While the so-called fiscal cliff legislation affects the HVACR industry in a variety of ways, the most significant change may be the retroactive extension of the 25C Residential Energy-Efficiency Tax Credit, which expired Dec. 31, 2011.
So, you’ve been thinking about starting your own HVACR contracting business. Or, perhaps you vowed HVACR success as a New Year’s resolution. But where do you begin? The NEWS recently connected with a handful of HVACR professionals and asked them: “If you were just breaking into the industry, which tools would be most important to success, and why?”
Various innovative HVACR manufacturers are touting new tools geared toward making equipment installation and maintenance easier for contractors, thus vastly improving the quality and quantity of their work.
For HVAC technician and chief engineer Bob Axelson and the maintenance team at Starz Entertainment LLC, the show must go on. Axelson and his team live that mantra every day as they watch over Denver-area data storage and production facilities vital to ensure that 17 Starz Entertainment premium channels are available.
In some cases, the proper HVACR tool simply doesn’t exist. In those instances, some entrepreneurial contractors take it upon themselves to craft their own solutions. Thus was the case with Mitch Livingston, his nephew Corey Livingston, and their ACAL-SHARK copper alarm.
Water heater manufacturer A. O. Smith donated 40 water heaters to the Joplin, Mo., area Habitat for Humanity® to be used in 40 habitat homes benefiting the victims of the 2011 storms.
When Make-A-Wish®, the nonprofit organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses, offered to grant Diego a wish, it came as no surprise to his parents that the wish involved dinosaurs.
Arzel Zoning hosted a month-long fundraiser to benefit the American Red Cross’ Hurricane Sandy relief effort. Arzel contributed a dollar on behalf of every new follower obtained on its Twitter account. The campaign ran throughout the month of November.
The company has created a special financing option for homeowners impacted by the storm; developed a donation effort with its distributor partners in the region; and is leading an online fundraising initiative benefiting the American Red Cross relief efforts.
Aireco Supply Inc. donated a complete Frigidaire high-efficiency, Energy Star-rated HVAC system accompanied by an Arzel Zoning System to help in the construction of a specially adapted home for Staff Sgt. Kelly Keck in Havre de Grace, Md.
Damien Winiarski has been employed in the plumbing industry since August 2005. He started off as a plumber’s assistant and worked for plumbing contractors on the Northwest side of Chicago. On July 28, 2012, Winiarski was involved in a motor vehicle accident, which left him paralyzed at the T 12 level.
Knaack LLC has helped to support the good works of the Salina Rescue Mission in Salina, Kan., which was profiled on country music star Trace Adkins’ show that seeks out and lends a hand to the regular, small-town men and women he calls Great American Heroes.
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) held its annual meeting Nov. 11-13, during which the Clifford H. “Ted” Rees Jr. Scholarship Foundation awarded scholarships to four students studying at San Joaquin Valley College.
The NEWS and ContractorSelling.com will be hosting a webinar, the “HVAC Sales Objection Super Bowl,” that is designed to help your business. The three-part series, running three consecutive Thursdays starting Jan. 31, will feature sales expert Rick Picard.
For Skanska Commercial Development, the objective was to install green HVAC equipment to help the firm achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum rating.
Many Americans believe clean-energy development and addressing climate change should be priorities for President Obama and Congress, according to a survey conducted by researchers from Yale University and George Mason University.
ASHRAE is seeking input on revisions to data centers in the 90.1 Energy Standard Scope. Addendum cs to ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010 is open for advisory public review now through Feb. 3.
LG Electronics USA has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to collaborate on several initiatives, including product stewardship, environmentally preferred purchasing, green infrastructure, green transportation, and environmental education initiatives.
Billings at architecture firms across the country continue to increase. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported its November Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score was 53.2, up from the mark of 52.8 in October.
Trane has been named one of the most reliable gas furnaces on the market, according to Consumer Reports magazine’s recently released Annual Product Reliability Survey.
The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) is seeking volunteers to join two technical committees working toward development of the 2015 editions of the Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa, and Hot Tub Code (USPSHTC) and Uniform Solar Energy and Hydronics Code (USEHC).
DuPont Refrigerants recently finished a two-year effort to investigate counterfeit activity of DuPont refrigerant brands in Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China.
U.S. Representative Peter Welch, D-Vt., will be the co-leader of the High-Performance Buildings Congressional Caucus. Formed in 2008, the Caucus heightens awareness among federal policymakers about the major impacts that buildings have on the health, safety, and welfare of the general public,.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Building Performance Institute Inc. (BPI) have updated prerequisite high school diploma/GED requirements for its Retrofit Installer/Technician and Crew Leader certifications within the Home Energy Professional Certification program.
Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating opens southwest business unit; Venstar forms distribution partnership with Truca Cargo; Multistack acquires rights to produce, support, and sell Dais Analytic’s energy recovery ventilator; Sanuvox Technologies recognizes Johnstone Supply; Lennox Industries opens 100th PartsPlus store; M&G DuraVent announces acquisition.
Center for Resource Solutions names board member; Air Diffusion Council introduces Proper Flexible Duct Installation Practices online training program; ACCA names three vice presidents; IFMA moves to new Houston office; MCAA to host its MCAA 2013 event March 17-21.
The DP 1090 solvent-based duct sealer is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design- (LEED) qualified as a low-emitting sealant with volatile organic compounds less than 50 grams/liter. The sealant skins in less than a minute to help installers avoid the clean-up commonly associated with solvent-based duct sealers.
The Gruvlok® KNX Series hydronic hook-up kits integrate the typical 54 components required to connect piping to hydronic heating or chiller system equipment into a pre-engineered, pre-assembled, and pre-tested kit of only four components, saving up to 80 percent on labor compared to traditional connection methods.
The NXT Series R-410A thermal expansion valves are balanced ported valves designed for high-efficiency R-410A air conditioning and heat pump applications. The valves operate over a wide range of conditions and applications, while offering excellent performance, reliability, and unparalleled valve life, says the company.
Model D165 dehumidifier provides automatic, hassle-free, high-capacity moisture removal and works anywhere moisture control is needed, said the company. The rugged dehumidifier removes 40 pints of water in a 24-hour period.
The Coil-Connect™ manual and automatic balancing valves, combination ball valves, unions, and valve kits, including balancing valves, combination ball valves, and unions are provided with integral union connections and multiple tapped ports. Strainers and drain valves are also standard.
Designed to take accurate measurements of humidity and temperature from the most difficult to reach places is the DP-110 in-duct digital psychrometer. The 6-inch flex neck allows technicians to position the sensor in ducts or plenums. The psychrometer can measure temperature, percent rh, and wet bulb/dry bulb.
A new probe capable of measuring relative humidity, dewpoint, absolute humidity, specific humidity, wet bulb temperature, and dry bulb temperature is available for the AdvancedSense HVAC/OH/FM/IAQ meters. The small-diameter probe may be directly connected to the AdvancedSense meters via the lower left 7 pin socket.
Available in three sizes, with three speed settings per pump, the AquaPUMP™ hydronic circulating pump has a twist-to-fit flange which rotates 90 degrees to fit every application, the company said. The built-in hardened ceramic internal shaft and bearings offer high-corrosion resistance and longer performance.
The WattNode Revenue line of electric power meters are designed for use in applications requiring revenue-grade accuracy. The meters meet the accuracy requirements of ANSI C12.1 and C12.20 Class 0.5, and support Modbus, BACnet, or LonTalk® communications protocol.
Heavy-duty, double-flanged, channel frame-style backdraft tornado dampers are designed to protect against tornados and rapid pressure changes. Installed in ductwork or wall mounted near the exterior of a building, the tornado dampers allow for air movement (intake or exhaust) during normal weather conditions.
Now available with Bluetooth wireless communication, the portable BTU4400-NOx flue gas analyzer is designed for emissions monitoring, maintenance, and tuning of combustion processes. Its rugged design and “true NOx” capability makes the 4400 an ideal industrial analyzer for boiler, engine, furnace, and other combustion applications.
The Aar-O-Vent® air and dirt separator was found, according to third-party testing at an independent laboratory, to consistently remove greater than 99.7 percent of the dissolved-oxygen content in a closed-piping system and can remove up to 99 percent of the dirt particles in the 17-65 micron size range.
An enhanced monitoring and controls system allows restaurants to actively manage their refrigeration using a web-based solution. The Remote Refrigeration Control (RRC) provides real-time reports and alerts, which empowers users to manage the integrity of their food supply from any location.
The NeoTherm® LC condensing boiler is a fully packaged, 1 million- or 1.7 million-Btu, space-saving hydronic unit that offers 94 percent thermal efficiency. It is a direct vent, sealed-combustion boiler or volume water heater that modulates with a 10-to-1 turndown.
