Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News articles from December 2003

Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News archives from December 2003

York International Corp., Unitary Products Group (UPG).(Price Increase)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... York International Corp., Unitary Products Group (UPG) (Lancaster, Pa.), has announced a price increase up to 2 percent on select residential and commercial products. The increase is effective Jan. 1, 2004.

Phoenix Mechanical Inc.(Contractors)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Phoenix Mechanical Inc. (Lansdowne, Pa.) appointed Robert Scanlan as its director of sales and marketing.

Service Excellence Corps (SECorps) (Denver) has welcomed new associates.(Contractors)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Service Excellence Corps (SECorps) (Denver) has welcomed new associates. They are: Hill York Service Corp. (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), ACCO (Glendale, Calif.), ADJ-Huxtable (Kansas City, Kan.), Brewer-Garrett (Cleveland), Entec Services (Peoria,...

Carlisle Coatings and Waterproofing (CCW).(Manufacturers)(John Guthrie promoted)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Carlisle Coatings and Waterproofing (CCW) (Wylie, Texas) has promoted John Guthrie as product manager for Hardcast Hardware and Adhesives.

American Best LLC has relocated its Goettl Air Conditioning manufacturing, contracting operations.(Manufacturers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... American Best LLC has relocated its Goettl Air Conditioning manufacturing, contracting operations, and executive offices to a newly constructed facility in Tempe, Ariz. The new building is scheduled for occupancy in mid-December 2003.

A.O. Smith Corp. (Milwaukee) presented its 2002 A.O. Smith President's Safety Award to Fabricantes de Motores Electricos.(Manufacturers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A.O. Smith Corp. (Milwaukee) presented its 2002 A.O. Smith President's Safety Award to Fabricantes de Motores Electricos, the company's original electric motor assembly plant in Juarez, Mexico.

Big dreams: growing a refrigeration business takes.
December 1, 2003... The contractor-technician who is owner and sole employee of his own refrigeration service contracting company might be battling an uncooperative ice machine and perhaps dreaming grander dreams. That vision could include becoming a much...

HVACR forum.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Online Resource Check out The News' HVACR Forum, our online bulletin board service in our Extra Edition section. Ask questions, exchange information with other HVACR professionals. Visit www.achrnews.com and click on the Extra Edition box....

Mandated by law.(reader Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... [Editor's note: This letter is in response to John R. Hall's column "Act Fast and You Can Buy R-22 Online," Oct. 20.] Remember the phrases "save our earth," "system of checks and balances," and "ignorance is no excuse"? Most of us...

The unsung professional.(reader Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... I have been in the HVACR industry for 16 years and have been reading The News for as many years. The News is both informative and instrumental for anyone in our business. However, I have noticed that articles will profile CEOs,...

Don't be in such a rush.(reader Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... "Fear Factor? Try Being A Technician" [Oct. 20] was an excellent "Our Insights" column. There was someone who luckily saved his foot or ankle after falling off of a 10-foot ladder. Unfortunately, that same thing happened to me, but it had a...

ASHRAE hosts security broadcast.(industry News)(homeland security issues)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... ATLANTA--The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) will present a satellite broadcast on homeland security issues. According to the association, the broadcast will present guidance to reduce the...

Legislative Web link launched.(industry News)(Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors--National Association website)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... FALLS CHURCH, Va.--The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors--National Association (PHCC) has introduced a link to its Web site that allows PHCC members to e-mail members of Congress. The link can be accessed by going to www.phccweb.org and...

ANSI approves SMACNA standard.(industry News)(American National Standards Institute, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... CHANTILLY, Va.--The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association's (SMACNA's) "Round Industrial Duct Construction Standards," second edition, as an ANSI...

CSI reverses MasterFormat revision.(industry News)(Construction Specification Institute )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The Construction Specification Institute (CSI) recently changed a decision it made over divisions within the MasterFormat. CSI had originally decided to reconsolidate former Division 15 specifications under the proposed...

Carrier recognizes Carnegie Mellon University.(industry News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... PITTSBURGH -- Carnegie Mellon University recently received a Carrier Regional Environmental Leadership Award. The award was presented to Carnegie Mellon for the HVAC portion of its recent Henderson House residence hall renovation during the...

Fort Drum to increase energy efficiency: a compendium of energy facts and information.(energy Matters)(Siemens Building Technologies Inc. contracted)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Siemens Building Technologies Inc. has entered into a $2.7 million Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) with Fort Drum in Watertown, N.Y. Under federal mandate, by 2010, U.S. agencies must use 35 percent less energy per square foot in...

DOE bestows awards for saving energy.(energy Matters)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The Department of Energy (DOE) recognized 37 federal employees and organizations with the 2003 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards. Their efforts saved the federal government $62 million in one year. The 2003 winners are from the U.S....

21st Century Report updated at ICR.(Industry News)(International Congress of Refrigeration)
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The 21st Century Report, an ambitious project among those in the industry and government energy agencies, was given an update at the International Congress of Refrigeration. This important meeting was attended by some 750...

Digital panel meter.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... Model PMRH120 is a digital panel meter that monitors both temperature and humidity. According to the company, the temperature range of the unit is -12[degrees] to 140[degrees]F (-24.4[degrees] to 60[degrees]C), with a temperature accuracy of [+...

Self-sealing spiral duct.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... The SPIR Amir[TM] self-sealing spiral duct system allows round duct and fittings to be joined without the use of duct tape or a sealant, the manufacturer states. According to the company, this system results in lower field installation costs....

Power venters.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... The RSIF line of power venters is designed to vent flue gases from boilers and water heaters. Features of the power venters include a variable-speed, high-temperature, Class H TEFC motor; capacities up to 1,000 cfm (0 to 2,000 MBtuh); access...

Materials lift.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... The Superlift[TM] Advantage (SLA) is a compact, heavy-duty lift designed for safety, strength, and rigidity, states the manufacturer. The SLA rolls through standard doorways in the upright position, without removing the load or having to tilt...

Control products catalog.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... Catalog CIC-2003-1 contains information on the company's climate and control products for the refrigeration and air conditioning sectors. Products in the catalog include prefilters, oil devices and strainers, accumulators, receivers, tanks and...

Cordless tools.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... The DW056K-2 18-V cordless impact driver produces 1,170 inch-pounds of torque, more than double the torque of a typical 18-V drill/driver, claims the company. The DW057K-2 18-V cordless impact wrench delivers 1,650 inch pounds of torque. These...

Mobile resource system.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... Pathway[TM] enables companies to verify workers' routes, stops, and work schedules. It is available on Nextel i58sr and i88s telephones with onboard assisted global positioning system (AGPS) capabilities. The system includes...

Product catalog CD.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... This catalog on CD-ROM gives users access to detailed product information for the manufacturer's entire line of water heaters, boilers, pool heaters, and storage tanks. All product literature, submittals, installation and operation manuals,...

Intrinsically safe switch.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... Model ISS-100 intrinsically safe switch is designed for use in industrial operations that cannot afford to be shut down or risk the possibility of explosion or fire at a facility due to unsafe equipment. It has a finger-safe enclosure, which...

Frost, ice detector.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... The ID-500 frost and ice detector can be added to any control system for the initialization and termination of defrost sequences. According to the manufacturer, the unit provides more consistent room temperatures because it defrosts on an...

Refrigerant flusher.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... BOSS[TM] Burn Out System Solution connects quickly to aid with refrigeration burnout, the company states. Product specifications include 1/4-inch male flare fittings, a custom strainer, a three-way isolation valve, a sight glass, and a...

Air filter monitor.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... The Air Filter Alert[TM] monitor reminds homeowners to replace or clean furnace air filters. According to the manufacturer, the device easily attaches to a return air vent. Then an electronic tone sounds either after a programmed number of...

Germicidal radiometer.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... X1-1 radiometer is designed to provide mobile or fixed multichannel ultraviolet measurement capability for HVAC applications designed to kill germs, bacteria, mold, or fungi. It features a high-contrast, four-line LCD with detector ID, enabling...

Humidification program.(what's New)
December 1, 2003... Energy-Calc[TM] is an online program that estimates dollars saved by using gas humidification rather than electric humidification. According to the company, the program gives owners the financial data necessary to determine whether it makes...

Meeting customers' needs.(2003 Top Contractors Refrigeration)(TDIndustries)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... A refrigeration contractor can be a refrigeration contractor--and so much more. Consider TDIndustries of Dallas. Refrigeration is indeed a vital component to the company, and the suppliers on that side of the business include most of the major...

A classic American success story.(2003 Top Contractors Refrigeration)(Kroeschell Inc.)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Kroeschell Inc. is a number of HVACR stories rolled into one. It is a classic American success story of four sons of a German immigrant who went into the boiler and piping business only a few years after the Great Chicago Fire....

Looking at refrigerants' future.(refrigeration zone)(Column)
December 1, 2003... HANNOVER, Germany -- Here's a checklist that should be familiar to North American contractors: [check] Reduce refrigerant emissions. [check] Learn new recovery procedures. [check] Attend training/certification programs. ...

Florida bakery moves away from R-22.(refrigeration zone)
December 1, 2003... If the move away from HCFCs seems to be a bit faster in the bakery sector, there's a good reason for that. That sector came onto the radar screen of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) when there was a question about R-22 leakage. In...

What's in your service truck?(refrigeration zone)
December 1, 2003... It is important that a service truck be well stocked with a full line of replacement parts when servicing and repairing refrigeration systems. However, it is also important that a service truck be stocked with items to assist a technician in...

Air-side diagnostics and service.(refrigeration zone)
December 1, 2003... In system diagnostics, a service technician must realize that A/C system problems fall mainly into two major categories: air-side problems and refrigerant cycle problems. This article will cover problems on the air side of the system. Next...

New twists in supermarket technology.(refrigeration zone)
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Contractors usually encounter familiar fare in the backroom of supermarkets. There are large, direct-expansion rack systems, usually with compressors and components running on R-22 or -404A, or perhaps -507. But a lot of...

The case for installing flexible duct.(Field Solutions)
December 1, 2003... HVAC uses of flexible air duct have grown exponentially over the last two decades, all over North America. Contractors and installers say they like it, and some find it indispensable. It has changed the way architects design residential...

Training track.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... January 12-14 Commercial Service Sales Boot Camp Building Services Institute Dallas 1 603-557-1611 January 13 Beacon II Training Heatcraft Refrigeration Products Miami 1 770-465-5600 January 15 Beacon II Training Heatcraft...

Try the miraculous mold-killing elixir.(our Insights)
December 1, 2003... "We've got something to cure what ails you!" Back in the 1800s and early 1900s, before the Pure Food and Drug Act, traveling salesmen and established pharmacies alike sold miracle elixirs. These "medicines" were said to boost vitality,...

The growing problem of time management.(our Insights)(Column)
December 1, 2003... I was talking with a contractor friend the other day, and we got on the subject of why more contractors don't embrace the Internet and use the tools that are available to them. It didn't take me long to chime in with the reason I find most...

Moneymaking strategies for HVACR service businesses.
December 8, 2003... LAS VEGAS -- The name of the seminar, "Making Millions in the Service Business," was very enticing. By the look of the big crowd in attendance, a lot of contractors were looking for some tips to help them make more money, though not necessarily...

Plain Jane Water.(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Most hydronic systems are filled with ordinary tap water, but this water may not be so ordinary. If you aren't testing the fill water, you could be compromising the system. Find out more in the Service & Maintenance article "'Plain Jane' Water...

Dig deeper on mold.(reader Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
December 8, 2003... The News is a great resource and your team does exceptional work. The reason for this letter is based on just having read the SMACNA article headlined "Politics, Mold Dominate Talk At SMACNA" [Nov. 10]. There is black humor in reading some...

Phasing Out HCFCs.(reader Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
December 8, 2003... I recently read Peter Powell's Nov. 3 article titled "New Refrigerants Demand Focused Training." I found the article informative, but wanted to point out an error in the article. Powell mentions that "OEMs no longer will be able to use HCFCs...

Affordable health care.(reader Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
December 8, 2003... The need for affordable health care for employees of America's small construction firms has never been more pressing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2000 more than half of the approximately 702,000 construction firms in the U.S....

Foundation funds sheet metal projects.(industry News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... CHANTILLY, Va. -- The New Horizons Foundation, a sheet metal industry initiative, has selected three research projects that will focus on the ways sheet metal and HVAC contractors can improve their business operations. Ron Rodgers, chairman of...

ASHRAE explores smoking spaces addendum.(industry News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... ATLANTA -- The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) published an addendum to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62-2001, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, which contains a nonmandatory appendix that...

New standards take effect.(industry News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The Department of Energy's minimum efficiency standards for water-source, water-cooled, and evaporatively cooled commercial air conditioning and heating equipment went into effect on Oct. 29. According to the Air-Conditioning and...

Lennox Industries Inc.(Price Increase)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Lennox Industries Inc. (Dallas) announced a price increase of up to 4 percent on selected residential products effective Jan. 1, 2004.

Coleman[R] Heating and Air Conditioning (Norman, Okla.) was named Vendor of the Year by Johnstone Supply (Portland, Ore).(Manufacturers)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Coleman[R] Heating and Air Conditioning (Norman, Okla.) was named Vendor of the Year by Johnstone Supply (Portland, Ore). The award was presented during Johnstone's annual awards dinner and 50th anniversary celebration held in San Diego.

Glasfloss Industries.(Manufacturers)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Stephen Wilson was named corporate controller for Glasfloss Industries (Dallas).

Advanced Distributor Products (ADP), a division of Lennox International Inc. (Richardson, Texas), has entered into an exclusive three-year North American licensing agreement with Microban (Americas) (Huntersville, N.C.).(Manufacturers)
December 8, 2003... Advanced Distributor Products (ADP), a division of Lennox International Inc. (Richardson, Texas), has entered into an exclusive three-year North American licensing agreement with Microban (Americas) (Huntersville, N.C.). ADP will be the...

Fedders Corp. (Liberty Corner, N.J.) and Jiangsu Xingrong Hi-Tech Company Limited (Changzhour City, China) have formed a joint venture.(Manufacturers)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Fedders Corp. (Liberty Corner, N.J.) and Jiangsu Xingrong Hi-Tech Company Limited (Changzhour City, China) have formed a joint venture to design, produce, and market A/C heat exchangers.

Bry-Air.(Manufacturers)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Bry-Air (Sunbury, Ohio) has hired four regional sales managers for its North American territories. They are: Stan Slabinski (Eastern region), Bill McClure (Southeast region), Ron Will (Midwest region), and John Williams (Western region).

Brooks Air Systems (Jacksonville, Fla.) has become the exclusive distributor for ABB Drives.(Distributors)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Brooks Air Systems (Jacksonville, Fla.) has become the exclusive distributor for ABB Drives (New Berlin, Wis.) commercial HVAC drive products throughout northern Florida.

Air Purchases Inc.(Distributors)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Air Purchases Inc. (Burlington, Mass.) named Christopher Breen as its purchasing manager.

Insco Distributing (Denton, Texas) opened a ProStock store to serve contractors in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.(Distributors)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Insco Distributing (Denton, Texas) opened a ProStock store to serve contractors in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Prostock is the replacement parts division of Rheem Air Conditioning (Fort Smith, Ark.).

Hughes Supply Inc.(Distributors)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... Hughes Supply Inc. (Orlando, Fla.) has appointed Tim Pitre as branch manager of the New Orleans MRO branch.

APR Supply CEO plans to promote NATE.(industry News)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... LEBANON, Pa. -- Randy Tice knows how to keep himself busy. He is the current chairman and CEO for APR Supply, a family-owned business that opened in 1922 and has grown to include 13 branch locations throughout eastern Pennsylvania. Tice is also...

Building standards to cut energy approved.(Energy matters: a compendium of energy facts and information)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... The California Energy Commission adopted updated building standards for energy efficiency in residential and nonresidential construction. The new rules are designed to cut the state's peak energy use by more than 180 megawatts annually....

Marine Corps installs solar power system.(Eenergy matters: a compendium of energy facts and information)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... The U.S. Marine Corps base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., has installed a 1.1-megawatt photovoltaic system. The system will provide approximately 10 percent of the base's electrical needs, and earned a $4.5 million incentive award from the...

For low-cost advertising, hit the street.(Show Update / Comfortech)
December 8, 2003... DALLAS -- What is street marketing? If you ask Lorraine Ball, she'll tell you. "Street marketing is getting things done efficiently--doing things that your competitors don't do," said the owner of Roundpeg, a national business consulting...

Fixing a problem takes more than a band-aid.(Show Update / Comfortech)
December 8, 2003... DALLAS -- It didn't take long for Tom Mooney to grab the attention of his HVAC Comfortech seminar attendees. The sales manager for CCAC Air Conditioning & Heating, Corpus Christi, Texas, believes that "selling is solving problems." Mooney...

UVC air purification system.(what's New)
December 8, 2003... GermBlaster UVC air purification system is designed to destroy bacteria, viruses, mold spores, algae, fungi, and other airborne microorganisms to improve the quality of recirculated indoor air. It also prevents excessive growth of mold and...

Custom hydronic system.(what's New)
December 8, 2003... HydroSkid[TM] is a skid-mounted mechanical package that is built to your specifications. Packages are assembled with the specified controls, pumps, and requirements. The assemblies are fully built at the factory and delivered ready for fast...

Power roof ventilators.(what's New)
December 8, 2003... The CRBA 52-inch spun aluminum downblast power roof ventilators (PRV) are designed for a range of general exhaust applications where medium and high ranges of air volume and pressure are specified, the company says. These units can be used with...

Leak detector.(what's New)
December 8, 2003... The H2000[TM] uses hydrogen as a tracer gas to detect leaks. According to the manufacturer, this industrial leak detection instrument is extremely sensitive to hydrogen gas and can be used to detect leaks that are smaller than a bacterium. It...

Air cleaning brochure.(what's New)
December 8, 2003... The VisionAir[TM] air cleaning system's features and benefits are listed in a four-page brochure. The literature gives descriptions, illustrations, and dimensions for the unit, which is designed for installation in a variety of environments,...

LonWorks/IP server.(what's New)
December 8, 2003... The i.Lon[R] 600 LonWorks/IP server is designed to provide peer-based, M2M communications across any IP connection such as corporate LANs, the Internet, or IP-based WANs. It provides secure, reliable routing among LonWorks-based devices, such...

GPS program.(what's New)
December 8, 2003... GPS TimeTrack v1.2 has enhanced capabilities for dispatching and routing mobile workers. According to the company, dispatchers can find the closest field worker to a jobsite, and detailed driving directions to the next site can be transmitted....

Piping corrosion monitor.(what's New)
December 8, 2003... The CorrView, a tool for monitoring corrosion activity in piping systems, is a self-contained 3/4-, 1- or 1 1/2-inch hex head pipe plug. Threaded directly into any water piping system, it produces a color change from white to fluorescent orange...

Thermohygrometer.(what's New)
December 8, 2003... The Phoenix HMI-41 precision thermohygrometer is designed to spot check relative humidity, temperature, dewpoint, and grains per pound. According to the manufacturer, this unit incorporates sensors that are accurate to within 2 percent and are...

ABCO Trade Show continues to grow.(Show Update / ABCO)
December 8, 2003... FLUSHING, N.Y. -- Ed Kramer has participated in the ABCO Refrigeration Trade Show since it began over 20 years ago. Kramer is the senior accounts manager for DuPont Suva Refrigerants, and he understands why it is important to feature the DuPont...

Futuristic grilles, registers, and diffusers.(Focus: grilles, registers & diffusers)
December 8, 2003... Grilles, registers, and diffusers probably don't get the attention they deserve. Several manufacturers are finding ways to make these products more appealing, and most of all, a more integral part of the HVAC system. Some registers have...

Choosing the right terminal outlet.(Focus: grilles, registers & diffusers)
December 8, 2003... When confronted with the task of choosing terminal outlets (grilles and diffusers) for a supply duct system, the designer has many types from which to choose. Whether the duct system will be exposed or not is one of the things that will dictate...

AMCA launches duct silencer certification program.(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. -- The Air Movement and Control Association International Inc. (AMCA) introduced a new Certified Ratings Program for acoustical duct silencers. The licenses are available under the new program, which officially began...

C[0.sub.2] is keeping supermarkets cool: a Danfoss case study examines a cascade system using C[O.sub.2] and R-404A.(Refrigeration Technology)
December 8, 2003... In two recent articles, the background and attributes of carbon dioxide (C[O.sub.2] R-744) as a refrigerant and its application in cascade systems for industrial refrigeration were discussed. (See "C[O.sub.2] in Refrigeration Applications,"...

QSC members swap success stories.(Convention Update / ISH NA)
December 8, 2003... LAS VEGAS -- One of the most popular segments of any contractor gathering is the session where business owners swap success stories for the benefit of their peers and for a little extra spending money. (The latter comes in handy when Las Vegas...

The role of Contractors in CO education.(Convention Update / ISH NA)
December 8, 2003... LAS VEGAS -- Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a danger that homeowners and business owners face every day in their indoor environments. It is also a subject that HVACR contractors need to know as much about as possible--for their own safety,...

Analyzing Killer Subcontract Clauses.(Convention Update / ISH NA)
December 8, 2003... LAS VEGAS -- Attorney Sam Abdulaziz presented a seminar titled "An Analysis of Killer Subcontract Clauses and Hints for Subcontractors" at ISH North America. He said that troublesome clauses on contracts can be very dangerous for subcontractors...