When I first started in the trade, we used to run into shielded control wires on the Carrier Comfort Zone 1 zoning systems and also on a Carrier VVT system I used to maintain at a bank. I knew it had something to do with electrical “noise” and that communicating systems often called for it, […]

I’ve been designing a system for a home here in Dallas and noticed a couple of interesting (and disturbing!) things about the equipment’s advertised capacity vs. the actual capacity at design conditions.  Equipment is rated at AHRI conditions (95 degrees outside and 80-degree dry bulb, 67-degree wet bulb inside). These conditions make equipment performance LOOK […]

Valve core removal tools were originally developed to remove damaged valve cores without the need to pump the system down. This technology was a major leap forward in work efficiency, as pumping down a system can be a tedious and time-consuming task.   Eventually, technicians discovered that removing valve cores led to faster evacuation, recovery, and […]

Andrew Greaves joins us again from AHR 2020. This time, he discusses what mentors and role models do in our trade and why they're important. Mentors are not just the grouchy senior techs who throw hammers at apprentices. Mentors have an active role in others' professional development; they spend a lot of time with their […]

Andrew Greaves comes on the podcast to give us a sneak peek into the life of a tool manufacturer. Andrew has worked in the field for a long time and has recently begun working for NAVAC. He currently works as a regional manager who oversees operations in 24 states; his main task is to establish […]

In this simultaneously heavy and lighthearted discussion, Bryan Orr and Andrew Greaves discuss ego, Dunning-Kruger, insecurity, and apprenticeship in the trades. In the early days, apprenticeships were quite different from the way they are today. One-on-one mentorship used to be a much more significant component of early apprenticeships, but that style of training is uncommon […]