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I am going to sound like a broken record, but it has to be said over and over and over again until we, as an industry, do something collectively to get more young people into this industry. I’ve been preaching that we need to get a weekly TV show placed on the airwaves that deals with HVACR. There is no better way, in my mind, to catch the eye of this future generation than by the TV screen.

Set yourself apart from everyone who is just simply making a few bucks on a changeout this summer by differentiating. I’m not suggesting just simply differentiating your offering, though it may be part of the solution. Differentiate yourself as a professional. That is really the biggest opportunity you have going for you.

Global warming and the economics of refrigerants. Using urine bags on a jobsite is nonsense.

The good contractors know how to stay busy and keep their workers on a regular full-time schedule. The contractors who are not doing as well are the ones that probably aren’t taking the risks that others are taking, even the lowballers. They are the middle grounders.

Length of hair might split hairs. Taking photographs is forbidden. Destruction, not reclamation. Thanks for the information.

A reason to watch the latest developments in Washington regarding greenhouse gas emissions is concern that HFC refrigerants could one day face greater government regulations or even phaseouts. HFCs are not ozone-depleting gases, but some do have a perceived high global warming potential.

The home page of the Energy Star Program has four key components: products, home improvement, building and plants, and new homes. Nearly every bulleted item under these topics has some HVACR angle. Sadly, not enough HVAC and refrigeration contractors are really working the angles. No other single industry has the potential to impact America’s energy future more than HVACR.

Albuquerque’s new Energy Conservation Code calls for raising HVAC equipment standards on all new and retrofit commercial and residential applications to 15 SEER air conditioning and 90 percent AFUE furnace equipment. While the tree huggers might approve, not so with local wholesalers and contractors.

Why are contractors fussing about switching to R-410A? Spell out what makes a heat exchanger unsafe.

I am encouraged when I read about influential people in the educational field who speak out in defense of the trades. In this case, I’m talking about Cheri Jimeno, president of New Mexico State University-Alamogordo. She recently wrote a very interesting column for Alamogordo Daily News. The headline was “Voc ed not just for ‘bad’ kids.”