heating

Webstone, a brand of NIBCO, announces new press × NPT products including ball valves with reversible handles, elbows, and couplings. Choose between MIP or FIP ends to easily transition from iron to copper or appliances to system piping. Also available is the new press ball valve with bleeder and reversible handle and large Pro-Pal® Union Ball™ (sizes 1¼” and 1½”) in FIP, sweat, and press. All products feature lead-free dezincification-resistant brass.

Learn more at www.webstonevalves.com/press

Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical (Hiller), the region’s premier provider of residential and commercial plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical service and repair, was included among Ruud’s “Top Market Maker” winners and honored as the #1 Top Ruud ProPartner for 2021. This award follows Hiller’s six first-place recognitions among Ruud’s list of Most Reliable Contractors.

The Ruud Market Makers award recognizes exceptional U.S.-based contracting businesses for sales, customer support, and overall service excellence. Through their strong vendor relationships with Ferguson Enterprises (Nashville) and Coburn Supply (Memphis), Hiller was ranked among the Top 10 “Market Makers” for 2021.

Above this honor, Hiller was named Ruud’s “Most Valuable Player”, recognizing their “overall stellar performance” as the #1 Top Ruud ProPartner of 2021. The company was honored via email announcement in February, then via live announcement at the 2022 International ProPartner Conference at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 7 and 8, 2022. Chief Executive Officer, Jimmy Hiller and Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Hiller, Jr. accepted the award in person at the event.

“We couldn’t be more grateful to receive the MVP recognition from Ruud this year”, remarked Jimmy Hiller, founder and CEO of Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical. “In partnership with our wonderful distributors, we are able to provide Ruud’s exceptional equipment to so many families across the southeast. Ruud’s commitment to installation and maintenance excellence,” he continued, “parallels our own high quality and service standards, so we are exceptionally thankful for this award, that acknowledges this commitment.”

Launched in 1990 with a single employee and just $500, Hiller was founded on the tenets of professionalism, exceptional levels of customer satisfaction, and a dedication to high quality work. As a result, Hiller has grown exponentially, operating across 15 locations in 7 states with a fleet of over 500 trucks.

Ruud, part of the Rheem family of brands, provides Ruud-branded heating, cooling, and water heating products for residential and light commercial use to professional installers across the United States and Canada. Named for water heating pioneer, Edwin Ruud, the brand was acquired by Rheem in 1960. To learn more, visit www.ruud.com. Founded in 1925, Rheem is the only manufacturer in the world that produces heating, cooling, water heating, pool/spa heating and commercial refrigeration products. Rheem, headquartered in Atlanta, has an international presence in 14 countries. To learn more, visit www.rheem.com

 Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical provides residential and commercial service and repair throughout Tennessee, Southern Kentucky, Northern Alabama, Northern Georgia, Southeastern Arkansas, Northeastern Mississippi, and Northwest Florida. As the homeowner’s premier provider of choice with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, Hiller is Tennessee’s largest residential and commercial plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical services provider. Hiller, a 12-time honoree to the Inc. 5000 List, employs more than 700 associates, boasts a fleet of 500 “Happy Face” trucks across 15 locations, and has responded to over 1.5 million service calls. Hiller is a proud sponsor of the Nashville Predators, the Tennessee Volunteers, and the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Falls Church, Va. — It is with great sadness that the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) reports the April 2, 2022, passing of Past National President Joe Schmitt (2008-2009) of Englewood, Ohio. He was a member of PHCC since 1968 and was a highly respected leader in the plumbing-heating-cooling industry.

“Joe Schmitt’s steady leadership was just what PHCC needed during the economic crisis that began in 2008,” said PHCC National President Joel Long.  “He was the ‘calming force’ during turbulent economic times and the initiatives he created had a lasting positive effect on PHCC for many years.”

Schmitt served as PHCC of Ohio President (1989-1991) and was a partner of Joe Schmitt & Sons Plumbing & Heating, Englewood. The PHCC “A Heritage Unique” history book reports that as an experienced business owner, he was a specialist and teacher of the art and science of backflow prevention. One of his first actions was to ask the PHCC—National Association Board of Directors to approve a strategic plan that was both simple and workable and focused on the core mission of supporting members.

Achievements during his term in office included:

• Producing numerous business-building programs that members could use to ‘survive and thrive’ in trying times—and position their companies for an expected upturn.
• Advocating to secure favorable small business and personal tax breaks in the federal stimulus package.
• Facilitating an invitation for a PHCC member to meet with President Obama and also participate in press conference highlighting the tax credits in the stimulus package.
• Maintaining an active role in “green” construction and the water and energy conservation arenas.
• Launching the PHCC Educational Foundation’s first online plumbing home study program, a precursor to a popular program in place today.

Schmitt passed down a love of the p-h-c profession to his son Ron, who now runs the family business. Ron is a current member of the PHCC National Board of Directors.

A celebration of life for Joe will be held 5-7 p.m. April 7, 2022, at the Kindred Funeral Home, Englewood, Ohio A funeral service will occur at 10:30 a.m., April 8, at St. Paul Catholic Church, Englewood, Ohio, where Joe was a founding member.

Propane and solar can work together to play a large part in national energy conversation

Solar Appreciation Day is Friday, March 11, and the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is sharing ways that construction professionals and their customers can use propane and solar energy together to reduce their carbon footprint.

“Solar PV, an intermittent electricity  producer, is a low-emission, renewable energy source,” said Bryan Cordill, director of residential and commercial business development at PERC.  “However, relying only on solar power can be difficult in regions due to a variety of reasons like the amount of daylight hours during winter or tree cover. Propane can help.”

Currently, propane is used by nearly 12 million U.S. households for home heating, water heating or cooking, and by thousands of American businesses. The more propane appliances a business or home has, the lower the amount of solar power needed to operate lights or  charge cell phones. Hybrid systems that run on propane and solar can be tailored to a project’s unique needs, providing lower first costs and reduced ongoing energy costs and emissions.

Large, sustained power outages have continued over the last two decades according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In 2021, more than 8.6 million people experienced a power interruption. Severe weather-related problems have driven much of the increase in large outages shown, as reported by the DOE. In response, consumers are investing in alternate power solutions. This increased demand for clean energy sources is why construction professionals need to be knowledgeable about different energy sources, and on the lookout for info on solar PTO and propane.

“We need to consider a mix of energy sources (propane, solar, electric, natural gas) to keep our homes and businesses running,” said Cordill. “We can do that with a low-carbon emissions energy source—propane is here now to make that impact. A diverse energy mix ensures reliability during critical events, like severe weather.”

For contractors interested in improving a home’s carbon footprint in an affordable and reliable way for customers, propane is a viable energy solution. When propane is used with solar power systems, emissions are reduced, and reliability is increased. Discover more about the environmental benefits of propane at Propane.com.