In rural upstate New York, residents harvest trees for firewood using chainsaws and hydraulic splitters. I burn about two face cords annually in my wood stove, enjoying its warmth during winter and relying on it during power outages caused by outdated utility lines.

Flow direction is crucial in hydronic systems. Most designs have a fixed flow direction, but there are situations where reversals can occur. It's important to address these proactively to ensure smooth operations.

In 1986, I installed a 1.5-ton geothermal heat pump in my home using two 500-foot horizontal HDPE earth loops. After digging a trench, I connected the loops to the pump and opted for a 2 HP swimming pool pump to fill and flush the system, as a garden hose couldn't provide the needed flow rate.

The consumer mindset around bathing is evolving to view showering as far more than a simple rinse to get clean, but rather as a time to relax, unwind and wash away the day-to-day stresses of life. In fact, consumers are making purchases to support this shift. According to a recent survey commissioned by GROHE, more than 65% of respondents are enhancing their time in the shower with various add-ons, such as soothing aromas, music and gentle rain shower products to elevate their “me time.”

The new Market District Apartments in Ohio City will be located near the historic West Side Market, the oldest operating indoor/outdoor market space in Cleveland. Currently, the 13-story development is the largest sustainable, wood-constructed building in the country. Among other facilities, the new 385-unit structure encompasses a first-floor retail space, residential suites on floors two through seven and luxury penthouse suites on the ninth floor, as well as amenity space, including a large rental hall.

RainStick Shower co-founders Alisha McFetridge and Sean McFetridge share a longtime passion for water conservation. In 2019, the two began building the North American Market’s first water circulating shower. Supply House Times Chief Editor Natalie Forster sat down with Alisha McFetridge to dive into RainStick Shower’s backstory and plans for the future.

The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) returned to Las Vegas in 2023.  Hoping to break records again, KBIS/IBS returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center this year. Explore the latest products, technologies, and trends in kitchen and bath design.

Water scarcity and quality are widespread issues in the US. Embracing sustainability is crucial to the evolution of plumbing, with tried-and-true fixtures and new advances making a healthier, more water-efficient reality possible.

Customer segments serviced by Toronto-based Crownhill include public sector agencies, industrial products, consumer goods and e-commerce.

Report says plastic substitution and environmentally friendly packaging trends should provide a tailwind for carton growth over the forecast period.

Right-sized, on-demand packaging solutions empower companies to optimize their processes, reducing waste and minimizing their carbon footprint.

Packaging solution automatically shortens cartons to match their highest point of filling and then glues a lid securely in place, reducing material usage and costs.

Whereas requests for the designation are typically submitted by brand owners, Metsä Board is one of the few material suppliers to get their paperboard grades proactively pre-qualified.

Industry-wide competition celebrates greatest achievements and innovations at SuperCorrExpo.

The Build Your Own Box tool offers an unprecedented level of customization, ensuring that businesses can create packaging that perfectly aligns with their product dimensions and brand aesthetics.

Planning ahead helps ensure you get the most out of the events you attend.

There are only two types of companies I’ve ever worked with in my 18 years of being a consultant to the contracting industry.

With every new consulting client, I begin our work by asking the following: “How are you judging your staff’s performance?”

No matter who you are, project management can be a challenge. 

It’s without question that technology has improved the mechanical world around us. From my smartphone, I can instantly see the health of hundreds of our boiler plants across the country. 

The major trend in the commercial boiler market, which will continue in 2021 and beyond, is the predominance of packaged boilers installed in multiple boiler cascade systems. 

As natural gas rates increase and the push for more sustainable energy sources intensifies, heat pump water heaters appear poised for massive growth. States such as California and Massachusetts already have regulations prohibiting or disincentivizing gas water heaters in new construction, and New York City recently enacted similar restrictions for new construction. So, are heat pump water heaters the future of the water heating market? Maybe or maybe not — but some industry experts certainly think so.

Every industry in the United States is currently feeling the constraints of the labor shortage. Employers continue to struggle to bring in new workers and keep existing ones. Job openings far outnumber individuals looking for work — in March, there were 11.5 million jobs to fill, and not enough workers to fill them, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary. 

The week includes classroom instruction, an International Apprentice Contest, certification exams and demonstrations and a graduation ceremony in which 170 will be honored for their completion of the certificate program and an additional 45 will earn associate degrees from WCC.

Best practices for designing and installing PEX to leverage the benefits of installation efficiencies, job-site safety and profitability potential.

When I first started working for Plumbing & Mechanical’s sister publication, The ACHR NEWS in 2014, I was often the only woman in the room at industry events. Those first few conferences were just a bit intimidating. In fact, it wasn’t until a HARDI annual conference that I first met other women in the industry — shout out to Colleen Keyworth, director of sales and marketing for Online-Access and immediate past president of Women in HVACR, for her immediate friendship then and for all the years since!

Fall is conference and tradeshow season in the plumbing and HVAC world.

Amazon is doing well, though a volatile political climate threatens small businesses’ growth.

Infrastructure will continue to be an issue in 2018 and beyond.

You’ve already paid for the lead, so why not extract its full value?

Selling — even upselling — is a service, and let no one tell you differently.

Don’t let experience turn into complacency and a lack of differentiation.

By following the tips below, you can mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on your business and lay some groundwork that will make your company more successful in the long run.

According to a white paper authored by venture capital firm ARD Ventures, each fleet vehicle, on average, receives between 30,000 -70,000 impressions daily. 

I began my career in the HVAC business in 1970 as a truck driver for an AC/refrigeration wholesaler. I stayed there just six weeks because my father — who worked for a manufacturers’ rep — told me there was an opening for a clerk at the rep. It paid $110 a week, which was $10 more than I was getting driving the truck. Plus, I’d get to work with him as my boss.

People who knew Capt. Montgomery C. Meigs said he was occasionally pompous, but when the job was done to his satisfaction, he said, “This was the most difficult piece of engineering and construction that I have yet to undertake.”

Deloitte (2014) describes the modern learner in its infographic, “Meet the Modern Learner.” The infographic shows multiple constraints employees face when developing necessary skills. Many writers and training professionals interpret this to say that people today learn differently. Learning has evolved with the office.

Our company has been roofing/remodeling injury-free since inception in 2004. The behavior of people is the predominant cause of accidents and the variable that is most easily changed. Although this article is based on our roofing experiences, the principles are easily applied to any industry, especially those that involve hard labor, high turnover, or dangerous conditions.

Cannabidiol (CBD) has been recently covered in the media, and you may have even seen it as an add-in booster to your post-workout smoothie or morning coffee. What exactly is CBD? Why is it suddenly so popular?

This is a voluntary consensus standard. It uses recognized management system principles in order to be compatible with quality and environmental management system standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.

Since mind not on task is bound to happen if you know how to do something well, there is much more “leverage” or efficiency in getting people to put more effort than they are currently making (none) into improving their safety-related habits.

The analysis of nearly 10 million drug tests reveals a surge in cheating, particularly related to marijuana.

Casella has launched an enhanced version of its Vortex3 high flow pump, designed to simplify asbestos and air sampling.

Sensidyne® launches Gilian® Go-Cal^TM Pro, an advanced portable air flow calibrator designed to revolutionize precision calibration on the jobsite.

More than two million workers in the construction industry have been exposed to silica in the workplace. Short of a complete double lung transplant, silicosis is both a chronic and incurable condition.

Confined space work is not limited to descending into compact areas, so it’s important to be prepared for safety both above and below ground.

From wearable safety devices to machine learning to Big Data, companies now have more tools than ever to help push safety incidents down to zero.

Compared to 10-15 years ago, companies are safer. Whether it’s tighter regulations, more awareness, enhanced experience, technology improvements or other factors, companies are doing a better job keeping their employees safe at the workplace. However, that number has plateaued over the last couple of years—the total incident rate per 100 workers has not changed significantly since 2017.

A manufacturing plant has been dealing with hot machinery and punishing Texas heat. The buildings are made of tin with little insulation. That means it gets really hot. They solved this issue with evaporative coolers.

There have been some unsettling reports recently of large increases in the number of whistleblower complaints to OSHA related to COVID-19.