Rob "Doc" Falke
Changing Fan Speed With an Adjustable Pulley
Adjustable pulleys are the most commonly used method of changing fan speed in light commercial balancing. Let’s take a look at how adjustable pulleys work on a fan and blower motor and learn how to adjust them. We’ll also learn how to use Fan Law One to calculate how to change the dimensions of a pulley. This will result in a predetermined change in the fan speed....
Steps to Redesign an Existing HVAC System
Redesigning an existing HVAC system is completely different than designing a new HVAC system from scratch. The primary difference is that you redesign an existing system to remove the defects that prevent it from operating at maximum capacity. ...
Cardboard and Masking Tape Airflow Measurement
First of all, a big thank you to those of you who took the time to sign the online petition urging the California Energy Commission to continue allowing the use of traditional balancing hoods in the Title 24 energy regulations. ...
Balancing Hoods Under Attack
Just as other energy standards have chosen to embrace air balancing as a specified method to measure the performance of HVAC systems, the State of California has proposed a ban on air balancing hoods as we know them. ...
The Widening Gap Between Regulators and Consumers
While the principle of energy efficiency is good for consumers, according to many HVAC contractors it appears that many regulations designed to enforce energy efficiency have gone too far. ...
A Very Unofficial Maintenance Agreement Opinion Poll
Over the last few months we’ve had the opportunity to interview over forty HVAC contractors concerning their opinions on what a typical US residential maintenance agreement consists of. ...
Air Filters vs. Fans
As air filters continue to increase in efficiency, one opposite reaction often overlooked is the decrease in system efficiency that they may cause. ...
Air Balancing as a Verification Tool
Testing and balancing has been the specified method of verification of commercial HVAC system performance for over 50 years. ...
Consider the Duct Portion of the Building Load
Over the past year NCI has collected a substantial volume of field data on the duct portion of building load from NCI contractors in the field using advanced diagnostic testing methods. ...
The Best of Rob 'Doc' Falke
Sometimes the best way to learn something is to dive in and get your hands dirty. Rob ‘Doc’ Falke has been sharing his industry knowledge and expertise through his technical articles in the Hotmail newsletter for several years. His articles give contractors a ‘hands on’ approach to solving issues like balancing a zoned system to exhaust fan pressure measurement. Click below to get access to some of the best of Rob’s past articles. ...
Effective Use of Air Balancing Test Instruments
Air balancing is being called out in HVAC specifications more than ever before. It’s specified in the new Energy Star Standards, it’s called for in the quality assurance section of ACCA’s Quality installation....
How to Retire From the HVAC Industry
Last week my Dad, Walt Falke, finally retired from the HVAC industry. In his mid-eighties he has made the decision to move on to the next chapter in his life. He was completely prepared and the business was perfectly organized for it. ...
Duct Renovators - A New Entry Level Position
A new job description is evolving across the HVAC industry that’s becoming critical to contractors looking to offer more than just box replacement. ...
Commercial Room Pressurization Testing
More designers are becoming aware of the effects of using room pressures to control air flows in buildings, control odors and contain contaminants. When balancing these buildings, testing and reporting must include room pressurization measurements. Let’s take a look at what required to effectively measure room pressures....
A New Dimension in Service Agreements
Traditional service agreements are focused on the performance of the equipment part of an HVAC system as though the equipment was the single component that controlled efficiency and comfort. ...
First, Meet Manufacturer’s Specifications
In a recent public forum, system performance testing was criticized by a manufacturer as being unnecessary because the equipment would always work just fine as it was shipped. ...
Why a Three Ton System is Really a Two Ton on a Hot Day
It's that time of year when we get calls on a hot afternoon and hear our customers complain, "Our unit isn’t keeping up, and we need a service call." ...
How to Balance a Variable Speed HVAC System
Balancing a variable speed fan poses a significant challenge because the fan speed and airflow may constantly change as the balancing hood is placed on each grille. Let’s take a closer look at how to accurately test and balance these systems....
The Five-Fifteen Report
Normally “Doc” articles would refer to a technical style of report. However the Five-Fifteen is a long-standing goal setting and time management tool used by managers and team members to touch base each Friday. It takes 15 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to read, and can revolutionize office productivity and relationships. ...
How to Prepare an Air Balance Report
Before entering the field to balance an HVAC system, assure your success by preparing your balancing report in the office, well before setting foot on the job. ...
Fan Speed Measurement Basics
Your customer is suffering from low airflow. Your job is to identify the problem and prescribe a solution. A quick, but effective test to get you started with your diagnostics is to measure the amp draw of the blower motor....
Quality HVAC Maintenance Testing
Maintaining HVAC systems is a routine service offered by a majority of HVAC contractors for decades, and new movements are afoot to expand the basic HVAC service agreement. ...
Why HVAC Systems are Less Efficient than You May Think
I recently presented some test data to a government energy official that portrayed very low operating efficiency of systems in their current HVAC efficiency program. Although he acknowledged their current programs were saving little or no energy, he was struggling to understand why high efficiency equipment and tight duct systems we’re not doing the job. Let’s take a look at what we found. ...
Why Many HVAC Efficiency Programs Aren’t Working — Part Two
The last Hotmail Newsletter article generated lots of discussion about the apparent lack of success of government and utility HVAC efficiency programs, but also generated some optimism for what they could be someday. ...
