HARDI Endorses Manufacturer and Contractor Initiatives to Promote Proper Installations

The Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) has endorsed two industry initiatives making unanimous the HVACR supply channel’s commitment to the proper installations of heating and cooling equipment.
The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) recently introduced a new standard — developed by ACCA and recognized by ANSI — for Quality Installation Specifications on HVAC systems intended to demonstrate contractors’ commitment to quality HVAC residential and commercial installations, improve equipment performance and durability and provide assurance to customers of proper installations. Additionally, the Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) is introducing a free Contractor Guide CD to help contractors navigate ARI’s Directory of Certified Product Performance to find certified matched air-conditioning and heat pump systems.
HARDI’s endorsement means that more than 450 distributor companies and their 4,000 branch locations will be promoting these tools to help insure quality installation of heating and cooling equipment. HARDI is promoting the use of ACCA’s Quality Installation Specifications as a training curriculum model within distributor training programs and customer universities. Members and visitors will be able to download the specifications from HARDI’s website, www.hardinet.org.
HARDI and ARI are partnering later this month to offer counter top displays to distributors promoting the free Contractor Guide CD to contractor customers. With this tool contractors can download Certificates of ARI Certified Performance to provide proof to their customers that the systems they are installing are properly matched to achieve a certified energy efficiency rating. The CD also contains ARI's Perfect Match brochure, which explains to homeowners the importance of properly matched AC systems. Contractors can customize the brochure with their company information, print it out and provide it with all of their proposals. To receive the CD, contractors simply fill out the counter top display's reply mail card and send it to ARI.
Distributors, who play a vital role in providing product and system training, are eager to add these two new tools to their array of training resources. Helping to maximize contractors’ time by eliminating call-backs and installation repairs, these programs raise the industry’s professionalism and overall profitability.