Condensing Unit Too Close to House - This condensing unit was too close to the house to effectively reject heat. It was a bad HVAC condensing unit installation job by the HVAC installers. A mechanical inspector rejected the final permit until the condensing unit was correctly installed.
It is recommended that condensing units have at least 2 feet of space so that they can effectively reject heat. It needs space to breathe and pull air into the coils so that there is a proper heat exchange taking place when it is running. On this air conditioner condensing unit there are four sides to the unit.
By installing the air conditioner condenser too close to the house the installer effectively reduced the capacity of this unit by nearly one-fourth which will cause problems with the unit in the way of higher head pressures and that will cost the homeowner more money in the long run.
Chilled Water System Basics - Chilled water systems work much the same way as direct expansion systems work. The exception is they use water in the coil rather than refrigerant. Technically speaking, water can be classified as a refrigerant. Chilled Water systems can be rather complex and many chilled water systems are found in commercial and industrial applications. There are some chilled water systems used in residential applications.(more…)
HVAC Green Technology | Heating and Cooling - First of all, we need to define Green Technology before we compare it to HVAC and discuss how the HVAC industry is working to make the equipment and designs used in Green Technology, friendly to the environment. Green Technology uses evolving technology in utilizing methods and materials to develop techniques that are more friendly to the environment than previous methods and materials.(more…)
Common Sense Safety HVAC Codes - Some HVAC Installation technicians take pride in their work and make any installation job they perform look like a work of art. There are others who don’t care and want to install the unit as quickly as possible and move on down the road to the next job so they can do the same.
It really does not take much more time to do things right in the first place including reading the instruction manual that comes with every new condenser or air handler (actually all new HVAC equipment comes with instructions for installation). (more…)
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.
York Air Handling Unit Chilled Water Coil - This coil is a cooling coil in a large commercial York air handling unit. The air handler serves approximately 80 VAV boxes and is responsible for providing cool conditioned air to all the zones the VAV boxes serve based on a set point determined in a DDC program and the chilled water coil seen here. (more…)
Converting an Air Conditioner to a Heat Pump Can I convert my air conditioner to a heat pump? Yes you can do this if you:
I get this question a lot in my emails and wanted to address it. The time and materials it would take to change an air conditioner into a heat pump are not worth it. You would be better off having a new heat pump installed replacing the old air conditioning unit. For me, or another HVAC technician, this would be a pet project for teaching students how to braze for refrigeration and wire heat pump controls for the proper sequence of operation.
It would be a good lesson in metering devices for air conditioners and heat pumps. It would also be a good lesson in finding all the appropriate parts for the size and model number of the air conditioner equipment.
HVAC Tip - Air Conditioner & Heat Pump Tips: Additional Helpful Hints:
Always change your air filter on a monthly basis
Make sure all your supply vents are open and unobstructed
Keep area clean around indoor unit especially the return grills
Keep outdoor units free of leaves, grass, and debris including trash cans and/or children's toys or playthings like small plastic pools or playhouses.
Additionally your service technician will appreciate you not planting holly bushes near the outside unit
Lastly have system serviced every six months - once for heating and once for cooling before the season starts
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Condensing Unit Too Close to House - This condensing unit was too close to the house to effectively reject heat. It was a bad HVAC condensing unit installation job by the HVAC installers. A mechanical inspector rejected the final permit until the condensing unit was correctly installed.
HVAC Green Technology | Heating and Cooling - First of all, we need to define Green Technology before we compare it to HVAC and discuss how the HVAC industry is working to make the equipment and designs used in Green Technology, friendly to the environment. Green Technology uses evolving technology in utilizing methods and materials to develop techniques that are more friendly to the environment than previous methods and materials. 
York Air Handling Unit Chilled Water Coil - This coil is a cooling coil in a large commercial York air handling unit. The air handler serves approximately 80 VAV boxes and is responsible for providing cool conditioned air to all the zones the VAV boxes serve based on a set point determined in a DDC program and the chilled water coil seen here. 