Managers need to set expectations and lead a team through the entire duration of a project. Good ones are committed to the project and their team. Bad ones miss deadlines, exceed budgets, and foster unsafe working conditions.

I’ve asked Ron Milejczak to share his thoughts on what makes a good construction project manager. He is Kalos’s lead project manager for the Walmart division.

Construction project manager managing expectations

A good construction project manager can successfully manage their expectations. A manager must understand a project’s budget, scope, and schedule.

As great as it would be to have tons of money to burn on projects, it just doesn’t happen. Even mega-corporations have limited funds. Good managers understand finances, and they know the cost of supplies and labor. They will not underestimate their expenses and go over budget.

It’s up to the manager to ensure that all parties know exactly what a project entails. They also aim to understand the client’s perception of the scope. The manager can explain the procedures and goals in a way that the client understands, aiming to reduce the risk of confusion wherever possible. They ensure that everyone understands their roles. When everyone knows the scope, all parties can keep realistic expectations.

Scheduling requires time management and organization skills. Managers must make sure that tasks get completed on time. On top of that, they have to keep track of who works on those tasks. It’s overwhelming for an incompetent manager. However, good managers organize their workforce and commit to their deadlines.

Communication skills of a construction project manager

The manager is the point of contact for all parties: employees, subcontractors, and the client. As such, the manager keeps everyone on the same page throughout the project.

Communication skills go hand-in-hand with leadership skills. The manager must maintain constant communication because everyone needs to know what their role is at all times. By extension, a manager must also learn how to communicate with each team member.

Everybody understands instructions differently. A good manager makes sure the directions are clear to everyone. For example, a manager can accommodate employees with impaired hearing by making the procedures accessible in a written or visual format.

Effective communication skills also keep morale high. Social skills come into play here. Managers must be diplomatic communicators. Nobody wants to work for someone who demeans them, so many construction teams benefit from having a manager who respects and encourages them.

Ron Milejczak believes that the coaching leadership style is most effective. Nurturing your workers’ strengths is vital in project management. Still, you can’t lower your expectations. Good leaders focus on growth and stay positive, but they don’t forsake education or safety standards in the process.

Safety

A manager who doesn’t care about safety is a bad manager.

Safety is one of those things you can’t worry about as issues arise. A manager needs to be able to tackle potential problems before anybody gets hurt. Education and training are the top priorities of good managers. They make sure their teams are aware of hazards and equipped with the knowledge and tools to handle them safely.

Managers are also responsible for making sure everyone has the proper PPE. They also enforce safety procedures and assess risks on-site. Sharp observation skills and a willingness to be present are necessary.

As a manager who works in Walmart stores, Ron Milejczak thinks about the safety of his workers and the shopping public. Workers will be aware of hazards from their training and everyday work, but the shopping public won’t be. You can’t train the public, so a manager can only reduce risks to keep everyone safe.

Building subcontractor relationships

We’ve touched on client relationships, but we shouldn’t neglect the subcontractors.

It’s up to the manager to communicate the project’s scope to subcontractors. The key is to convey information as clearly as possible. A good manager leaves no room for confusion. They do this by providing proper training and addressing misunderstandings quickly and with tact.

As with any team effort, a partnership mentality builds strong relationships. A manager must relate to subcontractors and “speak the language” of their trades. Most of it comes down to understanding the subcontractors’ work and being considerate. Good managers have the social skills to make and maintain strong subcontractor relationships.

A good construction manager maintains standards and communicates clearly from start to finish. They make proper training and education a priority, and they build up their teams on knowledge and encouragement.

A subpar manager will be overwhelmed by the responsibilities, and they may lack the character traits needed. Good leaders and managers have the trifecta of people skills, communication skills, and organization skills to get jobs done promptly and safely.

The post What Makes a Good Construction Project Manager? appeared first on Kalos Services.

Several things can cause indoor humidity. Bathrooms and kitchens have excess moisture due to running water & cooking, but we can control it with exhaust fans. Duct leaks, high evaporator coil temperatures, and cracks in your home may also raise the humidity. Luckily, you or an HVAC tech can fix most of these.

If you’ve done everything and still feel uncomfortable in your home, you may consider installing a whole-home dehumidifier. Kalos’s Jesse Claerbout has agreed to share some of his knowledge to help you decide if it’s the right choice for you.

How do dehumidifiers bring in fresh air?

Whole-home dehumidifiers work with your A/C system. They usually pull air from your home through a grille in the ceiling. Air then enters the return from the grille and goes through a filter. This filter catches allergens and contaminants within your home before removing moisture.

Many dehumidifiers have a fresh air inlet. Those inlets draw in air from outside, which goes through a duct that runs separately from the return. The fresh air also runs through a motorized damper. Like the in-home air, the fresh air also passes through the filter before it reaches the dehumidifier. Fresh air intake helps control odors.

The dehumidifier has a long coil. Excess moisture is removed from the air as it moves along the coil. From there, the fresh and indoor air goes to your A/C unit to circulate through your home.

Installing whole-home dehumidifiers

Installing a dehumidifier is quite a labor-intensive process. Homeowners don’t need to worry about it, but there are many things that a technician must consider. Jesse Claerbout has a list of questions that he asks whenever he approaches a dehumidifier installation project:

Where will the dehumidifier be located?

It’s easier to answer this question when you’re installing dehumidifiers on two-story homes. Claerbout usually recommends installing dehumidifiers on the second floor if possible. Water vapor rises, so dehumidifiers are usually more useful at higher points in the home.

Where will we pull the return air from?

There are a few different ways we can pull the return air. If possible, we like to use dedicated air returns to the dehumidifier. Dedicated returns pull air directly from the environment and run it through the dehumidifier. We may also take return air from the HVAC unit itself, but we will need to either run the fan or put in a check damper.

How are we distributing the supply?

The answer to this question will depend on the unit. Dehumidifiers attached to mini-split systems have their air distributed independently throughout the home. Otherwise, the supply can go back to the central A/C unit.

Do we need a backdraft damper?

A backdraft damper prevents damp or contaminated air from coming back in or from other forms of backdraft mixing. These dampers are common in bathroom exhaust fans, but they also help the dehumidifier do its job.

Where will it drain?

Whole-home dehumidifiers drain condensate into a tube, which connects to an independent gravity drain or a pump. Depending on the force of gravity and the condensate tube’s location, you may need to install extra pumps to push the condensate through the drainage hose.

Do we have easy access to replace the dehumidifier’s filter?

Like A/C units, you have to replace filters in dehumidifiers from time to time. You’ll have to change these every few months or so, perhaps even more often if you have pets or plants. (Pollen and dander are contaminants that can reduce your air quality.)

Filters should not be difficult or dangerous to replace. During installation, we want to make sure the filter is in a place that’s safe and easy to reach.

Do we have to run a new electrical system?

We can adapt many dehumidifiers to a home’s current electrical system. Sometimes, that’s not the case, and we’ll have to create a new one. The existing electrical system (or lack of a suitable one) will affect the installation time and cost.

Of course, these are things the techs need to consider. Homeowners don’t need to answer these questions. Still, these questions and answers may help them understand what dehumidifiers are and how they work.

How do you duct in a dehumidifier?

You can use traditional A/C ducts to duct in a humidifier.

Flex ducts are common in Florida. Most of the time, these will do just fine for routing the air. One duct runs from the grille to the return, and another runs from the dehumidifier to the A/C unit.

As with other HVAC systems, dehumidifiers use a drain line. You can either add the dehumidifier’s condensate drain to an existing drain or create a new drain. You can add them to drains of A/C units or domestic water heaters.

To watch a quick installation with flex ducts, we recommend watching this short clip of Ask This Old House.

What are some common misconceptions about how dehumidifiers work?

Some people believe that dehumidifiers reduce energy usage in homes. After all, they do some of the work that the A/C unit would otherwise do, so they must save some money on the electric bill. Unfortunately, dehumidifiers do NOT reduce the overall energy usage in your home.

Dehumidifiers are a comfort investment, not a financial one. A dehumidifier has installation and running costs, like any other unit. The amount of money it might save on your A/C unit’s electricity is relatively negligible.

Many homeowners are willing to pay the price for comfort, though. A vast majority of them have been satisfied with the dehumidifiers installed by Kalos.

The verdict:

Whole-home dehumidifiers may be an investment, but they are well worth the comfort they provide in Florida’s humid climate.

Installation is a labor-intensive process, but it isn’t a serious concern for homeowners. Dehumidifiers can easily work with your A/C system to keep your air clean and comfortable. We guarantee that you’ll feel a difference on muggy days.

The post Do Dehumidifiers Really Work? appeared first on Kalos Services.

Commercial HVAC systems are different from residential ones. There are multiple drain possibilities, from isolated drains to common drains, as well as condensate pumps. Mike Klokus has agreed to share what he knows about drain cleaning protocols for commercial systems. Mike Klokus is the Division Manager for Light Commercial HVAC/R operations at Kalos Services.

Drains: a familiar acquaintance

Most of Kalos’s commercial HVAC service calls have to do with drain buildup. The actual number of calls hovers around 40%.

Florida is notorious for all sorts of drain issues. Our cooling season lasts longer than most other regions of the country. When our systems run more intensely more often, we have more opportunities for sludge to build up. We also have “drain snot,” or a slimy white bacterial buildup that accumulates very quickly.

Commercial drains are quite different from residential ones. Most at-home cleaning solutions (like vinegar) don’t work on commercial drains. Commercial facilities managers can’t do much to stop drain buildup on their own, so they must call an HVAC technician to help clean their drains.

Buildup causes and effects

The environment is mainly responsible for drain buildup. Unfortunately, there is very little that managers can do to stop it.

As said previously, Florida is one of the worst states for drain buildup. Sludge accumulates whenever your HVAC system runs, so even normal functioning results in dirty drain buildup. Bacteria or algae can accumulate all along the drain’s sides, which impedes the flow of condensate. Many drain lines run outside, so dirt and outdoor debris may also cause buildup near the drain outlet.

One of the worst things that we see is bacterial zoogloea buildup. We’ve given it several nasty names, but we commonly call it “drain snot.” It’s a bacterial buildup that accumulates extremely quickly and looks like a white or clear goo. It only takes a couple of months before it can completely back up your drain.

The buildup causes a condensate backup. When the condensate backs up, it leaks. Leaks may damage your unit and cause severe property damage. In the case of storage unit A/C systems, all of the renters’ property will be at risk if a drain line backs up and floods.

Sludge buildup isn’t just limited to the drain line, either. The drain pan can also get filthy. Even a quarter-inch of grime can form a dam that prevents fluids from passing through. The entire drain system must be inspected and cleaned thoroughly.

Cleaning drains measures

These are just a few of the troubleshooting methods we use to control and clear out drain buildup.

One of the most basic features that can save you a lot of heartache is a float switch. When the drain backs up and activates the float switch, your unit will stop working. That way, you’ll hopefully call an HVAC technician to address the issue without ruining any property. Be careful, as not all units have a float switch. If a unit doesn’t have a float switch, then flooding can occur.

We use a wide range of methods to clean drains. We prefer using high-pressure water whenever possible. We also use shop vacuums, compressed air, and (infrequently) chemicals. We make sure that we use the safest, most appropriate methods for the job. When we use chemicals, we make sure that they’re sewer-safe or the drain outlet is away from property and gardens.

In the case of bacterial zoogloea buildup, we can put copper in the drain pan. Copper has ions that kill bacteria and fungi. These ions also deactivate viruses. Bacterial zoogloea has become an increasingly common nuisance since the introduction of aluminum coils. Aluminum doesn’t affect the zoogloea, so we use copper to provide a natural solution.

How to save money on cleaning drains 

The best thing you can do to save money on drain cleaning is to schedule PMs at least twice a year. We recommend scheduling PMs during the spring and fall.

Preventative maintenance is a lot less expensive than other service calls. At Kalos, drain cleanings during PMs will cost you a lot less than a service call, especially weekend service calls.

There is no easy way to clean commercial HVAC drains without a technician’s help. Unlike residential units, most home remedies are not practical on commercial systems. Still, knowledge is power. If commercial facilities managers understand the importance of drain cleaning, they can stay on top of preventative maintenance and save themselves a lot of money and heartache.

The post Cleaning Drains in Commercial HVAC appeared first on Kalos Services.