Back in the early 1980s as a service manager for a major HVAC distributor, I had been asked by an apartment management company to look at a problem it was having with a fairly-new A/C unit it had purchased. 

In 1988 when I quit my job as the national service manager for a major HVAC equipment company to become an editor for an HVACR trade magazine, I was asked by then-ACCA Director Jim Norris to look into the question of whether CFCs (particularly R11 and R12) were damaging our planet by destroying the earth’s protective ozone layer.

Funny thing with humans; we get used to seeing things going a certain way and we quickly start to assume that it will always be that way.

The title of this column? You say that would never happen at your company?

Not many people think of the HVACR industry or of service technicians in general as being scientists.

Yes, it’s happening again and almost nobody is really prepared! And yes, the general public is once more going to have to pay the bill. What am I talking about?

“All oils are lubricants, but not all lubricants are oil.”

Could you imagine all the problems that you would encounter if you sold split A/C systems online to consumers? Think of the liability! And how would you handle returns? Not a good idea!

Probably one of the easiest things for a supply-house owner/manager to overlook is the need for constant employee training.

Almost every house has one — the uncomfortable, stuffy room that usually is too warm and uncomfortable.