Alabama Contractor, Fall 2014 by Blue Water Publishers, LLC

Y U’RE READY WITH RHEEM

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Fall 2014 • Alabama Contractor • www.alabamaphcc.org

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Associated Plumbing - Heating - Cooling Contractors of Alabama

ALABAMA

Contractor

The APHCC of Alabama is dedicated to the promotion, advancement, education and training of the industry, for the protection of our environment, and the health, safety, and comfort of society.

FALL 2014

Table of Contents 6 8 10 11 14 16 17 18 19 21 22

From the Desk of APHCC President, Mike Scanlon Amp Up Your Business at CONNECT 2014 - Gerry Kennedy, PHCC National EVP Listen Up! Are You Ready? 2015 DOE Final Ruling True Costs of Doing Business Three Ways to Bring The Trades to Your Community PHCC Scholarship Information State of Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board Letter PHCC of Alabama HVAC Continuing Education Internet Course Application PHCC of Alabama Backflow Control Internet Certification Course Application PHCC Helps You Keep Up With the Latest Technologies and Standards

APHCC of Alabama Officers PRESIDENT: Mike Scanlon Scanlon Plumbing Services 263 Mendel Parkway Montgomery, AL 36117 331-279-8989 VICE PRESIDENT: Michael Dean Dean Plumbing Company 3100 Leeman Ferry Road Huntsville, AL 35801 256-883-6130

Advertiser Directory American Apt Owners Assoc 17 Bradford White 23 BrassCraft 9 FastEst, Inc. 13 Kolbi Pipe Marker Co. 17 Liberty Pumps 24

Norton McMurray Mfg 3 Rheem 2 Saniflo 7 SureSeal 5 T&S Brass 6

APHCC of Alabama Board Brad Hinton Brad Hinton Companies 2069 Cherry Ave Hueytown, AL 35023 205-491-7394

Charlie Conklin Sentry Plumbing, Heating & Air 2490 Rocky Ridge Road Birmingham, AL 35243 205-979-9864

Paula Quarles Banks Quarles Plumbing, Heating, Cooling 2501 17th Street Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 205-758-2627

Jay Wiggins Wiggins Facilities Services PO Box 1507 Montgomery, AL 36102 334-235-8889

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Phil Smitherman AUX Mechanical Inc. 5925 Johns Road Bessemer, AL 35023 205-428-8416

James Cole Cole Sewer & Drain Services 4530 Plummer Court Montgomery, AL 36106 334-279-8919

Fred Williamson Williamson Plumbing 560 Glade Park Loop Montgomery, AL 36109

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Bob Mosca PO Box 36972 Birmingham, AL 35236 205-985-9488

Nick Tatum Conrad Watson Air Conditioning, Inc. 4100 County Road 5 Monroeville, AL 36460 251-282-7741

SECRETARY-TREASURER: Rick Thomason PHC 1634A Montgomery Highway, Suite 162 Hoover, AL 35216 205-822-0597

www.alabamaphcc.org

Fall 2014 • Alabama Contractor • www.alabamaphcc.org

Barry Lee Birmingham Noland Company 500 35th Street North Birmingham, AL 35222 205-323-6322

Senior Editor: Bob Mosca PO Box 36972 Birmingham, AL 35236 (205) 985-9488 alphcc@gmail.com

Alabama Contractor is the official magazine of the Associated Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors of Alabama and is published four times annually. APHCC of Alabama does not necessarily endorse any of the companies advertising in this publication or the views of its writers. Alabama Contractor is designed and published by Blue Water Publishers, LLC. Articles and information published in this magazine may not be reproduced without written consent of the APHCC of Alabama or Blue Water Publishers, LLC. The publisher cannot assume responsibility for claims made by advertisers and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by contributing authors. For more information on advertising, contact Jim Aitkins, Blue Water Publishers, LLC, 22727 - 161st Avenue SE, Monroe, WA 98272 360-805-6474 / fax: 360-805-6475 jima@bluewaterpublishers.com

CALL US TODAY! Evans & Associates (678) 455-8118

www.alabamaphcc.org • Alabama Contractor • Fall 2014

From the Desk of APHCC President, Mike Scanlon

APHCC Members, Well, here it is a little more than half of year 2014 gone by. The first half of the year we have seen economic turmoil, wars, and high unemployment. Pretty much resembles what you see as a plumbing/HVAC business owner—what to do here, what to do there, what a mess! I need someone to talk to, I need a shoulder to learn on, and I could use some education. Thank goodness there is help. This is where the Alabama PHCC and the National PHCC memberships come into play. No matter what your problem is or what you are going thru, someone has already been there and they are members of the association. We’re here to talk and listen and help. All you need to do is join. It’s that simple. Do you like to travel, fish, hunt, play golf, or spend more time with the family? Join today and let us help you get there! Mike Scanlon, APHCC President

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Fall 2014 • Alabama Contractor • www.alabamaphcc.org

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www.alabamaphcc.org • Alabama Contractor • Fall 2014

By Gerry Kennedy PHCC National Association Executive Vice President

Amp Up Your Business! Plug Into Proven Strategies and Powerful Ideas at CONNECT 2014

t PHCC, we’re definitely getting jazzed about all the new opportunities and new strategies that will take center stage in New Orleans for CONNECT 2014, Oct. 8-10. The French Quarter promises to be a beautiful and inspirational setting for this year’s conference. After all, what better place to recharge our professional and personal batteries than in a city known for its own recovery and resilience? We hope you’ll join us in the Big Easy this year! Among the highlights planned for CONNECT 2014: A rock-solid line-up of educational opportunities. Get a front-row seat for innovative tips and information-sharing on topics such as finding and retaining employees, technology trends, BIM, sales and customer service, bathroom trends, marketing, new water heater regulations and estimating. “The New Normal: Leadership and Preparedness in the 21st Century”– presented by General Russel L. Honoré. When it seemed that desperation and chaos were taking over the city of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, General Honoré stepped in to take charge and restore order. In his keynote address on Oct. 9, General Honoré will

Fall 2014 • Alabama Contractor • www.alabamaphcc.org

apply his proven strategies to the needs of small business owners. An expanded Apprentice Contest. Watch top apprentices from across the United States demonstrate their skills at the PHCC Educational Foundation’s Plumbing Apprentice Contest and – in its second year – HVAC Apprentice Contest. Our popular Product & Technology Showcase. You’ll get premiere access to the industry’s top manufacturers and service providers as they share ideas about products, technologies and advancements in this intimate setting. Special Closing Event. See where artisans create the magnificent Mardi Gras floats at a special closing reception at Mardi Gras World, where you’ll be able to view past floats and others in progress. We look forward to connecting with you at what promises to be an exciting, energetic event at the New Orleans Marriott, a majestic hotel in the French Quarter boasting beautiful panoramic Mississippi River and city views. For more information about CONNECT 2014, visit www.phccweb.org/connect. Hope to see you there!

better. together. In our industry everyone knows that when you find something that works, you stick with it. Since 1946 our products have been Designed, Machined and Assembled in the USA to help you get the job done right. It’s pretty simple: when you put BrassCraft Manufacturing parts on the job with hard-working plumbers, we’re always better together.

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Listen Up! H

ow can you tell if you’re losing your hearing? You probably can’t. Hearing loss is an insidious process that creeps up on you with little or no warning. As sound reception becomes fainter, you may try to compensate without even realizing it—by turning the TV or radio up louder, by asking others to repeat themselves, or even by leaning closer to the source. Prolonged exposure to loud noises on and off the job accumulates over years and can eventually cause permanent hearing impairment or deafness. By the time you realize you have a problem, the condition is very likely irreversible. Don’t wait until it is too late. Start wearing your hearing protection devices right away. You are ultimately responsible for consistent and proper use of your protective equipment.

they do need a period of adjustment. If the discomfort persists, it could be a sizing problem or you may need a different type of protector. Let us know and we can work together to find the fight device for you. To make sure that we all do our part in hearing conservation, it is important that we receive cooperation from everyone. Besides openly discussing your concerns, you can make a difference by doing the following: • Follow all precautions, procedures, and practices for your machinery and your hearing devices to minimize excessive exposure to noise. • Watch for warning signs that are posted in areas where high noise levels exist and make sure you wear your protectors in those areas. • Let us know of any operation or condition that presents a noise hazard that we may be unaware of. • It doesn’t help to follow hearing precautions at work if you are exposed to high noise levels at home. Make sure you minimize noise exposure in all aspects of your life. Protect your children’s hearing, too, by explaining the dangers of blasting rock music—and set an example for them. Above all, wear your hearing protection regularly - it does work!

Arguments and Answers I know some of you have concerns and difficulties about wearing your hearing protections, so let’s review some of them. • You are used to the noise and it doesn’t bother you. This may be true, but exposure to noise does not “toughen up” your ears. The reason it doesn’t bother you may be because you have already begun to lose your hearing. If you’ve already lost some hearing, why wear the protectors now? Just because you’ve lost some of your hearing doesn’t mean you can’t lose more or all of it. Early hearing loss is concentrated in the higher frequencies. As Hearing it progresses, it spreads to the lower frequencies and affects comprehension of normal speech. Although protection devices cannot restore a noise-induced hearing loss, they can prevent additional losses. • Your machine sounds different with the protectors on. Yes, it does sound different, and over time you will adjust to the differences and be able to monitor the sounds effectively. • With hearing protection you can’t hear your coworkers. Without protectors, the high noise level causes overload for your hearing. Reducing overall sound levels allows the ear to operate more effectively, just as sunglasses provide improved vision in high glare conditions, although it may take a little getting used to. Then you should be able to hear whatever you need to. • Why do the protectors have to be so uncomfortable? They shouldn’t be, although like new shoes or glasses, 10

Fall 2014 • Alabama Contractor • www.alabamaphcc.org

Protection Do’s and Don’ts Checklist

Are You Ready? 2015 DOE (Department of Energy) Final Rule Effective April 16th, 2015

The new 2015 DOE (Department of Energy) Final Rule energy efficiency mandates will require higher Energy Factor (EF) ratings on virtually all residential gas, electric, oil and tankless gas water heaters, completely altering the water heater landscape. These changes will have an impact on how water heaters are manufactured, distributed and installed, affecting manufacturers, wholesalers, installers and customers alike. THE NEW REQUIREMENTS Energy Factor (EF): Energy Factor is the ratio of useful energy output from the water heater to the total amount of energy delivered to the water heater. The higher the EF is, the more efficient the water heater.

While all affected models will see an increase in the EF requirement, the most dramatic changes are in larger capacity models. The DOE established the EF requirement for residential gas and electric water heaters over 55 gallons so as to drive manufactur-

ers to implement new, more energy efficient technologies. While the new rule does not require a specific technology, the only currently viable technologies to meet the EF requirement over 55 gallons are heat pump water heaters for electric and high efficiency condensing gas water heaters. WHAT CHANGES? Electric water heaters, already very efficient, will likely require more insulation. This will increase the diameter and/or height of the water heater. Additional insulation may be required for piping and fittings such as drain and T&P valves. For electric water heaters over 55 gallons, the only currently available technology able to meet the EF requirement is a heat pump water heater. To meet the required minimum EF, gas models may require additional insulation, incorporate newer flue baffling technologies (including flue dampers), incorporate electronic ignition in lieu of the standing pilot, or any combination of these. Again, the likely impact will be an increase in the overall tank www.alabamaphcc.org â&#x20AC;˘ Alabama Contractor â&#x20AC;˘ Fall 2014

size, especially in diameter. For gas water heaters over 55 gallons, high efficiency, fully condensing combustion technology will be required. This will mean that line voltage will have to be available, as well as a means for condensate disposal. Similar challenges are faced with the oil-fired products. Much like gas products, oil-fired water heaters will likely require additional insulation or completely new combustion systems. The new minimum Energy Factor for tankless (instantaneous) gas goes from .62 to .82. For installations requiring a tankless approach, most of these water heaters currently have EF ratings of .82 or better. IMPACT ON WATER HEATER MANUFACTURERS Changes required for the 2015 Final Rule will prove time-consuming and costly. Resources will have to be added, or shifted from other projects to complete the R&D, manufacturing equipment selection and installation, testing and certification, training, sales and marketing. Because the product will likely increase in size, additional distribution facilities may be required. Logistics costs will increase as fewer units may fit in a trailer or shipping container. Manufacturers will have to balance their inventory and production as there will be increased demand for the current products just ahead of the effective date. IMPACT ON THE DISTRIBUTOR Distributors will be required to retrain their employees so that they understand the intricacies of the new standards and the changes to the new water heaters. As with the manufacturer, space is always a premium, and these new products will take up more space in the warehouse. In addition to understanding the technical changes in the product, the distributor will also have to understand and train personnel as to any new handling and logistics require12

Fall 2014 • Alabama Contractor • www.alabamaphcc.org

ments. For example, handling an integrated heat pump water heater can be very much different from handling a standard electric water heater. It is taller and heavier. It is top-heavy because of the additional weight of the heat pump components on the top of the unit. Stack height may be impacted. Because the new style water heaters may require additional components for installation, such as venting material and condensate pumps, the distributor may have to stock additional SKU’s to support their customer. On the positive side, when products become more complex, it is less likely that they will be purchased and installed by the do-it-yourself consumer. Therefore, a potential impact of the 2015 water heater changes will be an increase in the

share sold through wholesale distribution, thereby, increasing installer opportunities. IMPACT ON THE INSTALLER Contracting business owners will strongly feel the effects of the 2015 Final Rule and the associated water heater changes. First, there are real costs associated with getting employees up to speed on the new technologies. Training on the new products will be critical. While manufacturers and distributors will provide resources to train installers, a significant amount of time will be required for training. This obviously comes at the sacrifice of revenue generating production from the employee. Many installations that were once a one-person job will now require two people. As water heaters get larger and heavier, they will prove to be too awkward to handle by one person. This is especially true when talking about those models over 55-gallons. Not only will the larger models require two people, the contractor or business owner may need a larger work truck to deliver the water heater to the job. For example, the height of a heat pump water heater may exceed the height of the installers van. If the product cannot be laid down horizontally, the only solution may be to acquire a larger box van or open truck. Condensing gas water heaters are generally a much heavier product than their standard counterparts. There are other requirements that must be met when installing these types of water heaters. First, 120 VAC is required. Electric is required for a gas water heater. Depending on the design, even gas water heaters under the 55-gallon threshold may now require electricity. Plumbing contractors will have to invest in electrical equipment (such as multi-meters) for installations and troubleshooting, and installers will have to become well-versed in electronic control systems. By their nature, high efficiency gas water heaters produce condensate. Many installations will require a drain somewhere in the vicinity of the water heater, and/or a condensate pump. The installer will have to understand local codes with respect to condensate disposal. What about the exhaust system? Condensing gas water heaters extract enough heat from the exhaust that it is generally cool enough to vent with plastic pipe, either through the sidewall or through the roof. Some models even require a plastic pipe for combustion air (intake). The venting system, usually PVC, CPVC or ABS, has to be constructed by the installer. The location of the old water heater may not be appropriate for the new one. A heat pump water heater generally requires a 10 ft. x 10ft. room, or a duct to adjoining room to operate properly.

The installer must also be cognizant of the impact of noise. Whereas the existing water heater may produce very little noise, the new model may operate at a noise level which will lead to homeowner complaints if not addressed up front. IMPACT ON THE HOMEOWNER The homeowner will have to deal with increased product and installation costs. In some cases, the water heater will have to be re-located to operate properly, or mitigate noise. While the operating cost of the new water heaters will be less because of their increased energy efficiency, it is likely that the maintenance costs will increase because of a more complex design, and the integration of electronics, blowers, fans, condensers, etc. In some cases, the performance of the new water heater in terms of hot water deliverability will be less than the model which was replaced. CONCLUSION The above represents just a brief overview of the changes in water heaters mandated for 2015, and you are encouraged to spend the time to become well-versed in these changes. The time to prepare for these changes is now.

www.alabamaphcc.org â&#x20AC;˘ Alabama Contractor â&#x20AC;˘ Fall 2014

True Costs of Doing Business

By Michael Bohinc & John Zink

ccording to recent reports from Profit Cents™ analysis of financial statements of plumbing-heating-cooling contractors, the national industry average net profit was 3.27% for 2010. Why are there such low-profit figures in the industry? Easy answer: Contractors are not properly calculating the pricing for their services based on their actual costs. The mathematical equation for calculating a proper selling price includes the following: •

Material costs (M)

•

Labor costs including payroll taxes and benefits (L)

•

Overhead costs including owner’s salary (O/H)

•

Profit (P)

The equation looks like this: SP (Selling Price) = M + L + O/H + P Materials costs are easy - just look at what you are paying your suppliers. For the rest of the items, we have to do a bit more work. Calculating Direct Labor Costs What costs besides wages go into employee costs?

•

Employment Taxes - Social Security, Medicare, FUTA, SUTA, Worker’s Comp, etc.

•

Employee Benefits - Paid time off, holidays, sick days, insurance, retirement, uniforms, etc.

Fall 2014 • Alabama Contractor • www.alabamaphcc.org

A careful analysis of each of the items above is needed to get a solid number for your direct labor costs. Calculating Overhead Costs For many contractors, it’s easier to give examples of overhead expenses than it is to define the term. Overhead expenses are those expenses incurred by the business whether or not a job is sold. They are costs that can’t be assigned to any specific job. They don’t directly relate to the providing of a service or the installation of materials. They are the costs to maintain the business even if you weren’t doing any work. They are sometimes also called operating expenses or indirect expenses. You can’t directly charge a customer for repairs made to a service truck. If the transmission in the service truck breaks in Mrs. Brown’s driveway, you can’t charge Mrs. Brown for the cost of the truck repair because it broke down in her driveway. You have to spread that repair cost (as well as all of the other overhead costs) over all of your jobs (all of your customers). Each customer should pay for a portion of the repair via the overhead component of your break even cost per billable hour. Overhead expenses include things like the owners’ salaries, office rent/mortgage, utilities, advertising, office supplies, permits, equipment repairs, employee training, etc. Detailed breakouts can include several dozen line items. However you break them out, ALL your costs must be collected and counted in the three buckets - Materials, Direct Labor and Overhead.

Identifying & Calculating “Billable Hours” A billable hour (BH) is an hour that someone works that is actually chargeable to the client. For example, you spend an hour at Mrs. Smith’s house replacing her garbage disposal. That hour is chargeable to Mrs. Smith and is, therefore, a billable hour. The average 40 hour work week equates to 2,080 work hours a year, but it is not possible to be doing billable work for every one of those hours. Besides the holidays, vacations and sick leave we already mentioned, there will be hours spent driving to the jobs, picking up materials, pricing estimates and doing take-offs from blue prints, attending industry conventions and seminars on technical and business topics, etc. These all subtract hours from the total hours available. Develop a plan to track your company’s average billable hours so that you can be sure that your costs are being divided properly against the hours you have available to bill your customers. Computing the “Break Even” Cost on a Billable Hour Basis Recall the selling price equation from an earlier section: SP (Selling Price for Labor) = L + O/H + P That’s the equation for determining the selling price for a billable hour of labor (not for determining the break even cost for the company), so remove profit from the equation, and we get this for the break-even equation: Break Even Cost per Billable Hour = Labor cost per billable hour + O/H cost per billable hour BE Cost per BH = (DL Cost ÷ BH) + (O/H Cost ÷ BH) Now that we have our break even price, what about adding profit? Mark-up Vs. Margin Methods Many small business owners use a simple mark-up technique to calculate their selling price. They take their costs, add a percentage on top and think they have a sound number for their selling price. What they don’t realize is that they are shortchanging themselves because they have done the math wrong! Mark-Up: The Wrong Way to Make a Profit Here is an example of the Mark-Up method on a job with $100 in costs with a 10% mark-up: Job Costs + 10% of Job Costs = Marked Up Selling Price $100 + $10 = $110 Selling Price The contractor thinks that they are making 10% net profit on the job, but they are not! How do we know? Just do the math! What is 10% of $110? A 10% profit on a $110 selling price is $11, but we are only getting $10 in profit. That one dollar doesn’t seem like a big deal, until you apply that thinking to the much larger numbers of your sales revenue.

Margin: The Right Way to Calculate Your Sales Price Here is an example of calculating profit the correct way. Again, we’ll use the example of $100 in job costs and a desired 10% profit. Here is the formula: Margin = ((Profit % ÷ (1 – Profit %)) X Job Costs) Or in Our Example: $11.11 = ((.10 ÷ (1 – . 10)) X $100 Simplified: $11.11 = (.1 ÷ by .9) multiplied by $100 More Simplified: $11.11 = .1111 multiplied by $100 What does that mean? To make a 10% profit on a job with $100 in costs, your selling price must be $100 + $11.11 or $111.11. And we can prove that we are right: 10% of Selling Price + Job Costs = Selling Price $11.11 + $100 = $111.11 The 10% profit on a $111 selling price is $11.11. We have found that extra dollar that was missing from the Mark-Up method! Computing a Selling Price Based on Billable Hours We know from the last section that we need to do division to calculate our Billable Hour Selling Price. Here is the formula for calculating a 15% net profit rate: SP per BH = (DL per BH + O/H per BH) ÷ (100% – 15% or .85) If we had $90/hour in direct labor costs and $10/hour in overhead costs and we want a 15% net profit, what would our hourly selling price be? SP per BH = $90 + $10 ÷ .85 OR Selling Price per Billable Hour = $117.65 Conclusion When you calculate your own billable hours selling price, you may be surprised by how high the number is. Go ahead and double check your numbers, but realize that if anything less than the properly calculated charge per billable hour is paid by your customers, you are losing money on every job. The more hours sold at a lower amount, the quicker a contractor can find themselves in financial trouble. Cash flow can only keep a contractor who does not charge enough to cover his costs open for so long

www.alabamaphcc.org • Alabama Contractor • Fall 2014

Three Ways to Bring the Trades to Your Community By Allie Perez www.texaswomenintrades.com

I Am Read y to Let’s Get t Learn! o It!

ou’ve heard contractors say it more than once, “I’m desperate for skilled workers!” Heck, you may have said this yourself. But, even the most diversified and active recruitment and hiring plans can fall short. In Texas, the average age of a Master Plumber is 58 years old! What’s going to happen to the industry in seven years? We only bring in one apprentice for every four plumbers that are leaving the trades. These numbers don’t add up. So, what can you do to bring the trades into your community and start addressing this problem? Read on for three simple ways to bring the trades into your community.

classroom. Show the students your tools of the trade and allow them ask direct questions about your daily activities. Throw in a presentation and they’re sold. When I attend local career events, I ensure that each classroom has a sink with an exposed piping system underneath. Then I split the class into two groups. One group goes to the sink with me and I explain drainage and supply. The second group, moderated by their instructor, is able to handle the tools and show and tell items I’ve brought along. It is very engaging and way more fun than listening to another “boring presentation.”

Get Out There! Jump in! The easiest and best way to start is by attending a career day at your local school. Starting at your kid’s school or maybe a relative’s or employee’s child’s school is a great place to start. Up the ante and contact your local school district about being a presenter at local career events. What good does this do? Well, it illustrates to young people that there are alternatives to college. It also helps to change the perception of the “dirty tradesman.” You’re able, through your presence, to demonstrate the proven success of a life in the trades.

Build Relationships! Create a relationship with the guidance counselor and inform them that you are very open to them sharing your contact information. Through word of mouth you will find that you are very popular within their district. Counselors are dying for diversification when presenting career paths to young people. Help them along and show them how beneficial a life in the trades has been for you and how great it can be for their students. Always send a follow-up note or email thanking them for having you at their event and invite them to save your information for future events. Obviously, there are a great deal of ways to penetrate society with information about a life in the trades. It is our individual responsibility to present the trades to our community and illustrate to them how important the trades are in their daily lives. The trades are economy proof and provide excellent benefits to those committed to their profession. Don’t be afraid to share what you love!

Make it Fun! When presenting always make sure you’re honest. It doesn’t help to recruit young people if you are pitching an unrealistic dream. Also, use visual aids such as, Power Point presentations or show and tell. In the trades, we are very lucky to be able to bring our trades directly into the 16

Fall 2014 • Alabama Contractor • www.alabamaphcc.org

PHCC

cholarship Information

ttracting new talent is essential to the future of the plumbingheating-cooling (p-h-c) industry. The PHCC Educational Foundation and its industry partners are teaming up to identify and aid students pursuing a career in the p-h-c industry. The purpose of these scholarship programs is to help students prepare for careers in the plumbing-heating-cooling (p-h-c) profession. All application forms and supporting materials are due May 1st each year. You can access the application form and information about the process at www.phccfoundation.org. For all non-Auxiliary awards, applicants must be planning to enroll in a course of study directly related to the plumbing-heatingcooling industry to be eligible to apply. If you have additional questions or need assistance completing an application form after checking the information on this website, you can contact the Scholarship Program Administrator at (800) 533-7694. The PHCC National Auxiliary also awards over $25,000 in scholarship per year. You can access information regarding the National Auxiliary scholarship program and download application forms by visiting the phccweb.org.

You are only one step away from getting

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Get More Business Now! Get Listed Today! Visit: www.AAOA.com/getlisted www.alabamaphcc.org • Alabama Contractor • Fall 2014

Phillip Till instructs a code review course

Phillip Till instructs class on Blueprint Reading in Orange Beach

Fall 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ Alabama Contractor â&#x20AC;˘ www.alabamaphcc.org

Ms. Susan Donaldson (first female to take PGFB exam in Alabama) and Charles Brown, Jr. (first minority to take PGFB exam in Alabama)

www.alabamaphcc.org • Alabama Contractor • Fall 2014

Fall 2014 • Alabama Contractor • www.alabamaphcc.org

www.alabamaphcc.org • Alabama Contractor • Fall 2014

PHCC Helps You Keep Up with the LATEST

TECHNOLOGIES AND STANDARDS

o be the contractor of choice in your area, you have to stay on top of the latest trends, installation technology, and relevant product standards and code. As if that’s not hard enough, the issues that can affect your bottom line include not only local ones, but also national and even international ones. Considering that you also have a business to run, that’s a lot on your plate. Fortunately, PHCC—National Association has your back — serving as your resource for the latest installation technology, product standards and code interpretations. Minimizing Surprises We’re working hard to make sure you don’t get blind-sided by new or confusing regulations. For example, we have an expert available to answer your code and technical questions so that you can stay in compliance — and avoid delays, extra costs and even fines. Recently, we’ve been able to help members figure out requirements for fixture counts, water heater installations, drinking water facilities and occupancy standards. We also have reviewed listed standards to help contractors determine the acceptable materials they can use on a job. If you have a technical or code question, email techline@naphcc.org. Taking Action on Regulations When it comes to important issues affecting the p-h-c industry, PHCC represents your interests like no one else can. In the past few months, we were “at the table” on important topics like the future of refrigerants, boiler efficiencies, sustainable codes and tax regulations. Check out what we’ve been doing on your behalf below! •

In August, a PHCC representative began serving on a U.S. Dept. of Energy working group that will be negotiating proposed energy efficiency standards for the Final Furnace, Air Conditioner, and Heat Pump Rule. As the only contractor in this group, we’ll have the opportunity to present

Fall 2014 • Alabama Contractor • www.alabamaphcc.org

the practical concerns of the contractors who install and maintain these appliances every day. •

In late June, we participated in an industry consortium to consider technical guidance to the U.S. Dept. of Energy in its plans to increase residential boiler efficiencies. We’re working to set attainable efficiency levels that make sense — minimizing consumers’ energy demands and maximizing comfort.

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We’re educating members about the new water heater regulations that go into effect April 16, 2015. Watch your mail in the new few weeks for comprehensive resources on what you need to know and how to prepare!

We’re also staying on top of important regulatory changes that could affect you, including: • The Final Furnace, Air Conditioner, and Heat Pump Rule •

Potential extensions of Section 179D of the IRS code and 25C tax credits

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Expansion of lead in paint regulations to commercial and public buildings

Preparing for the Future Plus, we were active in several important industry meetings and initiatives to advance the industry, including the 4th annual International Emerging Technology Symposium; the USA Science and Engineering Festival; and the Global Training and Education Symposium. We’re also developing the 2015 Edition of the National Standard Plumbing Code. For more information on how PHCC helps you stay a step ahead of the competition, visit the PHCC website at www .phccweb.org.

A COMMITMENT TO YOU At Bradford White, our business

helping to create more jobs for the

We truly appreciate and depend

philosophy is very simple. We sell

American worker. We believe that’s

upon the loyalty of the plumbing

our products to the trade through

something to feel good about.

and heating professionals.

wholesale distribution. That’s it.

Your commitment to support this

Bradford White water heaters are

American company and Wholesale

built in Middleville, MI by a highly

Only brand has brought on the

skilled and experienced workforce.

greatest era of growth in our history

When you support Bradford White with your purchase decision, you’re

and allowed us to expand our production capabilities and product

And, you can depend upon Bradford White for the high-quality, ruggedly-built, and technologically-innovative products you need for your business.

offerings.

Official Water Heater of the PHCC

Alabama Contractor • Fall 2014