What About Multifamily Housing and Different Types of Power?

The North region must have an economic and social impact opt-out clause for 90 percent gas furnaces. This legislation will take away the rights of the property owner. Example: Basement condo owner cannot vent through sidewall of home. New venting must now go up and through the first-floor owner’s condo. First-floor condo owner now has lost square footage in his condo without compensation. What happens when the first-floor condo owner doesn’t get along with his neighbor? What happens when that first-floor condo owner is gone for the month of January on vacation and the basement owner is now without heat? This assumes, of course, that it is even possible to do. What about common vented water heaters?

The economic impact far exceeds the dollars stated in the final ruling for many of the changes discussed. The final ruling dismisses the switch to electric-based heating sources. This is another false premise, especially in the rental market. Lowest installed cost will be the determining factor because utilities are most commonly handled by the tenant in these situations. This will drive an increase in dirty, inefficient electrical suppliers. This increase in grid usage can have the unintended consequence of driving up the cost of electricity and pollution as suppliers will have to build out their transmission system.

Scott Basso
Partner
Steve Basso Plumbing Heating & A/C LLC
Greater New York City area

More Repair Work and HVAC Smuggling

I only see this driving more homeowners from the replacement market to the repair market. I also see a new black market for the lower efficiency models along the border states where less-than-scrupulous installers will smuggle units for homeowners seeking out a deal.

Gary Rickert
Southeast Region Sales
International Refrigeration Products
Lynchburg, Va., area

Publication date: 02/27/2012