BACK
Universal Condenser Fan Wiring Options
Combustion Testing Doesnโt Stop in the Summer
The HVAC Technician’s Guide to Ensuring Comfort: Lessons from a Real-World Experience
My Dad Changed HVAC & Me
3 Bad Reasons To Work Overtime
Mounting the TXV Bulb
Setting and Adjusting Superheat on a TXV System
Kitchen Exhaust and Makeup Air
Equipment Changes, Ducts are Forever
Band-Aids, Hacks, and Ethics – Short #244
Why VRF Compressors Die w/ Roman
No Serve Situations – Short #243
Locked Compressor Mistakes w/ Bert
When 0V Isn’t Safe – Short #242
Compressor Ohm Mistakes w/ Bert
Motor Ambient Rating – Short #241
Superheat Talk w/ JD Kelly
How to Deal w/ Too Much – Short #240
#hvac
Tech Tips:
Assessing the Situation It is fairly common for a service technician to come across a failed condenser fan motor in the field. It doesnโt matter if we are talking about really old or fairly new equipmentโcondenser fan motors sometimes fail. The issue is deciding whether to use an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) or a universal […]
Read more
This tech tip was written by Casey Contreras. Casey is a field coach and instructor for the National Comfort Institute (NCI). Thanks, Casey! As HVAC technicians, our careers often focus on either cooling or heating. Because of this split view, we typically ignore gas-fired appliances during the cooling season. There are dangers lurking in any […]
Read more
This tech tip was written by Luke Peterson, the president of The Maintenance Department in Louisville, KY. Luke was a speaker at the 5th Annual HVAC Training Symposium in 2024 and has been on HVAC business panels at the symposium in 2023 and 2024. Thanks, Luke! As an HVAC technician, your primary goal is not […]
Read more
With Father’s Day passing recently, I have been reflecting on my relationship with my Dad and how he has helped shape my journey through HVAC. It is more common than not to find people in residential HVAC to be a second or even third-generation tradesperson. Deciding to get into trade is easy when you grow […]
Read more
Itโs easy to see yourself as a hero during the summer months. Desperate families in sweltering houses sing your praises after you quickly swap out that capacitor or install that new unit and the first blast of cold air comes out of the vents. Most companies make or break in the summer months, using the […]
Read more
This is a quick tip from the โExpansion Valves – What Does and Doesn’t Matter?โ livestream on our YouTube channel featuring Joe Shearer, Matthew Taylor, and Corey Cruz. Thermostatic expansion valves (also known as TXVs or TEVs) donโt have little brains that tell them when to open or close to maintain a specific superheat. They […]
Read more
This is a quick tip from the โExpansion Valves – What Does and Doesn’t Matter?โ livestream on our YouTube channel featuring Joe Shearer, Matthew Taylor, and Corey Cruz. As metering devices, TXVs can adjust the size of their orifice to maintain a constant superheat. Some TXVs are set to maintain a specific superheat from the […]
Read more
This is a quick tech tip derived from a short podcast episode in response to a question by one of our viewers, Gunther. You can listen to that episode HERE. If you would like to submit a question for the podcast, you can submit a voice recording on Speakpipe at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool. Restaurants are commercial facilities […]
Read more
Iโm installing the HVAC system for a house that is being completely gutted. It has vaulted ceilings throughout, and a small attic area was designated for mechanicals. The duct system canโt go in the attic because there basically isnโt one. The engineer intended the equipment to go in the attic mechanical space, and then the […]
Read more
Videos:
Podcasts:
๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about band-aids, hacks, and ethics. He explores ethical “band-aid” solutions and how to charge for them. He also covers the difference between patching up equipment ethically and unethical repairs. Temporary fixes and ugly permanent fixes fall into the ethical gray area for a lot of people, especially […]
Read more
๏ปฟ In this episode, Bryan and Roman dive deep into the world of Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems, focusing on the persistent issue of compressor failures. VRF technology has evolved, and it has seen a major rise in the North American market since the early 2010s. Roman shares his passion for VRF, tracing its origins […]
Read more
๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about some no-serve situations he’s encountered as a technician and HVAC business owner. He also talks about situations that may be unpleasant but aren’t quite no-serve situations. Some common and obvious no-serve situations are when a client threatens a technician, especially with lawsuits, bad reviews, or even […]
Read more
๏ปฟ In this informative HVAC podcast episode, Bryan and Bert dive deep into the complex world of locked and internal overload compressors, focusing specifically on single-phase residential units. The discussion begins with Bert explaining one of the most common challenges technicians face: diagnosing a locked compressor. He describes how compressors that are locked will typically […]
Read more
๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan covers some unique electrical cases: when 0v isn’t safe. When you measure voltage, you’re finding out the electrical potential between two points. Just because there is 0v between one point and another doesn’t mean there will be 0v between those points and other points. Non-contact voltage detectors are […]
Read more
๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this episode, Bryan and Bert dive into the often misunderstood world of compressor testing, focusing on common mistakes technicians make when using ohmmeters, compressor testers, and megohm meters. The conversation highlights how diagnostic errors can lead to unnecessarily condemned compressors and wasted time and resources. The hosts begin by discussing fundamental concepts like […]
Read more
๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about what the ambient rating means on a motor. These ratings can be found on both condensing fan motors and blower motors. They have Cs in their rating, which represents the maximum ambient temperature the motor can handle in degrees Celsius (like 40C or 60C). Heat and […]
Read more
๏ปฟ In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, host Bryan discusses superheat with guest JD, who recently co-authored an article on the topic with Ty Branaman. The conversation explores the often misunderstood concept of superheat, its importance in HVAC diagnostics, and common misconceptions technicians have when measuring and interpreting it. Bryan begins by sharing […]
Read more
๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast, Bryan talks about how to deal with too much at work and in life. He gives some practical tips to help you when you feel overwhelmed. One of the best ways to get ahead is to wake up early, exercise, get sunlight, stay hydrated, eat healthy, and get enough sleep. […]
Read more
