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Guest Column

How Tankless Water Heaters Work

What makes tankless systems different from traditional heaters?

February 2, 2026

Tankless systems eliminate storage tanks, but demand proper sequencing, balanced piping, and regular flushing to perform as intended.

Troubleshooting Heat Pumps Stuck in One Mode

System won’t switch from heating to cooling? The reversing valve is probably to blame.

ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America)

January 23, 2026

A reversing valve can fail 3 ways: stuck in position, defective/displaced, or internal leak.

The Only Woman in the Room

Laura Regan

October 26, 2017

In the U.S., majority rule has common acceptance, yet in our workforce, it remains an elusive goal in some industries. Women comprise 57 percent of the U.S. workforce, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Despite majority status, women still confront issues ranging from pay inequity to stereotypes related to leadership roles.

Taming the Information Overload Tiger

Kim Stephenson

August 22, 2017

Social events on Facebook or an email about office repairs are unlikely to be relevant to a technical business decision, but how do you know what information is relevant? The world is chaotic (in the technical sense) and it’s nonlinear, nobody can tell for sure what data are relevant, or even know afterward whether they had all the relevant information when they made a decision that turned out right (or wrong).

Examining HARDI's Human Resources Offerings

Tom Peric

August 10, 2017

Pam Krivda is HARDI’s human resources consultant. She has in-depth experience on employment and labor relations issues, and because HARDI provides her services to its membership, we thought it was timely to ask a few questions.

Do Employee Cellphones Hurt Your Business?

Max Kane

June 6, 2017

Technology is a good thing, right? That’s usually our premise, and regarding smartphones, who would argue? We now hold the world in the palm of our hands, with the always-on ability to communicate, connect, influence, and of course, watch cat videos and peruse our friends’ Instagram feeds.

Easing Stress While Running in the Rat Race

Tom Peric

May 23, 2017

My stress arrives with figuring out what topics matter to my readers. I’ve repeatedly said we’re a business publication for owners and operators in the wholesale HVACR industry. I honestly pretend sometimes that I am the owner of a distributorship or maybe a hard-working middle management type. I ask myself: What do I have in common with everyone else and what can I do to make it better?

Hard to Win, Easy to Lose

Tom Piscitelli

July 18, 2016

What should you do when greed or complacency result in a lost customer? Tom Piscitelli offers advice on how to avoid this horror story.

Body Language Tips: The Do's and Dont's to Win at Work

Mary A. Redmond

June 27, 2016

It’s an election year. We’re bombarded with political messages, press briefings and debates. The world has had the opportunity to observe Americans bickering, pointing fingers and displaying behavior that, if they were children, would result in an extended timeout or a trip to the principal’s office.

Putting Your Emotions on Screen

Reid Goldborough

October 15, 2015

The funny faces and colorful symbols you see, or use, in your texts, chats, posts and emails are one of the most distinctive aspects of online communication. Understanding them can help you be understood, or to understand.