For many years, oil heat contractors have heard the tales of woe from customers: Someone is “skimming” heating oil from their tanks. Other words for skimming include “shortages” and “discrepancies.” Some of this skimming has come from oil company employees or common crooks, looking to make a quick buck.
In late 2007, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a final ruling on its report titled “Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Furnaces and Boilers.” In it, is verbiage that will have a big impact on oil-fired heating products, as well as gas and steam heat products.
Mold buildup within a/c systems, including the fan coil units found in condominiums and apartments, is a universal occurrence. It is not limited to hot and humid climates. Every once in a while, building operators will act proactively. This was the case with the condominium board of Number One York Quay, Toronto.
In the year 2020, more homes will probably be built with sustainable technologies. Completed in August 2008, the Wisconsin Trend Home was built to these 2020 “specs,” and features many different energy-efficient technologies that are readily available in the marketplace.
Times are tough out there right now. Consumers have less disposable income available - thanks to decreasing home values and increasing credit card balances - and creditors are less likely to extend any more credit until the economy turns around. This can make it very difficult for HVAC contractors to sell basic furnaces, let alone the more expensive, high-efficiency units.
Dual-fuel systems have become all the rage lately, primarily due to the increasing cost of fossil fuels. By pairing a fossil fuel furnace with an electric heat pump, manufacturers say the systems can often pay for themselves within a few years, while providing a higher level of comfort to homeowners and their families.
The economists at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Construction Forecast Conference generally believed that the battered housing market will start to make a comeback in 2009. But in their assessment of the economy, they raised the specter of the dreaded “R” word - recession. However, the speakers did point out the positives in the current turmoil.
Visitors to Live Green Live Smart’s The Sustainable House™ will see a number of green building materials and techniques as they tour the home. What visitors won’t see are the four
135-foot-deep geothermal wells and the vertical loop system used to
provide heat to the home in the winter and air conditioning in the
summer.
This article is a summary of research performed for the author's Masters’ thesis. The purpose of the research was to show manufacturers and dealers of residential HVAC systems how to raise the equity of their brands, enabling them to sell more premium systems and increase their revenues and profit margins.
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute’s (AHRI’s) first annual meeting is scheduled to kick off this Sunday in the coastal foothills of Carlsbad, Calif., at the La Costa Resort and Spa. Just outside of San Diego, AHRI and its members will mark this historical meeting with not only a range of activities, but also a host of meetings to inform members and allow them time to form new strategies for the coming year.
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