UNLICENSED HVAC CONTRACTORS

Report from the Air Conditioning│Heating│Refrigeration News on unlicensed HVAC contractors which seems never to stop in all contractor fields, not just HVAC. This was published June 16, 2014:

While hiring an unlicensed HVAC contractor may present itself as a money-saving deal upfront, many homeowners experience a bevy of bad fortune through crooked craftsmanship, untrustworthy diagnosis, unreliable repairs, and more. These actions, and a number of other concerns, may quickly convert preconceived cash savings into an invaluable hassle.

“Individuals who work outside the laws and regulations are a scourge to this industry,” said Charlie McCrudden, senior vice president, government relations, ACCA. “They take advantage of lax enforcement of permitting rules, licensing requirements, and the Clean Air Act. Unfortunately, we’ll never know how pervasive the problem is, since it’s so difficult to keep track of how many individuals are posing as professional HVAC technicians.”

Contractor Impact
In a trade where reputation is everything, reputable contractors and associations are continuing to stress the importance of contractor licensing to homeowners and those operating without the proper licensing.

Rocco DiBenedetto, owner, All Air of South Dade, Homestead, Florida, is on the forefront of the issue. Since 2009, Miami-Dade County has ceased enforcement of code requirements for contractors. In response, DiBenedetto formed the Miami-Dade Contractors Alliance, which works to regain enforcement in a region where unlicensed workers are running amok.

“It’s destroyed our ability to be honest contractors,” DiBenedetto said. “We’re still honest and ethical, but we go to houses and they tell us we’re price gougers. We’re not, but nobody else charges the real price.”

DiBenedetto said it’s frequent to hear advertisements offering air conditioning systems for $1,800. “In Broward County, 20 minutes north of us, they have an active task force and issue hundreds of citations a month for unlicensed activity,” DiBenedetto said.

Although not every state requires a license, it’s critical for the overall credibility of contractors to gain one in states where licensing is required.

“The issue of state licensing re-quires someone to show capability, to show experience,” said Paul Wadsworth, president, P.K. Wadsworth Heating and Cooling, Solon, Ohio. “To have a state license is important. It shows the individual has studied his craft and knows something. It’s not just some guy who decided he was going to slap a magnet on the side of a pickup truck and all of a sudden he’s a contractor.”

Steve Lauten, president, Total Air and Heat Co., Plano, Texas, said when he took the state licensing exam many years ago, he felt the questions were valid. “Now they’re being told to write questions so the person with the worst skill set can answer them. It seems they’re trying to make the playing field the same for everybody,” he said.

Lauten pointed out that licensing, though, isn’t the end-all, be-all to being considered an ethical, quality contractor. “I think consumers are getting smarter, but the thing I’d mention is that just because your guy has a license, it doesn’t mean he’s going to do the job the way it should be done,” he said. “In Texas, we’re required to pull permits any time we’re within an incorporated city. And I would say on 90 percent of the jobs we bid, our state’s licensed competitors aren’t pulling permits.”

Evolution is a Mystery
As the HVAC industry continues to evolve beyond heating and air and into things such as IAQ and home-performance improvements, the role of a licensed, knowledgeable contractor is becoming even more important, said Wade Mayfield, president, Thermal Services Inc., Omaha, Nebraska, and chairman of the board of North American Technician Excellence (NATE).

“Technicians don’t just deal with heating and or cooling, they manage people’s livelihoods,” Mayfield said. “Properly licensed and trained technicians not only service and clean the units, they mitigate health hazards that exist in the home from IAQ problems, such as mold, toxins, carbon monoxide, etc. We also must realize that heating and air systems account for 30-40 percent of a home’s energy usage, so properly trained technicians have the skill set necessary to properly install and service the units in a way that optimizes energy efficiency.”

As the industry works to get its message across to consumers, some are taking notice, McCrudden said.

“Consumers are savvier about contractors, thanks to online review sites and media ‘sting’ operations that single out the bad actors,” McCrudden said. “As a result, their expectations are higher. And homeowners no longer call a contractor just when there’s a problem. The energy-saving improvement programs that incentivize an energy audit or pay rebates for upgrades have more homeowners thinking about ways to increase their system performance while saving money.”

In areas such as where DiBenedetto operates, though, it’s becoming tougher and tougher for the consumer to figure out who is licensed and insured as each day goes by without enforcement.

“If you decided you wanted to eat organic apples and you see there’s one that’s $5 and another that’s $2, how the hell do you distinguish between what’s organic and what’s not?” asked DiBenedetto. “There are tons of trucks running around with fake numbers on them. Those might as well be lottery numbers. The police don’t even know what’s real and what’s not. That’s how bad it is.”

Mayfield noted the issue of enforcement can often be a Catch-22 for contractors, as the only path to combat unlicensed contractors is through regulation, he said.

“It’s really a double-edged sword for contractors,” Mayfield said. “Contractors resist regulation, but need regulation matched with enforcement to offset unlicensed contractors. Done correctly, regulation in this context will protect the health and wellbeing of the public and allow licensed contractors to serve their customers at a high level.”

Importance of Licensing
As the industry continues to evolve, the credibility of hiring a licensed contractor is of the utmost importance, Wadsworth said, noting consumers really have a lot of due diligence to do these days.

“When I entered this trade 40 years ago, it was a much simpler business,” Wadsworth said. “The equipment was much simpler, much more straightforward. But, today, you have to know building science, sophisticated controls techniques, and so much more. That comes with requirements. You have to know how to correctly apply the latest technologies.”

DiBenedetto said his integrity and desire to adequately serve the customer will keep him from following in the footsteps of his Miami-Dade peers. “I’m not going to ask a guy to come in and do a great job for a customer and then tell him I’m going to 1099 him and ask him to work under shady conditions,” he said.

McCrudden referred to those working without a license in areas when licensing is required as bottom feeders, stating they drag down the image of upstanding contractors who follow industry-recognized standards.

Lauten said adequate licensing and following proper protocol is a key component to retaining the industry’s credibility with consumers.

“You’ll hear a lot of people say licensing doesn’t mean anything. I disagree. If plumbers and electricians have to be licensed, then air conditioning contractors should be licensed, too. There should be something that holds contractors accountable to doing jobs the way they should be done.”

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics, click here to visit our website.

SICK BUILDING SYNDROME

What an interesting article I found at the Air Conditioning│Heating│Refrigeration News, and wanted to share it with my readers.

n the 1990s, it seemed that everyone was talking about sick building syndrome (SBS) — it was on the news, in the paper, and, of course, in trade magazines. Speculation was rife over what was causing symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue in certain building occupants. After it came to light that inadequate ventilation was one of the primary causes of SBS, the HVAC industry started looking for solutions.

ASHRAE responded by creating Standard 62.1, “Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality,” and the industry started taking a closer look at other possible causes of SBS, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), proliferation of biological agents due to roofing or plumbing leaks and standing water in drain pans and ducts, radon, and air intakes placed near loading docks or parking garages. The industry worked hard to provide solutions for these — and other — issues, and after a few years, SBS gradually faded from the headlines. But SBS is far from being eradicated; indeed, it is still a concern that many HVAC professionals grapple with every day.

Terminology
One reason why SBS is not discussed as frequently these days may be that a more specific term has emerged to describe a similar problem. Building related illness (BRI) is now used to describe specific symptoms that can be attributed to a known contaminant or irritant within the building, said Alex Stadtner, president and building biologist, Healthy Building Science, San Francisco. SBS is essentially a collection of unrelated symptoms that originate for an unknown reason in at least 20 percent of the a building’s occupants.

“BRI is generally an allergic reaction or infection, and specific symptoms include cough, chest tightness, fever, chills, and muscle aches. The symptoms may continue after occupants have left the building, and the cause of symptoms is known,” said Stadtner. “Humidifier fever, Legionnaires’ disease, skin rashes, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and other illnesses related to bacteria, fungus (mold), and viruses are often classified as BRI, not SBS.”

By definition, SBS is unspecific, as one single factor cannot be identified as causing occupant symptoms, said Pawel Wargocki, Ph.D., associate professor at the Technical University of Denmark and chairman of ASHRAE’s Environmental Health Committee. “We know that poor indoor conditions are responsible for SBS symptoms, including thermal discomfort (temperatures that are too high), elevated exposures to contaminants due to poor source control and/or inadequate ventilation, etc. The symptoms are generally reported more often by women as well as in buildings with air conditioning. Poor maintenance and/or the presence of moisture in the HVAC systems is clearly the high risk factor for SBS symptoms.”

Because there are a number of indoor environmental conditions that can cause SBS, contractors may be reluctant to use such a broad term to describe a problem, said Ellis G. Guiles Jr., vice president and owner, TAG Mechanical Systems, Syracuse, New York. “For instance, over the last year, we’ve been working with a client whose building has an intermittent odor issue. Initially we wouldn’t call this SBS, but the odor has gotten worse over the last two years, and the occupants are complaining more frequently. Now, I would place it in the SBS category for the very simple fact that the building has an indoor environmental issue that is impacting the quality of the experience of people using the building.”

Awareness
Better awareness may be another reason why we don’t hear much about SBS anymore. As Wargocki noted, “We know some of the potential risks, and we are attempting to deal with them; however, there is still a lot we have to do and learn. We need to be consistent and scrupulous and apply what we have learned so far about avoiding highly emitting materials and dirty ventilation filters, for example.”

There are many cases in which SBS symptoms could be mitigated, such as reducing ozone and the products of ozone chemistry indoors, said Wargocki. Distracting noise in open plan offices is another issue, as are temperatures that are too high. “Not to mention, too little attention is paid to the quality and maintenance of HVAC systems, which require not only regular cleaning, but also regular tests against the design values. Adequate ventilation is certainly important but should not be considered to be a ‘magic bullet’ that can solve all problems related with SBS symptoms. There are many other economical methods to make it happen.”

ASHRAE Standard 62.1 has also had an impact, as it has served to educate designers and builders about best practices for ventilation, said Stadtner. “It has helped tremendously in commercial buildings, because the vast majority of SBS/BRI cases do involve the ventilation system. Whether it’s insufficient or polluted outdoor air supply, inadequate exhaust of point-source contaminants that create cold spots for condensation and inadequate dehumidification, or simply the ventilation system creating the pressure or pathway for contaminants to traverse through a building — the ventilation system is almost always involved.”

A growing awareness of building science is slowly leading to better building techniques, as well, which may be reducing the cases of SBS. “I believe the most promising and exciting development in this arena is the establishment of clear standards for Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx),” said Stadtner. “This system institutionalizes building science reviews into the design process and ensures quality control verification during installation of key elements that are common to building failures. It’s a great advancement that will revolutionize the commercial construction trades in the coming decades.”

Better building materials are another key element, as many of the early cases of SBS/BRI were related to items such as carpet and paint, which were off-gassing chemicals that created symptoms in occupants. “A growing movement toward healthy building materials and material ingredient transparency is helping to move the industry toward better alternatives,” said Stadtner. “We still get calls about new carpet or paint smells, and some occupants very clearly get headaches (BRI) from the off-gassing of some building materials. More stringent standards are unrolling every year, and I trust this trend will continue with top-down pressure [regulations] and bottom-up demand.”

Guiles noted that while many of his clients are becoming more aware and concerned about their comfort and IAQ, most building owners/managers still take a “wait until complaints” approach. “Even in buildings such as hospitals, where you would expect to find a more proactive approach, this doesn’t always happen because of economic factors being considered by the administrators.”

Another issue that may delay the diagnosis of SBS is the tendency of doctors to prescribe medication to treat symptoms rather than finding the underlying cause. Stadtner uses asthma as an example, noting that doctors have become much better at ameliorating the symptoms through modern medicine, but they do not always address the underlying cause. “When these kids tell their doctors that they feel worse in the morning or evening, the doctor tells them to use an inhaler before going to bed or right when they get up in the morning, rather than asking more detailed questions about why the symptoms are occurring at that time of day. Doctors should suggest an air quality inspection to identify and address the cause of the problem instead of simply medicating patients who so clearly suffer in one particular building.”

Opportunities
While better awareness has helped minimize issues related to poor indoor environmental quality, Guiles still sees far more buildings with HVAC systems that are not operating correctly and building envelopes that have problems. “This leads me to believe there are more issues than are really being discussed, and that the majority of people haven’t connected the dots between how they feel and the buildings they live, work, and play in.”

For this reason, SBS can be a great opportunity for HVAC contractors, who could be proactive and offer to perform testing and balancing on a regular basis for their customers in order to stay ahead of any problems. “Of course, contractors should be checking the drain lines and making sure the coils aren’t dirty and replacing the filters. But it’s also an opportunity for them to reengage with the owner about how the system is working and optimizing it over time,” said Stadtner.

And having that on-going conversation with building owners and managers is important because even with better building materials and more awareness, there will always be cases of BRI or SBS, said Wargocki. “There are many new buildings that are energy efficient, but people still complain. Contractors should, at a minimum, follow the recommendations in ASHRAE’s Indoor Air Quality Guide and GreenGuide and make sure their customers’ buildings are well commissioned and maintained. That will help, but unfortunately, new pollutants are introduced indoors at a very high rate, and many chemicals can be toxic and cause SBS. We only learn about them when people get sick in actual buildings.”

This means there will always be an opportunity in this area for contractors, because SBS/BRI can occur in any kind of building, and every market has a need for environmental assessments.

Publication date: 5/12/2014

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics, click here to visit our website.

MITSUBISHI MINI-SPLIT DUCTLESS SYSTEM

Comfort Control

Below you will find some interesting information from Mitsubishi:

Control your comfort...in every room.

Freedom to control your comfort in each and every room. Simply set the temperature for each room with an easy-to-use controller

INVERTER-driven compressor technology in the outdoor unit delivers precise indoor comfort in each conditioned room with consistent temperature and total control

Our indoor systems operate as low as 19dBs; quieter than a human whisper
i-see™ Sensor detects real-time temperature disparities within a room and automatically adjusts airflow to compensate and perfect comfort

H2i® hyper-heating INVERTER technology provides tremendous heating capabilities when outside ambient temperatures are -13° F to make sure your home is warm and comfortable, even on the coldest days

It's possible to transform any room in your home or your entire home into an oasis of comfort; cool and dry in the summer and warm and cozy in the winter. Mitsubishi Electric gives you precise temperature control even in spaces you thought would be impossible to fix. Thanks to our advanced INVERTER-driven compressor technology and smart, easy-to-use controls, you can achieve consistent temperatures throughout the room as you are saving energy all year long, year after year.

How it works

Controlling your comfort is easy. Just use the smart remote controller to get your perfect temperature with the touch of a button. Adjust your mode of operation between COOL, HEAT, DRY or AUTO. AUTO mode will automatically decide if you need cooling or heating delivered to the space to maintain the set temperature. You can even adjust fan speed and the direction of the vane (on applicable units.) Everything you need to control your comfort is right there in your room with you; not in another room or a different floor. Comfort control - room by room.

Our INVERTER-driven compressor in the outdoor unit maximizes efficiency by automatically changing its speed to match the cooling and heating needs of a room. This technology allows us to ramp up compressor speed to quickly cool or heat a room (or multiple rooms) and reduce the compressor speed to maintain the ideal comfort level, while using less energy. This innovative system differs from conventional systems, which start and stop repetitively causing temperature variations and wasting energy.

This feature is just one of the smart technological advances that make the Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating systems superior to other comfort conditioning options.

The advances in the heating performance of our systems are remarkable. Our H21® hyper-heating INVERTER technology can heat effectively even when temperatures outside are as low as -13° F. H2i systems can provide up to 100% heating capacity at 5° F and are extremely efficient. In fact, many qualify for ENEREGY STAR. Plus all of our heat pump systems feature Hot Start technology that delivers hot air from the very start of operation; that means no cold blasts or drafts.
Our i-see™ Sensor automatically detects temperature disparities in a room, typically closer to the ceiling and the floor. It scans the room's ambient temperature readings and automatically adjusts airflow in the room. This process ensures that you always enjoy uniform comfort throughout the room.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics, click here to visit our website.

Poor Ductwork Design and Sealing Can Send Your Conditioned Air Astray: Three Factors To Consider

A home’s poor ductwork design and inadequate sealing can account for significant energy loss on a daily basis. The problem is, you’re the one paying for that energy. With that in mind, it’s time to assess whether your conditioned air is safe within your ducts.

Here are three factors to consider:

Design.
If your ductwork wasn’t designed with certain aspects of your home’s floor plan in mind, your conditioned air may be leaking out. Common problems include ducts that are stretched too tight or kinked to be maneuvered around obstructions, as well as ducts that are installed too close to appliances that could affect the temperature or quality of the air inside.

Sealing.
Duct leaks can cause you to lose as much as 20 percent of your conditioned air. While you can inspect and seal accessible duct leaks on your own, a heating and cooling professional can do a more thorough job, reaching ducts that you cannot, such as those hidden behind walls and ceilings. Common issues include loose connections and rips and tears in flexible ductwork. These can be sealed using duct mastic or metal-backed tape.

Insulation.
In most homes, large sections of ductwork run through unconditioned areas such as the attic, basement or crawl space. Extreme temperatures in these areas can affect your conditioned air. With proper insulation, however, you can reduce energy loss in such situations.

If you suspect you’re losing energy through ill-conceived, leaky or exposed ducts, contact one of our trained technicians for a professional assessment. Using our training, experience and specialized tools of the trade, we can determine where your problems lie and help you form a plan of Action.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

IS IT TIME TO REPLACE AN HVAC SYSTEM? SIX TIPS TO HELP YOU DECIDE!

Much like buying a new car or upgrading a large appliance, you want to be sure you have received the most from your existing equipment before you make a major investment. However, if you wait too long, costly repairs and poor performance could end up being more expensive. The same is true when you decide to replace an HVAC system: you want to get the most from your existing equipment while avoiding breakdowns and discomfort.

Of course, nobody can predict the future, so this can sometimes be a difficult decision to make. Use these six tips to help you decide when to replace an HVAC system:

•Equipment age: If you have had your Air handler, furnace or Heat Pump for 15 years or longer, it is probably time to consider an upgrade. New models are much more efficient and replacing your equipment before it breaks can save you a lot of stress and discomfort.

•Increasing energy bills: Although fuel and electricity are getting more expensive, as your equipment ages it will become less efficient and cost more each month to operate. Your contractor can help you compare monthly usage to costs to help you determine whether your HVAC system is getting more expensive to run.

•Frequent repairs: If you have had any necessary repairs in the past two years it is a sign of equipment aging and may be time to replace an HVAC system.

•Strange noises: Any odd noises coming from your HVAC system should be examined by a professional. Another sign to watch for is excessive running of the blower fan.

•Home comfort: Do you achieve home comfort in every room in your home?

•Humidity levels: If you experience extreme humidity or dryness in your home, you may benefit from new equipment that has more advanced features.
If you are ready to replace an HVAC system in your home or business, call the trained professionals at Action Heating and Air Conditioning for expert installation and maintenance.

We’ll help you properly evaluate your cooling and heating needs so you can get the most from your new investment. Serving Northeast Florida, we’re always happy to help.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Ventilation and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

Nest Issues Consumer Safety Notice

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Nest Labs Inc. has issued a consumer safety notice for its Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide detector after recent laboratory testing showed the Nest Wave feature, which enables the user to turn off the alarm with “a wave of the hand,” could be “unintentionally activated,” causing a delay in the alarm going off in the event of a real fire.

In a letter to the Nest community, Nest CEO Tony Fadell said the company feels “the best and safest thing to do is to immediately disable the Nest Wave feature to resolve the issue and remove any safety concerns,” even though they are “not aware of any customers who have experienced this.” In the meantime, Nest has halted sales of all new Nest Protect alarms “to ensure no one buys an alarm that needs an immediate update.”

Fadell also issued the following instructions to Nest Protect owners in order to resolve the safety issue:

• If you have a Nest Protect connected to a Nest account via Wi-Fi: Within 24 hours, Nest Wave will be automatically disabled. You don’t need to do anything, and even with this feature disabled, our smoke alarm will continue to work very effectively, monitoring for increased levels of smoke and CO in the home.

• If you have a Nest Protect that is not connected to a Nest account, or have since taken it offline: It’s very important that you immediately connect your Nest Protect to your Nest account so we can remotely disable Nest Wave. Detailed instructions on how to connect your Nest Protect to the Nest Account quickly and easily can be found at www.nest.com.

• If you have a Nest Protect that is not connected to a Nest account and do not have access to Wi-Fi: If you are unable to immediately connect to a Nest account, please discontinue use of your Nest Protect and we will give you a complete refund. To claim your refund, visit www.nest.com/
contact/refund.

• If you want to buy a Nest Protect: Nest Wave is on by default in every alarm we sell. To ensure no one buys an alarm that needs an immediate update, we’ve decided to stop all sales while we fix this issue. For updates on availability, please check nest.com.

Fadell said the Nest Wave feature will be enabled again “once we have a solution that ensures Nest Wave works as intended,” which “will only happen after extensive testing and once we have received approval from safety agencies in the U.S., Canada, and U.K.” Fadell said the process will take at least two or three months and apologized for the inconvenience while offering a complete refund to those who do not wish to keep their Nest Protect

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics, click here to visit our websit

Quality Flow Controls LLC: Brass and Copper Isolation Valve

Some interesting information for service technicians.
Installation of the 2-Port Isolation Valve (2PIV) provides quick and easy refrigerant leak detection in evaporators, condenser coils, and refrigerant line sets. According to the manufacturer, faster results are now possible when searching for leaks in hard-to-reach locations, such as ceilings, walls, attics, or crawl spaces, providing 100 percent successful results for the technician. Valves are brazed on the suction and liquid lines, just ahead of the evaporator and condenser. Service gauges are connected to the valves. The system is then pressurized with nitrogen, and each valve closed, isolating the four circuits, providing easy determination of the leak’s location through pressure loss. Easily installed in any position or direction, the 2PIV can remain in place without any loss of performance to the system, the company said. The method saves time and money by eliminating guesswork. HVAC companies now have the ability to flat rate this task, said the manufacturer.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics, click here to visit our website