HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs

Matthew and Nick Wavra join the podcast to discuss everything that goes into job estimation in commercial HVAC. Nick has a lot of fieldwork and project management experience, and Matthew has marketing, software, and sales experience, which helps bring in and retain clients. Commercial estimation begins when a mechanical contractor asks for a bid on a job. The estimators go through the spec books, bidding documents, and any addendums to come up with takeoffs and a price. The estimator seeks approval from manufacturers to build the materials, and they use software to come up with an estimate. The pricing updates weekly to stay current and accurate in an economy that's currently facing inflation. Estimators develop takeoffs for materials and labor; each material has some sort of labor attached to it, though the labor estimates may need to be adjusted as conditions change. Commercial contractors may make mistakes when they miss equipment or elevation considerations (when estimating labor). On-screen takeoff options significantly reduce the risk of creating mistakes, so it may be unwise for contractors to do takeoffs by hand instead of using software to help. Matthew, Nick, and Bryan also discuss: Sheet metal price increases Software vs. man-made takeoffs DX piping vs. chilled water boilers Estimation in HVAC vs. refrigeration CRM (customer relationship management) Developing a commercial HVAC estimation training course Finding a niche in the HVAC estimation business Look for Nick and Matthew at the AHR Expo 2022 in Las Vegas! They will be at booth N9142 in North Hall. Learn more about Matthew and Nick's business by visiting hvacestimation.com/ or by calling Nick directly at (238)-900-6330. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

In this short podcast episode, Bryan goes over the basic gas furnace sequence of operations. There are a few variations, but the sequence of operations tends to stay consistent across most furnace types. First, a W call from the thermostat calls for heat. The circuit board will then assess the safeties to see if it can bring on the heat without causing flame rollout or other dangerous conditions. If the safety switches are all closed, then the furnace can bring on the heat. However, in some cases, the induced draft motor may come on first in some 80% furnaces. There needs to be a small negative pressure in the induced draft motor housing. To confirm that we have that pressure, a pressure switch will close under the right conditions. Then, ignition begins. In most cases, we use intermittent-spark ignition (ISI) or hot-surface ignition (HSI). It takes some time for these methods to light the pilot, which then lights the main burner. After that, the gas valve opens to fuel the burner. On an ISI system, that's about it until the blower comes on. However, once the main burner opens on an HSI system, a flame sensing rod can verify if you have a flame on that burner. There is a blower delay that prevents the blower from coming on and blowing a bunch of air that hasn't yet been heated. After that, the blower delay ends, and the blower comes on. Then, the furnace shuts off when the W call ends. Then the blower continues running for a little bit before turning off. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

Trevor Matthews, the founder of Refrigeration Mentor, returns to the podcast to talk about starting up an internal training program for an HVAC/R company. In some cases, the best lead technicians don't want to be head trainers if the responsibility is forced upon them. However, when there is a solid training plan in place, those senior technicians might actually find the task enjoyable. The first step to starting a training program is to ask the apprentices and technicians where their skills are at and how they want to develop their skills. That way, you can map out a program that works for the technician and figure out how to make time for thorough training. When you grow people within your company, you'll likely see more success than when you outsource training. It takes longer to develop the relevant skills in outsourced people; so, when you develop a solid internal training program, you can sustain it with the people who pioneered it. We also need to focus on evaluation in training. When we assess our techs' skills, we add accountability to our training programs. However, it takes time for techs to grow from a training program, and we need to make sure we're rewarding progress. Training also works best as a team approach. When we look at the techs' strengths, we can diversify the training program and make sure that several skill bases are covered. Trevor and Bryan also discuss: Common excuses to avoid training Motivated trainers and technicians Labor shortage and skills gap Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning preferences Prevention-based training Managerial involvement in training Learn more about Refrigeration Mentor at https://refrigerationmentor.com/. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

In this short podcast, Bryan explains the basics of flame sensing, also known as flame rectification. Flame sensing/rectification is a form of proving flame. When you can't prove flame, your furnace might be dumping unspent gas into the heat exchanger, which can cause an explosion. Flame sensing rods are common in hot-surface (HSI) and intermittent-spark (ISI) ignition. These rods stick out into the flame and connect to the furnace board. The flame creates a path between the rod and ground, which allows a very small current to flow to the board. Without a flame, there is voltage but no path, so the board can't sense a current and will shut the gas valve off to try again. Sensing rods can fail when they short out due to a cracked insulator, are physically broken, aren't placed in the flame, or get covered in silica or carbon. If the furnace or burner assembly isn't properly grounded, then the flame sensor also won't work. Flame sensing rods are often confused with thermopiles or thermocouples; the latter devices generate voltage and have a coating that can rub off with improper cleaning. Flame sensing rods don't have either of these features, so you can clean these by any means necessary (without breaking them or creating grooves or pits). To test a flame sensing rod, begin by making sure the furnace is properly grounded. Then, make sure the rod is in the right spot and that the burner assembly is in good order. Get a microamp meter (with a resolution that reads tenths of microamps). Then, connect your leads in series with the flame rod. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

This podcast episode is a throwback to one of Bryan's first small business podcasts. In this old episode, Australian electrician and businessman Joshua Nicholls explains how he built a business by focusing on customer experience and branding. Bryan grew Kalos similarly, so they talk about the journey of going from "man-in-a-van" businesses to larger businesses with several employees. Joshua wanted to bring old-school manners and integrity to the business world, and that's how he branded his business. The focus on customer service over marketing earned the customers' respect, and customers were happy to remain loyal to the business and recommend it to friends. The repeat business and referrals allow you to maintain a client base AND grow it without spending too much money on advertising. Eventually, the business grew big enough to require Joshua to change some of his internal processes. He needed to understand when to bring external help into the business, whether those helpers were financial advisors or mentors. Joshua reached a point where he got bored with his business, so he went to a conference in New Zealand and decided to start franchising the business. The business worked without him, and he decided to give a chance for young entrepreneurs to share in his business's success and spread his business all over the country. Joshua and Bryan also discuss: Joshua's origin story Authenticity in business What to do after the growth boom Profitability vs. work-life balance Turning customers into raving fans Scheduling appointments in a service business Knowing your numbers in business finance The "One Van, One Child" initiative If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

In this short podcast episode, Bryan covers the differences between defrost termination and failsafe. He also covers the basics of defrost in refrigeration applications. In medium-temp applications (also called coolers), the box stays above freezing temperatures, but the coil may drop below freezing. When the air is above freezing, we can use off-cycle defrost. The coil defrosts when the system naturally cycles off. We may also use timed defrost, which pumps down or cycles the compressor off at set times to force a defrost cycle. In low-temperature applications, the box will typically be below freezing. We may use electric heat to melt ice off the evaporator coil, and the fan stays off; this method is usually accompanied by a pump-down to remove refrigerant from the coil. We may also use hot gas defrost, which pumps discharge gas through the coil to melt the ice off it. (Kool gas may use a warm fluid instead of hot gas.) We want to stop the defrost as soon as the coil is ice-free; we don't want to keep adding heat when we don't need to melt anything. A defrost thermostat detects when the coil is free of ice and terminates the defrost when the temperature reaches around 55 degrees Fahrenheit; this is called defrost termination. We rely on a failsafe to terminate the defrost in case the defrost termination fails; the failsafe is the maximum amount of time a system is allowed to remain in defrost. Demand defrost uses time and temperature to tell the controls when to put the system into defrost; this method uses trend analysis and sensors to force the system into defrost at set times and intervals. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

This podcast episode is a throwback to one of Bryan's first podcasts about small businesses. Cesar Abeid, former VP of construction camera company Remontech, joined this podcast to discuss the basics of project management and a book that can help you step into that side of the business. Project management is a framework or set of tools to turn an idea into reality. Projects have a beginning and end to create something new, and project management is how we get from the beginning to the end while factoring in schedules and a budget. In essence, project management is a system. Effective project management requires a business to create processes and procedures for its services. For example, Remontech needs to plan the actual camera installation, but the company also has a bunch of internal processes to set up servers for recording. The key to project management is to remember what must be done and assign tasks to people as needed. One of the issues Cesar saw with project management books was the dryness and corporate nature of their language. As a project manager, Cesar used stories from his life to make his book more relatable and accessible to small business owners. Cesar and Bryan also discuss: Contractor-client communication External vs. internal processes Cesar's book: Project Management for You Cesar's preferred leisure activities Wasting time or learning? Purchase Cesar's book or learn more at https://pmforthemasses.com/product/project-management-for-you-bundle-1/. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

Bryan discusses impostor syndrome, what it is, and how it may actually be useful for us. When we feel that we're frauds and that others wouldn't like to be led by us if they knew how much we don't know, we're experiencing impostor syndrome. Contrary to what others might believe, impostor syndrome isn't all that bad and may even be necessary for a healthy self-image. On the other side, we have the Dunning-Kruger effect, which is when people are confident in the things they have very little actual knowledge of. They think they're experts and close themselves off to other sources of knowledge. On the other side of the Dunning-Kruger effect spectrum, true experts are acutely aware of what they still don't know. We would be wise to know what the edges of our knowledge are and give others a chance to share their expertise when we reach those limits. When people learn more about a subject, they become much more aware of what they don't know. Wisdom comes from knowing what you don't know. However, if you feel that feeling of inferiority, you can still share the knowledge you have while seeking feedback and deferring to others who know more than you. (That's especially true of Bryan, who has a summary knowledge of industrial refrigeration and defers to others who know more about it.) In the end, we're seeking authenticity and self-awareness. Rather than avoiding impostor syndrome, we can embrace it and understand how it can lead to self-awareness, wisdom, and especially self-improvement. "Fake it till you make it" can only help you up to a certain point. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

Amrit Robbins of Axiom comes on the podcast to discuss how we can use data science to transform grocery and cold storage. Axiom Cloud uses cloud analytics and AI to map data and analyze trends on refrigeration racks. It can be particularly useful to keep track of readings all the time because it's impractical to rely on a human to take and record readings 24/7. Grocery stores are unique because they have so much product at stake and are relatively inflexible in their usage of energy. If something goes wrong on a rack, thousands of dollars worth of products may be lost. If we could collect and review data at our fingertips, we could spot potential problems before the store loses money. These systems may also have alarms for case temperature problems, floodback conditions, and even some less immediate issues, such as a lack of floating suction. Axiom Cloud also monitors when systems go into defrost, so you can assess the cycles of case groups and figure out if they correspond to any issues. When you have data collection, you're not relying on a "virtual technician" to automate HVAC work. Instead, data science can empower HVAC technicians and help them do their jobs more efficiently so that they can respond to issues before they become emergencies and serve customers better. After all, computer-based systems can't repair or clean units! Amrit and Bryan also discuss: Generating value on behalf of the customer Compressor failures Technician labor shortage Creating sustainable working hours Developing more flexible energy usage Monitoring temperature rise across cases Thermal banking Preparing for data analytics to come to the industry Learn more at axiomcloud.ai. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

In this short podcast, Bryan goes over the basics of superheat and explains why it matters to us. Superheat is the temperature increase above a substance's saturation temperature or boiling point. When a substance is superheated, that means it is 100% vapor; there is no liquid at all. We can look at our superheat to determine how much refrigerant is feeding our evaporator coil. A lower superheat indicates that our evaporator is more full of refrigerant than a high superheat, meaning that the refrigerant is feeding the evaporator coil well. Generally, a lower superheat value will be more efficient, but if the superheat gets too low, we can get liquid in the suction line and compressor. An evaporator can maintain roughly the same temperature throughout the bulk of the coil because the temperature stays the same during a phase change. As the refrigerant boils off from its liquid state, it remains at the boiling point. You generally want to see no less than 6 degrees of superheat, especially at the compressor. Zero superheat indicates that you have some liquid refrigerant (or that the system is off). Superheat can get tricky when we use refrigerant blends with glide. The different refrigerants in a blend have different boiling points, so the evaporator temperature can drift up. When determining the superheat of blends, we use the dew point to calculate the superheat (and bubble point for subcooling). We get superheat in the evaporator (suction line at the evaporator outlet) and the compressor (suction line at the compressor inlet). The latter will be higher because some sensible heat will be absorbed in the suction line. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.