Do you recall a time in your life when you were sure that removing the label from your mattress would result in the police at your door?

A spate of energy legislation this past summer has resulted in U.S. House and Senate versions that will likely be negotiated into one regional mess. The crux of the matter for the HVAC industry is regional efficiency standards. The House bill would impose labeling similar to that found on mattresses that can only be removed by the consumer. The manufacturer labels would say, “It is a violation of federal law for this product to be installed in any state outside the region shaded on the map printed on this label.” It’s not out of the realm of possibility that each state would want to be its own region. The portability of a product across state lines will be greatly reduced, and inventory management will be ridiculous.

I wonder how many contractors or distributors conduct business in more than one state? There are even city streets that cut states in half - the southbound lanes of State Line Avenue are in Texarkana, Texas, the northbound lanes are in Texarkana, Ark. State Street divides Bristol, Va., and Bristol, Tenn.

Stateline, Nev., and South Lake Tahoe, Calif., are divided by U.S. Highway 50 and a couple of casinos.

Heaven forbid that a contractor would cross a river to sell a product - Memphis and West Memphis.

The Navajo Nation at Four Corners will really be a confusing place to conduct business. I wonder if those mattresses are really uncomfortable?