This article deals heavily with entropy. Entropy is not a simple topic, so we highly recommend checking out HVAC School’s Entropy in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning for some background information. Describing isentropic compression is a daunting endeavor. We all recognize the term compression, and I’m sure most of us can deduce that isentropic has something […]

Let's take a walk through the startup and commissioning procedure of a conventional or “single” refrigeration condensing unit. We’re going to start with a unit that is fully piped in and has been pressurized for leak and strength testing. For brevity, we are going to assume a basic familiarity with industry standards, company and customer […]

This article was written by senior furnace tech Benoît (Ben) Mongeau. Ben hails from the frozen tundra of Ontario, Canada, where high-efficiency gas furnaces are commonplace. While some codes and practices may be different from the US, I find that most of it is common sense and translates pretty well. One glaring difference between Canada […]