For the past 11 years, I’ve owned Blue Planet Plumbing, in Asheville, North Carolina, but I entered the plumbing trade at the early age of 17. It all started in 1992, on a hot summer night after clocking out at 2 a.m. after working a 17-hour shift at a popular chain restaurant for minimum wage pay of $4.25 an hour.  

Before staying at a hotel, a friend of mine always checks the online guest reviews. They tend to be frank. I can imagine that some hotel managers rejoice (or cringe) at the honesty. 

Navien Inc., the leader in condensing technology in the wall-hung tankless water heater, combi-boiler and boiler markets, introduced its first non-condensing tankless water heater models, at a gala event for about 100 contractors, reps, distributors and staff at its Irvine, California headquarters last month. 

Xylem Bell & Gossett recently celebrated the official reopening of its Little Red Schoolhouse, the company’s suburban Chicago training center for PHCPpros dedicated to the plumbing and heating industries.

Before you read anything else, take another look at our cover. Or any pictures included with this feature. What do you think of those colors? Teal. Orange. Yellow. 

New York Yankee great Yogi Berra had a knack for making funny and ambiguous statements. He'd say things such as, "It’s like déjà vu all over again," and "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

PHC News made its way to the Big Apple last August to attend the rebirth of Wetstock. The sold-out industry event intended to gather contractors for casual and authentic networking came back with a bang after a break.

Last December the Carriage House underwent a major (and much needed) mechanical system upgrade. In car wash lingo, owner Kevin Brown chose the “Deluxe.” 

If you are an active, in-demand tradesperson, attending seminars can be a challenge. I understand, from being there myself, how your workload often plans for you, not vice versa.

I am and always have been curious, especially when it comes to heating parts and equipment.