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This one goes back a bunch of years. The contractor was a good steam man, but he had run out of ideas with this job. It was a typical, five-story, New York City tenement building. Its one-pipe steam system had served generations of tenants for more than 100 years.

I recently provided guidance on a unique residential retrofit project. The house, a modest 2,500 square-foot, two-story, was located in a semi-rural area near Albany, New York.

The skilled trades are certainly no stranger to the difficulties amidst a labor shortage. The most experienced trade pros are nearing retirement, and when you combine that with the lack of high school graduates entering the trades, the skills gap continues to grow.

Installing a reverse osmosis (RO) system for a homeowner is not a once and done event. Just like any other kind of water treatment technology, RO systems require regular maintenance.

IAPMO recently completed the Technical Committee meetings for the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) and the 2024 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) development process. The hearings for the UPC were held virtually May 3-7, and May 17-21 for the UMC.

The skillset that spells success as a business owner is fundamentally different than the skillset for success working in the field as a plumber. Here are four things business owners must know to turn a profit that were not necessary to turn a wrench.

PT Barnum had a real problem with patrons who lingered in his museum a bit too long, which limited the crowds and cut into profits. He needed a way to get people to leave and replaced the exit signs with “This Way to Egress.”

So, I’m visiting a wholesaler in an old town on Long Island where my Uncle Tony worked when he was still on this side of the lawn. You would have liked him.

Who here doesn’t want to grow? Who doesn’t want to improve and make more of a difference with your business? It’s a silly question, right? Everyone wants to get better and scale their business, but not everyone does.

I've had lots of opportunities to review plans for pending hydronic heating systems. I've also been on "forensic" visits to sites with improperly performing systems. Of the two, I much prefer plan review over forensics.