NAICS 2022 · in 42372
423720
Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies (Hydronics) Merchant Wholesalers
Analysis
NAICS 423720 is the 2022 national industry for plumbing and heating equipment and supplies (hydronics) merchant wholesalers, part of 42372 (Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies (Hydronics) Merchant Wholesalers). Census lists 37 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 6,410 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 84,257 people at an average annual payroll of $84,924 per employee (73rd percentile of national industries). 34% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include bathtubs merchant wholesalers, boilers (e.g., heating, hot water, power, steam) merchant…, brass goods, plumbers', merchant wholesalers and burners, fuel oil and distillate oil, merchant wholesalers, among 37 in all.
For example, selling and installing plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning equipment are classified in 238220 (Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors) instead.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 5% and employment rose 6%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.
Census lists 2 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 238220 and 423620. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of plumbing equipment, hydronic heating equipment, household-type water heaters, and/or supplies.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Selling and installing plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning equipment | 238220 Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of household-type gas and electric appliances (except water heaters and heating stoves (i.e., noncooking)), room air-conditioners, clothes dryers, and/or household-type audio or video equipment | 423620 Household Appliances, Electric Housewares, and Consumer Electronics Merchant Wholesalers |
Index entries (37)
- Bathtubs merchant wholesalers
- Boilers (e.g., heating, hot water, power, steam) merchant wholesalers
- Brass goods, plumbers', merchant wholesalers
- Burners, fuel oil and distillate oil, merchant wholesalers
- Convectors merchant wholesalers
- Drinking fountains (except refrigerated) merchant wholesalers
- Fireplaces, gas, merchant wholesalers
- Fireplaces, prefabricated gas, merchant wholesalers
- Fittings and valves, plumbers', merchant wholesalers
- Fountains, drinking (except refrigerated), merchant wholesalers
- Furnaces (except forced air), heating, merchant wholesalers
- Gas fireplaces merchant wholesalers
- Gas hot water heaters merchant wholesalers
- Heating boilers, steam and hot water, merchant wholesalers
- Heating equipment, hot water, merchant wholesalers
- Hydronic heating equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Lavatory fixtures merchant wholesalers
- Oil burners, heating, merchant wholesalers
- Pipe and boiler coverings merchant wholesalers
- Pipe fittings and valves, plumbers', merchant wholesalers
- Plumbers' brass goods merchant wholesalers
- Plumbing and heating valves merchant wholesalers
- Plumbing equipment merchant wholesalers
- Plumbing fixtures merchant wholesalers
- Plumbing supplies merchant wholesalers
- Radiators, heating, nonelectric, merchant wholesalers
- Sanitary ware, china or enameled iron, merchant wholesalers
- Sinks merchant wholesalers
- Solar heating panels and equipment merchant wholesalers
- Spa equipment merchant wholesalers
- Stoves (i.e., noncooking), heating, merchant wholesalers
- Toilet bowls and tanks merchant wholesalers
- Urinals merchant wholesalers
- Valves, plumbing and heating, merchant wholesalers
- Water heaters, gas and electric, merchant wholesaler
- Water purification equipment, household-type, merchant wholesalers
- Water softening and conditioning equipment merchant wholesalers