Joanna Turpin is a Senior Editor at The ACHR NEWS. She can be contacted at 248-786-1707 or joannaturpin@achrnews.com. Joanna has been with BNP Media since 1991, first heading up the company’s technical book division before moving over to The ACHR NEWS, where she frequently writes about refrigerants and commercial refrigeration. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Washington and worked on her master’s degree in technical communication at Eastern Michigan University.
Due to the 13 SEER standard that went in effect this year, was higher SEER equipment easier or harder to sell? Some contractors have had success selling higher SEER equipment, while others find their customers resistant to anything but minimum SEER units, though often customers are buying options for the minimum SEER units.
Contractors who would like to grow their businesses, but do not know exactly how, may want to consider purchasing a franchise. One new possibility is Daflure Heating and Air Conditioning, which has just started offering franchising opportunities.
Most contractors install HVAC systems for people, so they can ask the end users about their specific requirements. It becomes more difficult when the end users can't communicate their needs. Such was the case with the animal inhabitants of a new building constructed at Rehabitat.
Ruskin's manufacturing facility is housed in a former warehouse with no economical way to heat and cool the entire space. With employees complaining about being hot in summer and cold in winter, something needed to be done. The solution was some truly Big Ass Fans.
I have to say that my experience with whole-house fans has not always been positive. But times have changed, and now I'd love one of the new, smarter, and quieter whole-house fans. But many HVAC contractors just don't offer these products to their customers.
Airflow is one of the most important, yet least understood, concepts in the HVAC industry. Everyone agrees that heating and cooling equipment requires proper airflow in order to keep occupants comfortable, but how does a technician ensure a residential system has proper airflow? A possible solution may rest with the grille and register manufacturers.
IAQ accessories are often viewed as nice to have if consumers can afford them after replacing their furnaces or air conditioners. That can make it a difficult sell for contractors; however, manufacturers are doing their best to educate homeowners about the consequences of indoor pollutants.
Consumers have a wide array of new products to choose from, and they're relying on their local contractor to help them decide which system best meets their cooling - and financial - needs.
A properly designed wine cellar will ensure the homeowner's wine collection will be kept at the correct temperature and humidity for years. An improperly designed wine cellar can result in ruined wine collections, moldy walls, and water damage.