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 […]

I want to share something that came up in a recent discussion with Roman Baugh about VRF systems, and it made me realize I might have had a blind spot regarding scroll compressor designs. We were talking specifics, and he brought up high-pressure shell compressors. My immediate thought was, “Hold on, aren't scrolls low-pressure shell […]

Imagine a small IT room packed with servers, monitors, and humans. CO₂ levels easily spike to over 3000 PPM since the room lacks fresh air ventilation. Two overworked mini-split units churn away, cooling the space and unknowingly creating the perfect acidic environment. Fast forward a few months, and those shiny coils now resemble something pulled […]

NOTE: If you cannot view the recording, the video may still be processing. The maximum wait time is 24 hours. We apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience.

  NOTE: If you cannot view the recording, the video may still be processing. The maximum wait time is 24 hours. We apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience.

 In this episode, Bryan and Roman dive deep into the world of Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems, focusing on the persistent issue of compressor failures. VRF technology has evolved, and it has seen a major rise in the North American market since the early 2010s. Roman shares his passion for VRF, tracing its origins […]

 In this short podcast episode, Roman Baugh takes over the HVAC School podcast to answer a listener-submitted question about VRF (or VRV) system evacuation. Evacuation is a critical step of making repairs on VRF systems, which are very diverse and versatile but require a high level of understanding. VRF systems have multiple indoor units […]

 Roman Baugh and Donald Falese from VRF Tech Talk podcast takeover the HVAC School booth at AHR EXPO 2025. Join them as they talk about the new VRF products being unveiled, water-cooled VRF ups and downs, and why VRF is such a difficult trade to work in. You will not want to miss this […]

Let's talk about the magic that is inverters and how to test the boards that drive this technology. Inverters play an extremely important role in household appliances, industrial machinery, and the rising popularity of household HVAC systems. Inverters consist of a wide variety of electronic circuitry, and there are many situations in which they need […]

The photo above is from a video one of my techs took of proper condenser cleaning. I must say, he did a GREAT job of cleaning the coil, and he was very careful with the top. However, I STILL would have liked to see him pull the condenser top completely during a full maintenance procedure. […]

We’ve all been in the unenviable position of unsweating a compressor and getting blasted in the eyes with a waft of gas that smells like burning sulfur from the pits of Hades. As we stagger back, covering our noses and holding our breaths, memories of the phrase “phosphene gas” from trade school or World War […]

The title says it all. It should be one of the first things you learn when you started. However, I have seen a lot of experienced techs who seldom (if ever) do it. When connecting to a tank, purge your hose by cracking the center connection at the manifold for a second. When connecting to […]