Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News back issues from April 1989:
1989 markets softening but industry pace is high.
Apr 03, 1989; ... 1989 markets softening but industry pace is high It's a year when significant negative impacts could stem from events that, at first blush, might appear to be good for the nation and for the hvacr industry. The most obvious is that the economy is strong. Yet if it keeps growing at ...
Are construction and service 'friend or foe'? (business segments for contractors)
Apr 03, 1989 ... Are construction and service `friend or foe'? ORLANDO, Fla. - Construction and service are two separate business segments for a contractor. That they must deal with the same segment, the same systems, and often the same union and agreements can brew a "natural ...
CFC mfrs and users fight Bush tax-auction proposal. (chlorofluorocarbons)
Apr 03, 1989 ... CFC mfrs and users fight Bush tax-auction proposal WASHINGTON - The manufacturers and users of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) met last week to fight off a Bush administration proposal to tax the chemicals as a deficit-reducing measure. The Bush proposal would collect $2 per ...
Open-shop contractors charge that union wage subsidies violate tax laws.
Apr 03, 1989 ... Open-shop contractors charge that union wage subsidies violate tax laws WASHINGTON - Open-shop construction contractors are crying "foul" to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over what they claim is an illegal tactic by the construction labor unions. At issue is a ...
Let comparison be your management guide. (mechanical contractors)
Apr 03, 1989; ... Let comparison be your management guide One hvac contractor is operating profitably. And those profits are increasing annually. But what about the contractor's net profit margin? Could the firm be doing even better? Another contractor is considering using borrowed funds ...
Hot summer pushes unitary to record of 4-million units. (air conditioners)
Apr 03, 1989 ... Hot summer pushes unitary to record of 4-million units For four consecutive years, 1984 through 1987, the industry posted unitary totals of more than 3 million units. Three of those years set records. Shipments averaged more than 3.5 million units. Then along came 1988 and ...
Home start slide costs heat pumps.
Apr 03, 1989 ... Home start slide costs heat pumps Heat pumps took it on the chin in 1988. A drop in housing starts, particularly in its South bastion, a related decline in new-home penetration rate, and a marginal drop in replacement sales produced a triple combination. Shipments of ...
1988 room unit year best ever. (room air conditioners)
Apr 03, 1989 ... 1988 room unit year best ever A series of heat waves that rolled over the Midwest and Northeast last summer for the second year in a row cleaned out room air conditioner inventories almost to the bare walls. It was the best year ever for room units, if not for U.S. room unit ...
90% of autos air conditioned.
Apr 03, 1989 ... 90% of autos air conditioned According to Ward's Automotive Reports, there were 7,066,056 air conditioning units installed on U.S. domestic automobiles in the 1988 model year, up 7.5% from the 6,570,732 factory air installations made in the 1987 model year. The ...
Refrigeration.
Apr 03, 1989 ... REFRIGERATION Gains in low-temperature cases helped unit shipments of commercial refrigeration equipment show a 3.1% increase in 1988 over the previous year's performance, according to the Commercial Refrigerator Manufacturers Association (CRMA). The trade association ...
Replacements help rooftops build on a strong market. (rooftop heating and air conditioning units)
Apr 03, 1989 ... Replacements help rooftops build on a strong market Even though there was a dip in light commercial new construction last year, replacements and a carryover from strong housing years helped shipments of commercial rooftops maintain an upward spiral. According to our ...
Heating: replacements, upgrading keep gas furnaces even. (includes related information)
Apr 03, 1989 ... HEATING Replacements, upgrading keep gas furnaces even Even though single-family housing starts sagged a bit last year, replacements and technology improvements that have allowed homeowners to upgrade efficiencies have helped keep gas furnace shipments at a high level. ...
Related products. (air pollution control equipment)
Apr 03, 1989 ... RELATED PRODUCTS Humidifiers The continuing strength of single-family new home starts in prime markets has helped power humidifier shipments climb back to the level enjoyed through much of the 1970's. Existing home sales and more merchandising by contractors have ...
Comfort and construction. (heating-cooling equipment for new homes)
Apr 03, 1989 ... COMFORT AND CONSTRUCTION Advancements in technology, supported by a continuing public appetite for improved energy efficiency and comfort, has fundamentally changed the complexion of the hvac industry over the past decade. It's a change that has dramatically altered ...
Housing and construction.
Apr 03, 1989 ... HOUSING AND CONSTRUCTION The new home market, which led the nation's economy out of the recession in 1982 and prospered for four years, has weakened since 1986 and shows signs of bottoming out this year. The totals, while still respectable, mask regional disparities and a drop in ...
Replacement market. (heating-cooling equipment)
Apr 03, 1989 ... REPLACEMENT MARKET From an industry perspective, replacements represent the glue that holds individual markets together when new construction markets sag. And for contractors, they provide a stabilizing force that permits their emphasis to swing in time with local economic ...
International. (exports of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment)
Apr 03, 1989 ... INTERNATIONAL Exports of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment rebounded sharply last year to top the $2.073-billion peak of 1981. And although the positive trade balance nearly doubled, the growing U.S. appetite for compressors, room units, and mini-splits in 1988 kept ...
Wholesalers. (air conditioning and refrigeration parts and supplies)
Apr 03, 1989 ... WHOLESALERS Air conditioning and refrigeration parts-and-supplies wholesalers report that dollar volume in 1989 should increase over last year's total volume by 9.1%, according to a forecast by 47 members of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Wholesalers (ARW). The ...
Fuels and energy.
Apr 03, 1989 ... FUELS AND ENERGY United States energy consumption for the first 11 months of 1988 was 72.716 quadrillion Btu (quads), an increase of 4.4% over the 69.635 quads consumed during the same period in 1987, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). To add ...
Labor. (construction industry)
Apr 03, 1989 ... LABOR Moderation in the number of high-wage settlements in the Northeast, in the number of multiyear agreements, and in average wage increases highlighted the 1988 collective bargaining season, according to the Construction Labor Research Council (CLRC). The average ...
Air cleaner helped smoker kick the weed 30 years ago.
Apr 03, 1989; ... Air cleaner helped smoker kick the weed 30 years ago What on earth does an electronic air cleaner have to do with one's quitting smoking? Aren't there enough valid medical reasons to quit? Yes, today there are, but 30 years ago there weren't. The evils of smoking were ...
Versatility pays off for small Alabama contractor. (Hicks Refrigeration & Appliance Service Inc.)
Apr 03, 1989; ... Versatility pays off for small Alabama contractor TUSKEGEE, Ala. - Diversity is sometimes essential for survival in small communities, but it also helps to even out seasonal work cycles. For Robert Hicks, diversity helped him land a choice contract with a major utility. ...
Insulating for speed at a Florida resort hotel. (pipe insulation)
Apr 03, 1989 ... Insulating for speed at a Florida resort hotel ORLANDO, Fla. - A prominent insulation contractor met a fast-track deadline at a new luxury hotel here, despite cramped, crowded work space and little storage space. To accomplish this, Centin Corp., Inc., selected ...
Controlling costs: contractor's link to profits. (Riccar Heating and Air Conditioning)
Apr 03, 1989; ... Controlling costs: Contractor's link to profits ANDOVER, Minn. - Growing and thriving on new house jobs takes special expertise and a careful monitoring of costs and cash flow. Riccar Heating and Air Conditioning has both. And its revenues have climbed to more than $4 million ...
Industry braces as feds propose CFC tax, buyers-sellers auction. (chlorofluorocarbons)
Apr 10, 1989; ... Industry braces as feds propose CFC tax, buyers/sellers auction WASHINGTON - Hvac contractors and wholesalers would pay additional stiff carrying charges for some refrigerants if a Bush administration tax proposal is carried through. Contractors who buy 40,000 lb of ...
How to determine motor speed to use.
Apr 10, 1989; ... How to determine motor speed to use "Which speed motor should I match to the application at hand?" I'm sure you encounter this question on a routine basis. While there is no one answer, this column should leave you with some basic information on motor speeds. Let's ...
Hvac systems play only minor role in making commercial buildings sick. (carpeting and ceiling tiles - sources for microbial organisms) (includes related article)
Apr 10, 1989; ... Hvac systems play only minor role in making commercial buildings sick MILFORD, Ohio - After three years' study on building-related illness, Kemper Research Foundation found that the primary sources for microbial organisms are carpeting and ceiling tiles - not hvac systems. ...
Texas ACCA members defend right to make electrical connections. (Texas Association of Air Conditioning Contractors)
Apr 10, 1989; ... Texas ACCA members defend right to make electrical connections The Texas Association of Air Conditioning Contractors (TACCA) elected Larry Taylor of TD Service, Dallas, as its 1989 president. Also during the meeting, hosted by the Dallas Chapter, members defended their ...
Use service as tool to combat direct sales by manufacturers. (mechanical contractors)
Apr 10, 1989 ... Use service as tool to combat direct sales by manufacturers TUCSON, Ariz. - There is one main way that contractors/distributors can combat the seemingly everlasting problem of direct sales by manufacturers: providing all forms of customer service. So said John E ....
Precedent-setting ruling favors victim of alleged sick building.
Apr 10, 1989; ... Precedent-setting ruling favors victim of alleged sick building GAINESVILLE, Fla. - A University of Florida building, plagued with symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) for the past three years, spawned the first of what could be many workers' compensation rulings issued by the ...
Variable-speed pumping costs more at start, but saves in operations.
Apr 10, 1989; ... Variable-speed pumping costs more at start, but saves in operations ATLANTA, Ga. - Variable-speed pumping of hot or cold fluids for space heating and cooling systems may cost a little more at the outset, but saves energy and wear on the mechanical system. It also ...
Quick rehab project uses fibrous glass for ductwork. (Vasey Commercial H.V.A.C. Inc.)
Apr 10, 1989 ... Quick rehab project uses fibrous glass for ductwork TOLEDO, Ohio - For Indiana contractor Bill Vasey, seemingly every possible hvac design problem presented itself during a renovation/rehab project. A turn-of-the-century brick school building in downtown Indianapolis was converted ...
Chopping through the jungle of energy calculation software.
Apr 10, 1989; ... Chopping through the jungle of energy calculation software Advances in energy calculation methods and the availability of affordable microcomputers with extended capabilities have created a profusion of software. If you plan to buy software, you are facing a difficult decision. ...
Step-by-step implementation makes best use of computers. (mechanical contractors)
Apr 10, 1989; ... Step-by-step implementation makes best use of computers Many hvac contractors buy their first computer and think, "Boy, I can take on the world now. I'm computerized!" If you ask a contractor to describe the first thing he will do with his computer, he probably stammers ...
Service technician's nightmare: boilers blocked by an avalanche.
Apr 10, 1989 ... Service technician's nightmare: boilers blocked by an avalanche ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Sending a service technician to solve an intermittent problem with a boiler's operation can be a nuisance. But it's a major concern if the boiler is 35 miles away and the only road may be blocked ...
In-state move spurs contractor's growth. (Blaine Heating, Air Conditioning and Electric Inc.)
Apr 10, 1989; ... In-state move spurs contractor's growth ANOKA, Minn. - A change in company name or location always involves risk. That's why, when brothers Don and Ken Chouinard and their partner Barry Knox moved from Blaine to Anoka, Minn., in 1979, they kept the name Blaine Heating, Air ...
Vet pilot survives crash in Milwaukee during a-c project. (Ben Moore)
Apr 17, 1989; ... Vet pilot survives crash in Milwaukee during a/c project MILWAUKEE, Wis. - On his fifth lift from the high-rise, while still dangling an old 200-ton Marley cooling tower from a cargo cable, pilot Ben Moore realized that this job was over. The Vietnam veteran's new mission: finding ...
Contractors get P.O.'d in wholesaler crackdown. (purchase order)
Apr 17, 1989 ... Contractors get P.O.'d in wholesaler crackdown TAMPA, Fla. - A man gets out of a pickup truck and enters the wholesaler's branch outlet. He plunks a short stack of cash on the counter and says, "I need a two-ton unit and a line set." The counterman nudges the cash back ...
Mechanical Systems builds on care and trust.
Apr 17, 1989; ... Mechanical Systems builds on care and trust CHARLESTON, Tenn. - Richard Brannon isn't looking to make a quick buck. Brannon, owner of Mechanical Systems, builds volume patiently, making sure he has enough qualified help to serve customers well, instead of selling first and ...
The battle of the salary review versus the performance appraisal.
Apr 17, 1989; ... The battle of the salary review versus the performance appraisal Performance appraisals can be valuable management tools. Modern appraisal approaches can significantly enhance an employee's contribution to a business enterprise. However, performance appraisals also have ...
One-man operation contractor finds formula to do big business. (Bob Taylor Service & Repair)
Apr 17, 1989; ... One-man operation contractor finds formula to do big business AURORA, Colo. - Bob Taylor packed up everything he owned in a van and headed from Virginia for Colorado - with no job in sight. That was in 1976. Today, he owns Bob Taylor Service & Repair, specializing in ...
Attendees at IIAR convention see ammonia as part of solution to CFC problems. (International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration) (includes related information)
Apr 17, 1989; ... Attendees at IIAR convention see ammonia as part of solution to CFC problems AUSTIN, Texas - Members of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) are increasingly convinced that there are many opportunities to substitute ammonia refrigeration systems for those ...
Why can't Johnny read? Maybe he's too hot (cold, etc.)
Apr 17, 1989 ... Why can't Johnny read? Maybe he's too hot (cold, etc.) DALLAS - Picture a college classroom. While the teacher lectures, not-so-distant rumbling from the mechanical system distracts students. Their hands, trying to take notes, are blue-veined with cold. Or, overwhelmed by heat, ...
Finding the problems and potentials of asbestos.
Apr 17, 1989; ... Finding the problems and potentials of asbestos HOUSTON - "Many contractors can almost recognize asbestos by looking at it," says abatement specialist Paul Whitton. "But without examining the material under a microscope, you can't be certain." If it were that simple, ...
Project close-out: getting the final payment. (mechanical contracting business) (reprinted from Tougher News Today)
Apr 17, 1989; ... Project close-out: Getting the final payment Yogi Berra once said, "It's not over, 'til it's over." He was speaking about a baseball game, of course, but how well that statement can be applied to project close-out. To us in the mechanical contracting business, "it's over" means ...
Flat duct oval - an alternative to rectangular. (air ducts)
Apr 17, 1989 ... Flat oval duct - an alternative to rectangular WESTERVILLE, Ohio - Duct sections in air-handling systems are designed to transport a certain volume of air efficiently. The size of round duct required to do this often will not fit in the space allocated for the ductwork. ...
Ten ways to beat your competition. (mechanical contractors)
Apr 17, 1989; ... Ten ways to beat your competition Every commercial and industrial firm that has hvac or refrigeration equipment will eventually need service. One secret of success is for your firm, instead of your competition, to get this work. You can help achieve that goal by ...
Know your legal rights when you travel by air. (column)
Apr 17, 1989; ... Know your legal rights when you travel by air Up, up, and away! You're off on a business trip, perhaps to a trade show or to call on a supplier. Or maybe this time it's a vacation trip with your family. Whatever your destination, air travel can hold some unpleasant ...
Building business on communication, cooperation. (Egan Cos.)
Apr 17, 1989; ... Building business on communication, cooperation MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - When 15 major vendors of hvacr and piping tools and equipment displayed and demonstrated their products for five hours at a "Tool Fair" here last October, not a single order was written. This wasn't ...
More than blood and sweat built cast iron stoves.
Apr 17, 1989; ... More than blood and sweat built cast iron stoves Modern materials, such as coated steels and plastics, coupled with the need for smaller, lighter-weight appliances, spelled doom for the widespread use of cast iron in the manufacture of heating products. One needs only ...
Hardware chain begins testing sales of furnaces, central cooling systems. (Builders Square Home Improvement Warehouse)
Apr 24, 1989 ... Hardware chain begins testing sales of furnaces, central cooling systems STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. -- "Let's see. We need some garden hose, a couple of two-by-four's, central air ...." Cart-pushers in hardware stores around the country could be adding furnaces and air ...
Do you know how much your business is worth? (part 1)
Apr 24, 1989; ... Do you know how much your business is worth? Determining the value of a closely held business often becomes a complicated task. Independent appraisers can arrive at significantly different values for the same business. Those differences stem from some logical ...
Elf Aquitaine unit purchases Racon. (Atochem S.A.)
Apr 24, 1989 ... Elf Aquitaine unit purchases Racon WICHITA, Kan. -- Racon Inc., a manufacturer of Refrigerants-11, -12, and -22, has been purchased by Atochem S.A., a corporation based in France. No purchase price was disclosed for the deal, which was completed March 31. ...
Holbrook Service promotes its quality work and personnel.
Apr 24, 1989; ... Holbrook Service promotes its quality work and personnel SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -- In October, 1987, five employees of Holbrook Company, Inc., a national mechanical contracting firm, bought out the service division and renamed it Holbrook Service, Inc., relocating here from ...
Sick building 'doctor' offers training on hazardous materials. (Environmental Aspecs Inc.)
Apr 24, 1989; ... Sick building `doctor' offers training on hazardous materials LUTZ, Fla. -- Sick building investigations and safety training programs for hazardous site workers have been added to the service menu offered by Environmental Aspecs, Inc., a one-year-old environmental engineering and ...
Commercialization of gas engine heat pumps with automotive engines.
Apr 24, 1989; ... Commercialization of gas engine heat pumps with automotive engines The main product of our company is automotive components. However, we have long emphasized the development of energy conversion equipment. Here we describe our 5-ton gas heat pumps (GHP's), which were ...
Strong contractors survive Arizona's housing bust.
Apr 24, 1989; ... Strong contractors survive Arizona's housing bust Between 1980 and 1986, Phoenix, Ariz., was the country's fastest growing city. Its population jumped nearly 20%, from 1.6 million to 1.9 million. In 1984, there were about 70,000 single- and multi-family housing ...
Air heat zoning system designed for homes.
Apr 24, 1989 ... Air heat zoning system designed for homes "The recreation room is too cold in winter. The bedrooms are too hot in summer. Dampers and registers are hard to adjust." These are some of the difficulties facing the many owners of split-level homes that are warmed by hot ...
'Nature's' way of cooling offers savings. (Solar Shield Inc.'s Tri-Ad Cooling system)
Apr 24, 1989 ... `Nature's' way of cooling offers savings COLUMBIA, S.C. -- By using "nature's means of cooling," Solar Shield, Inc., is providing comfortable working conditions in hard-to-cool buildings. Called "Tri-Ad Cooling," the system uses exhaust fans and louvers, an evaporative ...
'Up-dux' updates an ancient cooling system. (Mission Manufacturing's cooling system)
Apr 24, 1989 ... `Up-dux' updates an ancient cooling system TEMPE, Ariz. -- How would you like to have been an Egyptian pharaoh's air conditioning contractor? The job wasn't too difficult, but failure could have meant a one-way trip to the local crocodile pit. Of course, ...
Modern technology cools historic home. (Hydrotherm Inc.'s Space-Pak - flexible duct air conditioning system)
Apr 24, 1989 ... Modern technology cools historic home RICHMOND, Va. -- When the Porter home was built here in 1858, "air conditioning" consisted of open windows. Today, the owners of one of the only true Greek Revival villas in Virginia live in comfort. The home made the conversion ...
Detroit contractors see hot air conditioning sales.
Apr 24, 1989 ... Detroit contractors see hot air conditioning sales DETROIT - Considering last summer's booming air conditioning sales, it's not surprising that virtually all contractors and distributors at the Builders Home, Flower, and Furniture Show here agreed that 1989 will be another good ...
Du Pont official reviews CFC-replacement schedules. (John Bray)
Apr 24, 1989 ... Du Pont official reviews CFC-replacement schedules CRYSTAL CITY, Va. -- The future availability of alternative refrigerants is a "very tough" question, and progress comes slowly, a Du Pont executive told the spring meeting of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute. ...
Unified European market offers potential for U.S. manufacturers. (summary of Renee Hancher's talk at Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute's meeting)
Apr 24, 1989 ... Unified European market offers potential for U.S. manufacturers EC 1992 is the current hot topic in international trade, but it is more than a fad. Every company that sells in Europe or has manufacturing facilities or joint ventures there needs to evaluate how the creation of one ...
ARI may cooperate with Europe to share certification programs. (Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute)
Apr 24, 1989 ... ARI may cooperate with Europe to share certification programs CRYSTAL CITY, Va. -- The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) has discussed with its British counterpart the possibility of ARI becoming involved in European certification activities. "We ...