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AHR in Chicago was exceptionally busy, and the sad truth is one never gets to visit as many manufacturers, take in enough of the education track or see everyone you [...]

Way back in 2003.I was headed to ISH (International Sanitary, Healing and Air-conditioning Technology) with the NAOHSM (National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers) group headed, at that time. by [...]

As an apprentice plumber in 1972, we used Teflon tape to seal the fine threads on chrome or brass tailpieces. It was kept under lock and key in the office [...]

The song 'Georgia on my Mind' keeps running through my head, only it's changed to 'PEX on my Mind!' Historical radiant: In 1946, a housing development sprung to live in [...]

The year 1979 was great for transitions--I struck out on my own on Sept. 1, 1979 to pursue the American Dream of owning my own business and charting my destiny. [...]

Code blue? Hardly. Customer loyalty is far from dead, but it does need lots of attention. First and foremost, we provided above-andbeyond customer service--sudden service, if you will. My approach [...]

Whenever we took our Scouts on a High Adventure Trip, we would get together to discuss the day's adventure and apply roses or thorns (pain points) to comments regarding what [...]

Working high steel was a bit nerve-wracking. Walking on two-inch wide bar joists while maintaining your balance was not for the faint of heart. Scanning the help-wanted section of our [...]

The recent heat wave brought back childhood memories of growing up without air conditioning and how amazing it was to finally have heavier-than-a-tank window units my father would wrestle into [...]

The low bid got the job and that's why your ductwork system--and I can't emphasize system--enough, is beyond being balanced. It's so bad, in fact, that we could not guarantee [...]

Color me a skeptic. One of our supply house salesmen constantly hounded me regarding citrus-based nosalt water softeners. I never did buy into the sales literature hype, so we never [...]

A very good friend once asked me via email for advice on how to repair his Moen kitchen sink faucet. I carefully laid out a step-by-step answer and he responded: [...]

Twenty-nine years ago, when we built our forever home, my central air conditioning systems consisted of two 2-ton condensers with two air-handlers in the attic and ductwork that utilized fiberglass [...]

Judge Roy Lam could easily have been mistaken for a hang-em-high judge from a Clint Eastwood western movie! His demeanor could have scared-straight even the hardest of criminals. While arguing [...]

Attending trade shows both large and small have always been an integral part of keeping our business abreast of changes within the PHVAC industry. Our employees knew that upon my [...]

The first time I ever bid and landed a commercial plumbing contractor, it was for a huge retail store on the upper floor of a local shopping mall. Every bidder [...]

Help, I've fallen and I can't get up! For older folks, that's a serious consideration, and falls can break bones and cause lifelong debilitating injuries, while ice and snow present [...]

Mite Rowe, the 'Dirty Jobs' guy, caught a bunch of flak for saying, 'safety third.' Seems folks took that to mean Rowe did not consider jobsite safety a priority when, [...]

If you're my age, you'll remember Chubby Checker singing the Limbo song. If you're wondering who and what that is, check out the link. I found myself thinking of that [...]

In last month's column, I touched on air-to-water heat pumps because they are rapidly becoming very saleable to consumers. In some areas of the U.S., electric heating, cooling and production [...]

I love design-build mechanical projects, and York Arts was one that presented many challenges. The basement level would be two large pottery classrooms with a third room isolated for the [...]

I was revisiting a boiler bid with customers for whom we've done other work in the past, and we were going over the two-year-old bid to replace their aging beast [...]

All of my employees and I were sitting in our trucks eating lunch when the OSHA inspectors arrived on the commercial job site, which was a two-story addition to a [...]

Customers with steam heating systems often ask if there is any way for them to reduce operating costs. In addition, after asking, they note there is uneven heat distribution and [...]

Customers can be a fickle lot. You do your best for them, but they move on !n sp!te of your fair pricing and Johnny-on-the-spot response times. When I first ventured [...]

first encountered formic acid erosion/corrosion when our installed air conditioning and heat pump evaporator (indoor) coils began suddenly leaking refrigerant in 2008. These were not old coils either, and some [...]

My grandparents lived in Saint Clair, Pennsylvania, which is in the heart of the anthracite coal region. Pop-Pop had a Westinghouse Appliance store and serviced everything they sold. In addition, [...]

Remember the wall-vented, gas-fired space heaters with standing pilots? It sure was fun trying to relight those pilots through the peephole on windy days--not. I had one customer who heated [...]

The article advises homeowners to do the actual heat loss calculation when planning a combined or separate boiler and indirect hot water storage tank. It identifies approaches for sizing a boiler and indirect hot water tank and options for homeowners who want a separate boiler and storage tank. It outlines the benefits of doing an actual heat loss calculation including right-sizing of the system, energy efficiency, long-term cost savings, reduced electrical consumption, and building integrity.

The article presents the discussion on conversation with John O'Reilly about pipe dope and PTFE tape, leading to an opportunity to interview someone at Oatey. Topics include historical use of Teflon tape in plumbing, its importance in preventing leaks; and the strict control of its distribution in the 1970s.

I have far too many memories of freeze damage in 'winterized' homes where the winterizing procedure consisted of shutting off the main valve, opening a basement drain in the potable [...]

When I first entered the trades in 1972, residential tank-style water heaters shipped with the aquastat set to approximately 140[degrees] F. Dishwashers had no need to incorporate a sanitizing cycle. [...]

How to get your 'foot in the door.' Let's be honest: More than a few customers have champagne tastes but exist on a beer budget. I've encountered it on multiple [...]

Forty-eight years ago, as a plumbing apprentice, we used ABS schedule 40 piping and fittings for DWV work. At that time, only cast iron pipe and fittings were permitted for [...]

In 1976, while attending an American Legion Convention at the Bellevue Stratford Hotel, 211 people became ill and 34 of them died from what was thought to be a previously [...]

This past week, I experienced my first virtual doctor's visit. First time for everything, right? Before I was permitted to meet with my doctor, I had to first pass a [...]

My dear, sweet 95-year-old mother-in-law fell and cracked several vertebrae last year. A few days later, she was having extreme pain and her doctor told us we should take her [...]

I was intrigued by a post on Facebook from Jason Barrett. The post went like this: '8 days ago we made Bourbon for a living. 5 days ago we shut [...]

Suppose I was to tell you there exists a tankless water heater you could install on the hardest of hard water that would never, ever have to be descaled and [...]

All I ever do is staple-up.' That was my friend and competitor's response after he asked me to determine why a recent radiant heating installation was not working satisfactorily because [...]

The article offers information on repairing a 30-year-old hydronic system damaged during construction. Topics include the author's experience with hydronic heating systems, challenges faced with damaged PEX tubing embedded in concrete, and the journey of incorporating 100% hydronic radiant heating in their forever home.

The article presents the discussion on AHR (International Air-Conditioning. Heating, & Refrigerant) Expo was held in Chicago's McCormick Convention Center on Jan.22-24, 2024. Topics include attendees gained access to all the latest the industry has to offer, including new products, technology, skill learning and demonstration; and nipping potential problems in advance so there will be no interruption of heating, cooling or hot water.

Let's turn back the hands of time to the 1970s, and gather round you youngsters born after 1980 because you're not going to believe what mechanical contractors faced while fighting [...]

As a mechanical contractor, I appreciate bidding jobs when an engineer has provided specifications and will be inspecting the installation for final approval. For this job at York County (Pennsylvania) [...]