I suggest, as a contractor, you put this show on your 2016 calendar. As an added incentive, next year’s show — scheduled for Jan. 25-27 — is in Orlando, where the weather in January is likely to be much better than it was in Chicago.

Make yourself unique and memorable, helping customers separate you from everyone else who just blends in. When you put these tools in place, customer acceptance and appreciation will seem very obvious, and, soon enough, you’ll be looking back and saying, “No wonder that worked. It was a great idea.”

The EarthDirEX™ geothermal heat pump system is available in 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-ton capacities and includes an electronic expansion valve for precise refrigerant control. 

Industry figures are estimates that are derived from the best available figures supplied by a sample of AHRI member companies.

The 2015 AHR Expo blew into the Windy City and proceeded to trump all previous Chicago expo records as manufacturers, contractors, and distributors from all around the country traveled to the Midwest to discover what’s new and trending in the HVACR industry.

Government regulations, in addition to an increase in end-user environmental awareness, are having a significant impact on the residential air conditioning market, and, based on the products exhibited at the 2015 AHR Expo, manufacturers are heeding the call.

Terminology talk at the AHR Expo focused on variable-speed compressors, electronically commutated motors (ECMs), and variable-capacity systems as well as diagnostics and troubleshooting tools for contractors.

Heat pump technology has drastically evolved over the past several years with higher heating efficiencies and strong performance at temperatures well below freezing. This growth is making these units more attractive in the Northern states, and the industry is pumping them up with new technologies and features.

As energy costs continue to increase year after year, radiant heating and radiant cooling is becoming commonplace, especially in commercial installations.

Units that both cool and heat are in high demand, but other trends include remote monitoring and, for larger units, the ability to fit through a standard door width.