Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical (Hiller), the region’s premier provider of residential and commercial plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical service and repair, was included among Ruud’s “Top Market Maker” winners and honored as the #1 Top Ruud ProPartner for 2021. This award follows Hiller’s six first-place recognitions among Ruud’s list of Most Reliable Contractors. The Read more
Rheem
![](https://hydronicshub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/Hiller-Plumbing-Logo-200x59.png)
Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical (Hiller), the region’s premier provider of residential and commercial plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical service and repair, was included among Ruud’s “Top Market Maker” winners and honored as the #1 Top Ruud ProPartner for 2021. This award follows Hiller’s six first-place recognitions among Ruud’s list of Most Reliable Contractors.
The Ruud Market Makers award recognizes exceptional U.S.-based contracting businesses for sales, customer support, and overall service excellence. Through their strong vendor relationships with Ferguson Enterprises (Nashville) and Coburn Supply (Memphis), Hiller was ranked among the Top 10 “Market Makers” for 2021.
Above this honor, Hiller was named Ruud’s “Most Valuable Player”, recognizing their “overall stellar performance” as the #1 Top Ruud ProPartner of 2021. The company was honored via email announcement in February, then via live announcement at the 2022 International ProPartner Conference at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 7 and 8, 2022. Chief Executive Officer, Jimmy Hiller and Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Hiller, Jr. accepted the award in person at the event.
“We couldn’t be more grateful to receive the MVP recognition from Ruud this year”, remarked Jimmy Hiller, founder and CEO of Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical. “In partnership with our wonderful distributors, we are able to provide Ruud’s exceptional equipment to so many families across the southeast. Ruud’s commitment to installation and maintenance excellence,” he continued, “parallels our own high quality and service standards, so we are exceptionally thankful for this award, that acknowledges this commitment.”
Launched in 1990 with a single employee and just $500, Hiller was founded on the tenets of professionalism, exceptional levels of customer satisfaction, and a dedication to high quality work. As a result, Hiller has grown exponentially, operating across 15 locations in 7 states with a fleet of over 500 trucks.
Ruud, part of the Rheem family of brands, provides Ruud-branded heating, cooling, and water heating products for residential and light commercial use to professional installers across the United States and Canada. Named for water heating pioneer, Edwin Ruud, the brand was acquired by Rheem in 1960. To learn more, visit www.ruud.com. Founded in 1925, Rheem is the only manufacturer in the world that produces heating, cooling, water heating, pool/spa heating and commercial refrigeration products. Rheem, headquartered in Atlanta, has an international presence in 14 countries. To learn more, visit www.rheem.com
Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical provides residential and commercial service and repair throughout Tennessee, Southern Kentucky, Northern Alabama, Northern Georgia, Southeastern Arkansas, Northeastern Mississippi, and Northwest Florida. As the homeowner’s premier provider of choice with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, Hiller is Tennessee’s largest residential and commercial plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical services provider. Hiller, a 12-time honoree to the Inc. 5000 List, employs more than 700 associates, boasts a fleet of 500 “Happy Face” trucks across 15 locations, and has responded to over 1.5 million service calls. Hiller is a proud sponsor of the Nashville Predators, the Tennessee Volunteers, and the Vanderbilt Commodores.
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This is what we know from last month’s AHR Show: according to the numbers, attendance was shattered — more than 61,000 total attendees, including 42,400 visitors, participated in the Expo. What was trending at this year’s show? Themes from the show included continued product efficiency and systems that now have intuitive communications—which were once considered Read more
This is what we know from last month’s AHR Show: according to the numbers, attendance was shattered — more than 61,000 total attendees, including 42,400 visitors, participated in the Expo. What was trending at this year’s show?
Themes from the show included continued product efficiency and systems that now have intuitive communications—which were once considered disparate components in the mechanical room—are now becoming more integrated, holistic platforms with intuitive communications which can interact from one unit to another, and communicate with a tech or homeowner.
It’s interesting to note: I covered the corporate security world about 12 years ago and the integration of security systems with building automation, the ability to notify the building owner of a problem and the ability to access a building’s security remotely via a secure web connection was the talk at every trade show.
What we’re hearing
The plumbing/HVAC industry, while some say is a very mature industry, has adopted similar practices when it comes to integration and communication among components through the Internet and Wi-Fi-enabled devices.
It’s a matter of getting used to. We hear it more and more and we’ll be hearing more of it in the years to come. Leveraging the advancements and growth in machine-to-machine communications, for instance, Daikin Applied is launching Intelligent Equipment. This new technology platform harnesses the Internet of Things (IoT) for the first time in commercial HVAC equipment, making it possible for HVAC systems to talk to operators and proactively take action, in order to improve efficiencies and exponentially increase cost savings.
![DSC_0106](http:hydronicshub.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/DSC_0106.jpg)
“The Internet of Things is impacting all levels of how we interact with, control and maintain HVAC equipment,” said Paul Rauker, vice president of systems and controls at Daikin Applied. “We’re able to unlock data and use that information in ways never possible before now. We’re able to receive actionable, real-time data and see proactive shifts in behavior instantly, without expending additional effort.”
With the technology, HVAC systems can be monitored and controlled remotely using any mobile device. It moves users from a reactive to a proactive model, in order to quickly adjust ineffective systems and help facility managers maintain equipment before it loses efficiency or impacts occupant comfort.
Selling & Profitability
There are two schools of thought on this when it comes to the residential contractor level, however. One is that any technology is a positive, especially when it comes to servicing a boiler, water heater or AC unit. The other, however, is how this affects the bottom line with the consumer. When the heat or AC goes, the first call that goes out is, “how quickly can you be here to replace it and how much is going to cost me.” Difficulty in finding the right price points for consumers and serviceability is just as important as the equipment itself. Yet, information is paramount, and can’t be undervalued.
“The ability to troubleshoot remotely and to be armed with the information and parts in hand before I show up increases my profitability and efficiency on the job,” says the Hub’s Eric Aune, who works on the job everyday with his business, Aune Plumbing, LLC.
I suppose these new systems need to be sold and marketed to customers, as contractors and media alike need to get up to speed on these new systems.
During the AHR Show, Lochinvar, LLC announced that it has expanded its line of CREST® Condensing Boilers to include three new models with 750,000, 1.0 million and 1.25 million Btu/hr inputs. Featuring Lochinvar’s patented Wave™ fire-tube design and advanced combustion technology, the new CREST Boiler models deliver 96.2 percent thermal efficiency and up to 20:1 modulation turndown. With the addition of the new models, the CREST line now includes 10 condensing commercial boilers with inputs ranging from 750,000 Btu/hr up to 5.0 million Btu/Hr.
In addition, Lochinvar’s FTXL™ Fire Tube Boiler is among the products recognized in the 2015 AHR Expo Innovation Awards Competition. The new FTXL Fire Tube Boiler represents a new generation of fire-tube technology, delivering up to 10:1 turndown and models ranging from 97 to 98 percent Thermal Efficiency – higher than any other boiler in its class. With five models ranging from 399,999 to 850,000 Btu/hr, the FTXL Boiler is well suited for light commercial applications.
Enabled for CON-X-US™ remote connect capability as part of the advanced SMART SYSTEM™ operating system, the FTXL Boiler offers complete control from across town or across the country. This remote connectivity option redefines monitoring by simplifying data acquisition and providing remote diagnostics.
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Make Lahti, vice president sales & marketing at Lochinvar, kicks off the Lochinvar press conference at AHR.
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With the Con-X-Us remote connectivity, status alerts can be sent to a smart device, and the user can monitor and re-program control parameters from almost anywhere.
Rheem continues to delve into this side of the market with its EcoNet system—as seen at the KBIS/IBS Show last month—which is a smart technology that will efficiently manage 65% of a home’s energy consumption. EcoNet is the first system to connect a home’s heating, cooling, and water heating systems through a central hub, making it easy for homeowners to conveniently manage energy usage and monitor diagnostics and maintenance schedules.
![DSC_0013](http:hydronicshub.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/DSC_0013.jpg)
The system uses a home’s existing WiFi connection to locate and link all compatible Rheem air and water products. Homeowners can then securely control these products through the free EcoNet mobile app on smartphones or tablets (both iOS and Android platforms), or a control center mounted in their home.
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Montgomery, Ala. — The Rheem Water Heating Division in Montgomery, Ala., celebrated the graduation of its 5,000th Generation IIITankless Training Program professional: Ed Phillips, master plumber and owner of Ed Phillips Plumbing in College Station, Texas. With the release of Rheem’s Generation III tankless gas products in 2010, the company updated its training programto Read more
Montgomery, Ala. — The Rheem Water Heating Division in Montgomery, Ala., celebrated the graduation of its 5,000th Generation IIITankless Training Program professional: Ed Phillips, master plumber and owner of Ed Phillips Plumbing in College Station, Texas.
![IMG_1801](http:hydronicshub.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_1801.jpg)
Ed Phillips (front row, third from left), along with the rest of his graduating class, celebrates the milestone of being the 5,000th graduate of Rheem’s Tankless Training Program.
With the release of Rheem’s Generation III tankless gas products in 2010, the company updated its training programto provide both apprenticecontractors and the most seasoned professionals with the applicable knowledge needed to install, diagnose, and service Rheem tankless gasunits. The program offers hands-on training modules including: Installation, Application, Diagnostics and Service.
“The tankless training program is proud to be an incredibly hands-on program where everyone attending the program gets a unit to practice on,” said Mike Siuda, director of tankless sales and marketing. “The program and its graduates—more than 1,250 a year on average—are exceptional.”
Atlanta — Rheem acquired CEM S.A., a public Chilean company that manufactures and distributes tankless, solar and tank water heating products. CEM S.A. sells its products under the Splendid brand name throughout South America. Splendid is the most established water heating brand in Chile, and it is also the country’s market leader for water heating Read more
Atlanta — Rheem acquired CEM S.A., a public Chilean company that manufactures and distributes tankless, solar and tank water heating products. CEM S.A. sells its products under the Splendid brand name throughout South America. Splendid is the most established water heating brand in Chile, and it is also the country’s market leader for water heating products.
The addition of Splendid provides Rheem with several competitive solutions to meet consumer demands in South America. Splendid’s primary market is Chile, but its products
are also sold in Columbia, Peru and Brazil, as well as certain export markets such as Mexico
and Spain. Splendid products are sold at stores including Sodimac, Easy S.A., MTS,
Construmart and more, as well as through distribution.
“Splendid’s outstanding reputation throughout South America, and particularly in Chile,
makes it an exciting addition to the Rheem family of brands,” said JR Jones, president and
CEO, Rheem. “We have immediate plans to grow the brand within the region and beyond.
Most international markets employ tankless water heating systems, so there is strong export potential for CEM’s line of mechanical tankless water heating products.”
Rheem is the largest manufacturer of water heating products in North America, and it is the only manufacturer in the world that produces heating, cooling, water heating, pool/spa heating and commercial refrigeration products. Rheem has an international presence in 14 countries, and the company distributes its products to 75 countries. With Rheem’s reach, the company will expand the distribution of Splendid’s products to other regions of the world that have similar water heating needs.
CEM S.A. will report into Rheem’s Water Heating Division, which is based in Montgomery,
Ala. Its portfolio includes tank, tankless, solar and hybrid electric water heating systems for both residential and commercial applications. Rheem will leverage CEM’s operation in
Santiago, Chile, to expand its presence in South America.