Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News articles from June 2008

Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News archives from June 2008

Hill York.(Contractors)
June 2, 2008... Hill York (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) named Greg Lewis (right) as executive vice president, and Jim Spors as vice president of construction. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Topp Portable Air (Aston, Pa.) opened a new location.(Manufacturers)
June 2, 2008... Topp Portable Air (Aston, Pa.) opened a new location in Charlotte, N.C., and Carrollton, Texas.

York[R] (Norman, Okla.) introduced a two-disc DVD/Windows software training set.(Manufacturers)
June 2, 2008... York[R] (Norman, Okla.) introduced a two-disc DVD/Windows software training set for its air-to-air heat pumps.

Rheem Manufacturing Co.(Manufacturers)
June 2, 2008... Rheem Manufacturing Co. (Randleman, N.C.) appointed Sam Heath as water heating parts product manager, and Jeremy Laymon as its HVAC Southwest district parts manager.

Research Products Corp.(Manufacturers)
June 2, 2008... Research Products Corp. (Madison, Wis.) promoted Dave Reifsteck (right) as national sales manager, and Eric Swanson as vice president of manufacturing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Ruskin (Kansas City, Mo.) is celebrating its 50th anniversary.(Manufacturers)
June 2, 2008... Ruskin (Kansas City, Mo.) is celebrating its 50th anniversary on June 16.

Coleman[R] Heating and Air Conditioning (Norman, Okla.) added the ProficienTECH online learning system.(Manufacturers)
June 2, 2008... Coleman[R] Heating and Air Conditioning (Norman, Okla.) added the ProficienTECH online learning system to its Liberties[TM] program.

The American Filtration & Separations Society (AFS) will hold its fall conference.(Organizations)(Conference news)
June 2, 2008... The American Filtration & Separations Society (AFS) will hold its fall conference Sept. 23-25 in Charlotte, N.C.

The International Code Council (ICC) signed a memorandum of understanding with the buildingSmart Alliance[TM] (Washington).(Organizations)
June 2, 2008... The International Code Council (ICC) signed a memorandum of understanding with the buildingSmart Alliance[RM] (Washington), affirming support for its core principles.

Industry seeks to ease HFC regs.(FOCUS: REFRIGERATION COILS & CONDENSING UNITS)(hydrochlorofluorocarbons)
June 2, 2008... WASHINGTON -- The HVACR industry is on the offensive to keep HFCs in the pipeline as political pressure increases to include such refrigerants in a basket of global warming gases and subject them to extensive regulation and potential phaseout....

Radon: test, remediate, or leave alone?(industry news)
June 2, 2008... The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently published some facts about the damaging effects of radon gas in U.S. homes. The EPA wrote: * Breathing home indoor radon causes nearly 100 times more deaths each year than carbon monoxide...

Correction.(Correction notice)
June 2, 2008... In the April 28 issue on page seven, The NEWS reported a 5 to 17 percent price increase on select White-Rodgers equipment sold to OEMs. The increase is actually 5 to 7 percent. The NEWS regrets this error.

Balancing your obligations under the ADA.(EXTRA EDITION)
June 2, 2008... Balancing Your Obligations Under the ADA: With more than 65,000 vehicles on the road each day, United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) thought it was doing the right thing when it implemented a policy requiring applicants for driver positions to meet...

Who owns the extended warranty you're selling?(letters)(Letter to the editor)
June 2, 2008... Maybe this is a rant, but I must say it. Who actually owns the extended warranty that we all offer to our customers? That question came up after my company made its first acquisition of a local dealer. My company has been a major equipment...

Switched from R-22 yet? Are you kidding me?(letters)(Letter to the editor)
June 2, 2008... I had to laugh at the comical overemphasis on the transition to R-410 that was on the March 31 issue cover page. The HVAC manufacturers must think that most HVAC company people are a bunch of morons. They are paying The NEWS to run all these...

Project files: condominiums.(the NEWS)
June 2, 2008... COMPANY: Cincinnati's Commercial HVAC, Cincinnat INSTALLATION: Multiple Taco pumps, air/dirt separator, and heat exchanger COMPLETION: Completed "... each unit responds only to the heating or cooling load of the individual zone it...

Associations' D.C. 'fly-in' rated a success.(newsline)
June 2, 2008... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) partnered with the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors--National Association (PHCC) and...

Emerson makes appointments.(newsline)
June 2, 2008... SIDNEY, Ohio -- Thomas Bettcher, president and CEO of Emerson Climate Technologies, announced a number of key leadership changes to take place over the next few months. Edgar M. Purvis Jr., has been named executive vice president of Emerson and...

HVI and HHI partner.(newsline)
June 2, 2008... WAUCONDA, III. -- The Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) and the Healthy House Institute (HHI) have formed a new partnership with the goal of clearly imparting an understanding of the principles of residential ventilation and an awareness of the...

Chinese trade show a success.(newsline)
June 2, 2008... BEIJING -- The 8th China International Heating, Ventilation and Air-conditioning Exposition (CIHE & HVAC 2008), held at the Beijing Exhibition Center in Beijing, was the first session after the integration of CIHE and HVAC China. The event...

Seasonal demand ups shipments.(newsline)
June 2, 2008... ARLINGTON, Va. -- Shipments of central air conditioners and heat pumps for March jumped 75 percent, as compared to February, according to the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). Combined U.S. factory shipments of...

Clockwork gains growth funding.(newsline)
June 2, 2008... SARASOTA, Fla. -- Clockwork Home Services Inc. has secured a total of $120 million in financing from Prudential Capital Partners L.P. II, Wachovia Bank N.A., and Prudential Capital Group. The company used proceeds from this transaction...

Nordyne names road show dates.(newsline)
June 2, 2008... ST. LOUIS -- HVAC distributors and contractors around New Orleans, Dallas, and Houston will now be able to participate in the Nordyne Regional Road Show this fall as the company has released dates for an October leg of its regional road show...

Heat pump control.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Ultra-Fuels Model JDI-VII is a heat pump control designed for any heat pump application, which includes total electric and dual-fuel, single-stage applications. According to the manufacturer, it performs the same...

Condensate pump.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The MiniBlue condensate pump, a part of the Blue Diamond family, has a temperature-sensing option along with the flexibility of being universal for inverter systems. Operation is handled by hot and cold thermistors...

Handheld particle counter.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The HandiLaz Mini is an ergonomically designed, simple-to-use handheld particle counter that counts particles as small as 0.3 microns. It simultaneously sizes and counts particles in three fixed channels. Particle...

Gas phase filter media.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The odor control filtration media for commercial and institutional applications removes odors and other irritant gaseous contaminants from HVAC system airstreams. The media is made of thermally bonded, 100 percent...

Digital clamp meters.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ACDC-100 and ACDC-100 TRMS digital clamp-ons, fully functional clamp meters with simplified interfaces, are available. Both models feature an easy-to-read, oversized display; auto and manual ranging; and relative...

Gas sensors, monitors.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... A complete line of industrial-quality gas sensors and monitors for refrigerants and other common gases is available. They utilize a range of sensing technologies including electrochemical, semiconductor, and infrared sensors to selectively...

Wireless energy mgmt. system.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CebyC's Energinet Web-based energy management system provides real-time, precise energy consumption data. It tracks energy consumption for government, industrial, commercial, and retail clients, enabling them to...

Mobile workforce management system.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The OmniVision[SM] Metro service offering, Service Fleet Manager, is designed to meet the unique needs of local service-based businesses that are centered in metropolitan areas and have mobile resources. According to...

Electronic cabinet air conditioners.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Profile Guardian Series DP33, DP43, and DP47 panel-mounted air conditioners are designed to cool the interior of electronic cabinets. With capacities ranging from 5,000 to 9,000 Btuh, the NEMA 4 and NEMA 4X-rated air...

Open-top tool bag.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The OT (open-top) tool bag line compliments the existing line of CT (closed-top) bags. Based on the CT designs, the OT bags feature two large-capacity, top-loading compartments designed to carry hand tools and larger...

Multiposition oil furnace.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... The multiposition OMF098 oil furnace has 70-to 98-MBtuh input ratings and up to 84.3 percent AFUE efficiency. It is equipped with a heavy-gauge stainless steel heat exchanger to transfer heat quickly to the ambient air. It is approved for...

Infrared tube heaters.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The L Series 100,000-Btuh infrared tube heater provides 50 feet of even heat with end-to-end variance of less than 15 percent. According to the manufacturer, the L Series infrared heater's principal advantage is the...

Light commercial packaged equipment.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... The line of light commercial three-phase packaged heat pumps, air conditioners, and gas/electric packs has been converted to ozone-friendly R-410A refrigerant and the efficiency has been increased to 13 SEER. Available in units ranging in size...

Commercial load calculation software.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Right-Suite[TM] Universal software package offers the ability to produce load calculations and designs. It also provides a way to easily switch between the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and...

Coil freezing: what a relief.(FOCUS: REFRIGERATION COILS & CONDENSING UNITS)
June 2, 2008... Water and steam have been used to cool and heat air in finned-tube heat exchange coils almost since the inception of heating and air conditioning. Freezing of the fluid and the resultant coil damage have also been around for the same length of...

Replacing coils vs. entire unit.(FOCUS: REFRIGERATION COILS & CONDENSING UNITS)
June 2, 2008... Do I replace the coils or the entire unit? This is a question faced by unit owners and contractors all too oft en. When a system has been operating correctly and only the coils have failed, when is it justifiable to repair the system versus...

Unit covers high, medium, low.(FOCUS: REFRIGERATION COILS & CONDENSING UNITS)
June 2, 2008... One of the newest additions to the condensing sector is the Copeland[R] Narrow Copevap[R]. It is a condensing unit for high-, medium- and low-temperature refrigeration applications. The new line from Emerson Climate Technology offers a...

Granular coil cleaner.(FOCUS: REFRIGERATION COILS & CONDENSING UNITS)
June 2, 2008... If there is one thing that technicians don't need, it is one more thing to carry in their trucks. At least that's the mindset of many techs as they deal with more refrigerant canisters due to changing regulations, more components in the...

All applications are not the same.(FOCUS: REFRIGERATION COILS & CONDENSING UNITS)
June 2, 2008... When our industry talks about commercial refrigeration systems, many different pictures come to mind. In some instances, residential air conditioning systems are used for walk-in cooler applications. For others, this may mean a large galvanized...

Environmental effort enters 2nd generation.(REFRIGERATION ZONE: field solutions)
June 2, 2008... Wal-Mart Stores new Supercenter in Las Vegas is a second-generation, high-efficiency (HE.2) store designed to use 25 percent less energy than a baseline Supercenter and significantly reduce the carbon footprint by lowering refrigerant charge by...

Diagnosing air conditioning systems.(REFRIGERATION ZONE: the professor)
June 2, 2008... This is the second of three columns on systematic air conditioning troubleshooting and diagnostics. The first appeared in the May 5 issue of The NEWS. The third part will appear in the July 7 issue. This article will deal with modern evaporator...

Condensate drain lines.(REFRIGERATION ZONE: ice breaker)
June 2, 2008... Technicians servicing refrigeration systems need to be knowledgeable in several different trades, one of which is plumbing. Since evaporators typically operate below the dew point temperature of the entering air, water vapor will condense out...

Emerson enters C[O.sub.2] compressor market.(REFRIGERATION ZONE: industry news)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The use of HC-744 (C[O.sub.2]) in compressors has gotten yet another boost with the announcement by Emerson Climate Technologies that it has launched Copeland Scroll[R] compressors designed for use with the...

The digital dilemma: an argument for the use of the digital manifold gauge.(service & maintenance)
June 2, 2008... Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.--Albert Einstein, U.S. (German-born) physicist (1879-1955). If that quote doesn't describe the HVAC industry, I don't know what really does. On average,...

Selling up to sustainability.(opinions: VIEWS AND INSIGHTS FROM THE EDITORIAL STAFF AND GUEST COLUMNISTS)
June 2, 2008... The issue of selling up has always been a controversial one. Some contractors and technicians are happy to tell a customer about the value of upgrading existing equipment or installing a higher-quality new product. Others cringe at the thought...

Skaer-tactics: sign of the times is material price volatility.(editors' blogs)
June 2, 2008... Material shortages and price escalations plague the construction industry. As many as two-thirds of general contractors and subcontractors, which include HVACR contractors, said that shortages and price increases eroded their bottom line,...

Gargaro's world: anyone want Super Bowl tickets?(editors' blogs)
June 2, 2008... While Major League Baseball is in full swing (pun intended) and the NBA Finals are upon us, I want to talk football. More specifically, I want to talk about the Super Bowl. If you have no interest in attending Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa,...

Century Refrigeration.(Price Increase)
June 9, 2008... Century Refrigeration (Pryor, Okla.) increased prices 4.9 percent, effective June 20.

Clockwork Home Services Inc.(Contractors)
June 9, 2008... Clockwork Home Services Inc. (Sarasota, Fla.) acquired Heating and Plumbing Consultants Inc. (Webster, Minn.) and Woods Electric Inc. (Indianapolis).

Bry-Air Inc.(Manufacturers)
June 9, 2008... Bry-Air Inc. (Sunbury, Ohio) hired Bryan Skruck as its applications engineer.

Trane.(Manufacturers)
June 9, 2008... Trane (Tyler, Texas) appointed Gordon Wuthrich as vice president of marketing, Residential Systems.

Ridgid.(Manufacturers)
June 9, 2008... Ridgid (Elyria, Ohio) awarded Gregg Hall (Columbus, Ohio) the grand prize in its 2008 "Press for Success" promotion.

A.O. Smith Corp.(Manufacturers)
June 9, 2008... A.O. Smith Corp. (Milwaukee) earned Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Tier III status from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Greenheck's.(Manufacturers)
June 9, 2008... Greenheck's (Schofield, Wis.) Vektor[TM]-CD was recognized as the industry's first Air Movement & Control Association (AMCA)-certified induced flow fan based on AMCA 260.

Elite Software.(Software)
June 9, 2008... Elite Software (College Station, Texas) hired John Walsh, principal of Training for the Trades (Fort Wright, Ky.), as its national sales manager and trainer. Organizations

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.(Software)
June 9, 2008... The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is co-hosting the Retailer Energy Alliance Supplier Summit (Golden, Colo.).

Associated General Contractors of America.(Software)
June 9, 2008... The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) earned the National Building Museum's 22nd annual Honor Award. --compiled by Angela D. Harris

Changes in training: technology drives learning.(FOCUS TRAINING EDUCATION AND TRENDS)
June 9, 2008... The increasing use of the Internet has changed many aspects of HVAC and refrigeration work--but when it comes to training, is that necessarily a good thing? Old-school thinking would seem to favor more hands-on instruction, but can old school...

Going green deep in the heart of Texas: contractor and city work toward greater efficiency.
June 9, 2008... "I started this business shortly after the energy crunch of the 1970s and thought that dedicating this business to energy efficiency would not only help the environment, but would also be a good career. To an extent, it allows us to...

Green products abound in the HVAC industry: they come in all shapes and sizes.
June 9, 2008... In the last few years, manufacturers have introduced a flurry of green products to the market, that is, products that help the end user save energy, lower emissions, reduce waste, etc. Nowhere does that make more sense than in the HVAC...

One manufacturer's solution to getting paid on time.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
June 9, 2008... That's an excellent article "["Getting Paid Means Getting Tough," April 21] and ever so true. I wonder if there's a regional twist to this. In places like Phoenix, I imagine staying on good terms with your HVAC repairman might seem more...

Inspections, higher quality, and too many dealers.(Letter to the editor)
June 9, 2008... [Editors note: This letter is in response to John R. Hall's blog, "It's a War: Rural Vs. Urban Contractors," April 7]. John R. Hall is so far from the mark in reporting that there is war between rural and urban contractors, it is pathetic....

Nation's first airplane cabin air standard.(newsline)
June 9, 2008... ATLANTA -- The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) addressed air cabin air quality in its new Standard 161-2007, Air Quality Within Commercial Aircraft. The standard, which covers issues such as...

Ferguson closes 75 branches.(newsline)
June 9, 2008... NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Wolseley plc issued its Interim Management Statement for the third quarter announcing the closing of 75 Ferguson branches in the United States, reducing staff by approximately 200 employees. Ferguson is also consolidating...

AMCA Int'l convenes.(newsline)(Air Movement and Control Association)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. -- The Air Movement and Control Association International Inc. (AMCA) convened for its midyear meeting at the newly renovated AMCA headquarters in Arlington Heights, Ill. The meetings were hosted by current AMCA...

System named Landmark.(newsline)
June 9, 2008... MILWAUKEE -- At an event celebrating more than a century of ingenuity and innovation, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) announced its designation of the Johnson Controls Inc. automatic temperature control system as a Historic...

William S. Bodinus.(OBITUARY)
June 9, 2008... LINCOLNWOOD, Ill. -- William S. Bodinus, 99, died May 16 of natural causes in suburban Lincolnwood. He had worked for 45 years with Carrier Corp., where he started as an engineer. He helped bring air conditioning to the mainstream in...

Refrigeration, A/C unit flush.(what's new)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The patent-pending Qwik System Flush[TM] (Qwik-SF) is an HVACR biodegradable refrigeration and air conditioning equipment flush. According to the company, it is nontoxic, nonflammable, and effective for removing...

Vertical split-case pumps.(what's new)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Seven new models have been added to the VSX[R] line of double suction, vertical split-case pumps, increasing the line to a total of 43 models and sizes. The new pump models increase VSX capacities to 28,000 gallons...

Color-change mold test.(what's new)
June 9, 2008... Quick Mold Test is a device that detects black mold and mold contamination in under 60 seconds, says the company. It uses patented biochemistry that allows users to easily perform their own testing for mold and water damage on building...

Stainless steel strainers.(what's new)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Thompson strainers are designed for cooling tower water, chilled water, process cooling, and other applications. The stainless steel strainers are available with a large variety of screen mesh options, ranging from...

Industrial-duty turbine ventilator.(what's new)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GreenRoo, an industrial-duty turbine ventilator, provides 5,000-10,000 cfm of airflow without the use of electricity. It is wind-driven, so there's no electrical installation or operating costs, says the company. The...

Low-profile air curtains.(what's new)
June 9, 2008... The Leading Edge[R] Contemporary and Architectural series of low-profile air curtains create an open-door atmosphere, repelling outside air while maintaining conditioned interior environments and reducing infiltration of exterior air, fumes,...

Duct airflow training kit.(what's new)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Airflow in Ducts PowerPoint Presentation is a CD with eight separate lesson packages that lets the trainer give an effective, easy-to-understand program on duct airflow, says the company. The accompanying binder...

Operating costs are up, energy use is down.(industry news)
June 9, 2008... HOUSTON -- If it feels like you are taking more proactive energy cost reduction steps, but seeing little return on your efforts, take heart. You also might not be seeing increases as high as you would have if you had not taken those steps. ...

Contractor improves speed and accuracy: self-charging technology does all the calculations, measurements.(service & maintenance)
June 9, 2008... PHOENIX -- Magic Touch Mechanical has a lot of credentials, such as being a certified contractor for Southwest Gas, Arizona Power Service, Salt River Project, Honeywell, and Home Depot. According to president Rich Morgan, the company also is a...

The perfect service call: customer service is key.(business management)
June 9, 2008... What's your perfect service call? There are a lot of elements to it. It's more difficult than describing your perfect vacation, or your perfect meal; responses could range from the very elaborate (Duck a l'Orange) to the very simple (PB&J). ...

Rheem boosts training efforts for contractors.(FOCUS: TRAINING & EDUCATION TRENDS)
June 9, 2008... Manufacturers are stepping up to the plate to help train and educate contractors, as well as their employees. For instance, Rheem Heating and Cooling recently introduced its HVAC Training Opportunities Catalog, designed specifically for...

Clockwork University developed to improve its HVAC franchisees.
June 9, 2008... Clockwork Home Services has a hit with its franchise members: Clockwork University. Since it developed its central spot for learning on the Internet, members have been flocking to sign up for what it has to offer. "We have signed up over...

Former tech personifies people side of business.(my two cents)
June 9, 2008... I couldn't help but respond to John R. Hall's article (The NEWS, April 7, 2008) concerning the oldest service technician. Unfortunately, the article came a couple of years too late for the man that I think deserves a lot of credit for being a...

Making a case for underfloor air distribution systems.(installation)
June 9, 2008... ST. LOUIS -- For many solid reasons, underfloor air distribution (UAD) systems are gaining popularity. In 1995, less than 3 percent of new office buildings had raised floors, with UAD being a fringe element. By 1995, 8 percent of new offices...