IAPMO has collaborated with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to produce an installation standard for solar photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage systems (ESS) in residential applications. 

Far too many plumbing contractors’ business strategy is to simply wing it.

As Texas settled into a deadly-serious Polar Vortex, you could predict the pattern emerging based on your own past experiences with bitter-cold sustained weather conditions: No-heat calls inundating your emergency calls; heating systems not able to keep up with demand; heating systems stressed to the breaking-point; followed by frozen water lines, water services and water mains; and then biblical flooding and damage once thawing temperatures arrived. 

We’re all leaders. We have people that work with us, clients to service, family and friends to pay attention to and our own fulfillment to work toward. It sounds like a lot, and it is. 

We’ve come a long way since the days of gravity-hot-water heating. The physics haven’t changed a bit, but the systems sure have. 

Although the market for gas-fired boilers continues to track toward those that can modulate and operate with sustained flue gas condensation, conventional boilers (e.g., those not designed to operate with sustained flue gas condensation) still represent a significant portion of the market. 

When we see a testimonial, we know someone else has already tested the waters for us. Especially in today’s crowded marketplace, you need something that sets your contracting company apart.

I am lucky enough to talk to contractors, both large and small, all across the U.S. Inevitably, when I ask them about their greatest challenge or greatest future challenge, the answer is always the same: The skilled trades labor shortage. 

I frequently speak at college campuses and trade apprenticeships. Whether it be to future engineers or contractors, my technical talks typically end up covering non-technical content, specifically career development.