With the world's focus on sustainability growing, plumbing engineers play a crucial role in adopting eco-friendly solutions. A major trend in commercial pump technology is the drive for efficiency and energy conservation. Find out how manufacturers are addressing environmental concerns and high energy costs.

Drain cleaning and inspection services offer lucrative opportunities for plumbing contractors, especially with aging infrastructure. New technology makes these services easier than ever.

Wi-Fi technology has improved homes, including water heaters. The changing landscape of water heaters presents challenges for industry professionals. Nick Snell, director of plumbing sales at F.W. Webb Co., emphasizes the importance of working with a supplier that understands the evolving marketplace.

Root intrusion in sewer systems causes blockages, slow drainage, unpleasant odors, and overflow. Preventative root control is essential to maintain the sewer system's hydraulic capacity. This issue deserves our full attention.

The plumbing industry is evolving with a focus on sustainability. Heat pump water heaters (HPWH) present an opportunity for contractors to stand out and meet changing client needs, contributing to environmental conservation and demonstrating leadership in a dynamic market.

Nestled within a 20-year-old home deep in the heart of Klein, Texas, the Stansifer family encountered a common homeowner problem: a painfully long three-to-five-minute wait for hot water whenever they turned on a faucet.

PEX's shape memory allows it to expand and shrink without compromising its integrity, making it highly resistant to damage in freezing conditions. This has proven to be a lifesaver in areas like Texas during unexpected mid-winter freezes.

A. O. Smith, celebrating 150 years in 2024, began in 1874 as a metal components supplier for baby carriages and bicycles. Arthur O. Smith designed a lightweight pressed steel car frame and became a major supplier to car manufacturers like Packard, Cadillac, and Ford.

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

The Sofitel Quiberon resort in France offers thalassotherapy treatments using the power of the ocean to heal, with the help of sophisticated technology and corrosion-free valves from GF Piping Systems.

Dairy farming is vital for rural communities and household nutrition. Durable materials like REHAU PEXa plumbing systems are essential for dairy barn construction. Three WRC dairy barn projects feature these systems.

Pressure and chlorine ratings revised.

Tankless water heating technology has proven to be a great success for Wedgworth's, a custom blender of dry and liquid fertilizers for agriculture, sod, nursery, and golf-course applications in Florida.

When property owners need restroom or kitchen facilities in areas without existing plumbing, they often face the challenge of expensive and disruptive work to create below-floor drainage that usually requires breaking through concrete, which is messy, noisy, and costly. This high cost may lead clients to reconsider their projects altogether. For trade professionals, navigating concrete obstacles is just another day at the office. Yet, for others, it might be less welcome.

NASCAR legend Ward Burton installed a Premier AL Smart Hybrid Electric Heat Pump Water Heater in his 1999 home, saving up to $300 monthly on electric bills. Homeowners can save 75% or more on energy costs with this unit.

A strong banking relationship is critical for securing loans and for establishing and maintaining lines of credit. Relationships are not built overnight. Here are the steps you need to build a good relationship with a bank.

Explore 11 proven ways plumbing companies can improve their website visibility and search rankings. Whether you run a single-location operation or a multiple-unit franchise, these SEO tips will help you reach more consumers.

Every now and then I talk with a plumber who gripes about manufacturer ads in the trade press. Usually, the plumber believes the money could be better spent elsewhere, such as consumer advertising to make it easier for the plumber to sell the manufacturer’s products. Here are seven reasons why manufacturers advertise in the trade press.

As Leap Partners' CFO I handle financial statements, acquisitions, and sales. Small businesses often find finance tasks overwhelming. I work with them daily, guiding them to secure their financial standing. Through this, I've learned about common financial trends and errors. Recently, I shared my insights with a friend.

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.

Larry Taylor, a renowned contractor, believed that networking is the key to commercial sales. Business is built on relationships, and networking helps build them. Here are nine ways to network effectively.

BuyFin Payment Processing, which is offered in conjunction with third-party partners, helps business owners get paid faster from customers with competitive processing rates and a best-in-class technology platform, the company states.

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.

Some customers prefer using credit cards, but accepting them means paying merchant service fees. Contractors may offer cash discounts or add an upcharge, so consider how to handle merchant services.

When we hear about a 'dream team,' our minds envision the perfect basketball team or a group of highly skilled attorneys assembled for a high-profile legal matter. But creating a team that consistently delivers great results shouldn't be limited to sports or legal teams.

Developing a strong brand can significantly impact your plumbing company by making it more familiar and less intimidating to consumers. This can lead to more calls and reduced marketing costs. Here are six important factors to consider when building a brand and brand image in your market.

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.

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

Junkyards are one of those forgotten places we in the heating business must visit on occasion.

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.

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.

Attendees can earn credits and certifications.

These lead-free products are made of dezincification resistant brass, the company notes.

Installing the magnetic filter will increase energy efficiency, significantly prolong boiler life, protect pipework and considerably reduce maintenance calls, the company notes.

An installer is asked to pipe up two larger commercial air handlers supplied by a dual boiler setup. 

We are proud to present the fourth of the four-part eBook series that chronicles Dave's "Adventures in Hydronic Heating."

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

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. 

An installer recently read about the benefits of piping a buffer tank in a “2-pipe” configuration.  

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

An installer is asked to connect a single speed geothermal water-to-water heat pump to a highly-zoned low temperature hydronic distribution system.

I've had lots of opportunities to review plans for pending hydronic heating systems. I've also been on "forensic" visits to sites with improperly performing systems. Of the two, I much prefer plan review over forensics.

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.

With systems dating back into the 1800s, hydronic heating has been around a long time. As with many technologies, a modern hydronic heating system bears little resemblance to one based on the earliest design techniques and hardware.

For decades, changing out a thermostat for a retrofit hydronic heating system was a simple task for a service technician. From Bangor, Maine, to Breckenridge, Colorado, the mere two, 18-gauge thermostat wires running through a home was not a concern (short of the random nail or mouse taking one of the two out).

On a military base in east-central Alaska — where the average winter temperature is 16° F with lows that fall well below minus 50° at times — dependable, low-maintenance winter heating systems are critical for the active-duty military families and Department of Defense civilians who live on the military post.

Water is the life-blood of hydronic systems. Just as we strive to maintain the health of our own circulatory systems, it’s important to maintain the health of the water-based solutions that circulate through the hydronic systems we construct and maintain.

The age-old question of function versus form has confounded experts in every field for countless decades.

Jeff Sweenor, president and CEO of Sweenor Builders in Wakefield, Rhode Island, looks at it differently. He asks, why not both? Function certainly comes first, but when the dust settles, his projects look as good as they work.