On the Move: Portable Heating and Cooling

Part 1: Portable Heating and Cooling: Specification Starts with Facility Analysis

Part 2: Applications for Portable Heating and Cooling Grow

Part 3: Common Mistakes in Specifying Portable Heating and Cooling Equipment

Part 4: Portable Heating and Cooling: Quantify a Room's Heat Load

Part 5: Portable Heating and Cooling: Key Questions

Part 6: PRODUCT FOCUS: Portable Heating and Cooling

Portable Heating and Cooling: Key Questions

By Dan Hounsell, Editor - January 2010 - HVAC

The last step for managers before making a final equipment decision is to ask the manufacturer or distributor key questions related to features and functions of the unit under consideration. The answers to these questions can go a long way in guiding managers to the most appropriate product option.

Armshaw advises managers to ask detailed questions about the warranty. What service and technical support is available? Where is the company's nearest location, should the facility need a replacement unit? Will the company bring in a loaner while repairing a failed unit?

Stevenson advises managers to ask whether the unit has an automatic-restart feature in the event of a power outage, as well as the way the unit communicates to the technician that a problem has occurred.

In rental situations, managers need to fully understand the company's rate structure, Tagge says. If the manufacturer quotes a monthly rate, ask the company how it defines a month. In some agreements, a month is 16 days, while in others, it is 28 days. If the end user rents a unit for a week but needs to keep the unit for six weeks, at what point does the rate shift from weekly to monthly?

Finally, Tagge advises managers to ask about all fees, including those for environmental impact or damage waivers, before signing. Not doing so can put managers at risk after the fact of having to explain unanticipated costs.

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