Opinions

Subscribe

This issue with a focus on recovery and recycling had all the makings of a nostalgia fest. It was 24 years ago that the Montreal Protocol first surfaced and soon thereafter brought the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirement that HVACR contractors have this device called a recovery/recycling machine available.

When the New England Patriots violated NFL rules by videotaping in-game hand signals of New York Jets coaches, the proverbial you-know-what hit the fan for league commissioner Roger Goodell. It led to a policy called “Integrity of the Game and Fair Competition.” I wonder if something like that could prove valuable in the HVAC industry.

As I have followed recent legislation, I have noticed a disconnect between current tax efforts and efficiency legislation. Legislation that is enamored with high individual system efficiency levels, which are not economically feasible, fails to spend taxpayer money effectively and does not benefit the masses.

We anticipated that during the first part of 2011, business would be slow. The new residential construction market is still down over 70 percent from its peak. With new reports that nearly 25 percent of the home mortgages are larger than the value of the home, it is likely that we are probably another year from a real turn around in that market.

On Feb. 11, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) announced that it will continue to list certified air conditioning systems using the HCFC refrigerant R-22 in its Directory of Certified Product Performance (www.ahridirectory.org). Therefore, in 2011, the actual total unit sales will be reported.

More geothermal coverage, please. Don’t depend on government incentives to help your business.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all our readers! This is a suitable time to think about relationships of all sorts, business as well as personal. The ones that work have a lot in common - like trust and honesty. As we at The NEWS continue the celebration of our 85th anniversary, we want to find the long-term relationships among our subscribers.

To paraphrase George Costanza: We are back, baby! That was the most important observation I made while recently attending the Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) in Las Vegas. The NEWS will cover every aspect of the show, including all new products introduced, in the Feb. 21 post-show issue.

So now it’s 2011. How are you planning for this New Year? In some ways, it’s going to be different than 2010. The tax credit has been cut one-third and doesn’t sound near as inviting as the previous $1,500. And we can’t count on 100 degree weather in July and August, although naturally that would be welcome.

Changing the way people do business can be like trying to shave a lion’s mane with a disposable razor. It’s difficult, messy, and someone is going to get hurt. The image is a little extreme, but it seems that this is how many contractors view adding new technology to their businesses. Apple’s latest technology - the iPad - is no exception.