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 […]
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.
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 […]
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.
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.
The International Code Commission (ICC) mandated HVAC duct leakage testing for the first time in the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Since the first leakage test requirement was rolled out, extensive testing procedures and equipment have remained in the Code. Obviously, the scope of the IECC is to conserve energy. Leaking conditioned air to unconditioned spaces is wasteful and unnecessary. There are many duct sealing systems available that will fill most of the small openings around duct fittings. To seal ducts and conduct a leakage test, a HVAC contractor, engineer, or HERS rater use these specialized tools and metho
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.
Thermostats have changed a whole lot in the last 20 years. Gone are the mercury bulbs and long levers. Even first-generation programmable thermostats are second class to the newest variety. Thermostats such as Google Nest, Honeywell T9, and Ecobee lead the way with the latest features for home comfort and energy savings.
Smart thermostats make it easy to get comfortable. These devices can be controlled remotely with a phone, tablet, or computer, and even utilize their own intelligence to keep a home’s temperature right where the owner wants it. How about a thermostat that you can talk to? It’s available with some of the smart thermostats. Because these thermostats are WIFI enabled, programming them to work with the different “talking” services can be easy. You can tell the thermostat you are leaving, which would reduce the system run time while you were away. You could tell the thermostat you were going on a vacation. This command indicates the home is unoccupied and will not need the same comfort conditions, thereby saving energy. Or, you could just say “Alexa, set the temperature to 77 degrees.”
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.
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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