Adrienne Bennett

Adrienne Bennett: The First Black Woman to Become a Master Plumber

How a Black Woman Rose to the Top of a Male-Dominated Industry 

The highest level of career achievement that a plumber can reach is a master plumber. When Adrienne Bennett first signed up to be a plumbing apprentice, being a plumber as a black woman was practically unheard of. She experienced discrimination because of her age, race, and gender, but she never gave up on making her dreams come true. 

This Black History Month, learn the incredible true story of a true plumbing pioneer that became the first black woman to pass the test to become a master plumber. 

The Start of Her Journey to Master Plumber 

The journey from plumber’s assistant to a master plumber was filled with obstacles for Adrienne Bennett, but she hurdled through them all. She attributes her strong work ethic to her upbringing. As one of eight siblings, she was a high achiever during Adrienne Bennett’s school years. She had high goals for the future. She was set on becoming an engineer and started a program at the local university. 

When a racially charged incident sent Adrienne home in tears, she vowed never to return to college. She was approached by a recruiter seeking out minority women to sign up for a scholarship program to learn a trade. After learning how much she could be potentially making, around $50,000 a year, she signed up for the scholarship. 

From Apprentice To Successful Contractorcontractor

She spent five years training as an apprentice to become a master plumber, clocking in 4,000 hours to meet the requirements to take the test. During her training, her peers often made her feel uncomfortable by making sexist or racist remarks. She had to wear a tool belt around her waist to try to keep the men from groping her. At times, she was the only woman in a group of 100 men. 

She stuck it out through the harassment, and when she passed the master plumbers test with flying colors, she became the first black master plumber who was also a woman. Her story is a piece of black history that is not told often enough. She has a truly incredible story. After completing her training, she went on to work the highest positions that a plumber can hold in Detroit, Illinois. She worked as a project manager, plumbing inspector, journeyman plumber, code enforcement office, and master plumber for the City of Detroit. 

contractorThe Final Frontier for the Plumbing Pioneer

After her successful career with the City of Detroit had reached a pinnacle. With no further higher levels of achievement to reach, the only thing left for her to do was become an independent plumbing contractor and start her own business. 

She now runs her plumbing and water conservation company along with her son. Her story inspires young black women everywhere to forge their paths to success in male-dominated industries. 

About Cardinal Heating & Air Conditioning

Cardinal Heating & Air Conditioning is a trusted local home service provider in Sun Prairie, WI. They are proud to serve their community with affordable home services from experienced plumbing, HVAC, and electrical contractors. Give them a call today to schedule an appointment with a friendly and trustworthy home service professional for plumbing services!

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Finding The Best Heating & Cooling Deals This Year's Black Friday

Essential Tips for the Best HVAC Deals this November

It’s that time of year again: when companies and stores open their doors at midnight and offer huge deals and cost savings on seemingly anything and everything. That’s right. Black Friday is right around the corner, and its never too soon to start planning!

But while it seems like buying a new TV or the best model of smartphones could be an amazing score, one of the best things you can do this Black Friday for your wallet is look for the deals and options you can find on HVAC systems. Not only do you save money, but you can enjoy plenty of other benefits too!

HVAC Installation Deals

hvac installationIf you’re looking to save the most money possible this Black Friday, then perhaps an entire HVAC system upgrade is the best choice for you and your home.

Not only could a new HVAC system save you money in energy efficiency, it’s often better for the environment, and also your health and comfort in your home, too.

If this sounds like something you’re interested in, look to popular name brands such as Trane or Lennox International. They often have Black Friday deals on HVAC installation, saving you even more money on a system that will already be a cost-saving to you and your utility bills.

Ductless HVAC Options

But for some homeowners, a new HVAC system is out of the question. Perhaps it’s too expensive, or, more likely, it just wouldn’t work with your existing home. Maybe you don’t have the attic space, or perhaps you’ve recently added an addition to your home but don’t want to replace the entire HVAC system for one new room.

ductless hvac

Don’t worry! That’s where mini-split systems come in handy! Mini-split systems don’t rely on an existing central unit, which means they’re an alternative choice for many homes. They also come with a lot of benefits:

  • Great for Small Spaces: Because these systems don’t require ductwork, they’re great for adding heating or cooling to a recent home addition or to a smaller house. Not to mention a home without an attic space
  • Better Air Quality: Because this system doesn’t use ducts, it pulls air directly from outside, limiting allergens that can cause you discomfort
  • Simple Installation: And again, because there’s no ductwork, installing this system is often a lot easier
  • Energy and Cost Savings: The ductless system focuses on cooling or heating individual rooms or spaces, resulting in energy and cost savings for you

If a new HVAC system doesn’t work for your home, look to a ductless system as a possible option.

Consider Improved Your Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is one of the most important, unseen, aspects of homeownership. Poor air quality can impact your comfort and your health, which is why it’s a good idea to check out the Black Friday deals on home air purifiers. Air purifiers can help remove impurities from the air in your home, from dust, pollen, dander to even smoke, carbon monoxide, and radon.

air qualitySome of the more common air purifier options include:
  • HEPA filters
  • Ionizers
  • UV lights
  • Carbon filters
  • Electrostatic filters

Each of these air purifiers works in a different way, so it’s important to pick one that best fits your needs, and then look for the best deals this Black Friday to return health and comfort to your home.

Cardinal Heating & Air Conditioning is Your HVAC Expert

Cardinal Heating & Air Conditioning prides itself on its honest advice, personal attention, and fast and responsive customer service. They’ve been serving the Herndon area for over 35 years with a goal of providing top-notch service. They have full-service contractors, membership plans, and coupons for additional cost savings on their website.