Contractors, architects, engineers, specifiers and consumers now have a Web site hosted by the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) where visitors can access a wealth of information about one of ARI's most important functions - HVACR product certification.
The new Web site at www.ari.org/cert contains hundreds of pages of useful information about ARI's certification programs including:
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Detailed information about each individual ARI certification program including product descriptions and free performance standard downloads;
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Consumer tips on utility rebates, describing the benefits of purchasing ARI-certified equipment and the difference between certified and rated products;
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A section where independent laboratories can solicit bids for conducting product performance testing of HVACR equipment for the 2005 testing year;
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Frequently asked questions, that answers questions manufacturers may have about ARI's certification programs and certified equipment;
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A link to PrimeNet (www.ariprimenet.org), ARI's free online database of certified product performance equipment and access to free downloadable versions of ARI's certified directories.
In its certification programs, ARI verifies manufacturers' certified performance ratings of industry products in continuous and extensive laboratory testing. ARI currently administers 21 certification programs for various types of HVACR equipment. It annually selects a significant portion of each participating manufacturer's production models to be tested by an independent laboratory under contract to ARI. Overall, ARI administers more than 1,800 certification tests each year. Units are tested using procedures stipulated in the corresponding ARI standard to verify that they meet the manufacturers' certified published performance.
For more information about ARI's certification programs visit www.ari.org/cert or contact Zubin Dastoor, ARI director of Certification Programs, at [email protected].
The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute is the trade association representing manufacturers of more than 90 percent of North American produced central air-conditioning and commercial refrigeration equipment.