With the growing interest in smart home products, if HVAC contractors want to cash in on new opportunities, they’ll have to compete with security contractors, cable providers, utilities, and even big box stores. However, many industry experts say this market presents countless opportunities for HVAC contractors, who are better positioned than most simply because they are already in the home and have the consumers’ trust.
Connected thermostats entered the market around 10 years ago, coinciding with the rise of in-home Wi-Fi, smartphones with apps to control Wi-Fi enabled technology, and — within the past two years — voice-controlled AI like Google Home, Apple HomePod, and Amazon Alexa and Echo. Per a 2017 report by Juniper Research, an estimated 55 percent of U.S. households will have at least one smart speaker by 2022, for a total of 175 million.
While troubleshooting and repairing refrigeration systems, a common problem is a starved evaporator, meaning not enough refrigerant is entering the evaporator for the heat load placed on it.
Frost on an evaporator coil will prevent the correct amount of airflow across the coil. Anytime the evaporator coil experiences reduced airflow across its face, there will be a reduced heat load on the coil.
Air-source heat pump sales are heating up. This is evidenced by the latest Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) shipment numbers, which identified that heat pump shipments were up more than 14 percent in March 2018 when compared to March 2017.
It all started as an idea by Dave Chatmon, district manager, Lennox Intl. Inc., long before he was with the company. Chatmon grew tired of his contractors missing work to attend training conferences.
Due to advancements in technology and efficiency and the swelling consumer awareness, ductless equipment continues to be one of the fastest-growing sectors throughout the HVACR industry.
Several months ago, I wrote a Duct Dynasty article titled “Four Steps to Optimize a Duct System.” Since then, I’ve received numerous requests to expand on the simple calculations I mentioned that can help you estimate room airflow with a customer’s input.