I stumbled on this video today and it reinforced the fact that we are a MICRO shop. The amount of duct that some companies can produce in such a short time is mind boggling. A straight section of trunk duct form beginning to end takes me roughly 8 to 10 minutes. I have heard that companies, like the one in the video, can produce that same section in under 10 seconds. It has become tougher and tougher to keep a shop like ours going because of this gap in production time and more importantly cost of production. Another problem is, most of the work available is commercial in nature and far too involved for a company like mine. Therefore, we are left to pick up the scraps of much smaller commercial work and of course, residential (our bread and butter). But residential and home owner projects seem to be fading more and more even though the housing market has "bottomed".
Walking this line of keeping the shop smaller in size or taking out loans and making it bigger is a scary proposition. The lack of motivated workers and young people in the field is also something that can be worrisome. Shops like ours will always be needed, but if work can't at least sustain the owner and his family, then smaller shops will continue to fall and go out of business.
and 
are quickly becoming the norm when it comes to reading books and magazines instead of prior print editions. Well, the same goes for those bulky 
or 
device so you can keep more of them on hand without the stacks and mess of heavy print books. Now you can take them on the go when you need them on a job, a quote or to and from the office daily without breaking your back. Here is a list of some of the more popular HVAC manuals and books for your Kindle or e-reader.
presents a wealth of state-of-the-art HVAC design information and guidance, ranging from air distribution to piping systems to plant equipment. This popular reference has now been fully updated to reflect the construction industry's new single body of codes and standards. Featuring an outline format for ease of use, the Second Edition of this all-in-one sourcebook contains: * Updated HVAC codes and standards, including the 2006 International Building Code * Over 200 equations for everything from 
Here's a single-source reference that provides quick accurate answers to even the toughest HVAC questions! Portable, simple, well-illustrated and with just enough text to get the job done, HVAC Instant Answers provides fingertip access to the HVAC solutions needed to solve even the most difficult problem – in a flash. Packed with 
This handbook brings you solutions to virtually any problem in the field. Leading U.S. and international experts help you to create and maintain safe and healthy environments in structures from hospitals to residences, and handle a range of questions from health and comfort effects and physiologic thresholds to ventilation measurement and employee programs. For answers on instrumentation, contaminants, codes, and guidelines--for the solutions you need to assess, design, and maintain healthy and productive indoor environments, Indoor Air Quality Handbook is the one source to have. Assess Indoor Air Quality Complaints-Evaluation Methods-Risk Management and Communication Strategies-Critical Review of Sick Building Investigations -Indoor Concentration Data for Microbiologicals, Chemical Compounds, Particles, and Fibers *Understand Critical Issues-Health and Productivity Costs of Poor IAQ-Filtration, Air Cleaning, and the New ASHRAE Standards Design Healthy, Comfortable, and Functional Buildings-Application of Models and Advanced Techniques-Commissioning Buildings to Perform as Designed-IAQ in Schools, Hospitals, Sports Facilities, Office Buildings Apartments, and Transportation Vehicles
This third volume of Audel’s HVAC Library gives you a comprehensive, hands-on guide to installing, servicing, and repairing all basic air-conditioning systems in both new and older construction. You’ll also find complete coverage of specialized heating units–radiators, radiant heating systems, stoves, fireplaces, heat pumps, and indoor/outdoor pool heaters, plus fans, exhaust systems, air filters, and more. It’s what you need to complete your HVAC reference library. * Make accurate calculations for AC system output * Tailor AC systems for older construction * Learn to install and service today’s popular electronic air cleaners and filters * Service less common heating systems such as coal-fired furnaces * Install, maintain, and repair humidifiers and dehumidifers * Handle radiators, convectors, and baseboard heating units