Articles by Nick Kostora

HVACR distributors work long and hard to ensure their warehouses are efficient and mistake-free. While achieving this goal has traditionally been an arduous process, new technologies are helping distribution centers become more intelligent in ways many never dreamed possible.

Nationwide, this summer has been one of the hottest in recorded history. Per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the June temperature for the contiguous U.S. was 71.8°F, or 3.3° above the 20th century average. The busy summer season has seen its fair share of ups and downs so far, but overall, HVACR distribution is in a good place.

Whether it’s creating a scholarship, partnering with a local organization, or encouraging students to pursue mechanical trades opportunities; there are no excuses to be made. It’s time to get with the program — a scholarship program.

The Dave Lennox Signature^® Collection SLP98V Gas Furnace is designed for residential applications, but may also be used in light commercial applications requiring 110,000 Btuh of heat or less. Its functionality and versatility helped Lennox Intl. Inc. take home the gold award in the HVAC High-Efficiency Residential Equipment category of the 2016 Dealer Design Awards.

Weil-McLain’s Evergreen® boiler offers many features that make it a favorite: 95 percent AFUE performance, a 10:1 turndown, control logic customization, and more. And the 2016 Dealer Design Awards judges agreed, naming it the gold winner in the contest’s HVAC Light Commercial category.

Fluke Corp.’s 902 FC True-RMS HVAC Clamp Meter is winner of the gold award in the 2016 DDA Testing & Monitoring Products category. The product is a wireless Fluke Connect-enabled meter that can document measurements, email results to customers, and collaborate with colleagues in real time directly from the job site. 

Mastercool Inc. invested more than 10 years of research and design into the Refrigeration Flaring and Swaging Tool, and that attention to detail helped the product bring home the gold in the Electronic and Hand Tools category of the 2016 Dealer Design Awards.

Advancements in technology have extended the life cycle of virtually every product in the industry while at the same time are creating a need to replace equipment more frequently in order to take advantage of the most efficient offerings in the marketplace.

The NEWS’ Trainers Panel consists of some of the best HVAC educators, instructors, and trainers from across North America. Their insights will be used to answer technical questions from the field and suggest solutions to everyday problems faced by technicians. 

With flat rate pricing, customers know the price of everything before making a purchase, thus eliminating labor and material cost calculations.