Many people look for ways to update their homes to provide a sense of comfort and connection to the outdoors. Outdoor projects are currently flourishing, as people extend their living spaces to feel closer to their natural surroundings.

Luxury bathrooms and kitchens have evolved, and the home improvement market is booming with IT-connected products. People want to control their heating, kitchen appliances, and plumbing products through apps.

A thriving plumbing business relies on a collaborative team spanning various functions. Facing challenges like labor shortages and limited resources, many contractors struggle to expand into new markets. Adding a franchise can accelerate growth, minimize risk, and unlock fresh opportunities by leveraging established systems and resources.

The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show marked the most successful show in its 60-year history this past February. Watch a few of the exhibitors talk about their product.

Customer segments serviced by Toronto-based Crownhill include public sector agencies, industrial products, consumer goods and e-commerce.

Both attractive and sturdy, this eco-designed packaging offers robust protection while opening impactful visual possibilities. Its sleeve openings and high-quality printing area break the mold of the traditional format.

Strategic move underscores Meyers’ commitment to expanding its footprint in the folding cartons sector.

Morrisons wanted to reduce supply chain and material costs and to improve the customer experience, aiding navigation for shoppers in-store and improving on-shelf availability in order to increase sales. 

When I was the last of the three brothers to enter the family business, my dad said to me, “I owe you an opportunity, not a guarantee.”

Why is it that your staff isn’t quite as excited as you are when you discuss a new project, a new process, new policy or a habit you want to change?

I’ll admit it. I was skeptical that distance learning could be a worthwhile experience for service contractors. 

By the time you read this, most people’s New Year’s resolutions or goals will be a distant memory, and they’ll be back to doing the same things they said they weren’t going to do. 

The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) published a new technical report related to the break resistance of PEX pipe and tubing when fluid inside becomes frozen.

It’s without question that technology has improved the mechanical world around us. From my smartphone, I can instantly see the health of hundreds of our boiler plants across the country. 

As natural gas rates increase and the push for more sustainable energy sources intensifies, heat pump water heaters appear poised for massive growth. States such as California and Massachusetts already have regulations prohibiting or disincentivizing gas water heaters in new construction, and New York City recently enacted similar restrictions for new construction. So, are heat pump water heaters the future of the water heating market? Maybe or maybe not — but some industry experts certainly think so.

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Businesses don’t succeed in a vacuum — and that is true in all industries, including plumbing, HVAC and electrical contracting businesses. Thankfully, contracting business owners are not on their own and don’t have to learn to “reinvent the wheel.” There are a number of industry associations and best practice organizations available to help.

BNP Media’s Plumbing Group is finally settling back in after a whirlwind of travel this past month. We’ve been racking up those frequent flier miles attending NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), IMARK Plumbing, the AHR Expo and the WWETT show. While there was a ton to see at each event, for the purposes of this column, we’re going to focus on KBIS.

When a plumbing contracting company wants to grow, it can expand its geographic area by opening a new location, adding a new trade, or buying out another business.

No tropical cyclones as of Wed, 13 Nov 2024 12:37:46 GMT

Meanwhile, the fate of the estate tax could affect small businesses for years to come.

A ‘differentiation standard’ can help you stand out from the rest as a top contractor.

Not every ad is for leads, and your message is more important than you think.

Don’t let experience turn into complacency and a lack of differentiation.

Why we do what we do” is why I do what I do. My job is to “change behavior.

One of the toughest calls I receive as the owner of a public relations agency specializing in the home services industry is from a plumbing or mechanical business owner asking for my help after they find themselves, or their business, in the middle of a crisis.

Plumbers and their customers are living in a digital age, which means more potential clients are finding a plumber online via Google searches. If more customers are finding plumbers on Google, then it is important that you take the right steps to ensure you are the plumber they find. 

Third-party listing helps protect you and your customers.

My neighbor, Tony, loves his house. We live in a low-crime neighborhood on Long Island but Tony is always on guard against miscreants. He has a Ring camera on every side of his house, mounted high so they’re protected from spray paint. Some of the cameras turn on klieg lights and alarms if I step outside at night to toss the trash in the can. 

Some years ago, a wholesaler hired me to do a seminar in a New England hotel for about 100 of his contractor customers. After the seminar, the owner of the company invited me and a bunch of his employees out for a nice dinner. There were about 15 of us.

I love all the advances taking place in the world of hydronics, but I’m still seeing plenty of steam systems out there in our older cities, so knowing about dry steam will help you if you’re replacing a steam boiler. The dryer the steam is, the better you’re going to look to your customers.

In 1885, when you could still buy a milk cow for $29.70, Albert Butz, a Swiss immigrant living in St. Paul, Minnesota, invented what he called the damper-flapper. He patented it the following year. The flapper opened a damper that allowed outside air to enter a coal-fired home furnace. This increased the oxygen in the furnace and made the fire burn hotter. When the temperature rose to a desired point, the damper closed.

Hello, old friend. I’m writing today to say thanks, and to say farewell. This will be my last column.

Most readers are familiar with the common phrase, “The errors of our ways.“ So why am I talking about the intention of our ways -- not errors – in this article?

The U.S. Department of Labor has launched a new resource to help employers better understand mental health issues, and obtain guidance on how to cultivate a work environment that supports employees with related conditions.

Nondairy milk may have begun as a lactose-free alternative for vegans or nondairy eaters, but the rise in popularity can be attributed to much more than being a must-have swap. The options are endless: almond milk, soy milk, hemp milk, rice milk, and more.

ISHN Magazine sat down with Joe Boyle, CEO of TRUCE, to discuss strategies for eliminating workplace distractions. The following are excerpts from that conversation.

This article is really about putting all of the concepts in the previous articles together to come up with what will hopefully be the most significant change in thinking so far.

What’s that one worksite habit that really grinds your gears? Every safety pro has one pet peeve they hate to see but can’t seem to eliminate. Bad safety habits happen on every job site, but breaking those habits isn’t as easy as slapping workers on the wrist or offering them rewards.

Thousands of Industrial Safety & Hygiene News subscribers jumped online to vote in ISHN’s 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards between March 1 and May 1, 2013. The results are in, and ISHN Publisher Randy Green has released the list of winning entries.

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online for today's top safety products in ISHN’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards. The results are in and ISHN is proud to share the second-annual list of winning entries.

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online March 1 - May 1 in ISHN's 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. The results are in and ISHN is proud to share the third-annual list of winning entries. All 42 category winners will receive recognition in ISHN media as well as a glass award commemorating their category achievement!

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online in ISHN's 2016 Readers' Choice Awards and the results are in! All category winners will receive recognition in ISHN media and a commemorative award!

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online in ISHN's 2017 Readers' Choice Awards and the results are in!
All category winners will receive recognition in ISHN media and a commemorative award!

Help ISHN recognize innovative safety products by voting in our 8th annual Readers’ Choice Awards. Voting is under way and closes at 11:49 p.m. EST on May 31, 2020.

Aqueous Film-Forming Foam has saved numerous lives with its effectiveness, but recent studies have revealed just how dangerous it is, chiefly due to the presence of PFAS.

Ergonomics principles can guide employers towards systems that adapt to workers’ needs and decrease the potential for discomfort and harm.

As part of the rulemaking process, the agency will seek and consider input from a ride range of stakeholders and the public at-large as it works to propose and finalize its rule.

One of the most common OSHA violations is respiratory protection. Let’s dive into why and what’s required to be compliant.

More than two million workers in the construction industry have been exposed to silica in the workplace. Short of a complete double lung transplant, silicosis is both a chronic and incurable condition.