HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs

In this free-flowing conversation, the Trethewey family talks about growing up with This Old House , what the show is like behind the scenes, what Rich misses about the past, what the future holds for the trade, and some nerdy specifics between Bryan and Ross. The show business is a collaborative effort between the producers and talent (even though they're real people, not actors), and the Trethew...

Two of the great air and infiltration expert minds of our time, Gary Nelson and Steve Rogers from TEC (The Energy Conservatory), come on the podcast to talk about blower doors. They also discuss blower door testing and how it compares to real-life infiltration. A blower door has a fan to measure the air flowing through it, and you generally install it in a doorframe. Blower doors hook up to manome...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan explains how to keep your humanity and make moral decisions when selling IAQ products. As the COVID-19 pandemic has started to grab hold of the world, we've seen an uptick in IAQ interest. When you have greater consumer interest, there are opportunities to hoodwink customers. While some IAQ products are indeed not very effective against viruses, there are some...

Nikki Krueger joins us to talk about how humidity impacts indoor health and some ways to make our indoor air quality better (for real). Indoor air quality is all about manipulating the air in our homes to reduce pollutants and keep our air quality high. From air dilution to running bath fans to air purifiers, there is a lot more we can do to make our homes healthier. We can't entirely isolate ours...

In this short podcast episode, Sal Hamidi of ProductsByPros joins Bryan to discuss what manometers are and how they measure pressure. Manometers measure pressure at a much higher scale than a micron gauge but lower than that of a pressure gauge; they measure pressure differentials by comparing static pressure to another source of pressure as a reference. Across all segments of the industry, we use...

Michael Housh and Jim Bergmann join Bryan to look into the crystal ball to see the future of air conditioning and design the PERFECT residential system. Self-contained propane heat recovery chillers are futuristic devices that do simultaneous heating and cooling. While they may not be suitable for all climates, they can switch between heating and cooling modes, like heat pumps. They may also be ab...

Thomas Talhelm, the founder of Smart Air, joins Bryan on the podcast to talk about how a filter and a fan in China sparked an IAQ revolution. The simple device changed his thinking about air purification. As a graduate student in China, Thomas witnessed the Beijing "Air-pocalypse" firsthand. That was when he became aware of the issue of air pollution and the potential health issues it can cause. S...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about the steady-state voltage problem that can take out inverter boards and what to do about it. Inverter-driven equipment refers to a variable-frequency drive with ECM compressors and fans. We're talking about modern split-phase equipment rated for 208v or 230v power. However, the split-phase power will yield 240v. Most motors and components for 240v eq...

Jim Bergmann and Michael Housh join Bryan to talk about testing A/C vitals. They discuss the new vitals mode in MeasureQuick and how it works. As with many of MeasureQuick's other functions, vitals mode is an invaluable tool for green and experienced HVAC techs alike. The new vitals mode helps us with charging, airflow, and other staples of A/C testing and commissioning. Vitals mode allows the use...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan explains how to use liquid line temperature as a quick diagnostic indicator on split A/C systems. Liquid line temperature is one of the first things to check when you approach a system. Checking that temperature is also a great way to get into non-invasive testing. The temperature should be between 4 and 15 degrees warmer than the outdoor temperature (unless it...

In this live podcast episode, we discuss viruses, bacteria, and fungi. We also explain how they interact with HVAC equipment, their effects on indoor air quality, and how businesses can protect their customers and employees. Since we work with the public, we can minimize the risk of viral transmission by keeping our distance between others and avoid handshakes and other forms of contact. However,...

In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about science and how to balance practice and experience with the "why" behind what we do. He also explains how either one can cause an error if you aren't careful. Science is not just about reading nerdy theories in books; it's all about understanding why the processes in our world. In that sense, many of us field technicians are scientists. When we use...

We discuss some of the new, possibly strange-sounding business processes we've decided to implement at Kalos in 2020. First of all, we are going to add terms and conditions that our customers must agree to. These terms and conditions include a "hold harmless" disclaimer regarding viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Florida forbids us from discussing mold, so a "hold harmless" disclaimer protects us from...

Ben with Infinitum Electric comes on to tell us more about his super-innovative, groundbreaking PCB (printed circuit board) motor technology that we saw at AHR 2020. The Infinitum motor is a relatively simple permanent magnet motor that can also work as a generator. Infinitum got its start with generators, and the groundbreaking new motor technology works quite similarly to generators. These motor...

Rick from Certified Refrigerant Services joins us to talk about recovery and refrigerant management. He also explains what to look for and do to get the most from your program. A refrigerant management program offers recovery services, reclamation, and other options for processing refrigerants. Rick's company also buys and sells refrigerants. With his line of work, there are also plenty of opportu...

Chris LaPietra, vice president and general manager of Honeywell Stationary Refrigerants, joins us to talk about some new releases from Honeywell. He also covers refrigerants in general. As our industry reduces its reliance on R-22 (and eventually R-410A), we have turned to more flammable solutions. There is a tradeoff in safety for the lower GWP, though. However, along with some slightly less flam...

Eric Kaiser comes on the live podcast to talk through some commonly repeated EPA myths. We also discuss how to get the most from your recovery machine and tanks. The EPA exists to interpret broad laws into specific standards, such as by translating climate initiatives into venting guidelines. One of the most common EPA myths is that you cannot charge a leaking system. If you can repair the leak an...

Gurminder Sidhu joins us from NATE to talk about what NATE is all about and bring us some news about the new changes and improvements. NATE was created for the industry by the industry; the organization arose from a need to promote education and standardize HVAC qualifications. Today, NATE continues to address the industry's needs by offering education and certification for technicians. NATE also...

Alex Meaney from MiTek/Wrightsoft joins us at AHR 2020 to talk about some HVAC design myths and how to bust them in your mind. It was a really fun talk with a great guy. One common HVAC design myth worth busting is that we can use a set friction rate with a Ductulator to make duct systems work. The friction rate only applies per 100 feet, and it has different degrees of impact based on duct sizing...

Andrew Greaves joins us again from AHR 2020. This time, he discusses what mentors and role models do in our trade and why they're important. Mentors are not just the grouchy senior techs who throw hammers at apprentices. Mentors have an active role in others' professional development; they spend a lot of time with their mentees and actively aid their growth. Not everyone is cut out to be a mentor,...

In this podcast, HVAC School team members Kaleb and Leilani walk the floor and talk to various people about their products and companies at AHR 2020. Bryan also has a quick conversation with Frank from HVAC Outlawz. The newest RectorSeal surge protection (RSH-50 with the 60A disconnect) uses MOVs and gas discharge tubes, which work together to fight off power surges. The effectiveness of the produ...

In this live recording from the AHR Expo, Kaleb Saleeby, Nate Adams, Michael Housh, and Steve Rogers discuss building performance. The building science world is an exciting place; we're all excited about improvements to reheat dehumidification, which is when we use waste heat to take care of humidity without cooling. As equipment becomes more efficient, we also look forward to tackling new challen...

Mike from Refrigeration Technologies talks to us about his journey in business, some new and old products, and how well the business is growing. Refrigeration Technologies tries to make products that do the job correctly the first time and are safe for techs to use. The products are odorless, don't burn skin, and are safe around food. John and Mike Pastorello are passionate about using chemistry t...

Richard Trethewey from This Old House joins Bryan on the podcast and tells his incredible story and shares some encouragement and laughs. Richard works with his sons, Ross and Evan. He has always worked in a family business and then left it to start his own with his sons. Family businesses truly are the backbone of this industry, as our business attracts lots of family-oriented business owners. Ri...

This podcast is by Sal at Products by Pros, featuring Bryan Orr of HVAC School. In this episode, Sal asks Bryan all about micron gauges.   Products by Pros Guest: Bryan Orr   What should technicians look at when deciding on a micron gauge? You should look for superior accuracy and resolution, especially if you'll be doing decay testing. You need to see what the trends are in clear detail. (The Blu...