Articles by Joanna R. Turpin

There is no right or wrong way to approach shoulder seasons, but most contractors find that having a plan in place helps them make the most of the slower times.

Manufacturers of HVAC equipment are a charitable bunch, often lending a hand after weather-related and natural disasters, as well as offering their expertise to national and local charities. They are particularly generous when it comes to supporting trade schools and vocational training programs that count on their donations of HVAC equipment in order to provide a hands-on experience for their students. By donating equipment to trade schools and vocational training programs, manufacturers demonstrate their dedication to educating the next generation of HVAC professionals.

Since its arrival in the U.S., crosslinked polyethylene PEX) tubing has taken the hydronics industry by storm. That is primarily due to its reputation as being a durable, flexible, and, some might even say, more affordable option for radiant heating and snowmelt applications.

Sales of cooling equipment increased this summer, according to the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), whose combined June and July 2017 reports showed that U.S. shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps were up about 5.7 percent compared to units shipped during the same time frame in 2016.

Often considered to be an affordable, reliable heating and/or cooling system for a variety of commercial buildings, the standard rooftop unit used to come with a basic thermostat that is limited to turning the system on or off. The advent of new controls has changed all of that by allowing rooftops to monitor operation, analyze conditions, and make real-time decisions that can optimize performance.

The CDC study screened 196 cooling towers around the U.S. and found Legionella DNA (indicating the bacteria were there, live or dead, at some point) in 164 of the towers sampled and live Legionella bacteria in 79 of them.

Regardless of the type, data centers are being designed with innovative techniques that speed up deployment while increasing energy efficiency.

Data center designers and managers who are looking for ways to reduce water usage and energy costs often find that traditional cooling technologies are not the answer.

Since the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive was passed more than 10 years ago by the European Union (with many countries passing their own versions of the law), IAQ in data centers has become a major issue.

The late, great D. Brian Baker, president of Custom Vac Ltd. in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and a frequent contributor to The NEWS, once said the labor shortage in the HVAC industry could be attributed, at least in part, to families having fewer children these days.