Over 1,800 companies have reserved more than 375,000 square feet of exhibit space at the Dallas Convention Center for the 2013 Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration (AHR) Expo on Jan. 28-30, making it the largest ever held in the Southwest.
Fun in the sun with the correct mix of business and pleasure was on the agenda when the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) traveled to Palm Springs, Calif., and hosted its highest attended annual meeting to date, as more than 600 people attended the three-day conference.
Source: Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). Industry figures are estimates that are derived from the best available figures supplied by a sample of AHRI member companies.
One measure of the impact of CO2 as a refrigerant comes with the increasing number of applications in North America, where its use can be stymied with questions related to codes and regulations in municipalities as well as the learning curve of installation and service technicians.
In 1962, Earl and Rachel Smith set out to make a living in the HVACR industry. Fifty years later, E. Smith Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. is recognized as one of greater-Atlanta’s most well-respected HVACR contractors.
For many years I have felt that providing quality, timely customer service is the most important thing we as a contractor can provide. I believe its importance has gotten even greater because it seems the overall quality of service is deteriorating.
Strategic thinking, technical issues, and employee compensation were a few of the issues tackled in the break-out sessions during the 69th Annual Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) Convention.
Ranging from an innovative geothermal heat pump to a copper theft deterrent system, the winners of this year’s AHR Expo Innovation Awards represent a broad cross-section of the HVACR industry.
When it comes to choosing a multimeter for servicing refrigeration systems, there are a lot of choices on the market. Careful planning should go into selecting the right meter.
Older cities are loaded with boiler rooms full of steam-heating boilers, and lots of people — knuckleheads included — have had decades to mess with what the “dead men” once lovingly installed. So, here’s a short list of things to look for when you’re troubleshooting one of those old systems, starting in the boiler room.
The compressor’s superheated discharge temperature can tell the service technician what is going on inside a refrigeration or air conditioning system. The compressor’s discharge temperature is a reflection of the hottest part of a refrigeration system, and there are limits as to how hot a discharge temperature should be.
Takagi has entered the world of motorsports. The water heater manufacturer was seen on the NASCAR track as the primary sponsor of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Nationwide team.
Honeywell is partnering with distributors and contractors to collect thermostats nationwide to support the Thermostat Recycling Corp.’s (TRC) efforts to recover and properly dispose of mercury thermostats.
RenewABILITY Energy (REI) USA and Benjamin Franklin Plumbing established an agreement to help homeowners affected by Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey.
The Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) announced its third-quarter shipment numbers with residential air conditioning shipments showing the highest product sector gain with a 19 percent increase versus third-quarter 2011.
The Mechanical Contractors Association of America’s (MCAA) Management Methods Committee is releasing several new bulletins aimed at helping contractors meet daily business challenges.
The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) announced that contractors experienced short-term growth at the end of 2012, according to its Contractor Comfort Index (CCI).
Aerco International appoints chief executive officer; Advantix Systems opens new headquarters and training facility; ecobee partners with Austin Energy; Superior Boiler Works and ICI Caldaie establish partnership; Reliable Controls announces new BACnet Testing Laboratories certifications.
Viking Custom Homes introduces Viking Residential Services; Oliver Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, and Electrical announces acquisition; Duncklee Cooling & Heating’s Jonathan Duncklee receives Employer of the Year award.
The Adap-Kool® AK-CC 550 refrigeration case and cold-room controller optimizes energy using predefined application types to adapt to different refrigeration case or cold-room configurations. It uses predefined settings to configure input and outputs to interface with up to 10 different applications.
Designed to protect outdoor air conditioning units from theft, both residential and commercial units can be secured with the air conditioner cages. They are constructed of premium-grade steel, and provide the necessary strength for a quality air conditioner cover, the company said.
The AB-100CS Acid-Buster™ Injection Kit is designed to bond with acids without forming chemical byproducts and prevents acid build-up in air conditioning and refrigeration systems. Use of the injector requires only one connection to add acid scavenging solution into the system.
The Marketing Inspection Camera and the Android Tablet PC can enhance HVAC contractors’ service-selling efforts by providing high-resolution visuals to better educate clients on IAQ improvement, said the company. According to the manufacturer, homeowners will fix an IAQ problem if a contractor takes the time to educate them.
Available in free-standing or wall-mounted options for indoor or outdoor applications, the Tankless Rack System (TRS) can be ordered, built, and shipped fully assembled, including gas and water manifolds, to any location in the United States and Canada, including the job site, said the company.
Used to heat entire buildings, or as a source of focused spot heating in small occupied areas, the ITH-Series infrared tube heaters have ratings of 40,000-220,000 Btuh. According to the company, the heaters have a 99-plus percent efficient reflector design.
Two combustion analyzers, models 310 and 320, can be used by HVAC techs for residential tuning and commercial applications. The 310 is a residential analyzer designed to measure flue gas, draft, ambient CO, and pressure, while the 320 is for residential and commercial boiler/burner tune-ups, service, and maintenance.
Designed for flexible duct media, Eco-Touch® insulation delivers thermal and acoustical characteristics to HVAC systems in residential and commercial settings. It is designed with an impervious inner air barrier film, which prevents insulation from entering the airstream, reducing the possibility of further air friction loss.
Designed to facilitate the attachment of the manufacturer’s EF spring return actuators to a damper’s jackshaft, the ZG-JSL linkage simplifies typical installations and eliminates the difficulties where jackshaft bearings are hard to access.
A DVD titled “Minneapolis Blower Door™ Quick Guide” is available. A copy of the DVD is included free with the purchase of any Minneapolis Blower Door. Professionals use the blower door to measure the airtightness level of building envelopes, diagnose and demonstrate air leakage problems in buildings, and more.
The Design Envelope IVS Twin Vertical in-line pump for commercial HVAC systems combines two variable-speed rotating assemblies in one shared casing. The twin-pump design is a variable-speed, duty/standby solution for any application that demands constant availability, energy savings, and a small footprint.
Significant improvements have been made to the variable refrigerant flow (VRF) zoning R2-Series and Y-Series cooling and heating systems. Industry-leading efficiencies, a smaller footprint, and improved heating startup make these outdoor units ideal for a variety of commercial applications, said the company.
