by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
Old coil with HVAC Refrigerant Leaks
Old Leaking Condenser Coils (also referred to as freon leaks) can cause serious issues with HVAC heat pump equipment. HVAC refrigeration circuits are designed and built to hold the refrigerant. It is a sealed hermetic system. The HVAC refrigeration circuit should never need refrigerant. An HVAC refrigeration system does not burn refrigerant. The refrigerant is used over and over again to move heat from one place to another. Aside from a leak, once the refrigeration system is properly charged, the system should never need refrigerant for the life of the equipment. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Commercial HVAC |
This chilled water unit is a new ammonia chiller. This unit is also unique in that it has no compressor. Instead, it uses the chemical properties of ammonia and heat from natural gas to condense the refrigerant which is ammonia. A chiller provides chilled water to a chilled water loop. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Commercial HVAC |
Hot Water Boiler Economizer PreHeater | Energy Efficiency - This is a hot water economizer and is a big preheater for domestic hot water use. This hot water boiler plant serves a large community for heating and domestic hot water use. Domestic hot water is used for showers, washing dishes, laundry, etc, etc, etc….
The cold water supply from the city is routed through the economizer to be pre-heated before it goes through a heat exchanger and then the hot water storage tank. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
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.
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by High Performance HVAC | Air Conditioning |
How Air Conditioning Works - Ever wonder how air conditioner works in a house? AC’s work by removing the heat from the space they service. An AC is simply a big refrigerator that uses the process of refrigeration to provide cooling for a building. AC’s work by using direct expansion coils or chilled water coils to absorb and move the heat from the air as air is blown across the coils.
Types of air conditioner systems that use direct expansion coils for cooling are window units, split system air conditioners, package unit air conditioners, packaged terminal air conditioners like the air conditioners used in hotels, and mini-split ductless AC’s. Essentially, an air conditioning system works by removing heat from the air. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Oil Heat |
Oil Furnace Boiler Pump - A major component of oil furnaces is the oil pump and its job is to pump oil from the oil tank to the oil burner. It is important that the oil system is primed and free of any objects or particles that can plug the system. As well the oil pumping system must have integrity with no holes in the oil pipe where the pump can suck air into the oil line. Any air sucked into the line or a plugged oil line will cause problems with the oil burner that may result in a non-functional burner or a burner that does not produce efficient heat. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Heat Pumps |
Goodman Heat Pump Condenser Flood Protection – This heat pump condensing unit has been installed on the platform. The area where this air conditioning condenser is located is prone to flooding. The platform raises the heat pump condenser at least one foot above the floodplain.
This is usually required depending on the municipality or government agency in charge of mechanical and electrical inspections. If you live in a flood-prone area it is wise to protect the equipment from flood damage. It is possible for the air conditioner condenser unit to run after being flooded. However, the life expectancy is drastically reduced and you will definitely experience mechanical and electrical problems. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Heat Pumps |
Heating with Heat Pumps | HVAC Systems - There are some people who say that heat pump heat is not as warm as other types of heat. Heating sources such as a hot water boiler or even a steam boiler. Even the forced air gas furnace gets more credit for providing better heat than the heat pump. Heat pumps are extremely popular in the southern states where the heating season is short. Additionally, where the temperature rarely dips below 35 degrees F. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Gas Furnaces |
Honeywell Temperature Fan Limit Switch Control – The fan limit control turns the fan on and off in furnace applications. It works off of temperature and also provides a high-temperature safety limit. This is a switch, actually two switches, which turns the furnace blower on and off based on the temperature of the heat exchanger.
A helical bi-metal probe extends from the back of the fan limit control. This probe is located inside the heat exchanger and the bi-metal of the probe reacts to temperature.
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by High Performance HVAC | Gas Furnaces |
High-Efficiency Electronic Ignition Gas Furnaces are here. They are the next step up from the standing pilot gas furnace. These gas furnaces are more efficient than the standing pilot furnaces but more complex in design. There are three types of electronic ignition gas furnaces: the intermittent spark pilot, the intermittent hot surface ignition pilot (Honeywell Smartvalve and ignition assembly), and the hot surface ignition furnaces.
While the three are different they all offer higher efficiencies and are both controlled by solid-state circuit boards. Many of these furnaces also have higher efficient heat exchangers.
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