December Plumbing and HVAC Industry Round-Up

Hey there, HVAC and plumbing professionals! Believe it or not, we’re back with the final JB Warranties’ Round-Up of the year. Throughout 2022, we’ve supplied a monthly breakdown of what’s what in the trade industry, from trending topics to leading legislation that have impacted not only your plumbing or HVAC business operations but also the market at large. 

In our November Round-Up, we discussed a few trade updates, including the EPA’s upcoming new HFC allowances for 2023, Interplay Learning’s announcement of new EPA and OSHA training courses, and the HVAC industry's urge to better tackle poor IAQ awareness. Now, let’s look at how the year's final month influenced the HVAC and plumbing industry.

1. Low Recovery Rates Threaten Future Refrigerant Supplies

Across the HVACR industry, refrigerant reclaimers have continuously played an essential role in ensuring that any recovered refrigerant meets the AHRI 700 purity standard necessary for reusing coolant in future equipment. Additionally, with the phasing down of HFC production, the EPA is relying on the availability of reclaimed refrigerant to meet future demand.

According to industry reports, the amount of reclaimed refrigerant is far from its target. Since 2017, the overall reclamation rate has only increased by 6%. Because of this, the EPA has been tasked with establishing a program to maximize refrigerant reclamation across the country. Efforts will include determining the root cause of poor reclamation rates and creating counter efforts to boost them. 

2. 2022 HARDI Conference Recap

The Heating Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International Association (HARDI) recently wrapped up its 2022 HARDI conference, marking a successful four-day event in downtown Houston. The event brought together almost 1,800 HVAC professionals, from distributors and manufacturers to service technicians. 

The 2022 conference consisted of six keynote speakers — including an economist, a Harvard business professional, and top sales professionals — to provide attendees with a wide variety of industry topics to explore. The event also included a booth program of nearly 250 manufacturer exhibitors to give attendees a taste of what's currently available to HVAC professionals across the industry.  

3. HVAC Pros and Biden Administration Collaborate on Air Quality Website

This month, the National Energy Management Institution (NEMI) collaborated with the Biden Administration to develop the Better Air in Buildings website. Property owners, managers, and school districts can use this website to receive information on contractors who can perform ventilation verifications, air quality assessments, system repairs, and IAQ upgrades. 

The drive to construct this resource came earlier this year after the White House faced spiking demands from school officials seeking contractors to perform IAQ assessments for COVID-19 risk reduction purposes across the country. With this resource, anyone can more efficiently locate contractors who can help them with IAQ improvement projects. 

4. A.O. Smith Publishes 2022 ESG Report

A.O. Smith, a leading residential and commercial water heater and boiler manufacturer, announced the release of its 2022 ESG Report this month. The ESG report highlights the company's environmental, social, and governance efforts and its operational performance over the past two years. This year’s report is the third A.O. Smith ESG report in the last five years.

According to the report, A.O. Smith had quite a few environmental and philanthropic accomplishments this year. The company prevented nearly 500,000 metric tons of carbon emissions by increasing the sale of its efficient water heating solution and donated more than $1.6 million to 193 nonprofit organizations, including the Good360 initiative working to provide clean drinking water to communities. 

Stay Tuned Next Year for the First JB Warranty Round-Up of 2023

As you can see from month to month, the HVAC and plumbing industries demonstrate zero sign of slowing down when it comes to something new and exciting, and as we enter the New Year, be sure to tune in to JB Warranties’ January Round-Up to learn what’s in store for the start of 2023. Looking for more resources? Head to the JB Warranties’ marketplace hub for industry-leading management solutions to help HVAC and plumbing businesses set and meet their business goals in 2023.