A remote monitoring technology and service, the OnGuard RMT™ system is available for commercial and residential gas-powered water heaters. It combines proprietary hardware, alert status notification, 24/7 factory-based technical support, and fast service dispatch.

With more than 2,400 contractors attending the recent 2012 ACCA Annual Conference and Indoor Air Expo in Las Vegas, the event lived up to its “Raise the Stakes” billing.

The 2012 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show (IBS), though downsized considerably from the glory days of new home construction, can still make a local home and garden spring show look like really small potatoes.

The AquaGuard AG-9300-U universal mini-split drain sensor is specifically developed to be compatible with all major manufacturers’ mini-split systems currently on the market. The compact control box and probe of the mini-split drain sensor are designed to fit completely inside the indoor mini-split unit.

Every year The NEWS introduces the latest air conditioning units available for the upcoming summer season. This photo feature provides our 2012 Residential Cooling Showcase.

After facing a slow winter where much of the nation saw above-average temperatures and mild weather, contractors are gearing up for a busy summer season. To help them prepare, The NEWS introduces the latest cooling equipment available for the upcoming summer season.

Source: Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). Industry figures are estimates that are derived from the best available figures supplied by a sample of AHRI member companies.

If and when contractors step up their commitment to reclamation, they will find plenty of places ready to perform the process that brings questionable refrigerant back to ARI-700 purity standards. And contractors will also find plenty of incentives to do so.

Many contractors (and big-box stores) try to grab customers’ attention by advertising the ubiquitous $29 tune-up. So is the $29 tune-up an effective marketing tool that can be used to beef up the customer base? Or is it a pernicious practice that lowers the bar for the HVAC industry? It all depends on your outlook.

What will it take to jump-start more use of reclaimed HCFC-22 to service the huge inventory of equipment running on that refrigerant? The EPA and the dozens of companies offering reclamation services are hoping the most recent announcement of a potential 45 percent reduction in virgin R-22 coming to market.