In this issue of The NEWS, we take an in-depth look at the state of the industry from ACCA's perspective, meet the incoming ACCA chairman, and learn about the must-attend events at ACCA's annual conference.
As in past years, one of the most popular educational sessions at the 2019 AHR Expo was hosted by the Building Services Research and Information Association.
Conference veterans and newcomers alike are ready for the ACCA 2019 Conference and Expo in San Antonio, March 4-6. The events prepared for attendees range from guest speakers like Darren Woodson, former Dallas Cowboy and ESPN analyst, to breakout sessions that cover distributor relationships, marketing, payroll, opioids, and more. Held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, the theme of this year’s conference is to “Optimize.”
Coming from a comprehensive history of HVAC experience, Eric Knaak, vice president and general manager of Isaac Heating & Air Conditioning, has been elected incoming ACCA chairman. The Rochester, New York-based company has been his home since June 5, 1989, when he walked through the door and began a job that would turn into his career.
The NEWS sat down with Barton James, interim president and CEO of ACCA, to talk about what he has experienced in his time as leader so far. The association’s relationships, the direction of ACCA, and what has been accomplished were discussed as he detailed what ACCA and its leadership team is working toward for contractors in 2019.
The homeowners of a medium-sized house complain of reduced airflow coming from their registers during the summer. Their air conditioner is a 4-ton (48,000 Btuh), R-22 split system with the A-coil in the plenum of the furnace located in the basement. The evaporator has an orifice for a metering device, and the condensing unit is located on the east end of the house.
A critical step in the installation of a built-up (field-piped) refrigeration system is the startup and commissioning of the equipment, which simply means verifying the operation of the system and its components. Although this seems obvious, it is a step that is occasionally skipped or done too quickly to be effective.
In the 1990s, consolidation swept across the HVAC industry. Contractors were rolled up into large publicly traded companies like American Residential Services, Group Maintenance America Corp., Service Experts, and the utility-owned Blue Dot.
Kulthorn Kirby Public Company Limited announced the purchase of the assets and equipment of Bristol Compressors Intl. LLC, as well as the "Bristol" brand name, intellectual properties, know-how, products, and technologies.
The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) announced Hoffmann Brothers Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing, and Electrical Company of Brentwood, Missouri as the ACCA 2019 Residential Contractor of the Year. ACCA’s Contractor of the Year award is presented each year, and finalists are judged on a range of qualities including community involvement, industry involvement, and a commitment to training and certifications.
Michael “Mike” Lee Moore passed away on Sunday, Feb. 3, in Dallas. The oldest of five children, Moore was born on Nov. 28, 1954, and grew up in Salina, Kansas. He attended Oakdale Elementary School and graduated from Salina Central High School in 1973. In 1976, Moore completed his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Kansas. He went on to earn his Master of Business Administration from Norwood University in Cedar Hill, Texas, in 2012.
For your information news briefs from a wide variety of categories within the HVAC industry. Price increases, mergers and acquisitions, award winners, and more are highlighted here each week.
This product is engineered for safe, long-term plumbing and hydronic piping connections in residential, multi-family, and commercial projects. It is designed for use with Rehau RAUPEX crosslinked PEXa pipe up to 2 inches in diameter. Offered in polymer and lead-free brass, the product has four sealing edges and textured PEXa sleeves that grip tightly over both the pipe and the fitting.
To overcome the concerns of the mild flammability of A2L refrigerants, this product detects gas leaks for mixtures containing R-32. The device provides feedback to mitigation control systems and/or creates a shutdown process. This sensor core targets the R-32 gas concentration in the A2L mixtures; calculates the air volume concentration of the refrigerant gas; and relates it to the avoidance thresholds by levels of lower flammability limit.
This product features integrated and certified compressor protection to guarantee unit safety. Thermal overload devices (Klixons), circuit breakers (thermal over-current relays), and electromechanical devices (contactors) — if used exclusively for compressor protection or activation in the event of overpressure — are no longer required. This provides cost savings and reduces space requirements.
These plate and frame heat exchangers are American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) designed and constructed. Computerized product selection simplifies the process of choosing the correct heat exchanger for the required application. Ideal for a wide range of commercial applications, this product is compact and easily serviced. Models with operating pressures of both 150 and 300 psi are available.
This product is a single-phase, VRF outdoor unit designed for residential and light commercial installations. It provides simultaneous energy-efficient heating and cooling, even in extreme weather conditions. Allowing for independent control of room temperatures for up to 12 zones, the unit features automatic changeover between heating and cooling modes.
Designed to measure IAQ, this product is a contamination-resistant optical sensor that enables accurate measurements throughout its projected lifetime of more than eight years. It measures 41 x 41 x 12 mm3 and fits in compact applications like wall-mounted or compact air quality devices.
Designed for commercial applications, these valves meet the pressure and temperature guidelines in American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F2389 for up to 12 inches, and they integrate seamlessly into the Asahitec PP-RCT piping systems for plumbing and HVAC applications.
This product converts traditional motors, pumps, and mounted bearings into smart, wirelessly connected devices. It measures key parameters from the surface of the equipment, which can be used to gain meaningful information on the condition and performance of the equipment. This enables users to identify inefficiencies within their system and to reduce risks related to operation and maintenance.
The two models of this product are designed to check, evacuate, and charge systems. The manifolds are optimized for live readings and receive direct long-range — up to 350 feet — wireless measurements from the Fieldpiece Job Link Probes and SRS3 Wireless Scale with no transmitter required.