Over and over again, I have heard HVACR technicians and electricians quote rules of thumb regarding wiring sizing, and I have witnessed and participated in many heated debates on the topic.
How often have we all observed a shoddy coworker and thought, “How is that person still employed?” Unfortunately, I find myself thinking that more times than I’d care to admit.
According to multiple studies from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), four out of 10 homes built in the U.S. contain improper HVAC designs and equipment.
The company he founded in 1979, Energy Innovations by Harry Boody, was the first to offer a lifetime guarantee that the heating and cooling energy usage of its system would not exceed a certain amount each month, or the company would pay the difference. To date, the company has never had to refund a single customer, and it remains the only company in North America to offer such a guarantee.
In 2008, my wife, Dorian, and I moved to Albuquerque from Colorado to establish Outlaw Mechanical. Colorado taught me a few things about the need for tough, durable HVAC systems, so, today, about 40 percent of Outlaw’s work is hydronic.
We’ve found many systems are delivering only 50 percent of their rated capacity into the indoor conditioned space. Combine poor installation and service-related issues with inconsistent maintenance practices or, even worse, a run-to-fail scenario, and we find that many systems operate far below the manufacturer’s Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) laboratory rated efficiency.
On Friday, March 17, ACCA sent a letter to Muriel Bowser, District of Columbia mayor, highlighting the importance and value that quality installation practices have on HVACR efficiencies.