Bert finds an interesting but commonly missed airflow issue when out to do a leak detection on an A/C system. Jessica also comes along for filming and to talk about tools.
When the air handler is packed into a tight space, the front and back insulation can pull against the system. That insulation gets pulled against the blower, which can result in airflow problems. The solution to that sort of problem is to tighten down the insulation and keep it from flapping back up against the blower.
To access the back insulation, you'll need to pull the blower wheel out. In this case, the washers are slightly bigger than the wheel and held in by three screws. When we remove the screws, the whole blower assembly can slide right out.
Bert also comes across an upside-down screw with a very tight access space at the top between all the wiring and the relay. Making sure that the power is off, he gets the wiring out of the way to make the space a little less tight. When the screw comes out, Bert decides to leave it out, as four screws will work well enough to keep the blower assembly in place.
The insulation looks pretty rough in the back, so Bert decides to glue it down on the flat sides and tape the corners. When taping the corners, Bert creases the tape BEFORE applying it to make the taping process easier.
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Okay, we're actually here um to do elite detection on this system uh we got called out just just for the leak detection following a different company, but whenever i see a front-facing unit like this here, look at the unit super common problem. The back insulation pulls against the system, so you see how the blower setup is. It's turned sideways in here when this panel shuts this panel is going to be very close to our blower, and you can see it's already been pulling into it and then the back panel. You have a similar problem.

You can look down in here. I can see it you can see that it has been sucking and pulling away now half of this blower right here. On that back side, half of the air intake is being blocked by the interior panel. So somehow we need to get back there secure that piece that has come loose and flapped up against there and it could be a pain with these most common.

I see the ones the design is there's this ring right here. It's like a washer and the washer is a little bit bigger than the wheel, so you take out these screws and then you pull the washer out and the whole wheel comes off still attached to the motor and then you'll have this hole to access that back. There and i'll take plumbing strapping and i'll make like an x with a plumbing strapping, some sort of metal uh a washer with a screw and i'll put it in, and the points that i can, because i can only access part of it. This one looks like i can actually pull the whole blower out.

You have room on the side and above the coil, so i can slide the whole blower out and then i'll be able to glue that back into place tape it down, make it more secure. So that's what we're going to do next already right into a problem just trying to take the screws out of this. So you got a couple of screws that come along here on the bottom and look at this one. This screw from the factory is upside down.

So the rest of these, we can access to pull out this this one's upside down and then look at the top look, how much room we have we have by the way you want to make sure power is off. If you just turn off this breaker, then you'll still have power on these two terminals and everything else will be off, but you got to find that screw in all this wiring pretty difficult right there. So you only have enough room about like this, and you have this this in your way, your relay. It's doable, it's just going to be more work, so we'll put a little stubby in there or this with a wrench and get that screw out and that screw is never never going back.

In trust me, four screws is fine, but holding that blower in place. Oh, my gosh, it's brilliant! You might need to adjust the the direction yeah. This is one of my favorite tools for getting into tight places. It's a ratcheting, little nut driver yeah, it's great to be riding with uh with jessica today, because literally you laughing at me.

It's the best tool, it's a great tool, i don't have great tools, probably would be using a leatherman at this point and getting fired if anybody saw me well. After all, my complaining, this is actually not that hard. When you have the proper tools, the job goes easier. It's amazing just amazing how that works.
All right, we should be good for our next red is on the bottom of that relay so tight in there and then black black is on that other side. I wonder if i'll be able to put this all back, just barely look at that. Look at that such a manly man, all right so back in here. You can see how this has been pulling in and this and you can see right here - here's the ring of our blower, so this has been sealing against the top hat and they do have these two couldn't they have put those like.

You know in the corners we'll have to glue this down and then tape it with some metal tape on the corners, and that should do the job. Just gon na really juice it on there. Let it sit for a minute putting a crease in your tape or going into a corner, makes your corners so much easier to work with there. We go thanks for watching our video if you enjoyed it and got something out of it.

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11 thoughts on “A commonly missed airflow issue w/ bert”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars HVAC RESIDENTIAL BASICS says:

    I’m so glad to see Jessica showing Bert how things get done!! Service area Kanata??

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Steph&Waylon Wells says:

    👍

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Mohammad Nassiri says:

    Great job Sir.

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Eddie Gorge e3 says:

    No sticky back pins for holding the insulation on?

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Sean Murphy says:

    "ratcheting nut driver", 😯 wow… How are you even going to make a statement about "have the proper tools" when you don't even know the name of the tool you're speaking about? Lmao 🤣

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jericosha says:

    Spray glue is smart. Never thought of this.

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Creekside Maintenance says:

    I ran into that same issue today on that exact model while I was diagnosing a no heat call. What a coincidence that this video popped up as soon as i opened YouTube!!! Is Gooble watching me work now? Only the algorithm knows…

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Edward Hall says:

    Someone smack an engineer!

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Bill says:

    Truer words have never been spoken Jessica, "when you have the proper tools, the job goes easier".

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars marty maness says:

    Find the leak? Are you in Ottawa ?

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars marty maness says:

    Who carries spray adhesive?

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