Economy Issues Affect Change in Consumer Shopping Habits By Betty Stephens American household buying habits accounts for around 70% of the U.S. economy. What consumers shop for is seperated  into two main categories.  First, they spending on  such items as food, clothing and shelter.  Second, there is more  discretionary spending.   This is on items such […]

Future Trends for HVAC Industry By Betty Stephens HVAC technology is constantly changing due to new discoveries and influences outside the industry. As recently as this century, central, indoor climate control was available to only a privileged few. Today, even central air-conditioning in homes is common in the U.S. Improvements occurred through a number of […]

Replacement Windows-Air Infiltration By Betty Stephens Air infiltration refers to air leakage through unsealed joints in a structure and around the windows. The Air Leakage (AL) rating pertains to leakage through the window assembly itself. Air infiltration can also occur around the frame of the window due to poor installation or poor maintenance of existing […]

McQuay First Air Conditioner Classroom Unit By Betty Stephens   McQuay International is a global corporation that designs, manufactures and sells heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) products, systems, parts and services for commercial buildings. Since 2006, McQuay has been a subsidiary of Daikin Industries, Ltd. McQuay world headquarters are located in Minneapolis, MN, USA. […]

95% Furnaces By Betty Stephens High-efficiency furnaces provide exceptional value, and can be used with natural gas or converted to propane. In addition, the furnace also works with your outdoor system to circulate cool air in summer, helping you stay comfortable all year long. 95% AFUE furnaces save home owners cash in the long run, […]

Heating Tune-Ups By Betty Stephens It is that time again to get your heating system checked out. I may be an extra cost, but you can save money all winter if your furnace system runs as efficiently as possible. The furnace is one of the most expensive appliances homeowners have in their homes and it […]

Air-Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) By Betty Stephens What is AHRI? AHRI is a trade association of manufacturers and maintains and publishes over 80 standards, mainly related to equipment performance, and many AHRI standards are accepted as ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards. AHRI’s rating standards, when teamed with ASHRAE’s methods of tests, provide […]

Back-up Generators By Betty Stephens A back-up generator is a back-up electrical system that operates automatically Within seconds of a utility outage an automatic transfer switch senses the power loss, commands the generator to start and then transfers the electrical load to the generator. The back-up generator begins supplying power to the circuits. After utility […]

United States Energy Demand Compared to Other Countries By Betty Stephens Overview Americans make up only 5% of the world's population and yet consume 20% of its energy. The United States is the 2nd largest energy consumer in terms of total use. The U.S. ranks seventh in energy consumption per-capita after Canada and a number […]

NATE- What NATE Means to Homeowners By Betty Stephens Overview North American Technician Excellence, Inc. is the leading non-profit certification program for technicians in the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) industry and the only test supported by the entire industry. . NATE-certified technicians are skilled professionals who have proven their knowledge in the HVAC/R […]

New Thermostat Law - Pro and Con By Betty Stephens The Law Burglar and fire alarm technology has evolved towards an integrated system model, whereby a consumer can use a burglar or fire alarm panel to adjust not only an alarm but also thermostats, lighting, locks, and window treatments. The thermostat component of this new […]

Home Inspections By Betty Stephens of Quest Media Selling your house? When you sell your house, and conduct a real estate inspection what should inspectors check on the HVAC systems? Heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) inspection A heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) home inspection reviews the heating and cooling system of a home […]