2025 September

The September 2025 issue of Plumbing & Mechanical features our cover story on the NextGen ALL-STARS Top 20 under 40 plumbing professionals. Also inside: how are codes, incentives, and carbon awareness shaping today’s building systems? Read our featured columns, new products and much more!

Male Plumber Fixing Leak In Domestic Bathroom Sink With Female Trainee Holding Digital Tablet.

Guest Editorial | Dona Thompson

For an effective apprenticeship program, it’s critical to invest in tech

Three tips for successful implementation of a tech-friendly apprenticeship program.

Dona Thompson

September 29, 2025

Most crucial of all is developing a strong team of mentors who can help nurture aspiring technicians. This is often where the true value of an apprenticeship program is revealed. Most contractors have at least one veteran tradesperson about whom they would say, "I wish I had 10 of them!"

Plumbing student receiving on-site instructions.

Guest Editorial | Phil Hotarek

How a ride-along program can revolutionize plumbing recruitment

Catch red flags and combat job hopping by implementing a ride-along program.

Phil Hotarek

September 26, 2025

Not every ride-along ends in a hire, and that’s by design. Last year, a candidate with over 20 years of experience applied. On the phone, he nailed every question with the right answer and knew what to say to capture my attention. His resume looked solid, so I invited him for a ride-along. But when he joined our team, the cracks appeared.

Prevention over panic: Educating tenants and customers to avoid costly mishaps

Why preventive plumbing isn’t just a service; it’s the difference between a minor repair and a full-blown disaster.

Kristen R. Bayles

September 24, 2025

A proactive replacement of the garbage disposal months earlier would have eliminated the risk entirely. A routine inspection could have flagged the weak points before they failed. Educating tenants about proper system use — no paint down the drain, ever — might have stopped the problem at its source.

A street in Millinocket, a town in Penobscot County, Maine

Hydronics Workshop | John Siegenthaler

Methods from Millinocket: One town in Maine is leading the way in hydronics technology and transactive energy management

John Siegenthaler, P.E.

September 18, 2025

Millinocket is near utility-scale wind turbine farms where strong winter winds can lead to over-generation of electricity, surpassing local grid demand. While it might seem intuitive to shut down some generation equipment during such times, the process is not as simple as flipping a switch.

Things are changing: What contractors need to know about the A2L transition

Dave Yates

September 17, 2025

In a here-we-go-again move, we must now transition from HFC to A2L mildly flammable refrigerants. The good news is the operating pressures are virtually the same and this time, the refrigerant oil is the same.

Close-up of a manifold with flow meters regulating water pressure in an underfloor heating system, ensuring efficient temperature control.

Renewable Heating Design | John Siegenthaler

Balancing high- and low- mass heat emitters to prevent temperature "droop"

John Siegenthaler, P.E.

September 9, 2025

Some hydronic heating systems use slab-on-grade floor heating combined with an air handler or fan-coils in other areas of a building. This approach is also used for heated basement floors combined with a “hydro-air” delivery system for the main living areas.

Plumbing & Mechanical Next Gen ALL STARS

2025 Next Gen All Stars: Top 20 Under 40 Plumbing Professionals

Plumbing & Mechanical’s fourth annual list of young talent in the plumbing industry.

Kristen R. Bayles

September 15, 2025

This year’s group of NextGen All-Stars is full of young talent in the trades who are making a difference in the world every day. These innovators and leaders are forging the path for the next generation. Congratulations to this group of industry leaders in our Top 20 Under 40 list of plumbing professionals!

The Glitch & The Fix: September 2025

Right & wrong: Examining common design pitfalls, and how to optimize piping strategies

John Siegenthaler, P.E.

October 1, 2025

These are common design pitfalls that may seem effective as they are. Review them and identify changes that could enhance the layout.

Female technician repairing heating system pipes in the boiler room.

Breaking barriers: UA Local 9’s Committee leads the way in recruitment, mentorship and support

From schools to job sites, the union’s women-led initiative is challenging outdated stereotypes and proving that women belong in the trades.

Natalie Forster

September 24, 2025

Women make up only 2-3% of the plumbing workforce and 8% of plumbing apprentices. In construction trades, they hold 3.9% of roles like plumber or pipefitter, a 32% increase since 2016, totaling over 314,000 tradeswomen, according to the Institute of Women’s Policy Research.

Hologram of drawing of a house project over blueprints

Engineering for a connected future

Why today’s engineers must think beyond isolated systems to design adaptable, future-proof buildings.

Kristen R. Bayles

September 19, 2025

Designing and managing buildings today means thinking beyond individual systems: it’s about creating integrated environments that are equally efficient, adaptable, and sustainable. Connected buildings are reshaping system integration, but what does that mean for engineers, and how can smart design choices today future-proof buildings for tomorrow?

Close-up of a stream of water hitting the surface while running a warm bath.

Continuing Education, brought to you by PM Code Corner

Continuing education: Designing right-sized plumbing systems for housing affordability, water efficiency and public health

Creating spaces that are safe, welcoming and healthy for all occupants.

Andrew A Hunt

September 11, 2025

This article provides plumbing engineers and system designers with strategies for right-sizing residential plumbing systems based on modern water use data and highlights how traditional sizing methods, like the Hunter’s Curve, often lead to oversized systems that increase costs and wastewater.

Horizontal view of the Wisconsin State Capitol Dome reflecting into the windows of a steel and glass office building on a sunny day.

Beyond the blueprint: Navigating codes, carbon and clean energy incentives

How are codes, incentives, and carbon awareness shaping today’s building systems?

Kristen R. Bayles

September 11, 2025

Building codes are becoming stricter, carbon targets are becoming law, and there’s more funding available for compliance. For those in plumbing and mechanical trades, system design now involves meeting emissions goals, leveraging incentives, and navigating changing regulations.

Plumbing and Mechanical

Columnists

For an effective apprenticeship program, it’s critical to invest in tech

How a ride-along program can revolutionize plumbing recruitment

Prevention over panic: Educating tenants and customers to avoid costly mishaps

Methods from Millinocket: One town in Maine is leading the way in hydronics technology and transactive energy management

Things are changing: What contractors need to know about the A2L transition

Balancing high- and low- mass heat emitters to prevent temperature "droop"

Cover Story

2025 Next Gen All Stars: Top 20 Under 40 Plumbing Professionals

Departments

Right & wrong: Examining common design pitfalls, and how to optimize piping strategies

Feature Articles

Breaking barriers: UA Local 9’s Committee leads the way in recruitment, mentorship and support

Engineering for a connected future

Continuing education: Designing right-sized plumbing systems for housing affordability, water efficiency and public health

Beyond the blueprint: Navigating codes, carbon and clean energy incentives

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