Want to win more jobs with less effort?
Grow your business and send quick quotes with our home service software.
Want to see your potential revenue?
See what businesses like yours earn with Housecall Pro in 1 - 2 minutes.
Fluke’s new acoustic camera can spot leaks your ears might miss. A new Anthropic study says robots are a long way from taking HVAC and plumbing jobs, and Carhartt’s built a six-piece lineup for Pros who are tough on their gear.
Plus, a UK cleaner taking on the dirtiest jobs for free, tool deals, and a whiskey toast to the trades.
P.S. Are you charging enough? Check your rates with our free rate checker.
Table of contents
Industry news
Fluke’s new camera lets you see leaks >
Hear that? Fluke’s new ii01 acoustic camera can help spot leaks your ears might miss. The pocket-sized gadget plugs into an Android phone and uses 16 microphones to turn sound into a visual map, pinpointing compressed-air and gas leaks that could be wasting energy and money.
Highlights:
- Detects leaks from more than 65 feet away, depending on conditions
- Captures photos and videos right on your phone
- Weighs less than 2 ounces
Robots taking your job? Don’t hang up your tool belt yet. >
A new study from the AI group, Anthropic, looked at how much hands-on work robots can actually handle. HVAC techs scored just 0.46 out of 3 for robot exposure. Plumbers? 0.51. Taxi drivers? A whopping 2.2.
The kicker? Robot costs would need to drop roughly 70% to compete on just 10% of human work. At today’s pace, that could take 40 years. Turns out crawling through attics and fixing mystery leaks needs a human.
Carhartt’s new gear is built to take a beating >
Carhartt just dropped its six-piece Steel Series, designed for Pros who put their gear through the wringer. Carhartt’s big claim? Up to 10x the abrasion resistance of standard stretch canvas on select pants, plus reinforced high-wear areas and extra stretch where it counts.
Worth a look if your work pants tend to give out before you do.
Champion the trades
Stories, shop talk, and field-tested tips, backing millions of Pros who keep the world running.
🧹 The dirtiest jobs. The biggest impact. >
Mold. Maggots. Mountains of trash. Just another day on the job for 28-year-old UK-based cleaner Bea Elton. Known as CleanWithBea on YouTube, she’s racked up 6M+ followers sharing extreme home cleanups. But her work goes way beyond the mess.
Bea cleans for free, helping people facing mental health challenges, disabilities, and financial hardship. She sometimes spends months earning their trust before picking up a mop, and sometimes helps with housing, furniture, and debts.
The demand? Around 160 requests a month. With some jobs taking two weeks, she’s completed just 45 cleanups in nearly three years. Proof that some of the toughest jobs make the biggest difference.
Got a story or tip worth the spotlight? Send it our way
Pro Perks
- Home Depot > Get $260 off a Milwaukee M12 Cordless Ratchet and battery 2-pack.
- Lowes > Save $100 on a DEWALT XTREME Brushless Ratchet Wrench.
- Wolverine > Score work boots for just $99 on select styles.
Are you charging enough?
Find out how your rates stack up against other businesses in your area. It’s free, takes 2 minutes, and could give you a reason to rethink your pricing.
Recs
4 picks worth the click
- Mike Rowe raises a glass to the trades > The Dirty Jobs star dropped a limited-edition, 121-proof Knobel whiskey celebrating 18 years of his mikeroweWORKS Foundation. Sales help fund skilled trades scholarships. Cheers to that.
- Move over, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders > Watch the crew at Copper Peaks Plumbing & HVAC trade their tools for some fancy footwork, putting their own spin on the iconic routine.
- Tricks, tools & giving back > Cincinnati ToolBank’s October 30 Haunted Hammers & Ales fundraiser mixes Halloween fun with a good cause. Now in its 13th year, it’s raised over $200K to put tools in the hands of local nonprofits.
- Hot water, hotter takes > Heat Pump Water Heater Week runs October 26–29 with virtual sessions on new tech and tips. Catch live demos, expert Q&As, and real talk from fellow Pros.
Job size snapshot
How are tickets trending in the trades? Watch this spot for how average job sizes compare to last year—what’s up, what’s down, and where the money’s moving.
- Carpet Cleaning: 6%
- Electrical: 6%
- Garage: 2%
- General Contractor: 4%
- Home Cleaning: 5%
- HVAC: 5%
- Landscaping & Lawn: 2%
- Plumbing: 5%
- Other: 8%
This chart tracks average revenue per job across key trades using data from Housecall Pro businesses. We compare the past 28 days to the same period last year to spot trends in job size. Data includes all payment types (credit card, ACH, loans, cash, etc.), excluding service agreements.
Get the biggest trades news and tips in your inbox. Join 500K+ Pros in the know.
