Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Systems

Phenolic Duct Systems: Pros and Cons

Phenolic insulation is an alternative to galvanized sheet metal. Many HVAC professionals have turned to this option when installing or replacing duct systems. Learn about some of the pros and cons of phenolic duct systems to determine if it might be right for your project.

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Which Refrigerants Are Environmentally Friendly and Why?

Refrigerants do an efficient job at cooling air inside an HVAC system that is then distributed throughout a home or building. But refrigerants can also do a number on the climate by releasing pollutants and contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer.

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Ventilation Systems in a Post-COVID World

Sometimes it takes a dramatic event to institute real change. In the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, building ventilation systems could potentially be forever changed. Here, we attempt to predict how ventilation systems might evolve in the aftermath of the coronavirus and what those changes will mean for HVAC professionals.

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The New Heating and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) Technician

If you have a newfound interest in Heating and Air-Conditioning, whether as a hobbyist, a DIY homeowner, or as a career-minded technician, here is some information that can help you become more familiar with basic HVAC concepts and components.

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The Latest HVACR Diagnostic Tools

Just as a doctor needs diagnostic tools for the human body’s electrical and hydraulic systems, the HVAC technician requires tools to “look” inside air conditioning and refrigeration circuits. When large HVAC commercial systems are down, the technician feels the pressure to get systems back online. It takes a well-trained professional to properly repair big commercial refrigeration and air conditioning installations. Having high quality diagnostic equipment is the technician’s best friend for getting things fixed and working faster. Here are some examples of todays most advanced tools for HVAC troubleshooting.

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Recently in Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Systems

Phenolic Duct Systems: Pros and Cons

Read Article

Which Refrigerants Are Environmentally Friendly and Why?

Refrigerants do an efficient job at cooling air inside an HVAC system that is then distributed throughout a home or building. But refrigerants can also do a number on the climate by releasing pollutants and contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer.

Read Article

Ventilation Systems in a Post-COVID World

Sometimes it takes a dramatic event to institute real change. In the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, building ventilation systems could potentially be forever changed. Here, we attempt to predict how ventilation systems might evolve in the aftermath of the coronavirus and what those changes will mean for HVAC professionals.

Read Article

The New Heating and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) Technician

If you have a newfound interest in Heating and Air-Conditioning, whether as a hobbyist, a DIY homeowner, or as a career-minded technician, here is some information that can help you become more familiar with basic HVAC concepts and components.

Read Article

The Latest HVACR Diagnostic Tools

Just as a doctor needs diagnostic tools for the human body’s electrical and hydraulic systems, the HVAC technician requires tools to “look” inside air conditioning and refrigeration circuits. When large HVAC commercial systems are down, the technician feels the pressure to get systems back online. It takes a well-trained professional to properly repair big commercial refrigeration and air conditioning installations. Having high quality diagnostic equipment is the technician’s best friend for getting things fixed and working faster. Here are some examples of todays most advanced tools for HVAC troubleshooting.

Read Article

Dehumidifying Sealed Crawlspaces

Its 95 degrees on a hot, humid day. A service repairman, working on your HVAC, opens the door to your vented crawlspace. He observes ductwork dripping with water, mold on floor joist, and termite tunnels on the crawlspace walls. He services your air conditioner and recommends you call an exterminator. Why are you having all these issues in your crawlspace? Could it be that the naturally vented crawlspace doesn’t work anymore? Some people would say, it never worked. Why is this?

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Emphasizing the V in HVAC – Ventilation Trends

When we see the acronym HVAC, most only think of heating and air conditioning. But the V is for ventilation, an important role when considering the air quality in buildings. Indoor air quality is achieved through ventilating and filtering air in a space. The International Mechanical Code’s definition of ventilation is “The natural or mechanical process of supplying conditioned or unconditioned air to, or removing such air from, a space.” When we supply fresh air to spaces and remove stale air, we improve the breathing air quality for the occupants. When air is “conditioned”, it means several things that include removing or adding heat, cleaning the air, removing moisture, and replacing air.

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How Today’s Energy Code Affects Mechanical System Installations

In the recent past, a mechanical contractor could install very inefficient appliances and equipment with no thought to energy costs. Energy rates were cheap; therefore, mechanical codes did not address energy usage. Mechanical code emphasis was on installation integrity, clearance to combustibles, and service space requirements. The installed equipment was very heavy and overbuilt. That all changed in the late 20th century due to several economic and environmental factors. These factors created a new buzzword: energy conservation.

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Sound Powered Air Conditioning

What if a refrigeration system could exist without a mechanical compressor, oil, or the typical blended refrigerant? A totally new design that required much less electricity to operate? Components of the system consist of an inert gas and large pressure vessels connected by pipes. This mechanism would be based on thermoacoustic principles that had very few moving parts. Considering the environmental issues faced today, wouldn’t it be an amazing achievement?

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Venting Gas Furnaces into Masonry Chimneys

The combining of fuel, air and an ignition source creates combustion. This combustion process is utilized in furnaces and water heaters to heat air or water. Byproducts of combustion are carbon dioxide, water, occasionally carbon monoxide and other gases.

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