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Scorpion launches AI chat solution designed for local services businesses

Scorpion's AI Chat incorporates industry- and business-specific knowledge into each chat response, creating a personalized experience for every new conversation. 




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Mechanical contractors need to embrace new technology or get left behind

Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke spoke with Chad Salge, vice president of virtual design and engineering at The Brandt Companies about its digital transformation journey.




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Meet Caleffi North America's New CEO, Tina Gullickson

Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke had the chance to sit down with Tina Gullickson and discuss her goals and strategies in leading Caleffi North America through this next chapter.




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Peterman Brothers partners with Interplay Learning to standardize and scale technical training across service branches

The partnership between Interplay and Peterman comes at a pivotal time as Peterman continues to expand its operations and scale its technical training efforts.




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CallRail and ServiceTitan join forces to help contractors drive high-quality lead conversions

The integration will allow mutual customers to access valuable information about their prospects and customers. The integration will ensure that the complete customer journey, from lead to job, is all captured within the ServiceTitan dashboard.




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Trimble ranks #3 on Fast Company’s Annual List of Best Workplaces for Innovators, wins Science and Technology category

Trimble recognized for commitment to innovation across projects, processes and company culture.




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How virtual inspection services empower mechanical contractors

Mechanical contractors are looking to improve operations by cutting costs and boosting efficiency while maintaining quality. A popular solution is the adoption of new technologies, specifically virtual inspection services, which have gained popularity since the pandemic.




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Carrier building automation system valves and actuators

Carrier’s lineup of communicating peripherals for the i-Vu building automation system has been expanded to include smart valves with Characterized Control Valve (CCVT) technology and smart damper actuators. 




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AqueoUS Vets carbon water filtration medias

EcoCarb media is produced from byproducts of other manufacturing processes, so there’s no traditional mining and minimal processing involved, which provides a lower overall carbon footprint.




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Uponor manifold wall cabinets

The entire offering accommodates Uponor Engineered Polymer (EP) and Stainless-Steel Manifolds, but for the first time ever, four of the six new cabinets will accommodate Uponor Commercial Stainless-Steel Manifolds as well. 




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PM Profile: MCAA President Brian Helm

MCAA’s spring meeting and conference schedule screeched to a halt this year, much like many other contractor organizations in the industry, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 




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PM Profile: Best Postcards talks marketing efforts for contractors

After a stint as a top producer at Morgan Stanley, Andrew Ettinger was faced with years of struggling with business initiatives and eventually filed for bankruptcy. 




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PM Profile: Nexstar Network's Julian Scadden

In August, Nexstar Network announced Julian Scadden would replace Jack Tester as president and CEO, effective Nov. 1. Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke recently chatted with Scadden about his background and leadership goals for the organization.




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PM Profile: Behind the NIBCO-Matco-Norca acquisition

On Feb. 1, NIBCO announced it acquired Matco-Norca and its subsidiary SVF Flow Controls.
NIBCO Chairman Rex Martin stated, “This acquisition supports our strategic long-range goal of growth through acquisition, expanding our market reach and providing customers with access to a broader portfolio of products.This is an extraordinary time in NIBCO’s evolving history.”




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Meet PHCC Educational Foundation's new executive director

Meet Daniel Quinonez, PHCC Educational Foundation's new executive director.




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Meet PHCC — National Association’s new President Dan Callies

Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke chatted with Dan Callies about taking over the national president gig, what he hopes to accomplish during his term, and the many opportunities for PHCC members over the next year.




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Cutting commercial water consumption in California

Despite some reprieve from the draught that gripped the state for several years, Californians continue to find resourceful ways to trim their water consumption. Businesses large and small are no exception. 




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IAPMO seeks Technical Correlating Committee members

The deadline to submit an application is May 3.




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First net zero energy education and research facility in Victoria

The training facility, designed for the plumbing industry, will generate all energy required to support the operation of the building on site through the incorporation of several renewable energy technologies.




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Propane and solar energy: How using both can improve sustainability and comfort

Hybrid systems that run on propane and solar can be tailored to a project’s unique needs, providing lower first costs and reduced ongoing energy costs and emissions.




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Ross Goldstein: Creating cooling and dehumidification using solar thermal or waste heat

There are multiple ways to dehumidify a space — mechanical, reheat and desiccant to name a few. The biggest issue has been that conventional air conditioning units are only 10% effective at removing humidity. Until now, standard de-humidification systems were expensive to purchase and install.




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Zaid Rahman: 3 credit card considerations for plumbing contractors

 While most plumbers may like to think that they’re mostly serving routine maintenance or installation customers, the most common nature of those calls is likely panicked customers with a burst pipe, a backed-up toilet or another emergency that needs a response ASAP.




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ICC announces inaugural online education event: ICC Learn Live

Educational sessions will offer continuing education units (CEUs).




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The changing landscape of fire protection

The world is changing quickly, and transformative technologies are introducing new requirements for safety. 




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2021 UPC, UMC Technical Committee meetings to be held virtually

Attendees will still be required to register in order to participate.




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Codes Corner: How code or specialty plumbing certification sets you apart as a contractor or engineer

I frequently speak at college campuses and trade apprenticeships. Whether it be to future engineers or contractors, my technical talks typically end up covering non-technical content, specifically career development. 




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Innovative plumbing code technologies are critical to creating sustainable and resilient buildings

To aid plumbers and tradespersons in staying competitive in the marketplace, innovative technologies and materials must be a priority when crafting and revising provisions within model codes and standards in order to enhance efficiency, positively impact affordability and provide ease of service for those implementing it.




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Codes Corner: Water efficiency is critical to creating sustainable and resilient communities

As the creation of sustainable and resilient buildings becomes a greater priority, especially over the past year, one critical component will be to ensure our buildings are water efficient. 




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ICC, PMI announce transition of Matt Sigler to Code Council’s plumbing and mechanical team

Sigler is a well-known and highly respected technical expert in the industry with over 20 years of experience in construction, codes and engineering.




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Rebuilding effort in Paradise, California focuses on fire-safe buildings

The Camp Fire in Butte County, California, started in 2018, destroying over 18,000 structures and causing 85 deaths. Paradise, a town 90 miles north of Sacramento, lost about 95% of its buildings, but It is on the road to recovery.




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Commercial water heating market moves toward electrification

As more and more cities and states seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it’s clear that regulatory activity is clearly driving the push to electrification and decarbonization.




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IAPMO’s Water Demand Calculator included in AWWA M22 Manual

AWWA M22 is a manual of water supply practices that covers the basic principles and methods of water distribution system design and operation.




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Beating the scalding and legionella paradox

Scalding remains a hidden danger lurking in homes across the United States, particularly impacting the vulnerable. The plumber can avoid the unintended consequences of simply lowering water temperatures.




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Applying the Water Demand Calculator: Public fixtures in multi-family buildings

The IAPMO Water Demand Calculator has faced challenges due to exclusions from its documentation and calculations, causing difficulties for engineers in luxury apartment buildings.




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Why mini case studies are better than reviews

Online reviews are essential for contractors, as low ratings can hinder local leads. To boost visibility, it's important not just to gather reviews but also to incorporate mini case studies into your marketing strategy.






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Happy as a pig? PP-R pipe excels in tough agricultural application

A happy sow is a better sow. If you didn’t know that, don’t worry: The people who need to know it do. 




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Hydronic heat pumps ride the tide of electrification

According to the United Nations, 2019 was the second warmest year on record at the end of the warmest decade (2010-2019) ever recorded.




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Kenny Chapman: Motivation is not about carrots or sticks

Motivation. It’s something we all need and want, but that’s where the commonality ends. Each of us needs different things to motivate us to get things done. That means that when you talk about motivation, you need to know what kind of motivation your specific team member is interested in and what they will best respond to.




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How scorecards help level-up your team.

Last month, I introduced the core elements of our training: organizational charts, scorecards, and processes. These form the foundation of your business, providing clarity and accountability. This month, we'll focus on scorecards and how they contribute to team success.




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IAPMO commends Washington State Legislature’s passage of bill requiring testing water for lead in schools and daycare facilities

Lead contamination in drinking water poses serious health risks, and even low levels of lead exposure can cause permanent cognitive, academic and behavioral difficulties in children.




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How beleaguered water infrastructure can prepare for PFAS regulation

A proposed series of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations that set maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other so-called ‘GenX chemicals’ are set to go into effect in the fall.




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Honest Water Filter Co. receives NSF Standard 53 Certification

NSF International Standard 53 is internationally recognized as the benchmark for water filtration systems’ effectiveness in reducing specific health-related contaminants. 




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BNP Media's Plumbing & Mechanical Media Group receives award for publication excellence

The APEX Awards are based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence. 




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California homebuilder leads the way as early adopter of IAPMO’s Water Demand Calculator

Appendix M of the IAPMO Uniform Plumbing Code, or the Water Demand Calculator, was integrated into the California Plumbing Code on July 1. It provides a new method for sizing water pipes in residential buildings. For Villara Corp., a leading plumbing and HVAC contractor in Northern California, it remains business as usual, having used the calculator for over five years to construct over 5,000 single-family homes.




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Caleffi automatic filling valve with backflow preventer

Caleffi's new AutoFill has a fill rate of 5.5 GPM and maintains stable system pressure, ensuring consistent results without the need for constant monitoring.




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A. O. Smith upgrades Pro-Size Tool for improved specifying capabilities

The improved ease of sizing these units makes it easier for customers to adopt commercial heat pump technology and allows them to take advantage of local HPWH rebates.




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Truck of the Month: Capital Plumbing Contractors, Tallahassee, Florida

Darrell Jones found himself in quite a pickle back in 1986. At the time, Jones was working for close friend and mentor Louie Garner at Garner’s contracting business.




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Truck of the Month: Traditional yet eye-catching

Southern Trust Home Services began life on a farm. An electrician by trade, Ted Puzio founded his contracting business in 1995 while raising his two teenage sons. Then named TP Electric, Puzio and his sons renovated and flipped farmhouses before building a two-story facility to both live in and use as a workshop.




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Truck of the Month: The American dream

Edwards Plumbing & Heating, a third-generation contracting business, was founded back in 1948 by Charles W Edwards. Charles Edwards, a pipefitter by trade prior to WWII, became a Navy Seabee, building runways in the pacific.




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How radiant heating and cooling can help achieve decarbonization goals

In a radiant heating and cooling system, water circulates through PEX pipes in the concrete slab to control the slab's temperature for heating or cooling.