It’s that time of year when thermostats are switched to heating in the evening and cooling in the afternoon as we try to maintain comfort in our homes and offices. Unfortunately, some of our lives look like this back and forth thermostat war. If you’ve ever felt like you take one step forward and one …
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Over the years, I’ve had many discussions with engineers about the accuracy of technicians who do HVAC system field testing. It is clear this subject is on the minds of many industry leaders. In fact, as many groups look to the future, decisions are being made based on their opinions that field personnel can test …
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The quest for greater energy efficiency has been promoted by the government using utility company programs for more than a quarter of a century. This movement has made consumers aware that higher efficiency equipment is the right thing to use. Manufacturers have responded with higher efficiency equipment and contractors have consistently been able to increase …
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Prepare yourself for this new level of diagnostics by collecting copies of the fan data found in most installation instructions for the equipment your company installs and services. The most important diagnostic truth about a system is that you can determine how much air the system fan moves. Let’s examine how fan airflow can be …
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Static pressure measurement on commercial HVAC systems can vary significantly from one type of equipment to another. Commercial pressure testing also requires you to interpret and report internal equipment pressure drops. To remain savvy on the latest commercial air pressure testing, let’s take a look at this latest NCI commercial pressure testing update. Packaged Equipment …
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Economizers are in the spotlight as a prime opportunity for energy savings in the commercial HVAC marketplace. It’s said, with little argument from those in the field, that nearly 80% of air-side economizers are non-functional. So if that’s true, opportunity is calling any mechanical contractor willing to step up and take this bull by the …
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A recent evaluation of several hundred commercial rooftop systems around the country exposed a hidden flaw that deteriorates system efficiency up to 40% — Rooftop equipment curbs. Let’s take a look at how you can quickly diagnose and solve curb problems you may encounter in the field. What’s a Curb? A curb is a pre-fabricated …
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A service manager reviewing the week’s service records called me to report a tell-tale pattern he discovered. He found most technicians consistently repeat the same 10 to 15 repairs. Let’s take a look at the impact on your customers and company when technicians slip into autopilot and fail to search for performance-based solutions. Performance-Based Service …
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With the end of the heating season there’s a tendency to forget the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO). As you transition to the cooling season, be sure to keep your awareness for CO high even though it’s likely to be the last thing on your mind. Let’s look at five summer CO issues you should …
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A question I’m frequently asked is, where do you start when improving a poorly performing duct system? Do you tear it out and start over again, or is there an easier way? The good news is, there is a simple way and a logical pattern you can follow to optimize a duct system. Let’s look …
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