It’s About Practice, Not Product

by Matt Douglas December 19, 2011

Air SealingSpray foam is a great air sealing and insulating product. However, it is not the cure-all for builders looking for a tight, well-insulated home. The prevailing thought is that “if I use spray foam, I don’t have to air seal.”

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A Case for Testing Heat Pumps: One Tech Staffer’s Experience

by Matt Douglas July 19, 2011

Heat pumps are one of the many ways to heat and cool your home, but how do you know that the heat pump is operating at the most efficient level?  It’s having a trained professional perform a heat pump commissioning test.

A very brief overview of the heat pump commissioning testing procedures:

  • The air temperature and air pressure of the supply and return ducting are measured and recorded. 
  • Using a TrueFlow plate, the airflow is measured inside the furnace and must pass a minimum airflow rating.  The TrueFlow plate measures the air pressure difference from one side of the plate to the other.  The difference in pressure is then calculated into cubic feet per minute (CFM).  The goal is 350 CFM per 12,000 btu’s of energy.
  • Complete a performance check on the heat pump by connecting refrigerant gauges to the unit and verify the correct amount of refrigerant as per manufacturer specifications. 
  • If everything meets the minimum requirements of the manufacturer, the system passes.
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