PM Magazine

12/26/2025

We’re kicking off our Top 10 Stories of 2025 countdown, starting with No. 10!

Coming in at number 10 is a standout edition of “The Glitch & The Fix” by John Siegenthaler, P.E., tackling a deceptively complex radiant system design that led to short cycling, control conflicts, and unnecessary hardware. From undersized circulators and mislocated sensors to control logic that kept the boiler running longer than intended, this schematic had no shortage of teachable moments.

Stay tuned as we reveal the rest of our Top 10 stories of 2025!
Full story here:

Can you spot several details that are either incorrect or missing? Can you propose an alternative design that would accomplish the same goals using less hardware?

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas to the plumbers, contractors, engineers, manufacturers, and distributors who keep our homes and businesses running all year long. Your skill, dedication, and problem-solving don’t take holidays — and neither does our appreciation. Wishing you a joyful Christmas and a safe, relaxing day with family and friends.

12/24/2025

On Christmas Eve, we’re thinking about the people who keep buildings warm, water flowing, and systems running — even when most of the world slows down. Whether you’re wrapping up a final service call or heading home for a well-earned break, your work matters. Wishing our community a peaceful, well-deserved Christmas Eve.

12/23/2025

How old is too old when it comes to boilers?

Across North America, century-old steam and hot-water systems are still in service. While their longevity is impressive, aging equipment brings serious concerns — from safety risks and failing controls to unavailable parts and growing liability for contractors.

Many technicians are drawing a firm line on servicing boilers over 50 or 60 years old, and what that means for building owners relying on legacy heating systems.

Full story here: https://brnw.ch/21wYB00
Image source: curtoicurto / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Today, we still get calls about older systems. The potential customers often think their house or building is the oldest we have ever seen. I suppose people think every other building on their block has removed the old steam or hot water system and replaced it with something more modern.

12/21/2025

A burst pipe or overflow is only the first chapter of a water damage story. What happens behind walls, under floors and inside insulation can quietly unravel a job days or weeks later — and homeowners often circle back to the plumber who “fixed” the problem.

John Otero of 1-800 Water Damage WATER DAMAGE discusses where plumbing ends, where restoration begins, and why knowing that handoff point is a matter of risk management.

Because when it comes to water, the job isn’t finished when the pipe stops leaking — it’s finished when the risk is gone.

Full story: https://brnw.ch/21wYxy8
Image courtesy of Pexels

Stopping the leak is only part of the job. Knowing when to call in a restoration expert can protect plumbers from callbacks, liability and long-term damage.

12/18/2025

PM: Knowledge that works as hard as you do

From the jobsite to your inbox-
Less searching. More knowing. PM Newsletters deliver what matters.👉https://bnp.dragonforms.com/PMeNews?pk=SN_SM_NLF512

12/17/2025

Prefabrication, press-fit and modular systems are no longer niche solutions; they are rapidly becoming standard practice across plumbing and mechanical construction.

This in-depth feature from Kristen Bayles explores the forces driving the industry’s shift toward off-site fabrication and tool-free connection technologies, from labor shortages and rising material costs to tighter schedules and safety demands. With insights from manufacturers, engineers and contractors, we examine how prefab and press-fit are reshaping project delivery, workforce development and long-term risk management — and why adoption is accelerating across commercial and institutional markets.

https://www.pmmag.com/articles/107063-the-future-of-jobsite-piping-pre-fab-and-push-fit

Image courtesy of Viega.

Across markets, contractors report that moving labor from unpredictable jobsite conditions into controlled fabrication environments is yielding measurable gains: fewer errors, improved safety metrics, and installation timelines compressed from weeks to days.

12/16/2025

The best hires in the trades may not be looking for a plumbing job — but they are showing you exactly who they are.

In this guest editorial, Phil Hotatek of Lutz Plumbing shares why recruiting today is less about resumes, and more about recognizing character, curiosity and a service mindset. From retail floors to dispatch desks, he explains how looking beyond traditional backgrounds can help contractors build stronger, more resilient teams.

Read why recruit character, teach skill may be the most effective hiring strategy in the trades right now: https://www.pmmag.com/articles/107058-recruit-character-teach-skill
Image courtesy of monkeybusinessimages / iStock / Getty Images Plus.

You can teach anyone to sweat a copper joint or wire a circulator pump. What’s much harder to teach is attitude, curiosity, pride in craftsmanship, and the ability to make a customer feel at ease.

12/16/2025

By most economic indicators, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of cautious stability rather than broad-based expansion for the PHCP-PVF distribution channel — a market defined by uneven momentum across end-use segments, fragile sentiment, and a watchful eye on economic catalysts that could unlock growth in the second half of the year. Hear form experts on what’s expected out of 2026 in our annual Plumbing Industry Outlook. Link in bio!

12/15/2025

PHCC is launching a new way for plumbing, heating and cooling business leaders to learn from one another.

Beginning January 2026, PHCC’s Visionary Peer Groups will bring service and repair owners and general managers together in small, coach-facilitated groups for monthly virtual sessions focused on real-world challenges, strategic growth and profitability. Each group is capped at 15 participants and designed to function as a confidential “board of advisors,” combining peer insight with expert business coaching.

PHCC members interested in joining the first cohort must sign up by Dec. 31, 2025.

More details: https://www.pmmag.com/articles/107055-plumbing-heating-cooling-contractorsnational-association-phcc-announces-launch-of-visionary-peer-groups-for-service-and-repair-business-owners
Image courtesy of PHCC

Launching in January, the small-group program will bring together up to fifteen PHCC members each month for guided discussions, shared problem-solving, and accountability.

12/12/2025

Biofilm, aging systems, and water-quality issues can create major headaches for property owners. The new Water Conservation, Quality & Safety eBook gives you the technical insights needed to prevent problems before they begin.

Download for free:
https://brnw.ch/21wYjm3

Supply House Times

Check out the ways in which these companies are getting involved, making changes and learn how you can too.

12/12/2025

Congratulations to Bradford White, selected as the 2025 Employer of the Year by West Michigan Works!

“We believe workforce development is a shared responsibility, and we’re committed to showing up alongside our partners to help cultivate the talent and skills that are needed within our community,” said Neal Heyman, senior director of marketing at Bradford White.

Full story here: https://brnw.ch/21wYhU6
Image courtesy of Bradford White.

In a nod to its growing impact on regional workforce development, Bradford White Corporation has been selected as West Michigan Works!’ 2025 Employer of the Year, honoring the company’s leadership in strengthening talent pipelines and supporting manufacturing careers in West Michigan.