(Part 3) Top products from r/HVAC

I'm a professional mechanical engineer and a Certified Energy Auditor per the AEE.

Here's a couple things I did for my house that helped. They might help you.

Weatherize the garage: Add a floor threshold to the garage. Best done in the summer. Replace the weather seal on the top and sides. Replace the garage door threshold. All Amazon links. Measure your door and get the correct dimensions. I just linked to general items.

Weatherize your outlets and light switches: All holes through the wall allow tempered air to leak out. (nice warm air in the winter, nice cool air in the summer). With a flathead screwdriver, you can add gasket seals to all of your switches and outlets to reduce air leakage.

Weatherize doors and windows: If there are doors and windows that you don't use often, or don't use for a season, seal them off. If you use a door more frequently, there's lots of draft dodgers to help seal the door. Growing up, if it got super cold, we'd take a spare down comforter and nail it to the wall, totally covering the door.

As far as thermostats go, changing out the thermostat to a wifi thermostat and/or a programmable thermostat will go a long ways towards energy savings. Nest is definitely the best thermostat out there, but I recognize that it's the most expensive. In my opinion, the Nest is the best one because it has the best developed home/away sensors, has a clean and slick easy-to-use app (even for 8 thermostats like you'd have), and easiest to use scheduler. Don't change just one thermostat. Change all of them. At the very least, change the thermostat to a programmable one.

In general, it would help to go through the weatherproofing page of Amazon and buy and install anything that applies to your home and apartment.

As far as capital equipment, replacing boilers with condensing boilers can help, but remember that condensing boilers provide the most savings at the temperature extremes. during shoulder seasons. Consult a local professional mechanical engineer to determine if they will really benefit your location.

edit: had a brain fart when i wrote this. condensing boilers provide the most savings at the shoulder seasons. take a place like Fairbanks, AK, which, aside from this winter, generally spends most of the winter at the design outdoor temperature of -40. a condensing boiler operating at the design limit doesn't provide any more savings than a "standard" 80% AFUE efficient boiler. just doing my part to avoid spreading misinformation on the internet.

I'm on the engineering design side, but I think the suggestion I have still applies. Read everything you can get your hands on. Buy books about HVACR and make a goal of reading for 30 minutes a day. I find doing this in the morning is the best time as your mind is fresh. You will be amazed at how quickly you will become "the expert" if you do this.

One of the best books I can offer as a suggestion (I've read it front to back) that is a nice mix of 75% contractor usefulness 25% engineering design is Fundamentals of HVACR. It even has example "calls" with owner complaints and troubleshooting steps.

Fundamentals of HVACR (3rd Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0134016165/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jIh5AbJXP9N8N

A quieter, low speed fan seems likely the easiest option. If you have a setup like shown in your picture, with flex duct to the fan feeding through a muffler, you should already be well isolated from the fan noise, so a quiet fan should be silent.

If the current 80 CFM fan is enough to keep the room comfortable, then I'd try this panasonic fan: http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-FV-10NLF1-WhisperLine--Line-4-Inch/dp/B000EDOHBQ

I'm guessing the existing duct is 4", so it should fit right on there. It's rated at 1 sone, which isn't any quieter than the rating of the fan that comes with your vocal booth, but if you speed control the whisperline down a notch or two it will be substantially more quiet at 80 CFM.

On a side note, whisperroom offers a couple accessories to improve the muffling of the system and are claimed to make the fan you already have inaudible.

This is great. Has all the fundamentals and basic troubleshooting. Fantastic

HVAC Troubleshooting Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071604995/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fivSBb0285KH3

i was seeing issues with propress if glycol was in the system after about 4-5 years sometimes

aside from that love the product great time saver, especially with a m12 pipe cutter, and a drill attached cleaning brush

Honeywell CQ100A1013/U Not Not Available CQ100A1013 24-Inch Replacement Thermocouple for Gas Furnaces, Boilers and Water Heaters, quot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BPHNW2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TNaIDb2N048WV

Honeywell for sure. If you have a supply house go there, they always sell the better stuff then you can find from amazon or anything.

I used one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-FV-20NLF1-WhisperLine-In-Line-6-Inch/dp/B000EDUIX2

Placed in basement utility room. Intake of duct fan comes from the output side of the 3rd floor system. Output of duct fan blows to a register in basement.

So when I turn this fan on it turns over the air from all three floors. In the winter we heat with a wood-burning stove on the basement level so this helps keep everything stable. In the shoulder seasons where we have only light cooling needs, it lets us only run cooling only on the third floor and the other floors balance out. In summer we run both ACs.

Learn a trade any you’ll never go hungry. If you know what you’re doing, you’ll always be able to find a job. As far as pay goes, it depends on where you live. I’m in New England and make around $100k/year with overtime and bonuses doing 100% residential. Drawbacks are long hours in bad weather - both hot and cold, you’re the oncall guy for your family, friends, neighbors, etc., carrying equipment up stairs, ladders, through attics, across rooftops, etc., and dealing with idiots. It’s worth it? Absolutely! If you’re trying to decide between learning a trade vs going to collage read this book, it’ll give you some perspective from someone hat been in both sides of the fence.

Edit: correct link below
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0143117467/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top_nodl?ie=UTF8

They sell fan delay timers that have integrated circuits inside that will do this for you. They're very easy to wire. You can buy them on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/ICM-Controls-ICM253-seconds-Adjustable/dp/B000E24YQA

The Kidde Nighthawk has a nice LED readout you can see from across the room.

AC powered with a 9V battery backup.

The E-Myth, $12

I would highly recommend that you read this.

This?

2B Smoke Candle, 60-Second, 8000 Cubic ft, 12-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TVM45YL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_sFWYDbT7D2B96

Been using one of these for years now. 12 volt portable stove. Heats while I am driving or in on a call.

https://www.amazon.com/RoadPro-STOVE-12V-PORTABLE/dp/B000ES5Y1I

By the red wire I see R5, by the yellow, Y6 and by the white it just had 4. I tried a honeywell programmable, but it said the yellow wire was cooling , which didn't make sense because I don't have cooling.

So I can just buy one of these and be done with it?

Oy...first and foremost, you bought a Honeywell thermostat that's made in China. It only carries a two year warranty and the electronics in it are garbage.

This is an alternative: http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-TH6220-FocusPro-Programmable-Thermostat/dp/B0009MYDES/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1341240955&sr=1-1&keywords=th6220d1002

This helped me a lot when I took the exam. It doesn’t have all the information but it has enough for you to pass the exam.

Pick up an IPT book and start studying it! I carry mine with me in my bucket incase I need to know weights or forget how to do something.

https://www.amazon.com/IPT-Pipe-Trades-Handbook-Robert/dp/0920855180/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492649631&sr=1-7&keywords=pipefitters+handbook

This book covers everything you’d want to know
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology https://www.amazon.com/dp/1305578295/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_DD5YAbB8PPT9F

And this one is good for trouble shooting
Doolin's Trouble Shooters Bible https://www.amazon.com/dp/0914626167/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_tE5YAbJ51CSQX

Torpedo Level with a strong magnet
Extension Bit with quick change
Flexible drill bit extension
You might not use this every install or service but it comes in so clutch when you need it
Multi Screwdriver

A couple different size pipe wrenches. 6” and a 14” I recommend Rigid
Copper pipe cutters. You’ll need a Close quarters tubing cutter and a Large tubing cutter
Bulldog Snips



Edit: I’ll keep adding shit