TAB Insights is our writing archive — short, technical articles drawn from real projects on commercial buildings across metro Atlanta. Each piece covers a single topic in plain language for owners, mechanical contractors, GCs, and property managers evaluating TAB scope, cost, or schedule on an upcoming project.
How our TAB insights are organized
Posts fall into three groups: field-level explainers covering what TAB actually measures and how; schedule and cost notes for GCs and PMs working through closeout planning; and code and standards references tying the work back to ASHRAE 111, NEBB, AABC, IECC, and the relevant SMACNA documents.
Who reads our insights
Owner’s reps and PMs scoping closeout, mechanical contractors negotiating third-party TAB scope, property managers working through chronic comfort issues, and engineers evaluating retro-commissioning opportunities on existing assets.
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Practical guidance on air balancing, indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and HVAC testing & balancing — from the team at Testing & Balancing USA.
Kitchen Hood Testing — Commercial Exhaust & Makeup Air (MUA)
Kitchen hood testing verifies commercial exhaust and makeup air (MUA) under UL 710, NFPA 96, and the IMC. Required at closeout, after retrofit, and on the annual cycle for restaurants, hotels, schools, and hospitals.
A General Contractor’s Guide to Scheduling Test & Balance
Scheduling test and balance is the single most common pinch point on commercial closeouts. The work has to land after
Retro-Commissioning: Fixing an Existing Building’s HVAC
Retro-commissioning existing buildings is the systematic investigation of a building’s current mechanical performance, with corrective scope ranked by ROI. Retro-commissioning
How Often Should a Commercial Building Be Balanced?
How often to balance a commercial building depends on building type, system age, occupancy changes, and any retrofit activity. The
What Is Duct Leakage Testing and When Is It Required?
Duct leakage testing (DALT) quantifies how much conditioned air a ductwork system loses into unconditioned space. The procedure is governed
Why Your Building Has Hot and Cold Spots
Hot and cold spots in a commercial building are almost always an airflow distribution issue rather than a thermostat issue.
What a TAB Report Includes (and Why Inspectors Want One)
A TAB report is the closeout deliverable that proves the mechanical system performs to design. Owners, engineers, AHJs, and operators
How Much Does Test & Balance Cost?
Test and balance cost on commercial buildings is built from device count, system complexity, access conditions, and reporting requirements —
NEBB vs AABC vs TABB — TAB Certifications Guide
NEBB vs AABC vs TABB — three TAB certification bodies, three different stamps, one industry. Specifically, the NEBB vs AABC
HVAC Commissioning vs. Test & Balance: How They Differ
Commissioning vs test and balance is a question that comes up on most commercial closeouts. The two trades overlap on
Air Balancing vs Water Balancing — Two TAB Trades
Air balancing vs water balancing is the basic split inside commercial TAB. Specifically, air balancing vs water balancing means two
What Is HVAC Testing Adjusting and Balancing (TAB)?
Testing adjusting and balancing (TAB) is the three-phase procedural process applied to commercial HVAC systems on every closeout. Testing adjusting
