Articles by Joanna R. Turpin

Many homeowners recently fired up their oil furnaces for the first time this season. If they’ve invested in proper service and maintenance, chances are high that their equipment will keep them comfortably warm all winter long. 

With the expansion of hospital data centers comes the need for more precise cooling equipment, which is designed to keep the data safe through critical temperature, humidity, and air quality control.

Contractors who work in this market must be especially careful to keep up to date on changing requirements if they are to successfully navigate the complex system of regulatory compliance.

ASHRAE's newly published manual is based on the guidelines in Standard 170 and provides design recommendations for health care facilities with an emphasis on proven, cost-effective solutions that result in reduced infections, lower maintenance, and higher reliability.

As more and more contractors consider diving into home-performance contracting, many are seeking guidance from numerous organizations that have the experience necessary to help contractors start and/or grow their HPC businesses.

With just three years left to encourage homeowners to invest in geothermal advances, manufacturers are pulling out all the stops by introducing new features on their GHPs, such as variable-speed technology and sophisticated controls, which they say will provide homeowners with better comfort, as well as lower energy consumption and operating costs.

This group, also known as Generation Y, was born between 1980 and 2000 and has a strong reputation for being tech savvy, environmentally aware, and cost conscious.

Each geothermal installation involves digging up a yard, laying hundreds of feet of pipe, and generally disrupting the lives of homeowners, but thanks to the innovative thinking of manufacturers and contractors, there are now new products and techniques that can enhance the installation experience for the homeowner, as well as the contractor.