Snips articles from February 2009

Snips archives from February 2009

Standing strong: metal roof helps waterfront home withstand Texas hurricane.
February 1, 2009... After Hurricane Ike hit Galveston Sept. 13,2008, it was declared one most destructive Lone Star State Storms of all time. But some houses survived better than others. Paul Gandhi, a Galveston builder, reports that the Met-Tile roof over his...

An economic sandstorm? Wholesalers prepare for uncertainties at desert convention.
February 1, 2009... PHOENIX--As the United States was likely slipping into a recession, the Heating, Air conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International was attempting to prepare its members with some "economic climate control." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Helping hands; Boston charity achieves energy, design goals.
February 1, 2009... Boston's non-profit agency Project Place has a slogan: "Opening doors to opportunity." Started in 1967 as a community outreach for runaway teenagers, the agency has evolved over the last 40 years. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] By 1980,...

Fighting back: combat the slow economy by selling building owners on retrofit metal roofs.
February 1, 2009... It was the spring of 1981 in southern Ohio. I had a small general contracting business that specialized in pre-engineered metal buildings. Interest rates were in the 15 percent range, money for new construction was nonexistent, and I had no...

A safe harbor: Metalcon attracts thousands to Baltimore convention site.
February 1, 2009... BALTIMORE--Metalcon International organizers left Baltimore happy with the way their 16th annual convention went. Close to 7,000 attended the Oct. 1-3 event at the city's convention center, making organizers pleased with the location--a new one...

GPS system helps keep technicians moving.(applications in the field)
February 1, 2009... Ambient Edge operates a large fleet of HVAC trucks in Kingman and Bullhead City, Ariz., and Laughlin, Nev. The company had been using manual processes to dispatch jobs, capture timesheet information, and track mobile worker activities. ...

Statue of Liberty chills with plastic cooling towers.(applications in the field)
February 1, 2009... For more than 100 years, the Statue of Liberty has welcomed visitors to New York Harbor. But standing in the wet, salty environment for over a century left the interior workings of the Statue of Liberty vulnerable to massive corrosion and...

Fitness club's pool dehumidifier saves on energy.(applications in the field)
February 1, 2009... While many fitness clubs avoid the expense of aquatic rooms, Premier Fitness made its 6,000-square-foot aquatic room a showcase in the new 50,000-square-foot Oshawa, Ontario, club in the greater Toronto area. The investment has paid off....

Johnson Controls introduces dealer certification program.(contractor news)
February 1, 2009... Johnson Controls has introduced a new program that it hopes will encourage homeowners to use a York-certified dealer. Officials said the York Certified Comfort Expert program would provide a variety of features and benefits for dealers who...

Fagan Co. named GreenStar contractor.(contractor news)
February 1, 2009... The Fagan Co. in Kansas City, Kan., is the latest contractor to receive recognition as a GreenStar contractor from the MSCA. The designation is exclusive to members of the Mechanical Service Contractors of America. In order to receive the...

Lochinvar enhances VIP program.(contractor news)
February 1, 2009... Lochinvar Corp. has kicked off its annual VIP Contractor Program with new incentives, including more technical training opportunities and new rewards. With each purchase of a Knight, Efficiency Plus or Solution Heating Boiler, the...

International Roofing Expo returns to Las Vegas.(meetings & conventions)
February 1, 2009... Not wanting to mess with a successful formula, the International Roofing Expo will again visit Las Vegas for this month's convention. It's the fourth straight expo show organizers Hanley Wood Exhibitions have held in the nation's No. 1...

ACCA heading to Houston for event.(meetings & conventions)
February 1, 2009... The Air Conditioning Contractors of America is encouraging members to "turn it up" at its 4l st annual meeting. This month's convention, which will take place at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas, marks the...

ASHRAE to host net-zero buildings conference.(meetings & conventions)(American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers)(Brief article)(Conference notes)
February 1, 2009... In an effort to drive the building industry towards net-zero-energy buildings, ASHRAE will host a specialty conference on the topic in San Francisco. "We have reached a time when the building industry is being called to shift to a new...

Industry still getting ready for refrigerant transition, says survey.(wholesaler news)
February 1, 2009... More contractors are ready, trained in and processing quotes with R-410A products, according to a survey from Emerson Climate Technologies. The results come from the company's third contractor and distributor survey designed to measure...

Johnson Controls graduates 18 territory managers.(wholesaler news)
February 1, 2009... Eighteen York territory managers graduated from the Johnson Controls Basic Boot Camp Oct. 19-24 at the company's Unitary Products headquarters in Norman, Okla. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At the conclusion of the six-day program, organizers...

Cold-climate distributors fuel strong sales, says HARDI.(wholesaler news)
February 1, 2009... While HVACR distributor sales were down slightly in October 2008, distributors in colder regions of the country saw positive sales growth. Figures are from the Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International, which...

California.(regional news)
February 1, 2009... A sheet metal contractor in Oroville, Calf., who calls himself the "Sheet Metal Guy," has donated his time and money to install eight bike racks in the downtown area. Previously, the contractor fabricated a sign at Martin Luther King Jr. Park....

Michigan.(regional news)
February 1, 2009... Michigan Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm announced that the Grainger Foundation will donate $100,000 to the state of Michigan's No Worker Left Behind initiative and Michigan Technical Education Centers located near Grainger facilities. The...

Spot-cooling guide.(books, software & lit)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... MovinCool has published a free guide for facility and IT managers and mechanical contractors called "How to Avoid IT Equipment Overheating in Winter: Cooling Server and Telecom Closets in Heated Buildings." The company reports that many...

Grease duct DVD.(books, software & lit)
February 1, 2009... Metal-Fab Inc. has developed a new video that explains the significance of recent new rulings that will change the requirements for alternate materials for one-to two-hour fire-rated grease duct enclosures, and for non-rated listed grease...

Kitchen ventilation catalog.(books, software & lit)
February 1, 2009... This new 64-page catalog highlights the line of makeup air and packaged rooftop units from Accurex. The units are specifically designed to provide ventilation in restaurants and other food service facilities. The brochure details nine different...

Contractor software.(books, software & lit)
February 1, 2009... Maxwell Systems has released its American Contractor 8.0. This version of Maxwell Systems' business management software for contractors features a new user interface and includes enhancements for improved productivity, company officials said....

Roofing Manual.(books, software & lit)
February 1, 2009... The NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep-slope Roof Systems-2009 provides guidelines applicable to asphalt shingle, clay and concrete tile, metal shingle and synthetic component, slate, and wood shake and wood shingle roof systems used in steep-slope...

Fan brochure.(books, software & lit)
February 1, 2009... Continental Fan has published a brochure on its new WEB belt drive panel fans. The fans feature a 16-gauge steel venture with a tubular steel bracing. According to the manufacturer, a long life is assured with permanently lubricated drive shaft...

LEED white paper.(books, software & lit)
February 1, 2009... A new white paper from Onset called "Using Data Loggers to Meet LEED Existing Building Certification Credits" has been published to provide information on how data loggers can help in earning LEED certification for existing buildings. While the...

Damper brochure.(books, software & lit)
February 1, 2009... Greenheck's new 20-page brochure provides an overview of the company's line of smoke and combination fire-smoke dampers. Greenheck's safety dampers feature 3V or airfoil blades and electric or pneumatic actuators. All models are tested in...

Dispatch software.(books, software & lit)
February 1, 2009... Dexter & Chaney has launched the Resource Scheduling module for its Spectrum Construction Software, which enables construction companies to ensure that employees and equipment are available when and where they're needed. The module also...

Metal roofing kit.(new products)
February 1, 2009... Excalibur has developed a metal roofing kit, which includes two cordlesstools to cut and fasten metal roofing. The EM6114 sheet metal cutter is an Australian-designed two-blade cutter. The company claims the tool provides maneuverability and...

Ductwork system.(new products)
February 1, 2009... The Sure Flange Spiral is a clamp or screw-together flanged ductwork system designed to reduce installation costs, according to the manufacturer. The new patent-pending connection is constructed using a precision formed flange and clamp with a...

Gas furnace.(new products)
February 1, 2009... The York 33-inch, variable-speed modulating gas furnace has electronically commutated motors and can achieve up to 98 percent annual fuel utilization efficiency, Johnson Controls said. The company also claims that homeowners can save from $70...

Welder.(new products)
February 1, 2009... Miller Electric has added multi-voltage plugs to its Maxstar 150 TIG/stick welder, which enables the unit to connect to 115- and 230-volt receptacles. Miller also includes a polypropylene X-Case to protect the Maxstar 150 and its accessories...

Ladder Lock.(new products)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... The Ladder Lock is a patented, portable ladder safety device that meets Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards for hands-free climbing and securing a ladder. It is designed to help prevent extension ladder slide-offs,...

Calendar of events.(Calendar)
February 1, 2009... FEBRUARY 3-5 The 2009 International Roofing Expo will come to the Mandalay Bay Convention Convention Center in Las Vegas. Show organizers are predicting that more than 450 exhibiting companies will be displaying their products,...

Wholesalers & Mfr. Reps. directory.(Directory)
February 1, 2009... The following is a paid directory of distributors, wholesalers and manufacturers representatives, listed by state. To have your company included in this list, please call Sally Fraser at 248-244-6240. We urge our readers to contact these...

Schools get short end of the heating duct.(editor's page)
February 1, 2009... High school students already have enough to deal with; do they have to attend classes wearing winter coats? That is what some Lawrence, Mass., students had to do in early January when the heating system at Lawrence High School went on the...