Taking home the golden honors in the Testing and Monitoring category of this year’s Dealer Design Awards is the T6 Electrical Tester from Fluke Corp. The product, first introduced to the marketplace in September 2017, went through years of research before launching.

This product displays the temperature as real images with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels and infrared images with a resolution of 33 x 33 pixels.

Here are a few ideas that contractor can use to prime the marketing pump for this holiday.

In the past few years, the thermostat has become a cutting edge electronic. This creates new opportunities for HVAC contractors.

Thermostats are like other pieces of interactive equipment: People are thrilled by each development but move on quickly when the next feature comes along.

It’s the contractor’s job to ensure consumers understand the functionality of smart thermostats without becoming overwhelmed by the features and data.

With a little ingenuity, HVAC contractors could come out on top in the smart homes market for years to come.

The path to temperature control through smart thermostat technology is more involved than many customers realize.

The smart thermostat market continues to get crowded.

As people spend more time at home due to the lingering effects of the pandemic, the buzzwords that come to mind are comfort and convenience. The influx of smart controls and thermostats can help fulfill these desires.

Internet-connected thermostats are gaining wider acceptance in the marketplace. About 30% of residential thermostats in the U.S. and Canada are connected thermostats.

Smart thermostats offer preventive maintenance options and rebates for customers, but contractors should be sure to get educated — and educate homeowners — on utility rebates like demand-response programs.

Through the new integration, ecobee thermostat owners who also own Generac home standby generators can easily see the status of the generator and remedy potential issues.

Motivated both by rising energy costs and sustainability concerns related to climate change, consumers have grown more desirous of energy-efficient living.

Since HVAC contractors are usually the ones installing the systems, not to mention performing maintenance, when necessary, their opinions on comfort controls are not to be taken lightly

Thermostats have come a long way since the first thermostat hit the market. So, it makes sense that consumers demand more from the technology’s capabilities than ever before.

While government incentives, savings in utility bills, word-of-mouth, and increasing popularity have led to homeowner’s increased awareness of smart thermostats, there is still a lot of room in the market for growth.

Thermostat manufacturers say they have the studies to show that the use of their smart, connected thermostats can help homeowners save on their HVAC-related energy costs.

The unit includes a standard neoprene, vibration-isolated blower and motor for quiet operation.

Ideal for cost-conscious applications that require 100 percent outside air, the new unit from Modine provides first-rate efficiency with a 100 percent thermal efficiency (92 percent sensible), and extends airflow capability to as low as 800CFM to cover far more applications than previously offered.

A lot of refrigerant reclaimers aren’t charging for mixed refrigerants anymore, which may in turn, mean an opportunity for HVAC contractors to make more money.

Many of Fujitsu General America’s Halcyon mini-split system products now qualify for Energy Star Most Efficient certification.

Troubleshooting PSC fan motors is a common task for service technicians, and failures tend to be either electrical or mechanical.

Over time, dirt, dust, pet dander, debris, and more accumulate in air ducts. And since the HVAC system works basically as a whole-home vacuum, all of that is recirculated through homes when the HVAC system runs, unless the ducts are cleaned out.

Just because an HVAC technician installs a system according to current codes and standards, it doesn’t always mean it’s safe.

When it comes to moisture control, sizing the heat pump correctly is the most effective step an HVAC contractor can take.

As the federal government plans millions in grant funding to boost heat-pump manufacturing in the U.S., a big player in the market as well as a newcomer are thrilled with the opportunity.

With the geothermal market enjoying an enormous surge in popularity due to financial incentives and its reputation for sustainability, now is the time for contractors to strike while the iron is hot and add geothermal to their offerings.

We often humidify and dehumidify as part of our work, but let’s take a different look at what happens when we do that.

Selecting a VFD that features remote startup can decrease the number of individuals needed onsite and provide valuable safety benefits.

The buildings of tomorrow are chock full of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and equipment that connect tenants, mechanical systems, and facility managers to up-to-the-minute data and progress reports.

Smart products enable service providers to take a more proactive approach to addressing HVAC system and equipment issues, said Susie Gornick.

Honeywell announced the launch of Honeywell Forge Energy Optimization, a cloud-based, closed-loop, machine learning solution.

RetroFIT+ is the next iteration of the Belimo retrofit program, which offers online resources, including a product-selection tool, as well as personal support to provide quick and easy access to HVAC replacement solutions for actuators, valves, and sensors.

OMG Roofing Products has introduced the PowerGrip Plus roof mount system, a watertight structural attachment system used to secure solar racks, HVAC, and other equipment to roofs covered with thermoplastic (TPO and PVC) membranes.

The two donated Airedale ClassMate packaged units were installed in the football team's fieldhouse at Parry McCluer High School in Buena Vista, Virginia.

Fluke Corp.’s Fluke Connect received the gold award in the Testing & Monitoring category of the 2015 Dealer Design Awards.

This series of IAQ monitors can measure ambient temperature, relative humidity (rh), wet bulb, dew point, differential pressure, barometric pressure, CO₂, CO, O₂, ozone, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, NO, NO₂, SO₂, and H₂S. 

Many new testing and monitoring products were on display last month at the AHR Expo in Orlando, Florida, where manufacturers showcased and demonstrated their newest, smartest products.

Last year was a notable one for Testo Inc. as the test and measurement manufacturing company celebrated its 60th anniversary. However, 2018 promises to be just as momentous as Testo US will reach its 35th anniversary milestone.

This product provides field-selectable current or voltage output that is proportional to the CO concentration of an area.

This product is a leave-behind HVAC analytic device that technicians can install on each unit, regardless of the brand they service.

Badger Meter won Gold in the Testing and Monitoring category for its Dynasonics® TFX-5000 ultrasonic clamp-on meter, which measures volumetric flow and heating/cooling energy rates in clean liquids, as well as those with small amounts of suspended solids or aeration, such as surface water or raw sewage.

Investing in the right tools will save your employees’ time and avoid delaying repairs in the rush of summer.

This brief year-end tool review rounds up a handful of items that might make the work a little easier in 2021.

Posted by Jose Dominguez via Snort-sigs on Oct 22

Posted by Joel Esler via Snort-sigs on Oct 23

With the demand for new homes skyrocketing, more HVAC businesses are opening to meet demand, according to two new reports.

The expected surge in smart thermostat sales will have equipment manufacturers, many of whom have their own proprietary controls, competing with the well-known universal thermostat brands, such as Nest, Honeywell, and ecobee.

Customer comfort is the top sales driver in the HVAC industry, or at least it should be.