by High Performance HVAC | Technical Reference |
HVAC Technician Tools - I can remember when I first got out of HVAC school a few years back I wanted to know what kind of basic tools I needed to begin my work as an HVAC technician. Of course, I had lofty goals and wanted to rise to the top but my expectations at the time matched my skill level. That skill level was a lot of book knowledge and not a lot of field experience.
After all, admittedly there are many lights that do not turn on in the classroom that does turn on in the field after some experience. Stress can turn some light bulbs on while others turn on easily after you see something for real the first time instead of reading about it in a book. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Technical Reference |
HVAC Manufacturers | Heating and Cooling - Heating and Cooling Manufacturers are always improving the energy efficiency of their products using innovation and modern technology to help. HVAC manufacturers are required by the government to increase the efficiency ratings of equipment sold. Usually, this is a mandate passed down by Congress that will set a standard for a minimum efficiency of air conditioners and heating systems. Usually, this mandate is the result of manufacturers, the department of energy, and other industry concerns meeting and agreeing to a new minimum that is more efficient and utilizes less energy than previous models and designs. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Technical Reference |
The National Electrical Code and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning have some shared roles for both electricians and HVAC Installers and technicians. There are some specific categories in the NEC that are applied to HVAC and making calculations for circuits and wire sizing for HVAC appliances. Aside from the specific categories and chapters in the NEC that are directly applicable to HVAC and HVAC appliances it is important that every technician has a basic understanding of the NEC in all aspects especially the categories and chapters that are specifically applicable to HVAC and HVAC appliances. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Air Filters |
HVAC Indoor Air Quality - Indoor air quality is very important to our health. There are not many people who worry about indoor air quality unless they have asthma or another respiratory problem that can easily be aggravated by indoor pollutants or bad indoor air quality. If we examine the things in our air, we are surprised by the things in the air which can have a dramatic effect on our health. People who suffer from respiratory health problems usually see increased health when they institute a good indoor air quality program that can include installing electronic air cleaners and ultra-violet air cleaners along with a good air filtration system. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Air Conditioning |
Free Cooling Air Conditioning - I’m looking for a residential high-performance system that uses an air intake damper or a multistage (multi-zone) heating and a cooling system similar to what I found at Economizer Systems and HVAC Control?
Any suggestions? Answer…………… (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Air Conditioning |
Dual Two-Stage Split System with a Dual Slab Coil. Huh?

Richard - Very nice site!- Dual Two-Stage Split System with a Dual Slab Coil - I have a question; my home was fitted out by the previous owner with a twinned system, and a thermostat (Totaline P374-1900) which was not designed to control discreet, paired units. I confirmed this with Totaline. The result is only one unit runs, and the second unit is never activated. It functions, but not automatically.
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by High Performance HVAC | Commercial HVAC |
Watts Backflow Preventers | Water Safety - Backflow preventers are necessary on water loops where the water is used in a hydronic loop that heats or cools the water through a boiler or chiller system. This Watts backflow preventer is installed on a large boiler system that heats thousands of gallons of water. The hydronic loops are designed to be hermetic. However, there is always some loss of water somewhere in the system.
For safety purposes to prevent the boiler from losing all of its water, a make-up water loop is connected to the loop. The make-up water feed needs backflow preventers installed in the pipe to prevent any of the boiler or chilled water from getting back to a domestic water feed for the make-up water. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
Condenser Coil Repair - A crane is used here to lift a new condenser coil to a rooftop. The old condenser coil was leaking and could no longer be repaired. The process involved recovering all the refrigerant from the Trane rooftop unit.
The rooftop unit was then partially disassembled and the old coil cut out from the system taking great care and planning to ensure the new coil could be retrofitted to the old refrigeration piping system.
Good planning and skilled HVAC techs make the jobs go smoothly and make the replacement seem easy especially to the customer. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Gas Furnaces |

White Rodgers Gas Furnace Ignition Control Board
Electronic Ignition Gas Furnace Problems Troubleshooting - Gas furnaces are a prevalent form of heat for homes and businesses, and occasionally a gas furnace needs to be repaired because of a problem with the gas furnace.
Since there are many different types of gas furnaces, it is difficult to cover every single possible gas furnace problem that can occur with a gas furnace in one article. We are going to break this theme “gas furnace problems” down into a series of articles with the first one being gas furnace problems with electronic ignition gas furnaces.
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by High Performance HVAC | Air Handlers |
York VAV Air Handlers | HVAC Zoning - This York air handling unit serves several VAV boxes and runs on a static pressure control set point determined by a DDC program. This program has a static pressure control setpoint and sends a signal to the variable frequency drive to speed up or slow down the blower to maintain the proper static pressure control setpoint. When the VAV boxes need more air the drive speeds the air handler blower up.
When the VAV boxes need little the drive slows the blower down. The VAV boxes are controlled by a thermostat in their respective zones.
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