Plumbing & Mechanical Contractor

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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.

“I don’t think people care that I’m young, or female. They care about what I know.”
Those words, spoken by Baylie Frost, a virtual design and construction (VDC) lead at Harvey’s Plumbing & Heating in Bozeman, Montana, must be music to the ears of an industry that is seeking to attract more talented young people to its ranks.

After the past two years, the entire world — plumbing industry included — is waiting for things to return to normal. This past year gave us some normalcy with a return of in-person meetings and events; however, with this latest spike in COVID-19 cases and the continuing supply chain issues and rising material costs, normal may be a bit further away than we hope.

In October, Hiller launched the newest of its 14 locations in Chattanooga. With this expansion, Hiller’s coverage area includes the entire state of Tennessee and operations in its fourth state, Georgia.

Southern Trust Home Services began life on a farm. An electrician by trade, Ted Puzio founded his contracting business in 1995 while raising his two teenage sons. Then named TP Electric, Puzio and his sons renovated and flipped farmhouses before building a two-story facility to both live in and use as a workshop.

Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke had a chance to chat with Chris Carrier, director of marketing for RWC, and David McCulloch, executive director of Trade Talks USA, about their partnership and campaign to attract new blood to the plumbing industry.

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).

How can engineers and contractors design wet fire sprinkler systems equipped to prevent corrosion and dry systems equipped to prevent freezing? That has long been a question central to code requirements and new product development.

Water heater manufacturer Rinnai America Corp. has been working for the last three years with a state department of corrections to upgrade the water heating systems in five prison facilities.