Amazon.com description: Product Description: RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION ACADEMY: HVAC 2nd edition delivers training materials with a hands-on practical approach. Based on NAHB/HBI Skill Standards developed by an advisory board of leading builders and educators, this full color, comprehensive text is intended for aspiring technicians and covers the installation, startup and service of residential air conditioning and heating systems. This new edition continues to present material as a theory then explains with how-to instructions while at the same time adhering to the NAHB/Home Builders Institute's Skills Standards for HVAC. Instructions contain step by step procedures with illustrations side by side with the description, giving clarity to the instructions. The first section explores matter, energy, heat and the basics of refrigeration with a view towards building a working knowledge of the behavior of heat and how it is transferred. Next, the start up and service section illustrates the steps that must be followed to make certain that airflow through the system is correct and the amount of refrigerant in the system is within the acceptable range. Finally the installation and service of oil, gas, electric and geothermal heating systems is covered as well as boilers, hydronic heating and radiant heating.