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Tech Tips:

Dedicated Dehumidifier vs. Electric Reheat Dehumidification – Who Ya Got?

This dehumidification tech tip was written by Tim De Stasio. He originally published it on his website, which you can visit HERE. Thanks, Tim! In March of 2024, I set out to better understand the cost of ownership and return on investment for two dehumidification strategies: a dedicated dehumidifier versus using electric reheat dehumidification from […]

Coil SHR, Ventilation, and Bypass Factor – Advanced Psychrometrics Part 2

This is the second article in a three-part series where we explore advanced psychrometrics. The source material for each of the articles in this series is ACCA Manual P Sections 3, 4, and 5. This article is based on information found in Section 4. If you followed the previous advanced psychrometrics article, you now know […]

Q&A – System Won’t Dehumidify? – Short #214

In this short podcast episode, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question about an HVAC system that won't dehumidify. This question was submitted by a homeowner with a Carrier heat pump with an attic air handler that cools but won't dehumidify on the hottest days of summer. One of the past companies that serviced the system […]

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How to Evacuate an AC system, Full Vacuum Procedure

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HVAC School – For Techs, By Techs

Real training for HVAC ( Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) Technicians. Including recorded tech training, interviews, diagnostics and general conversations about the trade.

In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, Bryan Orr sits down with Bert and Leanna to discuss Kalos’s first official cohort apprenticeship program, dubbed the “Launch Program.” What started as Bryan’s persistent idea—one that the team initially resisted as too expensive and logistically challenging—evolved into a transformative three-month training experience that brought 15 green apprentices through intensive classroom, lab, and field work across HVAC, electrical, and building automation systems.

Bert, who graded himself a B for his first attempt at leading the program, shares candid insights about the challenges of planning and execution. While he meticulously mapped out the first two weeks hour-by-hour, the remaining time was far less structured, leading to valuable lessons about the importance of ongoing planning and verification. Leanna, who came to Kalos with both teaching experience and a commercial HVAC background, brought crucial support that Bert initially didn’t think he needed. Her contribution proved essential in managing the group of 15 and ensuring hands-on engagement. Of the original cohort, nine graduated, with two additional apprentices added later who showed exceptional promise.

The conversation reveals critical insights about what makes training effective in the trades. Both trainers emphasize the importance of hands-on experience over lecture, with Bert noting his biggest mistake was spending an entire day lecturing on refrigerant circuits before showing apprentices actual equipment. The most successful exercises involved real-world scenarios, like Leanna’s mock dispatch day where apprentices handled service calls from start to finish, including customer communication. The program also incorporated broader trade skills beyond HVAC—carpentry, ladder safety, and tool confidence—recognizing that many young workers today lack the tactile experience that builds confidence in using tools and solving problems independently.

Perhaps most importantly, the discussion highlights the value of verification and confidence-building over knowledge dumping. Bert learned that making diagnostic exercises too complex early on destroyed apprentice confidence, while starting simple and building up created self-motivated learners. The cohort model’s unique advantage lies in its competitive yet supportive environment, where apprentices can gauge their progress against peers who started at the same level, creating natural motivation to improve. While expensive and demanding, the program represents a long-term commitment to developing well-rounded tradespeople who can think critically and solve problems—not just perform repetitive tasks.

Topics Covered:

The origins and initial resistance to implementing a cohort-style apprenticeship program
Structuring a 90-day training program with classroom, lab, and field components
The critical importance of planning and having adequate instructor support
Selecting apprentices: key traits including self-motivation, adaptability, and humility
Balancing lecture, hands-on training, and real-world field experience
The power of verification and skills checklists over pure knowledge transfer
Teaching broader trade skills (carpentry, ladder work) to build overall confidence
Creating realistic scenarios like mock service calls for soft skills development
Managing group size and the challenges of keeping all apprentices engaged
The role of confidence-building in safety and long-term success
Starting simple with diagnostic exercises and building complexity gradually
Using field feedback and peer comparison as motivational tools
The cost and commitment required to run effective cohort training programs

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

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Group Training – What We Have Learned

10/23/2025

Bryan Orr

How Air Conditioning Saved the Movies – Short #262

10/21/2025

Bryan Orr