Young and Ambitious The number of remote, full-time workers in the US has grown from pre-pandemic levels of 17 percent to 44 percent today. Densely populated and traditionally high-paying areas – think: New York City and Los Angeles – have experienced a population decrease while many office workers, with newfound freedom, have left for greener …Read More
US Boiler Report
Alta Product Line Expands with Larger Combi & Heat-only Boiler Models!
U.S. Boiler Company has significantly expanded its line of condensing, gas-adaptive boilers with a larger combi size and several heat-only models. Introduced last spring, the high efficiency Alta Combi boiler (136 MBH DHW / 120 heating) grew rapidly in popularity, and the trade anticipated a wider size range and heat-only options. The stainless steel Alta …Read More
Griffiths Mechanical Expedite Hydronic Installations with the Alta Boiler
Ryan and Eric Griffiths took over Griffiths Mechanical Inc. in 2019. Their father, John Griffiths, founded the commercial refrigeration company in 1981. Since then, the brothers have been on a constant growth trajectory. “We could always use more employees, but we have the best guys in the surrounding counties, hands down,” said Ryan, president of …Read More
Gas Adaptive Combustion: Advanced Technology for Condensing Boilers
By Jerry King, Technical Sales Support Specialist for Heating Solutions Sales Company (HSSC), representing U.S. Boiler Company A Brief History Gas adaptive combustion was developed in Europe. In 2001, the first condensing boiler with a gas adaptive valve was introduced. This technology was developed to address the widely different BTU content of the fuel supply …Read More
The Profitability of PR in the Trades
By Tom Soukup, Principal of Patriot Water Heater Co. and Patriot Pool Heating Company Public relations (PR) is a term you don’t often hear associated with small HVAC businesses. But think about it in its simplest form. Anything you do to interact with or improve your relations with the public is, in fact, PR. Some …Read More
AHR Show Returns, Stoking Industry Excitement
The HVAC/R industry’s largest trade show made a solid comeback after a one-year, COVID-induced hiatus. Las Vegas hosted the 2022 AHR trade show January 31-February 2. The city, which depends heavily on conventions, seemed thrilled to have heating and cooling professionals back to visit and exhibit. There was widespread, cautious optimism concerning turnout at the event, given …Read More
Comfortable, Quiet Steam Boiler Heat in NYC
New York City still runs on steam heat. From the countless Brownstones that line its streets to the high-rises and universities served by Con Edison’s steam utility, vaporized water reigns king in the Five Boroughs. Saying that David and John Cataneo Jr. cut their teeth on cast iron steam boilers wouldn’t be a stretch. They …Read More
Customer Boiler Rebates Made Easy with U.S. Boiler’s Rebates Center
Keeping track of every boiler efficiency rebate and incentive available to your customer base is a job in and of itself. It requires tedious research to find every reimbursement program available in different zip codes and specific to each boiler model you install. U.S. Boiler has just made this task effortless, helping you to sell …Read More
Boiler Servicing: Safety Considerations for the New Year
By Tom Secondino, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company Welcome to another edition of US Boiler Report Tech Tips. We’re glad you’re here to join us. After closing out 2021, 2022 seems ready to offer no shortage of challenges. In this Tech Tip article, our goal is to help you avoid or eliminate practices …Read More
Navigating Supply Chain Challenges in the HVAC Industry
By: Allie Perez If you are looking for good news about the state of the supply chain, look elsewhere. The consequences of the supply chain shortages and delays are felt daily by HVAC business owners and contractors. The cold hard truth is that the supply chain issues, not to mention inflation, are showing no signs …Read More
Building Comfort at the Outlaw Mechanical Residence
Keefer and Dorian Rader, owners of Outlaw Mechanical (with tagline “The Boiler Experts”) could reasonably change their motto to “The Home Improvement Experts.” After all, they’re licensed mechanical contractors as well as licensed general contractors. Outlaw Mechanical has served the greater Albuquerque, NM, area for 12 years. The Rader’s purchased their home four years ago, in …Read More
Hydronic Snowmelt Systems 101
By Jason Ridgeway We installed our first hydronic snowmelt system in 1995. It’s not a huge part of our business, but the projects are typically large, and we do half a dozen or so per year in the greater Chicago area. The largest we’ve installed is 55,000 square feet. Six per year doesn’t sound like …Read More
A Power Quality Primer for Service Technicians (Part 2 – Everything Else)
By Dana Lilly, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company A Power Quality Primer for Service Technicians Part 1 was a brief discussion of the most damaging and most common power quality issue, the voltage transient or spike. At the risk of oversimplification, part 2 will lump together all the other potential power quality …Read More
Recruit and Retain Tradeswomen Through Inclusivity
By: Allie Perez Inclusivity, a multi-syllabic word inundating the vernacular of today’s culture. The word implies including those who would otherwise be outcast or marginalized. Tradeswomen are no stranger to being marginalized in their non-traditional occupations. Being an inclusive employer is more than just being willing to hire women. Inclusivity is a cultural shift in …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Central Comfort Perfects Oil-to-Gas Heating Retrofits
Challenge: Northern New Jersey is ripe for cast iron boiler replacements. The challenge in New Jersey is conducting the retrofits fast enough to keep pace with demand. Central Comfort, a do-it-all mechanical firm in Dover, NJ, has perfected the process. Owner Willy Faust has been installing U.S. Boiler Company cast iron boilers for 35 years. …Read More
Introducing the NEW SteamMax Gas-Fired Steam Boiler
We are proud to announce the release of SteamMax; a new benchmark for longevity, efficiency, and flexibility in cast iron, gas-fired, steam boilers! The all-new SteamMax boiler is offered as a solution to the widely-recognized simultaneous challenges presented by poor water quality and steam boiler design necessitated by efficiency standards. The new boiler has been …Read More
Making the SteamMax – A Steam Boiler for Modern Challenges
By Ed Johann, Senior Engineering Advisor, U.S. Boiler Company – Aka Dinosaur Emeritus My email signature concludes with a tongue-in-cheek job title of “Dinosaur Emeritus,” accompanied by a graphic of a dying Tyrannosaurus Rex. It’s funny but true; I’ve been in this industry a very long time. Not quite as long as steam heating systems have …Read More
Avoid Mad Max and Make Max Boiler Steam!
By Tom Secondino, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company We hope you all are as excited as we are about the release of the new SteamMax boiler! As with all our products, we strive to assist contractors before, during and after the installation. This month’s tech tip is a brief synopsis of the information …Read More
Nature of the New Steam Beast
By Dan Vastyan Steam systems are not what they used to be, or at least so it would seem to some homeowners. The fact of the matter is that many retrofit steam boilers are not lasting as long as their predecessors under certain conditions – especially those built after 1992. Naturally, it begs the question, …Read More
Contractor Case Study: MacCo Energy Improves Heating Costs at Concord Academy
Challenge: MacCo Energy, a division of the much larger MacCormack Plumbing, in Billerica, Massachusetts, has handled HVAC service and replacement work at the nearby Concord Academy preparatory school for several years. Like other buildings on the campus, the Headmaster’s House was in need of an oil-to-gas conversion. The 12,000 square-foot, 150-year-old building was heated by …Read More
Mastering the Art of Multi-boiler Systems
For residential-only contractors, multi-family heating projects have a unique set of challenges. These jobs progress like commercial projects and need to be designed as such. Of course, they’re still residential in nature, but for the most part, it’s commercial work. J.A.M. Plumbing & Heating, Inc. has built an interesting space in the skilled workforce of …Read More
A Power Quality Primer for Service Technicians (Part 1: The Transient)
By Dana Lilly, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company As a qualified service technician, you are no doubt familiar with basic electrical circuitry and the testing of voltage, continuity, or amperage draw. Generally speaking, that’s all you’ll need to know 98% of the time. So why go into a discussion about power quality? …Read More
The Grim Outlook for Plastics, Parts and Polymers
By: Allie Perez Contractors are no strangers to adversity. The pandemic started a snowball effect that still has HVAC and plumbing professionals reeling. Just as COVID restrictions loosened, Mother Nature went into full attack mode. Winter storms and the blockage of the Suez Canal took no time to rear their ugly head. The summer ushered …Read More
Prefabrication Raises the Bar
By: Tom Soukup I’ve been in this trade for 20 years. Much has changed in that time, but two things in particular are very different from when I lit my first standing pilot. First, equipment has gone from “dumb” to “intelligent.” That includes boilers, controls, T-stats, tools and even utility vans. Second, society wants instant …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Mialek Mechanical, a Product-Specific Installer in Hoboken, NJ
Since Mia and her husband, Rich Szymanski, started Mialek Mechanical in Hoboken, NJ, they have turned down plenty of jobs simply because the homeowner wanted something that would not work. “I just don’t want the company’s name on a job that’s not going to live up to its potential,” Rich explained. New construction is rare …Read More
The Importance of Clean Combustion/Intake Air
By Jerry King, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company Just like our bodies need an adequate source of clean air to function properly, so does a boiler. Its peak performance depends on clean fresh air that is free from chemicals and pollutants. A boiler requires oxygen to burn the fuel it uses to …Read More
Hydronics = Affordable Fresh Air
By Rich Medairos, Director of Engineered Products & Systems Training, Taco Comfort Solutions The scientific community now has a preliminary grasp on how large a threat the novel COVID-19 virus poses. What’s yet unknown – among building design professionals and the skilled trades – is the impact that the virus will have on commercial building …Read More
TBros: 119 Years and Counting
Trethewey Brothers opened its door in 1902 on Washington Street in Roslindale, Massachusetts. Now, four generations later, it’s still family owned, but by two families. “I became a partner in 2010, but I’ve been with the company for 35 years,” said Mike Flanagan. “Bob Trethewey, whose uncle George retired about 11 years ago, is also a …Read More
Chilled Beams: The Ideal Commercial HVAC Response to COVID-19
Hydronic chilled beam systems offer one of the best, most efficient means of heating and cooling interior commercial spaces. Currently, with broad concerns about improving indoor air quality (IAQ) in response to COVID-19, active chilled beams are enjoying a resurgence of interest among professionals in the commercial building industry. Key advantages of hydronic chilled beams …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Husmann Plumbing Cuts School’s Operating Costs in Half
The boiler problems plaguing the Sierra Grande K-12 school in Fort Garland, CO were well known to more than a few people in the area, Matt Husmann included. He’s co-owner of Husmann Plumbing and Heating, in nearby Alamosa, CO, but one of his children also attended the school. The units were using a great deal …Read More
Introducing the NEW Alta Gas-Adaptive Combi Boiler
We are excited to announce the introduction of our NEW Alta Combi boiler, the industry’s FIRST AND ONLY gas-adaptive combi boiler with 10:1 turndown! Gas-adaptive Technology The Alta Combi high efficiency condensing boiler offers best in class, next-generation gas adaptive technology that provides the shortest installation time and lowest operating costs. The powerful gas-adaptive technology offers …Read More
Windy City Custom
Reliable. Forward thinking. Solution oriented. This is how people describe B&D Heating & Cooling. Those traits, along with a powerful work ethic, were brought to the U.S. by Vasile Totorovici and Emilian Moldovan from Romania before they founded the company. Vasile immigrated to the States in 1995 and learned the HVAC trade. Emilian, or Emi, …Read More
Choosing the Right Size Circulator for the Job
By Rick Johnson, Applications Engineer for U.S. Boiler Company Remember when installing a boiler was easy? You put the boiler in place, hooked up some pipes, put a couple of circulators in place and turn on the switch. Not so much anymore. There are several variables to be mindful of when installing a hydronic system. Today …Read More
Stating the (not so) Obvious – Label Your Drain Valves
By Mike Holmes, owner of Holmes Heating & Air Conditioning in Denver Colorado. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right? Let me share a lesson I learned the hard way. I had recently completed a radiant heating system in a new construction home. It consisted of an Aspen condensing boiler, buffer tank, ECM …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Phinncraft Provides Heat to the Wilds of Alaska
Tundra tradesman Dan Phinney serves a unique market. He owns Phinncraft, an unusual heating company. As far as he knows, he’s the only heating professional serving the wilds of southwestern Alaska. His commute typically involves a bush plane, miles of barren tundra, and a rough landing outside an Eskimo village. “From my shop in Dillingham, …Read More
Snowmelt Solves a Challenge at Sight & Sound
Live Christian entertainment made a quantum leap in 1998, with Sight & Sound Theatre’s construction of the Millennium Theatre in Lancaster, PA. The original theatre, built ten years earlier, was lost to a fire. When Sight & Sounds rebuilt, they did it to accommodate a larger crowd and grander performances. The 330,000 square-foot Millennium Theatre, …Read More
It Ain’t What You Don’t Know – Boiler Water Quality Review
By Tom Secondino, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company Two young fish were swimming along one day and happened across a much older fish swimming towards them. As they passed, the older fish smiled and said, “Hey boys, how’s the water?” The two younger fish glanced at each other and swam past. A …Read More
Fact or Fiction: Staple-Up Radiant Doesn’t Work
By Rocky DiTommasso, Northeastern Supply There is some debate that different methods of installing in-floor radiant systems provide varying levels of responsiveness, comfort and efficiency. Some purist installers think that the only way to make radiant work is to pour a slab over the tubing, whether that be a concrete slab on grade or a …Read More
DOE-2021: What to Expect and how U.S. Boiler Company has Responded
As Earth begins another trip around the sun, the Department of Energy’s new boiler efficiency minimum standards take effect. The 2021 DOE regulations apply to residential boilers less than 300 MBH in capacity and are effective for boilers manufactured on or after 1/15/2021. The 2021 DOE Regulations: Gas-fired water boilers – must …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Holmes Heating & Air Delivers Warmth for the Holidays
Mike Holmes founded Holmes Heating & Air, in Denver, CO, after nearly 20 years in the trade. He has intentionally kept the business small with tremendous attention to detail. In October of last year, Holmes took a call from a local real estate office. The agent was selling a spectacular property just outside the city …Read More
Boiler by Rail
The mid-1960s were the beginning of the end for many of the passenger railroads that spider webbed across the Mid-Atlantic. By that time, the personal automobile had been eroding the railroad business for decades, along with growing truck fleets that carried cargo more safely and efficiently than ever before. In 1965, a number of train …Read More
The Ins and Outs of Antifreeze in Hydronic Applications
By: Richard Zalepa Using antifreeze in hydronic systems is a necessary evil, when the application calls for it. Our company, Patriot Pool Heating Co., uses antifreeze more often than most heating contractors, and we’ve learned a thing or two along the way. Contrary to what the company name suggests, we’re actually a full-service HVAC contracting …Read More
Introducing the Series X-PV Gas Boiler
The Series X-PV gas-fired water boiler combines the best attributes of U.S. Boiler Company’s ESC and PVG boiler product lines. This new power or direct vent cast iron boiler is the perfect solution for installations with absent or unusable chimneys. At 85% AFUE, the Series X-PV meets the 2021 DOE boiler efficiency minimum standards. The …Read More
The Skilled Trades are Essentially Essential
By: Allie Perez The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought new words into the average American vernacular. One such word, thrown around at every press conference or piece of proposed legislation; “essential.” On March 16, 2020, President Trump outlined specifically which industries fall under “essential.” Classified under the jurisdiction of the Cybersecurity and infrastructure Security Agency …Read More
How Social Media is Changing the Trade With Eric Aune
Eric Aune and John Mesenbrink co-founded Mechanical-Hub.com in 2011. Their concept was to create an online-only news resource for tradesmen and women in the HVAC, plumbing and refrigeration industries. They wanted the flexibility to publish instantly and often, instead of being limited to a monthly or bi-weekly publication. From the beginning, their goal for website …Read More
Uber for HVAC Parts
Grubhub, DoorDash, Uber and Lyft all have something in common, despite the fact that the first two companies move food and the latter two move people. These new(ish) services provide custom local transportation, and they do it fast. Sure, taxi cabs and pizza delivery services have accomplished the same tasks for decades. The tides are …Read More
Moving to the Mountains
As you read this, thousands of American families are considering a move to less densely populated areas. Towns and cities within the Rocky Mountain States – Idaho, Montana and Wyoming specifically – are seeing unprecedented population growth. The idea of living in rural and suburban areas is gaining a lot of interest among residents of …Read More
Primary/Secondary Piping of Cast Iron Boilers: Should We Do It?
By Rick Johnson, Applications Engineer for U.S. Boiler Company As the condensing boiler market continues to grow, contractors are becoming more familiar with the requirement of primary/secondary piping. They are also starting to understand why and how p/s piping works. There is one reason… protecting the boiler! Condensing boilers have very low water content, which makes …Read More
Contractor Case Study: Modern Heating and Air Completes an Oil-To-Gas Conversion
Challenge: For Modern Heating and Air, in Milford, CT, the overarching theme is to strive for 110 percent customer satisfaction. This particular customer’s home was built in the 1920s. It’s about 2,200 square feet in size with low ceilings and tight doorways. The home’s oil-fired hydronic system was in need of a new boiler and …Read More
LP Conversion Fixes Comfort and Efficiency
Quarryville, PA, is home to a true hydronic savant. Tom Soukup, owner of Patriot Water Heater, Co., used to do general plumbing and a variety of HVAC work. However, over the past few years, he has transitioned to a sole focus on hydronic work. “Hydronic heating – and cooling for that matter – is a …Read More
Filling the Skilled Labor Gap with the Unemployed
By: Allie Perez Indisputably, the United States finds itself in the midst of a skilled labor shortage. Baby boomers continue to retire and leave skilled labor jobs unfilled. High school students flock to colleges leaving skilled labor jobs unfilled. Unable to fill existing jobs limits a company’s ability to attract new business with not enough …Read More
Oil’s well that ends well! Oil system servicing and diagnostics.
By Tom Secondino, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company We will open this month’s article by saying “ALWAYS CHECK FOR LEAKS ON ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE!!” Having said that, while oil burner technology has certainly advanced since the introduction of the power oil burner, some of the basic premises which are critical to clean …Read More
The Very Real Dangers of Heat Stroke
July of last year brought near-record high temperatures for half of the nation. That month, two HVAC technicians in the U.S. died from heat stroke. Both bodies were found in attics, after the men had succumbed to the dangers that exposure to high heat and exertion can present. U.S. Boiler Company spoke with a technician …Read More
What is Outdoor Reset Control?
So, your heating contractor suggests adding an “outdoor reset control” to your boiler and hydronic heating system. Would this be a good investment? Outdoor reset controls are relatively simple devices that provide ample energy savings and a higher level of indoor comfort during the heating season. In fact, boilers equipped with outdoor reset can save …Read More
High Efficiency Solutions Utilizes K2 Combi Boiler
The circa-1900 brick mansionettes that line the streets of Landisville, PA, are a remnant of the area’s early prosperity. At the turn of the century, Landisville was an industrial center surrounded by rich farmland. Grain mills, coal mills, cigar factories, tobacco warehouses and machine shops thrived along a railroad network that connected them to the …Read More
Strainers for Hydronic Applications
By Rick Johnson, Applications Engineer for U.S. Boiler Company I’ve never used a strainer before… why do I need one now? It’s a good question and one that most technicians have asked themselves at one time or another. Just because you haven’t used one in the past does not mean you did not need one. Have …Read More
Your COVID-19 Response Counts: Tips for Employee and Customer Safety
The COVID-19 virus is still spreading across the US as you read this, and the extent of its damage won’t be known for a long time. Suffice to say, this is not business as usual. Individuals, businesses and government agencies are all pondering the same question. How do we weigh the risk of exposure against …Read More
Corona Consequences: The Virus’ Effect on the Skilled Trades
By: Allie Perez The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected every business and industry in the world. Whether business is considered “essential” or “non-essential,” all businesses have had to cope with changes to employment, safety and financial stability. Within the construction industry, divides between critical business for infrastructure versus new industrial construction sites have fueled …Read More
Tips for a Successful High Efficiency, Condensing Boiler Installation
By Ron Beck, Outside Technical Advisor and Manager of Training for U.S. Boiler Company A successful high efficiency, condensing boiler installation starts with proper planning and proper boiler sizing. Yes, this means you must complete a thorough heat loss calculation. I often ask in training seminars, “Is it more important to properly size a cast …Read More
A Man for All Seasons
By Tom Secondino, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company Good morning, this is Tom. How can I help you? “Yeah, I got one of your Burnham boilers here we would like some help with.” Sure, what model are you working on? “It’s an old P205.” Thanks. And the serial number? “653729xx” What’s going …Read More
Domestic Hot Water Recirculation
By Anthony Tosco, owner of Avanti Plumbing and Heating, Inc Step aside gold. Move along, crude oil. The most valuable resource on earth is… water. Or at least that’s what a growing number of scientists and environmentalists believe, and likely with some level of truth. Some go as far as to say that many of …Read More
Local For-Profit Companies Improve Life at Nonprofit Women’s Shelter
At Clare House, a non-profit transitional home dedicated to serving homeless women and their families in Lancaster, PA, it’s a typical day. Mothers are getting ready for work while simultaneously preparing kids for school or daycare. The phone rings frequently while the families are out for the day. Maryanne O’Neill, Clare House Executive Director, answers questions …Read More
Trending Now: In-Law Quarters
The Boomer generation is retiring rapidly, outpaced only by the increasing cost of healthcare and retirement communities. Add to that, life expectancy is longer now than ever before. Amidst what many would call the current housing bubble, it leaves a lot of families considering the option of living with adult family members. Multi-generational living has …Read More
Educate Homeowners Prior to Installation
By Tom Secondino, Technical Sales Support Specialist for U.S. Boiler Company Homeowner – “I wish I never bought this boiler!” Contractor – “I wish I never took this job!” How could a perfectly engineered job conclude with this conversation? Sadly, this conversation takes place much more often than it should. The worst part is that a …Read More
High Country Hydronics
Hydronic Country. What comes to mind? New England? New York? Maybe even the northern Mid-West, but likely not the New Mexico-Colorado border. You might be more surprised to learn that southern Colorado is full of steam systems. Steam showed up here in force just a few scant decades after the Colorado Territory became the Centennial …Read More
The History of Apprenticeship and What We Risk Losing
By Allie Perez Apprentices may not affect daily life directly, but they are a pivotal component of the skilled trades industry and its future. Famous painter Leonardo Davinci reflected, “Poor is the pupil who does not surpass their master.” As an artist, Davinci lived as an apprentice before success and fame. Once he owned his …Read More
Maximizing the Labor Hour in 2020
The workforce shortage is and has been a hot topic for all skilled labor industries, and that’s not likely to change much in 2020. The bulk of the Boomer generation will retire over the next decade, taking a huge chunk of the existing skilled workforce with it. Hopefully the trades gain more interest among high school …Read More
Hiring Green: Part 2
Last month, the US Boiler Report covered Dustin Ebersole’s concept of hiring green employees and training them to become the technicians he needs to grow his company. Ebersole owns High Efficiency Solutions, a small mechanical company, and he believes that green hires, as opposed to hiring trained and experienced techs, might be the key to building …Read More
Controlling Multiple High Efficiency Boilers with Energy Management Systems
By Ron Beck, Outside Technical Advisor and Manager of Training for U.S. Boiler Company As many of you are aware, we can operate up to 8 high efficiency boilers in a lead/lag system with just a boiler enable to the master boiler and a handful of Cat-5 cables. There is much more to this story. …Read More
Oil to Gas in the Hamptons
In the Hamptons, where some of Long Island’s highest real estate prices are found, custom homes of all sizes line the South Shore. The well-appointed residences are typically built for extravagant entertaining and large groups of visitors. Numerous bathrooms, lavish soaking tubs and multi-head showers are the rule, not the exception. “Nine times out of ten, …Read More
Building a Life in the Trades
Regardless of the career path, the surest track to success is dedicating oneself to the craft. Anthony Ortiz is a 39-year-old project manager for Gateway Plumbing and Heating, in New York City. He recently passed his Master Plumber’s License exam, and loves just about every element of his work. But his future wasn’t always so …Read More
Tips for Making Your Business and Life Simpler
“It’s wonderful out here! You’ll love the weather.” I encouraged my brother and his family to move to the Ozarks. Three months after they settled in, their house was leveled in a tornado. He and his wife and two kids were huddled in the basement as the storm lifted their house, stick by brick by …Read More
When the Cobbler Gets His Shoes
People like to dream about what they’d do if given the opportunity to build their forever home. Maybe it’s a massive, luxurious abode designed for entertaining, or an architectural masterpiece with copious use of glass, open spaces with clean lines. Others might opt for smaller floorplan, green elements and a tiny carbon footprint. For Michael …Read More
Hiring Green (Part 1)
A strong economy over the past year has been a blessing for most businesses, though for many HVAC contractors there have been times that it has felt like a curse. New construction and renovations are up. Homeowner confidence is high, creating a surplus of replacement work, too. But the manpower challenge still exists: too much work …Read More
Race Across America
There are only so many hours in a day. What we fill them with is up to us. Usually, work consumes the largest portion of our time, especially when working in the trades as of late. Then there are kids and spouses who require, and deserve, a good deal of our attention. After that, typically, …Read More
E-Marketing Word of Mouth
Testimonials are the cornerstone of a successful marketing plan. We buy from people and companies we like and trust. And we go to people we like and trust for recommendations. If you are going out to dinner in a new town, you will ask a friend who lives there, “Where should we eat? Do you …Read More
The NEW Series 2!
Legendary Reliability and Value, Improved for Even Higher Performance Yup, you read that right… We’ve taken one of the industry’s most reliable, workhorse boilers and made it better. Why fix it if it’s not broken? We’ve upgraded the legendary Series 2 in preparation for the new 2021 Department of Energy (DOE) regulations. Instead of waiting …Read More
WOAH! Is that hot water boiler sized properly?
By Ron Beck, Outside Technical Advisor and Manager of Training for U.S. Boiler Company The phone rings and the voice on the other end of the line says, “This is Mr. Homeowner, and I’d like an estimate on a new boiler… when would you be available to give me a quote?” You show up for …Read More
Single-Family New Construction Increases
Lititz, Pennsylvania, has not seen a strong single-family, new construction market for almost a decade. However, due to recent growth, the economy in the southeastern part of the Keystone State is on the rebound. With interest rates still low, small business slowly blossoming, and nearby Lancaster City in the midst of a revitalization effort, framing …Read More
Looking to expand your marketing? Go digital.
By Billy Marshall, CEO, ServiceTrade Why do service contractors wrap their trucks and vans with logos, brand promises, and contact information? Simple. As they deliver service in their coverage area they want both their customers and prospective customers to see their brand in the neighborhood. Ideally, the logo and the brand promise are memorable, and …Read More
Mobile Live Fire Boiler Training
Among the services a manufacturer’s representative can provide to an HVAC contractor, few are as valuable as training. If the training is mobile, even better. After all, it’s easier for one rep to travel to the contractor’s place of business than to have a whole crew of technicians drive to the rep’s office, on the …Read More
The Clean Up
I am not a neat nick. I am not particularly tidy or organized. But, I have disciplined myself to be orderly and systematic because I don’t like the consequences of being a slob. I don’t like people to think that I am disorganized and out of control. I want customers, employees, vendors and subcontractors to …Read More
Steam Boiler Skimming
By Ron Beck, Outside Technical Advisor and Manager of Training for U.S. Boiler Company Skimming a steam boiler is the process of removing any oil from the water volume. If not completed properly, the presence of oil can cause the boiler to surge, as the water’s ability to flash to steam is affected. While U.S. …Read More
Long on Long Island Service
Above feature image provided by HomeServe USA. It was 1995 when Richard Kopec came to the United States. He was 18 years old and he started working immediately after arriving on U.S. soil. He walked onto a jobsite in New York City and did his best to communicate to the foreman that he wanted work. …Read More
A Steam Solution of Historic Proportions
The building at 20 West 44th Street in Manhattan ranks high on the list of historically significant places in New York City. It’s home to The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen, which began in 1785. As the name implies, it was founded by a group of mechanics, tradesmen, free thinkers and entrepreneurs who vowed …Read More
Burnham Holdings Center for HVAC Technology At Thaddeus Stevens Expands College Program
Born with physical disabilities on a Vermont farm in 1792, Thaddeus Stevens grew up in a poverty-stricken, broken home. His father died in the war of 1812 when Stevens was 12 years old, leaving his mother to run the farm and raise a family. She knew that the only promising future for her two eldest sons …Read More
The “Fall on Your Sword” Speech
Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, was asked at the end of his remarkable career, “What would you have done differently?” He responded, “I should have moved faster. There were times I had already made the decision and then took too long to act.” This is interesting coming from a guy who is known …Read More
As Good As It Gets | Conigliari Plumbing & Heating, Flanders, NJ
David Conigliari has been in the plumbing and heating trade since 1985. He’s watched northwestern New Jersey grow, and with it, the demand for premium comfort. “Efficiency has always been a major determining factor when it comes to product selection and system design, but more and more, comfort is becoming as big a consideration,” said Conigliari. “There …Read More
Hydronics 101 for Homeowners
By Ron Beck, Outside Technical Advisor and Manager of Training for U.S. Boiler Company In our quickly changing industry, it can be a continuous struggle to keep up with advancing technology, trends and codes. And if you – who spends every day doing it – feel a bit overwhelmed at times, how do you think …Read More
Women in Energy Coming to EEE: Growth, Education, Networking
One of the fastest growing organizations within this male-dominated industry is comprised largely of women. Women in Energy was founded in 2017 to give women in our industry an arena to connect, learn, grow, and succeed. In 2016, when Marjorie Feinman, Associate Director of Fuel Merchants Association of NJ, and Judy Garber, Executive Director of …Read More
Women Trailblazers of the Mechanical Contracting Industry
By Candace Roulo On a January Sunday morning, I came across the article “Last Michigan WWII Fly Girl Dies at Age 97” in the Detroit Free Press. Her name was Jane Doyle and she was one of the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during WWII. The article was an interesting read as I wondered why …Read More
Heavyweight Bout – Sales vs. Install!
Does your business involve one person selling the job and others installing the job? Fair enough. It is a functional, typical approach that can result in the right people doing the right things for your customers. It also results in a natural dynamic between the install team and the sales team. That dynamic can be …Read More
New Condensing Boilers for Colorado Church
When Temple Baptist Church, located in Pueblo, CO, needed to replace their oversized, antiquated boilers, they called Moose Plumbing & Heating. Jason Mulso – whose friends call him “Moose” – started the company in 2005. He and his two employees serve southern Colorado. Residential work is the focus, but they do enough commercial work to …Read More
Is My Boiler Too Small?
By Ron Beck, Outside Technical Advisor and Manager of Training for U.S. Boiler Company If a client’s home is not as warm as they want it to be on extremely cold nights, they may question: “Is my boiler too small?” Do not automatically blame the boiler size. Another issue or a mix of several …Read More
The Warmest Yard
Super Bowl LIII is almost upon us! Before too much longer, we’ll watch the New England Patriots battle the Los Angeles Rams. As you slip into your recliner to watch the last game, you might complete a mental rundown of your Fantasy roster and what you wished you had done differently. Perhaps the thought of …Read More
Ask Ellen – Questions from HVAC Business Owners
Let’s open the Mail Bag! I get lots of emails from folks trying to clean up an accounting mess, solve a business challenge, or just make more money. Sound familiar? Read on! Dear Ellen, I’m new to business. Is it a good idea to offer a lower price than the ‘going rate’ when …Read More
Ahead to the Future of 3D Printing
By Candace Roulo When reviewing the history of plumbing, it’s impressive to see how pipes and plumbing systems have evolved throughout the times. But what would the Romans – known for using lead pipes to improve sanitary conditions and developing aqueducts, underground sewer systems, public and private baths and lead and bronze water piping systems – …Read More
That Dreaded Combustion Test
By Ron Beck, Outside Technical Advisor and Manager of Training for U.S. Boiler Company It is late in the day, you’re tired, hungry, dirty and looking forward to going home and spending time with the family over a cold beer. Before heading home, you take a few minutes and marvel at the heating masterpiece you …Read More
Gateway Plumbing & Heating Perfects Steam
It was 1976 on Staten Island, NY. John Cataneo Jr. was seven years old and his brother David was 11, and they were in the basement of their home learning to thread pipe. Their father had recently left the plumber’s union to found his own plumbing company, Gateway Plumbing & Heating. John Cataneo Sr. named …Read More
The Alliance Indirect Water Heater Goes Lightweight
Mass and strength are often closely associated. And why not? Guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Andre the Giant and Reggie White had both, in spades! Yes, it’s a relatively safe bet that the heavier something – or someone – is built, the more robust it will be. However, it’s not a hard and fast rule. Light …Read More