Tech Tips

I was fresh out of school, working as an apprentice at my first real HVAC job, and I was listening in on a shop conversation between a few techs. They were talking about finding so many overcharged systems. One of the techs turns to me and says, “I had a unit yesterday that was so […]

I live in Central Florida, and while it can get pretty hot in the summer, we also tend to get afternoon thunderstorms that come and go in a flash. I have been connecting gauges, checking charges, and even pulling vacuums in the rain (even under umbrellas or cardboard boxes) for most of my career. Only […]

If you are new to the trade, I'd like to welcome you. Like many skilled trades, the HVAC/R trade has many opportunities and can help you make a good living. We need those of you who are young and new to the trade, and we are grateful to have you. But as a word of […]

A while ago, Bert made a video about his top residential A/C maintenance service tips. He showed some pretty good practices in there, so we’re going to revisit them in this article. Maintenance procedures are vital to any HVAC business, especially those specializing in residential A/C. When we do preventive maintenance, the customers see our […]

Disclaimer: “Ghost voltage” is a term used by techs to explain a phenomenon where they measure voltage they don't expect or when the voltage they see doesn't do the work they expect. More advanced techs know how to use the Lo-Z (low impedance) mode on their voltmeter if it has one to help eliminate this. […]

Old-timers always used to say that running plumbing and condensate drains wasn't rocket science because “water flows downhill.” While that may be true, water also floats in the air, goes uphill, and forces its way through concrete. Here is a look at some of the ways that water moves that impact building comfort and integrity. […]

Every contractor is different. I get that. We don't all need to do everything the same way or include the same services with repairs, but there are some “best practices” that can save you a lot of heartache before, during, and after you make a big repair. Catch It During Diagnosis Let's say you find […]

Have you ever noticed that a blower motor rated for 120V draws about twice the amperage of the same horsepower motor rated at 240V? That is because motors are rated in watts or horsepower, and according to Watt's law, Watts = Volts x Amps. To keep the wattage output the same at 120V, it draws […]

Over the past several years that we’ve been discussing electrification as an industry, we’ve heard concerns about the electrical grid struggling with peak cooling demands.  Within the past couple of months, the concept of integrating battery storage directly into HVAC equipment has emerged as a vital solution for load management. This concept turns a typical […]