#HVAC design

Tech Tips:

Observations from the Field: Insights Gained from HVAC Ride-Alongs
When we started Conduit, one thing that was incredibly important to us was that we constantly took lessons from the field to make sure we’re building the best product and process. HVAC Contractors around the country graciously let us ride in their trucks with them to visit customers. Our goal was to better understand the […]
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OK, But How Do I Actually “Do” a Manual T?
A few weeks back, I wrote an article called “5 Takeaways from Manual T.” That was a nice article, but I sense there was some disappointment. Some of you still want to know how to “do” a Manual T. Well, this article is for you! We are going to go through the process of selecting […]
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Equipment Changes, Ducts are Forever
I’m installing the HVAC system for a house that is being completely gutted. It has vaulted ceilings throughout, and a small attic area was designated for mechanicals. The duct system can’t go in the attic because there basically isn’t one. The engineer intended the equipment to go in the attic mechanical space, and then the […]
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Manual J Field Data: Ducts
Understanding the relationships between ductwork, home comfort, and the load on a house is a complicated and dynamic problem. There are a large number of variables. Some of the data is fairly straightforward, like the other elements of field data collection we have covered so far in this series. Ductwork has different levels of insulation […]
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The Ups and Downs of High-Performance HVAC
This tech tip recaps the livestream by the same name, featuring HVAC School contributors Matt Bruner and Adam Mufich and special guests Michael Housh, Chris Hughes, and Dustin Cole. You can watch that livestream on our YouTube channel HERE. “High-performance HVAC” is a term we hear quite a bit these days, but it’s not easy […]
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Manual J Field Data: Windows
A manual J load calculation will require you to input the U-value for the windows or “fenestrations” on the house. Fenestration is a fancy construction word for window. Figuring out the U-value and SHGC of a window on an existing home is very difficult. But first, let’s dive into what the terms U-value and SHGC […]
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Solving Comfort and IAQ Issues in a Vintage Home: A Case Study
This tech tip is a recap of the Santa Fe Dehumidifiers and Comfort Dynamics, Inc. case study about a 1941 vintage home in Miami, FL. You can listen to the podcast about that case study by clicking the play button below, and you can read the case study at https://hvacrschool.com/case-study. Special thanks to Nikki Krueger […]
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Manual J Field Data: Walls
This article will cover how to collect field data for walls on an existing home for an ACCA Manual J calculation. In full disclosure, I had never collected any field data for a Manual J before I wrote this article. Many of the methods discussed were suggested by HVAC technicians and contractors in an online […]
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The Wide-Narrow-Wide of Manual J
Starting to work on a Manual J load calculation can feel extremely overwhelming. How do we know what to focus on? What does normal look like? What if I’m way off on something and install way too big or small of a unit? On a practical level, what is the payback or value of spending […]
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Videos:

Podcasts:

Manual J in 15 Minutes?
 Shelby Breger, co-founder of Conduit Tech, joins Bryan Orr on the HVAC School Podcast to discuss her company's innovative lidar-enabled design and sales software tool for HVAC contractors. Conduit Tech's software utilizes lidar sensors in iPads and iPhones to scan homes and create 3D models and 2D floor plans. It overlays load calculations factoring […]
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Events:

Getting Your Foot in B.S. – A Beginner’s Guide to Getting Into Building Science
NOTE: If you cannot view the recording, the video may still be processing. The maximum wait time is 24 hours. We apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience.
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