September 2026

Opening a Door (and Keeping it Open) to the Trades: How Valerie Butler became one of plumbing’s most visible advocates to promote the skilled trades to the next generation.

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Opening a Door (and Keeping it Open) to the Trades

How Valerie Butler became one of plumbing’s most visible advocates to promote the skilled trades to the next generation.

September 1, 2026

Steve Smith

We planned to talk to Valerie Butler earlier in the day when we headed to see her at P.I.P.E. Inc., a contractor specializing in commercial plumbing and fire protection in the Indianapolis market and where she’s worked since 2020.

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The Questions Your Customers Ask Before They Call

The path to winning a customer often starts long before a service call, as homeowners work through uncertainty, weigh their options and decide whom they can trust.

September 1, 2026

In 2011, I moved to North Carolina, unaware of the ticking time bomb hidden behind my walls. Like many transplants, I knew very little about the unique quirks of local homes and infrastructure.

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Q&A with Incoming PHCC President Ken Smith

A career built from the ground up, Ken Smith brings a mix of hands-on trade skills and corporate experience to the association’s top role.

September 1, 2026

Steve Smith

Ken Smith, RPG Plumbing Services, Virginia Beach, Virginia, will become president of PHCC-National Association at CONNECT 2026, Oct. 19-22, in Milwaukee.

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How One Contractor Took the Hassle Out of Dual Fuel Installations

Climatic Heating & Cooling is completing system upgrades faster, reducing callbacks and solving wiring challenges with Sensi’s Equipment Interface Module.

September 1, 2026

Climatic Heating & Cooling has been serving Leesburg and Northern Virginia for well over 30 years.

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Construction Technology

Every Construction Company Needs a Technology Playbook

Documenting digital transformation, cybersecurity, implementation and data stewardship as a shared process helps contractors avoid failed rollouts, unmanaged risk and scattered data.

September 1, 2026

If you step into most contractors’ offices and ask how they decide what technology to buy (or more and more these days with AI and various low/no code platforms), you will get some version of the same answer.

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Coach’s Corner

‘Figure it Out Yourself’ Training May Cost More Than You Think

Inconsistent standards, customer experiences, documentation and performance can prevent your company from making business success repeatable.

September 1, 2026

Nate Agentis

Years ago, in my plumbing company’s infancy, I got a call from an unhappy customer. One of my technicians had handled a routine service call differently than I would have.

Contractor Profit Advantage

Let Consumers Know You Exist

Contractors using word of mouth, networking, websites, local outreach and clear vehicle branding build awareness for their companies without irritating potential customers through intrusive or annoying sales tactics.

September 1, 2026

Richard DiToma

There is an age-old question that every business owner has to contemplate: Should I grow my business?

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Radiant Insider

Right Part, Wrong Place

Plan installations carefully to protect boilers, circulators and controls from damage, inefficiency and callbacks.

September 1, 2026

Cody Mack

You’re standing at the back of your truck making sure you have everything for the boiler install today.

Boiler Room Detective

Why Consider a Hybrid Boiler Plant?

This approach can improve seasonal efficiency while controlling installation and maintenance costs, extending equipment life, preserving reliability and allowing boiler types to run when they perform best.

September 1, 2026

Ray Wohlfarth

While teaching a class on hybrid boiler plants at the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers’ conference for university facility managers, I noticed one attendee sitting in the back of the room with his arms folded and a skeptical look on his face.