Figure 1 shows the piping layout for an actual installation. It uses two boilers, fired in stages, to supply three areas of a building. 

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

There’s a saying in the environmental health and safety industry: “There are no accidents.” Basically, the idea is this that all accidents can be avoided.

Business lessons are everywhere. I’ve long been a student of the game of life, and one of my biggest curriculums of education is business. Due to the rapid changing landscape and structures of the plumbing and mechanical industries, we all have a lot to learn. The lessons exist regardless of the size, location or current structure of your business. 

At the end of the day, if you want your business to be truly successful, you need to look after your people — that means giving them the tools to succeed, the resources they need to perform and a clear vision of where they’re going.

Whether you’re bringing on new team members or looking to build a more cohesive group within your current team, the first box you need to check is whether or not you’ve clearly defined each role. This foundational step not only keeps everyone on the same page and working toward the same goals, it also makes your team easier to manage.

In order to be an effective leader, you need to first understand what leadership actually is. Many people mistakenly believe that leadership is simply overseeing a group or organization. However, there's much more to it than that. Effective leaders possess a number of qualities that allow them to successfully navigate through challenges and inspire others to do the same.

The most effective leaders understand that leadership is more than just giving orders and dictating how things should be done. It’s about understanding the unique needs of everyone in your company (or department) and finding a way to lead in a fair and compassionate manner.

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.

In today's fast-paced world, many people in the trades are seeking a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in their lives. One area where we can find this sense of meaning is in our professional roles, particularly when we provide leadership.

By diligently delineating well-structured goals and objectives for the upcoming year, you can guide your enterprise toward a path of unmatched growth and prosperity.

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.

The skilled trades industry is booming, and a new generation of passionate individuals is eager to join the workforce. Let's support and guide them to become the leaders of tomorrow. With my optimism and ideas, we can pave the way to their success. So, let's dive in and explore these ideas together!

Succession is a crucial phase for leaders. Proper planning and strategy can make it the best decision for the company.

I have a question for all my fellow leaders in the trades: How well do you remember the days when you were solely in the field?

Our training at The Blue Collar Success Group focuses on three crucial areas: scorecards, processes, and organizational charts. These components are essential for clarity, motivation, and accountability. This month, we will focus on organizational charts.

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.

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.

As I write this, I cannot believe next week is Thanksgiving, and after that, just a few short weeks left until Christmas. 

The American Supply Association (ASA) recently joined the Alliance for Water Efficiency in its appeal to the United States Department of Energy related to allowable flow-rate changes for multi-head showers, and the subsequent negative affects it will have on business operations for ASA members, as well as overall negative water-efficiency consequences that will result.

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

“Water quality has grown 300% across the U.S. since the pandemic began,” says Glen Blavet, founder and CEO of HALO Water Systems. “People are at home, and they’re looking to improve their quality of life and their health, so they’re looking at the water they’re drinking out of the tap.”

Puronics is a residential and commercial water treatment products and services provider operating four company-owned service centers.

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.

To earn the certification, professionals must have at least two years’ experience in the field and complete the self-paced, online Water Treatment Design course before passing the WQA certification exam.

The Drinking Water Treatability Database presents an overview of different contaminants and possible treatment processes to remove them from drinking water.  

The WQA Board of Directors officially approved the relocation plan in April 2019, after more than two years of research and planning, and the former headquarters was sold to another Lisle-based association in March 2020, right as the coronavirus pandemic hit.

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.

Franklin Water Treatment provides products, services, and system solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial point-of-use and point-of-entry water treatment products, in a wide variety of markets and applications.

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.

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.

With user-friendly plug-in installation and energy-saving thermostat control, the system is ideal for preventing ice from forming inside 3/4-inch to 6-inch diameter water lines in temperatures below -40°F (-40° C).

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.

The IDS Ultra qualifies for federal tax credits and state rebates as an Energy Star V6.1 Cold Climate-certified product.  

The product launch also includes a new size, the EZ71 (photo left). All three EZ Series models, including the popular EZ98DV and the EZ111DV, will continue to carry a 25-year warranty on both their primary and secondary stainless steel heat exchangers. 

After returning from Vietnam, Paul A. Campione Jr., a Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient, came home to his wife and worked many odd jobs until he got into the plumbing industry.

Ricci Hancock helps manage and run his father’s plumbing, heating and AC full service and repair business.

Being an avid surfer in a community that revolves around the beach and ocean, Josh Martin, president and owner, knew “Seaside Plumbing” would be the perfect name for his company.

At age 62, Paul Cleary has been in the trades for 44 years. He went to vocational school in Connecticut and then joined the union after high school. 

Known as “The Temperature Experts,” Shelby Township, Michigan-based Koz Heating & Cooling was founded just eight years ago — the culmination of Michael Kosmalski’s dream to one day own his own HVAC company.

“The right call any time of year” is the perfect slogan for Asheville, North Carolina-based Four Seasons Plumbing. The company was founded in 2006 by husband and wife team, Max Rose and Rachel Rose, thanks to a monetary gift from Max Rose’s grandmother.

For the past 15 years, Steve Baker had a plan to start his own plumbing company. Last year, that dream was finally achieved with the opening of Gideon Plumbing in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada.

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.

The first snowflakes hit the ground in Park City, Utah, in late October, before a single peanut butter cup hit the bottom of the Halloween bag. The first snow of the 2022 season dumped 10 inches of fresh powder on the town on Oct. 23, giving skiers and winter sports enthusiasts an early start to their activities.

Viega’s Hydronic Mixing Block is a mixing device and boiler control with a built-in circulator and microcontroller.

Smatrix Pulse is the industry’s first multizone wireless control system for both radiant heating as well as forced-air heating and cooling.

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.

Matt Millard, owner of Performance Mechanical in Edgartown, Massachusetts, loves to experiment with new technologies. Recently, Millard wanted to step up to hydronic radiant heating for his own home addition using an air-to-water heat pump.

In 1988, Holland, Michigan’s downtown needed revitalization. Merchants were leaving for a nearby indoor mall. Local industrialist Ed Prince proposed installing a snow-melt system for the streets and sidewalks after seeing a similar system in Europe.