BACK
5 Takeaways from Manual T
The MAD Room
Troubleshooting Water Leaks
The One Duct Leak You Didn’t Expect
HVAC Moneyball: Could It Work?
One Way to Picture Superheat and Subcool
Six Tips to Help You Write an Article for HVAC School
Where Should the Float Switch Go?
Soft Lockout vs. Hard Lockout
Q&A on Superheat – Short #223
Duct Cleaning – How Long & How Often?
Are EVs an Opportunity? – Short #222
Choosing HVAC Cleaners w/ Becca from Viper
Q&A – Evap Placement – Short #221
Can Ducts Be Cleaned Ethically?
Should I Fog or “Sanitize” My Ducts? – Short #220
Condensing Furnace Drain Guidance w/ AC Service Tech
How to Predict Air Flow Issues in the Sales Process
#hvac
Tech Tips:
“Did you do a Manual J?” “Did you run a Manual S on that?” “What does Manual D say?” If you’ve asked any design-related questions on the internet in the last several years, you’re probably familiar with these questions. But how does one “do” a Manual T? I bought Manual T last year and gave […]
Read more
This tech tip features a diagnostic flowchart by Genry Garcia. Thanks, Genry! The name of this document, “The MAD Room,” was chosen as a nod to the MAD-AIR study completed by John Tooley and Neil Moyer, presented in 1989. The teachings from that document played an instrumental role in creating the following diagnostic workflow. Disclaimer […]
Read more
There is not much worse than having a service call where you can’t figure out where the water is coming from or where it came from before you got there. I have spent many hours scratching my sweaty head in attics while I stared into the riser of a drain line, waiting for water to […]
Read more
Sometimes, you just get lucky. Sometimes, you get sent out to install a unit in a closet! Although these types of installs have their challenges, at least for me, they have appeared easier on the surface. There is no return ductwork, as the unit sits on a platform. We are rarely disconnecting ducts in the […]
Read more
This tech tip was submitted by Tim De Stasio. He originally published it on his website, which you can visit HERE. Thanks, Tim! Winning takes strategy and the right information. The HVAC business is no different. But what information should we collect, even pay for, to get better and win? What if these widely accepted […]
Read more
It took me years to build a picture in my head of what superheat and subcool mean. They were these strange words that dropped out of nowhere when I entered the HVAC world, and in the midst of grappling with so many other things, I could tell they were very important. Over time, I have, […]
Read more
This tech tip was written by David Richardson, the Vice President of Training for NCI. David has been on several podcasts and has spoken at the HVACR Training Symposium multiple times. Thanks, David! Your ideas and experiences are the ingredients for great articles. Unfortunately, they are easy to forget if you don’t capture them in […]
Read more
If you have worked at more than one company in your HVAC career, chances are you’ve found there is more than one place to put a float switch. Every company seems to have its own “secret sauce” for running drain lines and placing float switches. Is your company a “no float switch” company? Although a […]
Read more
If a furnace runs for years and years while tripping the limit switch but satisfies the thermostat, will it ever be noticed? The answer is most likely “no,” but it will depend on whether the furnace utilizes soft or hard lockouts when the limit switch trips. So, what is a soft lockout vs. a hard […]
Read more
Videos:
Podcasts:
In this short Q&A podcast episode, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question about superheat, including what it is and how we measure it. Superheat is the number of degrees a refrigerant is above its saturation point. The saturation point is where you will have a liquid-vapor mix, so superheat only exists when a substance is […]
Read more
In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, Bryan interviews Zach from Southeast Clean Air Solutions about the intricacies of professional duct cleaning. Zach specializes in addressing duct cleaning challenges specific to the Southeastern climate, with a particular focus on fiberglass-lined ducts. The conversation delves into the complexities of cleaning different types of duct […]
Read more
In this short podcast, Bryan talks about electric vehicles and whether EVs present an opportunity for HVAC technicians. The residential sales lead at Kalos recently mentioned that keeping an EV in a conditioned garage is advantageous, and it's an upgrade we can offer our customers. In hot weather, EV battery performance and health can […]
Read more
The podcast delves into the world of HVAC chemical solutions through an in-depth conversation with Becca Stamey, the marketing director at Refrigeration Technologies. The discussion provides insights into the company's unique approach to developing cleaning products, rooted in a commitment to safety, effectiveness, and customer feedback. Founded by John Pastorello, a chemist turned HVAC […]
Read more
In this short podcast, Bryan talks about evaporator coil placement based on a question submitted by a listener, John. Evap coil placement differs in furnace applications versus air handlers. When we use air conditioners with furnaces, we usually put evaporator coils on the positive side to protect the heat exchanger from rusting out during […]
Read more
In this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, Bryan interviews Zachary Ortwine, a duct cleaning professional who provides insights into ethical duct cleaning practices. The conversation delves deep into the complexities of cleaning different types of ductwork, the importance of proper assessment, and the potential challenges in maintaining indoor air quality. Zach emphasizes the […]
Read more
In this short podcast episode, Zach joins Bryan to answer a common duct maintenance question: Should I fog or sanitize my ducts? The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) outlines the uses of chemical products. Adding chemicals is usually a last resort in flex or sheet metal (externally wrapped) duct systems; they should NOT […]
Read more
Bryan and Craig Migliaccio (AC Service Tech)dive deep into the complexities of managing condensate drainage in high-efficiency (90%+) gas furnaces. The conversation begins with a clear explanation of why these furnaces produce condensate in the first place – they have two heat exchangers that extract so much heat from the combustion gases that water […]
Read more
Chris Hughes and Steve Rogers from The Energy Conservatory discuss TEC's TrueFlow technology and its crucial role in predicting airflow issues in the sales process, particularly for heat pump retrofits. They explain how the TrueFlow app helps contractors accurately measure both static pressure and airflow in existing systems, enabling them to predict whether proposed […]
Read more
