#hvac

Along the path to becoming a great HVAC technician lies the dreaded wiring diagram. It's meant to be a helpful map of the equipment's electrical system, but with its crisscrossing lines and cryptic symbols, it often feels more like a barrier than a guide. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. But what if you […]

Industry data shows that up to 40% of compressors returned under warranty have no fault found. Technicians often blame the compressor when another component is the root cause. This checklist is designed to help you definitively confirm compressor failure, saving time, money, and unnecessary replacements. Let's make sure it's truly bad before we cut it […]

This tech tip was written by Eric Kaiser from TruTech Tools. Thanks, Eric! Filling refrigerant recovery cylinders is a task HVACR technicians perform regularly, but figuring out how much refrigerant to safely put into a cylinder can still be confusing. The challenge almost always comes back to refrigerant density or specific gravity. Specific gravity, also […]

Maintaining the correct vapor-liquid refrigerant balance is crucial for air conditioning and refrigeration system performance. Longer line sets hold more refrigerant, which increases the risk of liquid accumulating in the suction line or entering the compressor during off-cycles. Heat pumps are one common application that requires additional measures. Refrigerant flow reverses during heating, turning the […]

The HVAC/R industry isn’t short on tragic figures. There’s John Gorrie, whose ice machine showed a lot of promise but didn’t have enough financial backing due to the lucrative ice industry and the death of his business partner. While Gorrie may have died without seeing his vision reach the masses, he was ahead of his […]

This tech tip is based on a conversation with Nikki Krueger and David Schurk. Nikki is a longtime contributor to HVAC School and is a relatively frequent podcast guest and symposium speaker. David Schurk is the Director of Applied Engineering and National Sales Manager at Innovative Air Technologies. Nikki specializes in traditional cold-coil dehumidifiers, and […]

Trying to wrap your head around HVAC can feel like a constant firehose of new info, right? Whether you're in class or on the job, there's just so much to soak up. And when you finally think you've got one thing down, BAM, here comes another concept. For me, remembering everything can be a real […]

Anytime we have a compressor failure, we can’t just pull out the bad compressor and drop a new one in. We have to put our detective hats on and find the culprit so that it doesn’t happen again. In many cases, acid is a prime suspect. Whenever there’s acid in the system, the next compressor […]

This tech tip was written by Tim De Stasio. He originally published it on his website, which you can visit HERE. Thanks, Tim! In March of 2024, I set out to better understand the cost of ownership and return on investment for two dehumidification strategies: a dedicated dehumidifier versus using electric reheat dehumidification from my […]

 In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, Bryan Orr sits down with Roman Baugh, a leading VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) specialist and co-host of the VRF Tech Talk podcast, for an in-depth exploration of VRF system maintenance. The conversation begins with some lighthearted back-and-forth before shifting to the technical realities of maintaining VRF […]

 In this short podcast episode, Bryan explores the maintenance mindset. Maintenance procedures require a different skill set from troubleshooting, especially the customer service mindset and dedication to execution. Good maintenance is important, and it may be “boring” to some techs, but it provides value and is worth doing well. Clients purchase maintenance plans for […]

 In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, Bryan welcomes back Brynn Cooksey from Air Doctors and HVAC U to discuss critical topics facing the HVAC industry today. Brynn brings his unique perspective as both a successful contractor in southeast Michigan and an industry educator who has made the transition to focusing primarily on […]

 In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about crankcase heaters, including their different types, what they do, and when we need to use them. Crankcase heaters usually come in belly band varieties, but some can be inserted into the sump of the compressor. As their name suggests, crankcase heaters heat the crankcase when the […]

 In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, Bryan welcomes back Jim to discuss the groundbreaking SureSwitch contactor technology from Copeland. This isn't just another incremental improvement – it's a complete reimagining of how contactors should work in modern HVAC systems. Jim brings his expertise and even demonstrates the technology with a special cutaway […]

 In this short podcast episode, Bryan goes through the process of testing and replacing a run capacitor. Run capacitors provide continuous phase-shifted current to the start winding, allowing the motor to run in the right direction and with the appropriate amount of torque. These capacitors are needed in most of the single-phase PSC motors […]

 In this comprehensive episode of the HVAC podcast, Bryan hosts an in-depth discussion about dehumidification technologies with two industry experts: David Schurk, National Sales Manager for Innovative Air Technologies, and Nikki Krueger from Santa Fe Products. The conversation explores the fundamental differences between compression refrigeration dehumidification and solid desiccant systems, providing valuable insights for […]

 In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about learning styles and gives some tips for “learning better” and getting more out of continuing education opportunities. The first step to getting more out of educational opportunities is to know your learning style. There are three main styles: visual, kinesthetic (hands-on), and auditory. Most tradespeople will […]

 Sharon Goepferich from Cool Air Products joins the podcast to discuss cutting-edge capacitor technology and innovative HVAC solutions in an introduction to the Sigma capacitor. Sharon brings a decade of industry experience, having worked extensively with capacitors and HVAC components while traveling across the country to educate technicians and contractors. The conversation begins with […]