Field Verification and Diagnostic Testing of:

Duct Testing

We seal off all the supply and return registers and connect a fan pressurization device to pressurize the duct system to record the amount of leakage.  With this information and calculating the airflow of your system, we can determine the percentage of duct loss in the duct system.  Without proper duct sealing, the average duct leakage in California is 30%!  Proper sealing is cost-effective and provides more heating and cooling into the building providing an energy savings, improved comfort and improved indoor air quality.

Refrigerant Charge and Airflow

By using temperature sensors and refrigerant gauges we can determine if the split system cooling system has the correct amount of refrigerant (charge). Too little or too much refrigerant can cause your compressor to fail early.  Too much refrigerant can slug the compressor. Refrigerant floodback, or slugging, occurs when liquid refrigerant doesn't completely vaporize in the evaporator (coil) but instead returns to the compressor down the suction line. This condition can cause liquid refrigerant to enter the compressor cylinder. Reciprocating compressors can't compress a liquid and this can cause pressures in excess of 1,000 psig to occur in the cylinder. The result may be a broken valve, head or piston; a bent or broken crank; or a host of other mechanical failures. Besides too much refrigerant, this can also be caused by low airflow or a bad or improperly installed TXV.  Proper testing can help identify any potential problems, saves energy and helps maintain the longevity of the equipment.

Cooling Coil Airflow

As describe above, proper airflow not only provides increased cooling comfort into the building, especially in hot dry climates, but helps maintain the longevity of the cooling equipment and preventing the evaporative coil from freezing.  We use several methods to measure the airflow across the evaporative coil to insure proper function of your system which provides increased comfort.

Fan Watt Draw

This test lets us and you know on a split cooling system how many watts the fan motor uses in the cooling mode.  The lower the wattage, the lower the energy bills.

Newly Constructed Residential Buildings

Besides the above tests, newly constructed residential buildings may require additional testing.  Consult your CF-1R Title 24 compliance documentation.  We are certified to test the following energy measures:

• Refrigerant Charge Indicator Display (CID)
• High Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER)
• Building Envelope Sealing
• Maximum Rated Total Cooling Capacity
• Evaporatively Cooled Condensers
• Ice Storage Air Conditioners
• Supply Duct Location, Surface Area and R-Value
• Low Leakage Ducts in Conditioned Space
• Low Leakage Air Handlers
• High Quality Insulation Installation (QII)
• Quality Insulation Installation for Spray Polyurethane Foam

For more information, visit the California Energy Commission’s website or click here to view the Residential Compliance manual.