HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs

In this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, Bryan sits down with Chris Howells, senior training manager at AprilAire, to talk about what really makes a filtration system perform. Chris has nearly thirty years in the industry, including fifteen as a technician, and brings a field-first perspective on why filtration is more than just "a filter." Bryan also admits up front that his own contracting co...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about the fuse that only blows when you leave. The service call usually goes like this: you replace a blown fuse, the system runs fine, you leave, and then the fuse blows again. There could be several causes of a blown fuse. First, ask what was happening right before the system stopped, such as if the unit was starting up, if it was raining outside, or if...

In this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, Bryan welcomes back Bill Spohn to talk about carbon monoxide and a troubling trend in the alarms being sold online. They start with the basics: the difference between a standard UL 2034 alarm and a true low-level CO monitor. UL 2034 alarms were designed to avoid nuisance calls, so they can stay silent through long exposures at relatively low concentratio...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about what happens when you adjust the condenser airflow: you have the same charge, different numbers. This short covers HVAC condensers and flooded condensers in refrigeration applications. When you increase condenser airflow by repairing a condenser fan or washing the unit, the pressure and subcooling readings change even though the charge stays the sam...

Some people light up when they find a difficult electrical problem. Others want a wrench in their hand or take real satisfaction in a beautifully planned installation. Those differences can shape how we learn, what frustrates us, and where we find satisfaction in HVAC work. Bryan and Bert explore three overlapping tendencies in the trades: the technician, the mechanic, and the craftsman. In their...

A liquid-line restriction should cause high subcooling, right? Not always. In this short episode of the HVAC School podcast, we look at why normal subcooling does not rule out a restriction and why one familiar diagnostic pattern cannot tell the whole story.   Subcooling describes the refrigerant's temperature margin below saturation at a particular location. It does not directly measure how much...

In this episode from the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium, Alex Meaney delivers a live conference talk he calls "Airflow Serenity," built around the idea of knowing which duct problems are worth chasing and which changes will actually move the needle for a customer. He opens by describing and reframing how technicians identify airflow problems, including the "complementary failure" situation wh...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about compression ratio and compressors, particularly why you see more suction pressure when the compressor unloads and what that means for the HVAC system's operation. When the compressor drops into low-stage or unloads, the suction pressure goes up. Regardless of the cause of reduced pumping, the head pressure will also drop as the suction pressure rise...

In this episode, Bryan welcomes back Louise Kellar of UEi Test Instruments for a deep dive into getting more out of a digital clamp meter than the basic volts, amps, and ohms most techs rely on every day. The tool in the spotlight is UEi's High Accuracy Clamp Meter (HAC), which is accurate when dealing with the low current draws common on modern condenser fan and blower motors and is critical for...

In this short podcast, Bryan and Roman discuss premature coil failure in ductless mini-splits and VRF equipment.  These coils are susceptible to a few different types of corrosion. Warmer coil saturation temperatures and shorter runtimes result in lower latent capacity; whatever moisture is on the coil dries on the coil instead of draining out. Minerals and chemicals (including chlorides from blea...

In this live episode, Bryan sits down with Jim Bergmann of measureQuick and NAVAC trainers Zane and Jesse Stewart for a deep, technician-focused conversation about advanced refrigerant recovery. The group covers diverse system types and environments, including low-ambient recovery. Recovery machines cannot pump straight liquid, which we need to be mindful of during service. That said, vapor-only r...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan and Roman talk about the A2L & refrigerant transition again, particularly sensors on R-454B and R-32 equipment.  Since the beginning of the A2L transition, we have seen the equipment evolve and begin requiring accessories, including refrigerant sensors and blower recirculation systems (BRS) or dissipation boards. In a BRS, the blower turns on and dilutes the re...

In this episode, Bryan sits down with Mike Pastorello, owner of Refrigeration Technologies, and Ashley Lynds, director of education and brand management for Viper, to talk about the company's roots, its newest product launches, and where the brand is headed next. This podcast focuses on "The Lab" and how it integrates field technicians with product development. Refrigeration Technologies was built...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan and Roman talk about the ethics of IAQ, particularly in terms of microbial growth testing vs. remediation conflicts, based on Roman's recent experience hiring a mold assessor and then a remediation expert in his home. Remediation is governed by S520 of the IICRC . Microbial growth is tricky because it is often hidden and has real health effects, but there is a...

400 CFM per ton is useful—until it isn't. In this episode, Bryan and Ty take on one of the trade's favorite rules of thumb. It can be a reasonable starting point for many systems under moderate, near-sea-level conditions, but it is not a universal target. Proper airflow depends on actual delivered capacity, sensible and latent load, air density, climate, manufacturer data, and what the system is s...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan and Roman Baugh talk about indoor air quality and microbial control, specifically MERV 15 filter physics and how it all works when bringing in outdoor air. We filter indoor air to keep dust and particles off the equipment and keep them from circulating through the air. However, we also need to filter fresh air. While indoor air has several pollutants, including...

In this episode, Bryan Orr sits down with Ty Branaman for a wide-ranging conversation about what it really takes to be a good on-call technician. They open by reminiscing about how dispatch technology has evolved over their careers — from pagers, radio codes, and outdated paper map books to MapQuest, early GPS units, and today's 24-hour dispatch systems. That trip down memory lane sets up the epis...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan and Roman talk about Florida law and how it relates to the "M-word" (mold) and the legal boundaries our techs must respect when they communicate with customers. HVAC School and Kalos are NOT mold experts, but we have experience as HVAC professionals who encounter suspicious microbial growth in our market (and cannot diagnose or remediate mold). We cannot use th...

In this episode, Bryan sits down with Leilani for an introduction to GRIT Camps — the hands-on program that brings skilled trades exposure to youth ages 12–17 through community events led by working tradespeople. Leilani explains that a GRIT Camp pairs recruited mentors with students for a day of modules covering safety, carpentry, electrical, brazing, and plumbing, including torch work, PVC and c...

In this short episode, Bryan and Roman talk about the psychrometrics of a hidden moisture failure... behind the drywall. Roman had an indoor air quality and mold assessment in his own home, and he learned that there were active mold spores in his home; he shares what he learned from the experience. Roman had a bulk water issue from plumbing (though bulk water issues can also occur outside the buil...

Join Roman Baugh, Craig Migliaccio (AC Service Tech), and Jim Fultz for an unfiltered conversation about training mistakes, teaching pitfalls, and educational failures in the HVAC industry. Recorded live at the 7th Annual HVAC/R Training Symposium, this candid discussion reveals what experienced educators wish they knew when they started. Learn from their mistakes so you don't have to make the sam...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan answers a question from Evan about the true cost of uninsulated refrigerant lines, especially in terms of efficiency losses and decreased longevity. Insulation keeps refrigerant cold, usually in the suction line; it makes it harder for cool vapor refrigerant to absorb heat. (Expansion lines are also insulated.) When that refrigerant picks up heat, that heat has...

In this live-stream episode, Bryan is joined by Tim DeStasio, John Semmelhack, and Ty Branaman for a deep dive into residential ventilation — the often-overlooked "V" in HVAC. The group opens with quick life updates before launching into a wide-ranging conversation covering the three core ventilation strategies (circulation, extraction, and dilution), how tight home construction changes the ventil...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan covers the points to consider when selecting a replacement motor, particularly blower motors and condensing fan motors in residential and light commercial applications.  Horsepower and amperage both matter for matching, but they are not the only items to consider. We also have to consider phase (three-phase vs. single-phase), voltage, and RPM; those must match...

In this episode, Bryan welcomes back Trevor Matthews from Refrigeration Mentor for a conversation focused entirely on nailing a job interview in the HVAC and refrigeration trades — whether it's a technician's very first shot at breaking into the industry or an experienced tech looking to move to a new company or specialty. Trevor opens up about his own rocky start, admitting he cycled through roug...