Not that long ago, when gas prices were sky high, many customers chose to purchase condensing furnaces because they saved a lot of energy.

The first condensing furnaces were introduced in the mid-1980s, and it’s likely that most of those original systems have already been replaced.

The residential boiler market in the U.S. is somewhat small when compared to the rest of the world. In fact, according to some estimates, only about 9 million U.S. homes are heated with boilers, 60 percent of which are in the Northeast.

There is no right or wrong way to approach shoulder seasons, but most contractors find that having a plan in place helps them make the most of the slower times.

Manufacturers of HVAC equipment are a charitable bunch, often lending a hand after weather-related and natural disasters, as well as offering their expertise to national and local charities. They are particularly generous when it comes to supporting trade schools and vocational training programs that count on their donations of HVAC equipment in order to provide a hands-on experience for their students. By donating equipment to trade schools and vocational training programs, manufacturers demonstrate their dedication to educating the next generation of HVAC professionals.

Since its arrival in the U.S., crosslinked polyethylene PEX) tubing has taken the hydronics industry by storm. That is primarily due to its reputation as being a durable, flexible, and, some might even say, more affordable option for radiant heating and snowmelt applications.

Sales of cooling equipment increased this summer, according to the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), whose combined June and July 2017 reports showed that U.S. shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps were up about 5.7 percent compared to units shipped during the same time frame in 2016.

Often considered to be an affordable, reliable heating and/or cooling system for a variety of commercial buildings, the standard rooftop unit used to come with a basic thermostat that is limited to turning the system on or off. The advent of new controls has changed all of that by allowing rooftops to monitor operation, analyze conditions, and make real-time decisions that can optimize performance.

The CDC study screened 196 cooling towers around the U.S. and found Legionella DNA (indicating the bacteria were there, live or dead, at some point) in 164 of the towers sampled and live Legionella bacteria in 79 of them.

Regardless of the type, data centers are being designed with innovative techniques that speed up deployment while increasing energy efficiency.