#hvac

This tech tip was written by Luke Peterson, the president of The Maintenance Department in Louisville, KY. Luke was a speaker at the 5th Annual HVAC Training Symposium in 2024 and has been on HVAC business panels at the symposium in 2023 and 2024. Thanks, Luke! As an HVAC technician, your primary goal is not […]

With Father's Day passing recently, I have been reflecting on my relationship with my Dad and how he has helped shape my journey through HVAC. It is more common than not to find people in residential HVAC to be a second or even third-generation tradesperson. Deciding to get into trade is easy when you grow […]

It’s easy to see yourself as a hero during the summer months. Desperate families in sweltering houses sing your praises after you quickly swap out that capacitor or install that new unit and the first blast of cold air comes out of the vents. Most companies make or break in the summer months, using the […]

This is a quick tip from the “Expansion Valves – What Does and Doesn't Matter?” livestream on our YouTube channel featuring Joe Shearer, Matthew Taylor, and Corey Cruz. Thermostatic expansion valves (also known as TXVs or TEVs) don’t have little brains that tell them when to open or close to maintain a specific superheat. They […]

This is a quick tip from the “Expansion Valves – What Does and Doesn't Matter?” livestream on our YouTube channel featuring Joe Shearer, Matthew Taylor, and Corey Cruz. As metering devices, TXVs can adjust the size of their orifice to maintain a constant superheat. Some TXVs are set to maintain a specific superheat from the […]

This is a quick tech tip derived from a short podcast episode in response to a question by one of our viewers, Gunther. You can listen to that episode HERE. If you would like to submit a question for the podcast, you can submit a voice recording on Speakpipe at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.   Restaurants are commercial facilities […]

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 […]

This is a quick tip from the “Expansion Valves – What Does and Doesn't Matter?” livestream on our YouTube channel featuring Joe Shearer, Matthew Taylor, and Corey Cruz. It’s time to talk about brazing again! Even though rehashing “flow nitrogen” and “use a wet rag” gets a little old, bad TXVs and callbacks also get […]

There are several neighborhoods in my area with two—and three-story townhomes with zoning, and I always wonder how long those systems will survive. Zoning can be notoriously hard on HVAC equipment if not set up properly. A single-stage system running full tilt with half the airflow it was designed for because a zone is closed […]

 Bryan discusses surge protection devices (SPDs) with Mike from DITEK, focusing on practical applications for HVAC contractors and how to provide value to clients. Mike emphasizes that surge protection is essential for modern HVAC systems, particularly given that they are typically the most expensive appliance in a home and increasingly rely on sophisticated electronic […]

 In this short episode, Bryan clears up the confusion behind pumping vs. compression. Pumping is usually associated with liquid. Liquid, like vapor, is a fluid, but it's a lot denser and is essentially incompressible because the molecules are close together. Liquid volume varies based on temperature and density, but we can't squish the molecules […]

 Trevor Matthews returns to the HVAC School Podcast to discuss building tech confidence and personal growth in the HVAC and refrigeration industry. The conversation explores the transformative power of self-investment, continuous learning, and maintaining a positive mindset. Trevor shares his personal journey from a hesitant technician to a successful business owner, highlighting the importance […]

 In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about the CPS Molecular Transformator and what it does. The Molecular Transformator is a version of a tube-in-shell heat exchanger, which is a method of exchanging heat from one fluid medium to another fluid medium. Tubes containing a fluid pass through a shell containing water or glycol, […]

 In this enlightening episode, we sit down with Mike, a 20-year veteran from DITEK, a leading American manufacturer of surge protection devices based in Largo, Florida. The conversation begins with a brief discussion about recent hurricane impacts in the Tampa Bay area, where DITEK maintains its 65,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. Mike shares how the company, […]

 Bryan answers a listener-submitted question: “Am I toxic for caring?” He gives advice on how to maintain professional relationships while still maintaining very high standards of quality for your own work. Having high standards is great, but it can be frustrating when you perceive coworkers as having lower standards than you. A poor-quality end […]

 Ruchir Shah joins the podcast to share his journey into HVAC education technology and the founding of SkillCat, a comprehensive training platform for skilled trades. As a five-time entrepreneur in educational technology, Ruchir's path to HVAC was influenced by his earlier work studying the BP oil spill and developing training solutions for oil and […]

 In this short Q&A podcast, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question about apps for doing proper loads. Fred specifically asks about apps or charts that can help an HVAC contractor determine the insulation value of a home without assuming numbers or drilling into walls during load calculations. Load calculations account for all the ways that […]

 Bryan sits down with Jim Bergmann at the NCI Summit in Asheville, North Carolina, to discuss the latest developments in HVAC technology, training, and industry trends. The discussion delves into the evolution of MeasureQuick 3.0, highlighting the shift back to a more technician-centric approach. Jim explains how they've redesigned the software to put gauges […]

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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.