Ferguson HVAC has you covered for all your mini-split cleaning needs. With multiple spray can cleaners, Nu-Calgon is your answer to any mini-split cleaning job.

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Now that summer is winding to an end and fall is upon us, it’s time to start thinking about those yearly maintenance tips you should be discussing with your customers.

1. Change Air Filters

Over the summer months with the windows open, plenty of dust and outside particles have clogged up the filters which forces the system to run harder. It’s a good idea to replace the air filters regularly to keep the air fresh and clean so suggest new filters on your next service call.

2. End-of-Season Tune-Up

When the season is changing, and the A/C system needs to wind down, it’s advisable to prep the unit for the winter months. Schedule a call with your customers to make sure there are no leaks in the system and that the motor and fan blade are in good condition.

3. Evaluate and Tune the Furnace

Just as with the A/C unit, making sure that the furnace is ready for the coming winter months is important. If the homeowner has an older system it is worth it to do an evaluation and determine if their system needs an upgrade. In the case that the system is still in good shape, you should try and schedule a fall tune-up with them to make sure that everything is running properly. You should test the airflow and motor as well as inspect the electrical connections.

by NuCalgon

HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST ME?

The thought of unknown and unplanned HVAC related costs can be intimidating. Service rates, replacement parts and systems have a wide range of costs, making it difficult for the homeowner to budget ahead of time.  HVAC-related costs can typically be broken down into three categtories:

• Maintenance: Offering your customers a maintenance service agreement for preventive maintenance on their HVAC system can prevent minor issues from turning into major, expensive problems over time and could maximize the life of the system. Effectively communicating this value to the homeowners is not only beneficial from a business standpoint, it also helps build trust and an on-going relationship with that customer.

• Repair: The cost to repair an HVAC system typically consists of a flat service call fee, the time associated to complete the repair and the specific replacement parts required for the system. Service calls outside regular working hours are generally more expensive than during normal business hours. These are all factors you will want to discuss with the homeowner so they have an accurate idea of the total cost and are not surprised with a larger-than-expected bill.

• Replacement: There are multiple factors that come into play when pricing out a full system replacement, including potential upgrades like higher-efficiency units and additional add-ons like in-duct IAQ products. Knowing which products will help the homeowner save money in the long run and increase the life of their brand new system is a great way to show that you are looking out for them.

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN I NEED TO REPLACE MY OLD SYSTEM?

When you are called out for a system repair, there may be a discussion of whether or not the system needs replacing; or how long the system will continue to last. Things you should discuss with the homeowner include the age of the system, the cost of potential repairs, if they have been experiencing a jump in their utility bills, the efficiency of their system, and how long they plan to live in the home. All of these can have an impact on their decision of when to replace the system so it’s important to have an open discussion about their options.

HOW CAN I SAVE MONEY ON MY UTILITY BILLS?

The more electricity or fuel the household uses, the higher their utility bill will be. So, to cut utility bills, you have to reduce the amount of energy that the home uses. In relation to their HVAC system, here are a few ways you can help educate your homeowner on how to maintain lower energy usage:

• Higher-efficiency units
• Routine air filter replacement
• More advanced, programmable thermostats
• Routine maintenance schedule
• Connected products for a more efficient home

The Rheem Contractor app provides the tools you need and has content designed to make your work as a Rheem heating and air contractor or plumber easier. Contractors will have access to learning resources and Rheem product information to help make the best decisions about equipment replacement or repair. The app is also an integrated part of Rheem’s Innovation Learning Centers, providing training materials and documents, interactive exercises, testing, and more – both onsite and after training.

With the app and eligible equipment, you can:

Click here to download the Rheem Contractor app.

HVAC monitoring helps you stay connected to customers, so they can always get in touch when they need you most.

HVAC monitoring ¹, now on all Nest thermostats, looks out for issues with a customer’s heating and cooling system and sends an alert if something doesn’t seem right. They can also get alerts when it’s time for routine maintenance. And when they need help, it’s easy for them to find and book a Nest Pro for the job.

Three Benefits of Offering HVAC Monitoring from Nest

Keeps you connected to the user for the entire lifespan of the product: Every alert is a business card. When your pro ID is attached, we show you every alert. Your name, email and phone number are in every alert

Access to new customers: Many Nest thermostats don’t have a pro attached. Those users get connected to you through the HVAC check-up on Handy and when in the home, you can enter your Pro ID to be their contact for life.

Taking the hassle out of booking management: You get to focus on what you do best – With Handy we offer false positive guarantees, 24 hour customer support, cancellation management and more

Being part of HVAC Monitoring is easy. Just follow these steps:

1. Signup or upgrade your Nest Pro account – Check your status or complete the stpens here to receive your Pro ID: g.co/nestpro

2. Opt into HVAC Leads – Check the box “I would like to receive HVAC requests from customers”

3. Onboard to the Handy Platform – Complete the few easy steps here to get access to Handy leads. Visit Partnerships.handy.com/nestpro-onboarding/

4. Always enter your Pro ID – When setting up any Google device – make sure to enter it.

Remember to add your Pro ID on every thermostat you install, so customers can get in touch when they need you – and you can build relationships that last. Plus, sign up for HVAC monitoring through Handy ². It gives your customers an easy way to book online, and gives you the opportunity to get more qualified leads, even in the shoulder seasons.

Written by US Motors

Using the specifications of the fan blade is the best way to determine the correct horsepower for a replacement condenser fan motor. The diameter, angle and number of fan blades, along with the RPM of the motor, are the pieces of information necessary to make this determination.

Let’s look at the following scenario. You are diagnosing a unit and have determined that it is in need of a new condenser fan motor. The failed motor is 1/5 HP and 1140 RPM. The fan blade seems to be in good shape so you have no plans to replace it. So you should just replace the failed motor with a motor of the same size, right? Well, not exactly. It is always best to check the specs on the fan blade before replacing the condenser fan motor on any unit, and especially on older models. In this case, the original was a four blade 18” fan with a 27 degree angle – but you don’t know that. All you can do is measure the current fan and it is a four blade 18” fan with a 30 degree angle.

By looking at this chart, you can determine the correct horsepower for the replacement motor based on the specification of the fan blade.

The original was a four blade 18” fan with 27 degree angle (1140 RPM motor) and was replaced at some time with the current four blade 18” fan blade having an angle of 30 degrees (1140 RPM motor). Therefore a larger horsepower motor (1/4 HP) is needed.

When the compressor needs replacing, many homeowners and contractors consider the option of replacing the entire system. Here are 5 reasons why changing the compressor is the more cost-effective option.

1. Less Labor – A single tech can change a compressor, whereas a system change-out requires at least two crew members.
2. No Demolition or Line-Set Replacement – These difficult tasks can be avoided by offering a replacement compressor rather than a complete system.
3. Less Time – It takes far less time to change out a compressor than an entire system. This gives you more time for additional calls.
4. New Products Make It Easy – With newer designs and technology such as the availability of re-piping kits, makes compressor changes simple while new refrigerants like R-407C breathes new life into R-22 systems.
5. Happy Customer Today = Customer for Life – By selling a compressor change-out with a service agreement, you can save your customer money and turn them into a life-long customer through add-ons, scheduled maintenance, and future systems.

Pressure switches are an inexpensive way to keep a compressor from running in adverse pressure situations, either low or high. Whether it be a dirty filter, system restriction or system leak, shutting down the compressor before it damages itself can save the homeowner and you a lot of time and money. Ferguson carries Supco pressure switches for both R-22 and R-410A applications.

Features:

• Condenser fan cycling SPST close on pressure rise
• Ambient Temperatures -31°F to 248°F
• Rated Voltage: 50/60 Hz; 24/120/240 Volts
• Life at Rated Load: 100,000 cycles
• ¼” SAE female flare fitting with valve core depressor
• Snap acting stainless steel hermetically sealed sensor
• Small size and light weight for direct mounting
• Excellent set point repeatability/stability
• Burst Pressure: 5000 PSI

PART #	RLA @ 240VAC	RLA @ 120VAC	LEAD LENGTH	TOLERANCE	CLOSE PSI	OPEN PSI
SSFC210275	2.9A	5.8A	18”	+/- 15 PSI	275	210
SSFC300400	2.9A	5.8A	18”	+/- 15 PSI	400	300

To ensure the accurate tightness of fittings, it is important to use a torque wrench when installing mini-splits. In heat pump applications, the expansion and contraction of the suction and liquid lines tends to weaken the flare connections. To make sure you have a strong connection, flare connections should be made as follows.

First, set the flare in place and then add the fitting that will hold the flare.

Then, tighten the fitting by hand to set it in place.

Finally, tighten the fitting with the torque wrench in one hand while holding the fitting with a wrench in the other hand. Be sure to hold the torque wrench by the handle at the end of the wrench. This will allow for proper leverage to tighten the wrench and you will feel and hear a click when the flare is tightened completely.

By following these steps you will be able to tighten your flare connections properly to prevent leakage.