Hiring good HVACR technicians is one thing; keeping them interested in staying with your company is another. A contractor can’t chain down a tech who is no longer interested in staying, and pay raises are only part of the solution. Outstanding benefits are what keep outstanding field employees around, according to top HVACR contractors.
A lot of people who work on HVAC systems outdoors seem to dismiss the risks associated with their own exposure to contaminants from birds, specifically “pest” birds (wild pigeons, starlings, sparrows, and seagulls). They could be exposing themselves to potentially serious health risks.
To stay in tune and well regulated, pianos need proper humidity and temperature control. Humidity in particular can affect the integrity and life-span of the instrument. That’s why the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG) had special humidity-control equipment installed in its Piano Museum
When contractor A.J. Perri sells IAQ products and services, it’s not exactly what you’d call a hard sell. In some cases the sales process has been going on for years. “The more time the homeowner has to evaluate the options available, the more he’ll opt for,” said co-owner Michael Perri.
By putting smart diagnostics in high-end unitary products, contractors can make sure systems are installed or diagnosed correctly, reducing callbacks that eat into their profits. They can also make guarantees with a low, or at least reasonable, level of risk.
There was a huge opportunity in the residential unitary market for more sophisticated diagnostics and controls. The benefits are big game indeed: reduced warranty claims, lower utility bills, improved comfort, and greater customer satisfaction, all wrapped up in improved system diagnostics.
Today’s smart commercial systems have benefited from several technological improvements that have helped them integrate into existing systems more easily. They also can be used to harvest system performance information that helps keep comfort high and could help reduce service and maintenance costs.
Nearly all new IAQ products shown at the 2007 AHR Expo featured some kind of sophisticated controls, even the residential models. The proliferation of products intended to save energy while improving air quality was pretty obvious, and controls certainly can contribute to both those objectives.
Sensors and controls, which have continued to flood the HVACR market, will only have a stronger role to play in the industry, according to various manufacturers attending the 2007 Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition as well as past president of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
Smart technology has become more affordable, and residential systems have profited from it. Now “smart” is a concept catching on in more residential IAQ products.