< Previous20 JANUARY 2018HIGH PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYOne consistent obstacle we face at DiFilippo’s Service Company is two-story homes built above short basements. Many were originally designed for heating, not cooling. We also encounter short basements where larger, more efficient equipment is converted to fit into tight, finished spaces. And to top things off, many houses have upper floors where we cannot add ductwork. These situations present challenges that require creativity to resolve.There will be times when a house beats you and you can’t do much. In those cases, we don’t give up because you can make significant improve-ments at or near the equipment. In our market place, we run into a lot of issues associated with return ducts, or lack of them. In this article, I’ll focus on three ways DiFilippo’s solves return obstacles in basements. ENLARGE THE RETURN DROP The number one return upgrade we perform is to increase the return drop size. Most return drops we encounter are drastically undersized. When we enlarge these ducts, we also add turning vanes to the elbows to allow for smooth airflow. There are many systems in our area with five-ton blowers and one return drop. The equipment can’t function properly and is often choked at the inlet. Typically, these systems run at very high total exter-Ways to Solve Return Duct ObstaclesBy Vince DiFilippoTECHNICALFigure 1: Enlarge the Return Drop.WHEN A HOUSE “BEATS” YOU, DON’T GIVE UP. YOU CAN STILL MAKE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS AT OR NEAR THE EQUIPMENT.JANUARY 2018 21HVACTODAY.COMes, we look for alternative ways to get additional return to the system. Some house layouts are easy to add a floor return in an open area , others require more creativity:In the system shown in Figure 5, we encountered tight access and had to add a return grille to the toe kick of the stairs. The homeowner’s den had no return and couldn’t recirculate air from the room as needed. If you add a return duct, be sure air isn’t pulled from an area with natural draft gas-fired equipment in it. You could create a dangerous situation and a potential for CO poisoning.size of the return trunk to the equip-ment. Having a properly-sized return drop is useless if return air can’t make it back from the return grilles to the equipment.On the system depicted in Figure 3, there was no chance for return air to make it back to the equipment. We had no choice but to completely redo the return trunk with one that could handle the right amount of airflow. Depending on the style of the house, a complete redo of the return trunk might not be needed. In some in-stances, we only need to replace a few sections of duct.To maintain headroom, Figure 4 shows how we made the return trunk wider so it would not fall below the beam. Airflow through the return grilles increased and return duct pressure dropped substantially once this upgrade was finished.ADD RETURN DUCTSThere will be times when even a properly-sized return drop and trunk won’t deliver needed air. In those cas-nal static pressures (TESP) and low fan airflow. Following are some typical ex-amples we’ve encountered and what we did to fix them.In Figure 1, note that this five-ton system was originally installed with a single return drop in one side. The TESP was excessive and fan airflow was low. Our team added a second proper-ly-sized return drop and filter to reduce static pressure and increase airflow. We were lucky to have the room to add that second return drop and addition-al return ducts. Some basements aren’t that open and options are limited.In Figure 2, we encountered a home that limited the options we could offer. The five-ton system was installed with a single return drop tied into the right side of the furnace. To correct the static pressure and airflow issues, we lifted the furnace and brought in a properly-sized return drop to its side and bottom.INCREASE RETURN TRUNK DUCT SIZEThe second most common return upgrade we perform is increasing the Figure 2: Second Example of Enlarging the Return Drop.Figure 3: Increase Return Duct Size - Before.Figure 4: Increase Return Duct Size - After.Figure 5: Step Down Return Grill.22 JANUARY 2018HIGH PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYDON’T FORGETWhile this is a look at one of the most common things we see, don’t forget the supply side of the system. We see a lot of supply problems and repairs are often necessary on the air delivery sys-tem and not the equipment. Be sure to look at the entire system. How do you handle these challeng-es and guarantee a customer’s comfort? We’d love to hear some of your creative solutions. Please drop us a note at ContactUs@HVACToday.com. TECHNICALMeet Vince DiFilippo at NCI Summit 2018High Performance HVAC Summit 2018 is happening March 4-6 in Austin, TX. Vince DiFilippo is one of six Performance-Based Contractors™ presenting how they Blaze A Trail to High Performance. DiFilippo, who is president of Di-Filippo’s Service Company in Paoli, PA, will share how his com-pany makes money doing Productive and Profitable Duct Renovations. He will walk you through several case studies and guide you through where to start, how to identify what you may need, and why your perception about how to solve airflow issues might need to change.Come meet Vince and network with your peers in Austin. Learn more about the Summit 2018 program at GoToSum-mit.com.JOIN US FOR SUMMIT, STAY FOR SOUTH-BY-SOUTHWEST MUSIC FEST: Summit 2018 offers you and your team the opportunity to not only hear from some of the Performance-Based HVAC Industry’s finest, but also a chance to network with like-minded contractors from across the nation.Take advantage of Early Bird pricing by registering today. Questions? No problem. Call 800-633-1850 and talk to your customer care representative.After Summit ends, stick around for our Post Show Training classes and then head into downtown Austin for one of the world’s best music festivals, South by Southwest. Click here for details.Vince DiFilippo is the president of DiFilippo’s Service Co., an HVAC contracting firm head- quartered in Paoli, PA. JANUARY 2018 23HVACTODAY.COM2017 HVAC Photo of the YearNational Comfort Institute, Inc. and High Performance HVAC Today magazine are pleased to announce the 2017 HVAC Photo of the Year! The grand prize image was selected from the nine monthly winners as voted on by the visitors to the HVACToday.com website throughout 2017.Besides being featured on HVACToday.com (the digital edition and the web-site), and on PerformanceTalk, the Photo of the Year Winner receives the Grand Prize -- a free registration to National Comfort Institute’s High Performance Summit (Up to $795 in value), in Austin, TX, March 4-6, 2018.THE FIRST ANNUAL WINNER IS:Ryan Smith, Benchmark Air Conditioning, Bakersfield, CA.Ryan’s entry appeared in the July 2017 issue of the High Performance HVAC Newsletter and was titled, “But They Were Cheaper.”Congratulations, Ryan! See you in Austin in March.*Airfare and hotel are NOT covered by this award. Coverage is for Full registration to Summit only.PHOTO OF THE YEAR WINNER24 JANUARY 2018HIGH PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYNCI MEMBER UPDATECOME TO THE NCI HIGH PERFORMANCE HVAC SUMMIT FOR THE EDUCATION AND NETWORKING, THEN STAY FOR THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FESTIVAL AND THE MUSIC. Blaze your trail to high performance in Texas at the 2018 High Performance Summit. This action-packed event will be here before you know it. Join us in Austin, March 4-6, 2018 and learn from your fellow contractors how they are making Performance-Based Contract-ing™ work in their businesses.Early Bird Savings Plus A BONUS: You can still save $100 in Early Bird Sav-ings off each full Summit registration, but those savings end on January 15th.Furthermore, as a National Comfort In-stitute member you’ll earn 5% NCI bucks and members with the Learning Excel-lence subscription earn 15% NCI Bucks for all Summit Week events.Just point your web browser to Go ToSummit.com to learn more and reg-ister. Or call 800-633-7058.Who Are This Year’s Speakers? This year, every session is being led by Performance-Based Contractors. All of these contractors are in dif-ferent stages of mak-ing Performance-Based Contracting part of their culture and daily approach to customers. It doesn’t matter if you are just starting out on your Trail to Perfor-mance, or are well into it. These leaders will share their stories, and provide tools that will help inspire and fire you up.Go to the Summit website to read about who they are. But Wait: There is More! Looking for more detail on what the Summit top-ics are all about? Visit NCI’s new maga-zine website, High Performance HVAC Today, and check out the articles from the December 2017 issue by two of our speakers: • Kevin Walsh of Schaafsma: From Tradesman to Craftsman: How Our Company Made the Leap• Tom Johnson of TM Johnson Broth-ers: My Journey to Becoming the Local CO Evangelist.Walsh provides insight into his think-ing as to why Performance-Based Contracting was good for his company, and then shares his experience in mak-ing it happen. Johnson talks about the influence of proper training in the art of combustion analy-sis and how that led his team to actually become experts in finding and solving core combustion issues that could lead to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.Still More to Come. We will be publishing additional articles by the speakers on their Summit topics in the very near future. In fact, the January 2018 issue of the magazine will feature articles by speakers Eric Johnson, AC by Jay, on selling high performance, as well as one by Vince DiFilippo, DiFilippo’s Ser-vice, on solving duct obstacles. And Even More. This year’s Sum-mit happens directly before the famous South by Southwest music festival. So, come to Summit for the education and networking, and stay for South by South-west and the music. DID YOU KNOW?Did you know that as a National Com-fort Institute, Inc. member you can earn even more NCI Bucks through the Train-ing Incentive Partner Program (or TIPP for short). TIPP allows you to earn in-centives based on your purchases of equipment, products, and service from our vendor partners that can be used to help pay for your NCI training.All existing NCI members are eligible to participate in TIPP. If you choose to do so, an individual training account is set up for you and our industry partners will begin depositing NCI Bucks into it based on your purchases. These bucks can be used to pay for any live NCI train-ing class, any online training, as well as any NCI conference.This is a tremendous benefit. NCI training bucks never expire. They carry over from year to year with no penal-ties or loss in value. Furthermore, they are not taxable, so you save money over traditional rebate programs.Learn more about all of the TIPP fea-tures and benefits by clicking here. And if you haven’t done so, sign up for it today. Just call Nick Guarino at 800/633-7058 or email him today at nickg@nci-hvac.com and he will help to get you all set up.Register Now for NCI’s High Performance Summit 2018JANUARY 2018 25HVACTODAY.COMAdvertiser IndexHIGH PERFORMANCEHVAC TODAY TMAD INDEXArzel Zoning Technology, Inc. | www.arzelzoning.com ............................................................5 Commercials On Hold | www.commecialsonhold.com ..........................................................23Jackson Systems | www.jacksonsystems.com............................................................................11Lazco Corp. | www.lazcocorp.com..................................................................................................17R.E. Michel Company | www.remichel.com ...................................................................................2Sawin Service Automation, Inc. | www.sawinpro.com ............................................................13Spacepak | www.spacepak.com ......................................................................................................25To Subscribe to High-Performance HVAC Today:ONLINE: Visit HVACToday.com/subscribe for a FREE digital subscription.PRINT: 1 year/$72; single copy $7. Canada: 1 year/$92; single copy $9. Payable in advance with U.S. funds. Prepaid subscriptions may be sent to: High-Performance HVAC Today, PO Box 147, Avon Lake, OH 44012. Phone: 440-949-1850; toll free 800-633-7058; FAX 440-949-1851, or visit HVACToday.com/subscribe.PublisherDominick GuarinoEditor-in-ChiefMike WeilArt DirectorConnie ConklinOnline Development DirectorBrian RosemanSales ManagerDave KenneyCirculation ManagerAndrea Begany- GarsedEditorial AssistantMarge SmithEmail us at contactus@hvactoday.com with your comments and questions.26 JANUARY 2018HIGH PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYbusiness, away from distractions, away from the hustle and bustle of working in your business. 4. Take in all six workshops led by your peers who are implementing Air Upgrades and more. Breakout sessions are structured so you can attend every workshop and not miss a thing.5. Attend our three-part Idea Meeting where you can share and get great implemen-tation ideas in three categories from hundreds of your peers. You’ll also have a chance to win a cash prize if your idea is voted one of the best.6. Spend quality time with NCI’s industry partners in our intimate trade show. Learn about their products and services. Dis-cuss how they can help support your performance-based business.7. Network with your fellow contractors during formal events and after-wards. Wherever you are along your journey, take advantage of this neutral ground where you can share your hopes, dreams, and plans with con-tractors just like you.8. Take the opportuity to assess your progress as you implement High Performance in your company. Put together an action plan to hit the ground running when you get back home.9. Attend the Awards Banquet and help us recognize and celebrate this year’s winners. Meet some of the best of the best at these closing fes-tivities. Who knows? You may be nominated for an award yourself!10. Stay for South-By-Southwest (SXSW), one of the country’s premier arts conference, mu-sic, comedy, and film festival starting March 9, following our post-conference training.With so many great reasons to make Summit 2018 your destination this March, don’t wait until it’s too late! Register today for this epic event. Have a fantastic 2018! March is quickly approaching, and NCI’s 2018 Summit is right around the corner. Whether you’re an NCI member or not, this year’s Summit is one you won’t want to miss.The 2018 conference is all about getting togeth-er with your fellow high-performance contrac-tors, learning from each other’s successes and failures, and creating your game plan for 2018.Performance-Based Contracting is without a doubt the next Blue Ocean for the HVAC industry. If you have not yet read the book, Blue Ocean Strategy, by W Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, I recommend you pick up a copy. This year Summit is limited to 300 attendees. Will you be one of the 300 who will use this opportunity to blaze their trail to high performance? Or will you wait until the last minute, and miss an event that could make a huge difference in your business and bottom line in 2018 and beyond?While there are many more, here are 10 great reasons to join us in Austin this March 4-6:1. Summit has something for everyone. Wherever you are on the path to performance you’ll be inspired to action. You’ll take home great new knowledge and implementation strategies.2. Learn how to market your perfor-mance-based services. Hit the ground running this spring with new ideas on how you can market your capabilities, and generate leads from high-performance testing on every service call.3. Use Summit as a retreat to work on your Dominick Guarino is publisher of HVAC Today magazine and CEO of National Comfort Institute, Inc. He can be reached at domg@ ncihvac.com ONE MORE THING...By Dominick GuarinoWHEREVER YOU ARE ALONG YOUR JOURNEY, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS NEUTRAL GROUND WHERE YOU CAN SHARE YOUR HOPES, DREAMS, AND PLANS WITH CONTRACTORS JUST LIKE YOU.10 Reasons To Attend Summit 2018HVAC SUMMIT 2018HIGH PERFORMANCENext >