Fuel Oil News articles from May 2001

Fuel Oil News archives from May 2001

NORA Education Summit explores opportunities.
May 1, 2001... The National Oilheat Research Alliance held its first Education Summit on March 15 at the New England Fuel Institute headquarters in Watertown, Mass. Its purpose was to establish the NORA Education Committee and to start a dialog about problems...

New York tank-replacement tax credit amended.
May 1, 2001... New York Gov. George Pataki has submitted an amendment to the legislation establishing a $500 personal income tax credit for replacement of residential petroleum storage tanks that corrects a technical error in the program. The amendment also...

NJFMA, NAOHSM partner with Lincoln Tech.
May 1, 2001... The Fuel Merchants Assn. of New Jersey and National Assn. of Oil Heating Service Managers have partnered with Lincoln Technical Institute to jointly sponsor a four-week Basic Oil Burner Technician Training Program in June. The program will be...

Barge spills residual oil on Long Island.
May 1, 2001... A barge transporting 48,000 barrels of residual fuel oil from Tosco's terminal in Bayonne, N.J. to NRG Energy's power plant in Montville, Conn. leaked an undetermined amount of its contents into Long Island Sound in March, contaminating about...

Vermont considers its own heating oil reserve.
May 1, 2001... Legislators in Vermont are currently holding hearings on a proposal to create a heating oil reserve within the state. The proposal would be similar to the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve that was formerly established by United States Energy...

New training facilities in Washington state.
May 1, 2001... New training facilities have been completed at Gensco in Seattle that are the culmination of an Oil Heat Institute of Washington goal to utilize the equipment and materials previously housed at OHI facilities. The new facility will provide an...

New Hampshire electric rates cut 10 percent.
May 1, 2001... Public Service of New Hampshire reduced its electric rates to its 430,000 customers by more than 10 percent on May 1, when electricity deregulation took effect in the state. Officials expressed confidence that the lower rates and introduction...

Levi to teach hydronics course.
May 1, 2001... Alan Levi of OSI, Inc. on Long Island, will teach a seminar on advanced hydronics in June at Slant/Fin's training center in Glenvale, N.Y. There will be two sessions consisting of four nights each and they will focus on problem-solving and...

Taco's John Hazen White, Sr. dies.
May 1, 2001... John Hazen White, Sr., who built Taco, Inc., into a leading manufacturer of hydronic pumps and related equipment, passed away on March 28 at the age of 87. He was chairman of Taco at the time of his death, a company originally called the...

What NORA means.
May 1, 2001... Peter Carini of Champion Energy Co. is one of the people responsible for making the National Oilheat Research Alliance a reality. Like everyone else, he's excited about it and he recently sent me his thoughts on what NORA means to him. This is...

Speakers for Canadian symposium named.
May 1, 2001... The Canadian Oil Heat Assn. has assembled a roster of high-quality speakers to appear at its Oilheat 2001 Symposium in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Speakers at the June 8-10 symposium represent various facets of the oil heating industry...

NOTA manuals now available on CDs.
May 1, 2001... The National Old Timers Assn. of the Energy Industry has a number of its manuals now available on CD-ROM in Adobe Acrobat format for viewing on computers. The manuals can be purchased at NOTA's Web site, www.notaei.org. Manuals available are:...

FuelSpot partners with Robertshaw for Internet fuel-tank monitoring.
May 1, 2001... FuelSpot, which provides an independent Internet portal for the transaction of refined petroleum products, has signed an exclusive agreement with Robertshaw Industrial Products of Maryville, Tenn., to provide FuelSpot's retail customers with...

HVAC Controls: Operation & Maintenance published.
May 1, 2001... The Fairmont Press has published HVAC Controls: Operation & Maintenance, Third Edition, by Guy W. Gupton, Jr. Now in it's newly updated third edition, this handbook was written to serve as a complete and concise reference for those engaged in...

Take "A Tour of HVACindustry.com".
May 1, 2001... HVACindustry.com, a service of eForay Corp., announces the availability of a new instructional video, "A Tour of HVACindustry.com' This 5 1/2-minute, VHS-format presentation, which will also be available in CD-ROM and DVD, takes the viewer on a...

TRC recovers mercury from used thermostats.
May 1, 2001... The Thermostat Recycling Corp. has recovered 656 pounds of mercury from almost 75,000 used mercury-switch thermostats since it began operation in January 1998. The TRC began operations in nine states (Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan,...

ASHRAE updates Standard 90.1's HVAC section.
May 1, 2001... Addenda revising the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning section of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1999, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, have been approved for publication. In total, 16 addenda, which...

Peerless announces Colors of Heat training seminar dates/locations.
May 1, 2001... Peerless Heater Co. has announced the dates and locations of the 2001 Colors of Heat training seminars. All locations will feature both a morning and an afternoon seminar, each with a different topic. New this year is the Modular Boiler Systems...

Fuel Price Index 05/01.
May 1, 2001... Fuel Price Index 05/01 CURRENT CHNG FROM CHNG FROM PRICE LAST MONTH LAST YEAR CASH/SPOT PRICES UNLEADED GASOLINE .8590 +.0825 +.0226...

Steam trap basics.
May 1, 2001... They perform a variety of functions in a heating system Give up on the psychic hotlines and don't even consider an exorcist for solving your steam trap problems. There is a much more reliable way. Just understand how a steam trap works....

Cutting service costs.
May 1, 2001... Cost reduction is vital to survival in this competitive era Before one can embark on any program to cut costs within the service department, it is absolutely essential for all marketers to make an actual breakdown of such operational...

New copper-crimping system from Ridge Tool.
May 1, 2001... The ProPress System is a copper-crimping system designed as a replacement for the traditional sweat method of connecting copper tube. The system consists of an electro-hydraulic tool with interchangeable jaws that crimp 1/2- to two-inch...

Oil and water absorption pads.
May 1, 2001... Howard Industries markets universal pads that are used to absorb oil and water. They can be reused without shredding. They are packaged 100 per bundle.

Sears Tool Book has 11,000 items.
May 1, 2001... Sears Industrial Sales has a new Industrial Tool Book listing more than 11,000 products, many of which are new. The 500-page book, which is also available electronically, supplements the Craftsman line with more than 150 other premium...

Commercial van equipment line.
May 1, 2001... Adrian Steel has issued a new catalog on its commercial van equipment. The Adrian Steel line features a three-year/36,000-mile product warranty, said to be the best in the industry for van and pickup equipment. Among the new items is a new...

Natural-gas detector from Bacharach.
May 1, 2001... The Gas Pup offers natural-gas detection with built-in pressure sensing. Sensitive and compact, the unit reportedly does the job of two monitors in one compact, easy-to-use package. It sniffs out combustible gases such as natural gas or propane...

Reading Aerotech panel body.
May 1, 2001... Reading Body Works has introduced the Aerotech panel body, a counterpart to the Aerotech service body. It is completely constructed of steel and features die-formed side and end panels and concealed compartment door hinges, adding to the...

Switch Guard prevents accidental activation.
May 1, 2001... The Switch Guard from Cole Hersee Co. insures that a switch is secured in a desired position until a deliberate action raises the switch cover. It is designed to prevent accidental actuation of a switch or where an important switch is rarely...

Multigas Detector is easy to use.
May 1, 2001... The Orion Multigas Detector is a four-gas portable detector featuring one-button calibration, rugged construction with excellent resistance to dust and water penetration, and a 16- to 20-hour run time. With an internal pump and charger...

New pipe wrenches from Rothenberger.
May 1, 2001... Rothenberger has introduced a new line of pipe wrenches designed for a variety of applications in HVAC. Wrenches weigh between one and 37 lbs., and are monoblock constructed with forged hook and heel jaws. They feature induction hardened...

New leak detection kit for ductwork.
May 1, 2001... Regin HVAC has a new line of orange-colored smoke emitters for leak detection of all high-, medium- and low-pressure ductwork systems. It can also be used for pipelines, heat exchangers, tanks, etc. An orange color marking pinpoints the exact...

Testo instruments listed in brochure.
May 1, 2001... Testo has a new eight-page, full-color brochure detailing its line of digital, electronic instruments for the HVAC/R and related industries. More than 30 products are described, including the measuring ranges and features of each. More than a...

Utility Rust Preventive for long-range protection.
May 1, 2001... Utility Chemicals has introduced Wonder Guard Rust Preventive. It offers long-term protection against rust and corrosion. This moisture-displacing aerosol applies a non-oily, non-staining, transparent, thin coating that provides up to two years...

Portable air conditioners relieve technicians.
May 1, 2001... Koldwave portable air conditioners provide relief during a/c repairs and installations. Completely self-contained Koldwave Airmaster units roll on heavy-duty casters and are UL-approved for outdoor operation, making them easy to use virtually...

Foaming aerosol coil degreaser.
May 1, 2001... Viper is a non-toxic, non-flammable cleaner designed to replace the highly toxic coil blasters for degreasing condenser and evaporator coils. The aerosol injector produces a rich penetrating foam having excellent vertical hold. The foam will...

E-Z Change Filter Draining System.
May 1, 2001... The E-Z Change Filter Draining System from General Filters is a patented system for preparing fuel oil filter elements for legal disposal, easily and simply. The service technician places the used filter elements in the E-Z Change tray,...

Forged steel striking tools.
May 1, 2001... By using the latest in fiberglass handle technology and more than a century of expertise in steel forging, AmesTrue Temper has developed the Woodings FiberPro series striking tools. The fiberglass handled hammers, sledges, picks and axes are to...

Portable combustion analyzers introduced.
May 1, 2001... TSI has a new line of CA-6200 CA-Calc portable combustion analyzers. They provide real-time analysis of flue gases for optimizing the combustion efficiency of heating systems. All models measure carbon monoxide, oxygen, flue draft pressure and...

Device cleans copper tubing as it cuts.
May 1, 2001... A new tube-cutting attachment that cleans copper tubing while it cuts has been introduced. The device is said to eliminate the need for sand or emery cloths and the extra step of cleaning tubing after it has been cut. Cut-N-Clean attachments...

Compact non-contact infrared thermometers.
May 1, 2001... Wahl Instruments has a new DHS110 Heat Spy series of compact, hand-held, non-contact infrared thermometers. They provide the user with a completely portable, easy to use, cost-effective and accurate means to measure surface temperatures....

DeWalt tool belts for technicians.
May 1, 2001... DeWalt has a new line of tool belts, bags and pouches custom-designed to meet the needs of technicians. The contractor-specific line includes electrician's tool belt, pouch and test kit pouch, technician's pouch, universal drill holster,...

Efficiency analyzer is compact.
May 1, 2001... UEi's C100A efficiency analyzer is a full-featured, compact unit designed for residential and light commercial applications. It comes standard with a 99-slot memory and IR port for use with the optional KMIRP infrared printer. This upgradeable...

Compact 3/8" ratchet from Wright Tool.
May 1, 2001... Wright Tool Co. has introduced a new compact 3/8-inch drive ratchet. Its compact head design enables it to be easily used in tight, hard-to-reach spaces. Its open-head design also enables the user to easily see if the ratchet teeth are dirty or...

Oil heat education.
May 1, 2001... At the last Brookhaven Technology Conference, Bob Hedden presented a paper on oil heat education. With NORA about to become a reality, we thought it would be a good idea to present his ideas on what we can do to improve technical education....

The changing role of the additive industry.
May 1, 2001... The legacy of "snake-oil peddlers" still haunts suppliers The fuel oil additive industry has always been one that has stimulated much controversy among fuel oil dealers. There is no denying that, at one time, many additives were composed of...

New tax break aids commuters.
May 1, 2001... Everyone knows that the amount you spend commuting from your home to your regular place of work is not deducible. Whether you drive your own car, take public transportation or a cab (or whatever) makes no difference. No deduction. But...

Understanding the oil pump -- Part 2.
May 1, 2001... As I said in Part One of this article, most of the defective oil pumps are generally caused from expecting the pump to do more that it was designed to do. For example, bringing oil to several overhead units when the tank is several feet away...

Filtration -- the key to success.
May 1, 2001... As much as we learn about keeping the system running -- the nozzle, the fuel unit, the ignition components and all the systems that must work together -- one of the most important items allows a good supply of quality oil to get to the ignition...

WATTS REWARDS PROGRAM.
May 1, 2001... Watts Regulator Co. has expanded its Rewards program which awards contractors who buy Watts products with points towards a variety of prizes, including travel, electronics, tools, sports equipment and household appliances. Upon enrollment,...

SPACEPAK ON TV.
May 1, 2001... The SpacePak high-velocity central comfort system was selected for installation on a recent segment of "Bob Vila's Home Again" television show. SpacePak is designed for easy installation in homes heared with steam, baseboard hot water, or...