Showing results 1 - 100 of 141
A central fan-integrated supply system uses a fresh air intake ducted to the home's central furnace or air handler unit to supply fresh air throughout the home
A cool room should have low enough heat gains to be easily cooled by a small single-zone cooling system such as a mini-split or a window air-conditioner as shown here
A direct-vent sealed-combustion fireplace takes its combustion air directly from outside through a dedicated air inlet and vents combustion products directly outside
A direct-vent sealed-combustion furnace has dedicated pipes for combustion air and exhaust
A foaming cleaner is used to clean the coils inside this ductless indoor unit; a mini-split bib surrounds the unit to contain overspray and drips
A foaming sprayer and mini-split bib are required to properly clean this ductless wall-mounted indoor unit
A modern single-inlet direct evaporative cooler draws outside air through an 8- to 12-inch media filter
A nylon draw band and tensioning tool are used to secure the inner coil of the pre-insulated flexible duct
A nylon draw band and tensioning tool are used to secure the inner liner of the pre-insulated flexible duct
A permanent awning prevents snow and overflowing ice dams from causing damage to HVAC equipment below.
A properly sized cold climate heat pump can meet 100% of a home’s heating load in nearly any location in the United States
A properly sized high-efficiency heat pump is located in conditioned space in a closet inside the home.
A single ductless heat pump heats and cools the country’s first DOE Zero Energy Ready certified manufactured home.
After securing the inner coil, cover the draw band and the seam with a generous amount of mastic
Because flue temperatures are cool, intake and exhaust ducts on a Category 4 direct-vent sealed-combustion condensing furnace can be made of PVC
By plotting the heating capacities at -4°F and 5°F and drawing a line between them, the capacity at 0°F can be estimated
Collars that are specifically made for flexible duct have a raised bead to prevent the duct from slipping off
Concept behind an evaporative cooler – warm air is cooled as the air passes through a wet medium and gives up some of its heat to evaporate the water
Condensate from this heat pump water heater is routed to a nearby floor drain, shared with the condensate lines from a condensing gas furnace and an air conditioning coil
Cool air flow is produced when the cooling cycle is energized (set thermostat to “cool”)
Cooling air temperatures that can be achieved by a direct evaporative cooler at various outdoor conditions
Cut fiber board with a red V-groove tool and a gray shiplap tool to create mitered corners and a shiplapped edge for duct sections
Direct-heat risers are bare pipes that heat the space they're in without connected radiators
Ductless indoor units like this one are controlled individually by handheld remote controllers.
Evaporative Cooler Sizing in ACH based on wet-bulb temperatures at 1% summer design conditions
Example expanded performance table from a 1.5-ton air conditioner
For fireplaces that are not mechanically drafted or direct-vented to outdoors, total net rated exhaust flow of the two largest exhaust fans is .15 CFM per 100 sq. ft. of occupiable space when at full capacity
Furnaces, boilers, and water heaters located within the home’s pressure boundary are mechanically drafted or direct-vented
Hand tools for cutting fiber board sheets include a knife, straight edge, and color-coded edge-cutting tools
If HVAC duct must be installed in an exterior wall, separate it from the exterior with at least R-6 of continuous rigid insulation
If integrating an ERV/HRV with the heating/cooling duct system, add dedicated ducts for either the supply or return side to prevent short-circuiting of air distribution
In a typical old style multi-inlet evaporative cooler, the blower fan draws outside air in through multiple media filters and blows it into the home
In heating mode, split system heat pumps absorb heat from the outside air and “pump” that heat to the indoor air handler unit, which releases it to the inside air.
Install a master vent tree to release air and prevent air binding which blocks steam heat from reaching its destination
Install supply registers in floors or ceilings to avoid routing ducts through exterior walls
Lower-cost local ERVs are usually installed in a ceiling to supply outdoor air to and exhaust air from the room in which they are located
Metal drain pans under HVAC equipment can corrode over time, especially in humid environments
National Fuel Gas Code (NFPA 2012) identifies four categories for combustion furnaces and water heaters based on combustion type (sealed or unsealed) and vent pipe temperature
National HVAC Design Report - Cooling Equipment Selection (Version 3 / 3.1 (Rev. 09))
Pull the insulation and outer liner of the flex duct over the collar to come in full contact with the liner and insulation of the trunk line or fitting and tape in place
Right - All seams in the HVAC equipment and ductwork are sealed with mastic; because the HVAC equipment is in the garage, it is an air-sealed closet.
Right - An ultra-efficient (COP 5.7) ground source heat pump provides hot water to an air coil in the central air handler which uses a variable-speed electrically commutated fan motor to distribute conditioned air to the home’s ducts.
Right - The air handler for this geothermal heat pump is located in conditioned space.
Right - The geothermal heat pump provides hot water for radiant floor heating, domestic hot water, and the air handler for space conditioning upstairs.
Right - The home’s high-efficiency gas boiler provides domestic hot water as well as in-floor radiant heat, while a high-efficiency heat pump provides cooling and a secondary source of heating.
Right - The precast insulated concrete walls of the basement provide a conditioned space for the high-efficiency (18 SEER, 9.5 HSPF) air-source heat pump, with its variable-speed fan, five-stage compressor, and MERV 11 filter.
Right - This evaporative cooler is wall mounted to reduce leak effects and allow for ease of maintenance.
Right – An insulated space is provided in the home’s attic to house the HVAC equipment.
Right – The builder has provided homeowners manuals and racks to hold them on the side of the HVAC cabinet in the utility room.
Right – The corridor in this multistory building is pressurized with outdoor supply air.
Right – The elevator lobby of this multistory building is pressurized with outdoor air supplied to the space through this ceiling supply register.
Right – This home’s HVAC system consists of a ground source heat pump that provides heating and cooling with a rated efficiency of 5.0 COP.
Right (decent): For a relatively high-capacity ccASHP sized per Approach 3 or 4 to meet nearly 100% of the heating load, this heat pump’s modulating zone has a decent overlap with the home’s heating load line, reducing short-cycling.
Right: A well-constructed air handler closet
Right: Sized per Approach 1, this heat pump will have minimal short-cycling; since sized using Approach 1, it will require backup heat when temp is below 30°F but could still contribute significant heating down to heating design temp (-6°F) and lower
Right: Sized per Approach 3 or 4, this heat pump’s modulating zone has a large overlap with the home’s heating load line, resulting in minimal short-cycling; the unit may require a small amount of backup heat during the very coldest hours of winter.
Right: Sized per Approach 3, this heat pump’s modulating zone has a large overlap with the home’s heating load line; it will require backup heating but could still contribute significant heating for all hours of the heating season
Seal all joints and seams in the metal ductwork with mastic before installing insulation
Seal seams in fiber board ducts with out-clinching staples, UL-181A-approved tape, and mastic
The AC unit has a drip pan and automatic shutoff in case the condensate drain gets clogged.
The air handler of the air-to-water heat pump is equipped with a very high efficiency air filter and a damper-controlled fresh air intake.
The basement is half in and half out of the ground with only 4 feet below grade, which allows for full 36-inch-tall windows that are completely above grade.
The blower wheel (fan) on this ductless wall-mounted indoor unit has accumulated dust and mold - a common issue for this design.
The condensate line (amber-colored plastic tube) from the high-efficiency furnace drains into the sewer via the same drain pipe as the clothes washer
The drain pans sit below the cooling coil to catch condensate and direct it to a drain line
The grille in the photo on the left brings air into a return air plenum under an air handler platform. As shown in the infrared image on the right, the plenum is not air sealed so hot attic air is being pulled into the air handler closet.
The high-efficiency air-to-air heat pump is set in an overflow pan with an emergency shut off sensor in case the condensate tube were to clog and cause condensate to fill up the pan.
The HVAC equipment's condensate drain pan is equipped with a water-level detection device that will shut off the equipment if the water level pan in the pan gets too high
The mechanical room in the insulated basement houses the water heating equipment, including the storage tank for the solar thermal system and the wall-hung boiler as well as the air handler for the hydro coil and high-efficiency (16 SEER) air conditioner.
The natural draft and induced draft furnace are both Category I appliances that receive combustion air from the combustion appliance zone