Basic Heat Pump Maintenance | Maintaining HVAC Systems

by | Heat Pumps | 3 comments

Basic Heat Pump Maintenance - A good heat pump maintenance plan will include a thorough check of the refrigeration system, the electrical system, the heat pump controls, and the air filter system of the heat pump. Heat pump maintenance is as important as maintenance on your vehicle. If we fail to take good care of our vehicle then it is more prone to breakdowns whereas if we keep it in good condition with proper maintenance it is more reliable and repairs usually cost less when repairs are needed.

Of course, if you take good care of the heat pump with regular maintenance major repairs will likely never occur and it is possible you will repair free with a good maintenance plan in place for your heat pump. Basic maintenance adds life to the equipment, keeps the equipment running longer adding to the lifespan, and during the overall life will keep the heat pump more efficient.

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Variable Speed GE ECM Motors | HVAC Control

by | Technical Reference | 16 comments

Variable Speed GE ECM Motors - When you look at buying a new HVAC system it will surely arise when the HVAC salesman or HVAC contractor who comes to give you an estimate will show an HVAC system that has a variable speed motor or the GE ECM (Electronically Commutated Motor) installed in it. These are systems that have a higher efficiency rating than the HVAC equipment that has the typical electric blower or condenser fan motor. (more…)

Superheat and Sub-Cooling Refrigeration HVAC

by | Refrigeration | 4 comments

Refrigeration HVAC - Superheat and Sub-cooling
Superheat and Sub-cooling - In HVAC refrigeration coils and fans are used for air conditioners and heat pumps to transfer heat in one direction or another. A good HVAC technician is well versed in refrigeration. Refrigeration is defined as moving heat from one place to another. Modern air conditioners and heat pumps use a chemical refrigerant used in vapor compression refrigeration.

This chemical refrigerant has great properties for absorbing heat. What makes these chemicals so efficient is the temperature at which they change state or change from a liquid to a vapor and condense back to a liquid again. This is key to understanding superheat and subcooling. (more…)

Mini-split Air Conditioners or Ductless Air Conditioners Basics

by | Air Conditioning | 2 comments

Min-Split Air Conditioner Air FlowMini-split Air Conditioners - Ductless air conditioners are like regular air conditioners with ducts in that the compressor is located outside. They are often preferable to window units for aesthetic reasons. Ductless air conditioners are not good for cooling more than 1 or 2 rooms at a time and are expensive on initial purchase. Ductless air conditioners are also known as split system air conditioners or mini-split systems. As mentioned earlier the larger units are placed outside the building or home. (more…)