Photo by Stephen Rardon I hear it all the time. Someone will talk about undesired condensation on an air handler cabinet, on a supply air duct, in a ventilation duct, or on a vent like the one above. In reply, someone will inevitably say, “Condensation occurs where hot meets cold.” Early on in my career, […]

The Sleeper  The year was 2002, and I was 20 years old. I had a helper named Clay, and he was a really nice guy, probably 15 years my senior, already with streaks of grey in his hair with a way of making you feel at ease—so very at ease. OK, he was sleeping most […]

There is a lot of misunderstanding about the HSO (hard shut-off) or “non-bleed” TXV (thermostat expansion valve) and what makes it shut off, why it exists, and how it “magically” opens. Once you understand the forces inside the valve, it is quite simple, obvious, and sadly devoid of any magic. The Three Forces  The TXV […]