NCI Article Library

High-Performance HVAC Resources

Current Article Library Category: Air Conditioning

How to Select a Spill Switch

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

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

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 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...

How to Measure Commercial System Efficiency

How to Measure Commercial System Efficiency by Rob "Doc" Falke, President, National Comfort Institute It’s just not fair. Some contractors have a distinct advantage in the marketplace over their competitors; they ruthlessly and knowingly measure the live operating...

How to Maintain Your Combustion Analyzer

The primary goal of combustion testing is to take readings you can trust so you can evaluate the operating condition of the combustion appliance. In order to take readings you can trust you have to be sure your combustion analyzer remains in tip-top shape. The...

How to Interpret Fan Performance Data

One test essential to successful CoolMaxx™ service reporting is interpreting fan airflow from the manufacturer's fan data after you measure total external static pressure. As with most HVAC system diagnostic testing, it takes more than textbook learning to become an...

How to Implement CoolMaxx for Maxximum Success

Since the heat has settled over most of the country we have had an increasing number of calls reporting a wide range of methods of implementing the CoolMaxx report. While many of the variations are interesting, after a discussion of how we intended CoolMaxx to be...

How to Hire and Train Duct Renovators

Duct renovators can be entry-level employees that don't have any previous HVAC experience. What's needed are a fair driving record, a clean drug test, physical ability, good people skills and the ability to learn and follow instructions. As you consider making this...