With the November 2 elections right around the corner, I first would like to encourage anyone out there who happens to be reading (or hopefully following) my blog to vote. It's the simplest, most basic right we have. It's a right that many have fought and died for. And it's a small thing that we can do as Americans that can have a huge impact on both our own individual futures, as well as the collective good of our nation.
Much has been written about the 25(C) tax credits that are about to expire at the end of this year. These credits certainly have been beneficial to the HVACR industry, and while we would always like to see more consumer confidence and commitment, no one can deny the fact that these rebates have helped our industry sell more products to homeowners and businesses. I encourage you to take a look at the Capitol Climate columns in the October and November RSES Journal, where HARDI vice president Talbot Gee discusses some of the issues swirling around in Washington, D.C. as it relates to this topic (HARDI's Wholesale Observations blog, authored by Gee, is also a great place to turn). The October RSES Journal Elements e-Newsletter also will offer some insight into this area.
But I also think its equally important that those out there in our industry stay on top of what is happening locally and regionally. For example, in Florida, the Florida ENERGYSTAR Residential HVAC Rebate Program is designed to drive homeowners to both replace antiquated, outdated equipment AND make sure the ductwork moving air throughout the home has minimal amounts of leakage.
This is a GREAT idea, and a program that I hope more states adopt. Why, you might ask? Well, because it requires the contractor servicing the home to make sure that instead of just slapping a new A/C unit on the pad outside and walking out the door, they make sure that the SYSTEM provides the level of efficiency the unit is capable of generating. This program, which runs from Aug. 30, 2010 until Dec. 31, 2010 (or until the $15 million in available funding is exhausted), has multiple requirements. These include:
• Purchasing a new central air conditioner, air-source heat pump or geothermal heat pump in Florida that meets the Federal Energy Tax Credits standards.
• Homeowners must also hire either a Florida Class 1 rater; a State of Florida-licensed mechanical contractor; or a recognized TAB agent to perform a duct test on their home to document that the home has no more than 15% leakage to the outside.
Finally, to apply for the rebate, the homeowner must have that duct system tested and verified; send a copy of the HVAC system price and payment receipt; a copy of the mechanical building permit, with the home address identified; a copy of the summary of the ACCA Manual J program used to properly size the HVAC system; and a copy of the air distribution system test report completed verifying no leakage above 15%.
It seems like a lot of work for $1,500. But then again, the contractor can sell that homeowner not only on the money they will get back now, but the fact that heating and cooling accounts for nearly 50% of the average home's energy use. If you can cut that in half, or even two-thirds, how much money is the homeowner saving in the long-term?
And that, sadly, brings me back to 25(C). We know that these tax incentives help drive business and are adding sales to our trade. But just as important - if not even more so - is the fact that by installing this kind of energy-efficient equipment, we're saving energy, keeping power in the grid and allowing ourselves the opportunity to build for the future. Isn't that what we put our elected officials in office to help us do in the first place?
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Long-term Benefits From a Long-term Approach
In a couple of days, the culmination of several months of hard work comes to a head for me when I run the 2010 Chicago Marathon. The race, conveniently enough, also happens to fall on my birthday. Which also happens to be 10.10.10 (yes, there are a lot of ironies all coming to a confluence here).
I've run numerous races, and more than a dozen half-marathons. But for whatever reason, I could never bring myself to sign up for a full 26.2 miles of running bliss (or hell, depending on how I feel when it's all said and done). Perhaps it was the sheer distance itself. As a former basketball player, running to me was punishment. You ran because you screwed up, not because you liked it. Or maybe it was the knowledge that I would have to put a lot of time and effort - commitment - into preparing to do it. But mostly, I think, it was that uncertainty bred contempt. I KNEW how to prepare and run for 13.1-mile races. I KNEW what I had to do to finish and feel like a human being the next day.
But given that this race was on my birthday, the fact that all the 10's came together and that running a marathon in something that's on my "bucket list," I signed up for it. Back in April. And the preparation began. I ran races in May and June, and no matter where my travels took me as I talked to folks in the HVACR industry, I'd find time to get a run in. Some of them were amazing. Some of them weren't quite so fun (they have a LOT of hills in Baltimore Maryland folks). But the goal was always the same - prepare for when 10.10.10 arrives.
So what does this rambling column REMOTELY have to do with you and the HVACR marketplace? It's simple. Are you doing things in your business, or servicing customers in a manner that follows the same pattern everyday? Have you set a goal for yourself to look at new options, like geothermal or solar solutions? Have you taken classes or looked into seminars on improving airflow to maximize system efficiency? How about integrating building automation or wireless devices into your customers' indoor-comfort solutions?
For years, the biggest hurdle I had to overcome wasn't the actual Marathon itself - it was the preparation and training that I had to embark on before the race that I was afraid of. In the world of HVACR, I've heard many techs and contractors say "I'd like to get more into (solar, geothermal, wind, add your own alternative energy option here), but I don't have the time to get familiar with some of the equipment." So rather than invest that time in something that they have uncertainty towards, they go with what they know. I'd like to personally challenge any of you reading this to jumpstart that thinking by looking at new options, technologies and choices. Don't be afraid of the education or time that you have to invest to understand these new comfort solutions. Because once you learn them, the actual jobs themselves (as we all know from our familiarity with current systems) become much easier.
All of these things are grabbing a bigger and bigger share of the HVACR marketplace. The November 2010 issue of the RSES Journal will feature an article on zoning, and also discuss how zoning and controls can maximize the efficiency of a geothermal installation. If you are a service technician, are you capable of installing or servicing such a system? Contractors...are you able to take on such a job if a homeowner or light-commercial building owner wanted to put this type of system in?
Looking long-term is something that we often talk about in our lives. How are we going to retire? How are we going to pay for our kids' college? How (unfortunately sometimes) are we going to be able to provide for our parents' care as they age? We have financial planners and bankers that all want to tell us how they can help us reach those goals. But when it comes to your career and those goals for advancement, the biggest planner is YOU. Take a minute to visit the RSES.org website and look at some of the upcoming seminars and conferences taking place. Visit NATE's website at www.natex.org and see where tests and programs are being offered. And talk to your local supply houses and suppliers to find out if there are industry-provided educational opportunities or training coming to your area.
The short-term option of coming home after a long day of work servicing customers and relaxing on the couch has a lot of appeal. Sometimes, it even is the necessary and right thing to do. But make sure you weigh that short-term thinking with some long-term planning. Take time to learn something new about the trade, get familiar with new technology, or get certified in a new area. The long-term benefits you'll receive will far outlast that hour of sleep you got on the couch after dinner. And it certainly beats blisters and shin splints.
I've run numerous races, and more than a dozen half-marathons. But for whatever reason, I could never bring myself to sign up for a full 26.2 miles of running bliss (or hell, depending on how I feel when it's all said and done). Perhaps it was the sheer distance itself. As a former basketball player, running to me was punishment. You ran because you screwed up, not because you liked it. Or maybe it was the knowledge that I would have to put a lot of time and effort - commitment - into preparing to do it. But mostly, I think, it was that uncertainty bred contempt. I KNEW how to prepare and run for 13.1-mile races. I KNEW what I had to do to finish and feel like a human being the next day.
But given that this race was on my birthday, the fact that all the 10's came together and that running a marathon in something that's on my "bucket list," I signed up for it. Back in April. And the preparation began. I ran races in May and June, and no matter where my travels took me as I talked to folks in the HVACR industry, I'd find time to get a run in. Some of them were amazing. Some of them weren't quite so fun (they have a LOT of hills in Baltimore Maryland folks). But the goal was always the same - prepare for when 10.10.10 arrives.
So what does this rambling column REMOTELY have to do with you and the HVACR marketplace? It's simple. Are you doing things in your business, or servicing customers in a manner that follows the same pattern everyday? Have you set a goal for yourself to look at new options, like geothermal or solar solutions? Have you taken classes or looked into seminars on improving airflow to maximize system efficiency? How about integrating building automation or wireless devices into your customers' indoor-comfort solutions?
For years, the biggest hurdle I had to overcome wasn't the actual Marathon itself - it was the preparation and training that I had to embark on before the race that I was afraid of. In the world of HVACR, I've heard many techs and contractors say "I'd like to get more into (solar, geothermal, wind, add your own alternative energy option here), but I don't have the time to get familiar with some of the equipment." So rather than invest that time in something that they have uncertainty towards, they go with what they know. I'd like to personally challenge any of you reading this to jumpstart that thinking by looking at new options, technologies and choices. Don't be afraid of the education or time that you have to invest to understand these new comfort solutions. Because once you learn them, the actual jobs themselves (as we all know from our familiarity with current systems) become much easier.
All of these things are grabbing a bigger and bigger share of the HVACR marketplace. The November 2010 issue of the RSES Journal will feature an article on zoning, and also discuss how zoning and controls can maximize the efficiency of a geothermal installation. If you are a service technician, are you capable of installing or servicing such a system? Contractors...are you able to take on such a job if a homeowner or light-commercial building owner wanted to put this type of system in?
Looking long-term is something that we often talk about in our lives. How are we going to retire? How are we going to pay for our kids' college? How (unfortunately sometimes) are we going to be able to provide for our parents' care as they age? We have financial planners and bankers that all want to tell us how they can help us reach those goals. But when it comes to your career and those goals for advancement, the biggest planner is YOU. Take a minute to visit the RSES.org website and look at some of the upcoming seminars and conferences taking place. Visit NATE's website at www.natex.org and see where tests and programs are being offered. And talk to your local supply houses and suppliers to find out if there are industry-provided educational opportunities or training coming to your area.
The short-term option of coming home after a long day of work servicing customers and relaxing on the couch has a lot of appeal. Sometimes, it even is the necessary and right thing to do. But make sure you weigh that short-term thinking with some long-term planning. Take time to learn something new about the trade, get familiar with new technology, or get certified in a new area. The long-term benefits you'll receive will far outlast that hour of sleep you got on the couch after dinner. And it certainly beats blisters and shin splints.
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