HVAC School

That picture above is a WWII poster reminding soldiers of informed self-interest, which is something we ought to consider when making decisions. We live in a world where we often make decisions quickly and expect to see quick results. That works whenever I buy from Amazon. I order a new belt, and it shows up in two days, like magic. I start to expect everything...

I walked into my first real job interview in the HVAC trade. The manager was a guy named Ernie, and he walked me out to the warehouse.

Quick warning: guys named Ernie are tough. Don't mess with a dude named Ernie.

If you went to school and learned the “gas laws” early on, you probably thought it seemed LAME. Then, later, things like mass flow rates, airflow conversions, and compression ratios seemed HARD.

Well…

It's because HVAC is hard if you don't understand the concepts behind the gas laws, even if you never learn ...

There is a big move in residential and light commercial HVAC toward measuring static pressure regularly during commissioning, service, and maintenance. Don't get me wrong…

Measuring static pressure is VERY important....

Sometimes, we can focus on the more complicated aspects of a system and parts installation—like evacuation and flowing nitrogen—and forget the simple and critical common-sense steps to keep contaminants out of the system.

One of these is pre-cleaning the tubing and connection before cutting or unsweating.

For example, if you ar...