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FINESSE FINDING - Plumber Magazine
Exclusively serving plumbing contractors and franchisees | plumbermag.com        January 2018

                                                       FINDING
                                     FINESSE
                                     Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer in Illinois builds company
                                      by developing professional employees and being
                                                 there for customers every day Page 16

                                                                            First Responders
                                                                       PLUMBER UPDATES HOT WATER
                                                                       AND HEATING SYSTEM IN
                                                                       OLDER HOME
                                                                       Page 34

                                                                            AHR Preview
                                                                       A LOOK AT THE 2018 AHR
                                                                       EXPO IN CHICAGO
                                                                       Page 40
FINESSE FINDING - Plumber Magazine
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FINESSE FINDING - Plumber Magazine
MONEY
        MACHINE.

                              What are these guys watching?
               Well, for one thing, they’re watching profits
              go up. They’re replacing a home sewer lateral
BOOTH     trenchlessly with a pipebursting system made by
 1533       TRIC Tools, Inc., the company that started it all.
For more info visit www.trictools.com or call 888.883.8742
FINESSE FINDING - Plumber Magazine
CONTENTS                                                                                                                        January 2018

                                                                                                                                                       8    From the Editor:
                                                                                                                                                            The Driving Force
                                                                                                                                                            Find that one thing that motivates you, and build on it to
                                                                                                                                                            make your business even more successful and profitable.
                                                                                                                                                            - By Cory Dellenbach

                                                                                                                                                       10   @plumbermag.com
                                                                                                                                                            Check out our exclusive online content.

                                                                                                                                                       16   Profile:
                                                                                                                                                            Finding Finesse
                                                                                                                                                            Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer in Illinois builds company by
                                                                                                                                                            developing professional employees and being there for
                                                                                                                                                            customers every day.
                                                                                                                                                            - By Giles Lambertson

                                                                                                                                                       24   On The Road:
                                                                                                                                                            Upon Further Review…
                                                                                                                                                            A fast, app-based review process makes it easy for cus-
                                                                                                                                                            tomers to give this plumber an online thumbs-up.
                                                                                                                                                            - By Ken Wysocky

                                                                                                                                                       26   Smart Business:
                                                                                                                                                            Figuring Out the Bidding Process
                                                                                                                                                            Contractors who don’t have a planned approach for taking
                                                                                                                                                            on more work could bring trouble to their business.

                                                                                                            12
                                                                                                                                                            - By Neil Feldman

                                                                                                                                                       28   Water Heater Directory

                                                                                                                                                       32   Industry Insider:
                                                                                                                                                            It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a …
                                                                                                                                                            The plumber is the superhero of yesterday, today and
                                                                                                                                                            tomorrow.
                                                                                                                                                            - By Randy Lorge

                                                Stop Relentless Rust                                                                                   34
          In the SHOP

                                                                                                                                                            First Responders:
                                                                                                                                                            Tight Fitting Fix
                                                From Eating Your Fleet                                                                                      Boston plumber restores hot water to residence in one of
                                                                                                                                                            the oldest neighborhoods in the city.
                                                Trucks and equipment are your biggest                                                                       - By Cory Dellenbach
                                                capital investment. Try these solutions to
                                                prevent corrosion from costing you a bundle.
                                                - By Peter Kenter
                                                                                                                                                       40   AHR Preview:
                                                                                                                                                            Breaking Out the New
                                                                                                                                                            The latest HVACR innovations, products and technologies
                                                                                                                                                            will be on display at the AHR Expo in Chicago.
                                                                                                                                                            - By Megan Shamas
                                                                                                       On the Cover
    Exclusively serving plumbing contractors and franchisees | plumbermag.com        January 2018

                                                                                                       Jay DeFrates, owner of Jay’s Plumbing
                                                                                                       & Sewer, stands in front of one of the
                                                                                                                                                       42   AHR Product Preview - 2018

                                                                                                       company trucks at the shop. The company,
                                                                                                       based in Downers Grove, Illinois, covers        44   Product Focus:
                                                                                                                                                            Water Quality and Conditioning
                                                                                                       an area of about 25 miles and offers                 - By Craig Mandli
                                                           FINDING                                     services such as sewer repairs, sump pump
                                         FINESSE
                                         Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer in Illinois builds company
                                          by developing professional employees and being
                                                     there for customers every day Page 16
                                                                                                       repair, drain cleaning, fixture installation,
                                                                                                       power rodding, jetting, and water heater        46   Product News
                                                                                                                                                            Product Spotlight: Anua system is a
                                                                                First Responders
                                                                           PLUMBER UPDATES HOT WATER
                                                                                                       repairs and installation.
                                                                                                                                                            predictive maintenance solution
                                                                           AND HEATING SYSTEM IN
                                                                           OLDER HOME
                                                                           Page 34

                                                                                AHR Preview

                                                                                                       Photography by Rob Hart
                                                                           A LOOK AT THE 2018 AHR
                                                                           EXPO IN CHICAGO
                                                                           Page 40

                                                                                                                                                            - By Craig Mandli

Coming Next Month - Residential Plumbing
                                                                                                                                                       50   Industry News

      Smart Business: Union vs. nonunion                                                                                                               50   Calendar

      Plumber Profile: Frasier’s Plumbing, Heating & Cooling (Rhinelander, Wisconsin)

4
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ADVERTISER INDEX
    ALLAN J. COLEMAN
                 SINCE 1905

    Allan J. Coleman Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
    American Jetter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
    Arctic Blasters, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53            Exclusively serving plumbing contractors and franchisees
    ASCO Numatics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
    Bradford White Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11                       Published monthly by COLE Publishing, Inc.
    Cam Spray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43                 1720 Maple Lake Dam Rd., PO Box 220
                                                                                                                                   Three Lakes, WI 54562

                                                                                                                                Call toll-free 800-257-7222
    Central Oklahoma Winnelson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27                           Outside of U.S. or Canada call 715-546-3346
                                                                                                                              Mon.- Fri., 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. CST
                                                                                                                               Website: www.plumbermag.com
                                                                                                                    Email: info@plumbermag.com | Fax: 715-546-3786

    Duracable Manufacturing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
    Enz USA, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
    FastEST, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
                                                                                                                   SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: A one-year (12-issue) subscription
                                                                                                                   to Plumber in the United States or Canada is free to qualified
                                                                                                                   subscribers. A qualified subscriber is any individual or
    Formadrain Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22                  company in the United States or Canada that is involved in
                                                                                                                   the inspection, cleaning, repair and installation of residential
                                                                                                                   and commercial sewer lines. Non-qualified subscriptions are
                                                                                                                   available at a cost of $60 per year in the United States and
    General Pipe Cleaners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2                Canada/Mexico. Subscriptions to all other foreign countries
                                                                                                                   cost $80 per year. To qualify, visit www.plumbermag.com/
    Hackney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30       order/subscription or call 800-257-7222.
    HammerHead Trenchless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
    Hot Jet USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54          Our subscriber list is occasionally made available to carefully
    I.S.T. Services, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43           selected companies whose products or services may be of
                                                                                                                   interest to you. Your privacy is important to us. If you prefer
                                                                                                                   not to be a part of these lists, please contact Nicole at
                                                                                                                   nicolel@colepublishing.com.
    MaxLiner USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
    Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23                       CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: RATE: No Photo Classified $25 for
    MyTana Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9                   20 words, each additional word $1. All classified advertising
                                                                                                                   must be PAID IN ADVANCE. DEADLINE: Classifieds must
                                                                                                                   be received by the first of the month for insertion in the next
                                                                                                                   month’s edition. PHONE-IN ADS ARE NOT ACCEPTED. Ads
    Perma-Liner Industries, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56                     may be faxed only when charging to MasterCard, VISA,
                                                                                                                   Amex or Discover. Please supply all credit card information
    PHCC - GLAA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53          with faxed ads. Be sure to include your phone number (with
                                                                                                                   area code) in your ad. Make checks payable to COLE
                                                                                                                   Publishing Inc. and mail with classified ad to the address
                                                                                                                   above. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING APPEARS NATIONWIDE
    Picote Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38                  AND ON THE INTERNET. Not responsible for errors beyond
                                                                                                                   first insertion.

    Pipe Lining Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55              DISPLAY ADVERTISING: Contact
                                                                                                                   one of our sales staff at 800-
    Pulsar 2000, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30             994-7990. Publisher reserves
    Renssi Finland Oy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14             the right to reject advertising
    RuB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48    that in its opinion is misleading,
    Seweri Finland Oy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36              unfair or incompatible with the
                                                                                                                                                         Ann Richmond     Winnie May
                                                                                                                   character of the publication.
    Simple Solutions Distributing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
                                                                                                                   REPRINTS AND BACK ISSUES: Visit www.plumbermag.com
                                                                                                                   for options and pricing. To order reprints, call Jeff Lane at
                                                                                                                   800-257-7222 (715-546-3346) or email jeff.lane@
    Spartan Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5         colepublishing.com. To order back issues, call Nicole
                                                                                                                   at 800-257-7222 (715-546-3346) or email
    Superior Signal Company LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53                         nicole.labeau@colepublishing.com.

                                                                                                                   CIRCULATION: Circulation averages 27,746 copies per month.
                                                                                                                   This figure includes both U.S. and international distribution.
    TRIC Tools, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
                                                                                                                                © 2018 COLE PUBLISHING INC.
                                                                                                                    No part may be reproduced without permission of the publisher.
    Ultra Shore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
                                                                                                                       facebook.com/PlumberMag
                                                                                                                       twitter.com/PlumberMag
                                                                                                                       youtube.com/PlumberMagazine
    Water Cannon, Inc. - MWBE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
    WWETT Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51                  linkedin.com/company/plumber-magazine

6
FINESSE FINDING - Plumber Magazine
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FINESSE FINDING - Plumber Magazine
FROM THE EDITOR

                                                                              Cory Dellenbach

      The Driving Force
      Find that one thing that motivates you, and build on it to
      make your business even more successful and profitable

              hat motivates you? That’s a tough question for       DeFrates started in the industry 30 years ago as an

    W         anyone in any industry to answer. The reasons
              could be many: money, family or just for the
                                                               apprentice, working for several plumbing businesses. He
                                                               learned all he could as an apprentice and journeyman and
              love of it.                                      now has his own company with 13 employees. The company
    Many plumbers we profile tell me they love being           offers services such as leak detection and diagnostics,
plumbers because they enjoy helping others: They like          fixture repair and replacement, water heater repairs, and
coming in to “save the day.”                                   sewer rodding and televising.
    Randy Lorge finds motivation in teaching the next
generation of plumbers. Lorge, a plumbing apprentice
instructor at a technical college in Wisconsin, will             Many plumbers we profile tell me they love
occasionally write Industry Insider columns for Plumber
starting this year. In this issue, he talks about plumbers
                                                                 being plumbers because they enjoy helping
as superheroes.                                                  others: They like coming in to “save the day.”
    Lorge and his students probably seemed like superheroes
to the people of the Indonesian province of West Java in
November 2017, when the Community Plumbing Challenge           THE NEED TO EXPAND
traveled to the country to renovate and expand bathroom            For some company owners, the need to expand services
facilities for two school buildings.                           is a big motivation. You can learn great ways to expand
    The challenge is organized by the World Plumbing Council   your plumbing company later this month at the AHR Expo
and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical   (short for the International Air-Conditioning, Heating,
Officials. You can read more about the 2017 Community          Refrigerating Exposition) in Chicago.
Plumbing Challenge at www.plumbermag.com.                          At this show, you’ll see the latest products from plumbing
                                                               manufacturers. You’ll see products from crimpers and
MOTIVATED TO GROW                                              various PEX pipes all the way up to water heaters and
     Jay DeFrates is motivated to keep his company growing     hydronic heating systems.
by providing customers with professional and knowledgeable         You’ll find a preview of the show in this issue.
plumbers on job sites around Downers Grove, Illinois.
     “I like to think we do a little bit better than our       WHAT’S YOUR MOTIVATION?
competitors — that we do things with a little bit more            So, to echo the first line of this column, what motivates
finesse,” says DeFrates, owner of Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer,      you? Tell me how you started your company or how you
featured in this issue. “Anyone can get a job done, but when   found your way into plumbing. Email me at editor@
you can do it with finesse … well, I think we bring that       plumbermag.com or call 800-257-7222.
little extra to the table.”                                       Enjoy this issue!

8
FINESSE FINDING - Plumber Magazine
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                                     Machines.
                                  Blades. Cable.
                                 All the right stuff
                                so you can do your
                                     best work.

                                                            We have answers,
                                                           advice and solutions.
                                                        Products are IN STOCK and
                                                         ship factory direct to you.
                                                           We’ve got your back.

                                                              “How can we
                                                               help you?”

                                 PROUDLY SERVING YOU FOR OVER 60 YEARS

Help is always at your fingertips at www.MyTana.com and 1-866-735-7684
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                                                                                      EQUIPMENT HUNTING
                                                                                      9 Tips for Choosing
                                                                                      a Work Vehicle
                                                                                      A plumber’s work vehicle is oftentimes
                                                                                      both an office and a storage area. And
                                                                                      with good branding, a vehicle also acts
                                                                                      as a rolling billboard for a company’s
                                                                                      service offerings. Needless to say,
                                                                                      choosing the right vehicle for your
                                                                                      operation is important. Here are some
                                                                                      tips to keep in mind.
                                                                                        plumbermag.com/featured

                                                        OVERHEARD ONLINE
                                                        “The big-name online job boards are effective because
                                                        they are mobile-friendly. Today’s job seekers may not read
                                                        their local newspaper or have access to a computer,
                                                        but most have smartphones, which is where they
                                                        are likely to see and respond to an ad.”
                                                        — Don’t Make That Same Big Hiring Mistake Again
BUSINESS TIPS                                             plumbermag.com/featured
Selling Your Services Without
Coming Across as a Salesperson
Chances are, you didn’t get into plumbing
because you loved to sell. Most people got into        MARKETING MATTERS
the business because they liked working with           A Beginner’s Guide
their hands, liked helping homeowners, or              to Video Marketing
were raised in or inherited a family business.         Even if you’re an expert marketer,
Selling? That’s a “necessary evil” that comes          video may be an area that is foreign
with the territory. It can feel forced or sometimes    to you. Perhaps daunting if you
slimy, even if your services are legit, and            have it in your head that an effective
customers may shut down if they think that             video has to be of Hollywood
they are being “sold.” This online exclusive           blockbuster quality. But successful
offers an alternative approach you can take            video marketing does not have to be complicated. One company’s
with your sales technique.                             marketing manager shares some tips on how to get started.
  plumbermag.com/featured                                plumbermag.com/featured

                  Join the Discussion                 NEWS & ALERTS
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                  Twitter.com/PlumberMag                     and alerts. Get exclusive content delivered right to
                                                             your inbox on topics important to you!

10   PLUMBER
At Bradford White, we know the best way to
ensure quality is with professional installation.
Your success is critical to our success.

We’re committed to the trade professional
in everything we do. We listen to you, we
design for you, we offer you 24/7 expert
tech support, and we provide financing
options for you to offer your customers.*
We stand behind you every step of the way.
Our business is being there for your business.

See more at our website dedicated to pros
like you - bwforthepro.com

*Financing program provided by FortivaTM Retail Credit.
BWPLB118
In the SHOP

        Stop Relentless Rust
        From Eating Your Fleet
        Trucks and equipment are your biggest capital
        investment. Try these solutions to prevent
        corrosion from costing you a bundle. By Peter Kenter

G
         iven enough time, any object made of iron or steel                   then there is absolutely no point in
         that’s exposed to oxygen or moisture will oxidize,                   paying for rustproofing,” he says.
         or rust. Exposure to chemicals such as road salts                       Even GMC’s own website notes:
or acids only accelerate the process. The good news is that                   “Application of additional rust-
there’s a host of strategies — from chemical treatments to                    inhibiting materials is not required under the corrosion
barriers — that can be used to beat rust at its own game.                     coverage, and none is recommended.”
    The first question any work vehicle owner should ask
is whether a corrosion treatment makes financial sense,                       MANY CHOICES
says Leslie Wong, vice president of customer and dealer                           The home turf of the vehicle also plays a part. Locations
service at www.unhaggle.com, a service designed to help                       experiencing heavy winters and lots of road salt offer more
buyers negotiate the best price for a vehicle.                                corrosion risk. So do coastal areas where salty sea spray
    He notes that new pickup trucks, for example, offer                       eats metal. While rustproofing can make a big difference
warranties against rust perforation or surface corrosion.                     to vehicle longevity in salt-prone locations, simply washing
“If you don’t intend to keep the vehicle beyond the point                     the vehicle regularly is the best way to remove the salt that
where the vehicle’s manufacturer rust warranty runs out,                      causes rust.

                                                                                              “youIwon’t
                                                                                                   … have a series of wands that
                                                                                                         likely find in the average
                                                                                              garage. … With that equipment,
                                                                                              I can be more thorough and
                                                                                              much quicker. I had a customer
                                                                                              in here with a pickup truck who
                                                                                              rustproofed it himself last year. It
                                                                                              took him more than eight hours,
                                                                                              and it took me 90 minutes.”
     Mike Stansbery, owner of Wyandot RustProofing, applies an undercoating of
     FLUID FILM, a lanolin-based rust inhibitor, to the undercarriage of a 1969 Chevy         Mike Stansbery
     truck. (Courtesy of Wyandot RustProofing LLC)

12
Rocker panels in northern climate are often subject to damage and
    corrosion. A black LINE-X coating has been applied to this truck.
                                                (Courtesy of LINE-X)

     The LINE-X truck bed liner protects against rust using a durable
                coating applied to truck metal. (Courtesy of LINE-X)

     Most rustproofing treatments fall into several categories:         DIY APPROACH
undercoating with tar-based sprays, dripless oil sprays,                    Theoretically, truck owners can buy products in each
drip oil sprays, rust conversion sprays, and bed liners.                category and perform rustproofing themselves.
Some of these treatments are available as do-it-yourself                    Pro Form Products Ltd., for example, sells a range of
products while others are proprietary products that can                 dripless oil products, wax-oil blends, rubber plugs to seal
only be applied professionally.                                         drill holes, and anything else a truck owner might need
     Undercoating with tar-based sprays                                 for rustproofing.
     Using this method, tar-based sprays are applied                        However, Pro Form Products tech expert Robin Wason
underneath the vehicle and into wheel wells and harden                  points out that many of the company’s customers use the
into a solid barrier. While the barrier remains intact, the             products for loving restoration and maintenance of
protected surface won’t rust. However, undercoating should              cherished vehicles — not a quick rustproofing job for a
be inspected annually to ensure it remains intact. If the               company pickup.
surface cracks or peels, moisture can penetrate the coating                 “The largest part of our market is people who spend
and migrate behind the barrier, forming unseen rust.                    an inordinate amount of time taking their vehicles apart
     Dripless oil spray                                                 and putting them back together again,” he says. “We sell
     Dripless oil sprays form a waxy barrier and generally              these products with a complete kit with wands and
covers more area than undercoating. It can be applied to                applicators. The buyer would need to supply a wire brush,
wheel wells, hoods and rocker panels. To fully apply the                sandpaper to loosen any rust, and typical protective gear
product, holes must be drilled into door panels and other               for automotive work — nothing exotic.”
areas of the car.                                                           On the other hand, Mike Stansbery, owner of Wyandot
     Drip oil sprays                                                    RustProofing in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, believes that truck
     Drip oil sprays are thinner than dripless sprays, and              owners can benefit from the thorough work of a professional.
they are similarly applied through holes drilled into door              He exclusively applies FLUID FILM, a lanolin-based
panels and other sections of the vehicle. The upside: The               formulation applied under nonaerosol pressure and acting
thinner sprays tend to reach the inner crevices of the car              most like a dripless oil spray.
a little better than dripless sprays. The downside: The car                 “I’ve rustproofed everything from farm machinery to
will drip a little oil for a few days after application.                pickups, dump trucks, and semis,” he says. “If it can rust,
     Rust converters                                                    we’ll do it.”
     These chemicals can transform red iron oxide into a                    Having a full range of equipment and rustproofing
more stable form, ferric tannate, which can be painted.                 experience makes all the difference, he says.

                                                                                                    plumbermag.com | January 2018   13
In the SHOP

     “I have a gun specially optimized for spraying the             “LINE-X could be considered a rustproofing treatment,”
product,” he says. “I also have a series of wands that you      he says. “Any existing rust would need to be removed and
won’t likely find in the average garage. One of them is a       treated prior to the LINE-X application, but once LINE-X
3-foot flexible wand with 360-degree spray head. With           is applied, it will resist future corrosion.”
that equipment, I can be more thorough and much quicker.            The product is available in several formulations and is
I had a customer in here with a pickup truck who rustproofed    now often used beyond bed liners. In a formulation stable
it himself last year. It took him more than eight hours, and    under ultraviolet light, it’s used to coat exterior panels,
it took me 90 minutes.”                                         floors, or any part of the truck that requires corrosion and
                                                                abrasion resistance.
BED LINERS                                                          “LINE-X has been applied to Bobcats, UTVs, forklifts,
    Some truck owners choose bed liners to rustproof their      tractors, haulers, trailers and more,” DeSmet says.
trucks, using either do-it-yourself or professionally applied       He notes that company techs have seen LINE-X coatings
products.                                                       that have lasted as long as 15 years in the field. The one
    Paul DeSmet, executive vice president at LINE-X, notes      common factor that predicts longevity is the condition of
that his company’s bed liner is applied using advanced          the metal substrate.
equipment at high temperature by trained professionals              As with most rust protection products, the best time
to ensure a durable bond to the metal beneath, while do-it-     to apply is before you see any rust at all.
yourself products are often rolled on.

                                                                                                                               BOOTH
                                                                                                                               5019

                                                                                     Call Toll-Free
                                                                                           Call Toll-Free
                                                                                                    Nationwide
                                                                                                           Nationwide
                                                                                                               • 1-800-746-7464
                                                                                                                         • 1-800-746-7464

14
LEAD FREE
                                                                                                          ARE YOU
                                                                                                          SURE?
KNOW THE REGULATIONS
governing lead content in pipes, pipe fittings,
plumbing fittings and fixtures.

1986
Congress amends the U.S. Safe Drinking
                                                                         2010
                                                                         California sets new limits on lead content—
                                                                                                                         CA
                                                                                                                                                  2014
                                                                                                                                                  What was law in CA is now law everywhere else.
Water Act to allow only 8% lead content                                  Weighted average of no more than 0.25%                                   Weighted average lead content of 0.25% or
in pipes and fittings.                                                   lead in pipes, fittings and plumbing fixtures.                           less is acceptable.
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The Emerson logo is a trademark and service mark of Emerson Electric Co. The ASCO trademark is registered in the U.S. and other countries. © 2018 ASCO Valve, Inc.
FINDING
                            FINESSE
     Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer, Downers Grove, Illinois

            OWNERS    Jay DeFrates
          EMPLOYEES   13
           SERVICES   Leak search/diagnostic; fixture repair/replacement; ejector/sump
                      pumps and backup system repairs; and water heater repairs
                      and replacements including tankless, sewer rodding/televising,
                      hydrojetting, water treatment, sewer repair, and replacement
            SERVING   25-mile radius of Downers Grove
            WEBSITE   www.jaysplumbing.net

16
professional is an expert in his field and

                                                                         A           someone with knowledge, expertise, and the
                                                                                     right skill sets to undertake and complete a
                                                                                     job. But “professional” also alludes to the
                                                                      character of a person. That is, a true professional is one
                                                                      who respects his work and the person for whom he’s
                                                                      working, which he demonstrates by being trustworthy,
                                                                      dependable and candid.
                                                                          Jay DeFrates would seem to fully qualify as a professional.
                                                                      The owner of Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer in a western Chicago
                                                                      suburb can fix a leak with the best of them, sure. But he
                                                                      has instilled in his crew the need to offer customers a larger
                                                                      package. After the drip-drip-dripping has stopped, DeFrates
                                                                      hopes a homeowner will also notice that the work area
                                                                      around the formerly leaking pipe is clean and that the
                                                                      plumber who comes to the door to repair the pipe is as
                                                                      courteous as he is knowledgeable — that he is a professional,
                                                                      in other words.

                                                                         “   Anyone can get a job done, but when
                                                                            you can do it with finesse…well, I think
                                                                             we bring that little extra to the table.”
                                                                                                                 Jay DeFrates

Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer in Illinois
builds company by developing                                              Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer is a professional shop with a
professional employees and being                                      philosophy, not just a business plan. After all, how many
there for customers every day                                         plumbing companies pledge in their online mission
By Giles Lambertson |                                                 statement “to maintain an atmosphere of optimism,
Photography by Rob Hart                                               creativity, resourcefulness and excellence”?
                                                                          “I like to think we do a little bit better than our
                                                                      competitors — that we do things with a little bit more
                                                                      finesse,” DeFrates says. “Anyone can get a job done, but
                                                                      when you can do it with finesse … well, I think we bring
                                                                      that little extra to the table.”
 The staff of Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer (from left): Victoria Kosirog,
                                                                          Asked what he means by “finesse,” he uses adjectives
 Dan Ranallo, Jake Kantor, Mike Krejci, Jay DeFrates, Bruce Sartin,   like “polite, neat and thorough.” Such a workplace culture
 Bryan Kantor, and Keith Wilmoth.
                                                                      doesn’t just spontaneously develop. It’s cultivated. “We
                                                                      constantly teach it to our crew,” DeFrates says. “Once they
                                                                      get it, they know they are offering customers something
                                                                      above and beyond what others are offering.”

                                                                      FINDING HIS CALLING
                                                                          DeFrates was born on the underside of Lake Michigan
                                                                      in northern Indiana, a contiguous part of Chicagoland.

                                                                                                   plumbermag.com | January 2018   17
He first put a wrench on a pipe 30 years ago as an apprentice,      But the things that need to be maintained in a person’s
working for several plumbing businesses. He also labored            home are not the things that a lot of homeowners can do
at other kinds of jobs as a younger man, including factory          for themselves.”
work, before getting his plumbing license and opening his                DeFrates worked from his own home in the beginning
business west and a little south of Chicago’s Loop in               and then began to stockpile inventory in a warehouse
Downers Grove.                                                      owned by his brother in a nearby town before finally moving
     From there, his crew rolls out 25 miles or so to plumb         the company into the current Ogden Avenue facility in
homes and commercial properties in places like Wheaton,             Downers Grove. He found plumbing work immediately.
La Grange and Naperville. The area includes new residential         “I was at the right place at the right time,” he says. “A large
developments as well as an abundance of World War II-era            remodeling company I knew about was going through
residences, structures that are still sturdy and attractive but     some plumbers. They had a ton of work, and I was hungry.
have been occupied long enough to begin to have plumbing            It just kind of worked out.”
issues. Ninety percent of the work at Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer             He also began to develop expertise. At the same time
is residential, and this housing stock is one reason why.           he opened his business, DeFrates moonlighted as a
     “It is a general mix of houses, but there are a lot of older   licensed state Environmental Protection Agency inspector
homes in places like Riverside,” he says. “Businesses — a           of cross-connection control devices — the backf low
lot of time — will have someone on staff to do the plumbing.        valves that prevent possibly tainted water from entering

 18
Mike Krejci works on a water ionizer (LeveLuk) that he installed on a kitchen sink.

                      Plumbing technician Mike Krejci installs a new hot water unit at a home in Downers Grove, Illinois.

                         “    When customers realize you can come on a Sunday for the same
                         price as during the week when they have no one home to let you in,
                         it usually is seen to them as a blessing.”
                         Jay DeFrates

a potable water system. Seven years later, he tested out                 by his crew. He moved away from plumbing remodeled
and became a certified plumbing inspector, subsequently                  residences as well as working on new residential construction
inspecting plumbing work part time in Elmhurst and                       and small commercial properties. He moved instead toward
full time in Hinsdale.                                                   service and repair work. He did so, he says, because there are
     More credentials? He is a certified “competent person”              fewer headaches in servicing existing plumbing systems. “And
for excavations and confined spaces, both of which can come              I think that’s where the demand is.”
into play in plumbing projects. The latter competency protects                Certainly there is enough potential work there — from
his crew members while his inspection knowledge protects                 jetting and repairing sewer lines to installing sinks or sump
homeowners. “When I was inspecting, I basically was making               pumps and fixing leaky faucets or water heaters. DeFrates
sure a job was done correctly.” Though he is not inspecting              trademarked the slogan, “Your Problem is Our Problem,”
now because he has more administrative responsibilities in               to fit the changed focus of his company and to emphasizes
the company, he says he gleaned knowledge from his                       both the service nature of the business and the company’s
inspection work that he regularly passes on to his crew.                 personal approach to individual customer satisfaction.
                                                                              His equipment, which includes pipe inspection cameras
A SHIFT IN JOBS                                                          and electronic locators, has evolved along with the industry.
    As years passed, the steady work continued for the company,          His RIDGID cameras have become necessities, DeFrates
but DeFrates began to modify the range of jobs undertaken                says. “It’s common now to run a camera through a sewer

                                                                                                            plumbermag.com | January 2018   19
A focus on lead
     Water flows from one place to another
through man-made pipes and has been doing
so for thousands of years. For just as long, pipes
have been leaking — regardless of the material
from which the pipes were made. Earthenware.
Copper. Stainless steel. Or, yes, lead. In fact,
“plumber” comes from the Latin word for lead,
“plumbum,” so leaks and plumbers go back a
long way.
     Now, those old lead pipes may be the cause
of a new wave of plumbing work. Jay DeFrates
of Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer sees it happening.
“If there is a coming news flash, it could be
about underground lead waterlines. It’s a big

                                                            “
issue around this part of the country (the
Midwest).”
                                                               When I personally was doing the work,
     The issue flared up again in 2016 from                 it always was art to me: the finished jobs
reports about unhealthy water in Flint, Michigan,
a community with lots of lead water pipes in             were works of art. I wanted my work to look
the ground. Public health officials have long
warned that consumption of lead is unhealthy
                                                            better and be better than anyone else’s.”
— whether it be lead paint nibbled on by children                                                   Jay DeFrates
or lead in water from deteriorating pipes. A
water additive was developed that coats the
interior of pipes and prevents lead from being
leached into the flowing water. That preventive      along with a rodder. It’s almost standard to push a camera in
solution evidently failed in Flint.                  there. More and more, it is not doing a customer justice if you
     The only permanent solution is to replace       are not camera-ing as well as rodding a line.”
lead pipes with some other type of piping.                Each of the company’s crew members supplies his own
DeFrates says it will not be easy. “Lead pipes       hand tools. Larger company equipment is hauled to work sites
are so entrenched in housing stock. If it was        in five service vehicles — box trucks with a Ford or Chevrolet
easy to replace them, they would be out already.     van chassis and a utility body. DeFrates prefers Goshen, Indiana-
But I think as time goes on, more people are         based Supreme service box bodies because they “come in a lot
going to get rid of those lead pipes. It may         of different styles, with bins on one side or the other, or bins
become mandatory that if you have a certain          on the outside. They seem to be of great quality.”
size remodeling project, you will be required             The company does pipeline work, so periodically, crews
to get the lead waterline out of there.”             must dig up a lawn or alley to repair or replace a line. For such
     If it comes to that, Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer     jobs, DeFrates leases excavation equipment for the same reasons
might be a good choice for the job: Since 2010,      so many other companies do. “Jobs that require excavation are
DeFrates has been certified as a lead safety         not a big part of our work yet. That may come, but for now
expert and his company has been certified by         when I lease a mini-excavator or backhoe, it’s not my maintenance
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a        headache. I’m not paying for it when it’s just sitting around
lead-safe firm.                                      either.”

20   PLUMBER
Mike Krejci works on a toilet repair on a job site in Downers Grove, Illinois.

                                 A Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer crew works on a new installation project at a residence in Downers Grove, Illinois,
                                 using a Spartan Tool jetter.

LUCKY NUMBER 7
     There is, in fact, not a
lot of sitting around at Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer. The company           something change on a product, we have company reps
offers customers service and emergency repair work seven               come in and talk to us and show us what’s involved. It’s
days a week, from seven in the morning till seven at night.            always very helpful to be a part of that circle.”
This “seven-seven-seven” schedule, as DeFrates refers to
it, is not a common business schedule. What makes it                   CONTINUED GROWTH AHEAD
especially appealing to customers is that the price of service             The 46-year-old company owner is a full-time
work is the same every hour, every day.                                administrator now, presiding over a company that he wants
     “When customers realize you can come on a Sunday                  to keep growing. He is currently looking to add an employee
for the same price as during the week when they have no                and plans to roll out another service truck next year. All
one home to let you in, it usually is seen to them as a                of which means DeFrates doesn’t have time to handle the
blessing,” he says. Consequently, while the company’s office           tools any more.
staff are not in the office on weekends, some crew members                 “When I personally
are on the job in people’s homes.                                      was doing the work, it
     The service schedule was implemented within the last              always was art to me:
year. DeFrates was asked how the weekend work sits with                the finished jobs were                  Featured
his crew. “It just kind of happened and works well. Some               works of art. I wanted                  Equipment
guys prefer to have some days off during the week as opposed           my work to look better
to weekends and others couldn’t work weekends, so it                   a nd be bet ter t ha n         RIDGID
                                                                                                      800-769-7743
worked itself out. The ones who work weekends take off                 a nyone el s e’s .” He
                                                                                                      www.ridgid.com
Monday and Tuesday or whatever days they want.”                        admits, “It was hard to
     Whatever day they are working, the six service                    break away from that.          Spartan Tool
technicians at Jay’s Plumbing & Sewer carry with them                  It was. But I think it’s       800-435-3866
current know-how about doing their jobs. DeFrates keeps                part of the evolution of       www.spartantool.com
                                                                                                      Ad on page 5
them informed by holding weekly hour-long training                     the company. You find
sessions. The in-house training ranges from new product                key people who want to         Supreme Corporation
knowledge and review of plumbing techniques to updates                 come behind you, and           800-642-4889
about company bookkeeping procedures. He and his                       you let them do the            www.supremecorp.com
service manager and general manager also welcome visits                work.”
by manufacturers. “When parts on a water heater or

                                                                                                         plumbermag.com | January 2018     21
It’s your
     magazine.
     Tell your story.

     At Plumber, we’re looking for plumbing

     companies with an interesting story to

     tell. If you’d like to share your story, send

     us a note to news@plumbermag.com.

22
n the ROAD

      Upon Further Review…
      A fast, app-based review process makes it easy for
      customers to give this plumber an online thumbs-up
      By Ken Wysocky

I
      n the years BI (Before Internet), the biggest marketing
      decision Rick Clemmons had to make was what size
      ads to take out in the phone books to promote his
company, The Plumbing Doc, a service and repair outfit he                        Bakersfield, CA
established in 2000 in Bakersfield, California.
     Things are much more complicated now. Instead of                     COMPANY      The Plumbing Doc
fighting for consumers’ attention in phone books, contractors
                                                                          LOCATION     Bakersfield, California
are now scrambling to boost their internet presence through
positive online reviews on websites and social-media platforms,              OWNER     Rick Clemmons
and struggling to combat false negative reviews posted by
                                                                               TOOL    Real Time Reviews app
unethical competitors. But Clemmons has found a simple,
yet effective weapon to wield in this digital battle: Real Time           FUNCTION     User-friendly, online-review
Reviews, an app that makes it extremely easy for customers                             process
to review his service — and eliminates false negative ads.                FEATURES     Cellphone app; quick text-
     “I never expected things to go this way,” Clemmons, 58,                           based notification; takes
says of the burgeoning importance of online reviews. “But                              customers 3 to 5 minutes to
                                                                                       post online reviews
reviews really have a major effect on my business.” As such,
he decided to give Real Time Reviews a try about a year ago,                   COST    $199 per month
although he concedes he was a bit skeptical at first.
                                                                           WEBSITE     www.plumbingdoc.net
     That skepticism lasted until Clemmons, a master plumber
with 12 employees, almost immediately saw a boost in his                  REAL TIME    www.realtimereviews.com
online ranking — coupled with a corresponding jump in                      REVIEWS
                                                                           WEBSITE
sales calls. “For the money, it’s about the most impactful
thing you can do for effective online marketing,” he reports.
“We do some pretty good tracking on service calls. Our
people can’t put calls into the dispatch board without first      if they’re willing to provide an online review of the work. If
finding out where customers heard about us — Angie’s List,        they agree, the technician calls up the Real Time Reviews
Google, HomeAdvisor, Yelp and so forth.                           app on a cellphone, types in the customer’s name and phone
     “I would say that within the first two weeks, we saw a       number, and sends the customer a text.
10 percent increase in calls that came off Google searches,”           The resulting message thanks the customer for using
he continues. “People see the number of stars (on the reviews)    The Plumbing Doc and asks if he or she would recommend
and call us. Consumers really read those reviews.”                the company to others. They can hit either “yes” or “no.” If
     Use of the app costs $199 a month, and there’s no annual     they hit “yes,” then it asks if they want to give a review on
contract required. Clemmons praises its simplicity, which         Facebook and/or Google. If they click on that, it walks them
is critical for time-strapped customers who are unlikely to       through some basic steps and then publishes the review
provide reviews if the process is complicated. Here’s how it      immediately. “Sometimes our techs call me after a job and
works: After completing a job, a technician asks the customer     say, ‘Hey, Rick, check out the review I just got,’” he says.

24
“ Iwewouldsawsaya 10thatpercent
                            within the first two weeks,
                                  increase in calls that
     came off Google searches. People see the
   number of stars (on the reviews) and call us.”
                                          Rick Clemmons

     The process doesn’t take more than three to five minutes.
During that time, technicians usually load tools back on
                                                                    A screenshot of The Plumbing Doc’s Real Time Reviews app that is
their trucks so they’re not standing around, wasting time.          sent to customers following a service call.
The ability to do the reviews quickly is important because
technicians don’t leave until the customer finishes the
review. Why? Even if customers say they will do a review,         reviews are legitimate because we send the link directly to
research shows the vast majority won’t do so after a contractor   the customers.”
leaves the job site, he notes. “They mean well, but real life           The Real Time Reviews app benefits the business in more
tends to intrude.”                                                ways than just raising its online ranking. For starters,
     The system’s simplicity is a big asset, too, Clemmons        Clemmons says he’s recorded a 10 to 15 percent increase in
adds. He explains that in the past, he’s had customers who        revenue just from reduced spending on phone book ads. “If
were willing to provide a good review but didn’t do so because    you can get a $150,000 to $200,000 increase in annual revenue
the process was too difficult and time-consuming to navigate.     for an investment of a couple hundred dollars a month, I’d
“I actually used to give people a hard copy of instructions       say that’s a pretty good return on your money,” he says.
for how to post an online review,” he recalls. “And if I asked          Furthermore, the reviews act as a quality-control program
20 people to give us a review, I might’ve received one.”          of sorts. While Clemmons says his technicians are
     Of course, technicians must be discerning about which        conscientious about providing good customer service,
customers they ask to do a review. As Clemmons puts it, “If       knowing they have to ask for a review makes them even
they’re a pain in the butt, you don’t send them the link. It      more aware of what it takes to make customers happy. And
doesn’t take rocket science to figure out if a customer is        if a technician consistently doesn’t obtain Real Time Reviews,
happy or not. I like this system because it gives you more        that alerts Clemmons to a potential problem.
control over who’s going to give the reviews.”                          So far, that hasn’t been an issue. In fact, Clemmons says
     Speaking of control, Clemmons also praises the app’s         that The Plumbing Doc consistently maintains an online
security. Customers can provide a review only if a technician     ranking of 4.75 to 4.85 stars out of a possible five. “It’s hard
sends them a link via the app, and then they have to log in       to make every single customer happy,” he says.
to platforms such as Facebook or Google to complete the                 The takeaway for other plumbers? If they don’t feel
process. That ensures they’re legitimate reviewers, not           comfortable pursuing a positive online presence, it’s only
unscrupulous competitors.                                         going to hurt them in the long run if they don’t because
     “We all have problems with false reviews, and they’re        the internet is just too powerful a forum to ignore. “If a
very hard to get rid of,” he says. “I still have one on Yelp      customer is ticked off, thousands of potential customers
that’s been there for more than a year. I have no record of       can see their negative review,” he says. “So you’ve got to
ever doing work for a customer with that name, so I know          maintain good ratings. If you’re not rolling with the times,
it’s fake. But with Real Time Reviews, I’m certain the            you’re falling behind.”

                                                                                                 plumbermag.com | January 2018    25
Smart                                                         On the
           BUSINESS                                                      ROAD

            Product

         Figuring Out the Bidding Process
           FOCUS                                              Lorem ipsum

         Contractors who don’t have a planned approach for taking
         on more work could bring trouble to their business
         By Neil Feldman
           Product
           NEWS

F
          rom small bathroom retrofits to large ground-up         require a lot of capital and manpower,” Kontororovich
          buildings and wastewater treatment plants requir-       says. “It makes good business sense to err on the side of
          ing substantial amounts of product and labor, the       conservativeness to ensure you don’t bite off more than
vast majority of commercial projects are run through a com-       you can handle at a given time.”
petitive bidding process.                                             Kontororovich notes that it’s better to have multiple
     For contractors looking to expand, it may be tempting        smaller- to moderate-sized projects running simultaneously
              Case
to significantly ramp up bidding output by firing off as many     rather than managing one large one. If something goes
              STUDIES
quotes as possible   on various types of projects. But caution    awry or the money doesn’t flow as fast as expected on one
must prevail over temptation, as an overly zealous approach       project, it’s much easier to handle if there are multiple
to taking on new business can easily backfire.                    projects running.
     “It’s important to evaluate your business and have a
clear direction where you want to take it,” says Jim Gaffney,

                                                                     “
owner of Goshen Mechanical in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
“Taking onCase too much in a short period of time can put a             Taking on too much in a short period of
lot of stress STUDY
              on a business and can lead to serious problems.”       time can put a lot of stress on a business
     Those problems could include not having sufficient
labor to handle the work, taking on projects outside of              and can lead to serious problems.”
your comfort zone, taking on projects with questionable
clients, and impeding cash flow.
                                                                     Jim Gaffney

WHAT TO CONSIDER
     Prior to commencing a push to take on more work,                 The actual customers being quoted are another key
plumbing contractors are well-advised to establish a clear        consideration when looking to expand. “It’s important
strategy and approach to a ramped-up estimating effort.           to run a Dun & Bradstreet report and have a good sense
“There’s a lot to consider when determining what type of          of the credit history of a prospective account,” says Bill
work to take on,” says Vitaly Kontororovich, owner of Vital       Soper, senior estimator at Calvert Mechanical in Balti-
Plumbing in Brooklyn, New York. “The first consideration          more. If you’re on the fence about a particular new cli-
is the type of labor being used. If you’re a union shop, you’ll   ent, Soper suggests treading lightly by starting with a
never be competitive bidding nonunion work against open           couple of small opportunities.
shop contractors, and so quoting those jobs is a waste of
time for estimators.”                                             THE BIDDING PROCESS
     The next consideration is the size of projects you’re            It’s relatively easy to get on a lot of bidders’ lists and in
comfortable taking on. “If you have a few employees and           short order have more projects to quote than you can get
a bonding capacity of $3 million, you can’t be looking at         to. Trying to estimate jobs too quickly, however, can
new apartment complexes and other projects that will              undermine diligent practices and result in costly mistakes.

26
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It’s important to allow ample time to review vendor quotes        it gets my mind thinking about that package, and I turn
to ensure they are accurate and pricing is optimal. On            to that subcontractor when I need to ask questions or
projects where multiple manufacturers are noted as                confirm scope.”
acceptable, estimators are well-advised to have at least two
of them provide figures, especially on moderate and larger        STAYING ORGANIZED
jobs where a lot of the same items are called for.                     Though it may seem like an obvious point, maintain-
      There’s a fine line between putting proposals together      ing an organized bid schedule and updating it daily is
expeditiously and putting too many together too fast.             extremely important. It’s easy to get caught up and neglect
“You don’t want estimators under so much pressure to              a handful of bids or begin reviewing certain bids the day
churn out quotes that they end up making costly mistakes,”        before they’re due. By maintaining a schedule and adjust-
Gaffney says. “General contractors rely on competitive            ing bid dates as necessary, estimators can prioritize and
bids to win their work, so if they rely on a quote with a         focus on those jobs that are due sooner.
mistake, they will do whatever they can to hold you to                 Lastly, it’s important to not take jobs below the mar-
that number.”                                                     gin threshold you’re comfortable with. “Just adding a lot
      Gaffney notes that a couple mistakes with bids will         of volume at tight margins is not a good approach,” Kon-
quickly spread within the contractor community.                   tororovich says. “You need to have some cushion in it in
      Following up on bids is nearly as important as submitting   case labor goes over budget or the money doesn’t flow as
them. General contractors and end users are busy juggling         fast as you expected. You’re in business to make money,
many things at once, and quite often, those who are diligent      and passing up bad jobs and jobs with no money in them
with follow-up will be a top contender when it comes to           is just as important as getting proposals out and negotiat-
buying out the plumbing package. “Sometimes things get            ing good work.”
very hectic, and we are trying to purchase many different
trades for multiple projects at the same time,” says Bill
White, senior estimator and purchasing manager at Walsh           Do you have a plumbing business question you’d like answered?
Brothers, a Boston-based construction management firm.            Email editor@plumbermag.com with your question.
“I appreciate subcontractors who follow up weekly because

                                                                                                 plumbermag.com | January 2018   27
2018
Water Heater
DIRECTORY
                                                                                                                FUEL TYPE                                           STORAGE TYPE

                                                                                                              NATURAL GAS
                                                                                      COMMERCIAL

                                                                                                                                               GEOTHERMAL

                                                                                                                                                                                                     TANKLESS COIL
                                                                        RESIDENTIAL

                                                                                                                                                                                         HEAT-PUMP
HOT WATER HEATER                     BRAND AND MODEL

                                                                                                                                                                              TANKLESS

                                                                                                                                                                                                     & INDIRECT
                                                                                                                                                                    STORAGE
                                                                                                   ELECTRIC

                                                                                                                            PROPANE

                                                                                                                                      HYBRID

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     SOLAR
                                                                                                                                                            SOLAR
MANUFACTURER

BRADFORD WHITE                       Bradford White Aerotherm
WATER HEATERS
725 Talamore Dr., Ambler, PA 19002
215-641-9400                         Bradford White ElectriFLEX HD                                 4                                                                4
www.bradfordwhite.com
See ad on page 11

NAVIEN                               NPE Series Tankless Water Heater                                          4                                                              4
20 Goodyear, Irvine, CA 92618
800-519-8794 • 949-420-0420
(f) 949-606-7067
www.us.navien.com
                                     NPE Series Tankless Water Heater                                                       4                                                 4

                                                                                                                FUEL TYPE                                           STORAGE TYPE
                                                                                                              NATURAL GAS

HOT WATER HEATER
                                                                                      COMMERCIAL

                                                                                                                                               GEOTHERMAL

                                                                                                                                                                                                     TANKLESS COIL
                                                                        RESIDENTIAL

                                                                                                                                                                                         HEAT-PUMP
                                     BRAND AND MODEL
                                                                                                                                                                              TANKLESS
DEALER/
                                                                                                                                                                                                     & INDIRECT
                                                                                                                                                                    STORAGE
                                                                                                   ELECTRIC

                                                                                                                            PROPANE

                                                                                                                                      HYBRID

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     SOLAR
                                                                                                                                                            SOLAR

DISTRIBUTOR
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA                     A.O. Smith                         4 4                        4 4 4 4                                                  4       4 4 4
WINNELSON
5037 NW 10th St.,
Oklahoma City, OK 73127              Navien Tankless                    4 4                        4 4                                                                        4
888-947-8761 • 405-947-8761
(f) 405-947-1934
www.centralwinnelson.com •
krjones@winnelson.com
See ad on page 27

                                                                     magazine
28
ENERGY                                                                                               ADVANCED
                                                                                                                                                            EFFICIENCY                                                                                           TECHNOLOGY

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 CONDENSING
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    PROTECTION

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            BLUETOOTH
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             EFFICIENCY
STORAGE       STORAGE          TANKLESS                                     DIMENSIONS

                                                                                                                                                                                      CERTIFIED

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    DRY-FIRE
                                                                                                                                                                                      ENERGY
 GALLONS    RECOVERY RATE

                                                                                                                                                            RATING
                            FLOWRATE - GPM                                 WIDTH, DEPTH,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             HIGH-
                                                                                                                                                                                      STAR

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           WI-FI
 CAPACITY                                                                     HEIGHT

  50 / 80      21 GPH                                                                                                                                                                            No

                                                                                                                                                                                                 No

                            Up to 11.2 gpm @ 35°                       17.3” x 27.4” x 13.2” Up to .99                                                                                           No                                                                                4
                             temp rise/5.7 gpm                                               EF/.97 EF
                              @ 67° temp rise

                             Up to 11.2 gpm @                           17.3”x 27.4”x 13.2”                                                       Up to .99                                      No
                              35°temp rise/5.7                                                                                                    EF/.97 EF
                            gpm @ 67° temp rise

                                                                                                                                                             ENERGY                                                                                               ADVANCED
                                                                                                                                                            EFFICIENCY                                                                                           TECHNOLOGY

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 CONDENSING
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    PROTECTION

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            BLUETOOTH
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             EFFICIENCY
STORAGE       STORAGE          TANKLESS                                     DIMENSIONS
                                                                                                                                                                                      CERTIFIED

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    DRY-FIRE
                                                                                                                                                                                      ENERGY

 GALLONS    RECOVERY RATE
                                                                                                                                                            RATING

                            FLOWRATE - GPM                                 WIDTH, DEPTH,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             HIGH-
                                                                                                                                                                                      STAR

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           WI-FI
 CAPACITY                                                                     HEIGHT

   6-119        0-500               0-12                                            14 1/4” - 30”                                                   .60-.95                                                                                                                        4                        4                                     4

                                                                        17.3”x 27.4” x 13.2”                                                                                                                                                           4                           4                                                              4

                                           Exclusively serving plumbing contractors and franchisees | plumbermag.com        December 2017        Exclusively serving plumbing contractors and franchisees | plumbermag.com      November 2017          Exclusively serving plumbing contractors and franchisees | plumbermag.com         October 2017

    Exclusively serving
residential and commercial
   plumbing contractors                                                                                                                          FROM FARMS
      and franchisees                                                                                                                            TO FRANCHISEE
                                                                                                                                                   Minnesota contractor expands into residential plumbing

                                                                                               Up to the                                                                                                                                                         SMALL BUSINESS,
                                                                                                                                                   during a market shift and continues to see growth Page 12

www.plumbermag.com                                                           CHALLENGE          Taking on commercial and residential
                                                                                               jobs of all sizes allows Illinois plumber
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             BIG MENTALITY                      Plumber with small operation finds big
                                                                                                           to build his company Page 12
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ways to draw in customers Page 12

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   On the Road
                                                                                                                       In The Shop                                                                                           On the Road                                                                                       COMPACT DRAIN CLEANING
                                                                                                                  KNOWING WHEN TO REPLACE                                                                                SOFTWARE HELPS COMPANY                                                                                UNIT JUMP-STARTS
                                                                                                                  VEHICLES CAN BE TRICKY                                                                                 KEEP TABS ON BILLING AND                                                                              COMPANY’S GROWTH
                                                                                                                  Page 18                                                                                                SCHEDULING                                                                                            Page 24
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Page 24
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   In the Shop

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 29
                                                                                                                       On the Road                                                                                           First Responders                                                                                  UNDERSTANDING NOZZLES

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    plumbermag.com | January 2018
                                                                                                                  CAMERA SYSTEM YIELDS BIG                                                                               FROZEN PIPES LEADS TO                                                                                 WILL HELP YOU CLEAN
                                                                                                                  BENEFITS FOR PLUMBING OUTFIT                                                                           LONG-TERM REPAIR JOB
                                                                                                                  Page 24
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               MORE EFFECTIVELY
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Page 28                                                                                               Page 40
Pulsar
          2000
         Line Tracer                                                                                                Patented

            4 Locate Lines
         4 Locate Water Leaks
           4 Training Video
                                                                                      if you are not satisfied. If you want to learn more about the Pulsar 2000
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