September 1, 2010
Cover story
Maintenance Agreement Magic
Wouldn't it be great to have supernatural powers over the natural forces that affect your business? I've often wished for a magic wand so I could change something about myself, my staff, my vendors, my competitors, my market, my customers or even the weather. What I wouldn’t give for that "magic pill" that would cause co-workers to accept necessary improvements when change is necessary. ...
Articles
Annual Guide to High-Efficiency Gas Furnaces
With the chill of fall and winter come many ways around it. Here's our 27th Annual Guide to furnaces that bring the utmost comfort and high efficiency in a single package....
HERS and HVAC: Common Goals, Common Ground
A home energy rating is supposed to be a thorough analysis of a home's energy consumption. An HERS (Home Energy Rating System) analysis consists of a review of building plans, multiple onsite inspections, performance testing, and software modeling. A HERS rating can be performed on both new and existing homes and apartment or condo units in multi-family structures of three stories or less. ...
Warm & Worry-Free: Emergency Heating
Where do building managers go, when the cold winds blow, and their building is without heat? Let's hope it's to an HVAC contractor with the resources to provide temporary heat during the repair. ...
Steps to Successful Retrocommissioning
Retrocommissioning — the process of ensuring that all the mechanical systems in an existing building perform optimally, based on the contract documents, design intent, and the owner's operational needs — can be used for a number of different purposes. ...
ESCOs: Risks & Rewards
What exactly is an ESCO? The answer you’ll get depends on whom you ask. Even the name itself can stand for Energy Service Contractor or Energy Service Contract (ESCO). So, yes, an ESCO could provide a customer with an ESCO. Let’s just say that ESCOs represent a dynamic and constantly evolving business model. ...
NATE Refrigeration Certification Puts Customers at Ease
When the Commercial Refrigeration Manufacturer's division of the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) recognized the need to identify the proficiency of technicians who install and service commercial refrigeration systems, North American Technician Excellence (NATE) went to work. ...
ComStar, A.S. Trust to Manufacture, Market Hydrocarbon Refrigerant
ComStar International, College Point, NY, and A.S. Trust & Holding, Kaneohe, HI, will co-manufacture, market, and distribute the hydrocarbon refrigerant HCR188C1. Sources say the coolant is a patented blend of ethane, propane, butane and other pure hydrocarbons. It displays a zero global warming potential (GWP) and a zero ozone depletion rating (ODR), and is the first hydrocarbon refrigerant approved by the EPA for sale in the U.S., sources report....
Keep the Heat Flowing: A Furnace Tune-up Flowchart
It has been a hot summer for much of the country, but believe it or not, heating season is approaching. That means it's time for furnace tune-ups, to keep your customers' systems working their best throughout the coming colder months ...
Columns
Home Star: Should It Stay or Go?
Who would’ve ever thought that the title of a British punk band's 1970s anthem could describe a hot topic fomenting in the HVAC Industry? When the Clash wrote, Should I Stay or Should I Go, their intent was to highlight a rocky personal relationship. Apparently, in the HVAC world, the Home Star legislation is rocking the industry with regard to its wording, implementation, and impact on the HVAC contractor ...
Are You Going to HVAC Comfortech?
For most HVAC contractors, the summer of 2010 was a good one. After back-to-back mild summers, heat waves swept the country, stressing your service and installation departments, while relieving stress on bank accounts. After a frenetic summer it’s time to kick back, reassess, and start the planning process for an even better 2011. Where better to start than HVAC Comfortech?...
Running Service – Step Twelve: Concluding the Service Call
The is the final installment of a year-long primer designed to teach you what to do when running service calls, and how to maximize each call in an honest and professional manner. Charlie says, "I'll tell you everything I do; from the moment the call is dispatched, to the greeting at the front door, to closing, down to what I do to prevent 'buyer’s remorse.'"...
Attack the Monster of Neglect Every Day
The monster of neglect is very different from the fire breathing dragon of chaos that may have swept through your office this summer. And he is very different than the yippy, guilt-causing monster terrier of procrastination that hounds many offices in this "just get it done" environment of instantaneous messaging and "only the immediate matters." ...
From the Field
Bill Dillard Receives ASHRAE Service Award
William M. Dillard, CEO of Mechanical Services, Inc. (MSI), has been awarded the ASHRAE Exceptional Service Award for 2010....
OUCH! Unlicensed Contractors
Nabbed in CA Sting
Four unlicensed HVAC contractors replacing air conditioning at a Rancho Bernardo condominium were among 13 persons nabbed for violating California home improvement contracting laws. ...
Prem Sales Begins Manufacture, Sale of Premaire PTAC Units
In August, Prem Sales, LTD, Lubbock, TX received its first shipment of packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs) under the Premaire brand name. ...
Southland's Paul Wenner to Serve on Energy Committee
Paul Wenner, director of new project development for Southland Industries, based in Irvine, CA, was recently appointed to serve on the Virginia Joint Commission on Technology and Science (JCOTS) 2010 Energy Advisory Committee. ...
Haberberger Receives Two MCA Project Awards
Mechanical contracting company Haberberger, Inc., St. Louis, MO, was recently recognized by the Mechanical Contractors Association of Eastern Missouri (MCA) for its HVAC mechanical installation work at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis....
U.S. DOE, Gas Technology Institute Begin Energy Program
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building Technologies Program recently awarded Gas Technology Institute (GTI) with a major new program aimed at cutting energy use and costs, and carbon emissions through residential retrofit applications in cold-weather climates. ...
Business Bits
Johnson Controls Completes BACnet Changeover
for University of Minnesota
A building management systems project installed by Johnson Controls for the University of Minnesota is saving the university $2.4 million in annual energy costs....
Emerson Reports on Growing Contractor Recognition Program
Sources from Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc., a business of Emerson, report that more than 400 HVAC contractors representing more than 300 companies have enrolled in its Contractor Recognition Program. ...
ClimateMaster Sets Dates for Regional Sales Training
ClimateMaster has set the dates for seven new sales training meetings to be held Sept. 28-Dec.2....
Danfoss to Receive Alliance ‘Star of Efficiency’ Award
The Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) has chosen Danfoss to receive the Innovative Star of Energy Efficiency award. ...
MovinCool 'Dare to Dream' Sweepstakes
has $25,000 Prize
MovinCool announced a “Dare to Dream” sweepstakes contest that will award $25,000 in cash to the winner....
Trane Team Donaates HVAC System
to 'Dream Home'
Trane’s Heartland Dealer Sales Office (DSO) in Earth City, Mo., along with Trane dealer Design Aire Heating & Cooling in St. Louis have donated new HVAC systems and installation time to the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway raffle. ...
ASHRAE & NEMA Partner
for Smart Grid Model
ASHRAE and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association are developing a standard to provide a common basis for electrical energy consumers to describe, manage and communicate about electrical energy consumptions and forecasts....
APPOINTMENTS
Rex Boynton, president of Rex P. Boynton & Associates, and former president of North American Technician Excellence (NATE), has been named to the advisory board of AtmosAir Solutions, Fairfield, CT, and its parent company, Clean Air Group. ...
