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How Do Communicating Systems Work?
Manual J Field Data: Windows
Troubleshooting 90%+ Gas Furnaces
Practical Uses of Combustion Analysis
5 Terror-Inducing HVAC/R Stories & Facts
The Case for Buying a Combustion Analyzer
Manual J Field Data: Walls
The Wide-Narrow-Wide of Manual J
Sizing Return Grilles
Growing your HVAC Business the Smart Way w/ Copeland
Oversized Evap Coils? – Short #237
ERVs – What You Need To Know w/ Dr. Bailes
Multiple Surge Protectors – Short #236
The Cornerstones of Inverter Equipment Commissioning
Roman SpeakPipe VRF – Short #235
10 Things I’ve Learned In the Last 10 Years
R290 as a Drop In? – Short #234
Preventing Slugging & Flooding w/ Copeland
#hvac
Tech Tips:
This tech tip recaps the livestream by the same name, featuring HVAC School contributors Matt Bruner and Adam Mufich, as well as special guest Steve Cook from Hisense. You can watch that livestream on our YouTube channel HERE. We also owe special thanks to Roman Baugh, who added some extra information on the topic. Communicating […]
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A manual J load calculation will require you to input the U-value for the windows or โfenestrationsโ on the house. Fenestration is a fancy construction word for window. Figuring out the U-value and SHGC of a window on an existing home is very difficult. But first, letโs dive into what the terms U-value and SHGC […]
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This tech tip recaps the livestream by the same name, featuring HVAC School contributors Matt Bruner and Adam Mufich and special guest Ty Branaman. You can watch that livestream on our YouTube channel HERE and visit Tyโs at https://www.youtube.com/@love2hvac. While 80% gas furnaces are relatively commonplace in the Southeastern United States, where HVAC School is […]
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This tech tip reviews the live stream by the same name aired on November 1st, 2023. You can watch the full live stream HERE. We want to give special thanks to the guests: Jim Bergmann, Jim Davis, Tony Gonzalez, Louise Kellar, Bill Spohn, and Tyler Nelson! Gas furnaces (or any combustion equipment) create a controlled […]
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As the evening approaches on this All Hallow’s Eve, Reformation Day, or Halloween (depending on your preference), let us take a moment to focus on some of the truly terrifying elements of our tradeโbecause the scariest stories are TRUE. Real Ghost Stories The year was 1921, and a wealthy family purchased a new home in […]
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Last year, I bought my first combustion analyzer. I had just started my own company and felt the additional weight of responsibility to sit down and determine the best way to verify that the furnaces I was servicing were working safely. In the past, the most extensive testing I had done was a visual inspection […]
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This article will cover how to collect field data for walls on an existing home for an ACCA Manual J calculation. In full disclosure, I had never collected any field data for a Manual J before I wrote this article. Many of the methods discussed were suggested by HVAC technicians and contractors in an online […]
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Starting to work on a Manual J load calculation can feel extremely overwhelming. How do we know what to focus on? What does normal look like? What if Iโm way off on something and install way too big or small of a unit? On a practical level, what is the payback or value of spending […]
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A few weeks ago, I spent several days redoing a duct system and replacing a furnace for a friend. I had static pressure readings from before the system was replaced, and with the new furnace that I had picked out, I had created a static pressure budget and felt confident I could significantly lower the […]
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Videos:
Podcasts:
๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, Bryan and Jim discuss strategies for growing an HVAC business, focusing on the importance of maintenance contracts, consistent service, and effective branding. Drawing from Jim’s 15 years of experience running a successful HVAC company in California, they explore how maintenance contracts not only provide consistent revenue […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question about oversized evaporator coils, particularly when they’re half a ton or a full ton larger than the condenser. The expanded performance data contains the information that’ll tell you whether the coil is right for the system. However, when it comes to the specific issue […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, host Bryan sits down with building science expert Allison Bailes to dive deep into the world of Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs). The conversation explores the critical role of ventilation in modern homes, highlighting how ERVs have become an essential component of maintaining indoor air quality and […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question asking whether you can use another surge protector at the disconnect panel with an ICM 493 already in place. Using multiple surge protectors in the configuration described does NOT count as daisy-chaining. Surge protectors with MOVs (metal oxide varistors) shunt current from high voltage […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this podcast episode, HVAC professionals Chris Hughes and Adam Mufich discuss the intricate challenges technicians face when commissioning modern inverter-based heating and cooling systems. Unlike traditional single-stage or two-stage HVAC equipment, inverter systems introduce a new level of complexity that can leave even experienced technicians feeling uncertain about proper installation and startup procedures. […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Roman Baugh takes over the HVAC School podcast to answer a listener-submitted question about VRF (or VRV) system evacuation. Evacuation is a critical step of making repairs on VRF systems, which are very diverse and versatile but require a high level of understanding. VRF systems have multiple indoor units […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ This podcast episode is of Bryan’s session from the HVAC School Symposium, “10 Things I’ve Learned in the Last 10 Years.” Delivered as HVAC School approaches its 10-year milestone and Kalos hits 20 years, Bryan blends technical know-how with personal stories, revealing how his โexpertiseโ is a product of constant learningโoften from the very […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question about using R-290 as a drop-in refrigerant for R-22 systems. It is NOT safe to use R-290 as a drop-in, but there are some similar properties between the two and some interesting thought experiments within this topic. R-290 is propane, a hydrocarbon that belongs […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, host Bryan welcomes Jeff from Copeland to discuss the critical topic of flooding and slugging in compressors. Jeff, calling in from frigid Minnesota (at negative 19ยฐF), explains the differences between these harmful conditions and how they can damage compressor systems. The conversation begins by differentiating between […]
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