When I read Butch Welsch’s column in the ACHRnews on December 27, 2010 expressing his dismay that manufacturer’s would be delivering 13 SEER R-22 condensers charged with dry nitrogen, all I could think of is the story of Chicken Little who was hit on the head by an acorn falling from a tree and immediately ran around screaming the sky is falling.
Mr. Welsch wanted to sound the alarm on what he sees as the manufacturer’s taking “…advantage of what I can only say is a loophole in the federal regulations and the Montreal Protocol” and went on to say “…I do know that the production and delivery of “dry charge” units, is definitely not within the intent of the original Montreal Protocol”… “However, then someone discovered that, by using the EXACT WORDING (emphasis mine) rather than the intent of the Montreal Protocol and federal regulations, they still could offer units that would utilize R-22 refrigerants”.
Imagine that, being upset that someone actually followed the law instead of trying to read the tea leaves. I don’t know about you but I get scared when people want to start discussing intent instead of what the law actually says.
What disturbs Mr. Welsch the most is what this situation says about the industry and do we really want to go back in time and be in the eyes of the public, what we were many years ago.
Here Comes the Boogie Man, Better Known as
The Dreaded “Furnace Man”
Mr. Welsch claimed when he first got into the business in the early 1960’s He wasn’t real proud to say that he was a “furnace man” claiming that the industry that was mostly heating back then “had a very bad reputation”. Fly by night companies preyed on the public, knocking on doors and offering “free” furnace inspections and then would make sure there was something wrong with your furnace by the time they left even if not when they arrived.
Then through the efforts of the media who exposed these frauds, great leaders of the HVAC industry who promoted integrity, many years of contractors being honest with there customers and 30 years of word of mouth from consumer to consumer on contractor’s work quality the transition of contractors morphing from being the “heating man” to “professional HVAC contractors” took place.
Then after this set up Mr. Welsch finished with these comments, “I am concerned that this reversal of a major change from the improvement which we announced to the public is an indication that perhaps our industry is again being run by the “furnace man”. I believe that the manufacturer’s decisions to manufacture and deliver “dry charge” units is a result of pressure from contractors. Shame on us! “…Let’s not let the “free furnace” and “dry charge” units be a sign that we are willing to risk the image that so many have worked so hard to improve through the years.
In this one column Mr. Welsch found a way to use many of the factors used to control people and intimidate them into compliance:
- Somehow cheating— Implied by not following the “intent” of the law.
- Guilt--you must be a “furnace man” if you agree with the use of dry charge units.
- Shame-- decisions to manufacture and deliver “dry charge” units is a result of pressure from contractors. Shame on us!
I am sure that contractors did pressure the manufacturer’s to make the dry charged R-22 condensers available because they wanted to be able to provide their customers an affordable option when the rules allowed it, not to plunge the industry back into the days of the “furnace man”.
Let’s look at a few facts about being allowed to use these condensers that Mr. Welsch failed to mention:
- They can only be used to replace existing R-22 condensing units (service applications) meaning complete new R-22 systems cannot be used in new construction or added to existing heating systems without A/C units.
- While R-22 supplies will dwindle by design of the Montreal Protocol, replacement R-22 refrigerants will be around as long as demand calls for it.
- I attended a webinar sponsored by the ACHRnews and the speaker who said he has personally spoken to people within the EPA who drafted this regulation and they told him it was drafted this way intentionally, that doesn’t sound like a loophole to me.
- This regulation was written this way for the very purpose of making it so homeowners would not have to replace a whole system over one component.
- This regulation does not allow one new R-22 SYSTEM to be added to the number of R-22 SYSTEMS, it simply allows the replacement of previously installed components.
- We all know if the EPA wanted to change this rule they would. Just look at how they are contemplating regulating CO2 emissions because of Cap N Trades failure to pass in Congress.
While these units are not for general use they like many other products in our industry fill a niche in the market. There are jobs that would require major construction and cost to remove the line set or air handler. Contrary to what all the magazines claim not everyone is willing to pay more for a heating or cooling system than they do for a car.
I am all for higher efficiency when “first cost to savings” makes it feasible but I also think that contractors should be able to provide consumers with replacement parts for their existing systems if the application calls for it.
I agree with Mr. Welsch that a certain percentage of contractors would be absolutely happy to go back to the days of R-22 A/C systems but this doesn’t make them dishonest, somehow cheating their customers or disgracing the industry.
Perhaps Mr. Welsch (I am emailing him a copy) could tell us how always telling the consumer they need a complete new system change out when you know all they really need is a condenser replacement isn’t being like the “furnace man”.
