Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News articles from May 2006

Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News archives from May 2006

IIAR advocates ammonia in China.(REFRIGERATION ZONE: expo update)
May 1, 2006... RENO, Nev. -- The presence of seven representatives of the China refrigeration industry at the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) Conference was emblematic of IIAR's "continuing efforts toward advocating ammonia...

Challenges discussed at 2006 three-day instructor workshop: contractors and teachers come together.(training & education)
May 1, 2006... LANSDOWNE, Va. -- The 2006 HVACR and Plumbing Instructor Workshop was a big success as 270-plus teachers attended sessions and discussed topics such as the latest classroom challenges, instructional techniques, and technology updates. While the...

It's time to get serious about energy efficiency.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... Thank you for the article about Home Performance with Energy Star ("Timing Is Hot for Energy Star," Jan. 30, 2006). With rising prices and demand for energy, dependence on foreign fuel, and a growing need to help protect the environment, there...

To match or not to match.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... It was refreshing to see some practical and sensible comments from contractors about the 13 SEER condenser-10 SEER indoor coil issue ("Facing the Mismatch Problem," April 10). No doubt, some operating problems will likely occur with fixed...

The ABCs of DMMs.(EXTRA EDITION)
May 1, 2006... The ABCs of DMMs: What exactly is a digital multimeter (DMM) and what can you do with it? How do you make measurements safely? What features do you need? What is the easiest way to get the most oat of your meter? These and other questions are...

Variable air volume systems.(EXTRA EDITION)
May 1, 2006... Variable Air Volume Systems: This article provides background information and general information on variable air volume (VAV) systems, and discusses improvements in today's VAV systems.

IIAR honors contractor, engineer, manufacturer.(newsline)
May 1, 2006... RENO, Nev. -- A contractor, an engineer, and a manufacturer were accorded top honors at the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration Conference. An honorary life membership was presented to Hank Saye of Republic Refrigeration...

Hiring, training, and retention.(newsline)
May 1, 2006... LAKE LANIER, Ga. -- The Innovative Thinking Conference, sponsored by BNP Media, is scheduled for June 12-13 at the Emerald Pointe Resort near Atlanta. Sixteen industry experts will present sessions or panels geared for contractors, wholesalers,...

Honoring 2005 Gold Supplier.(newsline)
May 1, 2006... TECUMSEH, Mich. -- Scotsman Ice Systems recognized Tecumseh Compressor Group as a 2005 Gold Supplier. The Gold Supplier Award honors suppliers who have exceeded Scotsman's quality, delivery, inventory management, and cost containment...

HVAC television campaign begins.(newsline)
May 1, 2006... DALLAS -- Service Experts Inc. has launched its first series of television commercials. The new television campaign is an extension of a print campaign run by advertising agency Calise and Sedei. It identifies the five standards of excellence...

SPX Cooling Technologies.(Price Increases)
May 1, 2006... SPX Cooling Technologies (Overland Park, Kan.) increased prices 3 percent on all Marley-brand cooling products and options. It also increased prices 8 percent on all Recold-branded industrial and refrigeration products, both effective...

Frick, A Johnson Controls Co.(Price Increases)
May 1, 2006... Frick, A Johnson Controls Co. (Waynesboro, Pa.), increased prices 3 percent to 5 percent on Airside Equipment sold under the Frick[R], Imeco[R], and Frigid Coil[R] brand names, including evaporators, condensers, and fluid coolers.

Environmental Technologies Inc.(Price Increases)
May 1, 2006... Environmental Technologies Inc. (Largo, Fla.) will increase prices 4 percent on all products, effective July 1.

Hunton Trane.(Manufacturers)
May 1, 2006... Hunton Trane (Houston) named Richard Hunton Jr. as general manager and CO0. R.O. Hunton will remain chairman and CEO.

Ember Corp.(Manufacturers)
May 1, 2006... Ember Corp. (Boston) hired Nick Finamore as executive vice president of sales and marketing and Charlie D'Ambrosio as CFO.

United Electric Controls Co.(Manufacturers)
May 1, 2006... United Electric Controls Co. (Watertown, Mass.) celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Ferguson Heating & Cooling.(Distributor)
May 1, 2006... Ferguson Heating & Cooling (Raleigh, N.C.) will cover the cost of all HVAC Excellence Technician Certifications administered at its trade show on May 18.

Quest Technologies Inc.(Supplier)
May 1, 2006... Quest Technologies Inc.'s (Oconomowoc, Wis.) Heidi Tunak was selected as the Employee Stock Ownership Plan Employee of the Year.

LonMark International.(Supplier)
May 1, 2006... LonMark International (Frankfurt, Germany) appointed Ron Bernstein as executive director.

Equiguard.(Services)
May 1, 2006... Equiguard (Oakbrook, III.) hired Jeff Evans as vice president of sales and marketing for North America.

Aerotech P&K's Miami, San Francisco, and Tampa, Fla., locations were awarded approval.(Services)
May 1, 2006... Aerotech P&K's Miami, San Francisco, and Tampa, Fla., locations were awarded approval by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA).

Air conditioning unit.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES.)
May 1, 2006... The 23 SEER split system air conditioning unit offers home comfort through improved air quality, even temperature distribution, and reduced noise levels. Developed by Nordyne and Panasonic, the 23 SEER unit with iQ Drive[TM] utilizes inverter...

Modulating gas furnace.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES.)
May 1, 2006... The Affinity[TM] modulating gas furnace offers an efficiency of 95 percent AFUE. The furnace features a fully modulating gas valve. By varying, or modulating, the gas input and the circulating airflow to closely match the amount of heat needed...

Product catalog.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES.)
May 1, 2006... The company's 2006 product catalog is now available. It offers information on products, a wide selection of equipment from a variety of vendors, updated pricing, and a detailed explanation of the company's finance program. The catalog also...

Fabric duct system diffuser.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES.)
May 1, 2006... The SG high-throw diffuser is designed for air-permeable fabric duct systems in high ceiling applications such as natatoriums, retail stores, office lobbies, and other commercial facilities. The SG2 and SG3 are 2- and 3-inch-diameter, high-tech...

R-134a refrigerant.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES.)
May 1, 2006... A nonflammable, non-ozone depletion HFC refrigerant, R-134a replaces the CFC refrigerant R-12. It can be used in refrigeration and freezer equipment; centrifugal chillers; and semi-hermetic, reciprocating, and screw refrigeration applications,...

Electronic enclosure heater-coolers.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES.)
May 1, 2006... Available in three sizes, the heater-cooler can fit into small- to medium-sized electrical and electronic enclosures. These are solid-state heat pumps that operate on the Peltier effect. The unit can be used to heat or cool full time. Also,...

Commercial boiler.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES.)
May 1, 2006... The Knight[TM] commercial condensing heating boiler has a fully modulating burner with a 5:1 turndown and a cascading feature that allows multiple boilers to be controlled by one central boiler. It features the Smart System[TM] operating...

Kitchen hood.(what's new: PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP CONTRACTORS IN THEIR BUSINESSES.)
May 1, 2006... The radius corner kitchen hood features rounded corners for a softer, more elegant and aesthetically pleasing custom look ideal for display cooking applications, states the manufacturer. The double shell hood is manufactured of 304 stainless...

Chiller technology fits varying needs of customers.(FOCUS: CHILLER PRODUCTS AND SYSTEMS)
May 1, 2006... Chiller technology continues to reflect customer needs. Consider two recent projects involving Carrier. In one, a water-cooled screw chiller running on R134a was installed in a downtown office building renovation. In the other, an air-cooled...

Reactions of chiller maintain efficiency: variable speed technology offered for users.(FOCUS: CHILLER PRODUCTS AND SYSTEMS)
May 1, 2006... Printing plant presses need inks delivered--often several colors or varieties at a time--at precisely controlled temperatures to maintain efficiency and yield a quality product. Those temperatures, often in multiple operations in the same...

Report looks at worldwide use of chiller technology.(FOCUS: CHILLER PRODUCTS AND SYSTEMS)
May 1, 2006... A recent issue of the Japan Air Conditioning Journal (JARN) has given those in the HVACR industry a feel for worldwide use of chiller technology and what types of chillers are being used. Statistics come from 2004 and were first published in...

Manufacturers, organizations show ties to ammonia industry at IIAR Expo.(International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration Conference)(Conference notes)
May 1, 2006... RENO, Nev. -- Manufacturers, educational institutions, and associations with close ties to the ammonia refrigeration industry had the chance to show their wares and talk shop with close to 1,000 attendees during extended exhibit hours at the...

Oil safety controllers and their circuits.
May 1, 2006... Oil safety controllers often come in two types: bellows (mechanical) and transducer (electronic). Remember, net oil pressure (NOP), sometimes referred to as useful oil pressure, is the difference between the oil pump discharge pressure and the...

Low-pressure controls, refrigerant blends.(REFRIGERATION ZONE: ice breaker)
May 1, 2006... Low-pressure controls are used on many medium-temperature refrigeration systems to control case temperature. In order for this type of control to work properly, both its cut-in and differential pressure settings must be set correctly. The...

The 91-year-old 'startup' company.(company profile)(Henry Technologies Inc.)(Editorial)(Company overview)
May 1, 2006... BELOIT, Wis. -- In 1914, Guy Henry started a company that eventually became known as Henry Technologies and throughout its history has had a reputation for the manufacturing of quality components for commercial and industrial applications. ...

New chillers, controls make the grade.(REFRIGERATION ZONE: field solutions: CASE STUDIES IN ACTION)
May 1, 2006... Waterloo Community Schools in Iowa has an enrollment of approximately 10,000 students and encompasses 13 elementary schools, four middle schools, and three high schools. Waterloo's school buildings range in age from two to nearly 90 years. Many...

Taking it to the net: online business increases odds of success.(hvac web page should be useful and user friendly)
May 1, 2006... This is the Information Age, and Internet surfing is an increasingly popular trend. According to the Harris Poll, more than two-thirds of all U.S. adults use the Internet. The Chicago Tribune cited three major companies that measure Internet...

Consolidation is back.(opinions: VIEWS AND INSIGHTS FROM THE EDITORIAL STAFF AND GUEST COLUMNISTS)
May 1, 2006... The mid-1990s brought a tidal wave of excitement to the industry with big names such as Service Experts, GroupMac, American Residential Services (ARS), and a Johnny-come-lately or two. The big names paid amazing multiples of earnings for primo...

The curse of Frozen Fritz.(can Frozen Fritz be Refrigerated for preservation)
May 1, 2006... We know that the purpose of refrigeration is to keep a product that needs refrigeration as fresh and usable for as long as possible. But do we really expect refrigeration to do the job for 5,300 years? In this case, the product is Otzi the...

Frick, a Johnson Controls Co.(Price Increases)
May 8, 2006... Frick, a Johnson Controls Co. (Waynesborg, Pa.) increased prices 5 percent to 10 percent on commercial HVACR products sold in North America under the Imeco[R] and Frigid Coil[R] brand names, effective June 1.

McQuay International.(Price Increases)
May 8, 2006... McQuay International (Minneapolis) increased prices on all of its products 2 percent, effective immediately.

A.O. Smith.(Manufacturers)
May 8, 2006... A.O. Smith (Milwaukee) named Patricia Ackerman vice president and treasurer; Kenneth Maciolek vice president, associate general counsel, and assistant secretary; Jane Sanford vice president of global human resources and organizational...

Lux Products Corp.(Manufacturers)
May 8, 2006... Lux Products Corp. (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) is now offering a three-year limited warranty on its entire line of LuxPro[R] thermostats.

Temco Air Environmental.(Contractor)
May 8, 2006... Temco Air Environmental (Tucson, Ariz.) was awarded the Arizona Small Business Award for customer service. SpiraxSupplier

Spirax Sarco Engineering plc.(Supplier)
May 8, 2006... Spirax Sarco Engineering plc (Blythewood, S.C.) named Mark Vernon divisional director of the board of directors.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI).(Associations)
May 8, 2006... The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the ANSI/AMCA 24006 standard, Laboratory Methods of Testing Positive Pressure Ventilators for Aerodynamic Performance Rating.

International Code Council (ICC).(Associations)
May 8, 2006... International Code Council (ICC) plans to hire a new CEO before the fall. Interested candidates can contact Charles Ingersoll at 202-822-9444.

Not all is serious in CEO panel discussion.(Air Conditioning Contractors of America panel dicussion broke out in laughter)
May 8, 2006... SAN JOSE, Calif. -- It was a question that caught Halsey Cook totally off guard. "Boxers or briefs?" deadpanned The NEWS editor-in-chief Mike Murphy. Of course, members of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), who poured into...

Correction.(Correction notice)
May 8, 2006... For the April 17 Residential Coolign Showcase issue, The NEWS was provided the wrong Carrier technical support phone number. The correct number is 800-CARRIER.

Moonlighting: going behind a contractor's back.(supplementary employment in HVAC industry)
May 8, 2006... Even with termination policies in place, it is rather surprising to find out what some employees will attempt to do--and will do--a a contractor's back. Moonlighting, for the most part, is prohibited most contracting businesses, yet it still...

ARI, Chinese organization discuss anti-counterfeiting.(newsline)
May 8, 2006... ARLINGTON, Va. -- On a recent visit to China, Deborah Hawkins, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) chairman, worked to advance cooperation between ARI and the Chinese air conditioning and refrigeration industry, as well as with...

EPA recognizes EMCOR's role.(Environmental Protection Agency has recognised Emcor's role in sustainable facilities )(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... NORWALK, Conn. -- EMCOR's role in the area of sustainable facilities has recently been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA commended EMCOR Facilities Services (EFS) as the first facilities services company in the...

Siemens to acquire Controlotron.(newsline)
May 8, 2006... ATLANTA -- Siemens Energy & Automation Inc. has signed an asset purchase agreement to acquire the assets and the business of Controlotron Corp., headquartered in Hauppauge, N.Y. The company expects to close the deal in May and did not disclose...

Flexible job descriptions.(EXTRA EDITION)
May 8, 2006... Flexible job description: With a bulleted job description, employees can feel imposed upon whenever you add something new. Consultant Al Levi recommends the use of job manuals to provide greater flexibility.

New YMCA saves big with custom configuration.(REGIONAL REPORT--NORTH CENTRAL)
May 8, 2006... New YMCA Saves Big With Custom Configuration: Heat recovery for pool heating, fabric ductwork for airflow alternatives, HVAC equipment modifications add up to major savings.

Scotsman Ice awards suppliers.(newsline)
May 8, 2006... VERNON HILLS, Ill. -- Scotsman Ice Systems, an ice machine manufacturer, recognized its 2005 Gold and Silver Supplier Award winners. The Supplier Awards honor suppliers who have exceeded Scotsman's quality, delivery, inventory management,...

NATE offers program prizes.(North American Technician Excellence $200 gift certificate giveaway to winning tecnicians )(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... ARLINGTON, Va. -- North American Technician Excellence (NATE) $200 gift certificate giveaway in late March had five winners: Keith Cope of Henry Heating & Cooling, Dover, Ohio; Dan Grantham of Genesee Fuel, Seattle; Allen Ross of Home Comfort...

Platform unveiled.
May 8, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Richards-Zeta (RZ) presented its IP-centric Building Automation System (BAS) integration solutions platform to member partners attending the annual Cisco Partner Summit held recently. The Partner Summit drew between 3,500 and...

Firm begins public trading.(newsline)
May 8, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Buckeye Ventures, an HVAC and plumbing acquisitions firm, announced the completion of a reverse merger that enables the company to trade publicly. Alan Mintz, CEO of Buckeye Ventures, noted that the company's business philosophy...

Room to grow.(Multistack USA new corporate office)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: ROOM TO GROW: Multistack USA relocated its corporate offices and manufacturing from West Salem, Wis., to a newly constructed 70,O00-square-foot facility in Sparta, Wis. The new facility, which sits on a...

Two members campaign for VP in national election.(newsline)
May 8, 2006... Vice presidential candidates Dan Hennessey, Hennessey Plumbing Services, Milford, Conn., and Patrick Wallner, Wallner Plumbing Co. Inc., Redding, Calif., are running in this year's Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors' National Association...

Unsafe attitudes lead to workplace woe.(business management)
May 8, 2006... Self-improvement professionals--from weight-loss experts to exercise gurus to motivational speakers--will tell you that attitude is everything. To make any type of positive change in your life, the change must first begin in your own mind....

New equipment puts a chill on 2006.(cooling showcase: NEW PRODUCTS TO KEEP THIS SUMMER COOL)(Buyers guide)
May 8, 2006... It's time again for the annual Cooling Showcase. For those who are unfamiliar with The NEWS' annual issue, it has traditionally introduced the latest air conditioning units available for the upcoming summer season. The intent is to help...

Ammonia and C[O.sub.2] talk marriage.
May 8, 2006... RENO, Nev. -- Making ammonia (R-717) and C[O.sub.2] (R-744) work together to create industrial refrigeration formed the basis of several technical papers and exhibit booth discussions at the most recent conference and exhibition of the...

The freeze factor.(Klaas Visser )(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... Klaas Visser of KAV Consulting of Kangaroo Flat, Australia, discussed the actual costs of product freezing. "Freezing is an attractive method that preserves more desirable attributes such as nutrition, taste, texture, and shelf life....

An apple a day.(refrigeration requirements for apples)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... The popularity of apples seems to be in direct proportion to the challenge of keeping them in storage but still tasty for as long as 11 months--the time between the prime picking month each fall. A report from Kern Russell of Doubl-Kold of...

A really old plant.(conference update)(Ammonia Partnership AB)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... So what do you do when your government wants you to do a risk assessment on an ammonia refrigeration plant at a facility that is more than 100 years old? That was the challenge faced by Anders Lindborg and his colleagues at Ammonia...

The people factor.(Fort Wayne Foundry Corp talks about Fine-tuning the people machine)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... Successful system operations are more than equipment care and maintenance. It also involves "fine tuning the people machine," said Vern Sanderson of Wagner-Meinert Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind. "Not everyone gives 100 percent every day," he said....

Andy Ammonia.(conference update)
May 8, 2006... At the end of each conference, IIAR gives the Andy Ammonia Award to the papers presented that receive the highest recognition by attendees. The award was first presented at the 1997 IIAR conference held in New Orleans. Of the papers presented...

Breaking the rules: ACCA contractors find the way in San Jose.(acca conference update)
May 8, 2006... SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The year 2005 was one of accomplishments and victories for the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), according to Paul Stalknecht, the association president and CEO. Membership in the independent contractors'...

Know generation differences: communication is key to managing age diversity in today's workplace.(acca conference update)
May 8, 2006... SAN JOSE, Calif. -- It was somewhat of a loaded question. "How many people here have discovered that people in other generations do not seem to think right?" asked Robert Wendover. The inquiry drew loud laughs from the room full of...

Draft of quality installation spec introduced.(acca conference update)
May 8, 2006... SAN JOSE, Calif. -- It's now official. Three members who helped in the creation of Air Conditioning Contractors of America's (ACCA's) new HVAC Quality Installation Specification introduced the draft version of the document at the association's...

Committee discusses health care: topic, Snyder, and roundtable fail to attract ACCA conventioneers to session.(acca conference update)(Discussion)
May 8, 2006... SAN JOSE, Calif. -- If any church in Upper Darby, Pa., ever needs a guest speaker or new preacher, Skip Snyder should be contacted. Whenever the owner of Snyder Company Inc. gets in front of a microphone... well, the contractor knows how to...

Controlling inventory, pushing productivity: contractor reveals his successes dealing with both issues.(acca conference update)
May 8, 2006... SAN JOSE, Calif. -- When 98 percent of all your service calls are successfully completed on the first visit, you must be doing something right. When your company can install a complete heating system, air conditioning unit and coil, air...

Linc Service group 'arrives' in Florida.(meeting update)(Company overview)
May 8, 2006... FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Scott Giacobbe told a gathering of more than 100 franchise owners that they and their organizations had "arrived" as the premier service organization for professional HVAC contractors. Giacobbe, president/CEO of Linc...

Dairy barn keeps contractor moo-ving.(field solutions)(Apollo Heating and Cooling to install heating and cooling system at a dairy property)
May 8, 2006... CINCINNATI -- James Gerdsen estimates his company, Apollo Heating and Cooling, has installed several thousand mini-duct systems over 20 years. However, his company's most recent project was, as he described it, "the most challenging from the...

Contractor's range of refrigeration knowledge is extensive.(industry news)
May 8, 2006... "Refrigeration is refrigeration." It is that basic belief that has caused Carlson & Stewart Refrigeration (CSR) of Marshall, Minn., to embrace installation and service work that ranges from industrial plants of up to several thousand tons using...

Murphy's Law--it was bound to happen.(opinions: VIEWS AND INSIGHTS FROM THE EDITORIAL STAFF AND GUEST COLUMNISTS)
May 8, 2006... My great-great-great red-headed grandfather (bless his whiskey-drinking soul) who lost the family distillery when he hastily threw another gentleman out the top of a barn, haunts me daily. Perhaps the most famous of my forebearer's axioms is:...

The very best way to run a business.(opinions: VIEWS AND INSIGHTS FROM THE EDITORIAL STAFF AND GUEST COLUMNISTS)
May 8, 2006... That's what is called an attention-grabbing headline. I've got you hooked now. I am going to tell you in 700 words or less about the very best way to run a business. Don't think I can? Read on. Like a lot of baby boomers, I am a child of...

Nortek Inc. (Providence, R.I.) acquired Huntair Inc. (Tualatin, Ore.) and CleanPak International LLC.(Manufacturers)
May 15, 2006... Nortek Inc. (Providence, R.I.) acquired Huntair Inc. (Tualatin, Ore.) and CleanPak International LLC (Clackamas, Ore.).

Daikin AC (Americas) Inc.(Manufacturers)
May 15, 2006... Daikin AC (Americas) Inc. (Carrollton, Texas) named Yoshinobu Inoue as president. His primary role will be to grow the ductless and ducted HVAC market in North America.

Ultimate Air.(Manufacturers)
May 15, 2006... Ultimate Air (Athens, Ohio) hired Thomas Yow as its national sales manager.

The Norman Wright Co. (San Francisco), celebrating its 100th anniversary.(Manufacturers)
May 15, 2006... The Norman Wright Co. (San Francisco), celebrating its 100th anniversary, is now representing Williams Comforts Products' (Coltan, Calif.) fan coil and air handler lines in California, Nevada, and Hawaii.