RGF Environmental Group in West Palm Beach, Fla., breaks the mold of most companies: its showroom floats. The showroom is a 110-foot yacht named the Envision that features many of the company’s environmentally friendly products, according to Ronald G. Fink, president and CEO.

Fink founded RGF in 1985 to manufacture products that use light radiation to purify water, air, and food. RGF now designs, engineers, and manufactures over 500 products that do just that - without the use of any chemicals.

Originally, Fink said he focused on providing air and water purification products for applications like airplanes and cruise ships. “We didn’t get serious [about providing products] to homeowners until five years ago,” Fink said. But since then, this portion of his business has taken off, and now more than 10,000 HVAC contractors offer RGF products to their customers.

According to Fink, HVAC contractors who decide to branch out into mold prevention and remediation can add another line of profit to their company. “It is always good to diversify your company. Offering a ductwork sanitation service or whole-house disinfection will also lead to a sale of a whole-house system that provides 24/7 mold and bacteria, viruses, and VOC protection,” he said.

One of the newest products offered by RGF is the Rapid Recovery Unit. According to the company, the Rapid Recovery Unit is a lightweight, advanced oxidation generator that is designed to destroy, not cover up, the following odors: tobacco, chemicals, cooking, decaying organic matter, mold and mildew, paint, pets, sewer, and VOCs. RGF claims that the unit is ideal for duct cleaning, hotel rooms, suites, and apartments.

It uses RGF’s Photohydroionization™ (PHI) technology to eliminate odors, mold, viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens without causing any harm to the occupants or the environment. According to the company’s literature, the PHI cell module “features a broad spectrum UV light and a quad metallic target that combine to generate nature’s friendly oxidizers: hydroxides, hydro-peroxides, and super oxide ions. These are all called friendly oxidizers because they return to oxygen and hydrogen after making contact and destroying pathogens.” The Rapid Recovery Unit is designed to be placed into a return vent, and according to RGF, can clean ductwork in as little as 30 minutes for an average-size home.

As with the Rapid Recovery Unit, one of the main benefits Fink touts of his products is that they are odorless. After a contractor has completed a mold remediation product, Fink said, “If they use traditional chemicals, people complain about the smell. Our equipment and systems leave no odor.”

Fink admitted that the recession has made sales tougher, but added that the South still leads the way in sales. And he noted, “The H1N1 scare quadrupled business for four months.”

Tapping into growing concerns about health and security will be another way for smart HVAC contractors to break the mold and expand their businesses.

For more information, visit www.rgf.com.

Publication date:08/09/2010