HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs

In this two-part interview, Moe Hirsch goes deep and wide on buffer tanks and strategies for "parking" BTUs in hydronic systems.

When we use boilers, we want to use a heat sink to "park" BTUs in a bu…

In today's short podcast episode, Bryan covers the basics of refrigerant oil in HVAC/R systems. He also discusses what technicians can do to maintain oil systems.

Oil lubricates the moving parts of t…

In today's podcast, Kevan Mayer from NAVAC comes talks about recovery and ways to make it work better and more safely for you.

Recovering refrigerant is better for the environment and safer for us. W…

In this short podcast episode, Bryan covers the difference between volt-amps (VA) and watts when we take electrical measurements.

We usually use VA to rate transformers, but we use watts for other el…

In this episode, I talk with tech, contractor, and consultant Genry Garcia. He tells us about his experiences with independent consulting and helping other contractors in South Florida.

A chunk of Ge…

In this short podcast episode, we talk about condensate drains. We get into the basics of cleaning, pitch, drain pans, and more.

Cleaning drains sounds like an easy task, but it can be a bit time-con…

Bert and Bryan discuss the commonly repeated phrase, "refer to manufacturer's specs," in HVAC work. They discuss when referring to the manufacturer's specs works and when it feels like a crutch.

Some…

By viewer request, Bryan talks about some solar system basics in this short podcast episode.

Solar energy is an up-and-coming power source that will continue to emerge. However, oil is still very ine…

Bryan and Bert talk through a real-life issue we all face as techs: work-life balance. Bert’s recent video “triggered” Bryan a bit, so they talk through it.

Bryan believes that the work-life balance …

Today's short podcast episode is all about surge protection on HVAC/R equipment. Lightning poses a severe threat to equipment, and surge suppression may or may not help.

Unfortunately, surge protecti…

In this episode, we talk with Moe about the world of hydronics. We discuss some fundamentals and talk about various boiler and radiator types.

Hydronic systems use water flow to move heat. We can com…

In today's short podcast, we answer the following question: Should you ONLY use OEM parts? We also explain why the answer is what it is.

It can be tricky to determine the value of OEM parts in genera…

In this rather unorthodox short podcast episode, Andy gives his timeless soft skills tips. We also tell you a bit more about a special training event in Orlando in just a few weeks.

Soft skills and c…

In today's podcast, Bryan covers some of the facts about humidity. He also explains how to keep humidity under control in all climates. Humidity refers to water vapor in the air and is a component of…

In this short podcast episode, we talk about the myth that time at a job or in the business equals or deserves pay increases.

Many people believe that showing up for a long time justifies a raise. Th…

In today's podcast episode, Mark Roth from Goodway talks about chiller and cooling tower cleaning best practices and techniques. Goodway makes industrial maintenance equipment for the HVAC industry, …

In this short podcast episode, we address the myth that IAQ is a joke. We also discuss how to think about IAQ correctly in HVAC work.

Indoor air quality is NOT a joke. However, it has a bit of a bad …

Chris Stephens from HVACR Videos joins us to talk about his experiences with and perspective on R290 (propane) refrigerant in restaurant refrigeration.

Chris sees R290 propane on a daily basis, and h…

In this short podcast episode, we discuss the common myth about cleaning flame rods/sensors/rectification devices.

Flame sensors or rectification rods are NOT the same as thermocouples or thermopiles…

In this podcast episode, Eric and I discuss his new home and his plans for installing central air the Eric-Mele way. Eric's home doesn't have an attic, crawlspace, or basement. So, designing and inst…