There are a lot of myths that surround plastic pipes. For example, there are those that still perpetuate the idea that plastic pipe is noisy and easy to break due to the nature they are brittle. Plumbing noise levels in residential bathrooms can only reach 45 decibels as per the ASHRAE Chapter 48 standard on noise and vibration control. To put this into a bit of perspective, a refrigerator usually marks in at around 40 decibels and a dishwasher at 60. Mike Mercurio, senior technical sales repres...
Dec 03, 2021•16 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Here is a clip from our most recent episode of Trades Talk, where we sit down with Paul Tomlin of AO Smith and he takes us through the six-point checklist that every contractor should keep on them when doing their regular water heater maintenance check. Be sure to listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts. Website: Home - Plumbing & HVAC (plumbingandhvac.ca)
Oct 28, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 7
If a water heater isn't kept in proper working condition there is a chance it could affect the warranty of the unit. Do I have your attention now? Good. Adding regular maintenance packages to your business model allows for more consistent work around the calendar year. For those who know all too well that work tends to come all at once or not at all - maintenance plans allow for extra work during those not-so-busy seasons. Yet, what exactly should be checked annually on a water heate...
Oct 27, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Here's a clip from our recent episode of Trades Talk, where we ask the question... how will the 2021 Canadian federal election affect the skilled trades? Be sure to listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts. Website: Home - Plumbing & HVAC (plumbingandhvac.ca)
Sep 17, 2021•59 sec•Season 1Ep. 6
Here's a clip from our recent episode of Trades Talk, where we ask the question... how will the 2021 Canadian federal election affect the skilled trades? Be sure to listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts. Website: Home - Plumbing & HVAC (plumbingandhvac.ca)
Sep 17, 2021•51 sec•Season 1Ep. 6
Elections are a time for change. It’s a changing or reinstatement of the guard. With every election comes new challenges, questions, and concerns. How will this federal election affect me, my family or my work? On today’s episode of Trades Talk, we look to answer that question by gathering a few friends from the industry to form our Advocacy Panel. Join us as Ken Lancastle, chief operating officer with the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada (MCAC), Dave Hughes Technical Consulta...
Sep 17, 2021•15 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Here's a clip from our recent episode of Trades Talk, where we ask the question... how will the 2021 Canadian federal election affect the skilled trades? Be sure to listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts. Website: Home - Plumbing & HVAC (plumbingandhvac.ca)
Sep 16, 2021•50 sec•Season 1Ep. 6
The entire Plumbing & HVAC team is now fully vaccinated; that is to say that all three of us are. Yet, it wasn't required as a company rule, mostly because companies are not allowed to mandate vaccinations in the workplace here in Canada. I discovered this fact by chatting with Humera Rehman, an associate with Rodney Employment Law. She explains that, here in Canada, it is very unlikely that employers will be able to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine. Although, this entire pandemic is unprecedent...
Jul 27, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Training in the pandemic has increased largely due to the fact that contractors or technicians have the ability to complete courses on their own time. No longer do they have to take work off to learn a new skill. This is just one of the lessons learned by Darrin Best, HVAC manager with Doyle Home Services, during the pandemic. “If you want to learn; this is the best time to do so.” Why not also take a listen to your favourite podcast, Trades Talk, while you are at it? In each episode, I am joine...
May 31, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Behind the scenes, trade associations are consistently working with the various levels of the Canadian government to ensure that the interests of the mechanical trades are met. Ken Lancastle, chief operating officer with the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada (MCAC), and Ralph Suppa, president and general manager with the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH), join us to discuss the latest advocacy work that has been done on the behalf of their members. For the latter...
May 03, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 3
For over a year now, we've heard these rumblings about this "new normal." But what exactly does this mean to HVAC/R contractors? Although it'd be easiest to say that ALL contractors have gone through the same experiences in this pandemic, life as a contractor just isn't that simple. We spoke with two commercial contractors as part of this Contractors' Roundtable — Tim Padfield of Pad-Car Mechanical and Scott Munro of Opus Mechanical. The former from Alberta; whilst the latter from Ontario....
Mar 31, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 2
"We need to talk." When you hear this from a spouse or friend, you might think the worst has come. You think back to everything that you've done wrong in the past, and might even make up things that you haven't done but just aren't so sure. Well, today we are saying this with the best of intentions. But, we do still need to talk. We need to attract more people to the trades. It's as simple and complicated as that. With the current ageing workforce, we are on the precipice of not having eno...
Feb 11, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Welcome to the official launching of the Plumbing & HVAC podcast series, Trades Talk . For over 25 years, Plumbing & HVAC magazine has been reporting about the mechanical trades industry in Canada. Starting out as a print magazine, we expanded our reach to the digital market and now are looking to reach a new demographic of contractors and installers. Each episode we will focus on a different topic related to the skilled trades, whether that may be plumbing, heating, refriger...
Dec 08, 2020•55 sec•Season 1Ep. 1
