Various products exist to assist a worker at the jobsite. They make work faster, more efficient, and, in some cases, safer. This article describes a few products that can help a technician get the job done.

Thermography uses an infrared camera (thermal imager) to capture two-dimensional representations of the surface temperatures of parts of buildings. Often, those images reveal temperatures or temperature differences that indicate conditions contributing to the waste of heated or cooled air and, as a result, needlessly excessive energy costs.

Every environmentally conscious service technician should spend time learning how to check for refrigerant leaks in refrigeration and/or air conditioning systems. Ozone depletion, global warming, and the increasing price of refrigerants are forcing technicians to become better and more thorough leak detectors.

There is no reason to ever put gauges on an air conditioning or refrigeration system after the initial installation unless a problem with the mechanical refrigeration circuit is suspected. The refrigerant charge can be accurately checked using a thermometer and manufacturer's charging chart.

There are four main components of the refrigeration cycle. Do you know what they are and how a metering device works with those components?