,000 feet of 12-inch diameter ADS HDPE slotted surface trench drain were used, winning the Project of the Year Award for Advanced Drainage Systems from the PPI Drainage Division.

PPI Energy Piping Systems Division Project of the Year

Upgrading Canadian Oil Producer Pipeline

PPI Member Company: FlexSteel USA, LLC

A major Canadian oil producer had to rehabilitate an old NPS 14 carbon steel pipeline constructed in the

The Waterline Complex, Austin, Texas, has won the PPI Building & Construction Division Project of the Year.

PPI

The Howard Frankland Bridge project in Tampa, FL, is the PPI Drainage Division Project of the Year.

PPI

An upgrade to the Canadian Oil Producer Pipeline is the PPI Energy Piping Systems Division Project of the Year.

PPI

1980s that supplied freshwater from two wells to a bitumen recovery facility.

Several buildings and other pipelines, however, were in the way. Plus, sections of the old line were under up to 25 feet of soil, and the terrain along the right-of-way included muskeg. The swampy bog along with the burial depth plus the need for expediency led to pulling 4,000 feet of FlexSteel spoolable 10-inch 1500 psi pipe through the old, buried pipeline.

This pipe-in-pipe installation minimized both the amount of excavation and disruption above ground. The new pipe was pulled through the old in just five days, and the entire 4000-ft. line was restored to production a short time later. FlexSteel received the Project of the Year Award for the Energy Piping Systems Division of PPI.

PPI Municipal & Industrial Division Project of the Year

Boat Harbor, James River Crossing, Treatment Plant, Newport News, VA

PPI Member Companies: High Country Fusion, Fairfield, ID, Performance Pipe, Plano, TX, AGRU America, Georgetown, SC

HDPE Users: Garney Construction, Kansas City, MO, Dewberry Engineering, Fairfax, VA

Running more than a mile of new 42-inch diameter pipe in less than 24 hours for a new force main 100 feet under the James River along with nearly 20,000 feet of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe won the Project of the Year Award from the Municipal & Industrial Division of the Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. (PPI).

Association-member companies Performance Pipe and AGRU provided the pipe in diameters ranging from 42 to 54 inches for the new pipeline that takes raw wastewater underneath the James River to the Nansemond Treatment Plant in Suffolk, Virgina that processes an average of 30 million gallons of wastewater a day. The HDPE pipe was selected because it is flexible, resilient, can be installed using horizontal directional drilling (HDD), would not be affected by corrosive salt water and would be leak-free, protecting the environment.

The award was presented to PPI member companies High Country Fusion, which provided the pipe, fittings, fusion equipment and led the off-shore team, plus pipe manufacturers Performance Pipe, a division of Chevron Phillips Chemical Company and AGRU America, along with Garney Construction (Kansas City, MO) and Dewberry Engineering (Fairfax, VA).

PPI Power & Communications Division Project of the Year

Pennsylvania Turnpike Micro-Trenching Project PPI Member Company: Dura-Line, Knoxville, TN

More than 500 miles of Dura-Line micro duct was used to build the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s automated collection system that also connects highway condi-

tion monitoring units and other devices supporting traffic management. Additionally, the system features other conduit pathways for additional fiber cable installations for the turnpike, and to provide for extending broadband reach to underserved communities.

Dura-Line received the Power & Communications Division’s Project of the Year award for the use of its FuturePath, 8-way 16/12 mm micro duct.

PPI Members of the Year

PPI Building & Construction Division Member of the Year

Daniel Pierce

Reliance Worldwide Corp. (RWC), Atlanta, GA

Pierce serves as Chair of the PPI Emerging Professionals Group and was the founding member of the group in 2024. He was a TG member for ten BCD projects that have been completed successfully, also serves as Chair for the third edition of the PEX Plumbing Design Guide and is a member on ten other division R&D projects.

PPI Drainage Division Member of the Year

Dan Figola

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc., Hilliard, OH

Figola’s contributions to the PPI Drainage Division, particularly in the areas related to sustainability and resiliency included assisting in developing and highlighting the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report on the use of plastic recycled materials in infrastructure, in which corrugated HDPE pipe is prominently featured and favorably profiled for its technical, economical, and environmental viability.

Figola also worked on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) report comparing the reuse of plastic recycled material in durable goods (i.e. pipe) vs. single-use products (i.e. bottles), which documented the reduced environmental footprint (GHG, water) for plastic pipe.

Figola has shared the outcomes from the NAS and NIST reports to ASTI, PPI and other organizations. He also serves as a Committee Chair within ASTM E60 on Sustainability.

In his role as PPI Sustainability Vice Chair, Figola led the development of sustainability definitions

for PPI and assisted with PPI’s positions on PFAS and microplastics. He continues to serve PPI as the Sustainability Committee Chair.

PPI Municipal & Industrial Division Member of the Year

Gerry Groen, P. Eng.

Infra Pipe Solutions, Ltd., Ontario, Canada

Groen’s leadership, technical expertise, and tireless support for multiple projects continued to be extremely valuable to the division and the industry. This included being the task group chair for multiple projects such as fabricated fittings, thrust restraint, and many more. A participating member of PPI for more than 20 years, he was awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership in PPI in 2018, and named the division’s Member of the Year for 2022.

PPI Power & Communications Division Member of the Year

Andrew Nause

IPEX USA, LLC, Pineville, NC

In 2024, Nause became the marketing chair for the PCD management committee and chaired the conduit joining task group and was heavily involved in the formation work of the Codes and Standards Committee. He is the Innovation Manager at IPEX and volunteers as the Chair of the PCD Communications Committee, and sits on the PCD Management Committee.

Nause led the development of the recently published Technical Note on Joining of Conduit and has participated in numerous other PCD projects and committees, including the Division’s Strategic Plan for 2025-2028.

More information can be found at plasticpipe.org

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Micro-Trenching Project is the PPI Power & Communications Division Project of the Year.

PPI

The AutoCutPL® plastic tubing cutter quickly produces clean, uncrushed, square cuts – with less effort. Easier to use than conventional plastic tubing cutters, the AutoCutPL cuts plastic tubing in as little as one rotation.

For more information, contact the Drain Brains® at 800-245-6200, or visit www.drainbrain.com/ autocutpl

The easiest boiler you’ll ever install because it’s the most advanced boiler ever made.

• “No touch” combusition setup, 5 minute start-up

• Unobstructed 3-side service access

• Instantaneous DHW response (combi models)

• Models: 136, 200 (combi) - 80, 120, 150, 180 (heating)

www.usboiler.net

SEPTEM ER 30 - OCTO ER 1, 2025

SANTA CLARA CONVENTION CENTER SANTA CLARA, CA

OCTO ER 29-30, 2025 IRVING CONVENTION CENTER IRVING, TX

editor’s choice

THE CFR CONDENSING BOILER LINE has been expanded to include a new 2000 MBH model. CFR is the world’s first stainless steel condensing boiler approved for Category I venting, redefining retrofit possibilities for engineers and facility managers. Now, the CFR boiler is available in more sizing options with 1500 MBH, 2000 MBH, and 3000 MBH units. The line features a thermal efficiency up to 87.1% and a 4:1 turndown ratio (dependent on capacity). There is no need for secondary or bypass pumps. All boilers in the line can fit through a standard 36" doorway, and are serviceable from the front, side, or top.

Aerco

WWW.AERCO.COM

▼ THIS 18V ½" BRUSHLESS HAMMER DRILL/DRIVER is available in a Bare Tool (model GSB18V65N) and kit (model SB18V-65B12). Features include a kickback control that reduces the risk of a sudden rotational torque reaction in a bind-up scenario, and a rapid mode selector that allows the user to swiftly shift between hammering, drilling and driving modes without the need to adjust the clutch.

Bosch Power Tools

WWW.BOSCHTOOLS.COM/US/EN

▲ THE PERKINS WORK BOOT is versatile enough for everyday wear, while providing safety, support and comfort for long days on the job. Electrical hazard (EH) provides a secondary source of protection for accidental contact with live electrical circuits. The boots are oil and slip resistant, as well as high heat resistant (300°C/572°F).

BRUNT

BRUNTWORKWEAR.COM

THE WV

GEOTHERMAL HEAT

PUMP is a variable-speed hydronic heat pump engineered for maximum flexibility, performance and ease of installation.

Standing just 42" tall, it can deliver radiant in-floor heating, forced-air heating and cooling, and up to 100% of a home’s domestic hot water needs.

Has a broad capacity range (0.5 to 5 tons), true dual-fuel compatibility with seamless modulating boiler integration, and does not require a buffer tank.

Enertech

WWW.ENERTECHUSA.COM

THIS TOOL TOTE is ideal for HVAC service technicians and residential plumbers. The tote features a waterresistant soft bottom with plastic feet and can handle up to 33 lbs when loaded. The tote also features 25 internal & external pockets, accessible from all sides, a chrome plated tape thong, a tape measure clip, a padded, removable shoulder strap and several elastic loops.

KNIPEX

WWW.KNIPEX-TOOLS.COM

THE DUNP-LF LEAD-FREE DIELECTRIC UNION

from MATCONORCA is constructed from leadfree brass, making it an ideal choice for installations requiring compliance with stringent safety and environmental standards. The advanced dielectric design, it effectively prevents accelerated corrosion, ensuring longlasting performance. The FNPT x press connection provides installation flexibility and secure joint integrity. For use in residential propane systems or commercial installations.

▲ THE ELVARI WASHROOM ACCESSORIES COLLECTION from Bradley has been named a winner of the 2025 IIDA/HD Expo Product Design Awards. Designed for modern restrooms, Elvari’s sleek, pill-shaped curves and seamless, refined surfaces create a cohesive and unified aesthetic that enhances the washroom experience in hotels, spas, conference centers, dining venues, and other commercial settings. The collection is available in a palette of on-trend finishes, including Black, Nickel, Stainless, Brass, Bronze, and Satin Stainless.

Bradley

WWW.BRADLEYCORP.COM

THE 6000 SERIES SLOT DRAIN

▲ THE ADAPT SC STANDARD CONDENSING GAS TANKLESS WATER HEATER from A. O. Smith is available in 160,000, 180,000 and 199,000 BTU/hr. models. They are ENERGY STAR-certified and feature a Uniform Energy Factor of 0.95. The water heater is designed for universal installation, either indoor or outdoor, with an optional outdoor vent cap kit. It delivers a max flow rate of 10.5 gpm, as well as robust, on-demand performance and the flexibility to install in virtually any residential setting. Meanwhile, a four-button display makes adjusting the unit simple and easy.

A. O. Smith

WWW.HOTWATER.COM

MATCO-NORCA

WWW.MATCO-NORCA.COM

features a sleek, efficient design with a narrow ½" slot opening, maximizing water flow while minimizing visual impact. Stainless steel construction ensures longevity and reliability. The system boasts an impressive flow rate of up to 27 gallons per minute per linear foot, making it ideal for handling large volumes of water.

Global Drain

WWW.SLOTDRAINSYSTEMS.COM

▲ THE 24KN TOOL AND JAW KIT produced in parnership with DeWalt is designed to crimp NIBCO PressACR fittings. The tool has been optimized for one-handed use and the jaws have a gray galvanized coating to provide corrosion protection. The tool kit includes the press tool (DCE210D2), with USB-C cable, shoulder strap, charger and two 20V MAX® DCB203 2.0 Ah batteries. The PressACR jaw kit (DCE214K) includes one each of the following jaws sizes: ¼", 3/8", ½", 5/8", ¾" and 7/8". PressACR end connections reduce installation time while the patented interior groove design and HNBR seal make them suitable for high pressure HVACR applications rated up to 700 psi. NIBCO

NIBCO.COM/PRESSACR

▲ NEXT GENERATION ZONE

CONTROLS from Taco feature easy-to-read diagnostic lights for all outputs, including zones, boilers and auxiliary connections, ensuring quick troubleshooting with minimal downtime; simple wiring and grounding options that streamline installation, reduce setup time and make the process hassle-free for installers; Smart Plus Logic for DHW recirculation optimizes hot water delivery with advanced logic that improves both efficiency and comfort; and post-purge and pump exercise functions that ensure the system operates at peak performance while extending its lifespan.

Taco Comfort Solutions

WWW.TACOCOMFORT.COM

▲

THE PARTNER INDIRECT-FIRED WATER HEATER

from Peerless Boilers uses a boiler as its heat source to provide the energy necessary to heat water. The boiler fires only when energy is required to replace the heated water that is being used, or if the tank has been idle. The highly insulated tank is not vented to the outdoors and loses very little heat, even when not in use for an extended period. The water heater’s design features maximum heat transfer and resists mineral buildups that can cause discolored and foultasting water.

Peerless Boilers

WWW.PEERLESSBOILERS.COM

▲ THE

SL-SIDESADDLE HANDS-

FREE LIGHT from Streamlight is designed to seamlessly mount to a wide range of hats, hard hats and safety helmets. Available in both USB rechargeable and alkaline batterypowered models, the light is designed for use in demanding environments, providing reliable, hands-free lighting to keep industrial professionals working safely and efficiently. It delivers targeted beam control through selectable spot, flood or spot/flood combination modes and a rear-facing blue LED taillight. The lightweight, impact-resistant lights integrate without interfering with other headgear accessories, such as visors or hearing protection, and are easily detachable for handheld use.

Streamlight

WWW.STREAMLIGHT.COM

▲ THE TECLOC CONDUIT CLAW is for seismic stiffening within Mechanical, Electrical, & Plumbing (MEP) applications. This rod stiffener is a fast and secure, IAPMO-approved seismic rod stiffening clip, designed to be quickly installed using pipe or conduit to secure suspended services and prevent buckling in seismic conditions in a variety of MEP system applications. It has been specifically engineered to be retrofittable, allowing it to be installed after services are fully suspended.

Gripple WWW.GRIPPLE.COM

▲ THE DURASHOCK SR ICON BOOT brings athletic tech to the job site, helping reduce fatigue during long hours on your feet. The boot features shock absorbing ompression pads in the heel and forefoot to minimize impact. A cradle-like heel offers a steady base on uneven ground. The CarbonMax composite toe protects on the job site without the weight of steel.

Wolverine

WWW.WOLVERINE.COM

▲ THE E-1531X SMART PUMP is designed to deliver superior performance for HVAC and plumbing applications. With integrated motor and control technologies from Xylem’s innovative Smart Motor, it boasts the largest “Efficiency Island” among similar pumps—including the e-1510X Smart Pump—enhancing system performance, reducing energy consumption and lowering life cycle costs.

Xylem

WWW.XYLEM.COM

▲ SYNCHRO WATERPROOF WORK

FOOTWEAR from KEEN is built with the newest KEEN.ReGEN+ midsole foam returning over 60% energy with every step. The redesigned carbon toe features a sleek, non-bulbous fit, while KEEN.LOCKFIT technology in the heel provides lateral stability. Other performance features include a sticky rubber outsole that increases grip and an athletic mesh upper.

KEEN

WWW.KEENFOOTWEAR.COM

▲ THE GEOSPRING SMART HYBRID HEAT PUMP WATER

HEATER from GE Appliances utilizes advanced heat pump technology to provide up to 4.7 times more energy efficiency than standard electric water heaters and is up to 20% more energy efficient compared to other heat pump water heaters. Smart features through the SmartHQ™ app give owners total control, enabling them to monitor energy usage and costs, adjust temperature and capacity and set custom schedules. A Wi-Fi enabled sensing anode rod alerts owners when replacement is needed, extending the water heater’s life and performance.

GE Appliances

WWW.GEAPPLIANCES.COM

▲ THE TOILET TAMER NOZZLE from KEG Technologies is designed specifically to dramatically reduce the amount of airflow being pulled through the pipe. The precisely engineered water jet angles are incorporated into the nozzle. It virtually eliminates the amount of pressurized air present as the operator passes by a home’s service line and prevents any sewer material from being blown up and out of residential toilets. It is tapered like a football on both ends; the streamlined design eliminates “hang-ups” and ensures smooth passage through even misaligned or separated pipe.

KEG Technologies

WWW.KEGTECHNOLOGIES.NET

by Steve Spaulding

Risky Business

We live in uncertain times. Just this week, as this issue of CONTRACTOR gets ready to go to press, missiles are (again) flying over the Middle East—some of them American. Aside from the risk to human life (which includes the more than 40,000 service members the United States has in the area) there are the risks to global shipping and a possible spike in energy prices.

Speaking of shipping, the trade war continues with tariffs and counter-tariffs, suits and countersuits and all manner of maneuvering on every side. Despite some jolts earlier in the year the trading markets seem, for the moment, stable. And most contractors remain optimistic about 2025 being a profitable year, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index.

But key materials prices are rising, and most of the input price acceleration is due to tariffed materials such as iron, steel and aluminum (check out our cover story for the numbers).

Instability creates uncertainty, and uncertainty means higher risk for everyone dependent on the global supply chain— and given the inter-connectedness of today’s world, that’s pretty much all of us.

ADVERTISER INDEX

Managing risk is a part of everyone’s business plan—it’s why people buy insurance—but how to manage risks on this scale, where so many different factors seem outside of our control?

Luckily (well, maybe “luckily” is the wrong word), history has provided us with an example of instability on a similar scale in the recent COVID pandemic.

You should read the whole thing, but Gierke’s advice, in a nutshell, is to lock in prices as soon as possible, and to find ways to distribute risk between you, the contractor, and your customers. And that means communication: early, often, and at all levels.

This is our Made in America issue, where we profile manufacturers working,

Instability creates uncertainty, and uncertainty means higher risk for everyone dependent on the global supply chain.

In my Q&A with FMI’s Matt Gierke, which starts on pg. 6, he draws a number of parallels. Then, as now, prices for essential materials were rising, sometimes astronomically. (The price of lumber, for example, shot up almost 200% between 2020 and 2021.) During the pandemic supply chain disruptions caused extended wait times for materials, sometimes causing construction projects to be delayed for months or even abandoned altogether.

www.hotwater.com

gotiron.us

https://www.bradfordwhite.com/

charlottepipe.com

climatemaster.com

www.r32ready.com

www.dunkirk.com

https://www.geappliancesairandwater.com/

drainbrain.com

LAARS laars.com

Liberty Pumps Libertypumps.com

Lochinvar lochinvar.com

NTI Boilers www.ntiboilers.com

Old World Industries, Inc. thermalcharge.com

Progressive Insurance progressivecommercial.com

Rheem Water Heating rheem.com/hybrid

Rinnai America Corporation trustrinnai.com

Shortridge Instruments, Inc www.shortridge.com

supplyhouse.com supplyhouse.com

The Best Postcards thebestpostdards.com

Triangle Tube triangletube.com

Tyler Pipe, McWane Plumbing tylertough.com

U.S. Boiler Company www.usboiler.net

United Rentals Inc unitedrentals.com/PHVAC

Watts Water Technologies, Inc. https://www.watts.com/

Weil-McLain weil-mclain.com

Woodford Mfg. Co. www.woodfordmfg.com

producing and employing all across the USA (you can read our feature starting on pg. 20). Manufacturers are facing many of the same materials price increases, the same supply chain disruptions that contractors are facing.

But paradoxically, the same forces creating that instability are driving a resurgence in domestic manufacturing. When decision-makers look at all the global disruptions—war and trade war, the possibility of another pandemic—the

United States seems like the safer, less risky place to manufacture.

Helping that resurgence is a new generation of technology—including advanced robotic automation and AI—that is blunting the advantage foreign production used to have when it came to the price of labor. Moreover, the US has the skilled, tech-savvy workforce to make the most of the new technology.

Add in faster shipping times, a more robust supply chain, a lower carbon footprint, a host of government incentives, and a preference by the American consumer for American-made goods, and you can make a very strong case for manufacturing in, or returning manufacturing to, the US.

As just one example, Viega, a German-owned company famous for its press fittings, is building a new production and distribution facility in Mantua, OH that will officially open in July. (You can read all about it on pg. 14.)

It’s a risky time to be in any kind of business. But if you stay informed you’ll be able to have the smart conversations, and make the smart decisions that will take some of the risk out of your equations.

bboyadjis@endeavorb2b.com

rjeter@endeavorb2b.com

bsack@endeavorb2b.com

efishman@endeavorb2b.com

ssuarez@endeavorb2b.com

jagron@endeavorb2b.com

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

HIGH EFFICIENCY

CONDENSING GAS FIRED BOILERS

ADVANCED HOME HEATING FOR DEPENDABLE COMFORT

Designed for optimal performance to reduce energy use - providing years of reliable operation.

8 Residential Models: 80 - 200 MBH (Combi mod ls also off r DHW)

3 Commercial Models: 299 - 470 MBH

Residential Warranty: 10 Year Heat Exchanger Limited Warranty

5 Year Parts Limited Warranty

Commercial Warranty:

8 Year Heat Exchanger Limited Warranty

3 Year Parts Limited Warranty