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The ACCA Manuals w/ Ed Janowiak

By Ed Janowiak Bryan Orr

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In today’s podcast, Ed Janowiak comes onto the podcast to talk about the Air Conditioning Contractors of America manuals. Ed started off in the field and has recently become the new Manager of Design Education at ACCA. You can follow him on Snapchat (skinnyed).

ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America) is responsible for publishing and setting the standards in all of the books we use for residential and light commercial HVAC work. (Residential work typically encompasses Manuals J, S, D, and T).

The manuals can be very math-heavy. Many software programs have come on the scene to help automate the math to some degree, but the manuals will still remain relevant for years to come. The ACCA manuals offer guidelines for predictable results, and much of a technician’s success will come down to how well they understand the order of operations.

In our trade, we have developed rules of thumb that help us with sizing and load calculations. However, those won’t work all the time, and the predictability element is lost. The ACCA manuals exist so that you can complete your calculations, sizing, and equipment selections with some degree of rhyme and reason.

ACCA updates the manuals on 5-year cycles; the manuals require periodic updates to keep up with new climate trends and new equipment as it hits the market. The information in the manuals is not 100% accurate and is variable, but that is just a product of our ever-evolving industry and world.

Ed and Bryan also discuss:

Leadership responsibilities in ACCA
Why HVAC business owners should be aware of the ACCA manuals
400 CFM per ton
Mediocre designs
Moisture problems and design conditions
Basements, elevation, and insulation
Constructive criticism
ACCA training

Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium HERE.

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Author:

Ed Janowiak

Company: ACCA

Position: Manager of HVAC Design Education

Bryan Orr

Company: Kalos Services

Position: Co-Founder and President

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Real training for HVAC ( Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) Technicians. Including recorded tech training, interviews, diagnostics and general conversations about the trade.

Heat pumps may be everywhere, but according to David Richardson, the industry is in danger of aiming at the wrong target. In this 2026 HVACR Training Symposium session, the Kentucky contractor’s son, who has never lived in a home without a heat pump, opens with the story of Olympic rifle shooter Matthew Emmons. Emmons hit the bullseye with perfect precision in 2004, only to discover he had fired at the wrong lane’s target. Richardson argues that contractors risk the same mistake when they treat the heat pump itself as the goal and market it with the same “magic” promises used in the 1970s, a pattern that led to poor installations and a reputation problem that has lasted 50 years.

The real target, Richardson says, is the customer, and the heat pump is only one ring on that target alongside ductwork, the building envelope, equipment sizing, noise, and expectations. He distinguishes between HVAC equipment, which anyone can sell, and the HVAC system, which is where a contractor’s skill and craftsmanship show up. Average installations, he notes, deliver roughly 57% of rated performance, while a high-performance retrofit aims for 88% or better. With “free heat pump” offers likely coming next, he urges contractors to differentiate through engagement, education, clear expectations, and measured results, ending with what he calls a “craftsmanship receipt.”

The heart of the talk is five practical tips. First, learn what the customer is really after and set expectations early, including what a defrost cycle looks like. Second, don’t inherit a bad duct system, and use pressure, airflow, and temperature measurements to find problems before they become yours. Third, don’t inherit a bad building, since the structure works like a duct system and can undermine a perfect install. Fourth, bring the customer along by putting simple tools in their hands, such as a thermal camera or flow hood, and translating data into plain language. Fifth, follow a repeatable process that defines where testing begins and where additional paid services start.

Richardson closes with a call to document lessons learned, including mistakes, and to build these practices into company culture. His message is that heat pumps aren’t magic, but they can perform as if they were when installed well and priced to reflect the work. The session wraps with audience questions.

Topics Covered

The Olympic shooter analogy: precision aimed at the wrong target
History of heat pumps, the 1970s energy crisis, and early marketing hype
Why heat pumps shouldn’t be treated as a silver bullet, and the “silver buckshot” approach
HVAC equipment versus the HVAC system
Installation performance benchmarks: roughly 57% for average work, about 6% more for code-approved work, and a goal of 88% or better
The three E’s: engagement, education, and expectations, plus measured results
The craftsmanship receipt and verification: “if you don’t test, you’re just guessing”
Setting customer expectations, including cold-climate performance and defrost
Right-sizing and the pitfalls of oversized equipment, even with inverter technology
Testing for pressure, airflow, and temperature (PAT) and not inheriting bad ductwork
Building science basics: leakage, room pressures, blower doors, and thermal imaging
Using Socratic questions and plain language to involve the customer
Avoiding data overload and using tools like Measure Quick and the TrueFlow Grid
Following a process and getting paid for diagnostics, basic versus advanced retrofits
Learning from mistakes and changing company culture

This episode contains embedded sponsor messages from Refrigeration Technologies, Carrier, NAVAC, and Filtrete.

Resources

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 8th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

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