In every market, some companies offer low-priced products, while others offer high-priced premium products. If you want to justify a higher price, here are four things you must do.

After hard work, your contracting company is turning a profit. You need to decide when to invest some of that money back into the business, balancing saving and making improvements to stay competitive.

If you treat a customer well, they will recommend your services to three others. However, if you treat a customer poorly and make them feel cheated, they will spend a lot of time spreading negative feedback, especially on social media.

With remote work becoming the standard for many employees across the U.S. and homeowners spending even more time indoors as a result of the pandemic, a new focus is emerging on the need for sustainability and indoor environmental quality in homes. 

In order to achieve a more environmentally friendly footprint for its new education and research campus in Narre Warren, Australia, IAPMO and the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC) chose one technology rooted quite literally in the earth.

A heating designer is asked to create a three zone radiant floor heating system using a 5-ton (60,000 Btu/h) geothermal heat pump as the primary heat source, and a mod/con boiler as the auxiliary heat source. 

With a considerable volume of contradictory information in circulation regarding the application of different technologies for HVAC systems, this article seeks to explain some of the technical aspects of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems, and offer comparisons on the basis of cost and performance to more standard hydronic systems. 

Many people run a business because they love to create and share with others. Others are driven to earn money. Some are driven by respect from others and ego. But sometimes, all it takes to run a fun and profitable business that people enjoy is to change the way you think about it.

The challenge for most of us can be identifying how we foster an abundance mindset—a key ingredient to achieving success—in our daily lives and workplace cultures.

Regardless of how long you’ve been in the trades, I’m sure you know how important learning is to your journey. Let’s take a deeper look.

Trust-building in corporate culture often used to involve dramatic events like fire-walking retreats, placing the onus of risk and trust on team members. However, there's now a shift towards recognizing trust-building as a daily, intentional effort integral to creating positive workplace environments.

Here are a few insights I'd like to share on how to lead our businesses with confidence, regardless of what's happening in the broader world.

Abacus Plumbing's whole-house carbon water filtration, softener and reverse osmosis equipment can dramatically reduce water contaminates.

Water scarcity is a growing issue globally. Some regions are adopting water reuse and rainwater capture solutions. Onsite water reuse can help save money, reduce water demands, and manage stormwater flows. With onsite water reuse, you can reuse up to 95% of a building's wastewater.

Point-of-use (POU) water disinfection isn't just about public health; it's also an essential engineering strategy in modern water systems, tackling waterborne diseases by ensuring safe drinking water directly at the point of consumption.

Education enhanced my earning potential. I became a more skilled technician, gained knowledge about new and emerging technologies, and became a much more valuable asset to my employers. Throughout my journey, I met numerous mentors in various aspects of the PHVAC trades and established insider contacts that proved to be invaluable.

Efficient fleet management is essential for plumbing and HVAC contractors looking to optimize operations and improve service. Customizing fleet vehicles to meet specific company needs is a key strategy. Modern upfitting now includes advanced technology and ergonomic designs, creating mobile workstations that boost efficiency on job sites.

Your vehicles are a projection of your brand into the market.

The Uniform Solar, Hydronics and Geothermal Code (USHGC) includes provisions for alternative energy sources for the transfer of energy in a hydronic system for space heating and cooling, or for other purposes such as snow and ice melting.

In 2024, the RPA held educational sessions at the ASHRAE/AHR Expo in Chicago, welcoming new members and setting goals to advance the radiant and hydronics industry.

The East Coast has suffered severe damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, leading to extensive destruction, fatalities, and power outages. These hurricanes highlight the impact of climate change on storm severity, driven by warmer Atlantic waters. This situation underscores the urgent need for the PHCP-PVF industry to adapt to the challenges of increasingly intense storms.

This year, High 5 pLUMBING ranked No. 7 in the small business category.

The award is presented every two years to a nominee with attributes including technical mastery and a passion for hydronic technologies, demonstrated leadership as an educator and mentor, and an aptitude for cultivating fundraising opportunities for industry causes.

The deadline to apply is Dec. 6.

On Nov. 7, Fluidmaster acquired the assets of Haron International Pty Ltd based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

It’s important to always be mentally present at every service call.

NIBCO expands its Wrot Racer push fittings to include new configurations such as reducing and repair tees and couplings, additional sizes of male and female thread adapters, thread elbows and caps with drains.

Maus joins the podcast to talk about communications for startups and tech brands, the presidential debate and much more.

I attended a conference hosted by the Building Performance Association and presented on air-to-water heat pump systems. Many professionals were interested in heat pumps, especially ductless air-to-air systems. One person mentioned the difficulty of finding qualified installers for air-to-water heat pumps and noted the higher cost compared to ductless air-to-air systems.

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.

A little water conservation can go a long way.

And as the second-most visited space in commercial buildings — just behind the lobby — the restroom and its water-saving fixtures can help lead the way when it comes to cutting back consumption.

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.”

Many pieces of news go viral within the plumbing industry. However, every now and then, something happens that reaches far outside of our industry bubble. This was certainly the case as the tributes remembering legendary businessman Herb Kohler circulated throughout national news outlets and social media everywhere.

Over the past decade, society has been evolving. It is constantly rethinking discrimination, with growing social awareness of gender identity, differently-abled individuals and sensory sensitivity. The public restroom is one area that has come under fire during this social evolution.

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.

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

In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration obtained commitments from manufacturers to cease sales for food contact use of grease-proofing substances that contain certain types of PFAS.

PACT has developed a specially designed, corrugated crate that some customers have been able to use over one hundred times.

It’s déjà vu all over again” is a famous quote by the late, great Yogi Berra. I’ve lived this scenario, and I’m betting you have, too. I’m talking about callbacks — the woe of the contracting industry.

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

Everything in business is important! Not everything in business is urgent — thank heavens!

Bad attitudes are everywhere, or so it would appear. In most cases, it is based on nothing other than your opinion. 

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal recently announced Uponor North America is the 2020 Manufacturing Sustainability Award honoree recognizing the commitment to conserving water, reducing waste, improving energy efficiency and empowering labor.

While forklifts were cruising the aisles of a warehouse in Grantsville, Maryland, a crew from BYCO Enterprises had to carefully retrofit that same space with 1,340 feet of gas line. 

E-motors are the ideal solution for better efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

For decades, Janet Armstrong and Lloyd Davies have lived and breathed the sustainable lifestyle. Their way of life has ties to the example set by Janet’s father, who built the first solar house in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, way back in 1978.

For years, environmental considerations and sustainability have influenced innovation in manufacturing, and in 2021, those factors became the driving force behind new product development.

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.