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Commercial Installations

Modern Air Conditioning Options for Older Homes & Buildings

by Michael C. Rosone |

When you’re renovating an older building for modern living (especially one in an urban setting like NYC), adding modern conveniences can be a challenge. Air conditioning is a prime example.

Older buildings often don’t have the space to install the ductwork needed for traditional systems. Also, electrical systems may be sufficient to handle the load of today’s AC equipment. While upgrading the electric can be expensive, finding the space for air conditioning equipment is more of a problem. Doing it wrong can often mean damaging original plaster, floors and woodwork. Even in the best case, installing traditional equipment usually means giving up closet space or lowering ceilings to make room for equipment.

That’s why it’s smart to consider alternative air conditioning systems for older homes, as well as small businesses renovating older buildings. In New York City, historic brownstone townhouses are frequently renovated for both uses. Here we will discuss the problems with older solutions, and introduce 3 more modern air conditioning options for older homes that you may not know about.

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Ductless AC System? NYC: Think VRF for Comfort & Efficiency

by Michael C. Rosone |

Trying to decide on the right ductless AC system for a NYC luxury residential or light commercial space? It pays to consider variable refrigerant flow or VRF systems for the ultimate in comfort and efficiency.

While it may be unfamiliar to some, VRF technology is not new. In fact, it’s been the ductless AC system of choice in Japan and Europe for decades. These ductless AC units have been gaining in popularity in the US over the past 10 years or so, particularly in the Northeast, including New York City, and on the West Coast, according to a report earlier this year by ACHRNews.

Read on for a review of when you may want or need to choose a ductless AC system in NYC, and why VRF is an ideal choice.

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10 Restaurant Kitchen Design Mistakes You Must Avoid

by Michael C. Rosone |

Restaurant kitchen design: planning is everything

Your kitchen is the heart and soul of your restaurant. Getting your restaurant kitchen design wrong can be a huge disaster. Design impacts the success of your restaurant in many ways:

  • the efficiency of your food prep
  • the ability of your staff to follow safe food handling practices
  • cleanliness of your restaurant
  • whether you’re meeting all applicable codes and standards (if not, you could be shut down or your opening could be delayed)

As a provider of HVAC, refrigeration and kitchen equipment maintenance to NYC restaurants for decades, we’ve been involved in lots of restaurant renovations and build-outs. Over the years, we have learned a thing or two about what NOT to do when creating a restaurant kitchen design. Whether you’re remodeling or opening a new establishment, avoid these bad practices that can cost you big time.

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Retail HVAC: How Clothing Almost Destroyed a Brand New HVAC System

by Michael Rosone |

For retail businesses, comfortable conditions in your store are directly related to your bottom line. No one wants to shop in a store that’s too hot or cold, especially in the city where there’s another great store just down the block.

Retail HVAC issues can be frustrating for the business, and expensive in lost business as well as repair cost. If you own or manage a retail store (and you are reading this article!) then chances are you have experienced what we are talking about:

  • Fairly new equipment mysteriously breaking down
  • Inconsistent temperatures
  • Even water leaks from AC units that can damage your store and your merchandise

If your retail store is experiencing issues after a new retail HVAC system is installed (or even repeated issues with an older system that’s been in place for a while), you might wonder why you have these problems that your counterparts working in offices don’t seem to experience. The truth is, office experience different problems, because the environments are different. HVAC problems in a retail environment can be tricky to diagnose and fix, and that’s why you need retail HVAC experts to get to the root cause of your issues and find the right equipment to keep your space consistently comfortable.

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Facilities Managers: 8 Things to Look for in an HVAC Company

by Michael Rosone |

Don’t Hire An HVAC Company Without Checking These 8 Things

As a Facilities Manager, you’re dealing with many different service providers for your company. Yet choosing an HVAC company can be one of the most challenging, especially if you don’t happen to be an HVAC expert yourself.

Obviously, you want an HVAC company with the expertise to solve your heating and cooling issues quickly and reliably. But you also want a company that offers great customer service and is easy to do business with. How can you find all these qualities? Ask about these 8 things when you evaluate a prospective HVAC provider for service, installation and/or repair work.

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Cool! New HVAC Technology Promises the Ultimate in Comfort

by Michael Rosone |

Some cool new HVAC technology options are being introduced that will make staying warm in winter and cool in summer a whole lot easier for all of us. As a matter of fact, in some instances, you may not have to think about it all. Your new HVAC technology might just be able to follow you around—heating you up and cooling you down when you need it.

Seriously?

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