Indoor air quality is something that can’t be seen or heard - but it can be measured. And the better the method of measurement, the better the chances of reducing contaminant, allergen, and dust levels in the environment.

It has been compared with some of the worst economic downturns in U.S. history, ranking right up there with the stock market crash of 1929. It was the recession of 2009. This event had a sudden and lasting impact on U.S. consumers, both in jobs and homes lost. But how did it impact HVAC contractors?

The heating and cooling trade was not immune to the woes of the recent economic recession. The HVAC trade had to learn to deal with the reality of possible loss of profits from falling revenues, a shift in the market from replacement to repair, and an influx of new business owners bent on lowering prices and lowering credibility of the trade.

Does it make a lot of sense for a commercial HVAC contractor, who specializes in rooftop unit service and replacement, to market his wares on social media networks like Facebook and Twitter? If you had suggested this to Jon Lazarus a few years ago, he might have wanted to find a straitjacket for you. But not now.

Safety is a priority when working on any mechanical equipment, but it is especially heightened when the equipment weighs several thousand pounds and is located on a roof. Some contractors schedule days and weeks on the installation and service for one client alone.

If you believe industry statistics, the future is bright for people interested in careers as techs and installers. If you believe in the current state of the economy, then optimism is tempered. Or you might be somewhere in the middle. These different viewpoints form the basis of what HVAC contractors are looking at as the summer 2011 hiring season heats up.

Online networking has replaced the traditional methods of marketing such as newsletters, postcards, and “happy calls.” At least, that is what online marketers want business owners to believe. The age of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn - to name a few - has threatened to wipe out centuries of commonly used marketing methods.

Is online buying becoming just as important as one phone call and a pickup at the parts counter? Maybe the HVAC trade isn’t ready to concede that online buying will surpass local purchases or put a big hit on traditional relationships. Yet, online sellers are making themselves hard to ignore and are working to make the buying experience quick and convenient.

One of the most common HVAC technologies - common to people inside the trade - is variable speed. Although most HVAC people know its definition and how it affects equipment performance, chances are that most customers have limited or no understanding of how it affects the equipment in their basement or attic.

It only takes a visionary imagination and an inexpensive hand-held video camera to become a YouTube sensation. While videos on YouTube can become overnight hits with good marketing and originality, some businesses are choosing to market themselves by posting videos both on YouTube and on their own websites.