Many of us wish to go to heaven when we die but only after a long and hopefully successful life. Hopefully Heaven Can Wait! Unfortunately, for many unsuspecting consumers, a silent and sneaky killer known as Carbon Monoxide (CO)has shortened the waiting period. HVAC contractors are usually the only safety net that consumers have to …
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A few months ago, there was an unfortunate story in the national news about what occurs when gas leaks aren’t discovered and repaired. Three people died from a house explosion after they made multiple calls about smelling gas. After the first call, the gas company responded, but it’s unclear what actions they took. Later, another …
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HVAC system temperature diagnostics depend more on your skill and understanding than the accuracy of the test instrument you’re using. Let’s take a look at several test methods, tips, and terms to see how you can sharpen your ability to solve your customer’s problems. We’ll focus on air temperature measurement methods for now. We’ll save …
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It’s that time of year when thermostats are switched to heating in the evening and cooling in the afternoon as we try to maintain comfort in our homes and offices. Unfortunately, some of our lives look like this back and forth thermostat war. If you’ve ever felt like you take one step forward and one …
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Over the years, I’ve had many discussions with engineers about the accuracy of technicians who do HVAC system field testing. It is clear this subject is on the minds of many industry leaders. In fact, as many groups look to the future, decisions are being made based on their opinions that field personnel can test …
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The quest for greater energy efficiency has been promoted by the government using utility company programs for more than a quarter of a century. This movement has made consumers aware that higher efficiency equipment is the right thing to use. Manufacturers have responded with higher efficiency equipment and contractors have consistently been able to increase …
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Prepare yourself for this new level of diagnostics by collecting copies of the fan data found in most installation instructions for the equipment your company installs and services. The most important diagnostic truth about a system is that you can determine how much air the system fan moves. Let’s examine how fan airflow can be …
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Static pressure measurement on commercial HVAC systems can vary significantly from one type of equipment to another. Commercial pressure testing also requires you to interpret and report internal equipment pressure drops. To remain savvy on the latest commercial air pressure testing, let’s take a look at this latest NCI commercial pressure testing update. Packaged Equipment …
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Economizers are in the spotlight as a prime opportunity for energy savings in the commercial HVAC marketplace. It’s said, with little argument from those in the field, that nearly 80% of air-side economizers are non-functional. So if that’s true, opportunity is calling any mechanical contractor willing to step up and take this bull by the …
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A recent evaluation of several hundred commercial rooftop systems around the country exposed a hidden flaw that deteriorates system efficiency up to 40% — Rooftop equipment curbs. Let’s take a look at how you can quickly diagnose and solve curb problems you may encounter in the field. What’s a Curb? A curb is a pre-fabricated …
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