NYC Metro Area’s HVACR Blog

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HVAC Careers: Why Become a NYC AC Technician?

Love technology? Consider HVAC careers

It used to be that people got into HVAC careers because they had a father, brother, cousin or friend in the business. That’s because people in the business understand that HVAC is a challenging, recession-proof and lucrative career choice.

On the other hand, people without firsthand knowledge about HVAC careers tend to misunderstand the job and look at it as a fallback for people without the desire or ability to go to college. Today, that couldn’t be further from the truth. HVAC careers are perfect for smart, motivated individuals who love to dig into technology and stay on top of the latest advancements.

If that sounds like you, then read on to learn more about a career as a NYC AC technician.

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All, Commercial Air Conditioning, Commercial HVAC, Preventive Maintenance Agreements

HVAC Coil Cleaning: Better Comfort = More Customers In Your Store

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Last Updated on April 26, 2019

 

coil cleaning

It may be hard to believe that coils could be responsible for taking down your commercial HVAC system or making it operate at a low efficiency level. Routine coil cleaning can help your system turn out a peak performance, reduce your energy costs and bolster the comfort level in your store, which will make it an attractive place to shop and work.

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All, Commercial Air Conditioning, Commercial HVAC

Computer Room Air Conditioning: Is Your Equipment at Risk?

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Last Updated on April 26, 2019

computer room air conditioning

It’s one thing when your air conditioner is not working properly at home, but it’s quite another thing when the air conditioning system is not performing at optimal levels at a business where computers are at the core of the operation. As a facility manager, you know a top-performing computer room air conditioning system is essential to commercial success. So let’s take a look at what can happen if the computer room air conditioning is not functioning at a high level.

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Scott Berger Joins MCAA Technology Committee as Vice Chairman

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Last Updated on April 8, 2019

 

Appointment addresses need for service-focused technology HVAC education

SUMMARY: Scott Berger, President of Arista Air Conditioning and former MSCA Chairman, has been named Vice Chairman of MCAA’s Technology Committee. The appointment addresses the organization’s plans to expand its technology HVAC education programs to meet the needs of the service industry.

Long Island City, NY, February 1, 2017 — Scott Berger, President of Arista Air Conditioning and former MSCA Chairman, has been appointed Vice Chairman of the Technology Committee for the Mechanical Service Contractors of America (MCAA). Berger’s appointment is intended to help the organization expand its technology HVAC education programs to meet the needs of the service industry.

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All, Preventive Maintenance Agreements, Residential HVAC

Air Conditioning Troubleshooting: 9 Common Problems & Solutions

air conditioning troubleshootingBefore you know it, those living in the residential building you manage will be cranking up their air conditioning systems. It goes without saying that you’ll want to start off the warmer weather months in a comfortable zone, which for you and the residents means as complaint-free as possible. A preemptive air conditioning troubleshooting mission and appropriate residential air conditioning maintenance can aid you in your goal of smoothly operating air conditioning systems and happy residents. Let’s take a look at the most common air conditioning problems.

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Happy Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, we extend our warmest wishes to all our valued associates, clients, partners and friends. We are truly grateful for the confidence you have shown in us, and we look forward to serving you in the year to come.

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Happy Holidays from Arista!

Last Updated on 

Last Updated on June 13, 2016

Warm holiday wishes from your friends at Arista

We wish you a joyful holiday season

and a New Year filled with peace, prosperity and warm memories.

May the coming year be your best yet,

and we look forward to serving you in 2015.

 


We will resume our normal schedule
of twice-weekly blog posts after the New Year.

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Happy Holidays from Arista!

Wishing you every happiness this season, from your friends at Arista

All of us at Arista wish you and yours a merry & bright holiday season and an abundance of health, happiness and success in 2016.

It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with you and we look forward to serving you in the year to come.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

May the blessings of health, happiness and success be yours on Thanksgiving and always

All of us at the Arista family wish you and those dear to you a Happy Thanksgiving Day!

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Your Ice Machine: The Most Dangerous Item in Your Restaurant

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Last Updated on June 22, 2015

Food safety has to be a primary concern on the mind of every NYC restaurant owner. If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t stay in business very long. The consequences of serving potentially dangerous food are serious, not only to your patrons’ health, but also for your business:

  • poor health inspection grades
  • negative reviews on social media and in the press
  • lawsuits and even financial damages

All of these consequences will erode your customer base and eventually put you out of business. As a successful restaurant owner or manager, you already know this, and you’re certainly vigilant about enforcing safe food handling and keeping your kitchen clean. But there’s a food safety danger in your restaurant that’s hiding in plain sight: your ice machine.

Don’t forget that ice is food

It’s easy to overlook the risks associated with ice machines, since we don’t tend to think of ice as food. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), however, does define ice as food. Ice is handled by your staff and ingested by your customers, and it can spread illness just as easily as other food sources if contaminated by viruses, bacteria and mold. And if your ice is contaminated, you won’t even know it ntil it’s too late. Your ice could look, smell and taste just fine, but still be harboring dangerous microorganisms.

A study by the Daily Mail found one in three food establishments serving dirty ice. In a 2011 study of Las Vegas food establishments, over 70 percent of ice samples tested positive for the presence of coliform bacteria. These bacteria can and do cause serious illness. How does ice contamination happen? Most often, it’s the result of poor ice machine maintenance and cleaning.

Safe ice requires a clean ice machine

According to FDA regulations, ice needs to be stored and handled like food, and that means ice machines need to be regularly cleaned. Food Law 2009 Chapter 4 specifies that ice machines must be cleaned and sanitized at the frequency recommended by the manufacturer, which is generally at least 2 to 4 times per year. Depending on your usage volume, the location of the machine, and the water conditions, you may need to clean it more often. For very heavily used units located near a cooking line inside a restaurant kitchen, you may need to clean the machine as often as every month. If you haven’t been doing this, or not doing it properly or frequently enough, it’s likely that you have mold, slime and scale buildup inside your machine that’s contaminating your ice.

And it gets even worse. When a contaminant is introduced into an ice machine, the ice can actually preserve the germs and the moisture allows them to reproduce. As they grow in a colony, those dangerous microorganisms excrete sticky substances called biofilms that make them very difficult to remove once established. Getting rid of mold and other dangerous microorganisms is not so easy; it

requires physically scrubbing with specialized chemicals. And if you miss a spot, mold can regrow again very quickly even after being removed. That’s why prevention- that is, preventive maintenance–is the best strategy to avoid ice contamination.

Don’t let just anybody clean your ice machine

Cleaning an ice machine is a job for the pros; don’t just send in your maintenance guy with a bottle of bleach. First of all, you need to know what products to use for the type of ice machine you have. You also need to know how to disassemble the machine, meticulously clean all parts including the water line, and put it all back together.

Professional refrigeration service experts not only know all the ins and outs of your machine and the right techniques to ensure your ice is clean, but they also know how to inspect and care for the machine to maximize its life span.

Don’t neglect other ice safety and handling guidelines

Once your machine is clean and sanitized regularly, follow these guidelines from Food Safety Magazine to prevent contamination between cleanings:

  • When removing ice, use scoops with handles that prevent hands from touching the ice. Don’t touch any other part of the scoop except the handle.
  • Keep the scoop outside the ice bin, so the handles don’t touch the ice. The scoop should be kept on a stainless steel, impervious plastic or fiberglass tray.
  • Keep doors closed except when removing ice.
  • Consider periodically testing your ice and ice machine surfaces for the presence of contaminants.

A refrigeration service contract doesn’t have to cost as much as you might think. The right refrigeration service company can customize the contract based on your equipment, your needs and your budget. To learn more, refer to our helpful guide to Refrigeration Preventive Maintenance Contracts: How to Find the Right One for Your Food Service Operation