Tech Tips

As you may already know, we work on pool heaters at Kalos as a way of opening ourselves up to some extra business during the winter. We find that it's a worthwhile line of work, and it may be something that other residential HVAC companies may want to consider doing. This tech tip by Bert […]

Trigger Warning: This article isn't specifically about air conditioning, and it includes a markedly Christian worldview. If you would prefer that I “stick with the A/C stuff, preacher boy,” then this is one you should skip—or not. 🙂  Also, it's my birthday this week, so give me a pass.  Today, families all across the country […]

Every HVAC/R tech needs an electronic leak detector nowadays, and with low-GWP HFC and HFO refrigerants getting more and more commonplace, every HVAC/R tech needs a VERY sensitive electronic leak detector. (Yes, electronic leak detection does work.) We often see three types, but let's toss out the corona discharge leak detector right off the top. […]

We all know what excuses are. They tend to sound like, “I would’ve done a better job if I’d just had the right tools!” or “I would have found that disconnected duct if I weren't dispatched at 6 PM!” Some people probably say, “Those aren’t excuses. Those are reasons!” OK, sure, we can call them […]

I have spent most of my career being afraid of hard start kits; I heard too many horror stories of start caps exploding and sales technicians telling every customer they need one. It dawned on me recently that it may be time for me to take a more mature look at start capacitors, potential relays, […]

There are three reasons why I don't like infrared thermometers for many HVAC tasks. #1 – The laser can be misleading The laser dot is just a point of reference, not an exact point where it is reading. Often the thermometer will read lower, higher, or over a MUCH wider area. Unless you are right […]

If you own an HVAC or refrigeration business, there may be times when you think giving a discount might be the right thing to do. Maybe you have a friend who’s having a hard time and suddenly has an evaporator coil leak that needs attention. You may consider offering him a discount to help him […]

There is a big move in residential and light commercial HVAC toward measuring static pressure regularly during commissioning, service, and maintenance. Don't get me wrong… Measuring static pressure is VERY important. The challenge comes in when techs begin taking measurements without understanding where to take them, what they mean, or worse: they use measurements as […]

If you are used to simple, straight-cool split systems, you know that the low voltage to the outdoor unit is usually VERY simple. In many cases, there's just a Y (contactor power) and a C (common) connected to the outdoor unit. When the condensing unit controls are strictly two-wire low voltage, there is no continuous […]