search
cart
facebook instagram twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • CONTRACTORS
    • BATH & KITCHEN PRO
    • BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
    • HIGH EFFICIENCY HOMES
    • TECHNOLOGY
    • WATER TREATMENT
    • PMC COLUMNS
      • Dave Yates: Contractor’s Corner
      • John Siegenthaler: Hydronics Workshop
      • Kenny Chapman: The Blue Collar Coach
      • Matt Michel: Service Plumbing Pros
      • Scott Secor: Heating Perceptions
  • ENGINEERS
    • CONTINUING EDUCATION
    • DECARBONIZATION | ELECTRIFICATION
    • FIRE PROTECTION
    • GEOTHERMAL | SOLAR THERMAL
    • PIPING | PLUMBING | PVF
    • PME COLUMNS
      • Christoph Lohr: Strategic Plumbing Insights
      • David Dexter: Plumbing Talking Points
      • James Dipping: Engineer Viewpoints
      • John Seigenthaler: Renewable Heating Design
      • Lowell Manalo: Plumbing Essentials
      • Misty Guard: Guard on Compliance
  • RADIANT & HYDRONICS
    • RADIANT COMFORT REPORT
    • THE GLITCH & THE FIX
  • INSIGHTS
    • CODES
    • GREEN PLUMBING & MECHANICAL
    • PROJECT PROFILES
    • COLUMNS
      • Codes Corner
      • Natalie Forster: Editorial Opinion
      • Guest Editorial
    • SPONSOR INSIGHTS
  • MEDIA
    • PODCASTS
    • VIDEOS
    • WEBINARS
  • RESOURCES
    • INDUSTRY CALENDAR
    • DIRECTORIES
    • EBOOKS
    • PM BOOKSTORE
    • CE CENTER
    • MARKET RESEARCH
    • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EMAGAZINE
    • EMAGAZINE
    • ARCHIVE ISSUES
    • CONTACT
    • ADVERTISE
    • PME EMAGAZINE ARCHIVES
  • SIGN UP!
ColumnsBusiness Management

Merry Beth Hall: Your prized possessions

By Merry Beth Hall
Your prized possessions
September 28, 2018

What are your prized possessions? In my home office, I have three: a mid-1980s vintage custom French horn I still play, a leather stuffed rhinoceros called Nelson, and my father’s pipefitting handbook from the U.S. Navy that dates back to the early 1950s.

Until I began working at the PHCC Educational Foundation in 2005, I didn’t know my father was a pipefitter. I knew he had done deep sea diving while in the Navy, but I was not aware of why he was diving. Based on the stories he has told me from his time serving on a sub tender, I am amazed the man is still alive and that I exist at all. Who knew pipefitters had such a good time?

In reading through the pipefitting handbook, it is clear metallic pipe was king in the 1950s. Over the years, the tools of the metal piping business haven’t changed all that much. Sure, new and improved joining methods have come into the marketplace that save time and make our processes more efficient. But in some cities, do we not still pour lead joints?

PVC piping was introduced in the U.S. in 1952, but its widespread acceptance by the plumbing industry took decades. Outside of the U.S., PVC had been installed with some regularity in plumbing systems in Germany during the 1930s.

PEX tubing has been used in Europe since the 1950s. It was introduced to the American market in the 1980s, its adoption beginning with hydronic heating applications and moving into hot and cold water distribution more slowly.

The point of this discussion is to remind us that we sometimes hold on to our past for a little too long, perhaps at the detriment of our future. Here’s how.

 

Embracing change

Our industry changes constantly. New products and fittings come into the market all the time. Yet many of us are caught up in using only the “tried and true” methods and materials that we know. As an example, if you are still soldering copper fittings, you have an excellent skill, but you could get that job done more quickly (and, arguably, just as effectively) with press fittings.

Yes, there is an additional cost for press fittings, and they require a special tool, but you can pass that cost on to your customers through your flat-rate pricing of each job. Some jobs may require soldering, and that is perfectly fine, but are there times when you can move to a method that is faster and equally as effective?

I can guarantee you have a competitor who is faster on their feet and on the forefront of adopting new technology. This competitor is less risk-averse than you. They may sometimes fail, but many times, they will find solutions for customers that you are not providing. In today’s marketplace, is that a risk you’re willing to take? If so, that is when your knowledge (which is your prized possession) is working to the detriment of your future.

I’ve heard the argument over and over that new technologies are “dumbing down” our industry. I don’t think that’s the case at all. New technologies are allowing our technicians to get their jobs done more quickly so we can take on more work. With our current workforce shortage, is that a bad thing? And these new technologies allow us to offer more possible solutions for our customers. People like to have choices — that’s a good thing.

Remember that plumbers in 1950 dealt with cast iron, steel and copper piping for the most part. They didn’t have to know about a multitude of types of plastic piping and how these pipes can be joined. It was a simpler time in so many ways. Today’s technicians work on more complicated systems — systems people like me know better than to touch.

Contractors, I beg you, let go of your prized possession so that your business can grow and prosper. Go to industry trade shows and see what’s new in the marketplace and talk with the manufacturers of these products about how they can save your technicians time, better solve your customers’ problems, and make your business more profitable.

You still need trained technicians who understand the complex plumbing and piping systems we have in place today, but we need not hold on to a 1950s view of how those systems should be put together.

KEYWORDS: business coaching contractors PHCC Educational Foundation plumbers and pipefitters

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Merry Beth Hall is vice president, education content for the PHCC Educational Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide workforce development, management education and technical training to those employed in the plumbing and HVACR industry. In her current role, Hall is responsible for the development of apprenticeship curriculum and online training programs. In addition, she manages the foundation’s national plumbing and HVAC apprentice contests and serves as co-chair of the SkillsUSA national plumbing contest technical committee.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Worker using the Milwaukee Tool SWITCH PACK drain cleaner

    Pipeline profits: Drain cleaning, pipe inspection create opportunities

    Drain cleaning and inspection services offer lucrative...
    Green Plumbing and Mechanical
    By: Nicole Krawcke
  • Uponor employee, Arturo Moreno

    The reinvestment in American manufacturing and training

    Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke and...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke and Natalie Forster
  • March 2024 Women in Plumbing hero image of woman engineer overlayed by circle of hexagon shapes with numbers from 1 to 10

    Celebrating 10 Influential Women in the Plumbing Industry

    Celebrating Women's History Month and Women in...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke
Subscribe For Free!
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Plumbing & Mechanical audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Plumbing & Mechanical or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • J.J. Keller CMV vehicles on road
    Sponsored byJ. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

    The dash cam game-changer for small business safety

Popular Stories

Underfloor heating installation with drain sewer hole in bathroom close up on water floor heating.

Using hydronics to leverage time-of-use electrical rates

Watts Nexa mobile image

Behind the Wall: Where smart plumbing gets smarter

Six tankless water heaters that feed the nutraceutical manufacturer’s operations.

How to deliver large volumes of hot water quickly and intermittently

PMCE Home-X April 29 Free Webinar: From Legacy to Leadership: Preparing Your Home Services Business for the Next Generation

Events

November 13, 2024

Future Proofing MEP: Navigating the 2026 High Efficiency Water Heating Standards

Join our deep dive into DOE’s new standards so you can future-proof your MEP practice.

EARN: 0.1 ASPE CEU; 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 IACET CEU*; 1 PDH

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Will business be up or down in 2025?

Do you anticipate business in 2025 to be up or down in comparison to 2024?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

The Water Came To A Stop

The Water Came To A Stop

See More Products

Download the FREE Water Conservation, Quality & Safety eBook: Plumbing Trends Increasing Safe Water Availability

Related Articles

  • Merry Beth

    Merry Beth Hall: Finding our future workforce

    See More
  • Mary Beth Hall: Respecting and protecting tradeswomen

    Merry Beth Hall: Respecting and protecting tradeswomen

    See More
  • PHCC-Mary-Beth-Hall.gif

    Obituary: PHCC mourns Merry Beth Hall

    See More

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • May 15, 2025

    From Legacy to Leadership: Preparing Your Home Services Business for the Next Generation

    On Demand Whether you're passing the torch to a family member or grooming current employees for leadership, preparing the next generation of leaders is key.
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Keep your content unclogged with our newsletters!

Stay in the know on the latest plumbing & piping industry trends.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
    • Supply House Times
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing