Florida HVAC Contractor Course Notes

Pre-Installation — Air A outline weight about 14%; Air B about 12% (official outlines note content-area percentages may vary). High-yield focus: design HVAC and duct systems; recommend equipment or design changes based on cost, efficiency and load; select controls, motors, compressors, pumps and boilers; calculate thermal resistance using R and U factors; calculate and discuss EER/SEER and energy efficiency; perform heating and cooling load calculations; apply psychrometrics, fan curves and pump curves; size refrigerant, water and other piping; plan rigging, structural loads and mechanical equipment placement; read and interpret plans, specifications, symbols and scales; apply Florida energy-code requirements. Use this section as a rapid review; the 200-card study guide carries the deeper application detail.

• Avoid: Thermal resistance (R/U) is not the same as airflow resistance/static pressure.

• Write the pressure path before calculating.

Sheet Metal Ducts — Air A outline weight about 9%; Air B about 9% (official outlines note content-area percentages may vary). High-yield focus: fabricate kitchen hoods, exhaust ducts and drain pans; fabricate rectangular and round duct; select sheet metal, fiberglass and flex duct; fabricate fittings, seams and locks; line and insulate duct; seal ducts with approved tapes and mastics. Use this section as a rapid review; the 200-card study guide carries the deeper application detail.

• Avoid: Kitchen grease exhaust is not fabricated like ordinary comfort-air duct.

• For grease exhaust, think FIRE + GREASE + ACCESS.

Installation of Refrigeration and HVAC Systems — Air A outline weight about 23%; Air B about 22% (official outlines note content-area percentages may vary). High-yield focus: install split and packaged air-conditioning systems; install split and packaged heat pumps; install air-cooled and water-cooled systems; install chilled-water and secondary-coolant systems; install cooling towers; install systems across tonnage ranges; install centrifugal and absorption systems; install low/medium/ultra-low temperature refrigeration; install walk-in and reach-in refrigeration; install ventilation, make-up air and kitchen exhaust; install pneumatic and DDC controls; install geothermal systems; perform testing and balancing; apply fire/smoke-control requirements. Use this section as a rapid review; the 200-card study guide carries the deeper application detail.

• Avoid: Split = field-connected indoor/outdoor sections; packaged = factory-contained refrigeration assembly.

• Specs before piping.

Installation of Refrigeration and HVAC Equipment Components — Air A outline weight about 14%; Air B about 14% (official outlines note content-area percentages may vary). High-yield focus: install air-cooled and water-cooled condensers; install hermetic, semi-hermetic and centrifugal compressors; install air handlers and evaporators; install expansion devices, receivers and accumulators; install refrigerant piping and accessories; install controls, motors, starters, relays and electrical components; install pumps, boilers and hydronic components; apply wiring, piping, pressure and refrigerant requirements. Use this section as a rapid review; the 200-card study guide carries the deeper application detail.

• Avoid: Air-cooled fault clues center on airflow/ambient; water-cooled clues center on water flow/temperature/fouling.

• Verify rotation before blame.

Maintenance Analysis of Refrigeration and HVAC Systems — Air A outline weight about 9%; Air B about 10% (official outlines note content-area percentages may vary). High-yield focus: interpret pressure-enthalpy relationships; read gauges and system pressures; analyze superheat and subcooling; diagnose airflow, refrigerant and electrical faults; use refrigeration and electrical test instruments; evaluate compressors, motors, controls and heat-transfer components; analyze system capacity and operating efficiency. Use this section as a rapid review; the 200-card study guide carries the deeper application detail.

• Avoid: Throttling is approximately isenthalpic—not compression, not isentropic expansion.

• Metering valve: pressure down, h about constant.

Maintenance Service of Refrigeration and HVAC Systems — Air A outline weight about 14%; Air B about 14% (official outlines note content-area percentages may vary). High-yield focus: repair compressors and refrigeration components; recover, evacuate and charge refrigerants; repair leaks and piping; service electrical controls and motors; clean coils, condensers and condensate drains; service air-distribution equipment; apply EPA refrigerant-handling requirements; perform preventive maintenance and component replacement. Use this section as a rapid review; the 200-card study guide carries the deeper application detail.

• Avoid: Repairing the failed part is not the same as correcting the cause.

• Root cause before replacement.

Safety and Equipment — Air A outline weight about 9%; Air B about 10% (official outlines note content-area percentages may vary). High-yield focus: apply PPE and job-site safety; use ladders, rigging and lifting equipment safely; handle refrigerants and compressed gases safely; use hand and power tools safely; apply electrical safety and lockout/tagout; apply pressure-vessel and compressed-air safety. Use this section as a rapid review; the 200-card study guide carries the deeper application detail.

• Avoid: PPE does not make an otherwise prohibited procedure acceptable.

• Hazard first, PPE second.

Energy Management — Air A outline weight about 5%; Air B about 5% (official outlines note content-area percentages may vary). High-yield focus: perform duct pressure and blower-door testing; evaluate building-envelope effects; recommend energy-efficient equipment; perform load and thermal-resistance calculations; apply Florida energy-code requirements. Use this section as a rapid review; the 200-card study guide carries the deeper application detail.

• Avoid: Duct test = air-distribution leakage; blower door = building-envelope leakage.

• Define the boundary.

Indoor Air Quality — Air A outline weight about 3%; Air B about 4% (official outlines note content-area percentages may vary). High-yield focus: select filtration systems; apply UV treatment concepts; manage humidity; select air cleaners; measure and balance airflow. Use this section as a rapid review; the 200-card study guide carries the deeper application detail.

• Avoid: Filter efficiency ≠ whole-system IAQ by itself.

• Efficiency + pressure drop.