Air Conditioner Problems | HVAC Cooling

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. Trane Condensing UnitAir 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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Refrigerant Pump-Down Method | 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:

  1. We answer a technical question by one of our readers concerning the refrigerant pump-down method
  2. Why the refrigerant pump-down method is useful for HVAC technicians and for the consumer
  3. Why it saves the contractor time and money. Savings he can pass on to the consumer
  4. Alternatives to the refrigerant pump-down method
  5. How and why commercial chillers do the refrigerant pump-down method

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HVAC Duct Systems

HVAC Duct Systems - Round Hard Duct WorkHVAC 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…)

Heat Pump Thermostats | HVAC Heating and Cooling

Heat Pump ThermostatsHeat Pump Thermostats - To the average person a heat pump thermostat can be a very complicated thermostat compared to the typical thermostat which serves an air conditioning system with gas, electric, or an oil furnace. Of course, the heat pump thermostat typically has more wire terminations than the regular thermostat.

It has more switches to control emergency heat, and some even have lights, which will indicate that the auxiliary heat or emergency heat is functioning. Most heat pump thermostats are two-stage thermostats for the heating mode and a single stage for the cooling mode.

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HVAC Education NATE Certification | Technical Study

What is NATE? HVAC Education NATE Certification - NATE stands for North American Technician Excellence and NATE is a certification group that oversees the training, testing, and certification of HVACR technicians throughout North American. NATE is highly respected throughout the HVACR industry and an HVAC technician who achieves NATE certification is considered very knowledgeable and skilled in the HVAC trade or HVAC certification specialty. It is a step up in heating and cooling education for HVAC Techs. (more…)

Duct Work | Heating and Cooling Mechanical

Duct WorkMost air conditioning and heating systems require some form of ductwork. Ductwork channels or directs the air to places in the dwelling where the conditioned air is needed. There are many types of ductwork available. Often times the ductwork can make a big difference in your utility bills. For that reason, it is important that the ductwork is installed correctly by qualified installation technicians. (more…)

Scroll Compressors | HVAC Refrigeration

Scroll Compressors | HVAC RefrigerationScroll Compressors - One of the workhorses for heat pumps and air conditioners is the scroll compressor. The scroll compressor works as many other compressors do as far as the refrigeration process is concerned. The scroll compresses the refrigerant thereby raising its pressure and temperature. The compressor does its job by making cool refrigerant and turning it into hot refrigerant changing both the temperature and the pressure. Since the late 90′s, the scroll has taken off and has nearly replaced the reciprocating compressor in the average air conditioner and heat pump system. Two-stage scroll compressors have replaced using two reciprocating compressors in an air conditioner or heat pump condenser that is high efficiency.

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