Some friendly advice on toilet talk
Originally published at: https://www.pmmag.com/articles/104980-dave-yates-some-friendly-advice-on-toilet-talk A very good friend once asked me via email for advice on how to repair his Moen kitchen sink faucet. I carefully laid out a step-by-step answer and he...
Salt-free water softener
Be careful of the misinformation pipeline. This article originally published at: https://www.pmengineer.com/articles/96485-dave-yates-salt-free-water-softener Color me a skeptic. One of our supply house salesmen constantly hounded me regarding citrus-based no-salt...
On the lam
Originally published at: https://www.pmengineer.com/articles/96422-dave-yates-on-the-lam An anecdote about a tenant and a 100-year-old steam system. Judge Roy Lam could easily have been mistaken for a hang-em-high judge from a Clint Eastwood western movie! His...
ID vs. OD and flare joints
This article originally posted at: https://www.pmmag.com/articles/104140-dave-yates-id-vs-od-and-flare-joints Don’t over-tighten your flare joints. The fun of being an apprentice starts with a steep learning curve. Being sent to the nearest supply house for two...
Not Dead Yet
Recently retired Dave Yates, owner, F.W. Behler, York, Pa., talks about his journey into the trades, what aspects he misses, working with his wife Lois, staying active in the industry, and growing up with dyslexia. Listen Here:...
Boundaries
Operating 24/7/365 can take a toll. Where do you draw the line? That’s easy if you’re a one-person shop. Telephone rings; it’s 2:30 a.m. The clock face comes into focus as you reach for the phone. “My faucet is dripping and the noise is keeping me awake. How soon can...
Look Ma, no hands
Plumbers should offer products to enhance customers’ health. We may as well face reality: COVID-19 is here to stay. What a PITA this pandemic has been. As essential workers, you haven’t been given your due. Fearlessly, or not, you have endured two years of fluctuating...
Propane tanks and outdoor temperatures
Another lesson learned in the school of hard knocks. You ever have one of those jobs where nuisance heating system lockouts drove you crazy? The issue was with a propane-fired boiler and, of course, the lockouts were happening when we were swamped with no heat calls...
Top 10 of 2021: The most-read articles on Plumbing & Mechanical
As 2021 draws to a close, we revisit the articles which caught the attention of our readers the most. Readers flocked to Plumbing & Mechanical this year for the latest information on new products and technologies, industry news and market trends. Here’s a...
Business insulation
Cash is king in business. Supply chain disruptions are ever present and show no signs of going away anytime in the near — or perhaps distant — future. One of the biggest challenges I hear from mechanical contractors is rapidly changing prices that are eating up...