Hero
David Richardson/NCI
Interior Hvac Diagram
David Richardson/NCI
If you know what to look for, a visual inspection provides clues to unsafe operation. It's never good for one package unit to exhaust into the economizer of an adjacent unit.
National Comfort Institute
Before you jump on the heat pump bashing bandwagon, look at your duct installation practices first.
Image

Tools of the Trade

June 12, 2008
Chapman Air and Heat has installed, serviced and maintained residential and commercial air conditioning and heating systems since 1981. Founded by Marvin Chapman, CEO and president, the company has a reputation for providing top-notch installations for the true custom homebuilder as well as the residential and commercial replacement/service market.

Each month, Contracting Business picks a leading contractor and takes a look at the products, tools, and services that he or she has chosen to help make their company successful.

Chapman Air & Heat, Dallas, TX

Chapman Air and Heat has installed, serviced and maintained residential and commercial air conditioning and heating systems since 1981. Founded by Marvin Chapman, CEO and president, the company has a reputation for providing top-notch installations for the true custom homebuilder as well as the residential and commercial replacement/service market. As a Top 10 Trane dealer in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Chapman focuses on providing the highest quality craftsmanship and providing same day service to meet their customer’s time constraints.

In The Trucks

  • Number and type of trucks/vans: 39 full-size Ford vans, six Chevy, Ford, and Toyota pickups, one flatbed.
  • Inventory on trucks/vans: Heavy on standard repair and start-up parts, refrigerants.
  • Tools provided to technicians: Robinair refrigerant recovery machine and vacuum pump, ladder, Black & Decker drill, thermostat tester, level, hand-held vacuum, soldering/blazing tools, first aid kit, camera.
  • Preferred field communication: Nextel.
  • Preferred ladder manufactuer: Werner.

In The Office

  • Preferred business management software: ChapPro, designed by Marvin Chapman.
  • Preferred sales management software: ChapPro and Act.
  • Preferred computer/ printer equipment: Dell, Hewlett Packard.
  • Preferred photocopier and fax equipment: Canon.
  • Business connection to the Internet via: DSL.
  • Preferred uniform supplier: purchase from My Corporate Store.
  • Credit Cards Accepted: MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express.

In The Shop

  • Preferred HVAC heating and cooling equipment brands: Trane.
  • Preferred accessory equipment: Trane, Aprilaire, Skuttle.
  • Preferred zoning equipment: ZoneFirst, Honeywell.
  • Number of technicians currently certified, and type of certification: 8 are EPA certified; 6 have Carrier Variable Volume and Temperature (VVT-V3) certification. Other certifications include TEMSCO energy management and Trane’s Tracker, Tracer, and Comfortlink II systems.
  • Preferred zoning equipment: Trane, Johnson Supply, Standard Supply.
  • Amount of equipment inventoried: $50,000.
About the Author

Terry McIver | Content Director - CB

A career publishing professional, Terence 'Terry' McIver has served three diverse industry publications in varying degrees of responsibility since 1987, and worked in marketing communications for a major U.S. corporation.He joined the staff of Contracting Business magazine in April 2005.

As director of content for Contracting Business, he produces daily content and feature articles for CB's 38,000 print subscribers and many more Internet visitors. He has written hundreds, if not two or three, pieces of news, features and contractor profile articles for CB's audience of quality HVACR contractors. He can also be found covering HVACR industry events or visiting with manufacturers and contractors. He also has significant experience in trade show planning.