Many things can affect the efficiency of an HVAC system. One component in particular strikes at the heart of a system's efficiency: the motor. Motor type and, perhaps more importantly, its maintenance have a great effect on overall system efficiency.
When it comes to cleaning air that contains environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), there's nothing easy about it. Even discussing the issue can pose difficulties. For instance, there was a seminar titled "Standard 62's Comfort-Only Approach to Smoking Spaces" at the 2004 ASHRAE Winter Meeting. The standard addresses comfort considerations in smoking spaces, but not health.
A 30-year former Maytag employee has taken his now seven-year-old company into an area few HVAC contractors seem interested in: packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) cleaning and maintenance.
A lot of contractors seem content letting residential customers go to home centers and retail outlets to buy replacement media for their air cleaners and humidifiers. But are contractors doing their customers any good by letting these sales slip away?
Motors and pumps are at the heart of most of today's HVACR systems. New motor, pump, and drive technology had a very strong presence at the 2004 Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition.
Recent reports have estimated that, on average, 90 percent of all residential duct systems have significant loss of airflow. The ramifications in terms of wasted energy and system performance are staggering. The opportunities for HVAC contractors are huge, according to Mark Modera, Ph.D., P.E., who spoke at the 2004 ASHRAE Winter Meeting.
Unitary products weren't ever totally gone from the International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo). This year, however, there was a decidedly strong presence in Anaheim.
The indoor air quality (IAQ) market is becoming more refined, offering contractors new ways to solidify customer relationships. This is primarily due to innovations in product technology. This was abundantly clear at the 2004 Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo).
Saving energy has become more important than ever, according to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Thus, the public session scheduled for the ASHRAE Winter Meeting is "Improving Residential HVAC Energy Efficiency."