HVAC CHATS

Words of Wisdom from a Successful HVAC Contractor – Lee Rosenberg, Rosenberg Plumbing, Heating & Air

Lee Rosenberg shares some of his history as a successful HVAC contractor.

ACCA 2024 Show Highlights – Sean Robertson and Aaron Ruddick, ACCA

In one of four chats from the 2024 ACCA event, we speak with Sean Robertson of ACCA and contractor Aaron Ruddick about show highlights.

Thoughts from a Leading HVAC Podcaster – Tersh Blissett, HVAC Service Business Mastery

Tersh Blissett is co-founder with Josh Crouch of the "HVAC Service Business Mastery" podcast.

A2Ls-What’s Happened and What’s to Come...

Over the last several months via Contracting Business HVAC Chats, Chemours shared a lot of useful intel concerning the HFC phasedown.
We started with a high-level discussion of the  American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act which initiated the phasedown of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) production and consumption in the U.S., and we spoke about the subsequent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) work of creating new regulations and guidelines for the transition.
We got into greater specifics when we aired a podcast about A2Ls, the new-generation refrigerants that have the benefits of mild flammability, low toxicity, and low global warming potential (GWP).  We also highlighted that our new Opteon brand refrigerants, such as XL41® (R-454B) are based on hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) and is considered an HFO blend.  As we look to find solutions to climate change challenges, A2L refrigerants offer benefits such as similar operating characteristics to legacy refrigerants, a safer profile than ammonia and hydrocarbon refrigerants, and greater energy efficiency than R-410A and transcritical CO₂ systems.
Then we took our discussion into the details. Because, despite the importance of the high-level information about regulations and new-generation refrigerants, Chemours knows that the service technician needs the essential facts of working within the new guidelines and with these new products.  Though A2L refrigerants will not require a fundamental shift in the way technicians conduct business, these will require more rigorous attention to basic servicing fundamentals. And we provided a detailed overview about those fundamentals.
Finally, we aired a podcast focused on the successful Hensley Beverage system replacement, an A2L refrigeration installation with real impact. The Hensley project effectively paved the way for companies throughout the commercial refrigeration industry to adopt refrigerant technologies that are both cost-effective and environmentally sustainable.
Our series covered the 1-2-3s of the HFC transition. Now we look at the ABCs. Chemours has  invested more than one billion dollars in research and development and downstream product and application development on low-GWP, hydrofluoroolefin (HFO), and HFC technologies, and remains committed to the ongoing development needs of customers throughout the HFC phasedown in the U.S. and globally.
Our portfolio of products has been specifically developed to meet the changing global regulatory landscape while maintaining or improving performance compared to the products they replace.
Making sense of all this and the impact on your business is as easy as ABC.
Chemours Opteon product portfolio for A2L-ready equipment includes Opteon XL40 (R-454A), Opteon XL41 (R-454B) and Opteon XL20 (R-454C).
XL40 (R-454A) was developed for remote condensing units, XL41 (R-454B) was created for air conditioning units and heat pumps, and XL20 (R-454C) is for supermarkets and industrial refrigeration applications.  The future of refrigerants is really as simple as ABC as you’ll learn in this podcast.
 
In this podcast you’ll learn more about:
*How these new refrigerants fin into the EPA’s Technology Transition Final Rule
*The correct applications for these new refrigerants.
*How to get the help you need from Chemours on your upcoming projects.

Planning the BDR Spark Conference: Hear from Bruce Wiseman and Kim Archer

Hear from the founders of Business Development Resources on BDR's beginnings and the origin and purpose behind this fine contractor event.

SMACNA President Carol Duncan Shares News on Big Initiatives

Listen as Carol Duncan shares her beginnings in the industry and describes SMACNA initiatives designed to increase inclusion and diversity and grow the ranks of SMACNA members.

Air Updgrades: Your Next HVAC ”Secret Weapon”?

Dominick Guarino, CEO of National Comfort Institute, describes the benefits of air upgrades.

Paving the Way to A2L Technology in Commercial Refrigeration

When a leading US beverage distributor who’s looking to stay ahead of the HFC-phasedown partners with a global refrigeration solutions leader who's making gains with the use of A2Ls in commercial refrigeration, the outcome is a next-generation refrigeration install with real impact.
Tune into this podcast as Chemours hosts a project retrospective on the recent installation for Hensley Beverage Corporation.
Along with their project partners Heatcraft and Copeland, they’ll discuss project challenges and lessons learned from this successful collaboration to replace an aging R-22 system with a sustainable low to medium temperature system and A2L technology.
This installation for Hensley has effectively paved the way for companies throughout the commercial refrigeration industry to adopt refrigerant technologies that are both cost-effective and environmentally sustainable.

Attention to Detail — How to Train for A2L Servicing

As the HFC phasedown continues HVACR technicians are increasingly encountering A2L refrigerants in the field. It's important to gain a better understanding of A2Ls to maximize safety and assist your customers on installation and service calls.
Thankfully, from a service perspective, the transition from existing refrigerants to A2Ls will not require a major shift in service practices, however, it will require more rigorous attention to servicing fundamentals. Existing recommended best practices for A1 refrigerants will continue to apply—with the addition of a few special considerations, new equipment, and A2L-rated tools. What was ‘best practice’ will now be required.
During this podcast, Chemours Senior Training consultant Don Gillis will provide a detailed overview of important considerations such as understanding manufacturers’ mitigation strategies, flammability criteria, work-zone area requirements.

Marc Mason of RCL Mechanical on Success in the HVAC Business

Marc Mason of Boston’s RCL Mechanical shares his journey from trade school to running one of the New England region’s leading HVAC businesses.