Last month we brought you a red tag label that you can attach to an appliance when you disable it due to a safety hazard. This month we bring you its cousin, a yellow tag that is to be attached to equipment when you have made modifications or repairs to improve the...
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How to Use Air Density Correction Factors
Air density correction factors have been a part of our air balancing curriculum since the early 1990's. NCI published a small table years ago and encouraged you to make corrections for air density when measuring airflow at higher altitudes. But the accuracy you are...
How to Size a New Fan Belt
When you spin an adjustable pulley and increase its diameter to squeeze a little more air out of a belt-drive fan, there are times you'll find the old belt no longer fits. The first fix is to loosen the bolts on the motor mount and slide the motor as close to the fan...
How to Select Your First Water Balancing Gauge
by National Comfort Institute, Inc.
When it's time to take your first try at measuring the performance of a hydronic system, you might want to begin with some starter instruments. A hydro- manometer like the big boys use normally costs over $3000.00 each. Although well worth it, you may not want to part...
How to Select a Spill Switch
by Jim Davis
Spill switches provide additional safety whenever barometric dampers have been installed on equipment by sensing heat that may spill from the flue. If the flue becomes blocked, or if the negative pressure in the room causes the chimney to back draft and begin...
PK Wadsworth, Solon, OH
by Jim Davis
Paul Wadsworth calls himself the Business Leader of the PK Wadsworth Heating and Cooling Company of Solon, Ohio. The title Business Leader in place of President or CEO was chosen to typify his planned approach to business, as compared to the reactive approach found in...
How to Redesign an HVAC System – Part I
We've looked, but can't find it. There are mountains of information about how to design a new HVAC system, but nothing much that addresses how to redesign an HVAC system. It would take hundreds of pages to completely detail the process, but let's take a stab at the...
How to Red Tag a Defective System
by Jim Davis
How to Red Tag a Defective System When following National Comfort Institute Carbon Monoxide and Combustion Efficiency Protocols and procedures there is a chance a dangerous or potentially dangerous condition will be uncovered. If this happens, there are times when...
How to Plot Fan Airflow
How to Plot Fan Airflow by Rob Falke To be well prepared for this new level of diagnostics, begin collecting copies of the fan data found in most installation instructions for the equipment your company installs and services. The most important diagnostic truth about...
How to Measure Economizer AirFlow and BTUs
Measuring airflow and BTU's through an economizer can be a challenging task. Many have walked away from economizers shaking their heads without the confidence they have taken good readings. The goal of this article, and the related report and procedure, is to give you...