Contractor

Kyle Costa works with wholesale distributors, contractors and manufacturers across North America to help them modernize and automate their most critical workflows. At Canals, he partners with electrical, plumbing, HVAC, industrial, building materials and more to streamline processes like Sales Order Entry, Accounts Payable, and Purchasing & Receiving using AI-driven automation.

The HVAC industry continues to evolve. Contractors are navigating shifting customer expectations, economic pressure, evolving technology, labor challenges, and the growing complexity of running a business in a market that never stays still for long. With so many moving parts, it can be difficult to know what is changing, what matters most, and where the biggest areas for growth may be ahead.

It’s easy to look at social media and assume that the more activity your company receives, the more business you’ll book. More posts, more followers, more likes. On the surface, it feels like progress. But for many contractors, that effort doesn’t translate into more calls, more estimates or more signed jobs. That disconnect happens for one simple reason: social media success in the trades isn’t about visibility alone. It’s about trust, familiarity and consistency over time.

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — Watts announced that nominations are now open for the 2026 Backflow Hero Award, an annual program recognizing individuals who demonstrate excellence in protecting drinking water through backflow prevention. Now in its third year, the award is part of a broader effort to raise awareness and education around backflow prevention ahead of National Backflow Prevention Day on August 16.

“This project shows exactly what the RCW Series is designed to do: deliver reliable, high efficiency performance in demanding conditions,” said, General Manager, Rinnai Canada. “From Canada’s extreme winter temperatures to year-round high-rise demand, our water heaters are engineered with the latest technology to serve this market.

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a concept in construction–it’s showing up on jobsites, inside software platforms and in daily conversations between owners, safety managers and operations leaders. That increased visibility has created curiosity and concern about whether AI can actually improve jobsite safety or does it only add another system to manage?

Annie Eser is a regulatory and technology executive with more than 20 years of experience across compliance, public policy, and data-driven systems. Her work has focused on helping organizations navigate complex regulatory requirements and implement technology solutions that improve governance, risk visibility, and operational decision-making.

MIAMI, FL — The American Welding Society (AWS) and SkillsUSA have selected Mikala Sposito, a 21-year-old student from Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as the official US competitor in welding for the 48th WorldSkills Competition, set for September 22–27, 2026, in Shanghai, China. Sposito earned her place by taking first overall at the USA Weld Trials, held at the Robotics Technology Park in Huntsville, Alabama.

The second step in JJ’s service work was the FT traps. This type of trap has a float chamber that can clog up to prevent proper operation, just like a float type low water cutoff (LWCO). Most people are aware that a float type LWCO needs to be “blown down” on a regular basis. There isn’t a way to “blow down” an FT trap, but there are six bolts that can be removed to access the inside of the trap. As you can see in, the build-up isn’t too bad.

Every contractor knows the goal of business ownership is to be profitable. Yet every year contractors face unexpected financial challenges can end up severely affecting their businesses’ bottom line. One thing that contractors can do to mitigate their risks is to seek tools that help shift financial and tax hazards to external parties or institutions. For this reason, tax planning is important for contractors at every stage of the business process.