HVAC/ACR International Mechanical Code

HVAC System Service: Shared Responsibility = Shared Benefits

Follow these five steps to set up a routine service program with your customer that will be beneficial to the equipment owner and the service company.

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2 + 2 = School Building Maintenance : The Need for HVAC Upgrades in Schools

Our children are our future, the next generation of Americans to serve as responsible, educated adults. And yet, we send them off to school every day, or at least we always used to, with little regard for the condition of the buildings where they hopefully receive a decent education. Students […]

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Air Purity and COVID-19

The pandemic known as COVID-19 is all around us, never more than a miniscule moment away from our conscious thought. There is little doubt that particles within the air can carry disease. The transmission of germs from one human to another through the air we breathe is now readily recognized […]

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New Refrigerants Are Coming

News outlets run stories on climate change, global warming, and greenhouse gases daily. Cars are becoming electrified, cities are moving away from fossil fuels, and power plants are phasing out coal. Refrigerants are not left out of this climate conversation, and even though a major change was made in the last twenty years, […]

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How COVID-19 Has Impacted the HVAC Industry

The HVAC industry felt the same impact of COVID-19 that many manufacturers in our national economy have experienced. Shortages in copper, aluminum, plastics, and microchips make it difficult for manufacturers to keep up with demand. Add in the pressure from a robust residential housing market and you get the perfect storm for limited supplies. So, what is the solution when it’s hot and the parts aren’t available? Or you want to move to that new townhouse, but it can’t be completed due to supply problems. More importantly, what […]

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Recently in HVAC/ACR International Mechanical Code

HVAC System Service: Shared Responsibility = Shared Benefits

Follow these five steps to set up a routine service program with your customer that will be beneficial to the equipment owner and the service company.

Read Article

2 + 2 = School Building Maintenance : The Need for HVAC Upgrades in Schools

Our children are our future, the next generation of Americans to serve as responsible, educated adults. And yet, we send them off to school every day, or at least we always used to, with little regard for the condition of the buildings where they hopefully receive a decent education. Students […]

Read Article

Air Purity and COVID-19

The pandemic known as COVID-19 is all around us, never more than a miniscule moment away from our conscious thought. There is little doubt that particles within the air can carry disease. The transmission of germs from one human to another through the air we breathe is now readily recognized […]

Read Article

New Refrigerants Are Coming

News outlets run stories on climate change, global warming, and greenhouse gases daily. Cars are becoming electrified, cities are moving away from fossil fuels, and power plants are phasing out coal. Refrigerants are not left out of this climate conversation, and even though a major change was made in the last twenty years, […]

Read Article

How COVID-19 Has Impacted the HVAC Industry

The HVAC industry felt the same impact of COVID-19 that many manufacturers in our national economy have experienced. Shortages in copper, aluminum, plastics, and microchips make it difficult for manufacturers to keep up with demand. Add in the pressure from a robust residential housing market and you get the perfect storm for limited supplies. So, what is the solution when it’s hot and the parts aren’t available? Or you want to move to that new townhouse, but it can’t be completed due to supply problems. More importantly, what […]

Read Article

HVAC Career Options

Career opportunities in HVAC and refrigeration are more diverse than many other trade-oriented professions. It is rarely impacted by bumps in the economy and as a result, many lucrative HVAC jobs exist that make rewarding careers. Beginning at the most entry-level position and working our way up, we discuss some of the HVAC career options in our blog.

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Residential HVAC Diagnostic Tools

Recently there has been a lot of news from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) about smart HVAC diagnostic tools. The DOE and several partners are collaborating to implement a program called The Residential HVAC Smart Diagnostic Tools Campaign. The goal is to promote tools that monitor equipment and give a technician immediate information regarding a system’s performance. Here are a couple of diagnostic tools that […]

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GFCI-Protected Circuits and Air Conditioning Equipment

The purpose of the GFCI is to prevent deadly electrical shocks. GFCI’s monitor the balance of electrical current moving through a circuit.

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Five More Important Changes in the 2021 International Mechanical Code

In this article, we will discuss changes that will impact application, installation, and energy efficiency of mechanical equipment and appliances. Let’s look at five additional changes in the 2021 IMC Code that are significantly different from the past version.
Condensate Discharge

Whenever condensate drains or lines are connected directly to a plumbing system, serious health hazards can occur. For instance, sewer gas could permeate from the drains and fill the entire space of a structure. To alleviate sewer gas build-up and other health-related issues, the IMC has adopted new language regarding the use of condensate lines. In the new language, except where discharging to grade, condensate lines can be located only in floor sinks, floor drains, trench drains, mop sinks, hub drains, standpipes, utility sinks, or laundry sinks. Direct connections to the sewer system are no longer permitted.

Mechanical Ventilation in Apartments

Improved language regarding ventilation in apartments (R2 dwellings) can be found in Chapter 4, Ventilation. These dwelling units are required to meet the appropriate air leakage requirements in the International Energy Conservation Code, resulting in minimal air infiltration. Therefore, all dwelling units, such as apartments, must be mechanically ventilated. Openable windows and doors, which typically count as natural ventilation, cannot be the sole source of changing air in the dwelling.

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Five More Important Changes in the 2021 International Mechanical Code

Mechanical Ventilation in Apartments

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