Latest Insights

The BalCon Blog

Expert insights on lab safety, TAB testing, and industry best practices to keep your facilities safe and efficient.

Jul 13, 2026TAB Testing

Balance Before You Break Ground: Why Pre-Demo Balancing Separates the Pros from the Price

Measure the old system before you tear it out. The data says you will find problems — and the report protects everyone

Jul 13, 2026TAB Testing

How Many Times Does the Air Turn Over? Air Changes Per Hour, Explained

Air always flows from higher pressure to lower pressure, and engineers use this principle to control contaminants, odors, and indoor air quality throughout a building.

Jul 13, 2026TAB Testing

Which Way Does the Air Flow? Room-to-Room Pressure, Explained

Air always flows from higher pressure to lower pressure, and engineers use this principle to control contaminants, odors, and indoor air quality throughout a building.

Jul 13, 2026TAB Testing

Getting Kitchen Hood Exhaust and Makeup Air Right

For general contractors, engineers, and building owners, getting kitchen ventilation right means fewer callbacks, better building performance, and a safer facility.

Jul 13, 2026TAB Testing

Building Pressure: The Invisible Force Affecting Every Commercial Building

Building pressure is the difference between indoor and outdoor air pressure. It's invisible, constantly changing, and has a major impact on comfort, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and moisture control.

Jul 13, 2026TAB Testing

Do You Dalt?

A duct air leakage test takes a few hours. The leaks it finds could waste energy every hour the building operates—for the next 20 or 30 years. Just as importantly, DALT helps contractors avoid costly rework, keeps commissioning on schedule, and gives engineers confidence the duct system is performing the way it was designed before the building is turned over to the owner.

Jul 10, 2026TAB Testing

Air Changes Per Hour Explained

Air changes per hour (ACH) answers one question: how many times is all the air in a room replaced in an hour? At 8 ACH, the room gets a complete air swap every seven and a half minutes.

Jul 10, 2026TAB Testing

Branch Dampers vs. Volume Dampers

Left alone, a duct system feeds the outlets closest to the fan generously and starves the ones at the far end. Dampers fix that by adding resistance where the air wants to rush, so the far ends get their share.

Jul 10, 2026TAB Testing

Measuring Flow Without Cutting Pipe: Ultrasonic Water Testing

Sometimes the pipe you need to measure has no flow meter, no balancing valve with ports, and no way to shut the system down.

Jul 10, 2026TAB Testing

How To Read A Balancing Report

A certified TAB report compares what was measured against what was designed — fan and pump readings, airflows at every diffuser, water flows at every coil.

Jul 10, 2026TAB Testing

Autoflows vs. Circuit Setters: The Choice That Decides Balancing Costs

The balancing valve you specify doesn’t just affect system performance—it determines where the cost shows up: in the equipment or in the labor required to make the system work.

Jul 10, 2026TAB Testing

Building Survey: Turning HVAC Complaints Into Measurable Problems

When a building is not performing as expected, the first description is usually vague: “It’s not cooling,” “there are hot and cold spots,” or “something is off.”

Underground Plenum Leakage Testing Header

Jul 10, 2026TAB Testing

Test It Before You Close It: Why Underground Plenum Leakage Testing Matters

An underground air plenum is one of the most difficult HVAC components to repair once construction advances.

Jul 10, 2026TAB Testing

Outdoor Air Ventilation: Why Measuring Airflow Matters More Than Damper Position

Too little outdoor air leads to IAQ issues and compliance risk. Too much means you’re heating, cooling, and dehumidifying air the building never needed.

Aug 10, 2023Lab Safety

Improving Laboratory Efficiency

What are the keys to laboratory efficiency and how can you reduce your energy use to lower your overall laboratory expenses?