"It is estimated that 95 percent of the residential products are being newly designed or redesigned to comply with the transition to 13 SEER. For this very reason, it is extremely important that contractors have the relevant training and necessary tools they need to help them better understand installation and maintenance of new systems," said Karl Zellmer, vice president of air conditioning sales for Emerson's Copeland Corp. "We've developed these tech tip cards so that when contractors have questions in the field about particular maintenance issues or new products, these hand-held cards may assist them or provide some insight."

Currently, there are four Contractor Tech Tip cards, each covering different products and topics, including: scroll compressor safety controls and protection, single-phase motor terminal identification, metering devices, and refrigerants. Additional cards are currently in development and will be available for download through the coming months.

In addition to understanding the varied maintenance issues tied to the new standard, contractors must understand that higher efficiency is no longer an upselling point, says Emerson. With all systems soon switching to 13+ SEER or higher, contractors need to focus on differentiating benefits that are important to homeowners, such as human comfort, indoor air quality, and reliability. By upselling these benefits and continuing to enhance the quality of installation, contractors will be more successful during the transition and continue to grow their business afterward, says the company.

The Contractor Tech Tip cards, along with the 13 SEER Homeowner Handout, the 2005 Home Air Conditioning Test, and 13 SEER Surveys, are a part of Emerson's "Get SEERiousâ„¢" campaign, which is designed to educate contractors, distributors, and homeowners on 13 SEER and help lead the HVAC industry through a smooth transition. Contractors can visit EmersonClimateContractor.com to download all of Emerson's "Get SEERiousâ„¢" tools.

Publication date: 12/12/2005