Harvey Persons, residential sales manager with Climatic Comfort Products, and Scott McCray, construction foreman with Rocket Science Laboratories, pose with the two York Affinity 12-SEER air conditioners.

York will provide heating and cooling products, as well as a reputable installer, for each of the seven homes that will be renovated during the first season of the television show.

"I called York because they have a superior product," said Marisa Hawk, product placement consultant for show producer Rocket Science Laboratories.

"Our contract with York specifies some amount of in-show recognition, which can be a visual of the product, a visual of the logo, or a verbal mention or description.

"In addition, all vendors receive end credit and are listed by name, phone number, Web link, and description on our Web site for each episode in which they provide a product."

In the two-hour episode that aired Oct. 4, the show renovated the Atlanta-area home of Ken and Leslie Blankenship. The home was devastated by a fire last April.

Harvey Persons, residential sales manager for Climatic Comfort Products, a York distributor in Norcross, Ga., received an e-mail from Doug Widenmann, York UPG senior marketing director, describing the agreement between York and Fox and the opportunity to assist with the Blankenship renovation.

Persons immediately contacted Mark Henson, owner of Henson Mechanical, Loganville, Ga., and the following day the two men met at the site to review plans for the house and decide what materials were needed to provide heating and cooling to the 3,400-square-foot home.

"It was an amazing process to watch," Persons said. "On Thursday, the construction crew tore down the house and removed the foundation slab. Friday they poured a new concrete slab and started framing the house.

"On Saturday, Mark and his crew began the rough-in and completed that phase of their work Sunday evening.

"They returned Wednesday, following Hurricane Jeanne's destructive pass through the area, to set the outside condensing units and complete system hookups.

"By the time the house was presented to the Blankenship family on Monday, just 10 days after the home makeover project began, the heating and cooling system was up and running."

According to Persons, Henson Mechanical completed the assignment professionally and within the unusually tight time frame allotted in a construction site crowded with other trades working at the same frantic pace to meet program deadlines. They installed two new York Affinityâ„¢ high-efficiency gas/electric furnaces and two new Affinity 12-SEER air conditioners.

"This was a great opportunity to showcase the attractive new Affinity Series from York," said Persons.

Publication date: 12/06/2004