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 […]

 Bryan and Robert Orr continue their discussion about ethics by talking about what it means to have grit and discipline in business. They talk about what those characteristics look like in business and in life, and they mention some good books. Grit is a trait that can contribute to an ethical way of life; […]

 Bryan and Robert Orr talk about ethics and what it means to have integrity when running a family business. Robert is a lifelong tradesman who is a licensed construction contractor, and he has overseen the construction side of Kalos for many years. Robert initially started off at the Air Force Academy and realized that […]