HVAC

Apple Valley, Minn. — Uponor North America (Uponor), a pioneer and leading provider of PEX (crosslinked polyethylene) piping products, launched its new Complete Polymer Solution for commercial-piping applications in the U.S. The innovative platform for this important announcement is a special, 90-minute, virtual event for customers, specifiers, installers, and other buying influencers in the commercial plumbing and mechanical field.

The online unveiling included the official launch of two important initiatives: Uponor’s new PP-RCT mechanical piping system for commercial HVAC projects; and the new Uponor Construction Services, offering enhanced, professional estimation, design, and building information modeling (BIM) services to support the design and installation of plumbing and mechanical piping systems.

“Our new PP-RCT and Construction Services offerings, combined with our traditional PEX piping solutions, deliver a complete polymer solution for a wide range of commercial plumbing and mechanical projects,” says Bill Gray, president of Uponor North America. “From half-inch diameter PEX to 12-inch diameter PP-RCT, our piping solutions meet the performance, durability, and safety needs of the entire commercial structure. In addition to these industry-leading piping products, Uponor Construction Services can provide the systems design and engineering expertise to ensure a project is fully supported from kickoff to post-construction.”

Empire Pass Condos, Park City, Utah, AquaPEX and PP-RCT install 2019, Thermal Engineering, PNA

PP-RCT piping system: Uponor PP-RCT (PolyPropylene, Random copolymer with modified Crystallinity and Temperature resistance) has higher temperature and pressure ratings than PP-R pipe, as well as lower levels of expansion and contraction.

Proven reliable for commercial hydronic heating, chilled-water cooling, and distribution piping for radiant heating and cooling applications — including snow melt, turf conditioning, and permafrost prevention — PP-RCT is 80 percent lighter than steel pipe. That makes it not only easier, but also safer, to install than metallic pipe systems. It also offers higher resistance to corrosion, rust, and scale buildup and quieter operation than metallic piping materials.

In addition, contractors will be able to bid projects with more certainty and confidence, as polymer piping offers stable pricing that doesn’t fluctuate with market changes unlike alternative piping materials.

Uponor initially announced its entry into the North American PP-RCT market in September 2019 through a partnership agreement with Pestan North America. As a result, Uponor is now marketing approximately 270 pipe and fitting products in the U.S. in sizes up to 12 inches in diameter and with plans to expand up to 24 inches. All Uponor PP-RCT pipe and fittings come protected by a 10-year warranty.

“With this new piping system, we are also offering comprehensive training and expert technical support — both online and through our nationwide network of in-person sales professionals — to help contractors learn our PP-RCT system,” says Gray. “This includes making pipe connections with special heat-fusion equipment, via our partnership with McElroy Manufacturing, the leading manufacturer of fusion equipment.”

Gray went on to say that whether their customers select virtual or hands-on training, Uponor’s professional guidance helps installers master best practices for both PP-RCT and PEX, helping to keep their projects on schedule and within budget.

Construction Services: Continuing its 27-year history of offering PEX piping system design for both residential and commercial radiant heating, cooling, and plumbing, residential fire safety, and commercial hydronic piping, Uponor has expanded this offering to become Uponor Construction Services, featuring regionally based designers, as well as a team of BIM experts.

 Using the latest design and estimating tools, the Uponor team of skilled and experienced designers and project managers offers a deep menu of design and construction services at no charge, including:

• Square-foot budget estimations
• Material take-offs
• Piping material cost comparisons
• Design development
• Radiant heating and cooling loop layouts
• Pipe sizing and load recommendations

In addition, Uponor Construction Services provides fee-based, system design services (plansets in PDF, Revit^®, and fabrication models), quoted to meet the particular needs of individual projects, at prices below standard industry system-design rates.

Other fee-based services from the BIM Services team include:

• Record modeling
• Estimating
• As-built modeling
• On-site support
• Project controls
• Modular construction
• Kitting and prefabrication
• BIM content

All of these services integrate directly into the user’s software platform and workflows, providing an integrated partnership with an end goal to deliver a well-designed project that is properly coordinated and fully supported.

“Evolving our Construction Services offering was in response to customer feedback and their growing expectations related to project efficiency, accuracy, quality, and consistency to better meet schedules and budgets,” says Gray. “We saw an opportunity to become a more involved partner from the very start of a project through construction onto completion and beyond. With this project-spanning partnership, we are confident we can help improve customers’ productivity and profitability.”

Since the evolution of Uponor Construction Services and the PP-RCT partnership announcement with Pestan in 2019, Uponor has provided PP-RCT piping systems and design expertise for several commercial projects in the U.S. The largest and most notable of these is a recently completed hybrid snow-melt system, involving both 1,900 feet of Uponor PP-RCT and 36,000 feet of Wirsbo hePEX™ pipe, for a 305-foot pedestrian bridge on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, the largest public university in the state.

When I asked Conrado Ensenat Jr.—aka @conradtheplumber—if he ever considered himself a role model to young people thinking of entering the trades, he unequivocally answered, “No, absolutely not.” Yet his answer wasn’t completely without, perhaps, an internal epiphany. You see, according to Conrad, the way he does things may not be the way others do things. And that’s okay. But in reality, unbeknownst to Conrad, he may just be moving into that role model role as we speak. “What I am is a plumber that has no problem taking the time to answer any kind of question an apprentice or a student in school may have about our trade,” says Ensenat. “I believe we are more approachable today more than ever; communication is so much easier with social media. So, for me, a role model I am not. But a plumber with the love for the trade and wanting to see young people succeed if they want to pursue a career, then I most certainly am.”

His Calling

Early on, Conrad was working for a restaurant and just starting at a local community college, yet he wanted something more. Working with his hands always appealed to Conrad so he quit the restaurant and started working as a carpenter’s helper. “It was okay, but saw what the plumbers were doing with the soldering and PVC, and I was intrigued,” Conrad says.

Conrad was hired as a helper cutting and removing cast iron pipe in a building in downtown Miami and loved it right away. “Sure, I was dirty and smelled bad but learning about the pipe and how it works was just really cool. Seventeen years later and I’ve never looked back; plumbing was my calling.”

Conrad’s journey into the plumbing trades technically began full time in 2002 where he started on “snake patrol,” as he was given a van full of all types of machines for drain cleaning—RIDGID, Electric Eel, General Pipe Cleaner, etc. “I learned quickly how to use these machines—I got slapped in the face by a cable, had my shoelaces ripped off after the cable got tangled on them and got splashed with sewer and grease—and all of this happened within my first two days.”

After one year, Conrad begged his boss for an upgrade and was moved over to camera inspections. Here, Conrad learned the insurance side of things for residential and commercial applications—how it all works and the importance of video and the location of problems. At this time, Conrad also was installing temporary sinks and water heaters, and doing leak detection as well. After about six months, Conrad went into new construction, completing multiple high-end buildings and renovations in multiple hotels. After about a year, Conrad took over as lead plumber on two high-end homes in Sunset Island and Hibiscus Island, Miami Beach. “One project took seven years to complete while the other took four, and that meant a lot of money and a lot of change orders,” says Ensenat.

At this time, Conrad bounced from lead plumber to supervisor—in charge of about 17 plumbers and 10 helpers—ordering material, pricing out jobs, and meeting with contractors and owners. “I didn’t carry a tool or do any labor for about four years; it was mostly delegating and office work. It was a bit boring at times and the days were long and sometimes stressful, but you go on,” says Ensenat.

Conrad with Omar Harris (left).

After the company closed its doors and went into new ownership, Conrad decided it was time to go on his own. He opened a company with a partner and ran it for four years.

“I tip my hat to all the business owners, but there’s another side to that coin. The long days and nights—being held accountable for what your plumbers and helpers do, calling contractors for payment, supply houses, bills, gas, insurance, marketing, etc. It was great for a while but I was working a lot, and when you’re on your own, you want every call and every job as the stress of business falls on you. You need to bring in the money for your plumbers and office staff. They depend on you.”

But in the end, family was most important to Conrad. There was a time Conrad was working 6-7 day a week, 15-20 hours per day. “So, I closed shop and went and worked for a commission company, which was not the best decision, but I did see another side of plumbing I hadn’t seen, which I am not too fond of. But I did meet my best friend Omar Harris there, and met some great plumbers like Hiram Martinez and Joey Neal. These are great guys with vast knowledge of the trade.”

After leaving that company, Conrad joined the Broward County Parks and Recreation Division, where he has been for the past three years. “I couldn’t have made a better choice for me and my family.”

Looking back to when he started, Conrad says he didn’t know what he was doing but always enjoyed learning. And, as he was putting systems together and turning on/off the water, gas, or testing a drainage system, there was a sense of accomplishment. “We all have that story where we figured out a leak when five other plumbing companies could not. Where we worked all night, were dead tired, and when they asked, you said ‘you had to be there.’ The journey is different but the end result is the same,” says Ensenat. “The customer is coming to you with a problem and needs you to solve it. Putting that trust in you is a great feeling and honor; they could’ve picked anyone but they picked you.”

Learning from the Past

Conrad owes a lot of what he knows in the trades to William Gonzalez. “That man taught me a lot and would become my future father-in-law. He was an old-school plumber since the ’70s and he did not take it easy on me—probably because I was dating his daughter, lol. But he showed the business side of plumbing. He pushed me in new directions and always challenged me, whether it was reading plans delegating or a simple stoppage. His passion became my passion and my drive to learn all new methods of plumbing. I will be forever grateful to him, leaving me with the knowledge to make it in this trade; he may be gone, but never forgotten.”

Conrad’s brother-in-law, Guillermo Gonzalez, also taught him a lot about gas, and working with tankless water heaters. “Like his dad, he is a great person, and I was very lucky to be welcomed into the family—not only have they shown me love but they showed me a trade and a skill that will never be taken away. I have taken what they taught me and I have taught others as well,” says Ensenat.

Social Media All-In

According to Conrad, social media has been a great tool from talking to people all over the world to seeing the different methods of plumbing that are used—from the equipment to the way others approach the work. “We are a community here to help each other answer questions: we are at a time with social media where you can ask a question to a professional and get a real answer from the people that do it and live the trade,” says Ensenat.

Speaking of helping others, Conrad and his best friend Omar Harris (@omartheplumber) are in the initial stages of their PipeTalk “Instacasts”on Instagram. “We want a show where we can talk about anything in the trade, not a show about showcasing tools or doing giveaways. Real talk about experiences in the trade. How we can truly help apprentices understand what they are getting into,” says Ensenat.

In the end, for Conrad, it’s important to show new apprentices that the plumbing trade is not just about labor-intensive work; there is a future beyond just being a plumber. For instance, you can become lead plumber or foreman, says Conrad, or you can get your license and become an inspector or a plans processor. “There are so many great paying jobs with opportunities revolving around plumbing than just installing pipe, tubs and toilets all day. And this goes for any man or woman and every color and race—you have the opportunity to go far as you want.”

And with that hard work comes a little down time. Before the pandemic, Conrad would take multiple vacations a year to spend time with his family. “When I’m off work, I’m off. The two days a week I’m off, it’s all about either what I’m doing or spending time with the kids or the wife,” says Ensenat.

During football season, it’s all about the Miami Dolphins—Conrad would enjoy tailgating and going to games, including road games. Oh, and the last time Conrad said today is a great day? “I opened a cleanout at the front of a house holding water. Stuck the cable in 3 feet and it cleared without turning the machine on. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.”

Jobber’s 2020 Home Service Economic Report highlights the COVID-19 pandemic’s initial impact on Home Service, as well as the category’s path to recovery

Jobber, the leading provider of home service management software, today released the Home Service Economic Report: 2020 Review, which showcases market trends and insights pertaining to the performance of the Home Service category throughout 2020. Although Home Service experienced a significant decline in year-over-year growth in March and April when stay-at-home directives were implemented across the U.S., the category ended the year exceeding pre-pandemic growth levels.

According to the report, median revenue in Home Service saw consistent positive growth beginning in June, and reached a record high for the year in December with 23% growth year-over-year. New work scheduled, an early indicator of the health of Home Service businesses, peaked in June with 17% growth year-over-year, then continued to see consistent positive growth throughout the second half of the year.

“While so many small businesses were sadly forced to close shop in 2020, most Home Service businesses endured,” said Sam Pillar, CEO and co-founder of Jobber. “All the major metrics we track for Home Service, including consumer demand, employment and revenue, point to an overall category recovery as we kick off 2021. If 2020 is any indication, service providers are a resilient group that can overcome challenges that may surface in the year ahead.”

Jobber’s Home Service Economic Reports are compiled using proprietary data aggregated from over 100,000 Home Service professionals that use the platform. That data, along with various sources of government data, are used to assess the performance of the Home Service category, and compare it against other major categories (Restaurants, General Merchandise Stores, Automotive, Clothing Stores, and Grocery Stores). The report also provides insights into key segments such as Cleaning, Contracting, and Green; and looks into industry trends related to technology adoption and how they are affecting Home Service businesses’ ability to get work, do work, invoice and get paid.

Key findings from the report include:

• Home Service has proven to be resilient—Despite its initial decline, Home Service has proven to be one of the most stable categories aside from Grocery Stores and General Merchandise Stores amidst economic uncertainty.
• Consumers spending more on Home Service—Sparked by renewed homeowner interest to improve indoor and outdoor living spaces, consumer spending in Home Service out-performed most major categories in the second half of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019.
• Technology adoption on the rise—Digital work requests saw accelerated growth through 2020 after a decline in March and April. Data also shows an increase in electronic customer communication in the form of visit reminders, which saw 30% year-over year growth in April and May, despite the fact that actual visits declined during this period.
• Online payments continue to grow—Consumer payments with credit and debit cards grew faster than overall revenue growth in the second half of 2020.
• Commercial cleaning outperformed residential—Residential cleaning was the industry most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, while commercial cleaning contract work was comparatively stable.
• Contracting warranty services showed stability—Warranty services proved to be the most steady type of work in the Contracting segment while inspection/consultation for new work was the most volatile.
• The Green segment experienced record growth—The Green segment, which includes landscaping, lawn care, and other outdoor services, is the only segment that saw year-over-year growth in median revenue every month during 2020. This growth accelerated in Q4, hitting a record 32% year-over-year growth in December.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit back in March, we weren’t sure how our customers’ businesses would perform,” said Abheek Dhawan, VP, Business Operations at Jobber. “Although service businesses experienced record declines at the onset of the pandemic, they managed to weather the storm rather effectively to end 2020 on a positive note. It’s especially promising to see the increase in technology adoption, as it means that not only are service professionals surviving, but also further investing in their businesses. We suspect that the trend towards technology adoption, which has accelerated due to the pandemic, will continue into 2021 and beyond.”

To download the Home Service Economic Report: 2020 Retrospective, visit: https://getjobber.com/home-service-reports/january-2021/