Tech Tips

Over the years, I have heard technicians say that refrigerant can wear out or “lose its blend” by sitting in a tank. Refrigerant does not wear out or “lose its blend”… at least not like that. What can and does happen is called “fractionation.” Refrigerant blends are composed of a mix of refrigerants with different […]

When brazing and soldering, we have a few things we need to accomplish to make a proper connection: We can't overheat the joint until it overheats the base metal or the flux where applicable. We must bring the entire joint above the melting temperature of the brazing alloy. Draw the alloy deep into the joint. […]

If you are new to the trade, I'd like to welcome you. Like many skilled trades, the HVAC/R trade has many opportunities and can help you make a good living. If you are young and new to the trade, we need you. We are grateful to have you. However, if you aren't thoughtful, you might […]

We all learned how to read the tonnage off of a model number within a few weeks of beginning in the trade. What you may (or may not) have learned is that just because something has an 036 in the model number, that does NOT mean it actually produces 36,000 BTU/hr. It doesn't reach the […]

The topic of static pressure comes up frequently in HVAC, and it’s sometimes presented as a test that can be all-knowing and insightful about what is happening with regard to airflow in a system. To use static pressure responsibly, we need to understand what it really is and what it means for an HVAC system. […]

No matter what trade you work in, you will need to use a concrete anchor at one time or another. Here are some mistakes I have seen (and made) that you will want to avoid: Not knowing your concrete Is it a concrete block hollow cell? Poured cell? Concrete slab? What is the PSI? Not […]

I live in Central Florida, and while it can get pretty hot in the summer, we also tend to get afternoon thunderstorms that come and go in a flash. I have been connecting gauges, checking charges, and even pulling vacuums in the rain (even under umbrellas or cardboard boxes) for most of my career. Only […]

WARNING: THIS ARTICLE IS FULL OF CHEESY SPORTS REFERNCES – I UNDERSTAND IF YOU PASS ON THIS ONE, BUT PLEASE REFRAIN FROM SENDING THE REPLY EMAIL ABOUT WHY SPORTS OR STUPID OR WHY YOU DON'T WATCH THE NFL ANYMORE…. I GET IT… IT'S ALL GOOD  I really like an underdog story. I live for stories […]

MATLAB Handle Graphics It was December 5th, 1952, only seven years after the end of WWII in London, England, when the “great smog” settled across the city. The “great smog” was the result of a meteorological anomaly combined with unchecked industrial pollution. Still, even once it settled on the city, bringing business to a screeching […]