Snips articles from September 2008

Snips archives from September 2008

Following the 'pattern': completing the process of making tapered gores.(Gores)
September 1, 2008... Last month, in Part I, it was explained how to start to develop the equal-tapering elbow with a center radius. The article went as far as completing the profile/elevation view that you will use to develop the actual patterns of each of the five...

Bright ideas: what HVAC techs should look for in a flashlight.(Lights)
September 1, 2008... Whether for servicing equipment, running conduit or installing new appliances, flashlights are essential tools for any HVAC professional. While most technicians may think one model is pretty much the same as another, the truth is that...

Panicking over petrol prices: record fuel costs alter the way contractors do business.
September 1, 2008... Smaller vehicles, onboard tracking devices and higher labor rates are just a few of the ways HVAC and sheet metal contractors are grappling with the price of gasoline, which seems to hit a new record daily. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The...

Government Web site suggests ways to save.(Gasoline)
September 1, 2008... Besides driving a smaller car or truck, there are a lot of ways to save on fuel, some of which you may not know. At www.fueleconomy.gov, the U.S. Department of Energy gives visitors tips on choosing an energy-efficient vehicle and ways to...

Moving out: ways to manage your business' freight costs.(Freight)
September 1, 2008... Today most small- to midsize HVAC and sheet metal companies have limited access to carrier price information when trying to determine the least costly carrier for each shipment. Creating a formal transportation management system in years past...

Estimating software helps mechanical contractor grow.(applications in the field)
September 1, 2008... Northern Air Corp. in Vadnais Heights, Minn., has come a long way in the past 16 years. Today, with 120 employees and $40 million in annual revenue, the company has become one of the largest mechanical and electrical contractors in the...

Library project uses new hanging system.(applications in the field)
September 1, 2008... A contractor in New York had the chance to use a new bracket system from Duro Dyne when it tackled a library project in Elmont, N.Y. The new KV Brackets were recently installed in the New York Elmont Library as it was being renovated into...

New software expands contractor's productivity.(applications in the field)
September 1, 2008... Portland, Ore.-based Hunter-Davisson is an award-winning mechanical contractor specializing in green building installation and design. In fact, the company achieved a gold-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design designation for...

SolidWorks donates software, scholarships to FMA students.(association news)
September 1, 2008... SolidWorks Corp. partnered with the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Foundation to support summer manufacturing "camps" and student scholarships that promote careers in manufacturing. More than 1 million students in more than 15,000...

ACCA opens West Coast office.(association news)
September 1, 2008... With California moving ahead on a number of energy and building code initiatives, the Air Conditioning Contractors of America said it would open a West Coast office in Sacramento. This marks the first regional office in the national...

Green Mechanical Council joins performance caucus.(association news)
September 1, 2008... The Green Mechanical Council announced that is has joined the High-Performance Buildings Caucus Coalition. The caucus is a private-sector coalition providing guidance and support to Congress' High-Performance Buildings Caucus. The...

AHRI to work with industry in India.(association news)(Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute)(Indian Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers)
September 1, 2008... The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute said it will share its equipment and component performance standards with the Indian Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers. The two organizations signed...

Luxaire starts seasonal promotion.(supplier news)
September 1, 2008... Consumers who purchase certain Luxaire HVAC equipment this fall could receive up to $1,500 in rebates or free extended warranties. Rebates start at $50 and go up to $1,500 for an 18 seasonal energy-efficiency rating air conditioner or heat...

Klein Tools awards Dodge Ram pickup truck.(supplier news)
September 1, 2008... Eric Jena of Atco, N.J., was the grand-prize winner of a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi pickup truck thanks to Klein Tools. The prize was part of the Great Klein Tools 150th Anniversary Extravaganza promotion. "At first I was in disbelief...

Johnson Controls selects College for training program.(supplier news)
September 1, 2008... Johnson Controls Inc. has teamed up with DeKalb Technical College in Clarkston, Ga., to attract and groom the next generation of HVAC service technicians through the CareerConnect program. Under this national program, Johnson Controls...

Construction outlook mixed, says FMI.(contractor news)
September 1, 2008... The construction market may take a slight dip in 2008 due to a downturn in nonresidential construction, according to FMI. The management consultants and investment bankers to the building and construction industries recently announced its...

Lochinvar takes VIP contractors to Nashville.(contractor news)
September 1, 2008... Twelve participants in Lohnivar's VIP Contractor Program were rewarded with an all-expenses-paid trip to Tennessee for the third annual Nashville Experience. As a sign of appreciation for the winners' outstanding sales of the Knight...

ARS/Rescue Rooter purchases Goettl.(contractor news)
September 1, 2008... ARS/Rescue Rooter has purchased Tempe, Ariz.-based Goettl Air Conditioning through its parent company, American Residential Services LLC. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

New online site offers elbows, fittings.(internet news)(American Conduit Clamps & Fittings )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... American Conduit Clamps & Fittings is offering an online shopping site to order elbows. The site can be found by visiting www.americanconduitclampsandfittings.com. Underwriters Laboratories listed-, standard- and special-radius elbows are...

Venture Tape site adds new features.(internet news)
September 1, 2008... The Venture Tape Web site has two new sections: "Featured Products" and "View Our Data Sheets." The featured products section enables customers and employees to see new products and applications, while the data sheets section takes...

Clear Seas Research offers construction industry forum.(internet news)
September 1, 2008... Clear Seas Research has developed Building Materials Talk, an online research panel community for members of the construction industry. Clear Seas Research is the research division of BNP Media, parent company of SNIPS magazine. The...

NRCA offers 'Roofing 101' course online.(internet news)
September 1, 2008... The National Roofing Contractors Association has introduced its first interactive online educational program, Roofing 101. Roofing 101 features animation, graphics, videos and interactive learning activities to address basic roofing...

WaterFurnace holds 25th annual meeting.(WaterFurnace International )
September 1, 2008... More than 300 WaterFurnace International dealers, distributors and employees from around the country gathered April 17 and 18 in Indianapolis for the company's 25th national sales meeting. "Our annual sales meetings offer a great...

NEBB announces 2008 educational conference details.(National Environmental Balancing Bureau)(Conference news)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... The National Environmental Balancing Bureau has announced the speakers and presentations for its 2008 annual meeting and educational conference. The conference is set for Oct. 30-Nov. 2 at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson,...

RIMA offering special program at Metalcon.
September 1, 2008... The Reflective Insulation Manufacturers Association International will present "Use of Reflective Technology in Metal Buildings" Oct. 2 at the Metalcon show in Baltimore. The seminar will discuss the thermal performance of reflective...

Student welding competition comes to Fabtech.(American Welding Society )(welding skills competition)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Students will have their welding skills tested during the 2008 Fabtech International, when the American Welding Society will hold its Skills Competition Weld-Off. Six finalists, selected from 24 student welders that participated in the...

Lenox names new industrial products president.(people in the news)(David Pirkle has been appointed)
September 1, 2008... Power tool manufacturer Lenox named David Pirkle as its new president of industrial products and services. Pirkle will report directly to Bill Burke, group president of tools and hardware for Newell Rubbermaid. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Bad bookkeeping habits can affect your business.(contractor cents)
September 1, 2008... "How do you know that my financial statements aren't accurate?" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] That is a question that I get over and over when I ask contractors for their financial statements. It's actually pretty easy to tell. The first...

The price isn't always right when you run a service company.(mind your business)
September 1, 2008... How much to charge for your services is a major concern for any trade business. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Charge too much and you won't get the job, charge too little and you'll go broke. Then you have to face the facts that every job is...

HARDI officials head to Mexico for trade show.(wholesaler news)
September 1, 2008... In an effort to reach out to wholesalers and distributors in Mexico and Latin America, HARDI announced it would attend the AHR Expo-Mexico Sept. 23-25 in Monterrey. Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International...

Meier Supply launches weight-loss challenge.(wholesaler news)
September 1, 2008... Meier Supply Co. is encouraging company-wide fitness with the Meier Supply eight-week Biggest Loser Competition. The competition is voluntary and is being presented through a partnership with Live Fit Training of Vestal, N.Y. It rewards...

Air conditioner, heat pump shipments down in May.(wholesaler news)
September 1, 2008... AHRI announced that combined U.S. factory shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps for May totaled 631,716, down 14 percent compared with the same month a year ago. The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration...

Manufacturing technology consumption up 17 percent.(wholesaler news)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Manufacturing technology consumption in May totaled $341.21 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association and the Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total was down 16.4 percent from April, but up 2.2...

Arizona.(regional news)(Carrie White won a weekend getaway )(Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Carrie White of New River, Ariz., won a weekend getaway at the Four Seasons Resort in Scottsdale for guessing Phoenix's first 100-degree day. The contest was created by the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association of Arizona....

California.(regional news)
September 1, 2008... Carrier Southern California Sales and Distribution was recognized by Carrier Corp. President Geraud Darnis with a 2007 President's Award for Outstanding Achievement. The sales and distribution business achieved this recognition for...

Georgia.(regional news)
September 1, 2008... The HVAC training program at North Georgia Technical College in Clarkesville, Ga., recently earned accreditation from HVAC Excellence. Thomas M. Tebbe and Coy E. Gibson from HVAC Excellence visited the school June 5 to determine if the...

Illinois.(regional news)
September 1, 2008... The Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Authority of Northern Illinois is taking measures to help its members reduce and prevent safety risks. One of those measures is a collaboration with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health...

Iowa.(regional news)(Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... In the wake of severe flooding in the state of Iowa, the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association of Iowa is encouraging homeowners to use caution. With areas of the state experiencing river levels that are projected to be higher...

Kansas.(regional news)
September 1, 2008... Johnson Controls launched its latest air conditioner and heat pump line June 6 in Wichita, Kan. The line includes the new LX Series of air conditioners and heat pumps and the new 33-inch gas furnaces from Johnson Controls Inc. Already, in...

Minnesota.(regional news)
September 1, 2008... Daikin Industries and McQuay International started construction on a new $50 million global research and development center at McQuay's headquarters in Plymouth, Minn. The new Applied Development Center will support product development,...

Cutting software.(books, software & lit)
September 1, 2008... The new LogiTrace unfolding software from ProMotion Controls makes it easy to cut sheet metal for HVAC piping and ductwork, according to company officials. Operators are provided with immediate and automatic 3-D views, showing how entered data...

Tool catalog.(books, software & lit)
September 1, 2008... Midwest Tool and Cutlery Co. introduced its new 2008 catalog that provides product and application information for its full line of U.S-made aviation snips, tinner snips and HVACR specialty tools. The catalog includes new products in the...

Spot cooler guide.(books, software & lit)
September 1, 2008... MovinCool has published a new free guide for information-technology managers called "Preventing IT Heat Disasters: Backup Air Conditioners for Small to Mid-Size Server Rooms and Network Closets." This new seven-page guide from MovinCool...

Green filter brochure.(books, software & lit)
September 1, 2008... This new brochure from Camfil Farr describes the company's "completely green" five-star, premium air filter performance. Performance is discussed in terms of energy savings, air quality, waste reduction and environmental impact. Also discussed...

Coil card.(books, software & lit)
September 1, 2008... Custom heating and cooling coil manufacturer Precision Coil is offering a "Coil Buddy" coil-sizing card. The card helps to correctly measure tube diameters, steel connection sizes and the number of fins per inch. The sizing card can be ordered...

HVACR basics.(books, software & lit)
September 1, 2008... Delmar has released the first book in its HVACR series as part of a collaboration with the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, the PHCC Educational Foundation, and the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society. HVACR 101 is designed to guide...

Labor survey.(books, software & lit)(Air Conditioning Contractors of America )(Payroll Expense Survey)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... The Air Conditioning Contractors of America has published the "2007 HVAC Labor & Payroll Expense Survey." Starting with demographics, the survey examines service rates, salaries, markets, payroll and more. The publication provides analysis and...

IAQ Guidelines.(books, software & lit)
September 1, 2008... The second edition of SMACNA's IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction is intended as an authoritative source for providing project management guidance in maintaining satisfactory indoor air quality of occupied buildings...

Voltage monitor.(new products)
September 1, 2008... The latest product from ICM Controls is designed to protect single-phase equipment against low- and high-voltage conditions and rapid short cycling. The new ICM492 digital line voltage monitor displays real-time voltage with the ability to...

Plenum fan.(new products)
September 1, 2008... Greenheck has introduced its new model QEM plenum fan, which the company says is ideal for lower pressure supply or return air-handling applications where first cost is critical. The QEM features a 12-bladed airfoil wheel that reduces energy...

Cleaning system.(new products)
September 1, 2008... Vac Systems International has introduced what it calls the "12 headed cleaning monster." The company has launched an improved Super RBS brush and air wash system. Vac Systems said it believes the cleaning tool will help to maximize cleaning...

Weld shaver.(new products)
September 1, 2008... Heck Industries added this new handheld welder to its line of fabricating equipment. The new weld shaver uses standard carbide inserts in a milling cutter to shave weld beads flush to a work piece. It can also be used for cleaning butt welds...

Borescope system.(new products)
September 1, 2008... General Tools & Instruments has introduced a new portable hand-held borescope system, the Model DCS1500. The device uses a flexible fiber optic cable connected to a video screen and camera. This unit enables real-time visual observation,...

Flush injector.(new products)
September 1, 2008... The CF-20 Flush Injector is a re-usable service tool to clean out contaminants such as acid, moisture, carbon and oils from air-conditioning line sets after a compressor burnout and before refrigerant conversions and retrofits. Because the...

Air diffuser.(new products)
September 1, 2008... The new Instant Clean Air Diffuser is designed for use in critical applications, which require 99.99 percent or greater efficiency, but is also ideal for quick upgrades in commercial buildings, schools and more. Officials claim that the...

Calendar of events.(Calendar)
September 1, 2008... SEPTEMBER 16-20 The Refrigeration Service Engineers Society will hold its 71st annual conference in Indianapolis. The slogan for this year's event is "Education: technicians start your engines." The RSES Indianapolis chapter will host...

Wholesalers & Mfr. Reps. directory.(Directory)
September 1, 2008... 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...

Taking medication won't cure these gas pains.(editor's page)
September 1, 2008... Remember the days when a gallon of gasoline was only S2.12? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] That was the national average price the last time SNIPS did a story about how HVAC contractors were handling the "high" cost of fuel. In 2005,...