​In this video we take a look at how the thermostatic expansion valve or TXV works in a HVAC refrigeration system and the basic working principles that allow it to meter the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator of chillers and ac units.

Bruce Marshall demonstrates the negative effects of air inside a hydronic heating system and the benefits of installing an air separator.

It is important that your furnace receives a professional installation. This is the first step in ensuring its efficient, effective performance. Following the professional installation you must schedule regular maintenance to keep your home heating system in good working condition. Doing so will keep your furnace running at optimal performance and efficiency levels. It will also help to reduce the likelihood that you will need to schedule professional repair service for your furnace.

Of course, as is the case with any mechanical system, it is impossible to completely eliminate the need for professional repair services. No heating system is perfect, and eventually something is going to go wrong with yours. A high-quality installation can help keep the need for repairs to a minimum and ensure that when repairs are needed they are not very serious, but it is important to call for repair service the moment you suspect a problem with your furnace. Here are a few examples of when you should call us for  professional repair services.

As a basic rule, the development of any irregularities with the operation of your furnace should be evaluated by a professional service provider. This includes any strange noises coming from your furnace or ducts during operation. It is easy to tell yourself that it is just the pipes or that machines develop noises over time, but the fact is that even this minor issues can lead to serious problems, and only a professional furnace technician can determine if repair service is necessary. Any odd, unusual odors present during the operation of your furnace should also be considered a warning sign that repairs may be necessary.

Have you noticed any unexplained increases in your home heating costs? If your heating bill is on the rise despite no changes being made in your home heating habits you may have a problem with your furnace, thermostat or some other part of your heating system. Don’t pay more for less performance from your furnace. Let a qualified professional evaluate your system and make any necessary repairs.

Of course, one of the most obvious signs that your furnace needs repair service is a decline in performance levels. If your heater is having trouble maintaining target temperatures or if hot or cold spots develop throughout your home there is clearly an issue that needs to be dealt with professionally. Call for the repair services that your furnace needs.

Whatever problems your furnace is experiencing, POCO in Jackson, Wyoming has the services you need to get it back on track. Don’t take unnecessary risks with your furnace or your comfort. Call us today for repair service!

Thermal imaging cameras reveal temperature changes and differences in real time that are invisible to the naked eye.  This allows testing without requiring destruction or contact.  Thermal cameras are therefore very suitable for home inspections, as no exterior or interior finishes need to be taken down, and large areas can be inspected in a short time.

Infrared thermography has become one of the most trusted and common residential inspection tools available.  The real time pictures a thermal imaging camera presents are indisputable and instantly understood by anyone.  No one can argue with this evidence.  With rising energy costs, clients are going to be pleased to find out about any faults causing energy losses in their homes.  Heating, ventilation and air conditioning costs all must be controlled.  Thermal imaging is an extremely efficient method of finding problems with these systems.  Destructive probing, additional labor and time are not required using this technology.

Home owners, residential property managers, real estate agents, insurance companies and contractors all need residential inspection services, and will be best served by a thermal imaging inspection.  A home owner wishes to preserve and protect their investment, as well as lower energy costs.  Property management firms, or those who own large real estate units, all benefit from being apprised early of insect infestations, moisture issues, and mechanical or electrical problems.  Additionally, if a property owner has a large building, or a row housing complex with a shared front façade or roof, they can use the information from a thermal scan to make economically smart decisions.

This information is also invaluable to real estate agents, and goes beyond a typical home inspector report.  Home buyers will want to be made aware of any significant problems, and revise their offered price accordingly.

When a property damage claim is undergoing settlement issues, thermal imaging can provide conclusive evidence.  Also, proof of regular building and facility inspections may qualify the insured party for a substantial insurance contract discount.

In cases where a building contractor will have an advantage by being able to identify clear problems and prove that repairs have been completed correctly, thermal imaging will provide unmistakable documentation.  Insulation, restoration and repair costs can be minimized by conducting a thermal scan before building valuations, transactions, or major system upgrades.

A thermal imaging camera detects small temperature differences and uses an algorithm to display a picture of these differences so that we can see them.  They work indoors and outdoors, and on wood, concrete, drywall, electrical wiring etc., and look and operate much like a camcorder.

• Leak and humidity detection
• Floor heating and building envelope thermography
• Air tightness testing
• Door seal inspection
• Wall seal heat loss inspection
• Moisture, within the structure, floor and roof thermography inspection
• Covered openings searches within walls
• HVAC, electrical systems inspections
• Pest inspections
• Missing insulation
• And many other inspections.

Thermal infrared inspections were seen in the past as affordable solely for large commercial organizations, but no longer.  Residential homeowners want to use the same technology to find sources of energy losses:  air leaks, insufficient insulation, and moisture problems.  Over time, correction of these problems will save the home owner a significant amount of money.

If a home owner has a new to mid-life flat roof and has been told that a new roof is needed because of a leak, it is very possible that a thermal imaging scan will detect the exact source of the issue and save the owner substantial funds.

Thermal imaging cameras will show all of the following during inspection:

• Faulty doors and door seals will be shown by the heat loss through the door.
• Wet basements, often resulting from poor grading around the home’s perimeter.  Improper grading and drainage has been found to be the most common cause of water in the basement or crawlspace.
• Undersized electrical service to the home, inadequate overload protection, and dangerous, amateur-performed wiring connections.
• Broken heating system controls, blocked chimneys and unsafe exhausts have been discovered.
• Heat losses have also been commonly found arising from poor maintenance of surfaces, masonry, plumbing, wiring and broken fixtures.  Inadequate caulking and poor weather stripping are further causes.  Over-sealing of homes and especially attics, causing poor ventilation, has resulted in excessive interior moistures, leading to rot.

Thermal imaging cameras offer residential homeowners, property management firms, insurance companies, real estate agents and their clients, and building contractors an easy-to-use, indisputable and quick method of inspecting these very important assets.

As building efficiency is improved with insulation and weatherstripping, buildings are intentionally made more airtight, and consequently less well ventilated. Since all buildings require a source of fresh air, the need for HRVs has become obvious. While opening a window does provide ventilation, the building's heat and humidity will then be lost in the winter and gained in the summer, both of which are undesirable for the indoor climate and for energy efficiency, since the building's HVAC systems must compensate. HRV introduces fresh air to a building and improves climate control, whilst promoting efficient energy use.

HRVs and ERVs can be stand-alone devices that operate independently, or they can be built-in, or added to existing HVAC systems. For a small building in which nearly every room has an exterior wall, then the HRV/ERV device can be small and provide ventilation for a single room. A larger building would require either many small units, or a large central unit. The only requirements for the building are an air supply, either directly from an exterior wall or ducted to one, and an energy supply for air circulation, such as wind energy or electricity for a fan. When used with 'central' HVAC systems, then the system would be of the 'forced-air' type.

Glycol Maintenance

The glycol solution must be checked at least once a year in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. A base line analysis should be performed within two to four weeks of initial mixing. This measurement will be used to verify that the fill was completed properly, and will serve as a reference point for comparison with future test results. As a bare minimum, the solution should be analyzed for glycol concentration, solution pH and general fluid quality.

Concentration Testing

Concentration can be easily and accurately checked using a handheld refractometer. Most quality instruments will test glycol concentrations from 0 to 55% directly, are portable, and require no complicated adjustments for temperature. System concentration should not vary significantly from test to test. Progressively lower concentrations indicate a loss of glycol through a leaking joint or component. Find and repair the leak and add an appropriate amount of concentrate to return the system to its design concentration.

Solution pH Testing

While high quality glycol solutions may last in excess of 20 years, hard use, improper maintenance or chemical contaminants will significantly shorten fluid life. Fluid pH serves as a good barometer for the condition of the glycol and is best measured with a field pH meter. This method is significantly more accurate than litmus paper tests.

Although glycol fluid pH is primarily a function of the corrosion inhibitor, and therefore, will vary from product to product, a few rules of thumb will be helpful in determining what constitutes proper pH. Most concentrated inhibited glycols have a pH in the 9.0 to 10.5 range. When diluted in a 30% to 50% solution, the pH falls to between 8.3 and 9.0. A pH reading below 8.0 indicates that a significant portion of the inhibitor has been depleted and that more inhibitor needs to be added. When the pH of the mixture falls below 7.0, most manufacturers recommend replacing the fluid. A pH value of less than seven indicates that oxidation of the glycol has occurred. The system should be drained and flushed before severe system damage occurs.

When people get cold for the first time in the fall they click the thermostat to "heat" and on comes the beast. This is risky business as natural gas furnaces can malfunction and kill you several ways, said Tim Smith, owner of Triad Service Company and president of the Green Country Chapter of Air Conditioning Contractors of America. 

Have your gas furnace inspected by a state licensed heating and air contractor. Smith said, "Have the gas pressure checked, burners and heat exchanger cleaned and inspected for cracks, clean or replace filters and check the wiring and controls. 

Read more from this Tulsa World article at Tulsaworld.com