Tech Tips

We all know what excuses are. They tend to sound like, “I would’ve done a better job if I’d just had the right tools!” or “I would have found that disconnected duct if I weren't dispatched at 6 PM!” Some people probably say, “Those aren’t excuses. Those are reasons!” OK, sure, we can call them […]

I have spent most of my career being afraid of hard start kits; I heard too many horror stories of start caps exploding and sales technicians telling every customer they need one. It dawned on me recently that it may be time for me to take a more mature look at start capacitors, potential relays, […]

There are three reasons why I don't like infrared thermometers for many HVAC tasks. #1 – The laser can be misleading The laser dot is just a point of reference, not an exact point where it is reading. Often the thermometer will read lower, higher, or over a MUCH wider area. Unless you are right […]

If you own an HVAC or refrigeration business, there may be times when you think giving a discount might be the right thing to do. Maybe you have a friend who’s having a hard time and suddenly has an evaporator coil leak that needs attention. You may consider offering him a discount to help him […]

There is a big move in residential and light commercial HVAC toward measuring static pressure regularly during commissioning, service, and maintenance. Don't get me wrong… Measuring static pressure is VERY important. The challenge comes in when techs begin taking measurements without understanding where to take them, what they mean, or worse: they use measurements as […]

If you are used to simple, straight-cool split systems, you know that the low voltage to the outdoor unit is usually VERY simple. In many cases, there's just a Y (contactor power) and a C (common) connected to the outdoor unit. When the condensing unit controls are strictly two-wire low voltage, there is no continuous […]

All fuel-burning appliances require oxygen to burn. They require sufficient oxygen to burn clean and safely, without soot and CO (carbon monoxide). I live and work in Florida, where most of our fuel-burning appliances are 80% efficient with open combustion. (You can learn more about the basics of combustion on a podcast with Benoit Mongeau.) […]

I knew a tech when I was just starting who was hands down, no questions asked, the best technician at the company I worked. EVERYONE, we are talking over 60 techs… we all knew it. His name was Mike Gilford. Being the little brown-nosing ladder climber I was, I made a complete study of Mike […]

There are two camps I've run into regarding cracked heat exchanger diagnosis. There are those who look for it everywhere and those who dismiss it and never look. I will start by saying that everything I write here is my own opinion and experience. Because this is such a hot-button topic, don't take my word […]