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Set Inverter Technology Up for Success in Humid Climates
Why Airplanes Fog Up Before Takeoff
Why the Sauna Feels Hotter When You Throw Water on the Rocks
Silicon Carbide vs. Silicon Nitride Hot Surface Ignitors (HSIs)
The Many Uses of Thermal Imaging Cameras in HVAC
Replacing an Evaporator Coil
Different Ignitor Types and How They Work
The VOCs Lurking Under Your Customers’ Sinks (and In Many Other Spots)
Another Ob-NOx-ious Combustion Product
Electric Heat Talk w/ Bert
Gas & Combustion Safety w/ Bert
Why Square Footage ≠ Tonnage – Short #276
Combustion vs. Compression – Short #275
HVAC In the Northeast w/ Leo & Paul Sharkey
Superheat in Heat Mode: Why Heat Pumps Get Weird – Short #274
What We Learned From NCI Duct / Balancing Training
HVAC Systems for Architects: Making Sense of the Alphabet Soup – Short #273
Sizing Breakers and Conductors (for HVAC) – Have Things Changed?
#hvac
Tech Tips:
This tech tip about humidity control, particularly as it relates to VRF systems and others that use inverter technology, is a companion piece to a podcast episode with Roman Baugh. You can listen to that podcast episode HERE. Those of you who work in humid climates and install or repair ductless systems are probably well […]
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Every once in a while, especially on humid days, you’ll sit on an airplane waiting for takeoff and see fog pouring from the ceiling vents like a low-budget concert. Someone always panics and asks if something’s on fire. It’s not smoke—it’s condensation. You’re looking at thermodynamics and psychrometrics in action. So, why does it happen, […]
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I admit it, I'm a sauna guy now. The ones at the gym are pretty gross, so I got a small one at home because I guess I’ve missed sitting in attics or something. If you’ve ever sat in a traditional sauna, you know the drill: the heat’s already intense, and then you or someone […]
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The ignitor of a furnace (or a gas pool heater or other gas-fired appliance) is the heat source, and it can come in one of four varieties: standing pilot, direct spark (DS), intermittent spark (ISI), and hot surface (HSI). We have a tech tip explaining each of these ignitor types in detail, but we’re going […]
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When most of us think about tools of the trade, a few main ones come to mind: manifold, multimeter, vacuum pumps, recovery machines… the list goes on. One that may NOT come up nearly as often as it probably should is the thermal imaging camera. A few symposiums ago, Bill Spohn and Eric “Elk” Kaiser […]
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Evaporator coil leaks are a fact of life in the industry. (We could have a long and lively discussion about how evap coils aren’t made like they used to be, but that’s for another day.) When you have an evaporator leak on a system, you’ll have two choices to fix the problem: replace the coil […]
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In the furnace sequence of operation, the ignition sequence happens after the safeties have been checked, the inducer fan comes on, and the pressure switch closes. The ignition sequence begins with the ignitor. This part provides the heat needed for combustion (remember: a fire needs heat, oxygen, and fuel), and the ignition process looks a […]
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In HVAC, we have a few infamous indoor air quality monsters that bring terror to our customers’ homes—gases, particles, and organisms that wreak havoc on indoor air quality (and may contribute to moderate to severe health problems). The big one is carbon monoxide (CO), which we all know is deadly. Although not deadly by itself, […]
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As we do fall maintenance and head into the heating season, combustion analysis becomes a big deal. (It’s always kind of a big deal, but now it’s a really big deal.) First and foremost, it tells us how much carbon monoxide (CO) is produced by burning. CO can make people ill, contribute to cognitive deterioration […]
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Videos:
Podcasts:
In this informative episode, host Bryan welcomes guest Bert for an in-depth discussion on the often-overlooked but critically important topic of electric heat in HVAC systems. The conversation takes listeners through both the common and uncommon issues that arise with electric heat installations, offering practical insights drawn from years of field experience. Bryan and […]
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In this informative episode, Bryan and Bert dive deep into gas appliance safety and combustion analysis from the unique perspective of Florida HVAC technicians. While they humorously acknowledge that Florida's mild winters mean they don't work on gas furnaces daily, they make a compelling case that this actually makes their training even more critical. […]
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In this short podcast episode, Bryan dives a bit into equipment sizing rules of thumb and why square footage does NOT equal tonnage in today's world. Many rules of thumb exist in the industry, and one is a load calculation rule stating that you can size the HVAC for a house at 500 square […]
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In this short podcast episode, Bryan covers the history of the great heating debate: furnaces vs. heat pumps or combustion vs. compression. He also gives a breakdown of each other's strengths and gives his two cents on the winner of the debate. Fire kept humans warm for much of history, but engineers developed a […]
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In this engaging episode of the HVAC School podcast, host Bryan Orr sits down with Leo and Paul Sharkey, a father-son duo of mechanical engineers who made the leap into the HVAC business. Leo and Paul share their remarkable journey of purchasing an HVAC company in September 2020 and quadrupling its revenue within five […]
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In this short podcast, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question and explains why heat pumps get a bit weird: when it comes to superheat in heat mode. He also explains how we can move heat from outdoors to indoors, even in temperatures below freezing (cold temperatures just have less heat, not zero heat). In order […]
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In this engaging and informative episode, Bryan sits down with Elliot to discuss his recent training experience with the National Comfort Institute (NCI), covering two intensive courses on duct system optimization and residential air balancing. The conversation offers valuable insights for HVAC professionals looking to improve their technical skills and provide better service to […]
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In this short podcast, Bryan answers a question submitted to HVAC School by an aspiring licensed architect who wanted to learn more about the many different types of HVAC systems. The three main buckets of HVAC systems are air-to-air, water-source, and air-to-water. Air-to-air systems move air around to remove heat from one space, and […]
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In this essential episode, Bryan Orr sits down with Elliot, the residential install supervisor at Kalos Services, to unpack a critical issue that's causing confusion among HVAC technicians, electricians, and inspectors alike: the new standards for breaker and conductor sizing on inverter-driven equipment. The conversation was sparked by Elliot's frustrating experience of having two […]
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