Plumbing and Mechanical

Does anybody else feel like 2022 just flew right by, or is it just me? It seems too early for Christmas decorations and music — just a few short weeks ago, Michigan was still having 70-degree weather! But ‘tis the season!

This past year has been an unprecedented year for the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) space, hitting $5 trillion in volume in 2021 through over 40,000 transactions. The number of transactions in the distribution and manufacturing space has caused owners to take a closer look at their options regarding selling and/or acquisition options.

The National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) reported in what’s referred to as the "nation’s report card" in September 2022 that recent long-term reading and mathematics assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic showed that “average scores for age 9 students in 2022 declined five points in reading and seven points in mathematics compared to 2020.

A2L refrigerants are the latest refrigerants recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) as substitutes in residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump systems.

Ninety percent of seniors would rather remain in their own homes than move to assisted living, according to AginginPlace.org. Given the costs of assisted living, aging-in-place makes financial sense as well. Yet, many homes are not ready, which presents an opportunity for plumbing contractors.

Taco Comfort Solutions wins the AHR 2023 Innovation award for Sustainable Solutions with its System M. I fully expect to see a virtual explosion in the number of air-to-water heat pumps on display at the upcoming AHR Expo in February.

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.

I have heating (plumbing, fire suppression, etc.) shops in New York and New Jersey. This is very much steam country, and we repair and replace steam boilers and systems all week long and have been for decades. All that is fine, but what I find incredibly odd is the polarized perception of the automatic water feeder.

Water-to-water heat pumps, supplied from geothermal earth loops, represent a growing sector of the hydronic heat source market. Most current-generation models can produce water temperatures up to about 125° F, perhaps a little higher if you’re willing to push the compressor operating envelope.

The home services industry began 2022 with strong growth due to the home renovation trends from the previous year; however, factors such as rising material costs, labor shortages and inflation resulted in a slight decline in new work being scheduled in Q2 and Q3, according to Jobber’s Q3 Home Service Economic Report.

Can you spot at least 5 causes for concern among these three photos? If so, what would you do to correct them?

This year, the Foundation was able to provide contest materials to the Charlotte Region Habitat for Humanity organization.

The Call Handler Award program recognizes outstanding call handlers in the CallSource Nexstar Cubeside Coaching program.  

 The competition showcased national champions from 20 WorldSkills member countries.

Training has always provided an effective way to stay on top of the latest industry products and trends, but with the wave of younger plumbing and HVAC technicians entering the field, it has become even more critical to success.

It is in the interest of regulators, engineers, contractors, architects and system owners to find the most efficient paths to pump system solutions. The rising tide of standards plays a significant role in elevating the performance, reliability and quality of pump systems — minimizing the trial and error it often takes to arrive at the solutions best suited for the application. However, some standards stand out for the magnitude of their impact.

It’s quite an understatement to say that managers of Ironshield Brewing near Atlanta, take customer satisfaction seriously. Or, that brewing is a passion there.

Whether driven by rigorous state and local regulatory mandates, or simply the desire to live more sustainably, the demand for a smaller carbon footprint and greater energy efficiency is growing in both the residential and commercial building and renovation markets.

The Zurn Wilkins Connected Backflow Preventer with Wireless Monitor is the first product offering from the line of Zurn Connected Products.

REHAU announced the addition of R-20 manifold connectors to its EVERLOC+ compression-sleeve fitting line.

The Oatey 4” PVC Backwater Valve is a sewage check valve designed to prevent pumped water from flowing back into the basin.

ADA-compliant, the Dart Canyon dual-depth sink offers a 9″ deep bowl – providing a more dynamic experience than standard ADA sinks, Elkay says.

Caleffi announced the expansion of the 128 Series union Y-strainers that are ideally suited for use in hot water recirculation or hydronic systems.

SCI Copper Press fittings for plumbing and mechanical systems feature more than 300 individual SKUs, covering both residential and commercial applications, and comes fully supported by free access BIM and Revit content from ASC-ES.

Sloan’s new line of Gravity toilets features a sleek one-piece look with the benefits of a two-piece toilet that makes maneuvering parts easier for installation while delivering improvements that increase efficiency, aesthetics and hygiene, the company says.

The Sanicubic 2VX lift station provides above-floor drainage for multiple plumbing fixtures for an entire residential or commercial structure, thus eliminating the need for costlier and less convenient pit installations.

Niagara’s Phantom one-piece toilet includes patented Stealth Technology, the company says.

Oatey's Set-Rite Toilet Flange Extension Kit is a UPC-listed, water-tight solution for raising the toilet flange during a remodel.

KOHLER’s Innate offers integrated bidet functionality, including front and rear wash, water pressure and temperature control, electrolyzed water rinsing and UV cleaning of the stainless-steel bidet wand.

The GROHE Essence Right Height Elongated Toilet features a powerful siphoning flushing system, DreamClean, that ensures the bowl is thoroughly cleared and cleaned with every flush, the company says.

With a tall, narrow tank, the Viper toilet is designed to optimize flush speed for optimal waste removal.

The DXV AT200 LS SpaLet bidet toilet provides a variety of automated, easily adjustable functions to cultivate a relaxing spa experience, including a room refresh deodorizer and an air-shield deodorizer.

The non-electric Personal Wash Bidet is ideal for active adults who plan to age in place; users with mobility issues; and caregivers who assist individuals with bathing, grooming and other personal care activities.

The American Standard VorMax toilets are the perfect solution to maintaining a cleaner toilet bowl by simply flushing the toilet, the company says.