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Bob and Tim were on their way to a service call where the customer is complaining about a high power bill. She said the heat pump that they use for their heat is running all the time and their power bill is really high.

In this troubleshooting situation you’ve been called to a restaurant to check an ice machine that, according to the customer, “isn’t working like it should.” You find that you’re dealing with a 240-volt, single-phase machine that has a remote condenser, and it also employs a small air compressor to provide air to assist in freeing the cubes.

Bob and Tim were doing a routine seasonal service call on a high-efficiency furnace. Tim asked, “Why were the older furnaces so inefficient compared to the more modern furnaces?”

Concerns related to soldering copper tube and the new no-lead copper alloys led the Copper Development Association (CDA) to conduct laboratory research and testing out in the field. The CDA found that, in many cases, those working with the new no-lead copper alloys were using the incorrect soldering procedure.

Bob and Tim were on their way to do routine annual service on a customer’s gas furnace and humidifier. Tim asked, “What are the things that we should look for that may cause problems on a gas furnace?”

Your troubleshooting problem involves a 3-ton split system, and the complaint is that in a high outdoor ambient situation, the unit is unable to obtain the necessary comfort level in the 1,200-square-foot building it is supposed to cool. And, this unit has a history.

Bob and Tim were at the shop after a day of service calls. The weather was still hot, 93°F, and Bob said, “We just did a service call with a system that was overcharged and had an orifice expansion device. I would like to go into further details with you on a system with a thermostatic expansion valve (TXV) for an expansion device.”

Homeowners want ways to save energy and cut costs. HVAC contractors are looking for new business opportunities. And technologies like thermal imaging enable you to see and do more than ever before. Why not bring customer needs, technology, and your skills together by offering home energy audit services? Here’s how.

Bob and Tim were on their way to a service call with a new customer. When they got to the job, the customer explained, "The unit was not cooling and I had a company come out for a service call. The unit seemed to work OK last week when it was a little cooler outside, but this week it has warmed up and the unit is not functioning as well."

Your troubleshooting situation involves a standard natural gas, induced draft, hot surface ignition system furnace. This is a new installation that has been accomplished in anticipation of the upcoming heating season, and the problem is that during the initial start-up the unit did not perform properly.