#hvac

What is your methodology for troubleshooting an HVAC system that “can’t keep up” on the hottest days of the summer? Let me walk you through my process and hone in on one or two ideas that have been overlooked for too long in our industry. In this article, I’m assuming we have ruled out intermittent […]

We recently received a Speakpipe question for the podcast about a common nuisance call on straight-cool A/C units and heat pumps. The systems, often retrofit units, were backing water up into the secondary drain pan and overflowing it. This issue isn’t happening on furnaces, which are positively pressurized, which means we have to take a […]

When we started Conduit, one thing that was incredibly important to us was that we constantly took lessons from the field to make sure we’re building the best product and process. HVAC Contractors around the country graciously let us ride in their trucks with them to visit customers. Our goal was to better understand the […]

This tech tip was inspired by a Facebook post by Jason Julian in the HVAC School Group. Jason is the owner of his own HVAC business, Julian Heat & Air, and was part of the 2024 HVACR Training Symposium's Small Business Roundtable. Thanks, Jason! HVAC work is NOT easy. Some installs (and even service calls) […]

This tech tip is based on the podcast with Joey Henderson, “Using Refrigerant Troubleshooting Charts w/ Joey Henderson.” You can listen to that podcast HERE. The HVAC trade is very much a visual one; I wouldn’t recommend doing a drinking game where you take a shot each time you read “Do a thorough visual inspection” […]

This tech tip is based on a segment of a recent podcast episode with Joey Henderson, “Using Refrigerant Troubleshooting Charts w/ Joey Henderson.” You can listen to that podcast HERE. Credit: efficientcomfort.net If you’ve seen a superheat charging chart (like the one above), you’ll notice that you need to take the dry-bulb (DB) temperature entering […]

This tech tip was heavily informed by Ed Janowiak’s past symposium presentations. You can watch his presentation about setting proper airflow HERE. You can also now purchase your tickets for the 6th Annual HVACR Training Symposium HERE. HVAC School was founded by a Floridian—representing Climate Zone 2, to be exact. So, it’s no surprise that […]

A friend of mine was telling me that a utility had the idea that they could reduce energy consumption by turning HVAC equipment on and off rapidly during times of high load. In their minds, wouldn't it be better to spread out the off time rather than keeping the system off for longer periods and […]

Assessing the Situation It is fairly common for a service technician to come across a failed condenser fan motor in the field. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about really old or fairly new equipment—condenser fan motors sometimes fail. The issue is deciding whether to use an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) or a universal […]

 In this episode, Bryan speaks with Manly, an HVAC professional from Manitoba, Canada, about his journey from working in his family's plumbing business to running his own HVAC company. Manly shares his experiences working in extreme cold weather conditions, where temperatures can drop to -30°C (-22°F), and discusses the unique challenges and emergency response […]

 In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) and SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) and how to calculate EER in the field. EER and SEER are ratings that we often see on equipment (as are SEER2 and EER2) based on a ratio of an output to an input. Whereas coefficient […]

 In this informative episode, Josh Souders from Copeland joins Bryan to dive deep into heat pump technology, discussing everything from basic operations to advanced features in cold climate applications. The conversation begins with a fundamental explanation of how heat pumps work, describing them as essentially air conditioners with a reversing valve that allows them […]

 In this podcast episode, Bryan, Jacob, and JD provide an in-depth look at a significant HVAC project that tested their team's ability to adapt, learn, and improve. The discussion centers on a large-scale apartment building project that presented numerous challenges in project management, team dynamics, and installation processes. What began as a chaotic and […]

 In this short Q&A podcast episode, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question about circuit board troubleshooting: is there a quick way to learn how to check circuit boards, and if so, where are those resources? A circuit board is a bunch of components put together on a printed circuit board (PCB). There isn't a lot […]

 In this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, Trevor Matthews and Bryan dive deep into the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the refrigeration and HVAC industries. They explore how AI is not a new concept in their field, discussing how manufacturers like Copeland, Sporlan, and Danfoss have long incorporated AI-driven tools and […]

 In this short episode of the HVAC School podcast, Bryan and Tom Lorenz from Copeland talk about the new Sensi equipment interface. This product has been in field trials for months and will be launching in February. It will also be featured at the 2025 AHR Expo in Orlando. You can learn more about […]

 In this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, Bryan shares his perspective on the growing trend of private equity buyouts and investments in the trades, particularly in home services businesses. He addresses the “buyout epidemic” with a balanced view, acknowledging the significant financial opportunities these deals present while expressing concerns about their long-term impact […]

 In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about the standing pilot gas systems and the ignition strategy in gas-fired appliances. Standing pilots are very simple devices that are common in fuel logs, water heaters, and some pool heaters. These devices have a thermocouple or thermopile; in a thermocouple, two dissimilar metals are connected at […]

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