Save up to 15 percent on electricity costs with these simple preventive maintenance tips for cooling tower. Routine maintenance also helps to conserve water and extend the operating life of cooling equipment.

Bob and Tim were getting set up to clean the condenser tubes in a chiller. They were doing this job at night during overtime hours because they discovered the problem earlier that afternoon and the customer said the chiller needed to be able to operate at full capacity tomorrow for a conference.

This month’s troubleshooting situation involves an air-to-air package unit heat pump that is approximately six years old, and the customer’s complaint is that, rather than providing cooling, it’s just blowing warm air.

Bob and Tim were on their way to a no cooling call at an office building with a 100-ton water-cooled chiller. As always, management was in a hurry to get the problem solved because the tenants were hot.

PVC is hailed as a wonder material, and in many ways it is. However, the possibilities are not endless. PVC has its limits, especially in HVAC applications. PVC sometimes makes sense for heating and cooling applications — other times, it doesn’t.

Alpine Mechanical Services has announced the completion and results of a collaborative energy efficiency study on rooftop units conducted by Alpine Mechanical, Siemens Industry, and Nexant. The study tested the efficacy of HVAC preventative maintenance best practices in a retail environment.

Bob and Tim were on their way to a no cooling call. The spring season was still cool at night and warm in the daytime. The customer told the dispatcher, “The unit started up at about 10:30 a.m. this morning and made a noise, but did not cool the house, even though it is still running.”

In this month’s troubleshooting situation, our customer’s description of the problem is “not cooling” and “blowing warm air,” and the equipment that is supposed to keep this residence comfortable is a split system that has been in service for 16 years.

Bob and Tim were on their way to a no cooling call, their first of the season, when Tim asked, “Wonder why we would have a no cooling call this time of year? It is only 75°F during the day and 40° at night.”

For the HVACR technician, the right tool for soldering and brazing pipe — an air-fuel or oxy-fuel torch — depends on the type and diameter of the pipe, its location, and considerations related to cost, safety, convenience, and ease of use. This article will examine those factors, as well as clarify some technical issues.