It provides a quick, easy way for contractors to install any services required, resulting in a durable weatherproof roof penetration and an attractive and professional appearance

Available in 5-by-5- and 10-by-5-inch sizes, these products are precision-molded in Acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile (ASA) plastic material, which is UV-resistant, has high thermal stability, and exceptional weather-resistance.

They are suitable for use in a temperature range between minus 4° and 158°F. Each LinePort consists of a 9-inch-high base that is secured to the rooftop and waterproofed with pitch, tape, or mastic and provides an opening for the pipes, cables, etc. to pass through. The upper section is then fitted over the opening using the stainless steel fixings supplied so that the whole assembly is completely weatherproof.

“It’s the best product of its kind out there — it truly is 100 percent weatherproof,” said Cory Tincock, president, S&S Mechanical Contractors, St. George, Utah. “We prefer to use it because it is a superior product to keep weather and water debris out of a roof penetration.”

With three years of research, MarketAir utilized contractor surveys, contractor focus groups, and extensive site visits to determine the most desirable design features through trial and error while the first prototypes were developed. After 12-18 months of development, the product was created due to a combination of both contractor demand and company innovation.

“It facilitates the installation of line sets and ancillary services, such as cables that have to pass through a rooftop,” said Gerry Spanger, CEO, MarketAir. “It provides a quick, easy, and economical way for contractors to install any services required, which will not only result in a durable weatherproof roof penetration but will also provide an attractive and professional appearance.”

Five main features were designed with technicians’ jobs in mind.

They are completely fabricated, and all assembly fixings are included. This benefits technicians because it minimizes the assembly work, requires no alteration on-site, and provides a quick and easy way for technicians to install a weatherproof penetration.

Also, the LinePort models are molded from ASA plastic. This is a great feature for technicians because they are light, there are no sharp edges to cut your hands, and they are extremely durable and resistant to damage on-site.

Because they are color coordinated to match most of the condensers available on the market, technicians don’t have to do any painting to color match the product to the condenser. They also come disassembled in three pieces. This makes it easy for contractors to carry them up onto the roof, and the assembly sequence provides easy access to facilitate the installation of the line set, cables, and more. Each part is easy to assemble onto its counterpart.

Finally, all the fixings are stainless steel, so a technician never has to worry about rust marks from the fixing discoloring the plastic and possibly having to return to the site for remediation purposes.

Use is applicable where any type of electrical or piping connection has to penetrate a flat or low-pitch roof in residential and light commercial HVAC installations. The product is suitable for any combination of services and can be used on vertical surfaces, as well.

“This is a product that demonstrates ‘thinking outside the box’ design, resulting in an aesthetically pleasing installation,” said one DDA contractor judge.

SILVER

AC Leak Freeze Pro with Magic Frost from RectorSeal Corp. earned silver in this category.

It is an 11.5-inch-long applicator that consists of a flexible, easy-to-handle, transparent refrigeration hose and an attached copper reservoir, which contains a total of 1.46 ounces of the same trusted, non-polymer, a/c leak sealant formula as the renowned syringe-based AC Leak Freeze injector. Unlike some other disposable leak sealant applicators, AC Leak Freeze Pro doesn’t require a system pump down with R-410A systems and safely withstands all typical refrigerant pressures.

The applicator is designed for use with 1.5- to 6-ton systems and is available with both the blue AC Leak Freeze and green AC Leak Freeze with Magic Frost formulas, the latter which contains a compressor life-extending lubricant additive.

AC Leak Freeze Pro’s formula is safe for both the service technician and the refrigeration system. Its proven compatibility flows with refrigerant/oil to permanently seal small leaks and prevent them in the future. The patent pending refrigerant leak sealant formula is not moisture-activated, has a safe flashpoint rating, and doesn’t use polymers that can potentially clog compressors, recovery/evacuation units, Schrader valves, capillary tubes, thermostatic expansion valves (TXVs), microchannels, or manifold gauges.

After the product is installed into the system, you can simply recycle the disposable injector as all components are 100 percent recyclable, which is an added benefit to the environment in addition to preventing refrigerant loss and improving the operating efficiency of existing systems.

BRONZE

MarketAir Inc. also earned the bronze award for its Snapfix.

Snapfix is designed specifically for the attachment of minisplit condensers to metal brackets or support systems. It is a quick-install, quick-release fastener designed specifically for fixing the mounting feet of mini-split condensers onto metal walls or floor-mounted condenser support systems. Snapfix is precision-molded from reinforced glass fiber material and includes a stainless steel spring as well as a polyurethane vibration damping washer. They are supplied in a kit of four pieces. Subject to any weight or physical size restrictions, it could also be used to attach any kind of condenser or small equipment onto a support system.

There are a few specific features that were designed with the technician’s job in mind. Snapfix’s quick and easy install requires no tools, which benefits technicians because it substantially speeds up the installation process and does not require the use of any wrenches that are often difficult to manipulate in the restricted spaces commonly found at the rear end of a condenser. Also, the only metal part is stainless steel. This benefits technicians because they don’t have to worry about the possibility of rust marks from galvanized bolts and the potential for having to return to the site to do remedial cosmetic work. Finally, it includes a polyurethane vibration-damping washer. This is a perk for technicians because they don’t have to worry about the possibility of vibration from the condenser being transmitted through the fixing attachments into the building, possibly creating a noise problem.

Furthermore, technicians don’t have to buy a separate set of vibration-absorbing washers, and the ones that are supplied with the Snapfix utilize a high-grade, soft polyurethane material that has been specially selected to minimize vibration.

Publication date: 7/24/2016

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!