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Selling service agreements helps level the peaks and valleys, providing protection for your business. Selling better indoor air quality (IAQ) may be the next way to provide protection for your business.

By moving from an 80 percent to 90 percent efficient furnace, consumers can save an additional 12 percent on their heating bill. These savings increase each time the price of natural gas increases.

There are more tools and test instruments available than could ever fit in one vehicle. Contractors need to evaluate the range of jobs that technicians face on a regular basis, then make some well-informed decisions on what tools and instruments are needed.

Beginning in a couple of weeks, some News readers will see a survey in the mail. The purpose of the survey is to find out what smaller HVAC contractors view as their biggest business challenges.

You've already heard about the not-so-subtle changes you might expect from the move to 13 SEER. Here's another: large indoor air handlers won't fit very nicely in the precious space provided for mechanical systems in most new home construction designs.

Traps QUESTION: From John West Chesterfield, Va. My question involves traps that must be installed for proper oil return when the condenser is much higher than the AHU [air-handling unit].

Small contractors enjoy being their own boss. The fortunate ones are able to pass the business on, but not all offspring follow that path. So, these contractors either close the shop or sell it. This, in my book, is not a failure.

We all know that nothing is certain in life except death, taxes, and greedy lawyers (OK, I made the last one up). We also know that each factor has a definite impact on our businesses - some positive but many negative.

Informal talk on the floor of the 2005 AHR Expo focused on two familiar refrigerants - HCFC-22 and HFC-134a. The two were repeated topics in my informal conversations with manufacturers of equipment and refrigerants, as well as some contractors.

In 2004, we finally put into effect a detailed "Lead Generation Report" form. The results from our first year were very interesting, although not as complete as I would have liked.