Regardless of the strategy employed, many contractors are chafing at the new government-imposed regulations, noting that proper installation is far more important than mandated efficiency ratings.
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) announced it will present test results of the second phase of its Low-Global Warming Potential (GWP) Alternative Refrigerants Evaluation Program (AREP) during a one-day conference on Jan. 21, 2016, in Orlando, Florida, the day before the start of the ASHRAE Winter Conference.
Every year, The NEWS introduces the latest heating equipment that is available for the upcoming winter season. The intent is to help contractors prepare for this busy period by doing the research that will help them to distinguish between brands.
While it remains to be seen how the new minimum-efficiency standards will impact the industry as a whole, most distributors are breathing a sigh of relief that their decision to stock more 13-SEER equipment is paying off, leaving them time to start thinking about what to do with the next round of minimum-efficiency standards, which the DOE is considering right now for residential furnaces.
Spectronics Corp. has announced its Spectroline® TES-31 Tamper-Evident Straps to help prevent refrigerant cross-contamination in air conditioning and refrigeration systems and recovery equipment, ensuring the purity of the system and protecting the integrity of the service equipment.
Chemours announced that two new Opteon™ refrigerants with low global warming potential (GWP) are now commercially available in the United States. The company said these are the first in a portfolio of low-GWP stationary refrigerants that it will introduce to the U.S. in the next few years.
The global refrigerants market is forecast to reach $21 billion by 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6 percent from 2015 to 2020, according to a report published by MarketsandMarkets.
The increasing number of refrigerant options makes it more essential than ever for technicians to be aware of the hazards of mixing refrigerants and to cautiously approach systems they’re servicing in case it contains a refrigerant mixture that has been adulterated — perhaps dangerously so.