According to Automotive Fleet’s 25th annual operating cost survey, 2016 marked the fourth consecutive year fleet operating costs remained stable, primarily due to lower gas and diesel prices. Other contributing factors include newer, more fuel-efficient vehicles and the increased implementation of telematics systems that result in improved route optimization and allow companies to easily identify drivers who are engaging in behaviors that decrease miles per gallon (mpg).
For contractors, warranties may help differentiate specific product tiers and, with extended service contracts, improve the value proposition to customers.
The amount of hours technicians are trained, the types of training required, and the trainings technicians attend are all fluid elements HVAC contractors must navigate on a case-by-case basis.
Compliance with the EPA’s 608 is a mandatory part of HVAC contracting. Techs are required to gain certification by an EPA-approved organization and pass their tests or else they are unqualified to work in the field.
How good are you at hunting airflow restrictions? Do you have a game plan or is it just guesswork? Let’s take a look at some ways you can more effectively hunt down pesky airflow restrictions that could be plaguing your customers’ HVAC systems.
The seminar, sponsored by Women in HVACR and hosted by David Squires, owner of Online-Access Inc. and Mike Layton, owner of Stochastic Marketing LLC, offered seeds of information for HVAC contractors to bring home, plant, and create the most fruitful marketing garden to grow their business from.
In last month’s article, “Inside Filter Driers,” which appeared on Page 18 of the Feb. 6 issue of The NEWS, we covered the internal construction, filtering, and drying materials within a refrigerant filter drier. This month, we’ll deal with troubleshooting, service, and replacement of the filter drier.
Not understanding how some electronic controls operate and control a system can lead to misdiagnosing a system problem and costly repairs. It is best never to assume, but rather take the time to do some research and find out exactly how they operate. Guessing is rarely good and generally will lead to a misdiagnosis and cause a tech to replace the wrong part or component.
Design & Construction Week® is the combination of tens of thousands of home builders with thousands of purveyors of everything it takes to build a home.
While the benefits of maintenance agreements are nearly universally understood today, I’ve found that the benefits of perpetual maintenance agreements are not nearly as universally understood, and I believe they are something every contractor should seriously consider.
Daniel Parker has worked in the construction business for the past 45 years, the last 28 of which were spent as a finish carpenter managing crews in Tigard, Oregon. Parker’s career started in California, where he learned finish carpentry and new home construction while working with a firm in Atherton. He then moved to Nova Scotia and was the owner of Maplewood Enterprises Construction.
CleanEquity is an annual invitation-only event hosted by Innovator Capital, the London-based specialist investment bank. The conference provides an intimate and collegiate setting for inventors and entrepreneurs to share their stories with delegates — key decision makers looking to help them reach their commercial and strategic goals.
Modine Mfg. Co. is set to begin its 2017 Innovation Tour, which will offer new and updated CEU/NATE courses and showcase the latest in HVAC solutions for specifying engineers and contractors at more than 30 locations in the U.S. and Canada.
Interested participants may enter the competition by submitting an application by June 1. Applications will be reviewed and selected by a panel of third-party judges representing various disciplines.
HERO financing allows homeowners to pay for projects like new heating and air conditioning systems, drought-tolerant landscaping, and efficient windows and doors over time at a fixed interest rate. They do so through an additional line item on their property taxes. As a result, HERO financing payments may have tax benefits, and many homeowners see immediate savings on their utility bills by investing in efficiency upgrades.
American Residential Services (ARS), a Memphis, Tennessee-based privately held national provider of air conditioning, heating, and plumbing services, announced 10 service centers earned Angie’s List Super Service Award in 2016.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a ruling that will support federal, state, and local governments’ efforts to support public health and safety through the use of voluntary consensus codes and standards.
Steven Novia was a young man who was unsure which direction his career was headed in. When a friend graduated from trade school to become an HVAC technician, he decided to look into it, as well.
The International Copper Association Inc. (ICA) and Optimized Thermal Systems Inc. (OTS) announced a new technology outreach program on the design and use of heat exchangers made with MicroGroove™ smaller diameter copper tubes.
Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) announced its 2017 initiative to repeal the federal estate tax. This year HARDI members will “Heat Up the Hill” to support South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune and Rep. Kristi Noem’s Death Tax Repeal Act of 2017, S. 205 and H.R. 631.
Miura America Co., a designer and manufacturer of energy-efficient, eco–friendly industrial steam boilers, announced it has secured a $21 million investment to help improve operations and meet increasing demand. The company will close on a partial investment of $1 million this year and will close on the remaining $20 million over the next five years.
The National Comfort Institute’s (NCI) annual Home and HVAC Performance Summit 2017 is in the final stages of preparation, and HVAC contractors from around the country are invited to attend. The event takes place April 2-4, 2017 at the We-Ko-Pah Conference Center and Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The Air Movement and Control Association Intl. Inc. (AMCA) announced the revision of AMCA Publication 222-16, “Application Manual for Air Curtains,” and more.
The HD780 Digital Manifold/Pressure Gauge is an all-in-one tool that lets HVAC pros measure suction-line or liquid-line pressure and line temperature to instantly obtain superheat and subcooling values. It also calculates differential pressure (P1-P2) and delta-T (T1-T2).
The iVortex is a low-maintenance air purifier that actively treats air as it passes through a home’s HVAC system without creating ozone or other harmful byproducts. It is a bi-polar, high-output ion generator designed specifically for treating air in residential duct systems up to 6 ton in size.
These needle-nose combination pliers are ideal for all common installation and repair work that involves gripping, bending, holding, pulling, and cutting the workpiece. At a length of 6 inches, these pliers have a slim-head design and anti-twist, pointed jaws, making the pliers useful when working in tough, confined areas. The pliers include a special convex contour on one jaw for a highly secure, three-point grip on workpieces.
The Ice Cub is a compact, home-optimized HVAC system comprised of an ultra-high-efficiency compressor and ice tank with heat exchanger. The compressor operates in multiple modes. It can cool the home like a conventional a/c unit or, store energy in the form of cooling by freezing water in the ice tank.
Extreme Ultra is a solution designed to repair refrigerant gas leaks by guaranteeing a complete, permanent, and elastic endurance of the system. It’s a mix of components, which are gas- and lubricant-friendly.
Single phasing often occurs in an electric motor when one pair of points on its power contactor fails because of the destructive arcing that takes place each time these points open or close. This arc suppressor is designed for AC power applications that operate between 110-480 V and have a maximum allowable current of 235 A (rms).