Great Books
Here is an incomplete list of great HVAC/R, business, and general life books that I recommend for anyone in the trade.
Inverter Mini-Splits & Service
Inverter Mini Split Operation and Service Procedures
Craig Migliaccio explains how inverter mini-split systems work and how their service procedures differ from traditional single-speed equipment. Covers line-set connections, leak testing, evacuation, charging, recovery, power and communication wiring, and electrical troubleshooting. A practical textbook for building confidence with these systems, one component and procedure at a time.
Hydronic Heating & Piping
Pumping Away
Dan Holohan explains how circulator placement, the expansion tank connection, and piping choices work together in a hot-water heating system. Clear drawings and plain language help make sense of “pumping away” and getting air out of the system. A useful starting point for learning hydronics and a practical reference for planning or troubleshooting boiler-room piping.
Building Science & Home Performance
A House Needs to Breathe… Or Does It?
Allison Bailes explains how heat, air, and moisture move through a house, and what that means for comfort, ventilation, and HVAC design. Bryan and Allison have discussed the book and these ideas on the HVAC School podcast. A useful way to connect equipment choices to how the whole building works.
Furnaces & Combustion Analysis
Combustion Analysis: The Essentials
Tyler Nelson explains how to use combustion readings to understand what a furnace or other fuel-burning appliance is doing. Covers analyzer setup, carbon monoxide checks, gas pressure, draft, commissioning, and diagnostic examples. A practical guide for technicians who want to move from recording numbers to understanding and verifying system behavior.
Vacuum Science & Procedures
Review of Vacuum for Service Engineers
A practical guide to vacuum science and evacuation, revised by Jim Bergmann and Bryan Orr. It explains what happens inside a system as you remove air and moisture, and how equipment choices and good procedures affect the result. A useful reference for understanding evacuation instead of simply chasing a micron number.
Refrigerant Charging & Service
Refrigerant Charging and Service Procedures for Air Conditioning — 2nd Edition
Craig Migliaccio walks through refrigerant charging, recovery, airflow checks, and troubleshooting with step-by-step procedures and clear illustrations. The second edition adds A2L refrigerants, including R-32 and R-454B, and more examples using digital manifolds, gauge stubs, and wireless probes. A practical reference for understanding the measurements behind a service decision.
Residential HVAC Design
Bob’s House
Follow a residential project through load calculations, equipment selection, and duct design. ACCA’s worked example helps show how the design steps fit together. A useful companion when learning Manuals J, S, and D.
Commercial Refrigeration
Commercial Refrigeration for Air Conditioning Technicians
Dick Wirz connects air-conditioning experience to the commercial refrigeration equipment technicians encounter in the field. A useful reference for refrigeration components, system operation, and troubleshooting. Check the edition when ordering; newer editions are also available from the publisher.
HVACR Fundamentals
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Technology
A broad reference for the refrigeration cycle, electrical systems, heating, air conditioning, and service work. Useful for students building a foundation and experienced technicians reviewing the basics. Check the edition when ordering, especially for coverage of newer refrigerants and controls.
HVACR Fundamentals
Fundamentals of HVACR
Carter Stanfield and David Skaves explain HVACR principles in manageable sections, with examples that connect the science to service work. Covers refrigeration, electricity, heating, cooling, and related equipment. Check the edition when ordering; the publisher also offers a newer edition.
Airflow & Duct Design
Understanding Manual D
Jack Rise explains the reasoning behind residential duct design and ACCA Manual D. Use it to better understand airflow, pressure losses, and the choices that affect how a duct system performs. A companion to the design manual, rather than a substitute for a complete design.
Electrical Fundamentals & Troubleshooting
Electricity for Refrigeration, Heating, and Air Conditioning
Russell E. Smith covers the electrical principles, components, and circuits used in HVACR equipment. A useful reference for learning to read diagrams and reason through electrical problems. Check the edition when ordering; newer editions are available.
Building Science & Home Comfort
The Home Comfort Book
Nate Adams explains how the house and HVAC system work together. This is a helpful starting point for understanding comfort complaints, air leakage, insulation, ventilation, and the value of measuring before choosing a fix. Written in language homeowners and technicians can follow.
Hydronic Heating
Modern Hydronic Heating
John Siegenthaler explains hydronic heating systems, including piping, circulators, controls, and design choices. A useful reference for technicians and designers working with residential and light commercial water-based heating. Check the edition when ordering; newer editions are available.
Home, Family & Simpler Living
Simpler by the Dozen
Leilani Orr shares practical ways to clear clutter from your home and schedule while raising ten children. With humor and realistic routines, she focuses on making daily life more manageable and finding a little more peace in the middle of the mess. Includes a foreword by Bryan Orr.
General Business Books I’ve Enjoyed
These are some general business and decision-making books I’ve enjoyed. —Bryan
General Business Books I’ve Enjoyed
Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
Seth Godin explores how people connect around shared ideas and how leadership can come from anyone willing to bring them together. A short, thought-provoking book about building community, communicating a purpose, and helping a group move forward. Useful for thinking about leadership beyond a job title.
General Business Books I’ve Enjoyed
Who Moved My Cheese?
Spencer Johnson uses a short story about four characters searching for cheese to explore how people respond to change. A quick, approachable read about noticing when circumstances shift, letting go of old assumptions, and taking the next step when work or life no longer looks the way you expected.
General Business Books I’ve Enjoyed
Get Shit Done
Nate Agentis shares practical lessons for building a strong team and a business that does not depend on the owner doing everything. Covers hiring, training, leadership, and everyday systems that help reduce burnout. Bryan and Nate discussed these ideas on the HVAC School podcast.
General Business Books I’ve Enjoyed
Profit or Wealth?
Ruth King explains how earning a profit and building a lasting business are different jobs. She shares practical rules for managing cash, building recurring revenue, and using financial statements to make better decisions. A useful next step for owners who want a stronger business that can weather slow periods.
General Business Books I’ve Enjoyed
The Courage to Be Profitable
Ruth King explains the numbers business owners need to understand, including profit, cash flow, budgets, and financial statements. This plain-language guide offers simple steps for reviewing your business each month, spotting problems early, and understanding why a profitable business can still run short of cash.
General Business Books I’ve Enjoyed
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman explores the quick judgments we make automatically and the slower thinking we use to work through hard problems. Covers overconfidence, mental shortcuts, and common decision-making mistakes. A useful book for questioning your first impression and thinking more carefully about choices in business and everyday life.
General Business Books I’ve Enjoyed
Good to Great
Jim Collins examines what helped a group of companies move from good results to sustained strong performance. Covers leadership, choosing the right people, staying focused, and building momentum through consistent effort. A thought-provoking book for owners and managers working to build a better organization.
General Business Books I’ve Enjoyed
Clockwork, Revised and Expanded
Mike Michalowicz offers a practical approach to building a business that can operate without the owner handling every decision. Covers handing off work, clarifying team responsibilities, and protecting the work that matters most. This revised and expanded edition adds examples and guidance for putting the ideas into practice.
General Business Books I’ve Enjoyed
Never Split the Difference
Former FBI negotiator Chris Voss and coauthor Tahl Raz share lessons in listening, asking better questions, and understanding the person across the table. The examples connect high-pressure negotiations to everyday conversations. Useful ideas for handling disagreements and working toward clearer agreements with customers, coworkers, and business partners.
General Business Books I’ve Enjoyed
Superforecasting
Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner explore why some people make better predictions than others. Covers checking assumptions, weighing evidence, thinking in probabilities, and updating your view when new information arrives. A useful read for anyone making plans or business decisions when the outcome is uncertain.
General Business Books I’ve Enjoyed
Antifragile
Nassim Nicholas Taleb explores how some systems grow stronger through stress, variation, and uncertainty. He challenges the habit of removing every small risk while overlooking larger weaknesses. A thought-provoking read about experimentation, keeping your options open, and building businesses and habits that can adapt when plans change.
