Be, Buy, Build Lincoln….and Stay Involved!

Published on: 2012-05-12 00:00:00 -0500 in plumbing

Our community is exciting and has so much to offer. Life is good in Lincoln and improving in many ways. Our skyline has six overhead cranes indicating growth and a promise for tomorrow. The strength of our Midwest roots seems to be helping carry us through adversity as the rest of the country is struggling.

Although Lincoln’s future looks bright, I believe this is a very critical time for most Americans. Lincolnites can provide hope for others if we lead by example with true dedication to our careers while staying involved in our community. The rest of the world is watching and frankly we deserve the best.

Staying involved means giving input on things we may prefer to avoid. For instance, why should we care if our main Post Office in Lincoln is at risk because of operational changes that will take jobs to Omaha? It may seem like a silly thing to question, unless you regularly use that Post Office or are one of the 26 or so losing a good paying job.

Does it make good business sense to let Omaha take over sorting of our mail? Seriously, why haul Lincoln’s mail to Omaha and then back? We are told this concept includes “only losing one day” of mail delivery. That is true snail mail. Let’s keep what belongs in Lincoln here.

Another topic to consider is overgrown City parks, medians, or other government properties. The tall grassy areas are basically unusable. Citizens deserve better; especially since there are multiple solutions for improvements.

For instance, how about letting prisoners manicure those parks, medians, and roadways in return for reducing their sentences? Let’s trade an extra day of reduced sentences for a day of community service? Common sense tells us guarded prisoners that have committed the less offensive crimes should be safe enough in the public while they pay us back.

Imagine the concept of actual cost savings of reduced jail populations while enjoying cleaner parks, medians, and roadways. Other communities do it, so why not Lincoln? It takes courage for politicians to take this route. It’s not a perfect solution, but it is feasible.

My first love on this earth has been Deb for 38 years and our families. My second love is our plumbing and HVAC business. It’s been a great way to give back to Lincoln and improve our community. I believe safe and sanitary plumbing is essential. Lincoln is truly blessed with some of the best plumbing in the world.

I also believe heating and air conditioning is important for many reasons. Nebraska winters cause additional risks of carbon monoxide poisoning. Pollen counts are high in Lincoln. Our lungs need highly filtered air at the right relative humidity. We have to be at the top of our game to provide that. The good news is in addition to excellent plumbing systems, Lincoln also has some of the best heating and air conditioning systems in the world. That takes hard work and dedication by everyone involved.

Doing the right things in business are a great way to give back to our community. An example is providing service 7 days a week from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, plus having 24 hour service available too. John Henrys did that to provide our customers with service and no overtime charges during regular hours. It was a monumental task to get there. John Henrys was not capable of doing that until we built a large enough staff of Techs to provide the extra coverage. Other companies may put you on hold on Monday morning and add you to their “to do list”, but John Henrys chose to meet your schedules because you are important.

Another important thing is the safety of our community. John Henrys requires criminal history checks, plus drug and alcohol testing before hiring. We hire for attitude and train for skill. Our promise is to provide you with highly trained Techs with shoe covers on to protect your home. They will be trustworthy. You deserve the best of the best.

Things are good in our community, but all is not perfect. There have been local businesses that closed through the years from a lack of support, so we need to remember our history. We lost Miller and Paine, Hovland-Swanson, Golds, etc. Could we have kept them successful by being more loyal?
In many ways the patriotic thing to do is work together to “support local businesses and buy from Lincoln”.

How Many “Miles Per Gallon” Does Your Water Heater Get?

Published on: 2012-04-14 00:00:00 -0500 in plumbing

Americans seem to have an ongoing passion for cars. Car manufacturers perform an incredible job of feeding that passion with every color, shape, and style imaginable. They grab our interest by portraying their sleek cars as exciting and responsive.

It’s a totally different story with water heater manufacturers. There are very few water heater ads. Water heaters are not sleek and exciting, but they can be responsive. Their story is actually interesting.

Their story gets interesting when we take the “miles per gallon” (efficiencies) of water heaters seriously. According to the A.O. Smith Corporate Technology Center, there are over 100 million residential water heaters installed in the United States with an average energy efficiency for gas water heaters of .56% and .88% for electric water heaters.

If Americans replaced inefficient water heaters with energy efficient water heaters we could save the equivalent emissions of 25.7 million cars, or the energy of 12.4 million homes, or 30.2 coal-fired power plants. That’s an interesting well kept secret.

Electric and natural gas water heaters lose efficiency through normal use so just think how much energy could be saved with routine maintenance. Annual water blow down is required. Also, gas water heater burners get dirty. The burner orifices, which are the holes where the natural gas flame is at near the base of the water heater get plugged.

The top of a natural draft water heater may have small black or brown particles laying on it. These particles indicate backdraft. Backdraft and dirty burners increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. We found the risk is high enough that our Techs check for carbon monoxide poisoning every time they go into a home. Do other Techs check your home?

It’s easier to measure when car maintenance is needed. The owner’s manual and odometer help us. On the other hand, water heaters are sort of hidden and ignored. Most of us are too busy to read the owners manuals.

Water heater use through the years causes them to go from poor efficiency to extremely poor efficiency. If they were cars they would have trouble pulling themselves up hills. The engine may even miss or have trouble starting. That’s not so with a water heater because they are designed to operate until they die. Then during the last part of their equipment life the energy inefficiency declines.

Water heater energy efficiency begins with the right purchase and then routine maintenance. So what is the right water heater to install? Just like cars there are water heaters for every need. Don’t get stuck with a standard 40 gallon natural gas water with an efficiency rating of 56%. Price shoppers typically call around and get sold this option solely based on price. Consumers end up paying substantially higher energy costs over the life of the equipment than purchasing the right water heater in the first place.

If you need high performance my favorite is the A.O. Smith Vertex 100 Power Vent. This 50 gallon water heater produces 164 gallons the first hour and has a 96% thermal efficiency! They work great for families with high demands. Consumers with Jacuzzis are using them to replace their existing two water heaters.

Tankless water heaters continue to become more popular. Efficiencies are good. They do require annual maintenance to remove hardness. There is a big difference in tankless water heater quality, so be careful when purchasing them. It’s extremely important that tankless water heaters are installed by licensed professionals that truly understand them.

Electric water heaters are a smart option for lower water use situations because little maintenance is needed and we have very reasonable rates from the Lincoln Electric System.

For commercial use the A.O. Smith Cyclone is a great solution; especially for restaurants with kitchen exhaust hoods because backdraft of standard water heaters can cause natural draft water heaters to fail prematurely. They have up to a 96% efficiency rating.

My interest in energy savings increased even more lately when I was asked to join the Sustainable Lincoln Blue Ribbon Leadership Team. This committee is comprised of a broad cross-section of 16 Lincolnites. Our purpose is to review recommendations for measurable community-wide sustainability indicator targets in air, water, land, waste, transportation, energy, and community; then make recommendations.

I believe an important ingredient of sustainable energy is increased awareness and understanding in things like water heaters so we can all make better decisions. Our wallets and lungs will thank us!

What Are the Three Most Important Things in Life?

Published on: 2012-03-23 00:00:00 -0500 in plumbing

Hiring the right team is essential for the success of any business. That’s why I stay deeply involved in the hiring process. One of my favorite questions to ask applicants during job interviews is what are the three most important things in life? Occasionally the applicant gets that answer right.

So what are the right answers? Hopefully without much hesitation we can answer that question. Some important things may be faith, health, family, friends, love, happiness, hope, a positive attitude, a long life, security, and the list goes on. That’s actually my top ten, but there really are no truly “right” answers.

This question is designed to see if the applicant can think and it also reflects their innermost beliefs. Some fail miserably. For instance, during an interview one young man answered “communication is very important because it helps me pick up chicks”. Yes, there are marginal answers.

During another interview an applicant immediately had that “deer in the headlights look”. He began trying to find potential answers and asked after a minute had gone by how many answers he had given me. I said “none so far”. He asked if he could stand up and move around. He paced back and forth for another minute, which helped him come up with one marginal answer. I stopped the interview because he would never fit in with our team or customers. It would not have been fair to anyone to hire him.

I feel sorry for the employers that hire “a warm body” that just fills a position. It’s sad for all of us when their industries somehow accept mediocrity. Everyone gets cheated. Hiring well is difficult and can be an uphill battle. Nobody ever said it would be easy, but the effort is worth it.

A very important part of our interview process is a personality profile survey that measures seven personality traits. These traits help indicate if an applicant has the basic profile to be successful and happy in their chosen career. For instance, it’s important for a Tech to have strong details because lives could be at stake if work is not completed properly. Knowing the personality traits also helps to manage employees.

Please be aware very few plumbing and HVAC companies do criminal background checks on their Techs. Ironically we regularly turn down applicants with marginal criminal history backgrounds. In fact we had two applicants arrested with bench warrants. It was our civic duty. One was considered dangerous. They were handcuffed and marched out. Where are they working today?

An applicant’s eyes tell me the rest of the story. Eyes reflect what’s deep in their hearts. We found a warm and happy heart is immediately obvious when our Customer Service Representatives answer the phone or our Techs walk in through your door. A good attitude should always be readily apparent.

It’s not unusual to interview an applicant four hours or so. By the end of the interview we know if they are good communicators. A good communicator knows the right questions to ask you when it’s time to provide service. Good communication takes away all doubt.

The highest honor our company has ever received was winning the Better Business Bureau Integrity Award. It reflected the hearts of our team. We maintain an A+ rating today.

It’s now time to ask you a question that is important because not knowing the answer can cause you problems like financial loss and health. That question of course is how often does HVAC equipment need to be serviced in Nebraska and when was the last time you had your equipment serviced?

I believe the right answer is it’s really necessary to service equipment twice a year at a minimum in Nebraska. Our weather extremes cause HVAC equipment to work especially hard. Cottonwood tree seeds, pollens, and other debris clogs outdoor units, which makes cleaning condenser coils a necessity. Dirty coils will drive up energy costs and also ruin the compressor.

An even more important reason to service HVAC equipment is carbon monoxide risks are high in Nebraska and can cause major health issues or even kill us. Service maintenance agreements can keep us safer and are very cheap in the grand scheme of things.

I believe a well hired team understands there are many important things life. That team will be trustworthy and you will be satisfied knowing they are there to provide exemplary service. That’s important, since because of the customer we exist!

Trading Pencils for Computers!

Published on: 2012-01-10 00:00:00 -0600 in plumbing

Trading Pencils for Computers!
In 1975 I started my career working as an apprentice plumber for a local plumbing and heating contractor on the NBC Bank project at 1248 “O” Street, which is the Wells Fargo Center building today.
I was assigned to Slim, a Journeyman plumber that was demanding, but at the same time a great mentor with a huge heart (thanks Slim, you are missed). Slim gave me channel lock pliers, a 6’0” folding ruler, and a pencil. I was expected to carry those essential items at all times and write down anything Slim dictated to me.
Leonard, our Job Superintendent had a pager that worked part time in that building, which was heavily reinforced with steel. People often paged Leonard with a message to call them. It wasn’t unusual for Leonard to be on the 12th floor and have to go to street level to use a pay phone to return a call. Even though the pager caused Leonard extra steps to a phone, he was grateful to have the pager because it improved communication.
In time I became a plumbing foreman and had a pager too. Shortly after that I had a “brick” style telephone. Remember those huge phones that weighed down our belts? Despite the size, they improved our lives.
Technology moved forward consistently at home too. Deb and I progressed from rotary dial phones to push button phones. Soon there were cordless phones so we could walk from room to room. Of course answering machines were just “frosting on the cake”.
Our land lines are now gone after moving ahead through cell phone technology over time. Instead we carry small state of the art cell phones that do so many things. They are also computers, cameras, calendars, address books, and the list goes on. It’s hard to believe where technology is at today.
Each improvement has been like driving a car for the first time. It’s exciting; I still get that warm and fuzzy feeling. The latest improvement in our company is the most exciting yet, which is mobile field computers for our Service Techs. So what’s exciting about that?
Imagine being able to send a service request to a Service Tech’s mobile computer at his home; then knowing when his truck leaves and arrives at any destination. Also imagine the value in knowing the location of a Tech when a customer frantically calls because water is pouring through a ceiling. That Tech can be there to help in minutes.
Our Customer Service Representatives enter service requests so customer info is readily available for the Techs. The Tech instantly has important customer info and specific instructions like the dog’s name is Duke and make sure not to let him out or pet him because he bites everyone!
Our Techs have a multitude of equipment info readily available on line. Most equipment manuals can be found on the computer, which includes troubleshooting comments. That’s valuable info for dangerous HVAC equipment that had recalls or a unique method to repair it.
Warranty info is instantly available to reduce confusion for customers that need to make repair decisions. Repair history can be documented to the customer’s address in writing and with pictures by using the cameras on the computers. That’s handy for current and future owners.
Parts used from a service truck each day can automatically be tracked and replenished each night to match actual demand on job tickets. The bar code scanners improve accuracy of parts.
History of parts usage reduces overall inventory because parts can be ordered on a just in time basis. Reduced inventory improves gas mileage and increases the life of the vehicles.
It’s easier for Techs to just show customers the receipt on the computer to operate paperless and improve the environment, but Techs can print an invoice on the job if a customer prefers a receipt. Customers can pay by credit card on the spot.
Staying current with technology is the right thing to do. It improves customer service and reduces labor costs. In some ways it’s patriotic because it helps keep our country producing at a higher level.
This computer evolution will save lives and improve customer service. The Techs are excited about this technology and never want to go back to the way things were. It’s a Win Win situation.
It’s exciting that #2 lead pencils have been replaced with computers that are improving our world. It happened in what seems like a short time. Hope you enjoyed that journey too!!!

Is the Next Major Health Risk

Published on: 2011-12-01 00:00:00 -0600 in plumbing

Is the Next Major Health Risk “Brewing”?
By John Henry (Jack) Zohner

Deb’s family had an unofficial family reunion recently. Basically it was a chance for a small group of us to get together and share their past history. There was interesting scrap books passed around. One news clip was a story about a plumber that died in a plumbing ditch cave-in. That hit home.

Something else that caught my eye was a picture of an old “house” from the 1800s that looked more like a small weathered storage shed. Odds are good it didn’t have plumbing. At best it had a wood stove in it. There was an outhouse nearby and a hand yard pump for water not far away. Those ancestors probably felt lucky to have two important amenities.

It hit home how lucky most Americans have it today. We have come a long ways. Imagine not having plumbing in a home; especially during a cold Nebraska winter.

Even today over 70% of the world does not have modern plumbing. Quality drinking water is a serious concern. In remote countries rivers are often used as the sewer, to wash clothes, and the “drinking fountain” too. Health risks are high.

It’s hard to believe our world still faces serious risks from plumbing since the first documented plumbing dates back to 2500 B.C in Egypt. Just two hundred years ago, the cause of Cholera was not known and typhoid was an ongoing problem. Cholera killed over 20,000 people in London between 1849 and 1854. The Cholera epidemic resulted from discharging sewers in to the Thames River, which was the source of drinking water for London.

The cause of Cholera was originally misdiagnosed, which dramatically increased the death count. Death counts of plumbers were especially high. One stubborn scientist in London pushed forward against the accepted beliefs, and eventually developed a water supply system that separated it from the sewage systems. Cholera disappeared.

In 1861, Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, died of Typhoid. Typhoid proved to be an ongoing concern, when her son almost died of the same disease ten years later. They discovered typhoid was caused by contamination in plumbing lines. The plumbing system was repaired and Typhoid problems went away.

It seemed like plumbing health problems were a thing of the past until 17 years ago when over 2,000 people died from the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus. This virus originated at Amoy Gardens, an apartment building in Hong Kong, from improperly installed plumbing. The SARS virus was transmitted throughout the apartment building by exhaust fans that were sometimes 10 times larger than necessary. There was no air conditioning, as we know it.

The spread of SARS was stopped by proactively isolating people infected by the virus. There were deaths as close to the U.S. as Canada. We were lucky this time. The outburst of SARS was a red flag for the plumbing industry and HVAC around the world. The associated costs of this outbreak were staggering, not to mention the loss of lives. We learned proper air filtration and safe plumbing throughout the world is important.

Although risks seem less today, we still need to be concerned. Even “simple” tasks such as the cabling of sewers can involve exposure to blood borne pathogens and other microbial risks. Anyone working around sewers or other sources should wear the proper protection. Those efforts may prevent the next deadly virus from starting.

A little known fact is our community has some of the best plumbing installations in the world. That reflects directly to the efforts of the City of Lincoln Plumbing Codes Department staff. Bob Siemsen, Chief Plumbing Inspector for the City of Lincoln, is nationally known for his efforts to improve plumbing installations. Mr. Siemsen and his staff take our safety seriously. Thanks to the City of Lincoln Plumbing Codes department and local plumbers that risk their lives to make our world safer. Odds are good the next world virus will not start in our community, but we can never be too careful.

The plumbing industry is working hard to prevent the next epidemic. Research and training is ongoing. Codes change on a regular basis.

Did you ever think the air you breathe and the water you drink may be contaminated by plumbing located half way around the world before we are affected? The SARS epidemic was a good warning shot. We may feel safe, but the next epidemic may be “brewing”. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Improving Great Customer Service!

Published on: 2011-06-11 00:00:00 -0500 in plumbing

By: John Henry (Jack) Zohner

Let’s hope all customer service is making you feel warm and fuzzy, but odds are we are both getting that same half-hearted thank you too often. Maybe it’s time to ask for more. Let’s talk about The 3 Sons clothing store.

Deb and I were camping at Lake Okoboji, Iowa last week. We decided to take a quick drive to the neighboring town of Milford, Iowa to see what we were missing. A sign caught our eye that advertised a store called The 3 Sons. The sign said the store was “one block east of the stop light by the bank”.

The 3 Sons building was weathered and old, which hinted there was something really special inside. Before the front door could close we were greeted by Herman Richter, one of the two owners of the store. Herman looked at ease standing behind the cash register with a warm smile that said we mattered. He graciously thanked us for stopping by and invited us to take our time as we looked around.

The front of the store was small but it set the tone with family pictures that included store history. Pictures documented 52 years of business and indicated their store was much more than a business; it was somehow their passion. I knew we were in for a treat.

We proceeded through a narrow door opening with a thick wall indicating two buildings had been joined together. The old wood floors creaked as we walked from one small room to the next. The two story building was a block long but we never ran out of smiling faces to help us with more than just words.

Of course there were bargain items at “½ price plus a dollar” in the back room and up the creaky stairs. What successful business doesn’t have specials they are willing to share?

The thing that hit me like a ton of bricks was the store was filled with high end quality clothing that is typically found in much larger cities and not in a town of 2000 people. Mere survival indicated they ran their business wisely during the last 52 years and cared about their customers who in turn supported their business.

The overall shopping experience was heartwarming. As we left Herman told us thanks for shopping in their store and welcomed us back. He told us to have a safe trip home. His eye contact indicated sincerity. We left on Saturday, but so much of the story was missing we went back on Sunday for more warm treatment.

Herman recognized us right away and thanked us for stopping back. I asked Herman to share the history and business philosophy of The 3 Sons. Herman and his wife Paula said 3 Sons was founded 52 years ago by Herman, Emil, and Jim (three brothers}. Jim passed away in the ‘60s. Emil and his wife Sue worked there. The staff was mostly family and others that were fully engaged in providing customer service.

Herman and Emil both had sons that left their family business to attend Iowa State. Matt and Brian both worked in large department stores, but that special something was missing. The family business drew them home. They missed their roots and providing that special customer service their family provided and was known for. The “baton” has since been passed to Matt and Brian to carry on the family legacy.

Herman told me he “has been really blessed for the last 52 years because he wakes up every morning and still plays store”. In many ways his job is not work because he loves people and what he does.

This article isn’t really about a clothing store in Iowa, but about the kind of service that makes a difference. Experiencing great service should not be unusual, but the norm. It’s the type of service we deserve in everything we do. As a farm boy from Butler County all I experienced was friendly service. That’s all I knew.

Sadly we are becoming a product of changes in America. It’s easy to point fingers, but there is hope for a better tomorrow. We can control our destiny. In many ways all we have to do is reward those that make us smile and consistently provide good customer service. The others will self destruct and go away.

Thanks to those of you that “get it” and provide great customer service every day. You are appreciated and on my good list.

Writing for a Better Tomorrow!

Published on: 2010-11-10 00:00:00 -0600 in plumbing

By: John Henry (Jack) Zohner

Since 2001 the Neighborhood Extra has printed a few hundred of my articles. Originally the articles were fairly specific about the plumbing, heating, and air conditioning trades. Through time it became evident it was easier to explain those trades by comparing real life experiences. Some of those articles may have seemed like a stretch like when I compared plumbing and HVAC to Czech food, but in my world there is a correlation of many things to food!

Interestingly enough some have asked if I write my own articles. Yes, I do write my own articles. Writing has always been fun and challenging after getting past the basics like penmanship in country school. Miss Betty made sure we looped our letters properly. She stood by as we dotted our “i”s and crossed our “t”s. Mrs. Hoffman was exactly what I needed in 6th grade as she expertly throttled down my wild side and taught important basics of English. I was lucky to have some strict teachers that were really dedicated.

Writing forced me to see the world from different angles and maybe at times even look at life under a “microscope”. It may have been easier to remain a bystander, but the reality is it’s been interesting. I believe John Madden said it best when he said “sometimes you have to hear things you really don’t want to hear, and look at things you really do not want to see”. Although John Madden was talking about football at that moment, the same thing can be said about life.

One thing that is obvious is how much the world around us has changed since 2001. Almost 10 years have passed, but it seems like much longer. Together we have been through a lot as a country and personally.

Feedback tells me the world around us is OK, but many of us miss the simpler times. Today our world is tends to worry those of us that “know better”. Our world is confusing at times. That revelation seemed evident during the last election process that often resembled a bad soap opera. As strange as things were it seems the underlying message after the election was the majority of Americans are not satisfied with our world as we know it today. Maybe that gives hope that we expect much more as a society.

We probably should be very concerned because the humanistic side of life continues to show new problems. Road rage consistently shows its ugly head. Bullying has recently reached unacceptable levels. Blue collar crimes have rocked our economy. The people side of life is becoming concerning.

Writing forced me to wonder if my seven grandchildren will ever grasp how much Deb and I enjoyed the simple way life was through the years. Will there always be church bazaars and high school events as we know them today? Will there be heartwarming shows like the Andy Griffith show and Leave it to Beaver or will they be stuck with “reality TV” that is currently shaping our society?

Our grandchildren may be surprised we used to take the time to communicate with others face to face without texting. This may sound strange but recently a young man explained he does not make eye contact with people because he is so used to texting and using electronic devices to communicate that he doesn’t have the skill to give eye contact. Sadly enough his reasoning didn’t seem to bother him. I challenge you to start watching for this the next time you communicate with the people that are addicted to texting.

My goal is not to complain about where we are at today, but to leave this world a better place for future generations like past generations did for us. Many paid the ultimate price so we can enjoy the freedoms we have today. Out of respect my goal is to become even more accountable to honor them.

Writing in many ways has forced me to take that challenge even more seriously. At our company I continue to raise expectations. It starts with the hiring process. Our goal is to only hire “eagles” and our hiring process is tough. We start with the basic “filters” of criminal history checks, drug and alcohol testing, and personality profile testing to get the right people in the right jobs. We “hire for attitude and train for skill”. All we have to offer is service and that starts with providing the right people.

I am proud of our team for being the only plumbing, heating, and air conditioning company in our community to win the Better Business Bureau Integrity Award. It was a direct reflection they understand integrity is needed in every transaction. Although that award meant a lot, my proudest moments are seeing them grow and succeed in life. In many ways they are my extended family.

My goal in writing began as a way to improve safety and awareness of our community when dealing with heating and air conditioning. That requirement is written in the Bylaws of the Lincoln Heating and Air Conditioning Association. As a LHACA member and master HVAC contractor I take that challenge seriously.

With safety in mind, please make sure to get your heating and air conditioning equipment serviced to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Nebraska has led the country in carbon monoxide death rates because we rely on natural gas heating equipment during our cold winters. Our company consistently finds high levels of carbon monoxide when we service furnaces. We also have started checking water heaters for carbon monoxide levels because it seemed like the right thing to do. We do this for free when servicing furnaces. It’s amazing how many water heater burners need to be cleaned because they emit high levels of carbon monoxide.

Hopefully this article did not seem too personal, but it was time to share reasons for my writing path and thank my readers that have provided valuable support through the years.