HVAC Know It All Podcast

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero continue talk with Derek Cormier, Founder of Escape The One Man Show, and CEO & Founder at Climate Experts Air Plumbing & Electric, about building a profitable HVAC company that depends less on its owner. They cover apprentice recruiting, financial literacy, field service software, office staffing, virtual assistants, and the limits of AI call handling. They also examine private equity offers and why repeatable systems can give owners more choices about whether, when, and how to sell. Derek operates in Melbourne, Florida, and draws on his experience building a recruiting pipeline, moving from paper invoices to Housecall Pro and then ServiceTitan, and restructuring office support. He describes testing AI phone agents against human customer service representatives and using financial reports to identify overstaffing. His approach centers on Climate Experts' mission: "caring enough to do it the right way, no matter what it takes."   Expect To Learn: -How an apprentice recruiting pipeline can reduce dependence on individual technicians. -Why owners need to understand their profit and loss before delegating management. -How reporting needs can guide field service software decisions. -How to balance office support, specialized roles, and staffing costs. -Where virtual assistants and AI fit into customer service operations. -Why customer communication preferences should shape phone and texting workflows. -What to examine in a private equity offer and which ownership alternatives the hosts discuss.   Timestamps: 00:00 - Episode Introduction 00:49 - Recruiting Apprentices Versus Experienced Technicians 01:36 - Software and the Shift to Business Ownership 02:38 - Understanding Profit and Loss 04:26 - Balancing Office Support and Overhead 07:00 - Bringing Virtual Assistants Into the Team 08:10 - Human Call Handling Versus AI 10:40 - Customer Preferences for Texting and Calls 12:03 - Business Acquisitions and Trade Experience 15:00 - Sustainable Ownership and Exit Choices 19:03 - Examining Private Equity Deal Economics   Follow our Guest Derek Cormier:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-cormier/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thederekcormier/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thederekcormier/    Follow the Company Escape The One Man Show: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/escape-the-one-man-show/home/ Website: https://www.escapetheonemanshow.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapetheonemanshow/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapeTheOneManShow/    Follow the Company Climate Experts Air Plumbing & Electric: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/climate-experts-air-plumbing-electric/home/ Website: https://www.climateexpertsac.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climateexpertsinc/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/climateexpertsac/    Follow Gary McCreadie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/    Follow Furman Haynes:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/furmanhaynes/  WorkHero: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workherohvac/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workhero__/  

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Podcast, host Gary McCreadie talks with David Nicholson, Training Manager at NTI Boilers, about on-demand water heating and combi boiler operation. They cover demand sensing, burner startup, water quality, ignition systems, and domestic hot water priority. HVAC technicians will learn how these controls work together and why a heating call does not always trigger immediate ignition. David draws on his experience in technical support and contractor training to explain the equipment decisions behind common service questions. His work with engineering and research and development also informs his perspective on igniter reliability, while feedback from technicians helps connect product design to installation and maintenance challenges.   Key Takeaways How flow switches and flow meters signal domestic hot water demand and influence burner response. How the boiler checks safeties, verifies fan speed, initiates ignition, and proves flame before modulating output. Why incoming water filtration and water-quality treatment matter for flow-switch reliability and scale prevention. Why NTI Boilers moved toward spark ignition and how electrode warping can still cause failures. How domestic hot water priority, diverting-valve operation, and temperature differentials affect a combi boiler's response to space-heating calls.   Key Timestamps 00:00 –  Introduction to the episode & Guest David Nicholson 02:07 – Regional differences in technician knowledge and training needs 03:22 – Learning from technicians and recognizing manufacturer knowledge gaps 10:29 – Types of flow switches, spark vs hot surface igniters, and combi 19:08 – Igniter reliability, domestic hot water priority, and space-heating controls   This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse!   Follow the Guest and His Company on: David Nicholson - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-nicholson-7a9884118/ NTI Boilers - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ntiboilers/ NTI Boilers - Company Website: https://www.ntiboilers.com/    Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455 

In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie talks with Tyler Nelson, Master HVACR, HVAC Sales Manager & Trainer - Americas at Seitron Americas Inc., about heat exchanger inspections, combustion diagnostics, and personal carbon monoxide monitoring. They explain how visual checks complement analyzer readings, why building changes can disrupt draft, and how technicians can approach CO protection throughout the year. Tyler conducts training for contractors, distributors, and conference audiences. His work includes helping contractors improve installation, commissioning, and diagnostic practices. He brings that field-training perspective to inspection access, interpreting combustion measurements, and using technology without abandoning hands-on diagnostic skills.   Key Takeaways How ambient CO monitoring, installation checks, visual inspection, and combustion analysis work together as layers of a diagnostic process. How borescopes, phone cameras, and planned access panels can help technicians inspect hard-to-reach heat exchangers. Why a blue flame alone cannot establish safe combustion performance. How building alterations and exhaust systems can change pressure conditions and interfere with appliance draft. Why personal CO monitoring remains relevant during summer service calls when other fuel-fired appliances are operating indoors.   Key Timestamps 00:00 - Factory Direct Filters Ad 00:42 - Guest and Episode Introduction 02:09 – Layering ambient CO checks, installation review, and visual inspection 07:43 – Planning inspection access during installation 12:21 – Personal CO monitoring and year-round exposure risks 13:55 – CO safety for customers, technicians, and staff   This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse!   Follow the Guest and His Company on: Tyler Nelson, Master HVACR - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-nelson-master-hvacr-9a8a981b/ Seitron Americas Inc. - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seitron-americas-/inc Seitron Americas Inc. - Company Website: https://www.seitronamericas.com/    Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455 

In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie talks with Tyler Nelson, Master HVACR, HVAC Sales Manager & Trainer - Americas at Seitron Americas Inc., about testing combustion at light-off, steady state, and shutdown. They examine what each phase can reveal about burner operation, heat exchanger integrity, and fuel delivery. Technicians will learn why steady-state readings alone can miss diagnostic clues and how analyzer protection affects testing practices. Tyler wrote Combustion Analysis: The Essentials and recently joined a collaborative team of trainers at Seitron Americas Inc. His teaching connects analyzer readings to a diagnostic thought process: what a technician observes, what it might mean, and what to check next. That approach also informs his use of multiple tests when evaluating a suspected heat exchanger breach.   Key Takeaways How testing at light-off, steady state, and shutdown reveals different operating characteristics that steady-state testing alone can miss. Why Nelson uses CO air-free readings to evaluate combustion and distinguishes light-off thresholds from steady-state thresholds. How monitoring oxygen after the blower starts can help identify a suspected heat exchanger breach as part of a broader verification process. How shutdown readings can reveal clues to a leaking gas valve, residual oil, or a secondary heat exchanger drainage problem. Why light-off testing requires close attention to analyzer sensor protection, and why temporarily closed supply registers must be reopened after static-pressure testing.   Key Timestamps 00:00 - Factory Direct Filters Ad 00:42 - Guest and Episode Introduction 02:24 – Defining light-off, steady state, and shutdown 09:20 – CO air-free readings and combustion evaluation thresholds 15:58 – Analyzer protection and focused attention during light-off testing 17:48 – Static-pressure testing within a multi-step heat exchanger evaluation   This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse!   Follow the Guest and His Company on: Tyler Nelson, Master HVACR - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-nelson-master-hvacr-9a8a981b/ Seitron Americas Inc. - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seitron-americas-/inc Seitron Americas Inc. - Company Website: https://www.seitronamericas.com/    Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455 

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero welcome Derek Cormier, Founder of Escape The One Man Show, and CEO & Founder at Climate Experts Air Plumbing & Electric, to talk about building a company that can operate beyond its owner's field skills. They discuss aligning business partners, recording revenue, protecting business value, making the first office hire, and creating repeatable training systems. Derek explains why developing apprentices around achievable standards helped him move from doing the work himself toward managing the business. Derek grew up working on construction sites with his father and spent five years as a police officer before returning to Melbourne, Florida. He studied construction engineering at UCF while working as an HVAC technician, then chose to pursue HVAC. After working for several local companies and starting a branch of his uncle's business, Cold Air, he obtained his own contractor's license and rebranded as Climate Experts. His experience rebuilding the business in 2019 informs his approach to hiring, training, and company culture.   Expect To Learn: -How communication, technical judgment, and hands-on skills support the transition from technician to owner. -Why partners need aligned values, shared goals, and clear decision-making authority. -How unrecorded cash revenue can undermine business valuation and financing opportunities. -Why faster payment collection gives a business more cash to reinvest. -How to choose an early office hire around the owner's operational weaknesses. -Why repeatable work standards help owners delegate without expecting every technician to match their skills. -How supervised development and appropriately assigned maintenance work can help apprentices build experience.   Timestamps: 00:00 - Episode Introduction 00:59 - From Construction and Policing to HVAC 04:53 - Why Derek Started His Own Business 07:41 - Family Partnerships and Different Business Goals 11:03 - Recording Revenue Instead of Hiding Cash 12:32 - Faster Collections and the Cash Conversion Cycle 13:19 - How Reported Profit Affects Business Value 15:31 - Rebuilding with an Office Manager as the First Hire 17:12 - Repeatable Standards and Staged Technician Training 21:41 - Hiring Experience Versus Training for Culture   Follow our Guest Derek Cormier:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-cormier/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thederekcormier/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thederekcormier/    Follow the Guest's Company Escape The One Man Show: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/escape-the-one-man-show/home/ Website: https://www.escapetheonemanshow.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapetheonemanshow/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapeTheOneManShow/    Follow the Guest's Company Climate Experts Air Plumbing & Electric: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/climate-experts-air-plumbing-electric/home/ Website: https://www.climateexpertsac.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climateexpertsinc/    Follow Gary McCreadie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/    Follow Furman Haynes:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/furmanhaynes/  WorkHero: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workherohvac/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workhero__/  

In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie talks with Jamie Chadwick, HVAC Product Manager at Testo Instruments - North America, about combustion analysis and technician safety. They discuss the 320 and 330 analyzers, sensor maintenance, digital reporting, and personal carbon monoxide monitoring. Technicians will learn how clean-air zeroing, annual service, and gas path checks support reliable testing. Jamie teaches combustion analysis across furnaces and boilers using natural gas, propane, and oil. His classroom experience highlights practical mistakes, including zeroing near vehicle exhaust and leaving condensate-trap plugs loose. He connects those examples to equipment checks and the need to consult local codes and manufacturer specifications.   Key Takeaways How combustion readings provide a reference point for evaluating operation alongside local codes and manufacturer specifications. Why field-replaceable sensors do not eliminate the need to send an analyzer in annually to verify its operation. How digital reports preserve dated and timestamped readings and let technicians share test records with customers and the office. How a wearable CO detector with an earbud option can support personal monitoring in loud mechanical rooms. Why zeroing an analyzer in clean outdoor air, away from running vehicles and cigarette smoke, helps prevent distorted readings. How a gas path check helps identify leaks that warrant checking hose connections, filter caps, and the condensate-trap plug.   Key Timestamps  00:00 - Factory Direct Filters Ad 00:42 - Guest and Episode Introduction 02:42 – Combustion training, operating ranges, and manufacturer specifications 03:37 – Testo 320 features and guided testing for newer technicians 06:04 – Testo 330 applications and dilution-pump protection 10:31 – Wearable CO monitoring with the 317-3 13:58 – Avoiding exhaust contamination when zeroing an analyzer 16:45 – Gas path checks and common leak points This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse!   Follow the Guest and His Company on: Jamie Chadwick - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-chadwick-b72a43148/ Testo Instruments - North America  - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/testo-usa/ Testo Instruments - North America - Company Website: https://www.testo.com/en   Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455 

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero continue the conversation with Eric Fitz, Co-founder, Co-CEO, and Chief Technology Officer at Amply Energy, Inc., and Ed Smith, Co-founder, Co-CEO, and Chief Customer Officer at Amply Energy, Inc., about the operational demands of heat pump work. The discussion covers rebate paperwork, cash flow, subcontractor partnerships, and the opportunity to combine HVAC with whole-home performance services. Eric and Ed explain how contractors can pair technical expertise with reliable processes to compete on trust rather than speed, and how design software and human-supervised AI could support that work. Eric and Ed draw on experience with installations, whole-home electrification services, and software development at amply. Their work connects building-envelope assessment, HVAC design, electrical-load considerations, and customer recommendations. They describe a design-focused approach to software development, with tools intended to support contractors' judgment rather than replace their responsibility for the results.   Expect To Learn: -How rebate administration and delayed reimbursements can strain staffing, cash flow, and payroll. -Why electrical and weatherization partnerships need shared standards for quality, communication, and customer service. -How combining building-envelope improvements with HVAC design supports a whole-home approach to comfort and efficiency. -Where design software could connect insulation, electrical-panel assessments, energy forecasts, and phased customer recommendations. -How the trust matrix pairs strong processes with technical expertise to distinguish independent contractors from speed-focused competitors. -How to improve pricing, quoting, and operations incrementally without sacrificing craftsmanship or customer trust. -Why amply's approach to AI keeps humans responsible at the beginning and end of the workflow.   Timestamps: 00:00 - Episode Introduction 00:43 - Rebate Administration, Cash Flow, and Subcontractor Coordination 02:13 - Building HVAC and Weatherization Partnerships 04:46 - The Case for Whole-Home Performance Services 06:06 - Software Gaps for Home Performance Contractors 07:08 - Design Priorities and Software Integrations 10:26 - Connecting Whole-Home Recommendations to Quotes 14:57 - Sustainable Pricing, Trust, and Incremental Improvements 20:21 - Human-Supervised AI and the Contractor Copilot   Follow our Guests on LinkedIn:  Eric Fitz - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehfitz/  Ed Smith - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-smith-5aa8716/    Follow Our Guest's Company Amply Energy, Inc.: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/amply-energy/home/  Website: https://www.amply.energy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amply_energy/    Follow Gary McCreadie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/    Follow Furman Haynes:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/furmanhaynes/  WorkHero: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workherohvac/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workhero__/  

In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie talks with Jamie Chadwick, HVAC Product Manager at Testo Instruments - North America, about putting safety first during heating service and maintenance. They explain testing before and after repairs, recognizing possible carbon monoxide exposure, preparing an analyzer, and selecting a sampling location. Technicians will learn how these practices support safer testing and help document their work. Jamie draws on his contracting experience and current training work to connect analyzer procedures with field conditions. His approach emphasizes checking equipment before making changes, verifying operation afterward, and recognizing when emergency services need to make a site safe. He also explains why general training cannot replace checking local codes and manufacturer requirements.   Key Takeaways How testing before and after service helps document equipment condition and demonstrate the effect of maintenance. Why reported headaches, lightheadedness, or nausea warrant attention to possible carbon monoxide exposure and personal CO monitoring. Why suspected hazardous CO conditions call for evacuation and emergency assistance rather than attempts to continue troubleshooting. How zeroing an analyzer in clean outdoor air and allowing equipment operation to stabilize helps prepare for combustion testing. Why sampling location matters for flue temperature and efficiency readings, and why an outdoor termination reading may not match a reading near the appliance.   Key Timestamps 00:00 - Factory Direct Filters Ad 00:42 - Guest and Episode Introduction 03:52 - Importance of the safety of the machine  07:14 - What do the training for Combustion Analysis include? 12:22 - A walk-through of the Combustion Analysis call 15:59 - Correct position to put the Combustion Analyzer Probe 19:17 - Jamie's take on shoving the probe in the termination outside This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse!   Follow the Guest and His Company on: Jamie Chadwick - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-chadwick-b72a43148/ Testo Instruments - North America  - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/testo-usa/ Testo Instruments - North America - Company Website: https://www.testo.com/en   Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455 

In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie talks with Gaetano Altomare, Category Manager - Plumbing at IPEX by Aliaxis, about installing nonmetallic flue gas venting correctly. They cover pipe preparation, solvent welding, inspection, primer requirements, and combustion testing. Listeners will learn how to avoid weak connections and preserve vent integrity during installation and service. Gaetano brings firsthand knowledge of certified venting products, manufacturer installation guidelines, and the development of dedicated combustion-testing fittings. His manufacturer's perspective connects the mechanics of pipe-and-fitting fusion with practical field decisions, including cutting older pipe, verifying compatible components, and sealing test-access plugs.   Key Takeaways How square cuts, beveled ends, clean pipe surfaces, and a dry-fit interference check help produce a properly fused vent connection. Why certified vent systems require components from one manufacturer and how optical brighteners help inspectors verify primer and solvent cement use. How local requirements, installation temperatures of 32°F and colder, and pipe sizes of six inches and larger determine primer use for the products discussed. How a dedicated combustion-testing fitting installed within two feet of the appliance provides probe access without drilling the vent pipe. Why the test-access plug discussed requires two full turns of Teflon tape rather than relying on plastic threads alone to seal.   Key Timestamps  00:00 – Factory Direct Filters Ad 00:42 – Episode Introduction 03:14 – Cost difference between PVC and CPVC 08:18 – Glue or chemical bonding 11:21 – Primer requirements for temperature and local jurisdiction 12:33 – Combustion testing without drilling vent pipe 14:36 – Final installation lesson: sealing the test-access plug This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse!   Follow the Guest and His Company on: Gaetano Altomare - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaetano-altomare-85a78833 IPEX by Aliaxis  - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ipexbyaliaxis/ IPEX by Aliaxis - Company Website: https://ipexna.com/   Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455 

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero welcome Eric Fitz, Co-founder, Co-CEO, and Chief Technology Officer at Amply Energy, Inc., and Ed Smith, Co-founder, Co-CEO, and Chief Customer Officer at Amply Energy, Inc., to discuss how contractors can adapt their sales and design processes for heat pumps. They explore why accurate load calculations matter, how visual design tools help homeowners understand recommendations, and how to make a longer assessment a clear point of difference. The discussion also covers charging for design work, setting expectations during intake, and matching sales responsibilities to the team's expertise. Eric and Ed began with whole-home electrification projects across New England, combining weatherization, HVAC, heat pump water heaters, EV charging, solar, and batteries. Eric brought modeling and HVAC design experience, while Ed's learning process helped them identify where software needed to make that expertise easier to apply. Their work alongside installation partners exposed challenges in design and business operations, leading them to shift toward software that supports HVAC contractors.   Expect To Learn: -Why Amply shifted from whole-home electrification projects to supporting HVAC contractors with design software. -How Manual J defines a home's loads before equipment selection, regardless of the system being installed. -Why heat pump selection requires balancing heating, cooling, moisture removal, and airflow requirements. -How visual design information helps homeowners understand recommendations and share them with another decision-maker. -How intake staff can explain a longer assessment and prepare homeowners for a more detailed visit. -How to choose between paid diagnostics, charging for design documents, and including design in a free estimate. -How accessible design tools can help less-experienced employees take on work that otherwise falls to the owner.   Timestamps: 00:00 - Episode introduction 00:57 - Guests introduction and Whole-Home Electrification Origins 04:37 - Why Amply Energy, Inc. Shifted to Supporting Contractors 05:34 - Making Design Faster, Accurate, and Visual 08:35 - Testing Software Through an Installation Business 10:04 - Preparing a Traditional HVAC Shop for Heat Pumps 11:11 - Manual J and Heat Pump Equipment Selection 13:49 - Assessment Time and Homeowner Engagement 15:36 - Setting Expectations During the Intake Call 17:16 - Options for Charging for Diagnostics and Design 18:38 - Helping Less-Experienced Staff Handle Design   Follow our Guests on LinkedIn:  Eric Fitz - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehfitz/  Ed Smith - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-smith-5aa8716/    Follow Our Guest's Company Amply Energy, Inc.: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/amply-energy/home/  Website: https://www.amply.energy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amply_energy/    Follow Gary McCreadie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/    Follow Furman Haynes:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/furmanhaynes/  WorkHero: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workherohvac/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workhero__/