Duct dynasty - Articles - Page 11

Accurately performing a duct traverse requires confidence, practice, and patience

Duct Dynasty: What Baseball Teaches Us About System Performance Testing

The sport shows us there is a repeatable method to achieve success

May 23, 2016

The transition from winter to spring brings with it one of my favorite sports — baseball. Baseball is one of those games where memories are made and life lessons are learned. In the HVAC profession, we can learn a valuable lesson relating to HVAC system performance testing from the game of baseball.

Airflow upgrades give reputable contractors an opportunity to profitably repair duct systems that we all often joke about.

Duct Dynasty: Differentiate Your Company with Airflow Upgrades

Offer comfort your competitors only wish they could provide

David Richardson

April 4, 2016

With duct systems gaining more public attention than ever before, why not capitalize on this growing opportunity? Let’s take a look at airflow upgrades and how they might fit into your company.

Duct Dynasty: Confronting Restrictive Air Filters

Measure and calculate the proper size and then verify the design

David Richardson

March 28, 2016

Measuring the pressure drop over an air filter reveals valuable clues to its influence on a system. This simple test will help a tech determine whether the filter is adequate for the system it is installed in.

An air-balancing hood taught me there was much more to a duct system than design assumptions and neatness.

Duct Dynasty: Lessons from an Air-balancing Hood

Test and confirm your designs are meeting your expectations

David Richardson

February 29, 2016

If you have questions about your installs, don’t ignore them. Questions lead you down a better path, and opportunity often disguises itself in the form of adversity. The day you’re getting beat up the worst may be the lesson that prepares you for something far better.

Pressure reading locations will vary from a gas furnace to an air handler. Many air handlers include the pressure drop of the internal coil in the total external static pressure rating.

Duct Dynasty: Four Essential Static Pressure Readings for Diagnostics

Troubleshooting common HVAC system pressure problems

David Richardson

January 25, 2016

Diagnosing airflow problems in an HVAC system can be a frustrating and intimidating task. When airflow problems arise without a defined troubleshooting approach, you’ll likely end up guessing at the cause. Real airflow troubleshooting begins with hunting down static pressure problems.

Duct Dynasty: Taking the Guesswork Out of Fan Speed Settings

The arithmetic behind proper heating and cooling fan speeds

David Richardson

December 21, 2015

Guesswork often leads to customer complaints, poor system performance, and frustrating callbacks that can be avoided with a little bit of upfront planning, preparation, and testing. Let’s look at how to set fan airflow based on the needs of the equipment in both cooling and heating mode.

Duct Dynasty: When Diagnosing Comfort Problems, Look at the Big Picture

If you’re not measuring, you’re guessing

David Richardson

November 30, 2015

Start testing the right way and make sure you have a complete list of possibilities. Otherwise, you’re guessing at the solution and possibly creating more problems. Remember: if you don’t measure, you’re guessing.

Duct Dynasty: The Ghost in the Duct System

A festive look at the HVAC horror stories plaguing your customers’ homes

David Richardson

October 26, 2015

Since Halloween is right around the corner, I thought it would be a perfect time to take a look at some of the ghosts in duct systems that are often tracked down by progressive HVAC companies. Some of these issues are directly caused by the duct system itself while others are an indirect result of its influence.

Duct Dynasty: The Problem with Open Filter Racks

Ensure airflow efficiently remains on the designated path

David Richardson

September 28, 2015

As common as this installation method is, it has some unintended consequences that can plague the safe and efficient operation of an HVAC system. Let’s look at why open filter racks can be a problem and the issues they might be creating in the systems you install, maintain, and service.

Duct Dynasty: 6-inch Ducts Don’t Always Deliver 100 cfm

The time has come to evolve beyond antiquated rules of thumb

David Richardson

August 17, 2015

How do you help someone understand that the duct design methods they’ve used for years might not be working like they assume? How can you help them understand a 6-inch duct might not always deliver 100 cfm?