WETHEADS.ORG. Everyone's thoughts, please? (Dan H.)

DanHolohan

At Wetstock, I talked to the group about an idea for a new contractor/engineer, hydronics-only trade association that would also function as a charity (I’ll explain in a minute).

We would meet on a website called Wetheads.org, of which you’ll have to be a member to enter, which means you’ll have to register (there’s no charge). We’ll have no corporate members, but individuals who work for corporations (the manufacturers) are certainly welcome to join. I’m loosely defining “engineer” here.

Wetheads.org will be about hydronics in all its forms – radiant, classic hydronics, commercial hydronics, European hydronics, and steam. Old stuff and new. That’s the focus – the products, the systems, and the business of selling, installing, troubleshooting, and promoting the same.

Once inside the Wetheads.org site you’ll find a bulletin board that will be similar to the Wall. It will be a place where Wethead professionals will be able to discuss things in private. There will also be blogs within the site. If you’re not familiar with this, “blog” is short for “web log” and it’s a form of journaling. Anyone who wants to will be able to have a blog where he or she can show and talk about his or her work and techniques, and also anything else that’s on his or her mind. The blogs will be permanent (they won’t drop off like Wall threads) and I think that they’ll become a valuable way for professionals to share what they know with other professionals, and to do it in private. You’ll be able to read any other member’s blog, and then to use the bulletin board to discuss things. Or you can just use the bulletin board.

The site will have a bulk email function so that we’ll be able to make announcements.

There will also be a voting area where we can vote as a group on issues, products, ideas, and systems. It’s a good place to catch a majority view on something, and I think it will be a good source of information for the individuals from the manufacturer who choose to join.

There will be an e-commerce section where we’ll sell Wetheads.org gear (No Wethead left behind!), and we’ll also sell Links. The Link is something I showed the folks at Wetstock. It’s a simple quick connect chain link that you can buy at any hardware store. It’s the kind that has the screw connection that allows you to join one length of chain to another. Buying a Link is voluntary and when you get yours you can keep it on your keychain. Whenever we get together (say, at Wetstock, seminars, tradeshows, parties) we’ll join our links to make a chain. When we leave, we’ll each take a link back with us (most likely getting someone else’s).

It’s a metaphor, but I think it’s a powerful one. The weakest link is the one not connected.

The money we raise through raffles and silent auctions at future Wetstocks, will help fund Wetheads.org. There will be no annual dues to join Wetheads.org. It’s absolutely free, but we will need money to start it and some money to operate it, and here’s how we’ll get that.

We’ll set up Wetheads.org as a separate charitable corporation, a spin-off off HeatingHelp.com. This is modeled after a company that my daughter, Erin, works for in D.C. A for-profit consulting company spun off a non-profit that helps children. They share staff and keep their overall expenses very low. Once the Wetheads.org site is built it will not be expensive to operate.

As a charity, we’ll be able to run online raffles. For instance, if we sell 300 tickets for $50 each, we will raise $15,000. We can then award five $1,000 winners (pretty great odds, eh?), and be left with $10,000 to work with. That’s good seed money to get the site built. We can do raffles as needed in the e-commerce area of the site, and along with the Links, and the Wetheads.org gear we should be in good shape.

Which brings me to the best part. There has never been a champion for hydronic heating in America. Sure, manufacturers advertise their products, but there’s really no organization that has ever been able to get national attention for the concept of hydronics, one that can help Wethead professionals make their case. So that’s why Wetheads.org is going to be a charity. We’ll take 100% of the profits that the organization makes and donate it to a=href” http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3359675/”>The Imus Ranch</a>.

I listen to Don Imus every morning. He’s on the radio for four hours Monday through Friday all over the U.S., and the show is simulcast on MSNBC. He talks to a veritable Who’s Who in American politics and the media each day, and he also talks quite a bit about the people who donate to his ranch, which benefits kids with cancer. I have a feeling that Don Imus will find the concept of Wetheads irresistible, and so will the other personalities on the show.

That’s how we get national attention for hydronics. And we’ll be doing this while helping kids with cancer and their families, and while sharing information on an even deeper level than we’ve been doing. And while having fun.

We’ll have a hydronics-only trade association without politics, one where you can attend meetings in your den, every night of the week. Just like you do on the Wall.

Will it take away from HeatingHelp.com? Not at all! We are now enjoying more than 4,600 user sessions each day, and most of those are homeowners. I can see this in the statistics. I love the interaction between the homeowners and the contractors here on the Wall, but I’ve come to believe that it’s now a good time to have a private area where the professional family members can discuss issues that are best kept private. Hence, Wetheads.org, a virtual contractor/engineer trade association.

What’s in it for the Holohans? We get to help the industry and we get to help some sick kids. There’s a time to learn, a time to learn, and a time to give back. We’re in that third area right now. Thanks for all that you’ve done for us.

The people at Wetstock (with one lovable exception) were receptive to the idea. I’d now like to get some feedback from those of you who weren’t at Wetstock.

Your thoughts?

DanHolohan

May I please hear your thoughts on this?

At Wetstock, I talked to the group about an idea for a new contractor/engineer, hydronics-only trade association that would also function as a charity (I’ll explain in a minute).

We would meet on a website called Wetheads.org, of which you’ll have to be a member to enter, which means you’ll have to register (there’s no charge). We’ll have no corporate members, but individuals who work for corporations (the manufacturers) are certainly welcome to join. I’m loosely defining “engineer” here.

Wetheads.org will be about hydronics in all its forms – radiant, classic hydronics, commercial hydronics, European hydronics, and steam. Old stuff and new. That’s the focus – the products, the systems, and the business of selling, installing, troubleshooting, and promoting the same.

Once inside the Wetheads.org site you’ll find a bulletin board that will be similar to the Wall. It will be a place where Wethead professionals will be able to discuss things in private. There will also be blogs within the site. If you’re not familiar with this, “blog” is short for “web log” and it’s a form of journaling. Anyone who wants to will be able to have a blog where he or she can show and talk about his or her work and techniques, and also anything else that’s on his or her mind. The blogs will be permanent (they won’t drop off like Wall threads) and I think that they’ll become a valuable way for professionals to share what they know with other professionals, and to do it in private. You’ll be able to read any other member’s blog, and then to use the bulletin board to discuss things. Or you can just use the bulletin board.

The site will have a bulk email function so that we’ll be able to make announcements.

There will also be a voting area where we can vote as a group on issues, products, ideas, and systems. It’s a good place to catch a majority view on something, and I think it will be a good source of information for the individuals from the manufacturer who choose to join.

There will be an e-commerce section where we’ll sell Wetheads.org gear (No Wethead left behind!), and we’ll also sell Links. The Link is something I showed the folks at Wetstock. It’s a simple quick connect chain link that you can buy at any hardware store. It’s the kind that has the screw connection that allows you to join one length of chain to another. Buying a Link is voluntary and when you get yours you can keep it on your keychain. Whenever we get together (say, at Wetstock, seminars, tradeshows, parties) we’ll join our links to make a chain. When we leave, we’ll each take a link back with us (most likely getting someone else’s).

It’s a metaphor, but I think it’s a powerful one. The weakest link is the one not connected.

The money we raise through raffles and silent auctions at future Wetstocks, will help fund Wetheads.org. There will be no annual dues to join Wetheads.org. It’s absolutely free, but we will need money to start it and some money to operate it, and here’s how we’ll get that.

We’ll set up Wetheads.org as a separate charitable corporation, a spin-off off HeatingHelp.com. This is modeled after a company that my daughter, Erin, works for in D.C. A for-profit consulting company spun off a non-profit that helps children. They share staff and keep their overall expenses very low. Once the Wetheads.org site is built it will not be expensive to operate.

As a charity, we’ll be able to run online raffles. For instance, if we sell 300 tickets for $50 each, we will raise $15,000. We can then award five $1,000 winners (pretty great odds, eh?), and be left with $10,000 to work with. That’s good seed money to get the site built. We can do raffles as needed in the e-commerce area of the site, and along with the Links, and the Wetheads.org gear we should be in good shape.

Which brings me to the best part. There has never been a champion for hydronic heating in America. Sure, manufacturers advertise their products, but there’s really no organization that has ever been able to get national attention for the concept of hydronics, one that can help Wethead professionals make their case. So that’s why Wetheads.org is going to be a charity. We’ll take 100% of the profits that the organization makes and donate it to a href” http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3359675/”>The Imus Ranch.

I listen to Don Imus every morning. He’s on the radio for four hours Monday through Friday all over the U.S., and the show is simulcast on MSNBC. He talks to a veritable Who’s Who in American politics and the media each day, and he also talks quite a bit about the people who donate to his ranch, which benefits kids with cancer. I have a feeling that Don Imus will find the concept of Wetheads irresistible, and so will the other personalities on the show.

That’s how we get national attention for hydronics. And we’ll be doing this while helping kids with cancer and their families, and while sharing information on an even deeper level than we’ve been doing. And while having fun.

We’ll have a hydronics-only trade association without politics, one where you can attend meetings in your den, every night of the week. Just like you do on the Wall.

Will it take away from HeatingHelp.com? Not at all! We are now enjoying more than 4,600 user sessions each day, and most of those are homeowners. I can see this in the statistics. I love the interaction between the homeowners and the contractors here on the Wall, but I’ve come to believe that it’s now a good time to have a private area where the professional family members can discuss issues that are best kept private. Hence, Wetheads.org, a virtual contractor/engineer trade association.

What’s in it for the Holohans? We get to help the industry and we get to help some sick kids. There’s a time to learn, a time to learn, and a time to give back. We’re in that third area right now. Thanks for all that you’ve done for us.

The people at Wetstock (with one lovable exception) were receptive to the idea. I’d now like to get some feedback from those of you who weren’t at Wetstock.

Your thoughts?

DanHolohan

May I please hear your thoughts on this?

At Wetstock, I talked to the group about an idea for a new contractor/engineer, hydronics-only trade association that would also function as a charity (I’ll explain in a minute).

We would meet on a website called Wetheads.org, of which you’ll have to be a member to enter, which means you’ll have to register (there’s no charge). We’ll have no corporate members, but individuals who work for corporations (the manufacturers) are certainly welcome to join. I’m loosely defining “engineer” here.

Wetheads.org will be about hydronics in all its forms – radiant, classic hydronics, commercial hydronics, European hydronics, and steam. Old stuff and new. That’s the focus – the products, the systems, and the business of selling, installing, troubleshooting, and promoting the same.

Once inside the Wetheads.org site you’ll find a bulletin board that will be similar to the Wall. It will be a place where Wethead professionals will be able to discuss things in private. There will also be blogs within the site. If you’re not familiar with this, “blog” is short for “web log” and it’s a form of journaling. Anyone who wants to will be able to have a blog where he or she can show and talk about his or her work and techniques, and also anything else that’s on his or her mind. The blogs will be permanent (they won’t drop off like Wall threads) and I think that they’ll become a valuable way for professionals to share what they know with other professionals, and to do it in private. You’ll be able to read any other member’s blog, and then to use the bulletin board to discuss things. Or you can just use the bulletin board.

The site will have a bulk email function so that we’ll be able to make announcements.

There will also be a voting area where we can vote as a group on issues, products, ideas, and systems. It’s a good place to catch a majority view on something, and I think it will be a good source of information for the individuals from the manufacturer who choose to join.

There will be an e-commerce section where we’ll sell Wetheads.org gear (No Wethead left behind!), and we’ll also sell Links. The Link is something I showed the folks at Wetstock. It’s a simple quick connect chain link that you can buy at any hardware store. It’s the kind that has the screw connection that allows you to join one length of chain to another. Buying a Link is voluntary and when you get yours you can keep it on your keychain. Whenever we get together (say, at Wetstock, seminars, tradeshows, parties) we’ll join our links to make a chain. When we leave, we’ll each take a link back with us (most likely getting someone else’s).

It’s a metaphor, but I think it’s a powerful one. The weakest link is the one not connected.

The money we raise through raffles and silent auctions at future Wetstocks, will help fund Wetheads.org. There will be no annual dues to join Wetheads.org. It’s absolutely free, but we will need money to start it and some money to operate it, and here’s how we’ll get that.

We’ll set up Wetheads.org as a separate charitable corporation, a spin-off off HeatingHelp.com. This is modeled after a company that my daughter, Erin, works for in D.C. A for-profit consulting company spun off a non-profit that helps children. They share staff and keep their overall expenses very low. Once the Wetheads.org site is built it will not be expensive to operate.

As a charity, we’ll be able to run online raffles. For instance, if we sell 300 tickets for $50 each, we will raise $15,000. We can then award five $1,000 winners (pretty great odds, eh?), and be left with $10,000 to work with. That’s good seed money to get the site built. We can do raffles as needed in the e-commerce area of the site, and along with the Links, and the Wetheads.org gear we should be in good shape.

Which brings me to the best part. There has never been a champion for hydronic heating in America. Sure, manufacturers advertise their products, but there’s really no organization that has ever been able to get national attention for the concept of hydronics, one that can help Wethead professionals make their case. So that’s why Wetheads.org is going to be a charity. We’ll take 100% of the profits that the organization makes and donate it to a href”http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3359675/”>The Imus Ranch.

I listen to Don Imus every morning. He’s on the radio for four hours Monday through Friday all over the U.S., and the show is simulcast on MSNBC. He talks to a veritable Who’s Who in American politics and the media each day, and he also talks quite a bit about the people who donate to his ranch, which benefits kids with cancer. I have a feeling that Don Imus will find the concept of Wetheads irresistible, and so will the other personalities on the show.

That’s how we get national attention for hydronics. And we’ll be doing this while helping kids with cancer and their families, and while sharing information on an even deeper level than we’ve been doing. And while having fun.

We’ll have a hydronics-only trade association without politics, one where you can attend meetings in your den, every night of the week. Just like you do on the Wall.

Will it take away from HeatingHelp.com? Not at all! We are now enjoying more than 4,600 user sessions each day, and most of those are homeowners. I can see this in the statistics. I love the interaction between the homeowners and the contractors here on the Wall, but I’ve come to believe that it’s now a good time to have a private area where the professional family members can discuss issues that are best kept private. Hence, Wetheads.org, a virtual contractor/engineer trade association.

What’s in it for the Holohans? We get to help the industry and we get to help some sick kids. There’s a time to learn, a time to learn, and a time to give back. We’re in that third area right now. Thanks for all that you’ve done for us.

The people at Wetstock (with one lovable exception) were receptive to the idea. I’d now like to get some feedback from those of you who weren’t at Wetstock.

Your thoughts?

DanHolohan

May I please hear your thoughts on this?

At Wetstock, I talked to the group about an idea for a new contractor/engineer, hydronics-only trade association that would also function as a charity (I’ll explain in a minute).

We would meet on a website called Wetheads.org, of which you’ll have to be a member to enter, which means you’ll have to register (there’s no charge). We’ll have no corporate members, but individuals who work for corporations (the manufacturers) are certainly welcome to join. I’m loosely defining “engineer” here.

Wetheads.org will be about hydronics in all its forms – radiant, classic hydronics, commercial hydronics, European hydronics, and steam. Old stuff and new. That’s the focus – the products, the systems, and the business of selling, installing, troubleshooting, and promoting the same.

Once inside the Wetheads.org site you’ll find a bulletin board that will be similar to the Wall. It will be a place where Wethead professionals will be able to discuss things in private. There will also be blogs within the site. If you’re not familiar with this, “blog” is short for “web log” and it’s a form of journaling. Anyone who wants to will be able to have a blog where he or she can show and talk about his or her work and techniques, and also anything else that’s on his or her mind. The blogs will be permanent (they won’t drop off like Wall threads) and I think that they’ll become a valuable way for professionals to share what they know with other professionals, and to do it in private. You’ll be able to read any other member’s blog, and then to use the bulletin board to discuss things. Or you can just use the bulletin board.

The site will have a bulk email function so that we’ll be able to make announcements.

There will also be a voting area where we can vote as a group on issues, products, ideas, and systems. It’s a good place to catch a majority view on something, and I think it will be a good source of information for the individuals from the manufacturer who choose to join.

There will be an e-commerce section where we’ll sell Wetheads.org gear (No Wethead left behind!), and we’ll also sell Links. The Link is something I showed the folks at Wetstock. It’s a simple quick connect chain link that you can buy at any hardware store. It’s the kind that has the screw connection that allows you to join one length of chain to another. Buying a Link is voluntary and when you get yours you can keep it on your keychain. Whenever we get together (say, at Wetstock, seminars, tradeshows, parties) we’ll join our links to make a chain. When we leave, we’ll each take a link back with us (most likely getting someone else’s).

It’s a metaphor, but I think it’s a powerful one. The weakest link is the one not connected.

The money we raise through raffles and silent auctions at future Wetstocks, will help fund Wetheads.org. There will be no annual dues to join Wetheads.org. It’s absolutely free, but we will need money to start it and some money to operate it, and here’s how we’ll get that.

We’ll set up Wetheads.org as a separate charitable corporation, a spin-off off HeatingHelp.com. This is modeled after a company that my daughter, Erin, works for in D.C. A for-profit consulting company spun off a non-profit that helps children. They share staff and keep their overall expenses very low. Once the Wetheads.org site is built it will not be expensive to operate.

As a charity, we’ll be able to run online raffles. For instance, if we sell 300 tickets for $50 each, we will raise $15,000. We can then award five $1,000 winners (pretty great odds, eh?), and be left with $10,000 to work with. That’s good seed money to get the site built. We can do raffles as needed in the e-commerce area of the site, and along with the Links, and the Wetheads.org gear we should be in good shape.

Which brings me to the best part. There has never been a champion for hydronic heating in America. Sure, manufacturers advertise their products, but there’s really no organization that has ever been able to get national attention for the concept of hydronics, one that can help Wethead professionals make their case. So that’s why Wetheads.org is going to be a charity. We’ll take 100% of the profits that the organization makes and donate it to a href=”http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3359675/”>The Imus Ranch.

I listen to Don Imus every morning. He’s on the radio for four hours Monday through Friday all over the U.S., and the show is simulcast on MSNBC. He talks to a veritable Who’s Who in American politics and the media each day, and he also talks quite a bit about the people who donate to his ranch, which benefits kids with cancer. I have a feeling that Don Imus will find the concept of Wetheads irresistible, and so will the other personalities on the show.

That’s how we get national attention for hydronics. And we’ll be doing this while helping kids with cancer and their families, and while sharing information on an even deeper level than we’ve been doing. And while having fun.

We’ll have a hydronics-only trade association without politics, one where you can attend meetings in your den, every night of the week. Just like you do on the Wall.

Will it take away from HeatingHelp.com? Not at all! We are now enjoying more than 4,600 user sessions each day, and most of those are homeowners. I can see this in the statistics. I love the interaction between the homeowners and the contractors here on the Wall, but I’ve come to believe that it’s now a good time to have a private area where the professional family members can discuss issues that are best kept private. Hence, Wetheads.org, a virtual contractor/engineer trade association.

What’s in it for the Holohans? We get to help the industry and we get to help some sick kids. There’s a time to learn, a time to learn, and a time to give back. We’re in that third area right now. Thanks for all that you’ve done for us.

The people at Wetstock (with one lovable exception) were receptive to the idea. I’d now like to get some feedback from those of you who weren’t at Wetstock.

Your thoughts?

DanHolohan

May I please hear your thoughts on this?

At Wetstock, I talked to the group about an idea for a new contractor/engineer, hydronics-only trade association that would also function as a charity (I’ll explain in a minute).

We would meet on a website called Wetheads.org, of which you’ll have to be a member to enter, which means you’ll have to register (there’s no charge). We’ll have no corporate members, but individuals who work for corporations (the manufacturers) are certainly welcome to join. I’m loosely defining “engineer” here.

Wetheads.org will be about hydronics in all its forms – radiant, classic hydronics, commercial hydronics, European hydronics, and steam. Old stuff and new. That’s the focus – the products, the systems, and the business of selling, installing, troubleshooting, and promoting the same.

Once inside the Wetheads.org site you’ll find a bulletin board that will be similar to the Wall. It will be a place where Wethead professionals will be able to discuss things in private. There will also be blogs within the site. If you’re not familiar with this, “blog” is short for “web log” and it’s a form of journaling. Anyone who wants to will be able to have a blog where he or she can show and talk about his or her work and techniques, and also anything else that’s on his or her mind. The blogs will be permanent (they won’t drop off like Wall threads) and I think that they’ll become a valuable way for professionals to share what they know with other professionals, and to do it in private. You’ll be able to read any other member’s blog, and then to use the bulletin board to discuss things. Or you can just use the bulletin board.

The site will have a bulk email function so that we’ll be able to make announcements.

There will also be a voting area where we can vote as a group on issues, products, ideas, and systems. It’s a good place to catch a majority view on something, and I think it will be a good source of information for the individuals from the manufacturer who choose to join.

There will be an e-commerce section where we’ll sell Wetheads.org gear (No Wethead left behind!), and we’ll also sell Links. The Link is something I showed the folks at Wetstock. It’s a simple quick connect chain link that you can buy at any hardware store. It’s the kind that has the screw connection that allows you to join one length of chain to another. Buying a Link is voluntary and when you get yours you can keep it on your keychain. Whenever we get together (say, at Wetstock, seminars, tradeshows, parties) we’ll join our links to make a chain. When we leave, we’ll each take a link back with us (most likely getting someone else’s).

It’s a metaphor, but I think it’s a powerful one. The weakest link is the one not connected.

The money we raise through raffles and silent auctions at future Wetstocks, will help fund Wetheads.org. There will be no annual dues to join Wetheads.org. It’s absolutely free, but we will need money to start it and some money to operate it, and here’s how we’ll get that.

We’ll set up Wetheads.org as a separate charitable corporation, a spin-off off HeatingHelp.com. This is modeled after a company that my daughter, Erin, works for in D.C. A for-profit consulting company spun off a non-profit that helps children. They share staff and keep their overall expenses very low. Once the Wetheads.org site is built it will not be expensive to operate.

As a charity, we’ll be able to run online raffles. For instance, if we sell 300 tickets for $50 each, we will raise $15,000. We can then award five $1,000 winners (pretty great odds, eh?), and be left with $10,000 to work with. That’s good seed money to get the site built. We can do raffles as needed in the e-commerce area of the site, and along with the Links, and the Wetheads.org gear we should be in good shape.

Which brings me to the best part. There has never been a champion for hydronic heating in America. Sure, manufacturers advertise their products, but there’s really no organization that has ever been able to get national attention for the concept of hydronics, one that can help Wethead professionals make their case. So that’s why Wetheads.org is going to be a charity. We’ll take 100% of the profits that the organization makes and donate it to The Imus Ranch for Kids with Cancer.

I listen to Don Imus every morning. He’s on the radio for four hours Monday through Friday all over the U.S., and the show is simulcast on MSNBC. He talks to a veritable Who’s Who in American politics and the media each day, and he also talks quite a bit about the people who donate to his ranch, which benefits kids with cancer. I have a feeling that Don Imus will find the concept of Wetheads irresistible, and so will the other personalities on the show.

That’s how we get national attention for hydronics. And we’ll be doing this while helping kids with cancer and their families, and while sharing information on an even deeper level than we’ve been doing. And while having fun.

We’ll have a hydronics-only trade association without politics, one where you can attend meetings in your den, every night of the week. Just like you do on the Wall.

Will it take away from HeatingHelp.com? Not at all! We are now enjoying more than 4,600 user sessions each day, and most of those are homeowners. I can see this in the statistics. I love the interaction between the homeowners and the contractors here on the Wall, but I’ve come to believe that it’s now a good time to have a private area where the professional family members can discuss issues that are best kept private. Hence, Wetheads.org, a virtual contractor/engineer trade association.

What’s in it for the Holohans? We get to help the industry and we get to help some sick kids. There’s a time to learn, a time to learn, and a time to give back. We’re in that third area right now. Thanks for all that you’ve done for us.

The people at Wetstock (with one lovable exception) were receptive to the idea. I’d now like to get some feedback from those of you who weren’t at Wetstock.

Your thoughts?

DanHolohan

May I please hear your thoughts on this?

At Wetstock, I talked to the group about an idea for a new contractor/engineer, hydronics-only trade association that would also function as a charity (I’ll explain in a minute).

We would meet on a website called Wetheads.org, of which you’ll have to be a member to enter, which means you’ll have to register (there’s no charge). We’ll have no corporate members, but individuals who work for corporations (the manufacturers) are certainly welcome to join. I’m loosely defining “engineer” here.

Wetheads.org will be about hydronics in all its forms – radiant, classic hydronics, commercial hydronics, European hydronics, and steam. Old stuff and new. That’s the focus – the products, the systems, and the business of selling, installing, troubleshooting, and promoting the same.

Once inside the Wetheads.org site you’ll find a bulletin board that will be similar to the Wall. It will be a place where Wethead professionals will be able to discuss things in private. There will also be blogs within the site. If you’re not familiar with this, “blog” is short for “web log” and it’s a form of journaling. Anyone who wants to will be able to have a blog where he or she can show and talk about his or her work and techniques, and also anything else that’s on his or her mind. The blogs will be permanent (they won’t drop off like Wall threads) and I think that they’ll become a valuable way for professionals to share what they know with other professionals, and to do it in private. You’ll be able to read any other member’s blog, and then to use the bulletin board to discuss things. Or you can just use the bulletin board.

The site will have a bulk email function so that we’ll be able to make announcements.

There will also be a voting area where we can vote as a group on issues, products, ideas, and systems. It’s a good place to catch a majority view on something, and I think it will be a good source of information for the individuals from the manufacturer who choose to join.

There will be an e-commerce section where we’ll sell Wetheads.org gear (No Wethead left behind!), and we’ll also sell Links. The Link is something I showed the folks at Wetstock. It’s a simple quick connect chain link that you can buy at any hardware store. It’s the kind that has the screw connection that allows you to join one length of chain to another. Buying a Link is voluntary and when you get yours you can keep it on your keychain. Whenever we get together (say, at Wetstock, seminars, tradeshows, parties) we’ll join our links to make a chain. When we leave, we’ll each take a link back with us (most likely getting someone else’s).

It’s a metaphor, but I think it’s a powerful one. The weakest link is the one not connected.

The money we raise through raffles and silent auctions at future Wetstocks, will help fund Wetheads.org. There will be no annual dues to join Wetheads.org. It’s absolutely free, but we will need money to start it and some money to operate it, and here’s how we’ll get that.

We’ll set up Wetheads.org as a separate charitable corporation, a spin-off off HeatingHelp.com. This is modeled after a company that my daughter, Erin, works for in D.C. A for-profit consulting company spun off a non-profit that helps children. The two companies share the same staff and keep their overall expenses very low. Once the Wetheads.org site is built it will not be expensive to operate.

As a charity, we’ll be able to run online raffles. For instance, if we sell 300 tickets for $50 each, we will raise $15,000. We can then award five $1,000 winners (pretty great odds, eh?), and be left with $10,000 to work with. That’s good seed money to get the site built. We can do raffles as needed in the e-commerce area of the site, and along with the Links, and the Wetheads.org gear we should be in good shape.

Which brings me to the best part. There has never been a champion for hydronic heating in America. Sure, manufacturers advertise their products, but there’s really no organization that has ever been able to get national attention for the concept of hydronics, one that can help Wethead professionals make their case. So that’s why Wetheads.org is going to be a charity. We’ll take 100% of the profits that the organization makes and donate it to The Imus Ranch for Kids with Cancer.

I listen to Don Imus every morning. He’s on the radio for four hours Monday through Friday all over the U.S., and the show is simulcast on MSNBC. He talks to a veritable Who’s Who in American politics and the media each day, and he also talks quite a bit about the people who donate to his ranch, which benefits kids with cancer. I have a feeling that Don Imus will find the concept of Wetheads irresistible, and so will the other personalities on the show.

That’s how we get national attention for hydronics. And we’ll be doing this while helping kids with cancer and their families, and while sharing information on an even deeper level than we’ve been doing. And while having fun.

We’ll have a hydronics-only trade association without politics, one where you can attend meetings in your den, every night of the week. Just like you do on the Wall.

Will it take away from HeatingHelp.com? Not at all! We are now enjoying more than 4,600 user sessions each day, and most of those are homeowners. I can see this in the statistics. I love the interaction between the homeowners and the contractors here on the Wall, but I’ve come to believe that it’s now a good time to have a private area where the professional family members can discuss issues that are best kept private. Hence, Wetheads.org, a virtual contractor/engineer trade association.

What’s in it for the Holohans? We get to help the industry and we get to help some sick kids. There’s a time to learn, a time to learn, and a time to give back. We’re in that third area right now. Thanks for all that you’ve done for us.

The people at Wetstock (with one lovable exception) were receptive to the idea. I’d now like to get some feedback from those of you who weren’t at Wetstock.

Your thoughts?

Firedragon_4

Sounds like

a good idea to me!

It would also make the tradesmen look a lot more professional in the eyes of consumers when issues get a bit HOT??? Not that the situation ever occurs!!!

Sorry I missed Wetstock Dan, we'll make it one of these days yet.

Constantin

Wetheats.org = Redundant?

Dan,
I spoke briefly while you were up there at the podium, but I didn't have a chance to get back to you later like I wanted to. As described, Wetheads.org seems like a largely redundant organization, with little to no advantage over the current situation, let me explain why.

For one, there are manufacturers that are responsive, there are others that are not. Those that are responsive do not need the prodding of an online forum community, they respond to e-mail, phone calls, and faxes just fine. Thus, I don't think you will increase the effectiveness of the outreach from the HH community, you'll simply reinforce which manufacturers are responsive and which ones aren't to an online forum.

This is not to say that HH shouldn't have a contractor-only section. However, given the above, I see relatively little value in it except for the voting bit. Yes, it would be neat to be able to show manufacturers, designers, etc. what the online community thinks about this issue or that, but it still presumes that the manufacturers actually care.

If there is one thing that would probably improve the level of discourse and remove the bomb-throwing that might scare homeowners away, it's forcing folk to sign-in for posting instead of letting anyone post under anyone's name (a big security, libel, etc. risk, IMHO).

Furthermore, some sites like slashdot.org allow moderation from within the community that deprecate posts that are useless, negative, etc. while raising the value of posts that are useful. Slashdot then takes it a step further, assigning karma points based on behavior, feedback, etc. and then adjusting your standing accordingly. Check it out.

On the other hand, the concept of a blog is a powerful one, though I would use it in a slightly different context. The FAP feature is a neat one, yet the extent to which neat work is done is limited to one page or less. Instead of a single page, HO's should have access to a blog from a particular installer so that they can show off more than one install. That is, FAP on steroids.

This would be a powerful sales feature not only because it shows off a contractor in more than just one instance, but because it can also obviate the need for a bunch of less-than-web-literate heating professionals to have their own web-site. I would sell it as an add-on, but you may decide that allowing all FAP folk to share a common template to post blogs about installs, testimonials, contact info, etc. may be the better thing.

As for the advocacy aspect of Wetheads.org, I fully agree that it is necessary, needed, etc. However, I don't see the need to spin it out as a separate but attached organization. Instead, I'd build a section on this site that has the eyeballs, pageviews, etc. to make the advocacy concept of wetheads.org the success it ought to be.

Lastly, you could also consider splitting the Wall along the lines of different issues, such as Steam, Hydronic, Radiant, Indoor Air Quality, Before and After Installs, etc. to make it easier for folks to post questions and find answers. While the free-flowing format is neat, some additional organization may help.

Ranger

You...

...already know my position on this matter,No wethead's left
behind...

Ranger

Ask...

.."Him" again,He let his hair down also saturday night..:-)

DanHolohan

Thanks for your insights,

as always.

Two corporations keep the books separate. HeatingHelp.com is a for-profit business. Wetheads.com would be a charitable association, sort of like Rotary. If donations come from us (and the donations are so key to this whole concept) then it gets very complicated for us, tax-wise. It also puts the focus on us rather than where I want it to be, which is on the group.

Thanks.

Dave Palmer_3

sounded

good saturday,still sounds good today.And thats before beer.Dave

hr

one of the big features

would be the blog, IMO. Could this be added to HH to allow customers and homeowners to view contractors work. It would be like a photo page for all to see.

I like the charity tie in as a way to go public in a big way.

Maybe you could somehow get either site on those wildy popular nightime home rebuild shows. that would put hydronics in front of millions. Maybe HH or the Org could send volunteer contractors to these projects in their area.

hot rod

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

DanHolohan

Blogging on HH

would compete with Find a Pro, which helps pay the rent for he for-profit business.

Would you guys pay for blogs here?

Steamhead

Dan, I think it's a great idea

The industry needs a champion and who better than us? Count me in.

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TGO_54

Wetheads.org

Dan,
The concept sounds great - I would like to be a part of an organization that promotes wet heat in public but also allows for private comunications between pros. Having the group also sponser a charity is the icing on the cake.

As far as paying for blogs on HH, I would like to be able to expand my find a pro listing and show more of my work.

I would of course expect to pay extra for this.

Thanks for all you do
Tom

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

ken fitzpatrick

you could...

integrate the two by placing a link to the (optional) blog within the 'find a pro' pages. maybe even put a B icon next to the contractors who have one.

also, make sure you clarify to everyone how EASY and beneficial having a blog would be - the concept probably scares a lot of non-computer literate people. but really its quite simple and could be a very good marketing tool if you post pictures and descriptions of jobs you've done, customer feedback, new methods you use, etc. I gaurantee consumers would be far more responsive to lots of pictures rather than just a black & white name on a site. to help 'pay the rent', you could charge X dollars more for having a blog.


As far as the original idea, I like what I have read so far, although I'd probably want to see a finished product before deciding whether or not to take part. It's good to see, however, that you are thinking big already. If you think small, you end up small. I look forward to seeing how this turns out, and will be following it closely.

Dave Palmer_3

what if

Dan got his own show on the Discovery channel "MONSTER BASEMENT" ,I can see it now Jessie James and Dan riding up to a house to fix up a old GE ,flames,chrome ,indoor-outdoor rest.... Dave

DanHolohan

> Dan got his own show on the Discovery channel

> "MONSTER BASEMENT" ,I can see it now Jessie James

> and Dan riding up to a house to fix up a old GE

> ,flames,chrome ,indoor-outdoor rest.... Dave

DanHolohan

Dave,

you're scaring me, man. ;-0

Ranger

\"Monster Mechanicals\"

I'm diggin'it!Hey,you just might be on to somethin'there Dave!Someone call Discovery Channel imediately!:-)

gerry gill

I like it.

I'm in...whens it start..I like the permanent blog idea..you could perhaps charge a nominal fee and have a video training library where your's and timmie's videos are readily viewable..just a thought..

Bud_14

er'

I think it's a great idea, now tell me a little more about the area for tinners and you'll have all my attention ;)You did save a spot for us tinners, Yes!

Bud

TheSheetMetalShop.Com

john_27

As a Wetstock/homeowner,owner of quite a few of the books featured here, and multibrick owner(bought two off of Dan at a previous Wetstock...and glad I did), I can only say thanks for
the knowledge I've learned. We pay you back in different ways...in my case....by sending referrals to the Contractors featured locally, etc.
Im sure the new site will be a success. Honestly, though, it will probably limit my interest in this site, because the really interesting theoretical stuff will no longer be available to think about....and I do like theory. But, I do have the books to comfort me, and that is valuable.

ScottMP

Interesting point

If many of us switch to the Org site ( how many sites can you visit ? ) what becomes of HH ?

I really like the idea of promoting Hydronics. There is NO ONE promoting us on the national stage right now.

I'm in !

Scott Milne

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Paul Pollets

Promotion

You raise an interesting idea. I think you're on the right track for focusing attention on the industry. Waiting around for manufacturers' to promote the industry is not likely to happen in my lifetime. The only time one hears about plumbing or heating on TV is when someone makes a huge mistake, or cheats. (TOH,excepted with a few home shows) Let's try something more positive and appealing.

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Dave Bush

WHERE?

Do I sign??????

Excellent idea. I like dual purpose things.:)

Ruthe Jubinville

Wethead. org

Dan, It sounded good to me when you explained it Saturday and everything I read here reinforces my opinion. Jerry

Dave Yates (PAH)

well

Toss my hat in the ring too. Not familiar with blogs.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

jackchips_2

Not sure

where a semi-retired P & H guy would fit in but if the subject is deep enough for PAH, I'm all for it.

Isn't a blog just a backwards golb?

Brent_2

interesting

Interesting idea. I can't see how it will not take away from HH. Most people have a limited amount of time and may keep up with only a few web sites. I can see most contractors may prefer the new website. If that's the case than HH will suffer because many questions will go unanswered. It seems to me that you can not have 2 excellent forums. I'm not saying that's a bad thing but you can't say HH will still be the same.

I also don't see how you can keep the new site "private". If there's no fee to join what is to keep a homeowner from registering and say they are from "ABC Heating".

Of course I can't listen to Imus for more than 1 minute before he bores me.

brent

kev

great idea

Sounds like a great idea to further promote the industry outside of our normal circles. The sky is the limit! Although I would like to see some other charity, Imus is a lightning rod for some and his charity also. Just my two cents. Keep moving forward!

Unknown

Some of the brightest people here

find themselves working in a position that would only qualify as homeowner.

Without naming ANY names, I think some here would be surprised at how many of US there are that, at times in our careers, wouldn't have a way on to the pro site. We're just homeowners.

I forgot what my point was, but some pretty interesting discussions here about how stuff REALLY works, very recently, were between pros, and very well researched homeowners. This is the wall.

Noel

superMARKet

I respectfully think that's the wrong way to go

This is a little long. If you read nothing else, read the end. (They always teach ya to sum up down there, right?)

There are "pro" sites out there. There are "DIY" sites out there. In most cases, the amount of contempt for the "other" group is at the borderline-fistfight level. Not good.

For whatever reason, the Wall has managed to rise above all of that bitterness. This site's really managed to strike a balance somehow, and I think everyone on both sides of the fence is better off for it. That's impressive, considering the "members only" image that the P&H industry seems to insist on.

If you draw the "pro" crowd to another forum, I fear for the quality of information right here on The Wall. Some of the most interesting discussions start out as pro banter. That doesn't make them useless to industry outsiders. Maybe someone showing off a nifty piping job describes problems they came up against and how they solved them, and maybe those problems are things that a homeowner (or his contractor) has been banging his own head on. Maybe someone has some new CO stats - and why keep THOSE secret?

Public exposure means you'll draw a crowd - homeowners AND pros - from everywhere. Members-only in name becomes invitation-only in fact and the group becomes stagnant. (I've seen it happen elsewhere.) If you're open to the whole world, you'll still draw pros AND have a shot at enlightening them. By a show of hands, how many homeowners have referred contractors to this site and Dan's books?

The single most important thing about active pro and homeowner participation together is the amount of respect it creates for the industry. The more the public at large understands that your work is both a science and an art, the more they'll appreciate it.

CHRIS_37

I FOUND WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY SATURDAY VERY INSPIRING AND WITH ALL GREAT IDEAS ITS TIME HAS COME WILL START TO MOVE THE DIAL FROM NPR IN THE MORNINGS CHRIS

CHRIS_37

I FOUND WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY SATURDAY VERY INSPIRING AND WITH ALL GREAT IDEAS ITS TIME HAS COME WILL START TO MOVE THE DIAL FROM NPR IN THE MORNINGS CHRIS

CHRIS_37

> At Wetstock, I talked to the group about an idea

> for a new contractor/engineer, hydronics-only

> trade association that would also function as a

> charity (I’ll explain in a minute).

>

> We would

> meet on a website called Wetheads.org, of which

> you’ll have to be a member to enter, which means

> you’ll have to register (there’s no charge).

> We’ll have no corporate members, but individuals

> who work for corporations (the manufacturers) are

> certainly welcome to join. I’m loosely defining

> “engineer” here.

>

> Wetheads.org will be about

> hydronics in all its forms – radiant, classic

> hydronics, commercial hydronics, European

> hydronics, and steam. Old stuff and new. That’s

> the focus – the products, the systems, and the

> business of selling, installing, troubleshooting,

> and promoting the same.

>

> Once inside the

> Wetheads.org site you’ll find a bulletin board

> that will be similar to the Wall. It will be a

> place where Wethead professionals will be able to

> discuss things in private. There will also be

> blogs within the site. If you’re not familiar

> with this, “blog” is short for “web log” and it’s

> a form of journaling. Anyone who wants to will

> be able to have a blog where he or she can show

> and talk about his or her work and techniques,

> and also anything else that’s on his or her mind.

> The blogs will be permanent (they won’t drop off

> like Wall threads) and I think that they’ll

> become a valuable way for professionals to share

> what they know with other professionals, and to

> do it in private. You’ll be able to read any

> other member’s blog, and then to use the bulletin

> board to discuss things. Or you can just use the

> bulletin board.

>

> The site will have a bulk

> email function so that we’ll be able to make

> announcements.

>

> There will also be a voting

> area where we can vote as a group on issues,

> products, ideas, and systems. It’s a good place

> to catch a majority view on something, and I

> think it will be a good source of information for

> the individuals from the manufacturer who choose

> to join.

>

> There will be an e-commerce section

> where we’ll sell Wetheads.org gear (No Wethead

> left behind!), and we’ll also sell Links. The

> Link is something I showed the folks at Wetstock.

> It’s a simple quick connect chain link that you

> can buy at any hardware store. It’s the kind

> that has the screw connection that allows you to

> join one length of chain to another. Buying a

> Link is voluntary and when you get yours you can

> keep it on your keychain. Whenever we get

> together (say, at Wetstock, seminars, tradeshows,

> parties) we’ll join our links to make a chain.

> When we leave, we’ll each take a link back with

> us (most likely getting someone else’s).

> It’s a metaphor, but I think it’s a powerful one.

> The weakest link is the one not connected.

> The money we raise through raffles and silent

> auctions at future Wetstocks, will help fund

> Wetheads.org. There will be no annual dues to

> join Wetheads.org. It’s absolutely free, but we

> will need money to start it and some money to

> operate it, and here’s how we’ll get

> that.

>

> We’ll set up Wetheads.org as a separate

> charitable corporation, a spin-off off

> HeatingHelp.com. This is modeled after a company

> that my daughter, Erin, works for in D.C. A

> for-profit consulting company spun off a

> non-profit that helps children. The two

> companies share the same staff and keep their

> overall expenses very low. Once the Wetheads.org

> site is built it will not be expensive to

> operate.

>

> As a charity, we’ll be able to run

> online raffles. For instance, if we sell 300

> tickets for $50 each, we will raise $15,000. We

> can then award five $1,000 winners (pretty great

> odds, eh?), and be left with $10,000 to work

> with. That’s good seed money to get the site

> built. We can do raffles as needed in the

> e-commerce area of the site, and along with the

> Links, and the Wetheads.org gear we should be in

> good shape.

>

> Which brings me to the best part.

> There has never been a champion for hydronic

> heating in America. Sure, manufacturers

> advertise their products, but there’s really no

> organization that has ever been able to get

> national attention for the concept of hydronics,

> one that can help Wethead professionals make

> their case. So that’s why Wetheads.org is going

> to be a charity. We’ll take 100% of the profits

> that the organization makes and donate it to The

> Imus Ranch for Kids with Cancer.

>

> I listen to

> Don Imus every morning. He’s on the radio for

> four hours Monday through Friday all over the

> U.S., and the show is simulcast on MSNBC. He

> talks to a veritable Who’s Who in American

> politics and the media each day, and he also

> talks quite a bit about the people who donate to

> his ranch, which benefits kids with cancer. I

> have a feeling that Don Imus will find the

> concept of Wetheads irresistible, and so will the

> other personalities on the show.

>

> That’s how we

> get national attention for hydronics. And we’ll

> be doing this while helping kids with cancer and

> their families, and while sharing information on

> an even deeper level than we’ve been doing. And

> while having fun.

>

> We’ll have a hydronics-only

> trade association without politics, one where you

> can attend meetings in your den, every night of

> the week. Just like you do on the Wall.

>

> Will

> it take away from HeatingHelp.com? Not at all!

> We are now enjoying more than 4,600 user sessions

> each day, and most of those are homeowners. I

> can see this in the statistics. I love the

> interaction between the homeowners and the

> contractors here on the Wall, but I’ve come to

> believe that it’s now a good time to have a

> private area where the professional family

> members can discuss issues that are best kept

> private. Hence, Wetheads.org, a virtual

> contractor/engineer trade association.

>

> What’s

> in it for the Holohans? We get to help the

> industry and we get to help some sick kids.

> There’s a time to learn, a time to learn, and a

> time to give back. We’re in that third area

> right now. Thanks for all that you’ve done for

> us.

>

> The people at Wetstock (with one lovable

> exception) were receptive to the idea. I’d now

> like to get some feedback from those of you who

> weren’t at Wetstock.

>

> Your thoughts?



I FOUND WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY SATURDAY VERY INSPIRING AND WITH ALL GREAT IDEAS ITS TIME HAS COME WILL START TO MOVE THE DIAL FROM NPR IN THE MORNINGS CHRIS

CHRIS_37

I FOUND WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY SATURDAY VERY INSPIRING AND WITH ALL GREAT IDEAS ITS TIME HAS COME WILL START TO MOVE THE DIAL FROM NPR IN THE MORNINGS CHRIS

Ken D.

Wet Heads

Bring it on! It sounds very intriguing. We need a lot of public exposure. The current organizations ( Hydronics Institute, Radiant Panel, Etc.)don't seem to grasp the notion of advertising to increase business and customers, which is really what we are talking about here. Bringing the radiant and hydronic concept and advantages to the end user, either through the builders, architects, publications, or directly to home or building owners or owners to be. It amazes me that 50+ years after Levitt And Sons brought radiant to the masses, it is still on the fringe. This could go a long way to change that. And that would be good for everyone. With energy prices through the roof and many wondering where the availablity will be in the future, outside the box thinking is imperative. Keep me posted.

gerry gill

hummm-

some good input from homeowners...I would hate to alienate anyone...some of the homeowners who lurk these walls are quite learned..their input is valuable to us as contactors..can keep things in perspective..

Ed Carr

HH will suffer

HH strikes an excellent balance between DIYers and Pros. With both groups working 40-60 hr a week jobs with a finite amount of time alloted for posting and surfing on the computer, I think a lot of Pros will gravitate to (and only have time for) your new site. I think HH will be altered adversly. Just my take.