With great trepidation that this column will become immediately obsolete or at least very dated in the short time from submitting it to publication, I want to address the whirlwind of regulatory relief announcements from the new Trump Administration.

All federal food policy is based on the recommendations stemming from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The American Bakers Association (ABA) leads the Grain Chain, an organization of 10 groups from grain growers and millers, as well as bakers and others who have an interest in growing grain consumption.

The 2020 election is over, but efforts to understand the impacts are just beginning.

 
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 RAFAEL WATCH/WARNING ADVISORY NUMBER 15
 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL     AL182024
 348 AM EST THU NOV 7 2024
 
 .HURRICANE RAFAEL
 
 CAUTION...THIS PRODUCT ONLY APPROXIMATELY CONVEYS THE EXTENT OF
 TROPICAL CYCLONE WIND AND SURGE WATCHES AND WARNINGS. PLEASE SEE
 THE LATEST PUBLIC ADVISORY FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER FOR
 THE PRECISE LATERAL EXTENT OF WIND WATCHES AND WARNINGS ALONG THE
 COAST...AS WELL AS THE APPROXIMATE LATERAL EXTENT OF SURGE WATCHES
 AND WARNINGS. THE PRECISE EXTENT OF SURGE WATCHES AND WARNINGS
 CAN BE FOUND IN THE NWS NATIONAL DIGITAL FORECAST DATABASE HAZARD
 GRIDS.
 
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 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL     EP092023
 207 AM PDT MON AUG 21 2023
 
 .POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE HILARY
 
 CAUTION...THIS PRODUCT ONLY APPROXIMATELY CONVEYS THE EXTENT OF
 TROPICAL CYCLONE WIND AND SURGE WATCHES AND WARNINGS. PLEASE SEE
 THE LATEST PUBLIC ADVISORY FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER FOR
 THE PRECISE LATERAL EXTENT OF WIND WATCHES AND WARNINGS ALONG THE
 COAST...AS WELL AS THE APPROXIMATE LATERAL EXTENT OF SURGE WATCHES
 AND WARNINGS. THE PRECISE EXTENT OF SURGE WATCHES AND WARNINGS
 CAN BE FOUND IN THE NWS NATIONAL DIGITAL FORECAST DATABASE HAZARD
 GRIDS.
 
 CAZ043-048-050-055>058-060>062-065-087-088-358-362-366>383-548-552-
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The Johnson Controls GRINNELL G-Fire One-Bolt Coupling features a single-bolt design that eliminates alternate tightening.

Pressure relief valves protect fire sprinkler system components by relieving excess system pressure from supply surges or temperature changes. Since the 2010 edition, NFPA 13: “Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems” has required pressure relief valves to be installed on all wet pipe fire sprinkler systems. But picking the correct relief valve for a specific system does need a little preplanning.

Leave behinds are low-cost items that you give to customers to promote your brand following service calls or that you give away during home shows and other events. Oftentimes, plumbers stumble with leave behinds because they select things they might like instead of what the customer values. Here are 17 great leave behinds that will build brand recall with consumers.

One of the most challenging tasks managers face is terminating an employee. It is never easy, but sometimes necessary. What is all too easy is putting it off when it does become necessary.

You would never send your plumbers into the field without training and tools, right? What about the necessary sales training? Here is a simple 8-step approach that you can weave into your weekly service meetings to boost your team’s effectiveness in promoting add-ons.

The most expensive part of plumbing service is getting the phone to ring and the truck to the job. Once there, every additional dollar past breakeven helps cover the monthly overhead nut. Once this is covered, it falls straight to the bottom line. So, how can you maximize revenue? Here are nine ways to boost your average tickets.

Most plumbers are missing a golden opportunity for add-ons with point-of-use or whole-house water purification systems and/or water softeners. Consumer awareness of the benefit of water purification has been raised by the pandemic and well-publicized municipal failures. Many, if not most consumers are highly sensitive to contamination today, whether air- or water-borne.

If you rely on search engine marketing for calls, you are putting your company at risk because you are relying on the unreliable. Here are eight steps to wean your company off big tech dependency.

Ninety percent of seniors would rather remain in their own homes than move to assisted living, according to AginginPlace.org. Given the costs of assisted living, aging-in-place makes financial sense as well. Yet, many homes are not ready, which presents an opportunity for plumbing contractors.

Why are some plumbers winners, while others struggle? It is not the market, location of the company, the role of government, customers’ attitudes, the availability of manpower or any of the other excuses bandied about. Winning plumbers share a set of intangible traits that affect how they approach the world, how they see the world, and thus, how the world responds to them.

If the country is not already in recession, it appears likely one will arrive in 2023. Here are six ways to turn the downturn into an opportunity.

You may be the best technical plumber in town, but you will earn poor reviews and bad word-of-mouth if you cannot communicate well. Here are nine simple steps you can take to improve your communication skills. Almost all of them are non-verbal.

Scalding in the home or burns from hot liquids is dangerous to anyone, but is a particular concern to the youngest and oldest Americans. Plumbers are charged with protecting the health of the nation. Thus, plumbers can play a key role in reducing the risk, starting with homeowner education.

There has been a lot of private equity activity in the service trades since the COVID-19 lockdowns. Suddenly, boring old businesses gained monetary sex appeal when they were declared essential and could continue making money while many other local businesses were effectively shuttered. This has led to a land rush for good service contracting businesses and many plumbers have grabbed the brass ring while the grabbing was seen as good.

It is always a mystery why more plumbers fail to emphasize drain cleaning — if they offer it at all. Some think it fails to offer enough revenue. Others think it presents too much low-dollar competition. Here are five solid reasons every plumber should offer drain cleaning.

A product with a "Made in America" label is not necessarily made in the United States. It could be made in Canada or Mexico. Do you want products made in America or the USA?

Here are 46 business proverbs or truths that apply to the plumbing profession, presented in no particular order. Accompanying each is a question every plumbing company owner should ask about his company.

You know him (or her). He is the irrational employee. The irrational employee is usually a good producer or an essential person. Here is how to manage him, instead of letting him manage you.

The future for young women in this industry is now as bright as anyone wants it to be. If a young woman wants to work her way all the way up to the C-suite, the opportunities are there, and that is so exciting to see.

Every four years, the election season brings a natural decline in customer demand for services. Marketing costs rise as all channels become saturated with campaign spending, and consumer sentiment declines. 

Let’s be honest. The trades are the inventors of 'remote work.' For decades, we’ve been dispatching remotely while technicians are awarded company vehicles to drive home each evening. They begin their mornings from the comfort of their own homes by receiving their work log for the day through walkie-talkie, text, email, slack, pager… remember those? Shoot, we’re awesome — others should take note!

Several new ServiceTitan product updates and features powered by Titan Intelligence were also announced at Pantheon 2022

John Wallace, owner of Atlanta-based JM Wallace Plumbing, has been offering leak detection solutions since 2007, but it’s only recently during the last few years where he’s really seen the technology take off.

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.

 Like the rest of the series, the new products are constructed with high-quality materials and designed for easy installation and maintenance, making them an ideal choice for busy commercial settings.

Developed for high-temperature and high-pressure piping where smooth, unrestricted internal flow is critical, this welding alignment tool helps prevent degradation of the pipe or tube I.D.

This system's sensing technology and robust software platform are designed to uncover hidden water system insights and risks, empowering building managers to enhance building performance and occupant experience. 

The product qualifies for a 30% federal tax credit as well as stackable state and local rebates.

LG Electronics USA expanded its line of ENERGY STAR-certified Inverter Heat Pump Water Heaters with two new models featuring demand response and a water leakage detection sensor, ensuring a comprehensive domestic water heating solution for residential applications.

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. 

There is a changing of the guard (so to speak) every fall during PHCC’s annual conference and trade show.

Johnson Controls celebrated National Skilled Trades Day by confirming a second cohort of schools receiving funding as part of its Community College Partnership Program. Last year, Johnson Controls agreed to fund $15 million over the span of five years to help support the community college’s HVAC, fire, security and digital academic programs.

The Bell & Gossett HYDROVAR HVL pump controller, combined with the Series e-1510 base-mounted end suction pump, provides flexibility and efficiency for new and retrofit applications in buildings, utilities and general industry.

The Prestige Series Hybrid Electric Water Heater from Rheem is Energy Star-rated and its high 3.55-3.70 UEF reduces operating cost.

The deadline to submit an application is May 3.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, more than half (51%) of the energy used in U.S. homes is directly spent on just two end uses, heating and air-conditioning. As such, producing a comfortable temperature within your living space creates one of the biggest carbon footprints of our modern living environment.

What does a looming housing shortage, a significant increase in energy prices and 52% of home buyers ready to heat and cool their homes with electricity have in common? They’re all remedied in the same way: All-geothermal residential developments.

The publication is based on study, research and discussions from the Code Council’s membership, partners and industry experts.

David Gans, chief building official for the city of Oceanside, California, was elected IAPMO’s 61st president, and Steven Panelli, chief plumbing inspector for the city and county of San Francisco, was elected vice president.

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

The new standard will provide guidance for implementing RVI for energy code compliance and for energy and water efficiency performance.

The International Code Council’s 2024 International Codes (I-Codes) are now available for order in print and digital formats.

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.

As the world continues to search for solutions to reduce and eliminate carbon emissions, the plumbing industry suddenly finds itself at the forefront of change.