Resist the Urge to Repair that 10 or 12 SEER System Again

This letter is in response to the letter from Brian Bullock in the Jan. 19 issue of The NEWS titled “13 SEER Mandate Is Causing an Increase in Energy Use.” I was amazed to read Brian Bullock’s response to Mike Murphy’s column “Murphy’s Law: Standards, Regs, and Bears, Oh My!” Dec. 8, 2008.

Don’t some people in our industry get it? The government isn’t raising energy standards for their health or to harm the HVAC industry, they are doing it because America’s wasteful energy habits are a threat to our economy, our environment, and our national security.

Many contractors won’t like this answer, but I think an HVAC contractor should resist the temptation to piece that 10 or 12 SEER system back together for “one more season.” Look at it this way: When the government regulations don’t work the way the government intended, we get more regulation.

We are endangering our reputations as experts when we decide to take the path of least resistance and let the customer continue to waste energy. Strap ’em on and talk about lifecycle versus first cost.

I’ve read lots of articles about contractors that make doing the right thing for energy efficiency part of their DNA, like Western Heating and Air Conditioning of Boise, Idaho (which is profiled in “Idaho Contractor Takes Green Philosophy Very Seriously,” Jan. 19.) Sounds like they are doing well by doing good!

Frank McCarthy, President
Endependence Inc.
Auburn, Calif.

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Publication date: 02/23/2009