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Hooked on Radiant Chris Massaro:

from Mechanical Business January/February 2023

from Mechanical Business January/February 2023, page 82

ENGINEERING IN TRANSITION

Chris Massaro knew from an early age that he wanted to work in the skilled trades, having worked for his father at the family business, Thunder Bay, ON’s Aqua North Plumbing & Heating, since he was a young teen.

He credits his high school’s cooperative education placement program for allowing him to get a taste for the industry, while working towards his apprenticeship. “That got me into it, and from there I just kept learning new things. It was mostly just residential and some commercial jobs here and there, and lots and lots of digging when I started out, it was all grunt work,” Massaro recalls. “But I stuck it out and applied myself. You always make mistakes when you’re learning, but you continually try to get better and more consistent, and it just kind of went from there.”

He bought the business from his father when he retired five years ago, and operates it with the help of his wife, Lana, who is the business’ bookkeeper and office manager.

Today, Aqua North Plumbing & Heating is busy with apartment and residential work, including working on hydronic systems in many of the large custom homes and camps being built in Thunder Bay and the surrounding area.

“There are tons of big houses, which are multi- zoned with lots of in-floor heating,” says Massaro, adding that most buildings in the area are heated by natural gas and propane. “In-floor heating is huge here. Garage floor, main floor, second floor, basement. People like to put it in their garages because you can pull the car in and then melt the snow off it, so people are putting drains in their garages as well. In some places the entire building will be heated with in-floor and then they’ll just have some ductwork for air conditioning. It makes for a much more comfortable home in the wintertime.”

Massaro says he enjoys planning the mechanical system, but admits there can be the occasional challenge when working on custom homes. “It’s fun to design and make room. But a lot of times these houses get pretty big, so you think there’s going to be a big mechanical room, and then you look on the drawing and you don’t see one. They’ve forgotten about it, or they thought you could just fit it under the stairs! I’ve got miles and miles of pipe components in here − it’s not going to work.”

The company does some commercial work, and Massaro sees potential in the service side of the business. “There’s a lot of opportunity out there to get into different places and service equipment, both in commercial and residential,” he says. “And there’s a lot of opportunity in doing more boiler jobs, too, because there are a lot of old boilers in town so there’s retrofit work and upgrade work that could be done.”

Schools and programs: Trade school for plumbing at Fanshawe College, London, ON

Favourite teacher: A split between theory and shop class − both were awesome

Favourite class: Welding was fun, and something different to try out

Best advice you’ve ever received: Read the manual

Advice for young people considering entering the trades: See if your local high school offers a cooperative education program. You can pick from a list of employers they work with to offer an onsite education and introduction to the trades

The current work ride: Chevy cube van

Service area: Thunder Bay

Any area you like to get dispatched to, and why? Anything on Lake Superior is nice, especially in the summer – amazing views

Favourite part of the job? Boiler work is my favourite

The most useful tool in your toolbox: I can’t live without a good set of wrenches

Tool that you wish you had? A REMS flush cart

By Carolyn Cooper

Best concert you ever attended? Metallica Hardwired tour in Toronto

Favourite magazine: Revolver magazine

Favourite TV show: That ‘70s Show

Favourite movie: Kill Bill

Favourite sport: Hockey