#hvac

Florida’s got a lot of great qualities: some pretty neat wildlife, beaches all around, and theme parks. On the flip side, Florida also has hurricanes and a lot of humidity. As much of a pain as it might be for residents and contractors alike, humidity is one of my favorite topics.  We see relative humidity […]

Just like Shrek, I like to think about the heating sequence of operations as an onion—it has layers. And each layer builds upon the previous one. We have written previously in great detail about gas furnaces, from top to bottom. I want to focus today on why there is a sequence of operations and how […]

Electronic expansion valves (or EEVs) are metering devices that you’ll find in a variety of modern HVAC equipment, including heat pumps, VRF units, inverter mini splits, and chillers. This valve is electronic rather than mechanical and can precisely control the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator and optimize efficiency for heating and cooling units.  Other […]

There are a couple of really important things to understand when ducting a dehumidifier. Getting one or both of these things wrong can throw off your entire dehumidifier install. Instead of just telling you the different ways you can install a dehumidifier, let’s talk through some dehumidifier basics, which will help us understand why it’s […]

This tech tip was written by Shelby Breger, co-founder of Conduit Tech. You can check out everything Conduit has to offer and learn more about that interesting platform and how it helps contractors at https://getconduit.com/. Thank you, Shelby! Before starting Conduit Tech, Marisa and I spent a year doing everything we could to learn about […]

I know I’m not the only one who has sometimes felt a little bad doing heat maintenance. I remember many a day when my lead technician and I (as an apprentice) would crawl into an attic, clean the flame sensor, and then play FarmVille on our phones for 15 minutes before crawling down, giving the […]

As a small business owner in the 21st century, I have recently been exposed to the overwhelming amount of new technologies and processes that I could use within my business. In the last few years, there has been a surge of software and connected tools that are entering the marketplace. All of them promise to […]

I hired and trained an apprentice who has worked 2 days a week for me over the last 4–5 months. I've been in business for almost two years, and I had a pretty good sense that I would need some help this summer. Hauling a few air handlers and furnaces into an attic by myself […]

We’re in the business of moving heat, but we have to move air to accomplish that. We use CFM (cubic feet per minute) to quantify the air we move over the indoor coil, and it helps to imagine hundreds of 1’x1’x1’ boxes of air moving over that coil each minute. (After all, 400 CFM is […]

 Bryan Orr and Steve Rogers dive deep into measuring power consumption in HVAC blower motors, particularly focusing on the differences between PSC (Permanent Split Capacitor) and ECM (Electronically Commutated Motor) technologies. The discussion stems from a question raised at an educators' conference about the accuracy of clamp-on meters in measuring blower motor watt draw, […]

 In this short Q&A podcast, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question about sizing heat pumps for heat load in heating mode, something that we haven't talked much about in the past due to the greater need for cooling in our market. In most cases across the country, a heat pump's heating loads will be greater […]

 This episode of the HVAC School podcast dives deep into the often-overlooked but critical topic of water issues in HVAC systems. Bryan and Bert discuss the various causes of water leaks and condensation problems, and they explain how to prevent them. They emphasize that water damage is not an inevitable part of HVAC systems […]

 In this short Q&A podcast episode, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question about cultural diversity in the workplace, especially at an HVAC company. He addresses how we can deal with cultural and language differences in a field where communication is so important. Being open to different demographics of people is great for the industry, especially […]

 In this informative episode of the HVAC School podcast, host Bryan Orr sits down with Tom Lorenz to talk about some of the Sensi thermostat features, particularly aux lockout and balance point. Tom leads the traditional and smart thermostat lines at Copeland and has over 25 years of experience in the industry. The discussion […]

 In this short Q&A podcast episode, Bryan answers Howard's question about how to deploy a dehumidifier (dehum) in a sealed home. He addresses things like location and fresh air requirements in green-grass markets with high dew points. Before deploying a dehumidifier, you will need to know about the climate, the structure, and the client's […]

 In this episode of the Spidey Sense series, Bryan and Bert dive deep into the art of refrigerant leak detection, sharing their wealth of experience and practical tips for HVAC technicians. They emphasize the importance of using one's senses and observation skills before relying solely on electronic tools, highlighting how this “Spidey Sense” approach […]

 In this short Q&A podcast episode, Bryan answers Edward's question about how to deal with customers who ask, “Why didn't you notice it last time?” There isn't an easy answer to that question. The truth is that air conditioning and home health and comfort issues are complicated, and it's entirely possible that an issue […]

 In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, host Bryan dives deep into the topic of vacuum in HVAC and refrigeration systems. He addresses two questions from social media about vacuum, expanding them into a comprehensive discussion of best practices, common issues, and techniques for effective vacuum procedures. Bryan starts by explaining where to […]

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.