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Author: Ed Janowiak

Ed Janowiak is ACCA's Manager of HVAC Design Education and can be reached at ed.janowiak@acca.org or 703-824-8878.

Hey Ed, why does Manual J® use one person per bedroom plus one in the data collection part of the survey?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses the Manual J calculations for bedrooms.

Hey Ed, does placing the outdoor unit for a HP or CAC under the house make sense if there is enough clearance above for airflow?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses placing an outdoor unit under the house.

Hey Ed, should we try to place the outdoor unit for a HP or CAC in the shade?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses placing an outdoor unit in the shade.

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Why are dehumidifiers in the basement if moist air is lighter than dry air?

If moist air is lighter than dry air, basement dehumidifiers seem to defy basic physics. A contractor’s simple question reveals a complex building science principle in this members-only exclusive.

Hey Ed, what is mass flow?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses air flow vs mass flow.

Hey Ed, is air heavy?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses the weight of air in a room.

Hey Ed, are returns required in every room?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses Manual D’s requirement of an uninterrupted path for the air to come out of a supply outlet and get back to the fan.

Hey Ed, is all air standard?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses the weight of a cubic foot of standard air.

Hey Ed, what is the most efficient way to connect a return duct to an air handler?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses the most efficient ways to connect a return duct to an air handler.

Hey Ed, do we ever try to get our systems to meet AHRI SEER2 operating efficiency?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses AHRI SEER 2 operating efficiency in system design.

Hey Ed, can you give me a brief description of what COP means?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses the coefficient of performance for HVAC systems.

Hey Ed, what’s this thing I hear you say about turning the TV up when the system comes on?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses the importance of low-noise systems.

Hey Ed, can you give a brief summary of the balance points that we deal with?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses thermal and economic balance points.

Hey Ed, how do I avoid committees?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses the importance of showing up to the meetings.

Hey Ed, which is heavier? Dry air or wet air?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses the weight of dry air versus wet air.

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And the engineer said…..

While attending ACCA 2025 at the Kalahari Resort in Texas this past March, I was asked a question that comes up often. The question focused on adding extra BTUs to the calculated heat gain to account for what was described as “additional loads.”

Hey Ed, is charging with liquid really a thing?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses the advantages of charging with liquid.

Hey Ed, are AHRI ratings useful?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses AHRI ratings and their usefulness in comparing various makes and models of air conditioners and heat pumps.

Hey Ed, do ceiling fans help?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses the efficacy of ceiling fans in the summer and winter months.

Hey Ed, what is managing expectations?

In this edition of “Hey Ed,” Ed discusses managing customer expectations when it comes to their heating and cooling system.

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