HVAC

Um, yeah. With Trump ready to assume the role of President for his second term, albeit not consecutively, other than the renaming the Gulf of America, how much can we “read the room” as to changes in policies, rhetoric or general feeling moving forward to things that relate to the PHVAC industry? We recently caught with Mark Velentini, VP of Legislative Affairs at the PHCC-National Association, and Charles White, VP Regulatory Affairs at the PHCC-National Association—affectionately known as the “Chuck & Mark Show” by the PHCC—as they have their finger on the pulse of DC.

MH: We can kind of gauge what sort of policies/governance may come out of Trump’s term based on his first term, but how do you think the second time around will affect the plumbing industry in general?

Mark Valentini

VALENTINI: A Republican Congress and administration will bode well on energy policy as PHCC members confront bans and restrictions on natural gas connections and appliances across the country. This will also bode well for tax policy as certain provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 are set to expire which have been beneficial for many contractors, especially when considering Congress revisiting the corporate tax rate and potentially lowering it to 15% down from 21%.

MH: Does a more deregulated government mean more uphill battles for water/energy efficiency?

Charles White

WHITE: I think the previous Trump Administration showed us uphill battles when agencies were directed to create exempt categories like small cycle dishwashers and such. It is likely that the second Trump Administration will take these actions to the next level by moving to rewrite the underlying legislation. Having said that, the efficiency efforts will then move to the progressive states rather than being federal actions, we will probably not see much regression to less efficient standards and the high population states like California and New York will likely drive the industry to higher efficiency products.

MH: Do you think there may be changes to things like the Inflation Reduction Act or Infrastructure Bill or is that pretty much hands off at this point?

VALENTINI: It is rather early to tell, IIJA has been around for some time now and may be hard to change. The IRA has so many parts, that makes it hard to consider in one piece. Tax credits like Section 25c could be pretty safe but the HOMES and HEARS Acts may not be as safe since they represent almost $9 billion.

WHITE: Most of HOMES and HEARS programs have yet to roll out which could make them a prime target but since they have a low- and moderate-income focus, there may be an optics issue to remove those acts. The issues are complicated, but PHCC has been cautiously supportive of the IRA since much of that program flows to plumbing and HVAC contractors.

MH: What is the climate from your constituency? In other words, what are you hearing about this new election cycle—positivity, negativity or a wait and see approach?

VALENTINI: Positivity but also wait and see. PHCC must be vigilant on workforce policy as the new government may reconsider industry-recognized apprenticeships which risk watering-down training by compartmentalizing it into credentialing—contractors need skilled workers with a holistic skillset, not workers who are certified in a handful of specific tasks.

MH: How do interest rates come into play here?

VALENTINI: Lower interest rates bode well for real estate, which in turn bodes well for new construction, service, and remodeling work.

MH: From what I recall, Trump’s 1^st term was pro-trades? Do you have any indication this will continue?

WHITE: While President Trump’s first term had support from the trade’s rank and file, the Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Rule received more negative public comments than perhaps any other rule. Those negative comments came overwhelmingly from those same rank and file workers. Polling data throughout the election shows that the President-elect enjoyed substantial support from skilled blue-collar workers, but his future actions must support their jobs in the workforce.

MH: Does anything change on the union front?

VALENTINI: That’s a sensitive question. I would venture to say that Teamsters and other labor groups that withheld endorsements are reading the room when it comes to their rank-and-file.

MH: Please give examples of any changes/addendums/eliminations to specific policies moving forward, if applicable. (i.e. Clean Water Act)

VALENTINI: We can expect to see legislation on tax reform and energy in the new Congress. Tight margins particularly in the House will require all Republicans to be on board to pass anything.

WHITE: It is possible that the new administration will review regulations that are currently in litigation, like the residential gas furnace rule, and perhaps decide to pull back those rules for revisions. This could also affect decisions on whether to appeal adverse court rulings such as the recent ruling against the DOL Overtime Rule.

Can you believe we made it to 2025? This week we’ll talk AHR, because don’t look now, we’re a month out from the biggest industry event of the year. We’ll also talk hoarders or a messy work areas in a customer’s home. And, of course, new podcasts, which drop every Tuesday.

Weekly Links:

Solar-powered Evaporative Cooling

Solar-powered Evaporative Cooling Tower, Another Weapon in the Arsenal to Reduce Energy Costs

Heat Pump Water Heaters

Electric Water Heating – Heat Pump Water Heater – Rinnai

When Hoarders Strike?

https://www.instagram.com/p/DENJ69YR7_U/

Podcasts

Mechanical Hub Podcasts

Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical (Hiller), the region’s largest residential plumbing, HVAC, and electrical provider, is proud to partner with Toys for Tots to share the joy of Christmas with others. For the past five holiday seasons, Hiller has donated to toys to Toys for Tots with the purchase of each new tankless water heater. Since 2019, Hiller has purchased over $50,000 in toys to donate to underserved families in our community.

During this special promotion, available from November 1^st through the end of the year, Hiller contributes $50 from each tankless water heater sold to purchase toys. And, as a special incentive to homeowners, Hiller offers a $250 Visa gift card with every purchase. In addition to funds raised, the company contributes with an additional monetary gift each year.

Toys for Tots is a non-profit organization launched by the U.S. Marine Corps in 1947. The organization is dedicated to providing new Christmas gifts to children and young adults who may otherwise not receive presents during the holidays. To date, Toys for Tots has supported over 301 million children with over 677 million toys and gifts.

Every December, Hiller’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jimmy Hiller, and members of the Hiller family gather to shop for a truck’s worth of toys to donate hand-selecting various toys, games, and gifts that resonate with their own families. This shopping spree has quickly become one of the grandkid’s most anticipated Christmas events.

“One of my family’s most cherished holiday traditions has become our Toys for Tots shopping trip”, remarked Jimmy Hiller. “The holidays can be stressful and challenging for a lot of families, particularly in recent years. Through this promotion, we’re able to make sure that parents can create Christmas magic for their children. We feel so blessed to have had the support of our community for so many years”, he continued, “And we want to give back to our neighborhoods that have been so good to us.”

On Thursday, December 19^th, the Hiller family met at a Nashville-area Walmart to shop together, hand-selecting new gifts, toys, and electronics for other children to enjoy on Christmas morning. This year’s selections, totaling over $12,000, filled more than 18 shopping carts. This donation, made possible by the community’s support, raises the 5-year total to more than $50,000 in toy contributions since the tradition began.

Hiller was founded in 1990 by Jimmy Hiller, the company’s single employee. Today, the organization includes over 600 “Happy Face” trucks and 880 associates across 18 locations in 7 states.

Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical, provides residential and commercial service and repair throughout Tennessee, Southern Kentucky, Northeastern Mississippi, Southeastern Arkansas, Northern Alabama, Northern Georgia, 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 800 associates, boasts a fleet of 600 “Happy Face” trucks across 18 locations, and has responded to over 1.8 million service calls in 7 states. For more information about Hiller, visit http://www.happyhiller.com or e-mail press@happyhiller.com.

HammerHead Trenchless, a leading manufacturer of trenchless installation, rehabilitation, and replacement solutions for underground utility infrastructure, has released the newest addition to their product line: The PortaBurst® PB30X.

The PB30X is a portable, cost-effective and efficient method of replacing 2″ to 6″ lateral pipes in a minimum amount of time, with up to 30 tons of pulling force. “Through extensive research and development, we were able to create a system that is 125 lbs. lighter than its predecessor, while maintaining the same power,” said Mark Randa, Sr. Manager of Research, Development & Engineering of HammerHead Trenchless.

Along with being lighter than HammerHead’s previous downhole unit, the PB30X prioritizes portability and breaks down into three components. According to Randa, this allows for easy carrying into basements and overall transportation of the unit.

Having the PB30X on a jobsite provides versatility as the unit can burst sewer laterals and slit water and gas services. “With a second jaw set and 3/8” cable, this unit can be used to slit plastic and lead water services,” said Randa.

To accompany the new PB30X, HammerHead Trenchless has also released the newest hydraulic control unit, the PB13X. The PB13X comes equipped with a new tethered controller or optional wireless controller to allow the operator to be close to the pit while the control unit is further away. “Our team spent time on with customers on their job sites and saw that flexibility is key to any job site and whether they use the tethered or wireless controller, we now provide that needed flexibility,” said Randa. “Our patent pending jaw system was created to increase speed and efficiency on the jobsite while making the unit versatile to allow for bursting and slitting,” he added.

To continue to provide flexibility to customers, HammerHead is now providing stackable extraction cages and an extended Quick Grip® Burst Head line covering 2-to-6-inch options. “The stackable extraction cages now allow to fully pull in a 6-inch burst head,” said Randa. “And the new burst head line can burst through any fracturable pipe and negotiate 45-degree bends,” he added.

The PB30X, PB13X, and additional components are all available for purchase at hammerheadshop.com