Let’s look at five hidden reasons HVAC systems might not keep up when the temperatures get hot, how to test for them, and potential repairs.

Optimizing HVAC systems with new technology can result in a domino effect of benefits. One great example is the HVLS fan, which can boost HVAC system performance, efficiency, and sustainability.

Frost on an evaporator coil will prevent the correct amount of airflow across the coil. Anytime the evaporator coil experiences reduced airflow across its face, there will be a reduced heat load on the coil.

When paired with heat pumps, air handlers are a great all-electric and sustainable option.

Here is the potential problem: A contractor quotes a customer on the compressor replacement, and he agrees to repair the cooler at the quoted price. Then, as the technician is completing the job — or even after he has finished replacing the compressor — he finds out there is another system problem.

Refrigeration systems can become restricted in both their high and low sides for a variety of reasons.

If a condenser coil is dirty or fouled, its ability to reject heat is severely affected.

In Greek mythology, Argus was a son of Zeus. Having the king of the gods up on Mount Olympus for a dad probably raised the bar in terms of expectations. Fortunately, Tecumseh seemed comfortable with that kind of lofty namesake for its biggest launch at this year’s AHR Expo, the ARGUS condensing unit platform.

One of the reasons why Tecumseh regularly exhibits at the AHR Expo is for the increased visibility that it provides in the refrigeration industry.

A look around the world of condensers these days shows three factors driving changes.

Responding to increased public awareness of the importance of healthy indoor air quality, the hospitality industry is stepping up its game when it comes to providing guests with fresher, cleaner, and, sometimes, sanitized indoor air.

A duct system is the part of an HVAC system that most homeowners don’t consider, yet it determines how well their equipment works.

Poorly installed HVAC systems work twice as hard as they should and suffer from a wide variety of invisible health problems.

Even if a system is replaced, if ductwork is undersized, the homeowner won’t be getting the best bang for their buck.

By employing a ventilation strategy such as a DOAS, conditioned fresh air can be brought into the building, thus improving IAQ and ensuring a safer environment.

In the end, it's about airflow control. Unless your solution involves airflow and pressure measurement, you're guessing whether the repair worked.

These new programs and reactivations include occupations such as machinist, HVACR technician, electrician, plumber, cement mason, ironworker, operating engineer, and a new occupation in certified cyber analyst operator.

The new comfort solution reduces energy use by 50 percent by using water more efficiently than the legacy system.

The Inc. 5000 list provides a data-driven look at the most successful companies among the economy’s independent, entrepreneurial businesses.

HVAC software companies Bluon Inc. and Sera Systems Inc. intend to join forces, bringing a new level of modern productivity to the HVAC industry from OEM to distributor to contractor to technician and all the way to the consumer.

Used in new construction and retrofit applications, the product is small, light, and customizable.

This product allows technicians to safely lift, move, and set commercial rooftop a/c units up to 27-ton capacity or 2,500 lbs.

The ACHR NEWS caught up with Johnson Controls’ “Game On” Roadshow at its final stop in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

The Charlotte Mecklenburg School System (CMSS), the 19th largest in the U.S. with a $1.3 billion operating budget, recently decided to take action to identify school system buildings that might be exhibiting air leakage.

While servicing equipment, technicians should be on the lookout for sources of potential future leaks, as well as follow good service practices to prevent creating leaks.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a typical food retail store leaks an estimated 25 percent of refrigerant, or approximately 1,000 pounds, annually.

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) unveiled a new initiative identifying U.S. retailers committed to taking leadership action to reduce HFCs.

When installing or repairing a refrigeration system, technicians should look for opportunities to slightly modify the system (without changing its design) to make it more serviceable.

The Raphael Rooms in the Vatican are universally known as one of the greatest works of art ever created. During a typical summer, temperatures in Rome can soar as high as 104°F. So the decision to install air conditioning in the Raphael Rooms for the first time ever was an easy one.

RDSs are generally required in A2L systems that contain more than 4 pounds of refrigerant and can either be field or factory-installed, depending on the manufacturer.

Based on hygrometer technology, this product identifies deviations from ambient rh levels, which can cause static hazards at manufacturing sites and discomfort in homes and offices.

Heat-only, direct-fired, and indirect-fired makeup air units have been added to the company’s product line. 

While traditional hospital HVAC systems often consist of chillers and boilers, other types of equipment are becoming more widely accepted in the health care market, including variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems, air curtains, and geothermal heat pumps. 

Once only found in mild climates, the technology now stretches across the U.S., thanks to advances in inverter technology and zone controls. On the other hand, the level of sophistication in these systems sometimes makes them difficult to troubleshoot when something goes wrong.

In collaboration with Tropic Supply, Cooper&Hunter has gifted Daytona State College with six complete HVAC systems, considering the donation as a useful investment in the next generation. The on-campus working stations, which include units from Cooper&Hunter’s modern “Sophia Mini-Split Single Zone Series,” will give students hands-on learning opportunities with technology that is becoming increasingly popular in the U.S.

An HVAC solution was the headliner for an event on Feb. 19 at a 121-year-old building in the nation’s capital named after one of America’s greatest composer-musicians. The event at Duke Ellington School of the Arts demonstrated how stepping beyond traditional non-inverter HVAC systems can preserve a building’s historical architecture, enhance energy efficiencies, minimize noise, and earn design-award accolades.

Many of Fujitsu General America’s Halcyon mini-split system products now qualify for Energy Star Most Efficient certification.

As the federal government plans millions in grant funding to boost heat-pump manufacturing in the U.S., a big player in the market as well as a newcomer are thrilled with the opportunity.

Musk confirmed that his company could make use of their current heat pump technology to develop a smart HVAC system for home use.

Combining advanced automation and data analytics, Outcome Based Service enables Honeywell service engineers to assess and scrutinize building assets around the clock, promoting the identification of anomalies and misconfigurations.

Every year, The NEWS introduces the latest cooling equipment available for the upcoming summer season in order to help contractors prepare for this busy period by doing the research that will help them to distinguish between brands. The coverage features specific information about each individual product as submitted by the manufacturers.

Each year, The NEWS spotlights the industry’s latest commercial heating products. The manufacturers provided us with a brief description of features included with each product.

This handheld device displays CO, CO₂, air temperature, rh, dew point, and wet bulb temperature measurements.

Designed for HVAC and refrigeration professionals to view electrical and temperature readings, this product logs data remotely using the ExView® W-Series app on smartphones and tablets via Bluetooth.

HVAC has a critical role to play in the future of building automation and digitalization.

Small- to medium-sized buildings make up about 94% of all commercial buildings in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, yet only 13% of those buildings have a building automation system.

IEC Systems is a provider of turnkey proprietary and nonproprietary building automation systems (BASs) and a Distech Controls authorized system integrator.

For more HVAC contractors to sell zoning systems, they have to understand the benefits, challenges, know how to approach customers to even be able to sell it, and then comes the install.

Customers looking for increased value out of their HVAC systems will find high-end features like connectivity, greater efficiency, and more intuitive controls attractive.

This new private-public partnership wants to quadruple heat pump installation in California over the next 6 years.