How HVAC Professionals Used LinkedIn Over the Summer

Over the summer, LinkedIn’s HVAC professionals group posted many interesting discussions, some of which generated lively debates amongst its members.  Typically, this group of 15,805 professionals discusses diverse HVAC topics, such as energy efficiency, best practices, professional development, as well as specific products and manufacturers.

As we begin our roundup of the group’s summer activity, it makes sense to start with introductions. And that is just what Scott Steel did earlier this summer. Once Scott broke the ice with his introduction, over thirty HVAC professionals followed suit and thus generated one of the longer discussion threads. So if you wish to  introduce yourself or learn about these new group participants, read the discussion here.

Another active discussion was started by Nikolaos Avgerinos, an intern at Deerns in the Netherlands.  He asked the seemly simple question of who was the best HVAC manufacturer.  The consensus was that application, local support, and proper installation were more important than a particular brand. However, Scott Basso may have put it best by posting:

“To put a label on who is the best HVAC manufacturer today is almost impossible. For many reasons. I would offer this as what I want in a manufacturer.

1. Reliability
2. Ongoing commitment to the support of the product with both parts and technical
3: Product innovation that has been thoroughly tested before rollout
4: Easy access to information
5: Distribution channel knowledgeable about the product
6: Distribution channel that maintains a proper level of inventory of equipment and parts
7:  True warranties without handling charges or obsolesce charges
8:  Manufacturer should protect the sales channel. Stopping internet sales where necessary
9:  Invest more in product innovation
10:  Champion the benefits of the contractor’s role in the selection, installation and maintenance of their new system

Other interesting ongoing conversations included an Instructor at Pipeline Development Company, Joe Stagg. His inquired about experience with Chilled beams.  Most people who have worked with Chilled beams agree that they have their place as an efficient cooling system, but the front end engineering needs to be done correctly.

John McDonough, owner at New England HVAC Seminars, had multiple threads including one asking if contractors were down sizing dry shipped 13 seer condensing units to maximize energy efficiency. The group felt that downsizing a half ton to a full ton was a good idea, but cautioned that a properly sized TXV and airflow exceeding 350 CFM/ton were needed.

Finally, the current top influencer was Bert Morgan, Project Manager at Bay Air Systems.  Bert sparked a spirited discussion by asking if R410a is actually worse for the environment than R-22. The group was split, although R-410a had more champions. Also this thread led to discussion about whether R-22 was harmful enough to the environment to warrant the expense of changing over to the new refrigerant as well as the safety risks inherent in R-410a systems.  This conversation is ongoing.

Next Steps:

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