Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine September 2025

HVACR NewsMagazine September 2025

State National Chapter News

In 1994 Dominick Guarino and Rob Falke recognized a need to fill the HVAC training void by founding National Balancing Institute, better known today, as National Comfort Institute. Rob Falke would become known as “Doc” due to his identifying methods for capturing the right information to make a practical diagnosis. Unfortunately, the industry lost a gentle giant with Rob’s untimely death due to Covid complications in May of 2022 at the early age of 67. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s funding was available across the country to research sealing up duct systems. The results gathered at the time were unexpected. When we seal the duct on existing systems without making modifications for efficient air flow, energy requirements rise. Fans work harder to find air for delivery, and some comes from outside the envelope and enters the duct system. In the mid 2000’s distributors begged the contracting community to attend free training, but demand for the product delivery kept the better companies out until the sun set each day. As early as 2005 , “Home Performance” was a new catchphrase to explain Building Science and the HVAC system installation, would have to merged at some point. The construction industry would have to think about HVAC ahead of time and make room for mechanical components to match the requirements. Unfortunately, this idea failed to catch on

in most instances. At the same time a warning was given. If the HVAC industry doesn’t police itself some one else will. Two years later codes began requiring testing for duct leakage. In 2010 ACCA Q5 was released as a guide for performance to all manner of energy efficiency and correct installs. Wes Davis was involved deeply with the document. I am unsure of the number of folks today that have reviewed the document, but it is a great place to start. In June of 2013 “the NEWS” was kind enough to print “HVAC is All About Air”. The article discussed shortcomings in industry and identified the fact that practically any existing HVAC install could be improved upon in some manner. Paul Wieboldt of NCI fame, tested in and out seventeen different houses. Acting on the information Wieboldt gave selected contractors, corrective measures were implemented, and the home was tested again. Wieboldt found energy savings were available at every address. Some with minimal effort. Paul identified grilles to be changed, returns to be enlarged or improved, alternative filter use, and duct work to be modified and or otherwise addressed as he deemed necessary. In many instances the equipment had been installed with factory default settings remaining. Some homes saw almost a 70% reduction in HVAC utility use. Others had their overall utility bills cut in half. In some homes, large media filters were added. No equipment was changed at the homes tested.