There was a story that came out recently based on an ASHRAE study performed by David Yuill from the University of Nebraska. The study appeared to indicate that condenser coil cleanliness makes no difference on system performance and efficiency. Those of us who have worked in the field know that coil cleaning matters because most […]

We all know (or should know) that venting refrigerant is a big no-no and can result in trouble from the EPA. There are many other potential violations, but two of them can easily occur if you aren't thinking ahead at the disposal of mercury and oil. Mercury is found in fairly large quantities in the […]

Most techs and installers know that drains need to be pitched. I use the rule of thumb that drain lines should generally be pitched 1/4″ per foot of horizontal run. One thing that can easily be forgotten is pitching wall penetrations when drilling. It's as simple as drilling with a slight upward angle if drilling […]