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Technology Trade-offs
3 Tips for Training Apprentices
Not All CFM Are Created Equal
3 Things to Check When the Unit Wonโt Keep Up
Drain Trap Depth and Negative Pressure
Observations from the Field: Insights Gained from HVAC Ride-Alongs
8 Reasons Why Teamwork is Important in HVAC
The Limitations of Diagnostic Charts
Wet-Bulb and Dry-Bulb Temps in HVAC Service
What to Do in a Nuke Disaster – W/ Bill Nowicki
Making Stuff Real – Short #254
Is HVAC School Worth It?
Split-Phase vs. 3-Phase – Short #253
IAQ for the HVAC Technician w/ Brynn Cooksey
Bi-metal & Magnetic Switches – Short #252
Fan Law 2 for Techs w/ Adam Mufich
Understanding Voltage Drop – Short #251
Understanding Airflow: David Bowie, a Used Car Lot, and a 40ยข Tool
#hvac
Tech Tips:
As a small business owner in the 21st century, I have recently been exposed to the overwhelming amount of new technologies and processes that I could use within my business. In the last few years, there has been a surge of software and connected tools that are entering the marketplace. All of them promise to […]
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I hired and trained an apprentice who has worked 2 days a week for me over the last 4โ5 months. I’ve been in business for almost two years, and I had a pretty good sense that I would need some help this summer. Hauling a few air handlers and furnaces into an attic by myself […]
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Weโre in the business of moving heat, but we have to move air to accomplish that. We use CFM (cubic feet per minute) to quantify the air we move over the indoor coil, and it helps to imagine hundreds of 1โx1โx1โ boxes of air moving over that coil each minute. (After all, 400 CFM is […]
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What is your methodology for troubleshooting an HVAC system that โcanโt keep upโ 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, Iโm assuming we have ruled out intermittent […]
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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 isnโt happening on furnaces, which are positively pressurized, which means we have to take a […]
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When we started Conduit, one thing that was incredibly important to us was that we constantly took lessons from the field to make sure weโre 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 […]
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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) […]
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This tech tip is based on the podcast with Joey Henderson, โUsing Refrigerant Troubleshooting Charts w/ Joey Henderson.โ You can listen to that podcast HERE. The HVAC trade is very much a visual one; I wouldnโt recommend doing a drinking game where you take a shot each time you read โDo a thorough visual inspectionโ […]
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This tech tip is based on a segment of a recent podcast episode with Joey Henderson, โUsing Refrigerant Troubleshooting Charts w/ Joey Henderson.โ You can listen to that podcast HERE. Credit: efficientcomfort.net If youโve seen a superheat charging chart (like the one above), youโll notice that you need to take the dry-bulb (DB) temperature entering […]
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Videos:
Podcasts:
๏ปฟ In this fascinating episode, Bryan welcomes back longtime friend and nuclear industry veteran Bill Nowicki to discuss a recently released document from DHS and NUSTL that provides new recommendations for HVAC operations during nuclear events. Bill brings over 40 years of nuclear experience, starting as a 19-year-old Navy nuclear operator (after being deemed “not […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode about a bigger-picture topic, Bryan talks about making stuff real. He talks about how to make ideas, businesses, podcasts, and other large projects come to life based on his experiences with HVAC School, Kalos, and several other current and past projects.ย Understanding yourself and the thing you want to […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this comprehensive discussion, Bryan sits down with Brad Cooper, an experienced HVAC instructor from Arkansas, and JD Kelly, a trade school graduate, to tackle one of the most pressing questions in the HVAC industry: Is trade school worth it? Rather than offering a simple yes or no answer, the trio dives deep into […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan breaks down the differences between split-phase and 3-phase power in HVAC systems.ย Split-phase is a form of single-phase power, and it’s common in residential HVAC. Three-phase power is more common in commercial and industrial applications. Single-phase power uses only one of the three phases of power produced by the […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this episode from the 6th Annual HVACR Training Symposium, Brynn Cooksey, a home performance contractor from Michigan and technical training business owner, reveals how indoor air quality (IAQ) testing transformed his contracting business from a commodity service into a profitable specialty. Cooksey shares his proven methodology for turning IAQ into an “instant profit […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan covers some basics on bi-metal and magnetic switches. Bi-metal switches are made of two dissimilar metals that are bonded together and are often integrated into motors. When the temperature changes, the metals bend. In an overload circuit, they’re designed to bend and open the circuit in an overheat […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this educational session, Adam from National Comfort Institute (NCI) delivers a comprehensive deep dive into Fan Law 2 and its practical applications for residential HVAC systems at the 6th Annual HVACR Training Symposium. Adam begins by establishing the fundamental concepts of CFM (cubic feet per minute) and static pressure, explaining how these measurements […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan drops some knowledge to help with understanding voltage drop, a few different causes of it, and NEC recommendations. Voltage is electrical potential or “pressure,” and voltage drop is the reduction in electrical potential energy. We often think of it happening across conductors (which add resistance), but it also […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this enlightening presentation, Alex Meaney breaks down the fundamental concepts of airflow in HVAC systems using practical analogies and real-world examples. Rather than diving straight into complex mathematics, Alex focuses on helping technicians and contractors understand what’s actually happening inside ductwork and why traditional design methods may be falling short in modern residential […]
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