Tech Tips

Condensate overflow prevention devices or float switches, as they are often called, are such simple devices that you wouldn't think there would be much room for controversy. In my experience, there are few areas of the trade where technician and installer preferences and opinions vary greatly. Let's start with some float switch basics. Float (condensate) […]

My technician (and brother-in-law), Bert, made a good point. (It's hard for me to admit it, but it's true.) When he needs to open the refrigerant circuit to make a repair, regardless of whether he is recovering or pumping down, he pulls out his nitrogen tank and his regulator. (We like the Western Enterprises VN-500 […]

The HVAC industry uses all sorts of fancy words to classify refrigerant. As such, there are all sorts of complicated refrigerant acronyms: HFC, HCFC, CFC. Let's also not forget the mythical zeotropic, azeotropic, and near-azeotropic descriptors. Let's simplify those. (Though if you want to go back to the basics first, check out this article on […]

Air conditioning was about humidity control from the very start. Willis Carrier's very first air conditioning system was all about controlling the humidity with the side effect that it also could reduce the sensible temperature. Theaters caught on that this newfangled contraption could lead to big summer numbers when they installed it to keep patrons […]

If you've ever sat close to a bonfire on a really cold night, you may have noticed that your face starts to get really warm. The minute you put your hands up and shield your face from the light of the flame, your face cools off almost immediately. That happens because the flame is heating […]

In HVAC and electrical school, one of the first things you learn about electricity is Ohm's law: Volts (V) = Amps (I) x Ohms (R) Pretty simple, right? Watt's law is just as easy: Watts (P) = Volts (E) x Amps (I) With this newfound knowledge, the student walks confidently into the real world with […]

Many of the “old-timers” in our trade are baby boomers; they were likely born after World War II ended and before the mid-1960s. These people grew up in a different time than today’s millennials (Gen Y) and zoomers (Gen Z). As those old-timers continue to retire, our trade needs to start attracting, recruiting, and managing […]

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 […]

For years, I've worked with and around people who view work, problems, and goals differently than I do. I've often told my wife that I have an issue managing and leading administrators, salespeople, and other inside staff. Why? It's because I just don't communicate in a way they seem to like. It's been 20 years […]