“Obviously, energy conservation and energy efficiency are two huge trends in the market.”

With each passing year, rooftop system developers find new ways to improve this staple piece of HVAC commercial equipment.

For many manufacturers, higher efficiency systems have been in the works for a while, but the 2023 DOE standards, pandemic, and current supply chain issues have added pressure.

Daniel Truxillo, the general manager of the Dayton, Ohio, branch of Thomas & Galbraith Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, has a long history of success in the home-services industry and got his start as an HVACR technician nearly two decades ago.

Refrigerant leaks in HVACR equipment – particularly commercial refrigeration systems -- are a significant problem.

Before you can fix a leak, you need to find it. That’s where leak detectors come in.

Since A2L refrigerants are designated as mildly flammable, safety features like refrigerant detection systems (RDSs) are being incorporated into new residential/light commercial ducted split systems that contain more than 4 pounds of A2L refrigerant. Here’s what HVAC technicians need to know about installing those RDS in the field.

Many end users, as well as refrigeration engineers and contractors, attended Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI’s) 2018 Energy & Store Development Conference in Atlanta, looking for advice on how to respond to these trends.

Portable cooling products used to be considered “temporary” solutions, but consumers are now looking to portables to solve more of their residential and commercial needs.

In the latest episode of The NEWSMakers podcast, Kyle Gargaro, editorial director for The ACHR NEWS, talks to Michael Kane, president of UEi Test Instruments.

Don Kuhl, a U.S. Air Force veteran and civil servant, secured the most public votes and won an a/c unit in the giveaway, which honors the sacrifices of local veterans, active-duty service members, and their families.

The transition to A2L refrigerants will offer benefits to the environment, as well as business challenges for HVACR OEMs, distributors, and contractors.

The world is headed into a greener future and Johnson Controls wants to act as a leader in getting there. That will take smarter, more efficient HVAC equipment.

Constellation’s Offsite Renewables Plus (CORe+) retail power product, combined with Johnson Controls’ commitment to renewables, is supporting the development of two new Welcome Solar renewable energy facilities.

Technology is redefining how consumers control their homes. That includes everything from lighting to mood music to heating and air conditioning.

While “smart” tools and tablets are becoming more and more common in an HVAC tech’s toolbox, there are still plenty of things an app just can’t do.

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

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

When homeowners purchase a Nest product, Google will connect the customers to a qualified installer, a “Nest Pro.”

It is hard to find a contractor who does not have a firm opinion on Nest and if the company is good for the HVAC industry.

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.

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.

When considering the multitude of HVAC thermostat options available on the market, who better to decipher the best from the rest than those responsible for their installation and operation?

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

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.

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.

ABC argues the rule could end up hurting legitimate contractors in the building trades, who are already strapped for workers.

AHRI launched an interactive US map showing state codes for A2L refrigerants, alongside a video series on low-GWP refrigerant transition.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church’s community center in the Tempe, Arizona suburb of Guadalupe now has state-of-the-art HVAC thanks to variable refrigerant flow equipment, accessories, and installation labor donations from RectorSeal, Panasonic Air Conditioning Group (a division of Panasonic Corp. of North America), and Woody’s Heating and Air Conditioning.

Access Inc. will be the new manufacturers' representative for Hitachi VRF systems and SmartFlex™ systems in eastern Michigan and Northwest Ohio

As HVACR technology advances, contractors often find themselves navigating new learning curves on a regular basis. VRF is no exception.

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.

HVAC contractors should be prepared to sell geothermal to new customers regardless of any incentives.

Manufacturers and contractors are working to educate end users about the ways heat pumps work differently from traditional heat sources.

The moment for geothermal seemed to have arrived several times since the 1970s. A number of factors are forecasting wider use of this type of heating and cooling solution.

Since President Joe Biden invoked the DPA back in June 2022, HVAC-related energy efficiency incentives and renewable energy technology, have made their way into the spotlight. Many of those who work in the geothermal industry have been “waiting for this day” for decades.

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.

It is 2018, and this is not your father’s rooftop equipment. The old, reliable system taking up space on the roof has become so much more.

Here are two examples of the difference that high-performance building features and high-efficiency HVAC technology can make.

HVAC contractors could invest in all kinds of technology, ranging from tools to management systems, but often, the question lies with the payoff.

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

Commercial building codes are mandating higher volumes of fresh-air intake than ever before. To help meet these ventilation requirements, more and more HVAC contractors and building owners are turning to dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS). 

We asked our contractor advisory panel to weigh in on their most useful and effective tools used in the field. Here’s what they had to say.

The Extech TH30, RHT30, and RHT35 compact dataloggers are designed to provide HVACR professionals with easy access to real-time temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure readings as well as insights compiled from extended readings preformatted in Excel or PDF report formats. Users can set and forget the dataloggers with a customizable recording rate from once every 30 seconds to once every two hours, and it holds a capacity of up to 48,000 combined total readings with date and time stamps.

Summer cooling season is in full gear, which means that both technicians and their tools are being kept extremely busy.

Selling products online is a whole new ball game. So, contractors will want to learn about their consumers buying journeys, and thoughtfully consider how to launch the online store, what products to sell, and how to market it.

Grocers are looking to their refrigeration contractor partners to be the experts and make suggestions about how they can transition smoothly to the new low-GWP refrigeration technologies.

AI technology can help HVAC contractors monitor each sales and repair call.

Contractors who are embracing the technological advancements say ignoring a new neighborhood of home automation products could be a big mistake.