HVAC Tips
Radiators, Baseboards & Hydronic Emitters: What Works Best With a Weil-McLain Cast-Iron Boiler?
Mike explains which emitters work best with the Weil-McLain CGA-5—covering radiators, baseboard, steel panels, radiant heat, fan-coils, and mixed hydronic zone design.
Why Tony Always Adds a Temporary Support Rail — The One Trick That Saves You From a Crooked Install
By Tony Marino — “A wall sleeve only goes in straight if you force it to.”
🧱 1. The Ugly Truth: Most Crooked PTAC Installs Start Before the Sleeve ...
The 60-Minute Break-In — Why Tony Always Runs a New PTAC Through a Full Heat/Cool Cycle Before Leaving the Jobsite
By Tony Marino — “If you don’t test it now, it’ll fail when the customer’s asleep.”
🕒 1. The Hard Truth: Most PTAC Problems Show Up in the First Ho...
Why a 12k PTAC Needs a Builder’s-Level Wall Sleeve — Not the Cheap One the Contractor Threw In
🧱 1. The Truth Nobody Says Out Loud: The Sleeve Is the Entire Install
Most installers talk about PTACs like the sleeve is just a piece of metal yo...
Left, Right, or Center? Tony’s Placement Rules So Your PTAC Doesn’t Fight Your Furniture Layout
By Tony Marino — “Airflow doesn’t care where your bed is, but your comfort will.”
When people talk about PTAC installation, the conversation usual...
The Forgotten Foam Kit — Tony’s Air-Leak Audit That Adds 15% More Heating Efficiency for Free
By Tony Marino — “If air can sneak through it, you’re paying for heat you never get.”
There’s a dirty little secret in PTAC and heating installs t...
Why Tony Cuts 1/8 Inch High on Every PTAC Opening — The Expansion Gap Nobody Teaches but Every Pro Uses
By Tony Marino — “Material moves. The only question is whether you plan for it.”
Every installer knows how to cut a hole.
Very few know how to cut...
Stop Pushing Warm Air Into a Muddy Hole — Tony’s Condensate Rule That Saves Floors, Carpets, and Drywall
By Tony Marino — “If the condensate doesn’t know where to go, it will choose the worst place possible.”
Every PTAC installer talks about cooling.S...
The Back-Pressure Trap — How Poor Weather Seal Installations Make a 12k PTAC Sound Twice as Loud
By Tony Marino — “Noise isn’t a mystery. It’s pressure fighting to get out.”
There’s a moment every HVAC tech knows—the customer calls and says:
...
Why Tony Always Re-Wires the Disconnect Box — The Hidden Voltage Drops That Starve a 3.5 kW Heat Kit
By Tony Marino — “If the heat kit’s starving, your wiring’s lying.”
A 3.5 kW electric heat kit inside a 12,000 BTU PTAC unit is a simple machine o...
If You Don’t Square the Sleeve, You Already Lost — Tony’s Rule for 12k PTAC Wall Cuts That Never Leak or Shift
By Tony Marino — The Furnace Whisperer Who’s Seen Every Botched PTAC Install Imaginable
Installing a 12,000 BTU PTAC unit like the Amana Distincti...
Pay Cash or Finance? A Smart Shopper’s Guide to HVAC Decisions
Should you pay cash or use financing when replacing your HVAC? This guide helps homeowners compare both paths with clear pros, cons and smart budgeting tips.