December 1, 2011
Cover Story
The Sigman Story: Building Geo, Hydronics Business from the Ground Up
Sigman Indoor Climate Solutions, LLC hasbuilt a reputation as the company of choice for geothermal and hydronic systems in an area stretching 50 miles in any direction. ...
Articles
Bonus Depreciation Available
If you’ve been considering purchasing, financing, or leasing new equipment, you can take advantage of Sec.179 depreciation and bonus depreciation if you act before the end of the year. ...
Breathe Easy with Demand Control Ventilation
HVAC system designers and design/build contractors are familiar with the many "pros" of demand control ventilation systems. ...
Working Together for Common Goals
The refrigeration industry transformation continues. ContractingBusiness.com and Supermarket News magazines begin a new series of articles based on our second annual Refrigeration Roundtable discussions between refrigeration contractors and supermarket executives. Part I: Building Working Relationships...
Simple steps ensure good IAQ in commercial buildings
Indoor air quality (IAQ) issues can arise in any building — new or old. But they’re not inevitable. In fact, a building owner’s best defense against IAQ problems is a skilled HVAC technician who knows the proper steps to take to ensure a healthy indoor environment....
Superheat the key to servicing TXV systems
Superheat is a way to ensure that the system is boiling off all of the liquid before it exits the evaporator. Refrigeration and air-conditioning systems may produce different superheat readings, but they are all determined the same way: by measuring indoor wet bulb and outdoor dry bulb measurements and using a pressure-temperature chart. In other words, superheat is the difference between two temperatures. ...
SMACNA Convention Messages: Strategize for Profit, Choose Safety Leaders, Learn to 'Bounce Back'
Sheet metal and air conditioning contractors in attendance at the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association’s (SMACNA’s) 68th Annual Convention in Colorado Springs, Sept. 25-28, found it challenging to choose from a wide variety of topics by leading industry experts. ...
Tools of the Trade
Each month, Contracting Business picks a leading contractor and takes a look at the products, tools, and services that he or she has chosen to help make their company successful....
Service Tip: Solenoid Valves
Solenoid valves are rated in terms of Maximum Operating Pressure Differential (MOPD) against which the valve will open. ...
RSES Promotes History-Making Change
The 2011 Refrigeration Service Engineers Society Annual Conference, held in early November in Norfolk, VA, was called "Making History." The mission was to encourage contractors to become motivated to make significant and "historic" changes in their businesses and destinies....
Columns
Out With The Old and In With The New
As the book closes on 2011, we all can once again sit back and sigh, perhaps with collective relief. You see, 2011 is the second or third year of the U.S. economic recovery, depending on who you read, and there looks to be no end soon to the stalemate we seem to be in....
Training Your Appointment Seller
You’ve decided to enhance your business by adding an appointment seller to your team, and you’ve hired someone who is an award-winning telephone sales professional. This person already knows how to talk on the phone. Therefore, the training should less than one day...
Four Unique Challenges and Opportunities for 2012
As you wrap up 2011 and look towards 2012, it's appropriate to pause and think about not only what challenges lie ahead, but also the opportunities these challenges can bring. ...
Networking: A Viable Lead Source?
. During the last few years, being earthbound, I have discovered what most sales people already knew: networking can pay huge dividends if properly implemented. ...
News
From The Field
New leaders for 2011-12 were announced during the Mechanical Service Contractors of America’s (MSCA’s) 26th Annual Educational Conference held at the Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, CO, October 9-11. ...
Business Bits
Since Johnson Controls acquired the York International brand in 2005, many changes have been implemented to keep the York brand strong in the HVAC industry. One recent change has been the movement of the residential packaged product line from the Norman, OK, facility to the Wichita, KS facility. ...
Refrigeration Briefs
The next iteration of the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) green building standard, LEED 2012, is under development and will contain some important changes for food retailers regarding their refrigeration systems....
