ACHR News
search
Ask ACHR NEWS AI
cart
facebook twitter instagram linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
ACHR News
  • NEWS
    • Breaking News
    • New HVAC Products
    • Featured Products
    • Manufacturer Reports
    • HVAC Data
    • Legislation
    • ACHR NEWS Centennial
  • RESIDENTIAL
    • Air Conditioners
    • Furnaces
    • Residential Heat Pumps
    • Ductless
    • Residential IAQ
    • Testing, Monitoring, Tools
    • Components & Accessories
  • COMMERCIAL
    • Air Handlers
    • Rooftop Units
    • Chillers and Cooling Towers
    • Commercial Heat Pumps
    • Boilers and Hydronics
    • VRF/Ductless
    • Commercial IAQ
  • REFRIGERATION
    • Refrigerants
    • Refrigerant Regulations
    • Leak Management
  • CONTRACTOR PRO
    • Geothermal
    • Homeowner Study
    • VRF and VRV Ductless
    • Unitary Trends
  • EDUCATION
    • Training and Education
    • Business Management
    • Service and Maintenance
    • Continuing Education
    • Market Research >
      • HVAC Brand Awareness Report
      • VRV, VRF, VRVZ Report
      • Unitary Trends Report
      • Water Heat Professionals Report
    • Webinars
    • Sponsor Insights
    • eProducts Info
    • White Papers
  • EVENTS
    • HVAC Contractor Forum
    • Industry Events and Webinars
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
    • AHR Expo 2025 Videos
    • Podcasts >
      • ACHR News Podcast
      • HARDI Podcasts
      • AHR Expo Podcasts
      • ACCA Podcasts
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Quizzes
    • eBooks
    • HVAC Talkback
  • HVAC GROUP
    • ACHR NEWS >
      • Current Issue
      • Digital Edition
      • Subscribe
    • Distribution Trends
    • SNIPS NEWS >
      • Join SNIPS NEWS
    • Engineered Systems News >
      • Join ES News
    • HVACR Directory
    • Contests
    • Newsletters
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • My Account

Letters From Our Readers: Sept. 3, 2012

September 3, 2012
Editor’s note: This is a blog by John Conrad. Go to http://bit.ly/OgS8Uv to read it or to make a comment about it online.

Stung By the Sting

My editorial in the July 23 print issue of The NEWS concerning the NBC “Today” Show sting showing dishonest HVAC technicians seems to have hit a nerve, a raw nerve. I received emails from two veterans of the industry who agree with me that something is really wrong with the supposed professionals that represent us in the homes of unsuspecting customers.

Al Veeck with the National Air Filtration Association felt we needed more integrity and more character from the employees. He related what he had been taught by his parents, “Do the job like you owned the piece of equipment yourself.” He ended by saying, “We forget sometimes that we have to teach core values to the next generation.”

Russell Tavolacci with Next-Tech Solutions said, “We need to take proactive measures rather than simply hoping that contractors see the broadcast.” His idea was to conduct similar sting operations to get a better idea of the seriousness of the situation, then document it and share it within the industry. He also suggested a training program in the basics of customer communications, interaction, and integrity.

Al and Russell…I’m with you my friends. Let’s do this thing!


Editor’s note: This letter is in response to Herb Woerpel’s article “‘Today’ Show Investigation Questions Contractor Integrity,” July 30.

Using ACCA Contractors Would Result in a Different Outcome

Looking for quick answers on air conditioning, heating and refrigeration topics? Try Ask ACHR NEWS, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ACHR NEWS →

This [whole segment] was definitely rigged and ACCA [Air Conditioning Contractors of America] should have backed away from it unless they agreed to use only ACCA contractors. Of course, the results would have been no story.

ACCA could get some good publicity if they filmed their own sting using ACCA contractors. I’m positive the results would be much different. I’m sure The NEWS would publish the results.

Pat Rucker
President
Entech Sales & Service
Dallas

If you would like to send a letter to the editor, go to www.achrnews.com/letters or send an email to letters@achrnews.com and include your name, title, company, city, state/province, and daytime phone number.

Also, you can join us on LinkedIn at The NEWS Network group at http://linkd.in/yXojuI to share your thoughts, which might run in The NEWS, too.

Publication date: 9/3/2012

KEYWORDS: ACCA contractors NBC Today Show Sting

Share This Story

Recent Comments

Very good...

Commercial ITC & the Limited-use property Doc allowing 3rd party leasing of commercial geo systems

Energy Star and trust

HVACR TECHNICIAN

Opp

Blog Roll

Editors Blog

Guest Blog

Opinions

Subscription Center
  • Create an Account
  • Start a Subscription
  • Manage My Account
  • Sign Up for Newsletters
  • Visit Customer Service
  • Update Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to The News audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of The News or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • An illustration shows a house with a geothermal heating system. Pipes are depicted running underground.
    Sponsored byClimateMaster

    Residential Tax Credits Are Ending, But Demand Continues

  • Piggy Bank
    Sponsored byWatercress Financial

    Energy Prices, Inflation, and HVAC: What Today’s Homeowners Care About

  • Refrigerated Food
    Sponsored bySolstice Advanced Materials

    R-455A Refrigeration: A Cold Storage Solution for the Future

Popular Stories

HVAC-Price-Increase-graphic

HVAC Price Increase List: July 2026

price-raising-practices.jpg

Rising Costs Force Contractors to Take a Harder Look at Pricing

DOE-sign.jpg

HVAC Groups Support DOE’s Rulemaking to Cut Energy Efficiency Mandates

Industry-Ethics_-Service-Calls.jpg

HVAC Contractor Agrees to $300K Settlement Over Alleged Deceptive Sales Practices

Daikin Applied CEO Yu Nishiwaki

Daikin Applied Announces New Top Leadership

View The ACHR NEWS
Centennial Anniversary Timeline

The ACHR News Timeline Chart
Submit a Letter
Submit a letter to our editors.

Events

November 6, 2025

Next-Gen Data Center Cooling: HVAC Innovation and Real-World Solutions

On Demand As AI workloads and high-density computing push traditional cooling methods to their limits, the data center industry is accelerating the adoption of next-generation HVAC technologies.

July 22, 2026

Designing VRF Systems Using A2L Refrigerant

In this session, we will cover how to design VRF systems for the U.S. market using new A2L refrigerants. These systems provide an advanced zoning solution by using inverter technology to deliver precise heating and cooling control across multiple zones and spaces.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Summer Staff

Are you fully staffed for the summer season?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

BNI Mechanical/Electrical Square Foot Costbook, 2026 Edition

BNI Mechanical/Electrical Square Foot Costbook, 2026 Edition

See More Products
Designing Systems Using A2L Refrigerant - Free Webinar - 7/22/2026
×

Sign Up. Stay Informed.

The #1 trusted source for the HVACR industry since 1926

SUBSCRIBE
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Advisory Board
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Letter
    • Directories
    • Store
  • ACCOUNT CENTER
    • Create an Account
    • Start a Subscription
    • Manage My Account
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Visit Customer Service
    • Update Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing