Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine March 2024

News Magazine March 2024

Arkansas’ First and Only HVACR NewsMagazine

Code CE In Local Chapters

What is Super Tuesday? Super Tuesday is a traditional name for the date when a large number of presidential primaries are held. This election cycle, Super Tuesday is March 5, 2024. Time Line February 20, 2024 early voting began. Hours and days vary by county

March 5, 2024: Election Day Voting

Tech News Heat Pumps, Cap, Humidity, IRA (Tom Turner-Air Evangelist) The Case for a Combustion Analyzer (Bryan Orr - HVAC School) Carbon Monoxide Alarm (AC Service Tech, Craig Migliaccio)

Articles of Interest So You Want to Complain 7 A Year Under Our Belt : Continuing Ed 11 Nick ’s Corner : Safety Procedures – Critical 14 AHRI Tracing Sales 18 ESCO : A2L Safety 23 Kirk ’ s Corner: Increasing High Efficiency Sales 26

PG 28

PG 33

PG 35

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Ventilation Strategies (Byan Orr - HVAC School)

By Arkansans

For Arkansans

*

Select the Chapter and Location That Best Fits You

Select “Click Here to Register”, Fill Out the Form for Your CE, Pay Online, and We’ll See You There

March 5 Fort Smith 1801 South Waldron Fort Smith March 7 Camden 700 Bradley Ferry Road Fort Smith

Click Here To Register

5:30 Meal 6:00 CE Program

Click Here To Register

6:00 Meal 6:30 CE Program

March 12 Hot Springs 101 College Drive

Click Here To Register

6:00 Meal 6:30 CE Program

Fort Smith

March 14 Jonesboro 3213 Dan Avenue

Click Here To Register

6:00 Meal 6:30 CE Program

Fort Smith

March 19 Fayetteville 4507 North College

Click Here To Register

6:00 Meal 6:30 CE Program

Fort Smith

March 21 Texarkana, AR 2904 East 9 th Street

Click Here To Register

6:00 Meal 6:30 CE Program

Fort Smith

March 26 Harrison 1320 North Spring Road Fort Smith

Click Here To Register

6:00 Meal 6:30 CE Program

March 28 Little Rock 2516 Cantrell Road

Click Here To Register

6:00 Meal 6:30 CE Program

Fort Smith

Continuing Education

2 Hours Tech

2 Hours Code

3 Amazing Speakers

See Next Page

All 4 Hours Continuing Education Scan the QR Code to Learn More and Register

April 3, 2024 Pulaski Technical College Campus Center Building 3000 West Scenic Drive North Little Rock, AR 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Lunch & Refreshments furnished

April 4, 2024 NWACC

Shewmaker Center for Workforce Technologies 1 College Drive Bentonville, AR 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Lunch & Refreshments furnished

Expo Presenters

Jim Bergmann “Commissioning” The process of testing systems to assure their design and specs meet expectations. Testing with the proper equipment reveals successes and problems. Jim Bergmann Inventor of measureQuick YouTube Trainer

Bobby Parks Nationally Known Speaker

Tony Woodard State Chief Mechanical Inspector

Tony Woodard State Chief Mechanical Inspector “Code, Ventilation, Duct, and Whatever Interests You” The opportunity to hear from the horses mouth about changes and interpretations of code.

Bobby Parks “The Pressure Is On” Demonstrate pressure interactions and insulation that affect the design and performance of HVAC systems. It’s a system approach to success.

News Magazine March2024

Table of Contents

14

Editorial

pg 7

So You Want to Complain

Continuing Education Events Chapter Meetings In March : Code CE Chapter 4, Ventilation 4 Credit Hour EXPO : Jim Bergmann, Bobby Parks, Tony Woodard

pg 2

pg 4

Feature Story

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Continuing Education – A year under our belts

State, national, chapter news Nick ’ s Corner: New Year — Safety Procedure--Critical

pg 14

PG 18

AHRI Tracking Sales ESCO — A2L Safety

pg 23

pg 26

Kirk ’ s Corner: Increasing Sales with High Efficiency

Education News Training Programs

PG 24

PG 22

DTV, Duct Test Verifier, Train the Trainer for College HVACR Instructors

Tech News

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Heat Pumps, Cap & Humidity Control, & IRA (Tom Turner – The Air Evangelist) The Case for Buying a Combustion Analyzer (Bryan Orr - HVAC School)

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PG 35 pg 30 PG 33 pg 36 PG 37

Carbon Monoxide Alarm (AC Service Tech, Craig Migliaccio)

Ventilation Strategies (Byan Orr - HVAC School)

HVACR NewsMagazine March 2024

being left with unsafe, unworking systems having to call a legit contractor to fix the mess and pay all over again. Off my stump for just a minute. The real issue of this article is to let you know that our program now has a way to file a complaint. Go to the following link and scroll way down the page: https://www.labor.arkansas.gov/labor/c ode-enforcement/hvac-r/

So, you want to Complain? Now you can. The Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing HVACR Program has a place online for you to complain all you want. What

about ? About anything. Only thing is you have to include your name and your email. After all, they have to get back to you to follow up. That is one of the things that drives me crazy about our industry-- in fact everyone. For some strange reason, we want to fuss and cuss but are unwilling to take a stand for what is right. We need to stand up for ourselves, our industry, and our community. I hear it all the time, “You should see the sor ry level of work that is going on and nobody does anything. ” “Why don’t we do something about all the unlicensed yahoos out there? ” Of cour se they seldom use a polite word like yahoos. Usually it is a bit more colorful. I suggest that they contact the state or local inspector and you know what the most common answer is, “Well, I won’t do that. I just don ’t do that.” Well crimin y, who else is going to tell? Are we not complicit if we see a wrong and do not call it out? I understand why an 8 th grader doesn ’t want to be a tattletale; but, we are grown and have a responsibility to our community--to protect them when they are being taken advantage of. Many

You can also click on the box. There it is!

Remember you have to scroll way down to find it. Wow! Thanks to our Department, we can now notify the appropriate folks of the “crap” that is going on. Please excu se the coarse language but that is what it is. This is an amazing step forward. Now, we don ’ t have enough inspectors so don ’ t expect an immediate solution but a solution will come. The good part of this is that the complaint filer has to identify themselves. That will prevent your competitor from filing a frivolous complaint about you. Checks and balances are a good thing. I trust that this will improve the quality of work and will weed out those that don’t know what they are doing. Let ’ s hope so. A big thanks to our program for taking a leadership role for the benefit of our industry. Somebody say AMEN!

http://www.edssupply.com/arkansas

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.

News Magazine March 2024

FEATURE STORY

• 2 hours may be about technical or business HVACR • You can opt to have all 4 hours in code

Continuing

Education A Year Under Our Belt

Where can I get it? • Manufacturers • Distributors • Colleges • Training Centers •

Beginning January 1, 2023, Continuing Education became required to renew your license. It’s only four hours per year and applies to “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, “E”. It does not apply to registrants. This year has gone really well when you consider any “ year one ” of any program. Distributors, manufacturers, and the Arkansas HVACR Association have stepped up to provide a menagerie of classes. Communication has been the worst problem. Lots of licensees were not aware of the requirement until they tried to renew their license. Surprise, surprise, surprise. Suddenly it became important. Where do I get this? How much do I need? Rather than talk about how everyone could have done better, let ’ s talk about the future. The following should outline it fairly well.

Arkansas HVACR Association

Online providers

•

How much will it cost?

• Depends on where you get it & • The depth of instruction

The licensing program does not determine the cost. Since you determine the classes you will take, the cost is up to you. How do I know the class qualifies for CE? To qualify for continuing education, the providers must submit the course outline and instructor information to the Department of Labor and Licensing HVACR program. The classes are reviewed by the Chief Inspector and a number is assigned. Licensees should ask the provider for the Labor and Licensing CE number before taking the class. How does the HVACR program know I took the class? • The provider will provide each licensee with a certificate with the name of the

What is it?

Continuing Education is instruction • in person or • online.

How Much is Required?

Only 4 hours per year.

•

What does it have to be about?

• 2 hours are required to be about code

News Magazine March 2024

FEATURE STORY

class, the CEU number, the date taken, and the instructor. • Licensees should keep the certificate where they can easily find it, whether as a hard copy or on their computer. • At renewal, the licensee will send a copy of the CE certificate to the Department of Labor and Licensing. • The process will change at some point. Hopefully, the program will institute software that can be reported to by the providers and then looked up by department. Will certainly make things easier but the technology is not quite ready. So, keep your copies and submit when you renew. • Several distributors, colleges, and manufacturers are scheduling classes for 2024. Licensees should contact their distributor or manufacturer or college about their schedule. Make sure that the class has a CE# so you can get credit for the class at licensing. • The Association has 8 code classes scheduled for March and again next October. This will be a regular schedule for the Association. The Association classes are offered during the regular Chapter meetings and are open to members and non-members. A non-member is charged a small fee but the class is free to members. A meal is also furnished with the class. When will the classes begin? How will I know when the classes are? • Contact your distributor, college, manufacturer, or the Association.

• You can also take classes online. Google, Arkansas HVACR Continuing Education for links. Be careful to register for those classes for Arkansas. Some online providers offer classes for several states and you need to be sure that you enroll in a class for Arkansas.

When should I get my continuing education?

Prior to your license renewal.

•

• Give yourself a few months of buffer in case you forget or get busy or have an emergency.

What happens if I forget and don’t get all 4 hours of required continuing education before my license needs to renew? You will not be able to renew your license; however, The program is extending a short grace period for now. How long is the grace period? Well, it is about 90 days now, but that is not an

News Magazine March 2024

FEATURE STORY

absolute. The program is not obligated to extend a grace period for any period of time and it could end anytime. It is an accommodation for our folks since the requirement is new. The HVACR continuing education requirements operate much like other occupations. Since it is new to the HVACR industry, it can be a frustration at first. We ’ re a year into it and most licensees are going with the flow. Remember, we asked the legislature and the licensing program for this so that our customers will get better service. We all see pitiful situations where the contractor did not know what they were doing and the customer was left without heating or air conditioning and paying someone to fix it. This will help solve that over time. Good contractors were already getting 4 or more hours of continuing education. The only difference is that licensees need to submit their CEU certificates when they apply for renewal.

It is Spring and Time to Review Your Commercial Business Insurance Save Money Get Great Service Before you get busy, review your commercial insurance: General Liability, Workers Compensation, Vehicle, Building, etc.

Travis Hill....(479) 424-4918 Nick Hall……(501) 680 - 1186

Association Members Receive 10% Discount

ARHVACR NewsMagazine March2024

S tate, National, Chapter News State national Chapter News

Safety Procedures-- Critical for Your Employees Critical for Your Company

materials, dangerous chemicals, hazardous equipment, and elevated work areas) is vital to prevent potential incidents. With this in mind, HVAC contractors should implement these employee safety procedures: • Establish a fall protection program that outlines safety protocols for employees who must work at heights (e.g., on roofs or ladders). This should include a written program, training procedures and protective equipment protocols. • Keep Safety Data Sheets for any chemicals used during work tasks. Be sure to train employees on chemical hazards and related safety precautions. • Perform a personal protective equipment (PPE) survey to determine which types of PPE are needed for different work tasks. Provide all necessary PPE to employees and educate them on the proper use of this equipment. • Ensure employees receive sufficient training before operating moving equipment, such as forklifts, scissor lifts or boom lifts.

Nick Hall Cross Pointe Insurance Advisors

Safety is a part of everything we do in life, and it affects us and the people we are working with and for. Being an HVAC contractor comes with a wide variety of challenges. After all, HVAC contractors are responsible for equipping their customers’ properties with successful heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, as well as performing routine maintenance and repairs on these systems. What’s more, HVAC operations carry many safety, liability, and property risks — all of which cou ld lead to costly damages. That’s why it’s vital to have effective loss control measures in place. HVAC contractors must address and offer helpful strategies to avoid possible claims. In this newsletter we are going to discuss employee safety concerns. As with any employer, HVAC contractors must protect their employees from illnesses and injuries on the job. Especially in the scope of HVAC operations, safeguarding employees from occupational risks (e.g., flammable

ARHVACR NewsMagazine March2024

S tate, National, Chapter News State national Chapter News

• Educate employees on electrical safety hazards and provide them with proper practices to help prevent such risks. • Develop an effective workplace safety training program. Require all employees to participate in routine training. Doing so will allow new employees to prepare for their roles and experienced employees to stay updated on important safety protocols. In the HVAC industry we are faced with several regulations and requirements we must adhere to which combined to help ensure we perform our tasks in a safe manner and protect the environment as well. In our next newsletter we will discuss premises and completed operations liability concerns.

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

HVACR NewsMagazine March 2024

State National Chapter News

The chart demonstrates how air conditioning units have leveled off in the 2003 to 2022 period: 5.3 million to 6 million units or 0.14% increase. On the other hand, heat pumps have increased dramatically: 1.6 to 4.3 million — a 269% increase. Even though air conditioning units still outsell heat pumps by 39%, the trend shows that heat pumps are on a path to meet or beat ac sales. This may be a bit overly optimistic for heat pumps, but also note that the last date of this accumulated data was 2022 — before the Biden administration and congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act with billions dedicated to electrification, a euphemistic way of saying, fuel switching from gas to heat pump. Just as an aside, gas warm air furnaces showed an 18% increase during the same period. On another note: Interesting link to AHRI and ESCO report on A2L refrigerants. Thought you might like it. Kinda ’ long but some interesting slides. https://www.gotostage.com/channel/4c3f3b7 232b94b4588b4d92298abb0cb/recording/641 337db092746c2899cf80c7135ea80/watch?so urce=CHANNEL

AHRI Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute / Tracking Sales Regulators at the federal, state, and local levels depend upon AHRI for the accurate and unbiased evaluation of HVACR equipment. AHRI’s certification programs demonstrate that performance claims have been independently measured and verified. Upon verification, the AHRI Certified® mark is applied to the product to serve as a visual statement of conformance. AHRI issues a monthly report of combined U.S. manufacturer shipments of central air conditioning, air-source heat pumps systems, gas and oil furnaces, and gas and electric tank water heaters. The report is issued on the second Friday of every month for shipments made during the two months prior to the release date. For example, January shipment data is released on the second Friday of March. Click here to View Monthly Shipments

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 /

HVACR NewsMagazine March 2024

State National Chapter News

Low GWP Refrigerant Safety: Flammable and Mildly Flammable Refrigerants

As the HVACR industry continues to move forward and innovate, the refrigerants that were once so commonplace are now being phased out. Replacing them are more energy efficient, environmentally friendlier refrigerants, known as Low GWP refrigerants. Many of these new refrigerants are classified by ASHRAE as A2L, or slightly flammable. The industry is also seeing expanded use of some hydrocarbon (A3) refrigerants, such as propane and isobutane. Students and technicians will require additional training for the safe handling and transportation of these refrigerants. ESCO, the largest provider of 608 training and testing, is expanding their offerings to include A2L. According to Howard Weiss, President of ESCO Group, the EPA is still determining the depth of required training for A2L refrigerants; however, taking training now, in person or online, will put HVAC companies and their techs ahead of the pack. ESCO online training for A2L Refrigerants can be obtained by clicking on the picture or at the following link https://hvacr.elearn.network/courses/A 2L-Refrigerant-Safety The cost is only $39.95 so it is affordable and available now. If you prefer, you can purchase a training manual at https://escogroup.org/shop/itemdetail.a spx?ID=4168 The price is $43.95.

The Low GWP Training Program is available in an easy-to-use online course, or traditional manual. Both cover: Refrigerant safety

Introduction to Low GWP refrigerants

Refrigerant properties and

characteristics

The refrigeration cycle

Working with refrigerant blends

Proper installation and service guidelines

Flammable refrigerant considerations

Explanation of the associated codes and standards for A2L refrigerants Want to take a practice exam? Click on this link. https://www.escogroup.org/practice/pr acticeexamsession.aspx?uid=db3c3986 928e-4525-a29b-d926bbaf82f2

News Magazine

S tate, National, Chapter News Education News

Northwest Technical Institute 709 Old Missouri Rd, Springdale, Arkansas 2764 Galin Cronin : info@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 Danny Gumm : dgumm@seark.edu 870-543-5976 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 (501) 977-2053 UA Pulaski Tech College 3000 West Scenic Drive, NLR 72206 Matthew Lemaster : mlemaster@uaptc.edu 501-812-2795 UA Monticello / Crossett

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 No program at present ASU Newport 33500 US 63, Marked Tree 72365 Mark Constant : mark_constant@asun.edu 870-358-8627 ASU Searcy 1800 East Moore Avenue, Searcy Brad Cooper : bjcooper@asun.edu 501-207-6221 East Arkansas Community College Newcastle Road, Forrest City, AR 72335 Robert Jackson : rjackson@eacc.edu 870-633-5411 National Park College 101 College Drive, Hot Springs, 71913 Ashton Copaus : ashton.copaus@np.edu 501-760-4394 North Arkansas Community College 1515 Pioneer Drive, 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 479-986-4000

1326 Hwy 52W, Crossett, AR 71635 Brad White : bwhite@uamont.edu 870-415-9795

Add Your Name

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.

ARHVACR NewsMagazine March2024

S tate, National, Chapter News State national Chapter News

Kirk’s Corner Increase your sales of high efficiency natural gas equipment with rebates from Summit Utilities Spring is just around the corner, and as we near the end of heating season, we’d like to remind you of the advantages of natural gas water heaters and furnaces. These energy-efficient systems are not just practical, they're also fantastic choices that can truly elevate your customers’ home comfort and savings. 1. Lower Energy Costs Natural gas has consistently proven to be a cost-effective energy option * . Its abundant supply and efficiency can lead to reduced energy costs and lower monthly bills for customers. With lower operational costs, natural gas furnaces and water heaters allow your customers to enjoy the warmth and hot water they need without worrying about breaking the bank. 2. Quick Heating Response: Natural gas heating systems provide a rapid heating response, ensuring a cozy home environment and reliable warmth on the coldest days, and tankless natural gas water heaters provide instant hot water on demand. Advantages of Natural Gas Furnaces and Water Heaters for Homeowners

3. Energy Efficiency: With up to 97% efficiency ** using natural gas for heating, cooking, hot water, and more, not only will customers save money, but they’ll reap the benefits of having a more energy efficient home or business as well! New gas appliances have nearly twice the efficiency of appliances using other energy sources *** , so customers can save energy and money for the things they enjoy. 4. Reliability: Enjoy uninterrupted comfort! Natural gas systems are celebrated for their reliability and years of use. While initial installation costs may vary, the efficiency and lower operational costs of natural gas systems often result in substantial savings over time. It's a smart, long-term investment for homeowners looking to balance affordability and efficiency.

ARHVACR NewsMagazine March2024

S tate, National, Chapter News State national Chapter News

Higher rebates to help you sell – and enjoy higher trade ally incentives, too! Our rebates help your customers save on the price of high-efficiency equipment while helping you close sales. By submitting a qualifying rebate, you will receive $100! We doubled our installer incentive this year to encourage you to submit your customer’s rebate online. Your customers can now receive up to $800 for >95% AFUE forced-air furnaces—and you’ll receive $100 for your effort! Plus, your customer can receive an additional $60 when you install a qualifying EnergyStar smart thermostat at the same time. We also offer a rebate of $1,700 for a combination furnace plus tankless water heater installation and$1500 for a condensing combination boiler, with a $100 trade ally incentive this year! Your customers will receive up to $700 for tankless water heaters, $500 for commercial tank water heaters, and $75 for residential tank water heater installations. We also offer a $1,700 rebate for a combination 95% furnace plus tankless water heater installation. Either way, you can receive a $100 trade ally incentive! PLUS, your customers can also receive additional Federal Clean Energy Tax Credits for the installation of high • Heating system rebates: • Water heater rebates:

efficiency 95% natural gas furnaces and cutting-edge condensing tankless water heaters! Federal tax credits, combined with Summit Utilities’ rebates, make energy-efficient upgrades more affordable than ever! For information about Federal Tax Credits, visit Energy.gov Remember, it is never too early to begin submitting rebates! Save time and get your rebates more quickly when you submit them online using our easy to-use application! • Sign in or register your company online at https://www.clearesult.com/trade ally/register/summitutilities/accou nt-info • Verify your customer is a Summit Utilities natural gas customer by providing their Summit account number along with the dated itemized sales invoice/receipt with the brand, model number, and purchase price of the installed equipment. We're here to help you and to help your customers! As always, if you have questions, please reach out. T. Kirk Pierce Senior Energy Efficiency Consultant 501-412-9610 tpierce@summitutilities.com

HVACR NewsMagazine March 2024

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Folks administering funds distribution are interested in passing along as much revenue with the assumption modeling software and the government guidelines are all they need. Tax incentives only look at the prescriptive aspects of the application and have no expectation for performance. Heat Pump capacity and equipment capacity in general has little to do with the model number of the equipment. As SEER 2 and EER 2 number go up, capacity to manage the loads both sensible and latent go down. While heat pumps can be a viable alternative where fuels are limited or occupants are unwilling to deal with fluctuating market conditions, their application must be dealt with carefully. Where resistance (electrical) heating exists, then the change to a heat pump is a no brainer. A quick review of home construction that should meet criteria for a heat pump conversion is below. double pane windows , air sealed to a four or lower ACH, and meet updated code insulation levels for the area. Homes built prior to 2007, or built with crawl spaces, partial basements, older windows, or inferior insulation should never see a heat pump installed before the air changes are measured. Be aware of homes recently updated to include heat pumps where fuel switching has occurred. Cosmetics upgrades such as windows or siding alone can mean little for energy efficiency and heat pump compatibility. Anyone converting from fuel sourced heat to a heat pump, must understand the air changes of the structure are of paramount concern if the Homes must have

With the monies to be released across the country for HVAC upgrades and installations, there also comes the idea that conversion from fuel sources to electric is a viable way to clean up the planet. A couple of issues back, we discussed the pro and con for converting from fuel to electric. So why do I return to the issue? Organizations, utilities, privately owned HVAC companies are all pushing for conversions because of the revenue involved. Organizations, whether for profit or not, see an opportunity to grow their organizations. Utilities believe in the opportunity to influence customer behavior by accessing grants for their area. Finally, individual HVAC companies see the opportunity for a foot in the door with an increase in sales. Manufacturers recently have been placing an emphasis on construction quality prior to new installations or retrofit when applying heat pump technology, but everyone seems to be looking past the renewed awareness called for. You can be sure the manufacturers are not going to slow down sales by asking “are you sure this is the right application for this equipment?” Manufacturers are telling everyone they must be diligent when converting from fuel to Heat Pump. No one but the installing contractor is responsible, regardless of incentives offered. Heat Pumps, Capacity and Humidity Control- Inflation Reduction Act

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new system is to be compatible with the home. While most in our industry have heard to the point of ad nauseum, “be careful to not oversize” , some still fail to understand latent capacity and how the performance of the system may be hampered. In many instances, lower total capacities of top of line equipment has saved the contractor from oversizing. Looking at the box the contractor sees a thirty-six in the model number and believes it performs at 36,000 btu. When adjusted capacity is calculated for both sensible and latent capacity, the system may not be suitable as a two ton heat pump in the south. Another factor for winter time comfort is too often overlooked. Fuel fired heating appliances dry the air leading to lower humidity. Many regions of our nation

require humidifiers on fuel fired heating to maintain comfort. Heat pumps have minimal capacity to influence wintertime moisture. The heat pump coil is warm and will dry the air only if infiltration is limited. Generally speaking, the vast majority of the country’s load calculations reflect double the heating load as compared with the cooling loads. Remember that heating loads even in south Texas can be 30% greater than cooling loads. This fact tells us to look at load information in the winter with a critical eye. We often miss the point cold is more of a health threat than heat is. Again, air changes and latent loads are valuable information prior to changing to a heat pump. A surprising number of homes have basements. In fact, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, and other states

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have homes built on rolling real estate, or in areas advantageous to basement construction. Homes may incorporate partial basements or crawlspaces. Many are used as utility rooms, with water heaters and or heating and cooling systems, auxiliary storage, or unfinished space. The author has witnessed new homes as of 2020 in northwestern Arkansas with exterior walls below grade forming a crawl space beneath over half the square footage. The mechanical equipment was placed in this area and adjacent was the presence of ground water flowing from front to back of the home. Gone are the days leaving the space beneath a home unaddressed. Be cautious of finished spaces below grade without test data to support the finished claim. Humidity is similar to heat; in that it migrates for a balance. Elevated levels of moisture seek dryer space. On it is trek, it can pass through all types of construction materials. If moistures migration is slowed, damage can occur with all types of construction materials. Floors can warp or cup and loose the topcoat finish. Painted surface will fail to hold its finish. Graded areas beneath the

structure must be covered and ballasted with a heavy vapor barrier, existing ventilation grills must be sealed, and the end of the barrier should extend up continuously and attached at the plate level. All seams should be sealed with a durable tape. This is another reason to evaluate the structure if foam insulation is present at any level. If we overlook this point, damage can occur to areas anywhere below the foam. Humidity management demands an understanding of building science and an accurate Manual J to analyze the load. Manal S is necessary to select equipment that will successfully condition the space. This is especially important with Heat Pump application. Once you begin to research this aspect of newer heat pump application, the idea of stand-alone dehumidification becomes clear. This practice eliminates the need for equipment to have the capacity to dehumidify as a consequence to satisfying the sensible load. It is the contractor’s job to point out objectives and address the opportunities for stand-alone dehumidification where it is appropriate. Goals for 40% to 50% relative humidity should be on everyone’s mind.

Courtesy StegoCrawl

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In the end I am cautiously optimistic that folks will wake up to the reality that Heat Pumps are much more efficient and far more dependable than those of the 1990’s. The last time, of the previous three attempts (1958, 1978, early 1990’s) to electrify the country, we installed thousands of heat pumps that left buyer’s remorse at top of the list pushing heat pump sales numbers down for years to come. If we disregard the home structure, we will make the same mistake we made three decades ago, failing to provide comfort and lower costs. It is unfathomable that so many believe heat pumps will replace any and all types of heating, while reducing the load on an already over-loaded infrastructure. The buck will stop at the installing contractor. Are you ready for reduced revenue, continual complaints, unhappy, uncomfortable customers? If not, get to know the leakage characteristics of every home you work on and then act accordingly.

The Arkansas HVACR Association does not endorse a candidate for any office. We have friends in office that we appreciate and wish we could support but that is not permissible. We trust that our members will study the issues and vote their conscience. Both sides believe that this is a pivotal election. If that is true, then your vote is pivotal. That means your vote counts more now than any time in the past. Exercise your privilege and responsibility — VOTE!

HVACR NewsMagazine March 2024

State National Chapter News

Critical Article Reprints As We Move into 2024

Continuing Education

General Liability Insurance

These articles along with changes in code are critical to your HVACR business. We repeat them so you can have a thorough review into how they affect you. We recommend that you review past issues of Lunch and Learn with the Chief Inspector to see some of the changes in code. You can access back issues by clicking on the following link.

Click Here for Back Issues of Lunch & Learn

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up to the airstream for 30-45 seconds as the unit turned on. You won't find that test in any professional guidance because it's not the intended use case for the device.

The Case for Buying a Combustion Analyzer By Matt Bruner for HVAC School For Techs by Techs Last year, I bought my first combustion analyzer. I had just started my own company and felt the additional weight of responsibility to sit down and determine the best way to verify that the furnaces I was servicing were working safely. In the past, the most extensive testing I had done was a visual inspection of the heat exchanger with a camera and an ambient carbon monoxide test with a personal CO meter.

Biting the Bullet

I was reluctant to drop $600-700 dollars on a combustion analyzer. I had just started my business, and we don't do an insane amount of heat work here in Dallas. But I felt I owed it to my customers to provide the highest level of confidence I could that their heating equipment was safe. So, I bit the bullet. I did some research and decided to buy the UEi C161 combustion analyzer. It has a great price point and seemed like a good entry level tool.

Early last winter, I went to a friend's house to complete a heat maintenance and ran into a situation that made me very uncomfortable. I turned on the furnace and held my personal CO meter up to a register (as I had been taught to in the past). The levels rose up to around 8 or 10 ppm, which is the highest I have ever seen.

Back to Work

While my tool was being shipped, I listened to every HVAC School podcast I could on combustion analysis, like this one with Jim Bergmann and this one with Stephen Rardon. I also read this guide Jim Bergmann wrote. A few days after my new tool arrived, I went back over to my

Stunned, I immediately began looking for cracks on the heat exchanger. I wasn't able to find any issues visually, so I reached out to the HVAC School Facebook group. Contractor extraordinaire Michael Housh from Ohio told me I was testing incorrectly and the only way to really know what was going on with the furnace was to get a combustion analyzer. Personal CO detectors are made for just that — personal use; they monitor ambient CO levels but aren't made to test heating equipment. My method of testing was to hold the CO detector

friend's house to use my newfangled tool. I did everything by the book: I clocked the gas meter, checked the gas pressure, and inserted the combustion analyzer into the flue pipe. I took some screenshots from one of the guides as a quick reference to help understand what "good" combustion analysis readings should look like for an 80% gas furnace.

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Never Going Back

In a podcast episode on combustion analysis, Stephen Rardon compares having a combustion analyzer to being able to measure subcooling and superheat on the air conditioning side. It opens up a massive richness of data that you just didn't have before. My confidence in the safety of my customer's equipment has gone through the roof. Now, I can't imagine NOT using a combustion analyzer. I highly recommend picking one up. It will make this next heating season a lot more interesting as you dig into all the different data points and readings and give you a huge confidence boost when it comes to guaranteeing the safety of your customers.

All of the readings for my friend's furnace were in an acceptable range. But later that same day, I was working on another furnace, and my CoaF readings were above 300. I found a large crack in my visual inspection soon after! So far, that is the only furnace I have found since then that I had to shut off for safety reasons. But I did find one other furnace last winter where the gas pressure was very high, causing incomplete combustion and high COaF in the flue. After adjusting the gas pressure, the furnace was operating much more safely.

— Matt Bruner

We greatly appreciate Brian Orr sharing articles for the NewsMagazine to reprint, but we only scratch the surface of what the HVAC School has to offer. From podcasts to YouTube to Tech Tips, you’ll enhance your knowledge and be connected to one of the most widely followed technical trainers for technicians in the country. Click on the picture or logo to learn more.

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The World Health Organization says 9-10 PPM for no more than 8 hours, 23-35 PPM no more than 1 hour and 90-100 PPM no more than 15 minutes. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommends no higher than 35 PPM over an 8 hour period. OSHA on the other hand set a limit of 50 PPM over an 8 hour period. These organizations may set limits on the CO PPM amount while sleeping, while active, and while working and you can read up on their recommended limits directly from them. However, for the sake of this article, we are just focusing on the fact that we need a method to accurately measure and notify us if CO is present. So what does a CO Alarm sound off at? In the USA, CO alarms are UL rated (UL 2034/CSA 6.19) and will usually NOT sound off below 30 PPM! They may have a mandatory response of 70 PPM within 60 240 minutes, 150PPM within 10-50 Minutes, and 400 PPM within 4-15 minutes. By the time a CO alarm sounds off at those very high levels, it is an emergency! The first CO alarms where first introduced in 1992. In 1994 a strong weather inversion occurred in Chicago that trapped CO and other air pollutants at ground level and the Fire department responded to over 2000 emergency calls with 30 people in the ER. We knew a lot less about CO back then, but we knew the fire department was overrun with more calls than they could handle. This lead to the regulations of higher limits before an alarm would sound as an emergency. Carbon Monoxide Alarm

Carbon Monoxide Alarm vs Low Level CO Monitor Ty Branaman for AC Service Tech HVACR Training Today most people are aware of the invisible, odorless, poisonous gas of Carbon Monoxide or CO for short. Now we know that even low levels of CO can have long term health effects depending on exposure time, the health and age of the exposed person. Carbon Monoxide binds with the hemoglobin in the blood 300 times more than Oxygen. It is believed that Florence Nightingale's ailments may have stemmed from CO poisoning from her coal heater in Russia. Some haunted houses were actually from CO poisoning and its effects on the brain. It turns out the HVAC professional can be more effective than the exorcist! While the flu and cold is more prevalent in the winter, sometimes it is actually CO poisoning with similar symptoms. We need to be more aware!

What are Safe Levels For Carbon Monoxide? What are safe levels for CO? It depends on who you ask, but I think we can all agree the less poisonous gas we breathe the better. It will be measured in How Many Parts of CO Per Million Parts of Air. This is referred to as PPM (Parts Per Million).

Carbon Monoxide Monitor

What is a better solution than a high level alarm? Installing a low level CO monitor is a solution that will notify the occupants

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of the risk well before it becomes an emergency. By law, this cannot be called an alarm, thus the name "low level CO monitor". While different manufacturers have varying levels of notification, ideally it will have some warning at 10 PPM. This lower level warning will allow time for a professional to come and find the cause. While people often blame the furnace, it can also be a water heater, fireplace, unvented stove, oven, or even an attached garage. Yes, even an all electric house can suffer from an unhealthy level of CO just by backing a car in or out of the garage. It is important for the source to be identified and corrected although sometimes the source can be misleading such as a golf cart charger. I recommend anyone in the trades or even on a camping trip to also carry a personal low level CO monitor. This will notify the worker when they are entering a potentially hazardous situation. One time mine went off in the summer when I was brazing an evaporator in a walk in cooler. Someone had closed the door while I was working, but my personal low level monitor alerted me to the hazard. When I started in the trade, wearing PPE such as gloves and safety glasses where not as common but now considered common sense. I hope having low level CO monitors in homes, businesses and on person becomes just as common. To learn more, I recommend reading " Carbon monoxide: a clear and present danger" by Bob Dwyer HVAC E learn network has an online course for CO and combustion analysis https://hvacr.elearn.network/courses/c ombustion-analysis

You can find a variety of low level CO monitors and alarms at True Tech Tools! Use our promo code: acservicetech, for 8% off any order! https://trutechtools.com/co detectors.html?aff=8

About the Author: Craig is the owner of AC Service Tech LLC and the Author of the book “Refrigerant Charging and Service Procedures for Air Conditioning”. Craig is a licensed Teacher of

HVACR, Sheet Metal, and Building Maintenance in the State of New Jersey of the USA. He is also an HVACR Contracting Business owner of 15 years and holds an NJ HVACR Master License. Craig creates educational HVACR articles and videos which are posted at https://www.acservicetech.com & https://www.youtube.com/acservicetechchannel