Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine January 2023

News Magazine

January 2023

Arkansas’ First and Only HVACRNewsMagazine

Continuing Ed is Here

EXPO s Got it Started

Duct Leakage Verifier

9 EXPO s 469 Attended 1,876 CEU s Issued

4 Hours Total 2 Technical 2 Code

Pgs 19, 20, 21, 40

$250 million for Heat Pump Mfg.

1 day Certification to Test Your Duct Arkansas HVACR Association Approved Details Coming Soon This issue is rich with content for you and your business. It will be a busy and potentially profitable year. Inflation Reduction Act Money, Money, Money by the Pound pg. 8

pgs16

Gas Furnace Maintenance pg 32

DET Verifier

10 Classes 114 Attended 114 Certificates 228 CEU s 1,596 class hours

It’s Not that Hard Pg 30

ByArkansans

For Arkansans

Table of Contents

Editorial & Opinion Cole Weather & 90+ Furnaces---Kicking our Backside

pg 3

Feature Story Inflation Reduction Act: Money, Money, by the Pound State, national, chapter news Defense Production Act: $250 million for heat pump production

PG 8

PG 16

Call it a Wrap: 9 EXPOs Kicked it Off : Approved Providers Included

PG 18

You ’re Cook ing with Gas

pg 21

Understanding the Commercial Auto policy (Nick Hall, Cross Pointe)

pg 24

Kirk’s Corner (Kirk Pierce, Summit Utilities)

pg 26

Education News Training Programs

PG 28

Tech News It ’ s Not Hard Tom Turner – Air Evangelist)

PG 30

Gas Furnace Maintenance (Bryan Orr - HVAC School)

PG 32

pg 30 PG 33 pg 36 PG 40 pg 42

Article Reprints for 2023 Regulations Continuing Education – Everything You Need to Know

Hiring a Felon General Liability

pg 44

Unique Arkansas Nana ’ s Cheese Dip – You ’ ll Win the Contest

PG 46

Hwy 49 NW AR

Winter Is Here

HVACR NewsMagazine January 2023

working. Enlarged condensate lines are not working. So what will work? Maybe we should insist on furnace closets being located within conditioned or semi conditioned spaces. Maybe the length of the concentric kit and piping should be limited. Maybe wastewater folk should allow 90+ condensate to drain into their system. Scores of excellent contractors struggle with the problem and some now refuse to put a 90+ in the attic. I certainly don ’ t know the answer. Here is what I do know. There is a big push by President Biden and Democrats to reduce and eventually eliminate fossil fuel appliances / furnaces. At the same time, there is a push to move toward 97% furnaces. We have got to find an answer. It is a problem that involves us all — HVACR License Board, Arkansas Energy Office, Utilities, Architects, Builders, Contractors and the HVACR Association. Most of all it affects the homeowner who is being sold high efficiency systems that have an unspoken Achilles Heel. It is not fair to the consumer and we all need to do something to solve the problem. One gas company made an effort to work with waste water folk but that is still languishing. Maybe this year we can see a committee of sorts that will solve the problem. We can hope.

Cold Weather & 90+ Furnaces Kicked us in the Backside Yes, it is a new year. Christmas is past, cold weather is upon us (at least a couple of days at a time), and everyone seems to be busy. January kicked everyone with crazy low temps. Unofficially, many of you were working in 1 to sub-zero temps. May not have been official but it was certainly cold. This brings us to the issue of 90+ furnaces and freezing drain lines and collector boxes in furnaces located in attics. In a super unofficial survey, I heard of over 250 service calls in central Arkansas on that super cold night with most being caused by problems with 90+ furnaces. In a wild guess, would you agree that the number state wide would have been in excess of 2,000. Let ’ s use that number. What does that cost the consumer? Maybe $300 to $500 per call. So in one evening Arkansans spent close to a million dollars on 90+ furnace freezing calls and their families were cold. Now that is a contradiction to most. Gas furnaces provide excellent heat, not service calls and freezing nights. “ So what ’ s up with that? ” Heat strips are not

http://www.edssupply.com/arkansas

News Magazine January 2023

FEATURE STORY

Second, what’s the Home Energy Performance-Based, Whole-House Rebate Allocations and the High Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Allocations. Well, I am not exactly sure where one stops and the other begins; however, this is a direct quote from https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden harris-administration-announces-state and-tribe-allocations-home-energy rebate • The Home Energy Performance-based, Whole House rebates (HOME Rebates) for: o Rebates for energy efficiency retrofits range from $2,000-$4,000 for individual households and up to $400,000 for multifamily buildings. o Grants to states to provide rebates for home retrofits. ▪ Up to $2,000 for retrofits reducing energy use by 20 percent or more, and up to $4,000 for retrofits saving 35% or more. ▪ Maximum rebates double for retrofits of low- and moderate income homes. • The High Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program to: Programs that the states will implement include:

We’ve all heard something about the new Federal program that will put contractors on easy street selling / giving heat pumps to folks making 80% of the local median income. Inflation Reduction Act Money, Money, Money by the Pound First, there are billions of dollars available in tax rebates and incentives to everyone for installing high efficiency heat pumps, upgrading electrical, and doing energy efficiency upgrades. Energy.Gov says that Arkansas will receive a total of $105,172,730. That is broken up into $52,739,720 for the Home Energy Performance-Based, Whole-House Rebate Allocations and $52,433,000 for High Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Allocations https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden harris-administration-announces-state and-tribe-allocations-home-energy rebate Well, it is a little more complicated.

o Develop a high efficiency electric home rebate program with $225 million allocated for Tribes.

Table 1. Inflation Reduction Act Rebate Allocations to States

State

Home Energy Performance-Based, Whole-House Rebate Allocations

Whole-House Rebate Allocations

Total

Arkansas

$52,739,720

$52,433,000

$105,172,730

News Magazine January 2023

FEATURE STORY

o Includes point of sale rebates, administered by states. o Includes means testing and will provide 50% of the cost for incomes 80 to 150% of area median income, and 100% of the cost for incomes 80% of area medium income and below and similar tiers for multifamily buildings. o Includes a $14,000 cap per household, with a $8,000 cap for heat pump costs, $1,750 for a heat pump water heater, and $4,000 for panel/service upgrade. (Note that the $8,000 heat pump cap is for households at or below 80% of medium) o Other eligible rebates include electric stoves and clothes dryers, and insulation/air sealing measures.

It is important to remember that we are not a tax accountant or attorney so we are very careful not to imply that you should plan your family or business future around this article. HOWEVER, we are quoting from reliable government sources and providing the email link. Let’s do another however. One IRS document s tates, “If an FAQ turns out to be an inaccurate statement of the law as applied to a particular taxpayer’s case, the law will control the taxpayer’s tax liability.” The IRS goes on to say that if you take a tax deduction in good faith based on the FAQs, you will not be subject to a penalty and will only be required to pay the back tax. FAQs are frequently asked questions that are answered in the following link. https://www.irs.gov/pub/taxpros/fs 2022-40.pdf Here are some interesting FAQs from the website, whitehouse.gov/cleanenergy The link is-- https://www.whitehouse.gov/cleanenerg y/?utm_source=cleanenergy.gov

The HOME rebates will range from $2,000-$4,000 for individual households and up to $400,000 for multifamily homes. Maximum rebates double for retrofits of low- and moderate-income households. The high-efficiency electric home rebate program, according to the release, includes a $14,000 cap for households. The DOE expects the funding to be available by Spring 2023 with rebates available to the public later in the year.

I want to make my home and appliances more energy efficient

Households can access a tax credit to cover up to 30% of the costs for certain efficiency improvements.

• Families can claim up to $1,200 in credit each year for adding insulation or installing efficient windows and doors, with a special credit of as much as $2,000 for electric heat pumps that

Underline and parenthesis are added by NewsMagazine

News Magazine January 2023

FEATURE STORY

provide super-efficient heating and cooling.

integrate new heat pumps, rebates of up to $4,000 are available to households.

• To help determine the best home improvement options, families can claim a credit of up to $150 for a home energy audit conducted by an inspector. State programs will begin to offer rebates for electric appliances and home retrofits, which will reduce household energy bills each month. o All households can access rebates of up to $4,000, while low- income households could receive up to $8,000 for home efficiency. o Low- and moderate-income households can access rebates covering up to 100% of the costs of installing electric appliances like heat pump water heaters and clothes dryers. Households can claim a tax credit for 30% of the costs of buying and installing a heat pump, up to $2,000 including support for any electric system upgrades needed to make the home heat-pump-ready. Beginning in 2023 state programs offer low- and moderate-income households rebates for heat pumps at the point-of sale, cutting costs of purchase and installation up to $8,000. If home electrical upgrades are needed to I need to replace my furnace or air conditioner

I want to buy an electric vehicle

For new vehicles, income-qualified households can receive a tax credit of up to $7,500. • The vehicle must be assembled in North America. • The vehicle must have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $80,000 or less for pickup trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and $55,000 or less for other vehicles, including sedans. For previously owned electric vehicles, income-qualified households can access a tax credit of up to $4,000.

• The vehicle must be at least two years old and cost $25,000 or less.

I want to install rooftop solar on my home

Households can receive a tax credit to cover 30% of the costs of installing rooftop solar.

• This credit applies to solar systems that are paired with battery storage as well as standalone battery storage installed without solar.

News Magazine January 2023

FEATURE STORY

The same website also has the following picture. You can find more information by clicking on the blue buttons; however you must go to the site for the buttons to work. You can click on this picture, you will be taken to the government site.

• January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2032: ENERGY STAR Single Family New Homes National Version 3.2 (or the regional program requirements applicable to the home). • Manufactured Homes - $2,500 available for ENERGY STAR certified manufactured homes meeting the most recent ENERGY STAR Manufactured New Homes program requirements (currently Version 2, with Version 2.1 currently proposed to be implemented in May 2023). • Multifamily - $500 available for ENERGY STAR certified multifamily units meeting the ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction National program requirements (or the regional program requirements) applicable to the dwelling unit, as specified in Section 13304. A larger tax credit is available for multifamily projects that meet prevailing wage requirements. The Energy Star website also has information for homeowners. Go to their site, click on “Tax Credits for Homeowner” and then select the picture of the appliance you are interested in. That site again is https://www.energystar.gov/about/federal _tax_credits/non_business_energy_propert y_tax_credits In conclusion for now, this we know. There are rebates; i.e., credits that will come off your tax liability; however, as we understand, they may not provide for a As you can see, we’re talking big money.

The IRA also has big tax credits for Home Builders

Here are examples copied from Energy Star: https://www.energystar.gov/about/federal _tax_credits/federal_tax_credit_archives/ta x_credits_home_builders • Single-Family New Homes - $2,500 available for ENERGY STAR certified homes. • January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2024: ENERGY STAR Single Family New Home National Version 3.1 (or the regional program requirements applicable to the home).

News Magazine January 2023

FEATURE STORY

refund but only reduce the amount owed. Some can qualify for a carry over while some excess credits may not carry over to the next year if the credits are greater than the tax liability. Some/most include equipment and labor. Some do not include labor; i.e., insulation. Some are in the form of tax rebates while others are direct rebates which implies that a contractor or homeowner will receive upfront payment. These will come through the state energy office — we think. As I read this article, I am certain that it may add more confusion to an already confusing situation; however, it’s not just this article that lacks clarity. I have visited with four different institutions from the west coast to the deep south that should know what is going on. They all say they are in the dark. The Feds say the details should be worked out by this spring with money being available soon thereafter — perhaps as early as spring or maybe not until fall. Regardless of when the money is available, Arkansans will receive tax rebates and direct rebates of over $100 million dollars. That is a lot of money in anyone’s lexicon of “My Gosh”! Want to know more? Start with this excellent source of information at the IRS website, https://www.irs.gov/pub/taxpros/fs 2022-40.pdf

Tax Credit Table Next Page

The following page has a table overview of tax credits available beginning this year. Be sure to consult your account or tax attorney before making personal or business decisions.

HVACR NewsMagazine January 2023

State National Chapter News

Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit

Qualifying Rebate

Amount Per

Maximum $

Aggregate Total $1,200 annually

Exterior Doors

30% of cost $250 each

Does not include labor

$500

Windows & skylights

Amounts over aggregate may not carry over to next year.

30% of cost

$600

Link

Insulation & air sealing

30% of cost

Link

$1,200

Home Energy Audits

Link

30% of cost

$150

97% Gas Furnace

It appears that these also have a $1,200 aggregate annual limit under EEHIC

30% of cost including labor $600 Includes Labor

Link

Central Air

30% of cost including labor $600

Link

Panel boards, etc. branch circuits, etc. (200 amps or more) Heat Pumps, Electric or Nat ’ l Gas

30% of cost including labor $600

30% of cost including labor $2,000 Includes Labor EEHIC do not carry forward to the next year and do not qualify for a refund. These are credits for the year of installation, not rebates. Link

Residential Clean Energy Property Credit

Geothermal Heat Pumps Solar Panels & Batteries Retrofits reducing energy use by >= 20% Retrofits reducing energy use by >= 35%

Credit can be carried over

30%

No Limit

Link

Link

30 %

High Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program

$2000

$4000

Link

Heat Pumps

100% of Cost Household Income <=80% of median

$8,000 annual

50% of Cost Household Income >=80% but <=150% of median

Electric Panel/ service upgrades

$4,000 annual

This information is based on our research and the included links. We are not tax accounts or lawyers. One should not base their personal or business plans on this information but rather consult your tax professional.

HVACR NewsMagazine January 2023

State National Chapter News

deployment of electric heat pumps is critical to achieving U.S. climate, energy savings and energy security goals. Input received will guide t he Department’s decisions to maximize the $250 million Defense Production Act investment in heat pumps, funded through President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, to reduce the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels, strengthen national defense and energy security, lower consumer energy costs, improve home efficiency, and mitigate the climate crisis. Reprinted from the following website: https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris administration-announces-250-million-investment-inflation reduction-act

Defense Production ACT Biden allocates $250,000,000 to speed up electric heat pump manufacturing WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Biden-Harris Administration, through U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), today announced a joint Notice of Intent (NOI) and Request for Information (RFI) to determine how DOE could best leverage the Defense Production Act authority invoked by President Biden to accelerate domestic electric heat pump manufacturing. Rapidly increasing the U.S. manufacturing output and

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HVACR NewsMagazine January 2023

State National Chapter News

in providing continuing education to the HVACR industry. The final class also included a presentation of training equipment to the program at EACC. Robert Jackson, HVACR instructor, was presented the equipment by Bill Harrison of Harrison Energy Partners and past president of ASHRAE and Tim Paetz, former member of the Arkansas HVACR Licensing Board. The equipment was furnished by the Arkansas Department of Career Education which was part of an original grant for the Train the Trainer program with Jim Bergmann.

Call it a Wrap

With 8 down, on December 15, East Arkansas Community College became the 9 th class and the final session of Continuing Education EXPOs. The EXPOs kicked off HVACR continuing education in Arkansas. CE became a requirement for HVACR license renewal on January 1, 2023. A total of 469 licensees took the opportunity to obtain the required 4 hours of CE — 2 in technical and 2 in code. Eight instructors taught 32 classes which delivered 1,876 CE/hours of education. The instructors included:

# Venues

Instructor

Sponsor

Bill Harrison Robert Jackson Tim Paetz

Larry Clark

R & E Supply Sanders Supply

4

The EXPOs served as the beginning. Now, the licensees can get the required CE from their distributors, manufacturers, the Association, and others who have stepped up to provide training. It is important to remember that while 4 hours are required, 2 must be in code while the other 2 can be in a technical area from theory to learning about new equipment that the licensee can purchase to install and service. The training can be face to face or online. Two companies offer online training and the Association plans to offer an online code class by mid February with others to follow. A list of approved classes follows on the next page.

Robert Crow

5

Randy Parrish Patton Vellance

Ed ’ s Supply

3

Matt Schoeb

Dap Insulation Johnstone Supply Arkansas HVACR Association York

9

Jon Walker

1

Bret Ward Tom Hunt

1

9

All of the venues were at or sponsored in part by Arkansas colleges which frequently partner with the Association

HVACR NewsMagazine January 2023

State National Chapter News

HVACR NewsMagazine January 2023

State National Chapter News

Additional education providers and classes are being added almost weekly. The most recent list is available at the Department of Labor and Licensing HVACR website https://www.labor.arkansas.gov/wp content/uploads/Approved-HVACR CEU-Provider-Classes-2023.pdf continuing

education with Board approval; however, only 2 or 4 CEs are needed and the excess does not roll over to the next renewal cycle. You noticed that we referred to 2 or 4 hours. A class may be approved for 2 hours of technical training or 2 hours of code or 2 hours of both technical and code. The decision is based on the content of the class. A class may have sufficient content in both areas to be approved for 2 hours of technical and 2 hours of code. That is a decision of the provider as approved by the Board. Bottom line is that 2 hours of technical and 2 hours of code are required. This is the first year of the requirement so there is a lot of confusion. The final authority is the Department of Labor and Licensing HVACR program. Lindsay Moore, Labor Section Manager, and Tony Woodard, State Chief Mechanical Inspector, make the decisions and work to facilitate a smooth implementation of the continuing education program. The program is already improving education.

The following button will take you there as well.

Latest list of CE Providers

Just a reminder. Continuing Education units are only available for the upcoming license renewal. For example, if you have more than the 4 hours required, the excess cannot be carried over to the next license renewal. Continuing Education “ Units ” as they are called are generally awarded for every approximate hour of class. If your class was 6 hours long, the provider may award 6 hours of continuing

HVACR NewsMagazine January 2023

State National Chapter News

that disproportionately experience air pollution. To facilitate the change from gas stoves to electric, the Inflation Reduction Act includes rebates of up to $840 for the purchase of electric ranges. The Building Performance Institute, BPI, has long been teaching their students to test gas stoves for CO emissions with a threshold limit for an Oven/Boiler of 225 ppm. Exceeding that limit should require service by a qualified professional. The acceptable level of emission seems to be a point of concern and the number may vary from one source to another. Iowa State University has an excellent article at https://www.abe.iastate.edu/extension and-outreach/carbon-monoxide poisoning-gas-fired-kitchen-ranges-aen 205/ Click on this for easy access. Things that were common a generation ago are expressly forbidden today; i.e., opening the oven to help heat the house. Of course, back then houses leaked air so badly that we probably did not notice any problems. That brings up two important issues. Houses are much tighter. The unintended consequences of tight homes are that they are much more susceptible to indoor air quality problems. Also, many use stove exhaust hoods that don ’ t exhaust. They simply filter the air and blow it back into the kitchen. CO and high humidity is still present. While the big dogs debate the issue of gas stoves, just use common sense — exhaust vent to the outside whenever you are cooking whether you cook with gas or electric.

You ’ re Cooking with Gas

There was a time when Chefs and Granny ’ s alike thought cooking with gas was the ultimate. Gas was easily controlled and turned off immediately. Many a boil over was avoided by turning off the gas. Traditional electric range tops don ’ t offer that instant response. From woks to cast iron, gas just made it better — or so we believe. Looks like that may not have been completely true. The US Product Safety Commission plans to take action to address the pollution caused by gas stoves which can cause health and respiratory problems. “ This is a hidden hazard, ” says Richard Trumka, Jr., an Agency member. 40% of the homes in America use gas stoves. They can emit air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and fine particulate matter. The EPA and World Health organization believe them to be unsafe and linked to respiratory illness, cardiovascular problems and cancer. Who knew? “ There have been studies for 50 years showing gas stoves as bad for our health, ” said Brady Seals at RMI, a non-profit committed to carbon-free buildings. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and Representative Don Beyer of Virginia urge action and call gas stove emissions a "cumulative burden ” on Black, Latino and low-income households

5% Energy Resource Conservation Loans

A Touchstone Energy® Partner

• No down payment • Low 5% interest • Up to 84 months to pay • Write one check for your payment and electric bill

• No early payment penalty • Low hassle loan application Call Southwest Arkansas Electric Member Service Department 800-782-2743

SUMMARY OF ERC LOAN PROGRAM Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative Energy Resource Conservation (ERC) Loan Program provides low cost financing for high efficiency heat pumps and other energy conservation improvements needed to make your home energy efficient. With approved credit and completion of the home survey, SWAECC will loan up to $5,000 per member per residential structure at 5% interest for up to 84 months. These loans are to finance energy conservation measures including heat pumps (including water source), caulking, weather stripping, insulation, storm or thermal doors and windows, etc. Loans for more than $5,000 will need Board of Director approval. Loans which do not include a heat pump will be limited to $3,000. To qualify, all conservation measures must save enough energy within 10 years to pay for the improvements. Payback estimates are determined by the Cooperative's Home Survey. Because loan funds are limited, loans will be made on a first come, first served basis. QUALIFICATIONS To qualify for the loan the member must have a good credit history with Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative and a good national credit rating. A three-member loan committee will check the member's credit before approving the loan. Loans will only be made for existing homes or buildings. The program is not for homes under construction. Also, property must be owned by the member. The cooling capacity of the heat pump should not exceed 125% of the calculated design load. The heat pump must also meet minimum efficiency ratings to qualify. The SEER rating must be 14.0 or above and the HSPF must be 8.0 or higher. All duct work, including all supply and return air duct work, must be installed with a minimum of 2" duct insulation or rigid fiberglass board and must be sized properly for noise reduction and air flow. HOME SURVEY Before a loan can be made, a home energy survey must be completed. This is a questionnaire concerning the existing and proposed energy efficiency of the property . CONTACT YOUR DEALER We advise but do not require you to contact more than one qualified dealer or contractor for cost estimates to install a heat pump and making other improvements such as storm windows or insulation if they are advised. To qualify for the ERC Loan, the unit must be installed by a member of the Arkansas HVACR Association. SUBMIT APPLICATION FOR ERC LOAN Complete and return the credit application, and the credit check authorization form in this brochure. Your application will be submitted to our loan committee for consideration, and we will notify you in writing of their decision. Once your credit is approved, we will need a copy of the deed to your property for proof of ownership and a legal description. The cooperative will file a lien on the proper-ty to secure the loan. A one-time fee of $30 will be charged to cover the cost of placing and releasing the property lien PROCESSING LOAN DOCUMENTS Upon completion of the work, a serviceman will inspect it. When the invoice is received and the inspection is complete, we will make an appointment for you to come to our Texarkana office to sign the loan papers and have them notarized. All checks will be two-party checks made out to both you and the contractor or contractors. NOTE : Cost of equipment and installation are to be negotiated between you and your contractor. You will be responsible for getting the invoices to us for processing and making payment to your contractor. A two-party check will be written to both you and the dealer . Sign the check only after work is completed.

S tate, National, Chapter News State national Chapter News

Liability Insurance

Why Have it

How to Get It

Nick Hall: Cross Point Insurance Advisors

liability claims for bodily injury (BI) and property damage (PD) arising out of premises, operations, products, and completed operations; and advertising and personal injury (PI) liability. I underlined two things in the definition above, Bodily Injury and Property Damage. I want you to remember those two coverage triggers. That can be damage to your customers home, office/business, their neighbor’s home or office, it can be injury to your customer or to any bystander who happens to be walking by while you are doing your work. The bottom line is this policy provides protection to you when you or your employee cause 3 rd PARTY BODILY INJURY or PROPERTY DAMAGE. You all work with heavy equipment and, if installed incorrectly, it can cause serious damage or injury. So, you can rest better at night knowing you are protected from financial loss by having general liability policy. As always, please let us know if you have any questions!

It has been great meeting many of you at the Continuing Education Expo’s the Association has been putting on throughout the state. I unfortunately can’t make all of them, but I hope to make as many as I can year in and year out! Many of you already know this, but there is a new requirement in Arkansas that in order to renew or get your HVAC License, you have to carry at least $250,000 in General Liability Insurance . You might ask why you need that, and how do you get it? Well getting it is easy! We put together the form on the next page that will allow us to get quotes for you. We work with several carriers and can shop your coverage to get you the best price, but did you know Arkansas HVACR Association Members get a 10% member discount through EMC? From there they will adjust the rates based off of your claims history and operations, but the starting point on your rates is only 90% of what a non-members would pay! So if you are not currently insured with EMC, you need to get a quote! Now, what does General Liability Cover? General Liability is defined as an insurance policy issued to business organizations to protect them against

Stay Safe Out There

Cross Pointe Insurance Advisors, LLC 12410 Cantrell Road, Ste 200A Little Rock, AR 72223 nickh@cp-ins.com : 501-680-1186

L IABILITY I NSURANCE Q UOTE F ORM

General Information

Company Name (& DBA):

Address:

FEIN:

Contact Name:

Years in Business:

Contact Number:

Website Address:

Contact E-Mail:

General Liability

Total Annual Revenue:

New Installation

vs

Servicing

Revenue %:

Residential

vs

Commercial

Workers Compensation

Estimated Annual Payroll:

Employee Count:

Clerical:

Technician :

Auto

Vehicles (# of Each):

Sedan:

Box Trucks:

SUV/Pickup Trucks:

Trailers:

Tractors:

Will Need VINs and Driver Information (Name, DOB, DL #) For Most Accurate Pricing

Current/Prior Coverage

Do You Currently Have Insurance Coverage? Y

/

N

Have You Had Any Prior Insurance Claims? Y N For a Quote, fill out the form and send to Nick Hall: 501-680-1186 or email nickh@cp-ins.com /

S tate, National, Chapter News State national Chapter News

Kirk’s Corner The start of heating season

The heating season is here, and with natural gas, your customers can count on the affordability of natural gas at low prices. "If your customers are considering updating their heating and water heating systems this season, we recommend they consider installing a condensing combination boiler," says Kirk Pierce, Energy Efficiency Consultant. These combi units provide space heating and hot water while supplying efficient heat output, lower heating costs, and a quieter operation. Plus, we offer a rebate of $1,500 for a combi boiler or furnace plus tankless water heater installation. To ensure that your customers are receiving the best possible deal — double-check with your manufacturers to see if they have rebates available in addition to our great high-efficiency rebate. If you have any questions about helping your customers, please reach out to me at TPierce@SummitUtilities.com Looking ahead

Kirk Pierce, Energy Efficient Consultant501501-377-4646 tpierce@summitutilities.com

“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone plant ed a tree a long time ago.” -- Warren Buffet

S tate, National, Chapter News Education News

NWTI Business & Industry 709 Old Missouri Rd., Springdale, Arkansas 72764 Michael Dewberry: mdewberry@nwti.edu 479-751-8824 SAU Tech 6415 Spellman Rd, East Camden, AR 71701 Roland Walters : cwalters@sautech.edu 870-574-4500 Southeast Arkansas College 1900 Hazel Street, Pine Bluff, AR 71603 John Pyland : jpyland@seark.edu 870-543-5900 UACC Hope / Texarkana 2500 South Main, Hope 71802 Leo Rateliff : leo.rateliff@uacch.edu 870-722-8507 UACC Morrilton 1537 University Blvd., Morrilton, AR 72110 Carroll Chism: chismc@uaccm.edu 3000 West Scenic Drive, NLR 72206 Robert Dixon : rdixon@uaptc.edu 501-812-2200 UA Monticello / Crossett 1326 Hwy 52W, Crossett, AR 71635 William Campbell : campbellw@uamont.edu 870-460-2010 (501) 977-2053 UA Pulaski Tech If you are a college or technical institute and want to be included in the list of HVACR education providers, contact the NewsMagazine 501-487-8655 news@arhvacr.org We’ll make sure you are in the next issue. Also, if we need to correct your information, please let us know. Add Your Name

Training Programs

Arkansas North Eastern College 4213 Main Street, Blytheville 72315 Rick Sones : rsones@smail.anc.edu 870-763-6222 Arkansas Tech University, Ozark 1700 Helberg Lane, Ozark, AR 72949 Kenneth Beeler : kbeeler@atu.edu 479-508-3333 ASU Mountain Home 4034 Hwy 63 W, Mountain Home 72653 Eric Smith : esmith@asumh.edu 870-508-6221 ASU Newport 33500 US 63, Marked Tree 72365 Mark Constant : mark_constant@asun.edu 870-358-8627 ASU Searcy Newcastle Road, Forrest City, AR 72335 Robert Jackson : rjackson@eacc.edu 870-633-5411 National Park College 101 College Drive, Hot Springs, 71913 Pam Castleberry : pam.castleberry@np.edu 501-760-4393 North Arkansas Community College 1320 Nort Spring Road, Harrison, AR 72601 Jeff Smith : jsmith@northark.edu 870-391-3382 Northwest Arkansas Community College One College Drive, Bentonville, AR 71712 A.J. Hart : ahart7@nwacc.edu 479-936-5108 1800 East Moore Avenue, Searcy Brad Cooper: bjcooper@asub.edu 501-207-6221 East Arkansas Community College

HVACR NewsMagazine January 2023

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distributors. Please don’t consult counter sales on what you should do. They may be knowledgeable on their product, but they haven’t seen your job.

It’s Not Hard… The New Year is Upon Us!

Complete with brand new equipment, and performance standards.

Poor duct and distribution installations still exist, and you or your company staff must recognize, correct, and improve them before equipment will perform. I used to complain about Carrier Corporation’s use of large -framed furnaces. They knew way back; larger furnace cabinets were necessary to flow the proper volume of air. Today you will find 24” furnaces at minimum tonnages. For years manufacturers told the contracting community, “Take responsibility for individual jobs and resulting performance” and today, some high-end equipment with diagnostics on board, can shut the system down if performance parameters are not in alignment with air handler or furnace programing. I am sure these features will become more common place looking to the future. The question is; Are you going to install the equipment that calls out deficiencies, then adjust the job to correct the performance? If so, you will not be in business long. Carrier and Trane are some of the companies that push relatively inexpensive training out ahead of product delivery. Bryan Orr, of HVAC Schools and KALOS Services regularly contributes to this magazine and does a fine job here and on the internet explaining every aspect of the HVAC trade. In fact, if you were to catalog the information readily available on the internet by reputable folks, you would have a substantial training library. I will add

Have you done any research to keep up? Most contractors have done little, other than unloading equipment at discounted prices so not to get stuck with obsolete product in the warehouse. For contractors who measure performance by way of monitoring static pressure, utilizing flow hoods and weighing in the charge, you have already discovered the knack for doing the install right. Now that the manufacturers are telling you how the system performs in a more realistic sense, it should put you on notice. Also, your installs are not magically going to improve just by installing SEER 2 equipment. SEER 2 EER 2 SEER 2 EER 2 has just shown the industry the handicap general installations have put on equipment. Lower efficiency equipment took a 7/10 th of a SEER point reduction. Higher efficiency equipment took a full SEER point reduction. Most of the reduction is reflected directly on fan power consumed. As a matter of fact, manufacturers are admitting they have failed at moving the needle on performance. Failed at leaving it up to us, the contracting community, to install equipment correctly. Manufacturers have understood they can’t anticipate the challenges contractors will face with each individual installation. Neither do the

HVACR NewsMagazine January 2023

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a note of caution. About 80% of material on the internet regarding HVAC information, is either dated or in error. Many HVAC forums on the internet come up with inaccurate solutions to everyday problems. Measuring static pressure, air flow, humidity, and BTU performance is the only way to be sure your company delivers a quality product. National Comfort Institute has a two relatively new classes. One titled “System Design and Redesign” and “Refrigerant Side Performance”. Both classes focus on correcting bad duct and performance installs. Stepping back to Carrier Industries, some of their product lines today, require a wireless connection and a pin to access the controls on board. Soon to be gone, are the days of blaming another tech for setting up operation incorrectly. There are common identifiers that call out poor performance for us if we understand the issue. Large grilles and adequate surface area for filters is a first step. Static across the intake grille and filter media should not move past .15 psi. In most instances two media filters are required to keep velocities at or below 300 FPM. During sales and technician training display pieces of cardboard or posterboard cut to represent two square inches for every CFM a system will require to flow proper amounts of air. A nominal three-ton system will require 600 square inches of grille area. This will train your staff to immediately recognize inadequately sized returns. Air intake for the furnace or air handler should not be restricted in any manner. A reminder of performance in comparing square to round duct may be helpful. Once again, an internet web site can

help again. Engineering Toolbox has every possible calculator you might need understanding limitations of round duct vs. square, air velocity, air density and other common calculations. Setup of equipment with the correct fans speeds and timer selection must be followed to the letter of the manufacturer along with thermostat setup. The engineering team that builds furnaces and air handlers know how the system will perform, so trust and follow the setup instructions. Design and construction of distribution system is a point generally overlooked on sales or service calls. Understanding proper plenum design must incorporate an adequate takeoff area and rebound zone is important. The idea you can force air to differing points in duct system is downright foolish and wastes huge amounts of energy. We must remember we deliver air with low resistance and specific targets. We displace energy to cool the structure. We do not cool the air. The process is not hard; however, you must educate yourself and the folks on your team installing the equipment. You can’t singularly depend on hiring experience, because experience is retiring, and the overall industry has failed with few exceptions. Otherwise, we would not have 80% of systems underperforming at 60% of rated capacity. So, make a New Year’s resolution that’s worth keeping. Installing systems that perform at 90% or more of rated capacity is a game changer for you and your company. The year 2023 is the year to understand how to immediately identify shortfalls for duct and distribution systems and learn how to extend the life of evaporators with filters that perform.

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By Emily Gutowski on Dec 21, 2022 04:21 pm This gas furnace maintenance procedure in this article was developed by Michael Housh. Michael is the owner of Housh Home Energy in Ohio. He regularly works on natural gas equipment and is an active contributor to the HVAC School Facebook group. Thanks, Michael!

system before and are familiar with it, the best thing to do here is to check the data plate. The data plate also has the manifold pressure, minimum and maximum gas pressures, and all sorts of information that will be useful later. With all that in mind, it may be beneficial to activate the equipment from the thermostat. If you raise the setpoint, you can see how the equipment operates. Whenever the system fails to start or does something odd, you can have a conversation with the customer before taking anything apart. 2. Check for water leakage around the system (on high-efficiency furnaces). If you're working on a 90%+ furnace, you will want to inspect the gaskets, condensate drain, and blower compartment closely for signs of water leakage. If you see evidence of water leakage, then you might be dealing with a failed component like a gasket, cracked collector box, or secondary heat exchanger. Bryan Orr, founder of “ HVAC School For Techs by Techs ” , generously allows the Association to reprint their articles. We encourage you to subscribe to Bryan’s Website and get all the great articles and podcast directly. You’ll be glad you did.

Gas Furnace Maintenance Procedure

Gas-fired equipment has a different set of components than your typical straight-cool A/C unit or heat pump. With gas pressures to test, sensors to clean, and combustion to analyze, it can be difficult to figure out where to begin a maintenance procedure on a gas furnace. So, here is a start-to-finish guide to a thorough gas maintenance procedure developed by none other than Michael Housh. As with any other type of HVAC system, gas furnaces require you to do a thorough visual inspection before you even touch your tools. 1. Familiarize yourself with the equipment and see how it operates. Check to see what the furnace efficiency is; are you dealing with a standard 80% furnace or a 90%+ high-efficiency furnace? Does the system use natural gas or liquefied petroleum (LP or propane)? Unless you've worked on a Visual inspection

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4. Check the venting.

When you check the venting, make sure that the flue isn't blocked. In many cases, rodents or birds may make their nests in flues and chimneys, so it's best to be on the lookout for those. You'll also want to make sure the vent piping is appropriate for the system (for example, high-efficiency gas furnaces often use plastics like PVC). Check for unsafe backdraft risk factors, such as orphaned water heaters, too. Melted grommets or insulation on the top of a water heater are often a sign of backdrafting or spillage from the draft hood.

3. Inspect the filters and auxiliary equipment.

Filters and auxiliary equipment, such as humidifiers and dehumidifiers, are often crucial to the home's indoor air quality and the occupants' health. Check to see if the filter needs replacement (which they often do) and if it's the correct size for the system. If you have a dehumidifier, check the filtration on that to make sure it's appropriate and see if it needs replacement. While you're at it, make sure the dehumidifier's float switch hasn't tripped. If you have a humidifier, check the water panel to see if it needs replacing or if the humidifier needs to be cleaned.

Cleaning and inspection

After you complete your visual inspection, it's time to move on to checking and cleaning the individual components of the furnace. 5. Check and clean the flame sensor or pilot assembly. You'll generally see flame sensing rods in modern hot-surface ignition (HSI) or intermittent-spark ignition (ISI) systems. Flame rods may fail to work properly if the ceramic insulation has cracked, they aren't fully placed in the flame, or they get coated in silica. So, you'll want to keep an eye out for

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8. Visually inspect all pressure ports and hoses.

those conditions and address them. To learn more about flame sensing and testing flame sensors, I recommend checking out THIS article. In the case of standing pilot assemblies, you will want to make sure that the thermocouple is proving flame and keeping the pilot valve open during operation (and closed when not operating). Thermocouples are made of dissimilar metals that warp when exposed to heat; unlike flame sensors, thermocouples actually produce current when the metal warps. To learn more about testing thermocouples, check out THIS article. 6. Check and clean out the condensate trap. If you're working on a high-efficiency gas furnace, you need to be able to keep the condensate trap in good condition. Traps can potentially get blocked and require cleaning on EVERY maintenance call, even if that just means flushing water through the drain and making sure it flows properly through all the ports. Although this step is important for all furnace types, it's especially critical for LP systems. Make sure the power is OFF before you inspect the burners for damage and clean them. In most cases, a soft-bristled brush works well for the surface, compressed air will blow debris out of the interior, and a thorough wipe with a damp rag works well to finish up the cleaning. 7. Check and clean the burners.

While you're checking major components, be sure to remember the ports associated with pressure switches. Combustion debris, spiderwebs, and other forms of small debris can make their way into these ports, leading to partial blockages that obstruct airflow. You'll want to make sure these ports are clear. It's also a good idea to inspect the hoses for cracks or breaks and then blow through the connection hoses to ensure that they are clear. Although standard 80% gas furnaces typically have one heat exchanger, high-efficiency furnaces have a primary and a secondary heat exchanger. No matter how many heat exchangers the furnace has, be sure to inspect those for cracks, which can lead to deadly carbon monoxide poisoning if left unchecked. Testing is the bread and butter of a good maintenance procedure; after all, now is the time to make sure your equipment is running properly. Before you get into the thick of testing, it's best to make sure you're familiar with the way the equipment operates. 9. Inspect the heat exchanger(s). Prepare for testing

Keep reading Article continues on page 34

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10. Take your supply and return air temperatures.

11.

Take

your

static

pressure

measurements.

You can use those values to get your temperature rise, which tells you how well the appliance is heating the air. (That's kind of like the delta T of heating.) You won't take your official temperature rise until later, as there are a few extra steps involved with temperature rise, but you can get an idea of the unit's average performance early on.

As a rule of thumb, it's a good idea for the static pressure to be less than the maximum specification listed on the data tag. 12. Read your inlet and outlet gas pressures. As stated earlier, you can find the rated gas pressures on your data tag so that you know what those values should be when you test the gas pressure.