Eric's been working on a plan to partner with local builders for water conditioning in new construction homes and Andy talks about something similar they've been doing with a local general contractor in an affluent Missoula neighborhood. 

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Some recent changes to standard operating procedures were in order for Andy's plumbing & heating shop, Eric's making the change too. 

Do you work in client's home's when no one is there? Should you? Give this one a listen and let us know what you think by sending us a message using the link below! 

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New tools are great but new tool bags are awesome! Andy gives us a close look at his latest addition, the Veto Pro Pac Hybrid Tool and Meter bag (SB-LD)

This episode is best viewed on the MH youtube channel: 

https://youtu.be/RjQVIcKgg7k 

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Ever wonder how Milwaukee Tool decides what to build next or how they test them? Our guest John Jarzombek is a project manager at Milwaukee Tool. John has personally managed teams developing tools such as the MX Fuel Pipe Threader, the new roll groover, The Ringer and more. 

It was fun to have John join us in Orlando at the AHR Expo podcasts pavillion, thanks John! 

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Are gas absorption heat pumps a viable alternative to the electrification of our heating and cooling systems? 

Mike Cameron is a longtime Canadian friend working in Vancouver, BC. Mike installs and services a lot of the GAHP units, some are only prototypes but all are performing impressively. 

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Building relationships with your local suppliers, reps and sales people is important for the success of your business. Of course it is! 

This week the guys talk about a recent discussion happening behind the scenes about sourcing parts for hvac systems, buying local and/or online. 

We've talked about this topic differently in the past, thanks for taking the time to listen to this episode, we hope its useful and enjoyable. 

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Andy starts off a little spicy in this one. Sometimes the social media comment section is a terrible place! 

Thanks to Reed Wiens for writing in to the show, this was a fun conversation! 

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Thank you all for messaging! This was a fun conversation! 

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Chad joins the guys to tell the story of a birthday gone bad and it might be all because of an orange bucket…you’ll have to listen to hear the whole story. 

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Andy shares a few things he's observed over the last year that stand out. 
Eric is a little nervous when looking back on three specific jobs...are we old enough to be replacing equipment we installed new? 

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Back when we started out it was tough to get the phone to ring. Getting listed on manufacturer’s websites was one way we got our business name out there. Are you doing it? 

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The guys answer some questions  sent in by listeners 

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This episode works best as a video, you can watch it over on the MH YouTube channel https://bit.ly/4g4zYXp

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This week the guys are joined virtually by the hosts of the Appetite For Construction podcast, John Mesenbrink & Tim Ward. It's that time of year again where we take a look back and even forward into the new year. There was some fun bs'ing as well. Hope you enjoy!

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It's roadtrip time for Andy as he met up with Eric for a super top secret install in Northern MN. You’ll have to watch [or listen] to learn all about the project. If the podcast just isn’t enough you could search the tag “#duluthbuild” on Instagram for more from the project job site. 

Okay, J/K....Air-to-Water Heat Pumps are having a time right now, this project had the guys working in Eric's in-laws home to connect the Viessmann Vitocal heat pump to a whole home hydronic heating system. 

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Not all projects are run & organized the same, obviously. This week the guys have a short BS session and talk about a job Eric has coming up and one of Andy's preferred general contractors. 

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Canadian apprentice Adam Parent joins the guys to talk about his experiences and thoughts bout joining the plumbing trade in Canada. 

Adam's experience in both residential and commercial work doing both plumbing and heating new construction, remodel and service have helped him hone his skills and find a place where he's challenged but excited to learn & do more.
 

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It's never great when service vehicles break down but it's even worse when local mechanics are out weeks for repairs and parts are hard to track down. 

This week Andy retells the story of a relative simple fix for a recent breakdown. How hard can it be to replace a starter on a 2020 Ford Transit anyway? 

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In this episode of Make Trades Great Again, Eric and Andy dive into how artificial intelligence, especially tools like ChatGPT, is reshaping the trades industry. They share personal experiences on using AI for everything from generating heat load calculations and troubleshooting boiler issues to crafting proposals and even coming up with recipe ideas! Tune in to hear how AI is saving time, enhancing productivity, and providing a new edge to everyday business challenges. Plus, a discussion on the pros and cons of AI reliance and a listener question from EJ on handling tricky customer situations. Whether you’re an AI skeptic or enthusiast, this episode sheds light on the future of tech in the trades.

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Industry trade shows are an awesome way to see the latest new technology, to network with manufacturers and their reps, or even make purchases with some of the best deals of the year. 

This week the guys ask ChatGPT for a list of important shows throughout the plumbing, hvac and building industries. Why you should attend, where and when they are, are all discussed in this episode. Thanks for listening! 

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Have you sent in a message to the guys recently? This was a fun episode, we tried to get to all the questions, thank you for sending them our way! 

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What do you do when your spouse leaves town for the weekend? The only obvious answer for Eric was to tear out their two tankless water heaters and the boiler so he could start over. But wait, there’s more! 

In order for this to be called a success it had be finished before Heather returned home after just two days away. 

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The title may be confusing or even misleading. The guys talk about a recent trailer purchase Eric made for the business. It's not anything special but it should help with the workflow. Here's to hoping he made the right purchase! 

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Thanks to longtime listener Will Rutherford for writing in to the show asking our thoughts on taking a job started by another contractor. 

Also, have you ever walked on a job? You might be surprised who actually has (Andy or Eric?)! 

Thanks Will! 

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