by High Performance HVAC | Air Conditioning |
Air Conditioner Problems - As an HVAC technician I am aware of all the problems air conditioners can develop. Therefore, you will get a unique perspective on air conditioner problems. And hopefully, how to avoid these problems. 
Air conditioners have become a norm in today’s society. Forty or fifty years ago air conditioners were considered a luxury. Now there are building designs where the occupants must rely on air conditioning to remain comfortable.
Additionally, with higher energy costs it is important that our air conditioners are maintained. Hence, a properly maintained system uses less energy and repair costs are lower and less frequent.
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by High Performance HVAC | Gas Furnaces |
Gas Furnace Electronic Ignition Control Board
Electronic Ignition Gas Furnaces Types | Gas Heating Systems. Gas furnaces, boilers, and water heaters have evolved from the basic standing pilot ignition system to the state-of-the-art electronic ignition models. Standing pilot gas furnaces relied on keeping a pilot flame lit for the furnace, boiler, or water heater to function. The advent of electronic ignition has made it possible to prove a flame without keeping a pilot light lit 24/7.
That saves money because electronic ignition only needs to have a flame when there is a call for heat. Lastly, no more worries about lighting a pilot light. There are different types of electronic ignition gas furnaces. Remember, this is a classification of gas furnaces. There are other classifications or types of gas furnaces.
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by High Performance HVAC | Commercial HVAC |
Proper HVAC Fan Maintenance and Control can Save Energy Dollars
Fan Maintenance Energy Savings - According to the Department of Energy fans consume nearly 80 billion kilowatts of energy per year. Optimizing how fans work functionally in mechanical applications can reduce energy use and save energy dollars for end users.
Assuming the design engineer selected the proper fan and proper installation in the well-designed system what can a facility manager do to save energy dollars and increase performance by looking at the fan systems in their building(s)? To make a good evaluation you need to look at several different factors in fan operation.
- Fan Control
- Fan Performance
- Installation
- Ductwork
- Fan Maintenance
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by High Performance HVAC | Air Handlers |
Leaking Air Handler- Air Leaks - Dear Richard… my partner and I moved into a brand new mill conversion/rehab condo last year that we absolutely love, but after the summer was over, I went into the utility closet (where the air handler/gas furnace are) and noticed that there was copper corrosion crust/rust that had run down from the air handler (not sure from where, but somewhere fairly high up on the AHU). It had dried up, and didn’t seem to be enough to run down the sides of the burner even–no streaks). (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Air Handlers |
Caution is always advised around mechanical and electrical equipment including the air handler. Turn the power off before removing any panels.
Air Handlers - An air handler is usually located in the garage, a closet, or in the attic (unless you have a package unit then the air handler is incorporated into one system). It is essential to any AC unit and heating forced air system. All AC units need an air handler or way to move air. It can be a part of your furnace and houses the evaporator coils, the blower motor, and some HVAC controls. It can be an up-flow, downflow, or horizontal flow AHU (air handling unit). (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
HVAC reciprocating compressors were the workhorse of the HVAC industry and when someone mentioned a compressor the first thing one thought about was a reciprocating compressor. This compressor has a piston(s) that compresses vapor and in the cases of an HVAC compressor, the compressor compresses the refrigerant vapor. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
Refrigerant Pump-Down Method - Can an HVAC Technician “Park” Refrigerant in the Condenser? What you will learn from Refrigerant Pump-Down Method article:
- We answer a technical question by one of our readers concerning the refrigerant pump-down method
- Why the refrigerant pump-down method is useful for HVAC technicians and for the consumer
- Why it saves the contractor time and money. Savings he can pass on to the consumer
- Alternatives to the refrigerant pump-down method
- How and why commercial chillers do the refrigerant pump-down method
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by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
HVACR Refrigeration Certification Section 608 - In 1993, Section 608 of the Clean Air Act became law and active enforcement of these federally mandated laws became the responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce. The Clean Air Act as defined by the EPA is not limited to the United States. It is applicable to all signatories (24 countries and the European Economic Countries) of the Montreal Protocol. These signatories agreed to phase out all CFCs and eventually all HCFCs. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Duct Work |
HVAC Duct Systems - Ductwork systems channel the air to the spaces where it is needed from the air handler. HVAC duct systems also will pull the air from the space and channels it back to the air handler where it needs to be conditioned. In some commercial applications, the area above the ceiling is considered the return duct. All the return air is channeled back to the air handler through the plenum where it is conditioned in the air handler. Part of the conditioning process is the air being passed through an air filter and then an exchanger like a coil or heat exchanger. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Air Conditioning |
Air Conditioning Preventive Maintenance | HVAC Spring Cleaning - Do You Benefit from Maintenance Agreements?
Air conditioning preventive maintenance is a thorough check of the air conditioning system by a professional HVAC Technician. The technician will check the following:
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