BACK

#hvac science

Tech Tips:

“It sounds very fancy, but it's really the HVAC of the spacecraft — controlling humidity, temperature and the whole atmosphere onboard.” — Manuel Retana, NASA Project Manager, ECLSS Artemis II | University of Nevada, Reno, April 2026 A NASA engineer who spent five years building the life support system on the Artemis II spacecraft name-dropped […]

Michael Faraday: Patron Saint of HVAC Technicians

Who was Michael Faraday—besides the guy we named the capacitor after? Well, actually, we named the measure of capacitance after him (the farad), but let’s not get all caught up in semantics. Faraday was a scientist who lived from 1791 to 1867. He was an experimental scientist who had little to no formal education but […]

Triple Point In Water and CO2 w/ Andrew G. and Matthew T.

In this episode, Bryan is joined by Matthew Taylor, a supermarket refrigeration specialist whose expertise centers on CO₂ rack systems, and Andrew Greaves, Director of User Experience at NAVAC Tools, for the third installment of their series on triple-point evacuation. The conversation expands beyond water to bring CO₂ into the picture, exploring where the […]

The Vacuum Deep Dive: Microns, Moisture, and Molecular Science

In this action-packed live stream episode of HVAC School, host Bryan is joined by Eric Kaiser, Ty Branaman, and Roman Baugh for a continuation of a deep-dive conversation on vacuum practices — picking up where a previous episode left off with Andrew Greaves and Jim Bergmann. The team sets out to both reinforce the […]

Animation of Combustion – The Burner and the Brains

HVAC Science

Check out our most recent video

How to Evacuate an AC system, Full Vacuum Procedure

Our latest Podcast

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, Bryan sits down with Leilani for an introduction to GRIT Camps — the hands-on program that brings skilled trades exposure to youth ages 12–17 through community events led by working tradespeople. Leilani explains that a GRIT Camp pairs recruited mentors with students for a day of modules covering safety, carpentry, electrical, brazing, and plumbing, including torch work, PVC and copper fitting, and disassembling HVAC components. Students also learn to read a jobsite-style blueprint and receive a six-in-one screwdriver to take apart and explore. Bryan and Leilani emphasize that while GRIT supplies the curriculum, guides, and structure, the host — typically a contracting business or trade organization — owns the event: recruiting students and mentors, securing a venue, and building real community connections around the day.

A large portion of the conversation walks through who does what. Hosts provide the facility, materials (plywood, 2x4s, copper, PVC, and more, all detailed in GRIT’s guide), and lunch for up to around 30 people, plus a local host facilitator to coordinate logistics and serve as GRIT’s point of contact. Mentors must be certified skilled tradespeople who complete GRIT’s required video course and pass a background check before working with students; volunteers who don’t interact directly with kids are not required to undergo a background check. GRIT, in turn, supplies the camp curriculum, host and mentor guides, registration and marketing materials, badges, student blueprints and PPE, background check coordination, and on-site program leadership from staff like Ty, GRIT’s head of training, who typically arrives the day before to walk the facility with the host.

Bryan and Leilani also dig into planning specifics: camps run from about 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., cap out at 16 students with a two-students-per-mentor ratio (so eight to nine mentors for a full camp), and generally need 10 to 12 weeks of lead time to hit deadlines for mentor certification, materials gathering, and student registration. They cover the realities of choosing a torch and joining system — MAPP gas and propane versus oxyacetylene for brazing, and why oxyacetylene can’t be used for the popular aluminum-repair activity — along with commonly overlooked items like correctly sized Forstner bits, spare drill batteries, extension cords, and pre-cut lumber. They close with guidance on budgeting (camps typically run $1,500 to $5,000), sourcing a sponsored lunch, handling allergies, inviting community press, and what makes a camp genuinely successful: preparedness paired with passion from both mentors and hosts.

Topics Covered

What a GRIT Camp is and which skilled trades are covered (safety, carpentry, electrical, brazing, plumbing)
Camp roles: host, host facilitator, mentor, students, and volunteers
What hosts are responsible for providing: facility, materials, and lunch
What GRIT provides: curriculum, guides, registration, marketing, background checks, and on-site leadership
Required mentor certification course and background checks
Ideal space setup, table stations, and indoor/outdoor considerations
Student and mentor ratios (16 students max, two students per mentor)
Planning timeline: 10–12 weeks of lead time and key deadlines
Confirming a camp date and the host interest assessment process
Recruiting students and mentors, including waitlists and communication
Choosing a torch and joining system: MAPP gas/propane vs. oxyacetylene brazing
Commonly overlooked or underestimated materials and tools
Safety planning, PPE, and emergency preparedness
Estimated costs and ways to offset them through sponsorships
Lunch planning and handling food allergies
Community and marketing value for hosts
Policies on parents and visitors attending
What makes a GRIT Camp successful