Every four years we see the ultimate triumph of athletes who become the best in the world at the summer Olympics. They defy odds, persevere against hope, and break records to win the gold medal to be crowned champion. We see a brief glimpse of the race, sometimes lasting but a few seconds. But what Read more
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Every four years we see the ultimate triumph of athletes who become the best in the world at the summer Olympics. They defy odds, persevere against hope, and break records to win the gold medal to be crowned champion. We see a brief glimpse of the race, sometimes lasting but a few seconds. But what we don’t see is what counts. It’s the four years “before” the Olympics that really set the stage for winning. It is no different for contractors in the plumbing trades.
Olympic athletes spend endless hours every day practicing and perfecting their skills. They set very specific goals, make a plan, dedicate themselves to do it, and then put that plan into action with all their heart. Whether an athlete or a business owner of a plumbing company, it’s the process before winning that’s the key. In addition, past failures and circumstances can stay in the past to press forward toward the mark of achieving your goals. We can take a look at the Olympics in Rio for some great lessons.
The first is from the fastest man in Rugby, American, Carlin Isles. He begins and interview with a reporter and says, “I should not be here”. He remembers his mom getting hauled away for repeated drug busts and was placed in a temporary foster home when he was 8. He could not read, write or even do basic math. He started playing football at the age of 8 and quickly noticed a talent for both football and track. At the age of 21, Carlin moved to Aspen, Colorado to play Rugby and put all his eggs into this one basket with no money, no parents, and put it all on the line.
He remembered a preacher had once told him, “What God puts in your heart, he will equip you to do.” This message clicked when he played Rugby. He runs the 40 yard dash in 4.22 seconds and is billed the fastest man in Rugby. In addition to constant training, you need some financial help for the Olympics however. A gym owner in Canton Ohio heard of him, sponsored his private training, and even bought him a car. The gym owner, Chris Maggiore said he believed in him, and feels like he is a good judge of character. Carlin Isles dedicated himself and found a way to make it to achieve his goal of playing on the US Rugby team.
Gabby Douglas is a famous Olympic Gymnast. She won gold in 2012, and another in 2016 for the women’s team all-around. Her early life was very tough as her family was homeless and living out of a van for almost a year after she was born. They soon moved in with relatives but her father left the family soon after. She and her three siblings were raised by her mom and it was one of the roughest times in her life.
When she was 14, she moved away from friends and family in Virginia Beach, VA. to learn gymnastics in Iowa under the direction of Liang Chow. He is very demanding, but fair, and had this to say about Gabby. “Every athlete has strengths and weaknesses, but the purpose must be there. I can see the ones who have mental toughness and determination and they stand out. Facing tough times may have helped her performance on the gym floor”, said Chow. It can be harder for someone to stay at the top of their game when winning is always effortless, never experiencing disappointment or difficulty. Gabby had the determination to dedicate herself to achieve her goals and held steadfast. She didn’t win a gold after 6 months or a year of training, it took a full four years of hard work most are not willing to do. There are others with great skill like Gabby, but they don’t have the purpose and dedication to continue working diligently day after day for years.
This does not come with trials however. And often there comes a gut-check moment to stay the course or retreat. Just two weeks before the 2012 Olympics, Gabby told her mom she wanted to quit gymnastics. She had moved to Iowa for over two years, was homesick, and ready to move back. She told her mom she could work at Chick-fil-A and run track on a city team. During this emotional trial, it took several mother-daughter talks and determined to stay the course. She has been rewarded with Olympic gold two Olympics in a row. Plumbing Contractors run into this same scenario, stay the course, or retreat while you have a chance because it’s difficult and your reward is not in your hands yet.
Now not every battle or event is won. All the dedication and training comes with zero guaranties. But more often than not, you will come out near or on top. In the 2012 Olympics, Missy Franklin won 4 out of 5 possible gold medals. In the 2016 Olympics in Rio, she finished near last in the 200 meter freestyle and didn’t even qualify for the finals of the 200 meter backstroke event she won 4 years ago. She met a reporter after the race and was asked how she felt. She was disappointed but shared this wisdom. She is a young woman who swims, but swimming does not define her. She also said she had to stay focused for the next race in two days. Franklin said, “It’s incredibly frustrating, I need to keep my head up and I need to keep fighting, and that’s what I’m going to do.” She did win gold in the 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay with her US swimming team. When a contractor works hard and you follow your plans diligently to achieve your goals, even as a business owner, eventually you’re going to win.
And how could Michael Phelps, the most decorated swimmer in history not be mentioned. He lost to Chad Le Clos in 2012 in the 200 meter Butterfly. Here in 2016, they were both in the ready room with Le Clos shadow boxing right in front of Phelps, who ignores him. Phelps stayed the course even under intimidation and persevered by winning yet another gold. One photo shows Le Clos next to Phelps, looking at him as he cruises ahead to win. Michael Phelps put it all on the line and went all in without a guaranty of winning, knowing what could be said and written about him if he lost to LeClos again, even with all his other triumphs. How often most of us back down in in our business lives under such pressure.
What messages can we get from these stories? It doesn’t matter what has happened in your past business adventures or failures, you can still triumph over what seems to be impossible odds. It takes determination and guts to do what needs to be done when life and business is extremely difficult, especially when it gets close to making perhaps the final big decision that once put in motion, can’t be stopped. It takes a strong commitment to succeed, knowing you win some and may lose some. But without the goal setting, planning, and the many days of hard work, you never win. As they say in poker, sometimes you just have to go all in.
Finally, no one said it would be easy. We may have to make sacrifices and sometimes the cost can be great being a successful plumbing contractor. You may not get the gold sometimes like Missy Franklin. But without following through when it’s difficult or you feel intimidate, you certainly will never win like Michael Phelps.
Much has already been said about the safety improvements homeowners and business owners can anticipate by switching from traditional water heaters to tankless models. Usually the discussions have revolved around the half a million scald or burn incidents happening every year, many caused by overheated tap water from an old or uncalibrated water heater. According Read more
Much has already been said about the safety improvements homeowners and business owners can anticipate by switching from traditional water heaters to tankless models.
Usually the discussions have revolved around the half a million scald or burn incidents happening every year, many caused by overheated tap water from an old or uncalibrated water heater. According to the Burn Foundation, more than one-sixth of all childhood hospitalizations from scalds happen because of hot tap water.
That said, another threat endangers those who use both residential and commercial tank heaters: Legionnaires’ disease. What causes Legionnaires’ bacteria to grow and how can traditional tank heaters put your home or business at risk?
“Legionella grow in still warm water.”
What is Legionnaire’s disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is actually a body of diseases – more than 43 according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration – all caused by the same bacteria called Legionella. This pathogen grows in still warm water. If inhaled through water vapor, these bacteria could cause fever, pneumonia, comas and even death.
So, how does a standard hot water tank turn into a Petri dish for Legionella? Unfortunately, a few different ways.
How can hot water tanks produce Legionella?
Fiddling with hot water tank temperatures for energy efficiency gains could set off a chain reaction producing Legionella. Many energy experts, including the U.S. Department of Energy, recommend setting hot water tanks to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to shave a few bucks off a home gas bill. Unfortunately, Legionella can survive that temperature and prosper. OSHA recommends keeping tanks at 140 degrees, which effectively neutralizes Legionella-infected water, but hot water at that temperature could easily scald children or seniors with sensitive skin. Either way, water tank owners lose.
“Sediment collecting in water tank can encourage Legionella growth.”
Sediment collecting at the bottom of a dilapidated water tank can also encourage Legionella growth. If tank owners neglect to flush their systems at least once a year to rid systems of calcium carbonate buildup – common in areas with high water hardness – and other debris, Legionella could develop with time.
Legionella also breeds in pipes where stagnant hot water cools below that 120-degree mark. As hot water trapped between a water tank to a faucet or tap cools, it becomes more and more susceptible to infection.
Fight disease with tankless water heaters for your home
Tankless water heaters provide a number of solutions for these problems. First and foremost, automated technology controls hot water temperatures right at the source, so it’s always the perfect temperature: warm enough to prevent waterborne disease, cool enough to avoid scalds and energy-efficient enough to keep monthly bills low.
Point-of-use tankless water heaters not only forego the large cylindrical basin where Legionella can grow, but also reduce the piping needed to deliver water from a utility to the faucet, thus eliminating another threat. Water moves directly from the public system, into the home and right to the tap where it’s heated on demand
.If your hot water heater isn’t working for you, it’s working against you. Choose tankless models to prevent the spread of Legionella, protect your family from overheated water and save money on your energy bill.
Source: Does your hot water heater protect you from Legionnaires’ disease?
Weil-McLain Atmospheric Draft Steam Boiler Key to Overhaul Built at the turn of the last century in 1901, the seven-story Mendota is Washington D.C.’s oldest intact luxury apartment building. Though much of the building had been restored over the years, one area requiring attention was the facility’s heating system. Upgrading to a modern steam boiler Read more
Weil-McLain Atmospheric Draft Steam Boiler Key to Overhaul
Built at the turn of the last century in 1901, the seven-story Mendota is Washington D.C.’s oldest intact luxury apartment building. Though much of the building had been restored over the years, one area requiring attention was the facility’s heating system. Upgrading to a modern steam boiler restored the Mendota to its former heating glory, improving resident comfort and offering major energy savings.
The Mendota was built during the golden age of D.C. apartment houses along the trolley line in an area that was, at the time, considered the far northern suburb of the city. Today, it’s recognized as the first apartment building constructed in the residential neighborhood of Kalorama Heights.
“The Mendota is one of the grand old apartment houses in D.C.,” said Jim Wood, head of the building and grounds committee for the Mendota board of directors. “While many other D.C. buildings of the era have lost their visual character, the configuration of nearly every apartment unit in the Mendota is identical to when it was built.”
The Mendota’s 50 apartments include architectural details like 10-foot ceilings, ornate crown molding, tall windows, heart pine floors, built-in cabinetry and Victorian-tiled fireplaces. The apartment building was converted to a co-op in the 1950s.
Another historic feature is the Mendota’s original heating system – which consisted of a coal-fired boiler that’s still in place but has long been disconnected. The Mendota is heated by a one-pipe steam system connected to column-style cast iron radiators.
Over the years, the coal boiler was abandoned and a gas steam boiler was installed. But, that system, after many years in operation, had become less and less reliable.
“We allocated approximately $75,000 annually for natural gas, and this expense was a huge portion of our budget,” said Wood. “Also, many tenants complained it was either too warm – requiring them to open windows – or that they didn’t have enough heat. We had to do better.”
System Repairs Pick Up Steam
Dan Foley, president and owner of Foley Mechanical, Inc., based in Lorton, Va., was selected to help remedy the heating woes.
“When we started working with Mendota, a 40-year old steam boiler provided heat,” said Foley. “Upon inspection, we noticed the boiler fired all day long and never shut off.”
Foley also noted that the main venting system was not appropriate for the two 6-inch steel mains that circled the basement of the facility. The boiler would flood on a regular basis, and the condensate would lag as it percolated through the clogged wet returns.
“When the condensate would finally return, the boiler would flood, which required a service call,” said Foley. “Water continuously drained from the boiler as fresh water was added, causing the boiler to disintegrate from the inside out.”
Foley and Wood decided first to make incremental improvements to the aging boiler. Enhancements included replacing multiple ribbon burners that had rusted, and replacing the boiler relief valve and safety controls. Next, the team rebuilt the main venting system.
“The vents were undersized and the two mains were not balanced,” said Foley. “We had a welder cut in two 1-inch thread-o-lets into the end of the steam mains, and then we built vent headers on each main.”
Another step was removing an old electro-mechanical control that had not functioned properly in years.
All of the boiler system improvements had a fairly dramatic effect on tenant comfort and energy usage. The boiler heated the building more evenly and fuel expenses decreased to between $55,000 and $60,000 annually. However, Foley believed there still was room for improvement.
When service calls began to become a weekly occurrence and most of the operational parts of the boiler were replaced, building management decided it was time to consider replacement.
Installing a Weil-McLain LGB-20 atmospheric draft steam boiler improved resident comfort and offered major energy savings for the Mendota.Boiler Replacement Full Steam Ahead
After several years of maintaining the aging boiler, Foley recommended installing a new boiler, re-piping the header and replacement of the rotted, clogged wet returns.
“I submitted a six-figure proposal, and at first the board balked at the price,” said Foley. “When I suggested they review what they paid in fuel over the past five years and add in the service calls and tenant complaints, they quickly came around.”
Foley recommended installation of a Weil-McLain LGB-20 atmospheric draft steam boiler at 2.5 million BTUs. At up to 84% combustion efficiency, the LGB line is one of the highest efficiency commercial cast iron atmospheric gas boilers available from Weil-McLain. Its compact design allows for more piping and venting headroom and the unit’s short draw rods permit faster, easier assembly of boiler sections.
The boiler was sized to the connected radiation using a 1.5 pick-up factor. The header was re-piped to manufacturer specifications.
“Before we removed the old boiler, we conducted a system overhaul to optimize the distribution piping, vents and the radiators in every room,” said Wood. “We then installed new main line steam vents, both at the beginning and the end of the line, checked all the mud legs and replaced the near boiler piping because it had been clogged.
“Our preparatory work and due diligence ensured the whole system would work much more efficiently and we could slip the new unit right in,” Wood added.
The project took two weeks to complete. Installation challenges included navigating stairs and working in a small space.
After the new boiler was installed, the team cleaned the system with steam cleaner and ran it for several weeks to flush out all of the sediments. After flushing the boiler and wet returns, Foley skimmed the water line until it ran clear.
Loop seals also were clogged with sediment. Foley and team meticulously flushed out each loop seal with water, which allowed the condensate to drain and the steam to flow freely. This process helped balance the system.
New System Benefits
With the new boiler optimized and in service, several benefits were quickly realized. Radiators that had not heated in years were hot. Steam circled the mains quickly and the risers received steam at the same time. Windows previously opened in January were closed.
“We actually installed a couple of dozen additional radiators that had been removed with the previous system because it had been run at such a high level that the building was overheating in some areas,” said Wood.
And Wood likes the fact that he doesn’t have to change the operational parameters of the boiler throughout the year.
“The controls are such that we don’t make adjustments at all,” said Wood. “The system learns and fine-tunes settings as needed.”
One of the most significant benefits of the new, higher efficiency Weil-McLain boiler installation was the energy savings realized. Fuel costs for the building decreased to about $30,000 annually – a significant reduction of more than 40% from gas bills years earlier.
Additionally, the system operates quietly.
“When the boiler turns on and the radiators are operating you sense the heat but you don’t hear anything,” he said. “It just purrs.”
And, most importantly, tenant complaints were reduced.
“I believe that steam boilers with radiators really is just the most perfect, comfortable heating method,” Wood added. “We have been absolutely pleased and impressed since the new boiler was installed. And, we’ve saved a lot of money.”
Two of the biggest challenges facing plumbing contractors today are how to increase customer calls and how to generate customer loyalty. Given all the competition out there, key to achieving these objectives is to be there when the customer needs you – or more significantly, to be there even before the customer knows they need Read more
Two of the biggest challenges facing plumbing contractors today are how to increase customer calls and how to generate customer loyalty. Given all the competition out there, key to achieving these objectives is to be there when the customer needs you – or more significantly, to be there even before the customer knows they need you.
The patented Flood Buzz™ Pro water leak alarm was developed with the contractor in mind. Not only are these effective water leak alarms that sound a loud 110 dB piercing alert when it comes in contact with water, but equally as important, Flood Buzz™ Pro alarms are critical marketing tools for a plumbing contractor’s overall growth strategy.
The Flood Buzz™ Pro is the quintessential “pain point” marketing solution. Flood Buzz™ alarms will promote your company when the customer needs you most – when they have a water leak and need a plumber to solve their potentially damaging and destructive leak problem. Once the Flood Buzz™ Pro’s 110 dB alarm sounds warning of a water leak, the customer will call your company because your company’s info is right on the Flood Buzz™ Pro.
All this translates into immediate sales. Additionally, your customers will be forever grateful to you for helping them avoid a flood in their homes.
Implementing a Flood Buzz™ marketing strategy is easy. Just place personalized Flood Buzz™ Pros in your customers’ homes – under the sinks, behind toilets, next to boilers – anywhere there is a water connection. In effect, Flood Buzz™ Pro water leak alarms are your field salespeople, and are always on guard for water leaks. The more Flood Buzz™ Pro units you place, the more service calls you will receive.
Additionally, with the introduction of the new Flood Buzz™ Blue — the Flood Buzz™ alarm specifically designed to monitor water heaters for leaks — a contractor will now get more of those profitable water heater replacement calls, before the water heater bursts and causes real damage. Flood Buzz™ Blue will sound a 110 dB warning the instant it senses water leaking into the drip pan from a deteriorating water heater. Like the Flood Buzz™ Pro, you will personalize the Flood Buzz™ Blue with your company’s info and rapidly increase your water heater service calls and sales.
Since Flood Buzz™ water leak alarms have an internal, non-serviceable battery that is good for three years, you will have reason to visit your customers every three years to replace the Flood Buzz™ alarms in their homes or facilities. Once inside the customers’ home, you can be assured of additional work.
Learn more about how to market your business using the Flood Buzz™ line of water leak alarms at www.FloodBuzzPro.com or call us at 1-866 797 6686
About the Author
Josh Scharf is the President of Archetype Ltd., a New Jersey Based marketing and product development firm involved in bringing new and unique products to market.
“Service, service, service” is the official motto at Randal’s Plumbing Inc., in Palm Desert, CA. The owner, Randal Williams, started the 10-person company in 1994. As their motto suggests, service is key, along with a healthy dose of remodel work. The majority of that business comes from high-end residential customers. Randal’s Plumbing lives on referral Read more
“Service, service, service” is the official motto at Randal’s Plumbing Inc., in Palm Desert, CA. The owner, Randal Williams, started the 10-person company in 1994.
As their motto suggests, service is key, along with a healthy dose of remodel work. The majority of that business comes from high-end residential customers. Randal’s Plumbing lives on referral, spending not a single dollar on advertising beyond truck wraps and cycle graphics.
You read that correctly; Randal’s uses a “Service Cycle”. It’s a Yamaha 650 outfitted with a special sidecar for jobsite visits and running parts. Southern California’s climate is conducive to year-‘round cycle riding.
Unfortunately, it’s also conducive to drought. While the lack of rain has been a real concern for California in the past few years, it’s ushered in a lot of calls from homeowners looking to conserve water. Even heavy rain from the recent El Niño has not quenched the drought in California.
“The EPA has specified 1.28 gallons per flush as the standard for all new toilets being installed,” said Randal, “and a lot of folks are looking to do even better. We started offering Toto’s 1 GPF models, and have since put them in our showroom.”
But according to Randal, they’ve gone beyond low-flow fixtures. The company has installed hot water recirculation systems for more than a decade, but today it’s a main focus. Demand for hot water recirculation is way up, and today’s products are easier to install and offer more functionality.
“When people hear that they can save as much as 12,000 gallons each year, the only question is, ‘When can you do it?’” said Randal. “Of course we’ll save you water, but we’ll also save you time. I can buy more water, I can’t buy more time; it’s really our most precious commodity. Waiting on hot water for five minutes each day adds up to 30 hours per year.”
Return without a return line
For years, Randal’s has installed hot water recirculation pumps in homes with a dedicated return line. Today, the volume of calls means that they’re running into a number of different applications, with and without dedicated return lines.
“We went shopping for flexible solutions and discovered two different reliable options for homes that don’t have dedicated return lines: the TacoGenie and the Hot-Link system.”
Both systems operate by sending cool water back to the water heater via the cold water line instead of letting it go down the drain..
Replacement work
“Many of the big homes in this area had dedicated recirculation lines installed during construction,” said Randal. “Whether their pump fails or they need a new water heater, we often find ourselves replacing the existing pump.”
It’s a regular occurrence; the call comes in saying there’s no hot water. Randal runs out to the job on his motorcycle to check the water heater. The Service Cycle has its limitations though, so if the water heater is shot, he goes back to the shop to load a new Bradford White tank and a recirculation pump on a truck. Randal’s plumbing socks plenty of water heaters and special recirculating pumps that reduce electric consumption when compared to a conventional recirculation system that runs non-stop.
Hero on two wheels
“My sister-in-law comes for a long visit every year,” said Randal. “After waiting for hot water to arrive at the shower, she’d ask my wife, ‘Isn’t your husband a plumber?’ Well, it’s like the cobbler and his shoes…”
Last year, just before his sister-in-law arrived, Randal installed a hot water recirculation system at his own home. From what he says, it made him a hero. It’s not the first time he’s blended his profession and his personal life for the benefit of both.
The idea for the Service Cycle took hold as he was searching for a way to fit in a little more riding time. After having a friend custom build the big sidecar to haul tools, wax rings and recirculation pumps, he realized he’d stumbled into a great publicity stunt.
“I really just wanted to have fun with the Service Cycle, but now everyone around town knows me,” said Randal. “People wave and take pictures, and every once in a while, a new customer will say they called because they saw the bike.” According to Randal, the bike is a throwback to the early 19th century.
“The sidecar was in broad use in the US before Henry Ford introduced the Model T,” he explained. “Once average folks could afford four wheels, they moved away from three. But until then, the sidecar was used as a delivery vehicle, tradesman’s transportation, and later, even had some tactical applications in the big wars.”
Whether throwing back to days of old on the Service Cycle or looking forward with water and time conservation, Randal’s Plumbing is on the move.
