Sometimes I beat around the bush too much in these tech tips, so let's get down to the nitty-gritty! (As Nacho Libre would say.) Humidity inside a home should be maintained between 30% and 60% relative humidity. I like to shoot for 50% in humid climates when possible (and by possible, I mean financially feasible […]

HVAC installs sometimes come with surprises. Some of them are good, like when you have a really nice customer who buys you lunch or leaves you a generous tip. But HVAC installs can also come with plenty of bad surprises, like a defective part, not enough space to install the unit, an incorrectly sized platform […]

Often in commercial HVAC and refrigeration, you'll come across a sight glass/moisture indicator on the liquid line. (Oil sight glasses also exist, but those are different from what I'm talking about today.) Sight Glass The sight glass portion is simple; it's just there to show if the liquid line has a full line of liquid […]

In today’s podcast, Eric Mele and Bryan explain the planning, layout, and execution of HVAC projects. They mostly cover commercial ductwork but also touch on piping and some residential projects. Planning The first step is to review the construction plan WITH a site visit. It is best to see how a plan works within the […]

In this short podcast episode, Bryan and Eric Mele talk about re-tapping transformers for single-phase equipment in 208v applications. Most single-phase equipment can work for 230v or 208v, meaning that they can operate with low voltage. However, we typically see 208v in commercial buildings. The sine waves of 208v equipment are 120 degrees out of […]

In this podcast episode, Bryan and Eric Mele discuss the diagnosis and prevention of compressor overheating in HVAC and refrigeration. The main causes of compressor overheating are inadequate cooling back to the compressor, low charge, restrictions, and sometimes even poor suction line insulation. We want to keep the suction temperature low while maintaining appropriate superheat. […]