Regulatory

02.27.25

After years of consideration, DOE announced on January 17, 2025, that they would be withdrawing their proposed rule to increase the minimum energy efficiency performance standards for residential boilers. As it related to gas-fired hot water boilers, the Department had previously proposed, in August 2023, that these products meet or exceed an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) of 95%. …

02.27.25

The House of Representatives passed a budget reconciliation package this week with unanimous Republican support. This sets the stage for a framework to determine a path forward to pass a government funding measure for the remainder of FY25 while encompassing the Trump administration’s priorities on which the President campaigned. However, there are differences between House and Senate leadership …

02.20.25

Economic forecasting is essential for p-h-c contracting businesses as it allows them to plan for market fluctuations, manage costs, and make informed strategic decisions. By analyzing economic trends such as inflation, interest rates, and construction activity, businesses can anticipate demand for new installations, retrofits, and maintenance services, and determine when to invest in expansion, …

02.05.25

Contractors invited to attend Legislative Conference May 20-21 The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) will host its 2025 Legislative Conference on May 20-21 at the YOTEL Washington D.C. This annual event provides plumbing and HVAC contractors with the opportunity to connect directly with federal lawmakers and advocate for the industry’s most pressing priorities. The …

01.23.25

On December 26, 2024, DOE published a Final Rule in the Federal Register setting more stringent minimum efficiency standards for gas-fired instantaneous water heaters, which will apply to any such product manufactured on or after December 26, 2029. In this action the Department maintains their initial proposal from July 2023 that will require all these products to utilize condensing technology. …

01.16.25

"Leadership is like going to the gym. It’s easy to status quo your way through." Leave it to a Navy commander to compare effective leadership to a physical workout, but Mary Kelly – who also is a best-selling author and was a keynoter at PHCC’s CONNECT conference in October – knows that, in today’s fast-paced environment, if you’re not actively improving and thinking bigger, you’re inadvertently …

12.20.24

With the 2024 election now in America’s rearview mirror, it’s normal for people to start looking forward to better understand what these results mean for our industry. To recap, Donald Trump will be moving back into the White House on Jan. 20, 2025, and he will be working with a Congress that is narrowly held by Republicans in both Congressional chambers. At the state level, little has changed …

11.27.24

Naylor Association Solutions, PHCC’s magazine publisher, sent out a press release celebrating all of its partners recognized in the annual MarCom Awards. PHCC was one of those partners, with the Summer 2024 PHCC Solutions Magazine receiving an honorable mention for its creative and impactful media contributions. You can read the full release at the link below: Naylor Association Solutions …

11.25.24

With the dust finally settled on the 2024 presidential elections, PHCC’s team in Washington has a legislative strategy in place and ready to execute going into the 119th Congress next year. We expect many new opportunities, as well as a few challenges, for our policy priorities: Energy Policy PHCC has made clear prior to November 5 that a Republican administration and Congress would bode well …

11.25.24

While much of the regulatory focus in the water heater industry has been appropriately focused on the United States Department of Energy's (DOE) energy conservation standards’ final rules for commercial and residential water heaters, there are still significant rules impacting our industry that are scheduled by the Department to be finalized in the coming weeks. The first is somewhat related to …