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Number of Results: 109
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Coatings Application Guide for Commercial and Industrial Fans
Coatings have many uses. Some protect; others provide aesthetic qualities, while some coatings offer both protection and aesthetics. Greenheck offers customers a wide variety of coatings for specific applications. We have developed several coating formulations that meet the requirements for 98% of a
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Understanding the Differences Between Backdraft and Relief Dampers – Application and Selection
A successful HVAC system installation requires the correct components. Selecting most components is pretty simple. However, some can create problems. Backdraft and relief dampers, because of subtle differences and uses, can fall into that category. (Figure 1) Figure 1 Backdraft dampers, also known a
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What you need to know about ASHRAE 90.1-2022, FEG, and FEI - Part II
In our previous blog post, we explained the inconsistencies that were in the Fan Efficiency Grade metric (FEG) which was included in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019 and other energy standards. Because of these inconsistencies, the FEG metric could not accurately define the most energy-efficient fan for an
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Podcast: Understanding Fan Energy Index (FEI)
Consulting Specifying Engineer: Understanding Fan Energy Index (FEI)In this Consulting Specifying Engineer podcast, Greenheck Principal Application Engineer, Tyler Mancl P.E., discusses how FEI is a true energy efficiency metric and explains how an understanding of FEI can help engineers with code c
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Big Ceiling Fans: A Guide to HVLS
HVLS or overhead ceiling fans are an extremely efficient way of moving large quantities of air around large spaces, like warehouses, auditoriums, and even a hotel atriums. They can be big enough to produce a slight breeze, keeping sizable open spaces relatively cool by increasing the rate of evapora
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Ventilation Fundamentals for Indoor Air Safety
The National Education Association cites that nearly 57.5 million students and school employees enter the doors of our nation’s schools every day. According to estimates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, half of these adults and children spend their school days breathing air polluted wi
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How to Adjust Floor-Mounted Isolators for Noise and Vibration-free Operation
Your HVAC equipment is making unusual sounds and vibrating. Time to call maintenance, right? Well, yes, but maybe not for the reason you thought. It could be nothing more than a simple adjustment of fan isolators. Installing fan isolators on your HVAC equipment reduces the transmission of vibration
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Understanding FEI; the new Fan Energy Index
As the saying goes “The only thing that is constant is change.” As we all know, change isn’t always good. However in this case, changing to the new Fan Energy Index (FEI), replacing the much criticized and flawed FEG (Fan Efficiency Grade) metric, is great! FEI replaces existing fan energy metrics i
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Air Terminal Units – The Basics
Ever think to yourself, how come I can adjust the temperature in the conference room without affecting my office? The answer is air terminal units (ATUs)! Why use ATUs? ATUs, also referred to as VAV boxes, allow occupants in a specific zone to adjust the temperature to their comfort level by regulat
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Protecting Ventilation Openings for Storm Shelters and Tornado Safe Rooms; FEMA Louver Requirements
Springtime in many parts of North America ushers in many changes. Snow melts, temperatures rise and the land starts producing again. These are welcome changes for many, but these changes do not come without some challenges. Spring is a volatile season and is often known for violent weather. Tornadoe
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Louver Requirements for the Hurricane-Prone Region
Nearly 40 hurricanes and tropical storms have made landfall in the United States (U.S.) and its territories in the past 10 years. These storms pose an extreme risk for inhabitants of the areas affected. This risk includes injury and loss of life. Risk also extends to damage incurred to property—home
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How to Cool a Building Without Air Conditioning
When the weather warms up, an air conditioning unit can help keep large indoor spaces comfortable. But sometimes installing an air conditioning unit isn’t always possible or economical, so finding ways to cool the interior of a building without using AC is necessary. There are numerous benefits to k
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How to Select the Proper Explosion-Proof Motor for Your Fan Application
A variety of exhaust fans with spark-resistant designs that are suitable for contaminated and flammable environments are available in the marketplace. Many of these environments can use totally enclosed (TE) motors since the motors are not in the contaminated airstream and pose no threat to ignite a
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Fans vs. Air Conditioners: Which Cools Better?
Keeping an indoor space at a comfortable temperature is extraordinarily important. There are many options available to accomplish that task, and some are far better than others. The two basic methods are fans and air conditioners but figuring out exactly which works best for your particular situatio
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Evaluating Finish Coat Processes for Grilles, Registers, and Diffusers
Grilles, registers, and diffusers (GRD) are an afterthought for most people until something like rust ruins the aesthetics of a space. GRD products corrode due to a variety of reasons. The primary reason is humidity and dust particles finding untreated metal on the product instead of being encapsula
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Louver Fundamentals: A Breakdown of AMCA Louver Certifications
The Air Movement and Control Association International or AMCA develops industry-related test standards for air movement and control products while independently certifying product performance to ensure reliable and accurate product performance. AMCA has several standards that pertain to louvers. AN
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How to Select and Apply Balancing Dampers
It is more important than ever for a building’s HVAC system to be adjusted and balanced correctly to achieve the required indoor air quality at the lowest possible operating costs. Pressure imbalances within an HVAC system can make it more difficult to maintain a given condition within a room (i.e.,
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Direct Gas-Fired Make-Up Air Units Deliver Benefits Safely
The transition from A1 refrigerants to A2L refrigerants effective January 1, 2025 has made a strong impact on the HVAC industry. Because A2L refrigerants have a low global warming potential, the change will make HVAC equipment less harmful to the environment, which is why the U.S. Environmental Prot
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Why Your Restaurant’s Neighbors Will Thank You for Using a Pollution Control Unit
As delicious as the aromas of food cooked in a commercial kitchen may be when the food gets to your table, the smoke and grease particles that cooking gives off are less enticing. That’s why many cities and counties now require kitchens that exhaust air at the ground level to use pollution control u
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What You Need to Know about the Refrigerant Transition
The transition to low global-warming refrigerants in the HVAC/R industry has been making headlines as the EPA deadline for most HVAC/R products to conform to the new refrigerant regulation is January 1, 2025. The following provides the basics on refrigerants and the impacts of the new regulation. Wh
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Benefits of Air Balancing and Commissioning for Make-Up Air Units
Make-up air unit commissioning for new projects or pre-existing buildings is a quality assurance process to verify and document that HVAC systems function as specified and meet the operational needs of the building. The value of the initial commissioning is represented by operating savings, unit per
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The Basics of Fan Performance Tables, Fan Curves, System Resistance Curves, and Fan Laws
Product Application Articles: The Basics of Fan Performance Tables, Fan Curves, System Resistance Curves, and Fan Laws Knowledge of fan performance tables, fan curves, system resistance curves, and fan laws is vital for fan selection. Many fan and HVAC product manufacturers offer computerized select
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Energy Recovery: A Clear Solution for Improved IAQ In Existing Buildings
As building occupancy has shifted and changed in many sectors since the COVID-19 pandemic, a heightened awareness remains to improve the quality and safety of the air we breathe. The most proven and longstanding method of doing this is by increasing the amount of ventilation, or fresh air, that we b
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What you need to know about ASHRAE 90.1-2022, FEG, and FEI - Part I
ASHRAE 90.1 revisions over time have reduced HVAC energy consumption in nonresidential buildings by 50% since the standard's introduction in 1975. Like software updates that incorporate improvements and bug fixes, so it is with standards and code revisions. Hence this is the reason to update your pr
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How to Meet Code when Specifying Ceiling Exhaust Fans for Multifamily Projects
In accordance with ASHRAE 62.2, recent changes to IECC and the ENERGY STAR® Multifamily New Construction (MFNC) program have increased minimum ventilation rates. To meet code, mechanical exhaust and whole-unit ventilation performance must be measured, verified, and documented. The inability to meet
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Moisture Transfer in Energy Recovery Ventilators
Energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) are a cost-effective way to bring more outdoor air into a commercial building while reducing the burden on the rest of the HVAC system. They work by: Drawing in fresh air through an intake fan Removing stale indoor air through an exhaust fan Using a heat exchanger
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Benefits of Heating Warehouses with Direct Gas-Fired Equipment
Direct gas-fired equipment has been used for many years in industrial make-up air applications. Benefits including 92% thermal efficiency, low first cost, and compact footprints make direct gas-fired equipment the ideal choice. For these same reasons, direct gas-fired equipment is also a great fit f
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Improved Thermal Comfort and Aesthetics Make the Journey Enjoyable
TBD Central Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee, Wisconsin serves as a gateway for leisure and business travel. More than 280,000 people use the airport annually. Read about Greenheck’s solution to improve thermal comfort with using stylish fans that complements the airport’s newly remodeled concourse.
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What goes into motor sizing?
Motor sizing is more than a simple selection. Part one of this discussion explained fundamentals about horsepower (HP), torque and the fan laws. That information will aid in selecting a fan and determine the motor size. Fan Selection The fan criteria used for this post was for a direct drive fan wit
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How to Adjust Air Performance in the Field without Sheave Changes or VFDs on Adjustable Blade Fans
Air performance adjustments in the field are sometimes necessary for a variety of reasons. For example, the system’s design looks perfect on paper, but the realities of installation can require airflow changes. Other factors include unaccounted or overestimated pressures, or building renovations. It
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How to Design Laboratory Ventilation
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the need for more information in fighting contagious diseases. Research on its causes, controls and cures spiked and continue still as the world attempts to protect against such viruses. Of course, laboratories work on a variety of projects in addition to contagious dis
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How to Survive a Retrofit Fan Installation in a Tight Space Location
Specifying and installing a [physically] large fan and its related housing in new construction frequently is quite easy. Exposed openings allow contractors to move it to the required location. However, that same installation to replace the existing equipment becomes far more difficult years after th
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The Energy Savings Revolution in Make-up Air
A mechanical ventilation system provides fresh, outdoor air, as well as heating and cooling to the space in most commercial buildings. The system design varies depending on the application and uses various components such as air-handlers, make-up air units, and energy-recovery ventilators. Each prod
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Exploring the Benefits of Factory-Installed Ceiling Radiation Damper—Bath Exhaust Fan Combination
Bathroom exhaust fans are the most common way to properly ventilate and control moisture in residential bathrooms. Along with providing effective ventilation, bath fans with a ceiling radiation damper (CRD) are one of many components used to mitigate the spread of fire in many multi-family residenti
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Fresh Air for the HVAC Industry
Welcome to the blog for air movement, control, and conditioning professionals that addresses your technical interests and needs. You will find valuable information on topics important to you and your work as it relates to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). No hype or hyperbole—just v
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Leading Causes of Coil Failures Explained
Whether you own a large commercial building or are homeowner, you rely on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment to maintain the comfort level of your building. While this equipment is reliable, it inevitably fails. Then, if you find the culprit is a heating or cooling coil, you
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Understand the Energy Efficiency Codes Before Selecting an Inline Fan
Are you in the market for an inline fan? Wonderful! Many energy-efficient options exist. But how do you know whether the inline fan you select offers the performance you want and complies with relevant codes and standards? Perhaps a better question is, do you know what codes and standards emphasize
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The Impact of Poor Indoor Air Quality in Multifamily Buildings
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the concentration of some pollutants is often 2 to 5 times higher indoors than outdoors. The average American spends approximately 90% of their time indoors, so indoor air quality (IAQ) is extremely important to everyone’s health.
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Understanding LODs and its Use in Building Information Modeling
Building information modeling (BIM) in its most simplistic form is all about data; specifically, the data contained in individual BIM elements. These elements – e.g., walls, windows, doors, fixtures, etc. – are the building blocks of any building information model, and can each contain information t
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How to Avoid Selecting the Wrong Ceiling Damper
Ceiling dampers, also called ceiling radiation dampers (Figure 1), are crucial components of fire-rated floor/ceiling and roof/ceiling assemblies. However, confusion often occurs during the specifying and selection of these products. It is common to install the wrong damper, or worse, install each i
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Aspirus Wausau Hospital Medical Surgical ICU Remodeling
The intensive care unit of a hospital requires a unique approach to ventilation to protect against contaminated air and pathogens, and still maintain patient comfort. Learn how Greenheck provided the right solution.
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Apply energy recovery to ventilation systems -- It's the Law!
Recovering energy sounds pretty good, right? But how many realize it is possible to recover energy from HVAC equipment that is ventilating a space? An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) consists of a supply fan, exhaust fan, and an energy recovery device. The ERV takes spent/stale conditioned air from
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Does Your HVLS Fan Perform As Advertised?
High volume, low speed (HVLS) fans are large diameter ceiling fans that have gained significant popularity in the HVAC industry over the last several years. Like your ceiling fan at home, HVLS fans are a great way to circulate air and make the places that we live and work more comfortable. But, unli
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Fire Dampers 101 – Types, Testing, and Ratings
Fire dampers play a very important role in protecting buildings and saving lives in the event of a fire. Building codes require fire dampers to maintain the fire-resistance ratings of walls, partitions, and floors when penetrated by air ducts and transfer openings. (Figure 1) Upon detection of eleva
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Improved Indoor Air Quality Raises Math/Science Scores
tbd Indoor air quality is a concern in schools across the country. It affects health and the ability to learn. Yuma High School in Yuma, Arizona solved its air quality challenge and eliminated another common issue. Read about Greenheck’s solution.
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Sign-Up for and Comment on Fresh Air Blog Posts
Greenheck’s Fresh Air blog recently added new functionality to make your blog experience even better. Now, you can have notifications of new blog posts sent directly to your email inbox. We know your time is valuable and this notification can save you time. But that’s not all. Our intention has alwa
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How Well do You know Your Industrial Isolation Dampers?
Dampers can have many different functions within an HVAC or process application. One such function prevents or restricts the free flow of air, requiring the use of an isolation damper. Isolation dampers are generally two-position dampers and actuated to be fully open or fully closed. The degree of i
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How to Adjust Your HVAC System and Minimize the Spread of COVID-19
Keeping people safe and protected from contagious viruses has reached unprecedented levels over the past few months. Leading organizations such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and medical professionals stress the need for common sense practices to slow the spread of COVID-19 and other contag
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What You Need to Know About DOAS And the New Efficiency Ratings
Dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) are gaining popularity in the commercial HVAC industry. These systems consist of ventilation units that dehumidify 100% outdoor air coupled with air handling units that heat or cool the space air. Figure 1 is a schematic of a typical DOAS. Figure 1: DOAS units pr
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Redundant Lab Exhaust Systems: Are You Selecting the Best Option for Safety?
Safety. Reliability. Ensure proper design and installation of systems to keep a laboratory open and operational. Laboratories must meet these requirements. However, labs have stringent ventilation needs when compared with other applications. Many labs work on critical research with potential for inf