I’ve got a confession to make. I'm “that guy.” Call it OCD, call it being anal-retentive, but I'm always making an effort to be as technically correct as possible. One aspect of that effort has been the use of torque indicating or torque limiting tools when tightening fasteners. It started after I put new valve […]

All fuel-burning appliances require oxygen to burn. They require sufficient oxygen to burn clean and safe, 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 that utilizes air and oxygen from the space for combustion. With these low-efficiency appliances, whether […]

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 […]