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

If you treat a customer well, they will recommend your services to three others. However, if you treat a customer poorly and make them feel cheated, they will spend a lot of time spreading negative feedback, especially on social media.

We all know about pricing, right? Hopefully, we know the difference between markup and margin. We know how to calculate break even. Here are eight things you should know about the psychology of pricing.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

From being able to get things done to staying on track, distractions can sabotage productivity in ways that we don’t even realize.

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.

It's easy to fall prey to mediocrity. But, when you’re willing to put in the hard work and do what many people will not do, you'll find that the payoff is well worth it.

Many people run a business because they love to create and share with others. Others are driven to earn money. Some are driven by respect from others and ego. But sometimes, all it takes to run a fun and profitable business that people enjoy is to change the way you think about it.

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.

For business leaders in the plumbing contracting industry, it is crucial to understand that problems always hold solutions. Instead of shying away from them or seeking ways to avoid bumpy roads and obstacles, we should embrace challenges.

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.

The service industry needs both data and emotion. Emotional intelligence is crucial to balance them. Strive to understand the 'why' behind the numbers, promote emotional intelligence, pilot programs, open feedback channels, and keep an eye on the long game.

Trust-building in corporate culture often used to involve dramatic events like fire-walking retreats, placing the onus of risk and trust on team members. However, there's now a shift towards recognizing trust-building as a daily, intentional effort integral to creating positive workplace environments.

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.

Nine individuals have been indicted on a total of 42 counts related to a series of alleged actions and inactions that created the historic injustice of the Flint Water Crisis.

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.”

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.

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

Disinfection byproducts (DBP) are becoming a matter of renewed concern in the regulatory and scientific world. It is necessary for all of us to understand the reasons and facts behind such new activity in this field. 

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.

When you talk about water scarcity and the lack of clean drinking water, most people think about third-world countries. They don’t realize that there’s a growing threat to clean water right here at home in the United States. Look at the February train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, where a fire forced the controlled release and burn of toxic chemicals to avoid an explosion. The resulting contamination killed thousands of fish in nearby streams and ignited concerns over soil and water quality.

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.

Plumbing & Mechanical and PM Engineer Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke sits down with Legionella expert Dr. Janet Stout, PhD, to discuss best practice strategies in the plumbing industry for implementing risk assessments and Water Management Programs.

Check out the ways in which these companies are getting involved, making changes and learn how you can too.

Water scarcity is a growing issue globally. Some regions are adopting water reuse and rainwater capture solutions. Onsite water reuse can help save money, reduce water demands, and manage stormwater flows. With onsite water reuse, you can reuse up to 95% of a building's wastewater.

Builders often overlook local water chemistry when selecting materials. Water chemistry and plumbing materials require more attention.

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.

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

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.

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.

The simplicity of the patented Centra-lok design is also intended to offer a cost-effective vinyl-by-vinyl containment system for commercial, industrial, and municipal water and wastewater applications.

T&S offers two versatile hand wash sink options, each available in single or two-hole configurations, with both sensor and manual faucet options, providing flexibility to accommodate various installation requirements.

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.

Last week, we did a simple oil to gas steam boiler replacement. The customer (Mike) has been a family friend of my parents for more than 60 years. Mike’s grandfather built the house back in the 1920s. The home is currently occupied by Mike’s daughter and her two teenage grandchildren.

Recognizing that pipe joints are the most common source of premature leaks and system failures, IPEX has designed Centra-lok to minimize maintenance, repair and installation costs.

Your vehicles are a projection of your brand into the market.

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

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.