< Previous20 SEPTEMBER 2020HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TESP tells you that a potential air- flow problem exists, but you’ll need more static pressure readings to find the restriction(s). Begin your search with filter pressure drop and coil pressure drop. These measure- ments show how restrictive the air fil- ter and evaporator coil are to airflow. To measure filter pressure drop, test pressures where air enters and exits the air filter. Then, subtract the enter- ing air pressure from the exiting air reading to get the filter pressure drop. Test coil pressure drop in the same way, where air enters and exits the coil. Be careful: if you choose a poor location to install a test port, you could hit a refrigerant line and/or a drain pan. A drill bit stop helps assure you don’t make this mistake. Once you have filter and coil pres- sure drop readings, check duct sys- tem pressures. These are sin- gle pressure readings taken near the air-handling equipment, in both the supply and return plenums. They help you find restrictions on either side of the duct system. With these readings, you’re ready to diagnose the results. DIAGNOSE STATIC PRESSURE READINGS Static pressure readings don’t reach their full potential unless you have numbers to compare them against. To help diagnose airflow restrictions, NCI developed static pressure bud- gets based on well-performing HVAC systems across the country and their maximum-rated TESP. Since TESP is your first test, it is also the first to diagnose. Compare your measured TESP to the maximum-rat- ed TESP found on the equipment nameplate. If measured TESP exceeds rated TESP, you need to diagnose the system to find out why. TESP can identify a problem, but you need to look at your other pres- sure readings to figure out why. Pressure budgets assign a per- centage of the maximum-rated TESP to each component. This gives you baseline pressure readings to compare against your measured pressures to diagnose the most restrictive parts of the system. Download the NCI Static Pressure Budgets to use with different air-handling equipment. Again, you need to be registered on the NCI web- site to do this. Go to ncilink.com/ PSIBudgets to download. DOCUMENT PRESSURE READINGS Many HVAC pros have no problem taking static pressure measurements and diagnosing them. But it’s at this point that some fail to do anything with that information. You need a need to be a registered user of the Na- tional Comfort Institute (NCI) web- site. The download is here: ncilink. com/SPTestDiag. DIFFERENT STATIC PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS The first measurement is total ex- ternal static pressure (TESP). It is what most refer to when they say, “static pressure.” Use it as an initial test to identify potential airflow is- sues, premature equipment failure, and comfort issues. To measure TESP, test pressures where air enters and exits the air-han- dling equipment “as-shipped” from the manufacturer. Then add the two pres- sure readings together. Gas furnaces, air handlers, and package units vary slightly where you take the two read- ings. Gas furnaces don’t include the coil in the TESP measurement, but most air handlers and package units do. TECHNICALSEPTEMBER 2020 21HVACTODAY.COM in Brighton, MI has an ingenious sys- tem for tracking static pressure mea- surements. His techs gather and re- cord static pressure measurements and then upload them to the company server. They then advise the customer that someone will contact them if the static pressure readings are high. The Lakeside office prioritizes test results based on how far the results are above maximum-rated TESP. For example, measured TESP that exceeds .90-in. w.c. ranks as an urgent priority on equipment with a .50-in. w.c. max- imum-rated TESP. A comfort advisor then follows up with the customer to discuss their system’s health. The comfort advisors explain results using a blood pressure comparison. High static pressure — like high blood pressure — shows impending issues and why the HVAC system’s health is suffering as a result. process to capture measurements for future use and lead generation. The best place to start is with your service technicians. They have the greatest opportunity to measure, turn results into ways to better serve cus- tomers, and generate additional work. You need to account for different tech- nician types. Selling technicians and non-selling technicians often handle static pressure readings differently. The selling tech will take readings, diagnose the system, and then offer solutions to the customer. A non-sell- ing technician will gather the informa- tion and hand it off to a salesperson or comfort advisor. It is the comfort ad- visor who then diagnoses the readings and follows up with the customer. John Boylan with Lakeside Service, 22 SEPTEMBER 2020HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY track, and help patients maintain good health with their blood pressure readings. It is easier to get everyone on board when they understand that as HVAC technicians, they are improving a cus- tomer’s life and heading off future problems. Fear is another obstacle. The most common fears are: ● Worrying about drilling into a coil ● Taking measurements improperly ● Not knowing how to discuss test results with a customer. You can overcome these issues with practice, so everyone builds their con- fidence. Give your technicians and salespeople time to practice and ad- just to static pressure measurements in a non-threatening environment. They must be unafraid of making a mistake or looking bad in front of a customer. You learn as you perform a task, so allow plenty of time for pre- planned practice to avoid fear. Then they discuss action steps to consider, similar to a doctor telling a patient about their medical condition. They offer recommendations based on test results and let the customer decide the next steps. Sounds good, right? OBSTACLES IN THE PATH Of course, there are obstacles to overcome. With a little planning, it’s easier to predict and prepare for these events. The biggest obstacle to tackle for many companies is getting every- one on board. Before you start down the path, first, make sure everyone un- derstands WHY you’re doing it. One way is to parallel what you do with static pressure testing to what a physician does. Doctors measure, TECHNICAL David Richardson serves the HVAC industry as a curriculum developer and trainer for National Comfort Institute, Inc. (NCI). NCI spe- cializes in training focused on improving, measuring, and verifying HVAC and Building Performance. If you’re an HVAC contractor or technician interested in learning more about airside performance, contact David at ncilink.com/ ContactMe or call him at 800-633-7058. NCI’s website www.nationalcomfortinstitute.com is full of free technical articles and downloads to help you improve your professionalism and strengthen your company.SEPTEMBER 2020 23HVACTODAY.COM PHOTO OF THE MONTH “High-Tech Isolation!” — Mark Wheeler, MTW Design Services, LLC, Fife, WA How’s this for saving labor and install time for rooftop condensing units? Talk about high tech: this new wooden isolation pallet saves an immense amount of time to set the unit and is a great way to repurpose used materials for LEED certification. Also, structural seismic can be achieved with a nail gun! Mark Wheeler from MTW Design Services is the winner of our September 2020 Photo-of-the-Month contest, as voted on by the subscribers to High-Performance HVAC Today (hvactoday.com) magazine and visitors to the website. He will receive a $25 gift card. You can too – submissions are always welcome. If you’d like to submit a photo for consideration in our Photo-of-the-Month contest, click here ncilink.com/POMSubmit and fill out the information as requested. THE OCTOBER CONTEST OPENS ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2020. That gives you plenty of time to submit something in any of our three categories: The Good, The Bad, and WTH (What the heck).Click here for more information and to register today! ncilink.com/OLCert. YOUR SEPTEMBER 2020 POWERPACK IS READY! It’s here and ready for you to access right now – your September 2020 Pow- erPack . We hope you were able to take advantage of all the great tools from the August PowerPack. This month we provide you with more content to help you with your carbon monoxide approach and strategy. Some of the tools included each month may not be normally acces- sible with your current membership subscription package. However, you can access these tools through this Pow- erPack portal during the current month. So, without further ado, let’s drill down and take a look at the Septem- ber 2020 PowerPack: ■ Introduction to Carbon Monoxide (Online Training Module) ■ Create the Ultimate Fall Marketing Strategy (Recorded Webinar) ■ NSI 3000 CO Monitor Sales Ideas (Download) ■ Why Should I Demand a CO Test? brochure (Download) ■ Important Test Results (Download). We think you’ll find these tools and training materials very helpful as you continue to grow your High-Perfor- mance HVAC business. Be sure to share your September Pow- erPack with your entire team! So get started today: ncilink.com/PwrPak . DID YOU KNOW? Membership in Na- tional Comfort Insti- tute (NCI) provides so many benefits that many members often can’t keep up with them. For example, did you know that if you are an NCI member with a current certification, your compa- ny is automatically included in the Find-A-Certified-Pro- fessional listings? Your Find-A-Certified-Professional listing is found on NCI’s exclusive con- sumer site ( www.myhomecomfort. org) and includes a premium listing containing your contact information, what certifications your team holds, and a link to your website. It also includes a brief description of the services your company offers as well as what market area you serve. Is your listing up-to-date? Take a look and find out! Go to ncilink.com/Find- CertContractor and check it out. ONLINE CERTIFICATION COMING SOON TO A COMPUTER NEAR YOU! Exciting News! NCI is now offering two of its most popular certification class- es online. Starting this September, you will be able to take our Duct System Optimization and Commercial System Performance training online from the comfort and safety of your home or of- fice. We will also begin offering online proctored certification exams. Our new online certification class- es take place in four-hour sessions, over four days for a total of 16 hours of educa- tion. Each class is led by one of NCI’s ex- perienced instructors and is jam-packed with the latest and greatest HVAC educa- tion that will set your team apart and en- sure satisfied customers. You will need a laptop or desktop PC to participate. With your registration to these classes, you’ll also receive a print- ed manual and other printed and down- loadable materials. As a member, you’ll receive extra sav- ings on the training. Plus you can earn NCI Bucks, or apply Bucks towards the training if you have some saved. Stay tuned: We plan to bring sever- al other NCI Certification classes online over the next several months. NCI MEMBER UPDATE 24 SEPTEMBER 2020HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYSEPTEMBER 2020 25HVACTODAY.COM HVAC SMART MART HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYHVAC TODAY TM To 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 to order online. Publisher Dominick Guarino Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher Mike Weil Art Director Connie Conklin Online Development Director Brian Roseman Circulation Manager Andrea Begany- Garsed Editorial Assistant Marge Smith Go to ncilink.com/ContactMe with your comments and questions. Advertiser Index AD INDEX Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc. | www.arzelzoning.com ....................................................... 5 Baker Distributing Company | www.BakerDist.com ........................................................... 14 Duct Saddles | www.DuctSaddles.com ..................................................................................... 11 Dwyer Instruments, Inc. | www.dwyer-inst.com .................................................................. 28 Goodman Manufacturing | www.GoodmanMfg.com ......................................................... 2 Lazco Corp. | www.LazcoCorp.com ............................................................................................ 22 Online-Access, Inc. | www.hvacwebsites.com ....................................................................... 8 R.E. Michel Company | www.REMichel.com .......................................................................... 21 The New Flat Rate | www.TheNewFlatRate.com ................................................................ 25 To Your Success | ToYourSuccess.com ...................................................................................... 25 United Refrigeration Inc. | www.uri.com ................................................................................. 2326 SEPTEMBER 2020HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY NCI’s 17th Annual Summit will again include long-standing traditions like our 2020 Contractor Awards. We’re also bringing back our Sales and Marketing Idea Meeting where you can share and hear great ideas. And top ideas win cash prizes! The conference is complemented with a fully interactive Virtual Trade Show featuring NCI‘s Member Rewards partners along with several tool, instrument, and specialty product vendors. Summit’s Virtual Trade Show booths will be open on October 6th and 7th from 9 am to 5 pm Eastern time. Throughout Summit you’ll also be able to meet with your peers in our Virtual Lounge where you can share ideas, catch up with old friends, and make new friends. LEARN TO SET YOUR BUSINESS APART We know you are faced with a number of choices this fall with several online conferences and vir- tual events. But if you take a closer look you’ll see Summit is different than other industry events. This conference is not just a generic collection of consultants and industry speakers providing the same old advice on how to improve sales or mar- keting, or better manage your business. While those things are important, only Summit addresses the questions: “How do I set my compa- ny apart in the eyes of my customers?” and “How do I communicate and implement a High-Perfor- mance approach in my company?” JOIN US FOR THIS CAN’T-MISS EVENT! We promise to provide the highest quality con- tent, peer-to-peer interactions, and fully interac- tive sessions to make Virtual Summit 2020 not just the first of its kind, but one of the best Summit experiences in NCI’s 17-year conference history. So don’t delay. Register for NCI’s High-Perfor- mance Summit at a very special price - guaranteed to fit any budget. Visit GoToSummit.com today to enroll your team for what will be the most valu- able event of 2020. N CI’s High-Performance HVAC Summit 2020 is right around the corner, and it’s completely virtual. On October 5-7, HVAC professionals from all across North America – and beyond – will come together for this great event. Summit is the only conference created just for companies that set themselves apart with High-Performance service and installations. While the COVID situation won’t allow us to meet face-to-face, we have transformed Summit into a cus- tomized virtual meeting that will come very close. In addition, because you can attend Summit from the comfort of your home or office, you won’t waste time traveling. You’ll also save on hotel and travel expenses while maximizing your time immersed in the Summit experience. ACTION-PACKED SESSIONS & TRADE SHOW We carefully planned this year’s Summit to provide ample time for learning with four exclusive coach- ing workshops. Each workshop is designed to help you communicate with your team how you will im- plement High-Performance in your contracting busi- ness. Each 1.5-hour workshop includes brand-new downloadable coaching and communication tools — along with a 30-minute brainstorming session! But that’s just the beginning. This year, High-Per- formance Town is back and it’s virtual! Confer- ence-goers will be able to participate in three, 45-minute hands-on workshops with NCI trainers from across the country. Both our Cleveland and Southern California training centers have been transformed into broad- casting studios featuring hands-on testing and di- agnostics sessions focused on helping you solve the biggest comfort, safety, health, and energy efficiency issues facing homes across North America. Additional Summit 2020 features include Gener- al Sessions complete with late-breaking reveals of brand-new NCI programs, and a panel discussion with High-Performance contractors sharing how they have managed to not just survive, but grow and thrive during a very tough 2020. Dominick Guarino is publisher of High-Performance HVAC Today magazine and CEO of National Comfort Institute, Inc. He can be reached at ncilink.com/ContactMe ONE MORE THING... By Dominick Guarino Summit 2020: Coming to a Screen Near You!Next >