A Lost Sale – What Could I Have Done Better?

A Lost Sale – What Could I Have Done Better?

A lost sale: how I handled a job estimate and what I could have done better

I recently quoted a big 3,500 sq ft home in Granite Bay, an upscale part of one of the counties we serve.  The project was going to be a big one: two systems, a 5-ton and a 3-ton with ductwork and possibly insulation blown-in.  Of course I wanted the job, but if I don’t get it, I don’t get it.  I want to talk about how I handled this job estimate and what I could have done better.  Let me know your thoughts about this lost sale.

The Customer

The customer wanted two new systems with a Trane CleanEffects filtration system, plus ductwork, and a way to get one guest room air when it would be occasionally occupied.

When I went on this call, I noticed it was in a prominent area of the county where homes are enormous and expensive.  This house had an upstairs and downstairs, and as I said before, it had about 3,500 sq ft of conditioned space with very little insulation.  We talked about his project, and he seemed set on variable speed systems, which for those of you who might not know is the premium technology currently used in our field.

The customer did tell me that he liked us when we quoted a system for another property of his.  He ultimately didn’t choose us because our price was too high.  He found another company that gave him a mid-tier system for less money that would suit his rental just fine.  And he let me know he was getting “quotes from other companies too.”

The Work

Unphased, I did my usual routine of measuring the house, and checking insulation levels.  I took note of the windows in the house, checked the ductwork, and discussed another way to run the ductwork to one room that was on two different zones.  I checked with the customer for areas of the house that might have hot or cold spots.  Then I checked the return sizing and other possible ways of setting up his HVAC in the attic.  The ductwork could be run closer to the attic floor.  It could be buried with the potential new insulation for more energy savings.

I went out to my truck and wrote up the quote.  I provided several options, but he continued to focus on a variable speed system and possibly the 2-stage system.  So those are the numbers I gave him.  I also quoted him on a one-to-one Mitsubishi wall mount or ceiling mount in the guest room.  All in all, with two variable speed systems, ductwork, and insulation, the quote totaled at around $40k, give or take.

The Offer

When I came back in, I reviewed our sales book and system options and showed him our prices for his project.  He let me know our price was already higher than another company’s, and did I want to see their quote for the job?  I respectfully said no, I didn’t need to know the pricing because I was secure in my numbers for the job.  If another company could offer him the same things we were offering for the job, I understood if he chose them.

On a side note, I feel like with the extras we throw in on our jobs as well as the warranties and preventive maintenance we include, not too many companies can match our price apples to apples.

We finished up our conversation at the table, and I told him I was willing to work with him on the price a little.  I said I was confident that the difference in workmanship would show once that job was done.  We parted ways, and honestly, I didn’t feel too hopeful I’d be contacted by him again.  He seemed to be all about price and nothing else.

The Response

A couple of days later, he emailed me.  He asked questions about mixing systems furnaces with air conditioners, how much to change one of the systems to a 2-stage, and a couple of other basic questions.  I promptly answered his questions that night after work.  I was even able to get his new price down to below 40k for the whole job. It’s a slow time of the year, and I was willing to cut down on profits to win the job and keep my guys working.

The next day he asked me if I could just give him a quote for the 5-ton system, and he’d do the 3-ton later.  I was able to get him a smashing deal.  It meant I’d take a meager but still reasonable profit for doing the job.

Following Up

That was March 19th.  On the 23rd, I dropped him an email asking him how the bidding process was going. On the 30th he wrote back.   (Mind you everyone’s been going through the whole coronavirus lockdown, so it’s a crazy time for anyone to be thinking about replacing their system).  He said:

“As you know, we had several companies provide estimates for the HVAC.  Your estimate was very similar in equipment and price to two others.  The fourth estimate was several thousand dollars cheaper than the other three.  I have gone back and forth with the estimate and the company to make sure I am not missing anything because it was that much cheaper. I’m still waiting to decide because of this pandemic, but I am likely to go with the lower bid.  I hope you understand.  I appreciate your taking the time to discuss with me all the options. I’ll certainly keep you in mind for the other HVAC unit and the attic insulation.”

Sleeping On It

When I get news like this, I never want to respond with my initial feelings.  I’ll usually make sure I sleep on it before replying.  The next day I wrote back:

“Hi Mr. Jones, I can certainly understand why people want to go with the cheapest bid all the time.  It’s like going on Amazon because you know the price is going to be lower than retail stores.  But in the case of HVAC and what is involved in your job, I would seriously consider using the middle price as long as it’s a reputable company you’re comfortable with.  I know the numbers on this job, especially if you’re using Trane or American Standard.

Someone who is several thousand dollars less than us other companies aren’t netting anything.  I would be leery of a company like that. Consider the service after the install:  warranties, workmanship, and if the company is licensed and insured.  Any of us other three companies that are close in price are there because we want to be around for our customers next year when you need us.  From my experience in the industry, the companies low balling like that are here today and gone tomorrow.

I don’t mind who you go with.  Still, for the sake of us other three companies who are at typical market value for your project because of our reputation for quality workmanship, I wish you would reconsider.”

His Decision

The next day he clicked “Decline” on our electronic estimate on Housecall Pro, which I like.  It’s easier to know which jobs we’re still in the running for and which ones we’re not.  But this one came across a little bit like a door shutting in my face. I’m not upset with the outcome.  Honestly, it’s a huge job with lots of foot traffic and lots of ductwork.  I’m somewhat glad we don’t have to do it.

How Would You Handle This?

Is there anything you would have done differently on this? I’d genuinely like to know your thoughts, whether it’s positive or negative.  I want to take something away from this to gain knowledge.  Was my final response back to him too harsh?  Perhaps that’s why he didn’t respond further.

Let me know your thoughts down below.

Thanks for stopping by and we’ll see you on the next blog post.

Don’t miss our video on this topic:

Low NOx Furnace Requirements

Low NOx Furnaces

Have you heard about Low NOx furnaces?  Do you even know what NOx is?  Keep reading for some great information about this topic on today’s blog post.

 

Introduction

I was anxiously awaiting the release of the new S8X1 furnace line.  The main reason I was looking forward to it was the 34” cabinet was going to be a lot easier to deal with when replacing a furnace in a home’s closet or attic.  But when the rest of the country was getting the new S8 furnaces months before us, Californians had to wait for the release of the Low-NOx models mandated here in California.

We all know what greenhouse gases are and how they negatively affect the world we live in.  It’s bad for our health and limits the quality of life for our generation as well as future generations.  NOx is just another gas that needs to be reduced to help our planet remain stable and healthy for us humans to exist.

About NOx

NOx is an abbreviation for nitrogen oxides.  They’re poisonous and highly reactive gases that are created naturally during lightning strikes and wildfires.  Both events include the combustion of oxygen and nitrogen at very high temps.  So it makes sense that the combustion that takes place in the gas and oil-fired furnaces we work on would also produce these nitrogen oxides.

The two most dangerous nitrogen oxides are nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide.  Nitric oxide (NO) is formed naturally in the body to help relax and dilate blood vessels in the body.  But it’s also a product of high-temperature situations like combustion in a furnace. 

Nitrogen dioxides (NO2) are produced by vehicles and cigarette smoke in their own combustion processes, but also when gas and oil furnaces fire up, too.  NO2 causes inflammation in the airways, coughing, increased asthma attacks, and just a greater risk of negative breathing problems associated with pollution. 

NOx and Greenhouse Gas Production

Although the end-user of the heat being delivered through the ductwork isn’t going to be exposed to the gases that way, the accumulation of it in the immediate area of the combustion chamber and on to the flue pipe adds to the overall production of greenhouse gases generated by humans.

According to the EPA, NOx contributes to respiratory problems, acid rain, smog, elevated algae levels, and global warming.  They also say greenhouse gas emissions that come from homes in California represent about 25% of the state’s total emissions.

NOx emissions from a furnace are primarily influenced by the temperature of the flame right at the burner assembly.  So, what are manufacturers doing to produce low NOx furnaces?  Most efforts to reduce NOx ultimately want to lower the temperature of the flame.  Air/fuel mixtures are dialed in, flue gas circulation is enhanced through advanced inducer motors, and ultra-lean premixed burner technologies are all ways to achieve more control over the flame temperature inside the furnace.

Low NOx Furnace Analysis

Performing a combustion analysis will ensure the correct operation of the low NOx furnace once it’s installed.  Installers just need to make sure the airflow to the system is properly sized so the static pressures going through the system are right.  The installer also needs to make sure the gas valve inlet and outlet pressures are adjusted to the proper settings.  These two items alone will help create the recommended temperature rise across the heat exchanger as well as flue gas temperatures exiting the unit.

As I was researching this technology, I was reminded that carbon monoxide, which is another regulated pollutant, and nitrogen oxides are both majorly influenced by the air/fuel ratio directly at the burners.  As that ratio increases, the temperature of the flame increases, and NOx levels increase, while CO decreases and vice versa.  Having the proper mixture is what Low-NOx is all about.

In most Low-NOx furnaces, the air mixture is sort of delayed to stretch out the chemical reactions happening at the burners.  Low NOx furnaces also compensate for seasonal changes in the ambient air, humidity levels, and minor differences in the gas coming from the utility at any given time.

Furnace Start-Up Conditions

To go a little further with the whole CO and NOx discussion, the typical start-up conditions of a furnace on a cold morning means that the metallic chambers are cold, there’s an excess of air to mix at the burners, the air inside the chambers is colder, the gas temperature is initially lower, and, the flue gases themselves are moving more slowly from the heat exchanger and on to the flue pipe.  All these conditions create higher levels of carbon monoxide at startup, because the system is not burning as hot.  As a result, NOx emissions tend to be lower.

On the opposite side of that, the hotter that furnace gets after being on for several minutes and several times that day contribute to higher levels of NOx and lower levels of carbon monoxide.

When we’re talking about these gases and If I had my choice of which gas to focus on reducing, it would be NOx because of the contribution to acid rain and the breathing problems associated with it.  CO has it’s own detriments as well, and I can’t really tell which gas is more harmful at certain concentrations.

I’m not a scientist and my knowledge really only goes so far about this topic.  But there are plenty of discussions online about NOx and carbon monoxide. 

Low NOx is About the Atmosphere

Remember, Low NOx doesn’t have anything to do with the heat that enters the house through the ducts or the air the homeowner is breathing.  It has more to do with what is leaving the flue pipe and entering our atmosphere.

Nitric oxides and dioxides that are produced by flames are part of the poisonous NOx family.  The more we can reduce them while still heating our homes effectively is really what it’s all about.  And we do this by controlling the temperature of the flame at the burner assembly.

Reaching the 2030 Emissions Goal

Replacing older gas furnaces with Low NOx furnaces will help California reach its 2030 emissions goal.  If you want to go even further than staying with a gas furnace, you could switch over to a zero-emission heating solution by replacing that gas furnace with a heat-pump system.  It eliminates flue gas, flue pipes, NOx, and still heats your home just the way you like it.  

I hope this has helped you understand what the fuss is about what NOx is and why the industry is pushing Low NOx furnaces.  If you have any comments or additional information you can share with us down below, please do.  We’d love to hear what you have to say about Low NOx furnaces and the drive to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Thanks so much for stopping by and we’ll see you on the next blog!

 

310.1 Condensate Drains:  Understanding the Codes

310.1 Condensate Drains:  Understanding the Codes

Correct Installation of Condensate Drain Lines

Residential HVAC installers have to understand so many facets of the construction industry.   In this blog, we’ll be talking about the importance of installing condensate drain lines correctly so the system doesn’t cause damage to your customer’s home.

I’m not here to pretend I know or could even interpret all the codes correctly.  In this series of blogs, I’m simply trying to open a conversation about codes we cite on the job every day out there without even knowing it.

What the Mechanical Codes Say

Let’s take a look at what the codes say about condensate control and adherence to the code when doing an HVAC change-out.

IMC 307.1 and CMC 310.1 talk about condensate from the cooling coils we’re installing in people’s homes.  They both say pretty much the same thing.  Condensate from air cooling coils and the overflow from evaporative coolers and similar water supplied equipment shall be collected and discharged to an approved plumbing fixture or approved disposal area.

Examples of “approved areas” include a trapped and ventilated receptor to a sanitary sewer, and a downspout that terminates to an approved area.  The most popular areas we terminate condensate drain lines to is the side of the house and usually about six inches from the ground.  And this can be in a planted area that is large enough to accept the amount of drainage, and soak down into the earth.

Public Walkways

Another important topic is covered by the code books and installation manuals for the equipment being installed.  We cannot have condensate runoff drain to public walkways and driveways.  This creates a nuisance area of slippery water that, over time, can even start creating algae which are even more slippery.  That’s pretty much common sense, right?

What about the sidewalk on the side of the customer’s house?

It may not be defined as a “public walkway,” but it would still be a nuisance for the homeowner and family members who must walk through that wet spot every day during normal activities.  We like to create a “French Drain” thereby using a roto-hammer.  We make a three-inch hole in the sidewalk and bore all the way through the 4 to 6 inches of concrete and fill it with pea gravel.  This allows the water to drain to the side of the house, down through the gravel and into the earth down below it and keep the sidewalk dry.

The inspectors say we if we discharge the condensate into the house’s actual drainage system, it must be by means of an indirect waste pipe.   And to clarify that, an indirect waste pipe is something upstream of a trap rather than downstream, and this includes the main venting stack as well.

So, if we are supposed to drain the primary into the drainage system of the house, can we terminate the drain line over a gutter and let the water fall into the gutter, where it will continue to the ground to an approved area?  CMC 310.3 says condensate waste pipes must be made from materials designed to work with that type of condensate drainage.

Why would we be worried about draining our condensate liquid into the rain gutter?  If the drain line includes waste from a condensing furnace, it will create a more acidic waste type that needs to make it to the ground. Thin aluminum rain gutters were not designed to carry this type of corrosive waste to the ground.  They will eventually rust out and create a new problem.

The Termination Point

The means by which the condensate waste is delivered to the termination point is as important as where we discharge it.

We have to use certain materials for our piping.  We have to use an approved corrosion resistant pipe like Schedule 40 PVC.  That’s the most popular type of piping HVAC installers use today, but we can also use ABS, cast iron, or hard drawn copper.

And that piping needs to have a certain slope to it.  That’s why we call it a gravity drain because as long as we have the necessary 1/8 inch of downward slope for every 12 inches of carry, gravity will do all the work and pull the condensate waste to the ground all by itself.

Maintaining the Drain Line Slope

A point I want to make to installers:  we can get caught up in this little 6 by 4 area we’re installing in and not be mindful of the complete drain line. One thing you should prove to yourself if you’re the one installing or modifying the current drain line, is to make sure you get a level on it.  If the condensate lines travel off the service platform and disappear in the insulation, that’s fine.  But you still need to confirm to yourself that the ENTIRE drain line has at least, an eighth-inch slope to it.

I’ve seen some pretty big dips in PVC piping which clogs the drain line, creates a backup, and causes water damage in the house.

Maintaining Alignment

You’ve installed the new system and now that you’ve adapted into the existing drain line, you own the whole drain line.  You won’t be able to say, “well, I just joined into it right there and thought the rest would be okay!”

It’s not too much to ask for, and the inspector can cite you on the fact that you may have slope in certain sections of your drainage but if the workmanship of the installed drain line is all cattywampus, the inspector can ask you to re-run it more uniformly.  The idea here is to maintain straight alignment, a uniform slope, and strap or support the drain lines at proper intervals as guided by the installation manual and code books.

The Proper Interval to Support PVC drain lines

We’re required to get a strap on it every four feet.  Whether its to support the drain line with hangars, or to strap it down to the deck, we don’t want the PVC to bow downwards, creating a dip and not allowing gravity to do its thing.  When we are mounting to the deck, I use cut-off PVC piping to create stanchions, and reinforce the downward grade, off the service platform.  This gives your drain pipe a uniform look and makes it easy for the inspector to pass your job.

A little further up the drain, toward the evaporator coil, the question is, do we have to install a p-trap or not?  When it’s required by the manufacturer’s installation instructions, Sacramento area county inspectors look for a trap.  Trane, our old supplier, saying “a field fabricated trap is not REQUIRED for proper drainage due to the positive pressure of the furnace; however, it is recommended to prevent efficiency loss of conditioned air.”

Setting up a System for Success

At the very least, a cleanout is required by code.  310.3.1 basically says it’s not reasonable to ask a future technician who has to come out to clear a blockage, to cut the PVC lines in order to do so.  And I see far too many systems without a cleanout on them.  This mandatory cleanout allows technicians to blow-out the lines with compressed air at a later date when mold and gunk build up inside it.  And trust me, it will!  This is just another prime example of how installers can set a system up for success down the road when another technician comes to service it.

Sizing

As far as sizing goes, we use 3/4 inch Schedule 40 PVC drains for all residential HVAC.  Anything over 20 tons uses larger diameter piping.  We only get up to 5 tons in people’s homes.  The code book says the size of the pipe is for one or a combination of units, or as recommended by the manufacturer.  Make sure to check the installation manual if you have two systems.  If you’re planning to tie two evaporator drains into one single drain line, they may want you to increase the size of the final pipe going to the outside.

A Final Word of Wisdom

There’s one final little touch I’d like to pass on to you.  Be mindful of the lettering on the PVC piping.  An old foreman of mine always liked to glue in his PVC with the lettering facing away from the perspective of the person sitting on the platform.  I never stopped doing it that way again because it looks clean.  There’s less busyness going on in the scene.  Little touches like this can make the difference between a clean install and an average install.

Looking Forward

Wow, this blog got a little long!  We’re going to have to tackle secondary condensate drainage on another video.  But I hope this answers some questions you have about the building code, HVAC installations, and condensate drain lines.

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube page.  We have all kinds of great videos about your home’s hvac system.  And check out many related blog posts here.

Don’t forget to get your official Fox Family merch available on Teespring.com.  If you’ve ever wanted Fox Family swag, here’s your chance to grab the same stuff we wear on the job out in the field!

Thanks so much for watching and we’ll see you on the next blog!

What Temperature Should I Set the Thermostat in My House?

Determining the Correct Temperature Setting for Summer in Sacramento

What temperatures should you keep it in your home during the summer?  That’s what we are going to be talking about on this blog post.

When moving to a new home or just using your central AC for the first time you may want to know the temperature you should keep it at in your home during the summer.  There are a few answers depending on who you ask.  So let’s talk about those differences now.

Energy Star

Energy Star is a voluntary program led by the EPA and Dept. of Energy that helps business and people figure out ways to save money on their electric bills.  Energy Star says you should keep it at 78 in your house.  They also say you should keep the temps at 84 degrees when you’re not at home.

Energy Star rated thermostats already have these predetermined temperatures set in them.  You’re able to adjust those temps whenever and however you choose as the owner of the thermostat.

PG&E are our local utility provider. PG&E follows the US Department of Energy when they suggest setting your thermostats at 78 degrees when you are home and setting it up to 10 degrees higher for those times when you are not at home.

What Could Go Wrong?

What I wouldn’t do is set the temperature all the way down to the lowest setting when you want the air conditioning on.  Several things can go wrong here, and it doesn’t get cooler any faster in the house when you do this.  What can happen is you forget to turn the thermostat back off when your done needing cool air.  This leads to sky-high electric bills and a home that sees extreme temperature changes throughout the day.

So what temperature should I keep it at?  It’s simple: whatever temperature you want it to be at.  Let’s say the temperature on your thermostat says it’s 78 degrees in your home. Are you comfortable?  If not try lowering the temperature one to two degrees and see if that makes a difference.  Still not satisfied?  Set the temperature down even more.  If you find yourself the most comfortable at 74 degrees, then so be it.  You’re the king of your castle and you can set to wherever you feel the most comfortable.

For example, I work in the HVAC industry.  In the summer, I spend long hot days fixing other people’s AC systems.  By the time I get home, all I want is a nice cool place to sit and relax.  I usually want it about 72 degrees in the home.  My co-workers sometimes want it down to 68 degrees!  Other folks who may work inside, in normal environments where temperatures aren’t soaring around 120 degrees are just fine with their home temps at or above 78 degrees.

How the different temps affect your electric bill

Be Aware

A person who keeps their AC at 78 degrees in his or her home will have their AC come on less than a person who desires it to be 68 degrees in their house.  Your AC is the most expensive thing to run in your house, and that’s a pretty big spread too between 68 and 78 inside the home.  Typically, a person who keeps their system at 74 degrees and then starts setting it at 78 degrees can expect to save about 25 to 35 dollars a month on their bill.  Over the length of the entire summer, that money adds up!

Saving Money

Consider buying a thermostat that sets back at predetermined times.  Energy Star says it can save you $180 a year by switching to a setback type thermostat.   This allows you to set your thermostat for times of the day when you are coming and going.  For instance, the Honeywell thermostats we use want to know what time you wake up, what time you go to work, what time you come home, and what time you go to bed.  These four major events in your family’s daily lives can determine what temperature it will be in the house.

At Fox Family, we can easily set a program for it for the weekdays and then set it for the weekends.  Folks who are in their homes for the majority of the day, or don’t have a schedule where they work during the week can set it up for just what time you wake up and what time you go to bed.  Really any combination is available as Honeywell lets you decide on your terms.

A Helping Hand

And if you have one of these programmable thermostats, and you don’t feel comfortable setting a program on the thermostat, call or text us and we’ll come out and show you how to do it.  It really doesn’t matter which brand of thermostat it is either.  We’re familiar with all different types of them, and we just want to make sure you’re comfy in your home.

Summary

I hope this answers your question as to what temperature to set your thermostat in the summer.  These sunny and hot Sacramento summers can really drive you bonkers with the fact that we need to cool ourselves and our homes down.  Set it to whatever you are comfortable at, and that’s the right temperature.  Just remember that as long as your AC is on, your electric usage goes up.  And somebody’s gotta pay for that.

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Thanks so much for watching and we’ll see you on the next video!

Don’t miss our YouTube video on this topic:

HVAC Training: 5 Reasons Making Mistakes Creates Better HVAC Technicians

5 ways mistakes make you a better hvac tech

Making mistakes means better technicians

In an industry that that has a recruitment field that is slowly diminishing in size year by year, HVAC technicians entering the field need to know their hopes of being a good technician won’t be demolished if they make a mistake.  Making mistakes creates better technicians in one way or another.  Sometimes it removes them from the position of BEING a “technician” altogether.  One thing’s for sure, everything has a way of working itself out and no one is immune to that fact.

Intro

It’s funny. Today on social media, most people will only post their positive achievements.  God forbid should we post any of our mistakes in front of a world that will likely bash us with replies that drive the point home even further than the mistake itself.  Making mistakes is going to happen.  Generations before us in the HVAC industry as well as others have made many mistakes that got us to where we are now.  Best practices and technology have improved greatly since the first waves of this trial and error began.

In actuality, some people do post their mistakes on social media.  And bless those brave souls who do.  One electrician posted a picture of himself in the hospital wrapped in bandages head to toe after he received second and third-degree burns when he touched the wrong piece of metal inside an electrical panel.  A great learning experience for everyone.

Another posted a picture of himself in the hospital with a disgruntled, almost painfilled face after he touched the wrong part of an electrical component he’s worked on hundreds of times in the past.  This time, touching it in the wrong place, caused his heart to stop, his body to seize, and blackout until his partner on the job site literally had to kick him off the live part.

This leads me to my first reason why making mistakes creates better technicians in one way or another.

#1 – Mistakes help us slow down and pace ourselves as we get the job done.

Those of us who have done an HVAC maintenance on a furnace or air conditioner can probably go through the routine of it with our eyes closed after just one season of doing them.  Although most systems throughout the day are made by different manufacturers, they operate pretty much the same.

I remember a mistake I made on furnace tune-up in my first year on my own.  I was working on a rooftop gas package unit when I was checking the outlet pressure at the gas valve.  When I was done with it, I sort of just moved on to the next item on my list without screwing the pressure port screw back in.  So, when I went to fire up the system and the flames ignited, about three seconds later the flame rolled out towards my face and actually singed my eyebrows a little.  Mmmm, nothing like the smell of burnt hair in the morning.

Obviously, this taught me to be more purposeful when I work on equipment and ultimately made me a better tech for it!

#2 – Mistakes point us to something we didn’t already know.

They teach us little nuances in different equipment.  I see so many technicians just blow through the installation of a new part or full HVAC system and not even read the directions.  Then when the system doesn’t fire up correctly, they don’t know why.

A prime example of this is on the White Rodgers 50 A 55843 control board.  It’s a universal replacement that we like to use for most single-stage gas furnaces in the residential field.  Most of the time, control board change out are like-for-like changeouts.  Plug and play.

Well, when you use this board to replace a XB80 gas furnace control board, there is an adapter you have to use from the box to include a couple of roll-out switches into the Molex connector that plugs into the board.

Almost every time a technician has called to tell me their problem with the start-up after changing the board, I ask if it’s a furnace.  A lot of times they say yes, and I tell them about the paragraph in the installation instructions that speak to this adapter.  And… that technician never calls again about that issue.  In fact, they likely become someone who can be called by junior techs in the field that incur the same problem.

#3 – It humbles us

Making mistakes can bring even the most experienced techs back down to reality very quickly.  It keeps us humble when we make mistakes.  Admitting these mistakes can add some humility back into our lives that will ultimately make us better technicians in the long run.

I’ve heard of some technicians and DIY homeowners who screwed up wiring something as simple as wiring a capacitor wrong.  When they finally realize what they’ve done, whether it’s burning up a compressor, causing the fan spin backward, or something else, they’ll say, “Well, that was a humbling experience.”

Some people just don’t know when to ask for help, or take the time to read the directions.  As the saying goes, it doesn’t matter who’s right, it matters what’s right.

#4 – Mistakes create change

Technicians who have made mistakes in the past and then went on to become great technicians have all asked themselves some internal questions.  “What went wrong?” “What did I learn from this?” and “What could I do better next time?”

Nothing is more humbling than putting your foot through the ceiling while working in the attic.  It’s easy to learn from that mistake.  Watch where you’re stepping, make sure it’s wood that you’re stepping on.  And even then, step squarely onto the wood.

People who have improved their skills by making mistakes reduce the chances they’ll mess up again.  They develop a plan that will help them avoid making similar mistakes.  Ultimately, that might not be the most perfect reaction to your mistake, so be flexible and forgiving to yourself and others who make mistakes on the job.

#5 – Mistakes reveal our true passions.  Is it time to move on?

Not every mistake is going to relate to making us better technicians, but rather better or happier people.  Since I’m in the mood to make myself the example here, I’ll tell you another quick story of a mistake I made, which led to another path.

Before I was an HVAC technician, I was a bartender for 15 years.  I started when I was 20, and by the time I was 35, I had a family, didn’t drink anymore, and didn’t even go out to bars anymore.  But it’s all I knew how to do.  And I was pretty good at it.

One night I asked the wrong person to leave the bar for the night after he called me a not so nice name that involved a couple of cuss words.  My boss had always let us stand up for ourselves and our co-workers who were abused in any way.  Drinkers can get a little feisty sometimes.  Apparently, this person I asked to leave the bar for the night (in a not so nice way) was the wrong person to kick out.

A few days later my boss and I agreed to go our separate ways.  It was likely a culmination of things, like I wasn’t the party guy I used to be, which might have led me to not be as understanding and forgiving toward intoxicated name-callers.  Either way, my final mistake there made me realize that this might not be the job for me anymore.

I started a new job in HVAC and became very passionate about it, which has led me to where I am now.  Funny how life steers you in the direction you didn’t even know you were going.

Closing

So why can’t we be more forgiving of those who make mistakes out in the field?  Maybe it’s because we don’t have the patience for new apprentices trying to learn the trade.  Maybe it’s because that mistake has been made by the same person more than once.  I get it.  I’m not saying extra training, disciplinary action or removal from a certain position doesn’t need to happen.  Because it does sometimes.

But, we should all recognize that mistakes will be made by today’s technicians, which is just another generation to make mistakes as we plow forward in this game called life.  Realizing that mistakes are going to be made, we can relax a bit more.  By doing so, we might make fewer of them.

Each one of us is a part of that human tradition of learning and experimenting.  As our pool of future technicians grows smaller every year, we as the journeymen need to recognize that we made mistakes as we came up in this field, which has led us to where we are now, as valued members of our teams.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and we’ll see you on the next blog post.

Where Should HVAC Technicians Wisely Invest Their Money?

Where Should HVAC Techs Invest

Blue-collar workers like HVAC technicians may not be the first people you would think of as savvy stock market investors. As a company owner, I provide our workers with a Simple IRA that acts much like a 401K. We match a certain percentage of their contribution to their retirement account. In that account, they are encouraged to invest their money in a variety of stocks or ETF’s.  These options can help them gain some free money in the form of capital gains.  The stock market has, on average, provided more interest than leaving an employee’s money sitting in their account, gaining no interest — not even the 1% to 3% a traditional bank would generate for their customers.

Buying Shares in Familiar Companies

Warren Buffet, Benjamin Graham, and Peter Lynch are some of the greatest investors of all time. Their advice when it comes to investing is to invest in what you know.  Should HVAC technicians focus on investing in banks and biotechnology? Probably not. But a technician would have great insider information on the HVAC industry. Lennox, Carrier, Daiken, Johnson Controls, Honeywell, AAON, Comfort Systems, Watsco, Mitsubishi Electric, and Fujitsu are all very popular names in our industry.

HVAC Equipment Shortages

The pulse of the industry is like second nature to HVAC technicians.  As I write this at the end of a very busy summer and hopefully near the end of the COVID-19 crisis, insiders know there is an unprecedented and vast shortage of HVAC equipment and parts.  Raw materials, control boards, compressors, switches, copper, aluminum, sheet metal, and everything else that goes into an air conditioner or furnace are slow in getting to manufacturers. 

Companies like Lennox, Carrier, Ruud, Goodman, among others, are being delayed.  Some delays are not necessarily due to temporarily closed factories, worker layoffs, or everything else COVID-19 has brought with it.  Snags in transportation or the receiving docks receiving those deliveries also affect the process.  Delays persist.

How do all these factors affect stock prices now? How will they affect stock prices moving forward into 2021 and 2022? And how is the industry growing in general? These are questions HVAC technicians and other industry experts are much more likely to know the answers to than biotech experts. Therefore, it’s important we blue-collar experts invest in what we know. Should we be investing in pharma stocks that might create the vaccine for the COVID virus?  Not if the only thing we know about it is what we’ve seen on TV.

HVAC Market Demand in 2021

Commercial and industrial HVAC companies can tell you that 2020 saw a significant slowdown in certain sectors of the buildings where they service and replace equipment. Data centers, health care, and warehouses remained a reliable source of work. But retail stores, hospitality, and restaurants suddenly became incredibly soft markets. All the major HVAC manufacturers like Watsco, Johnson Controls, Carrier, and Lennox expected the softness now seen in the light commercial segment. It will create some pent-up demand going into 2021. That is good for earnings for these publicly traded companies, and who better to gain from it than our own industry experts?

COVID-19 is Inspiring Home Improvements

In an earlier post last month, I discussed what happened to those of us in the residential HVAC market. There’s been a demand for equipment changeouts, unlike anything we have seen. What was happening? Those workers directed to work from home started investing in their homes. Hardware stores, gardeners, construction crews, and HVAC companies all started working harder than ever before! I cannot think of one contractor I have talked to that did not smash sales records this past summer.

The Working From Home Trend

Homeowners found they had more disposable income to work on their homes since vacationing and going out to the movies was not going to be happening anytime soon. When offices begin opening again, the commercial sector will see a rise in sales. That is good for stock owners. I think a little over half of those working from home will remain working from home. And they will continue sprucing up their homes to ensure a comfortable workspace. But we as HVAC technicians already know that. Therefore, investing our hard-earned retirement money in something we know follows the advice of a few of the greatest investors of all time:  investing in what we know.

Getting Started

Give it a shot! You don’t have to be a super slick Wall Street investor to be invited to the party. Apps on your phone will let you buy shares of stock one at a time. I personally have my IRA and another account on Robinhood, which takes no extra fees for me to invest my money through them. If I only have a hundred dollars to throw into my account that week, I can purchase $100 of a $275 share of Lennox. It all builds up over time, and the younger you start, the sooner you will have enough money in your retirement fund to support you when your knees finally go out.

Invest in Companies You Know

Instead of letting your money sit in an account making no money beyond what you put in there, invest in some of these companies, companies you already know well enough to know that they make good profits every year. This industry will only increase in size every year due to technology upgrades, population growth, and new homes being built further out into suburbia, to name a few.

Thanks so much for stopping by and we’ll see you on the next blog.

Should I Hook Up My AC Manifold Gauges at Every AC Service Call?

Should I Hook Up My AC Manifold Gauges at Every AC Service Call?

Maintaining the Integrity of Your Sacramento Valley AC System

As a technician starting out in this field, I was told by the company trainer to hook up the hoses to my manifold gauges at every AC service call.  Much like a doctor who wears a stethoscope around his neck, hooking my gauges up meant we were the professionals; and when I bring the customer out to the AC to discuss recommendations or repairs, they would see I was the one with all the knowledge.  Was my trainer onto something, or was this just another effort to blow smoke up the customers rear and make him fall for that company’s high-pressure antics?

If this is your first time reading our blog, be sure to check out our library of blog topics on a wide variety of topics useful for both customers and technicians.

Manifold Gauges: How They Work

Every residential air conditioner has a service valve used by technicians to connect to and read the pressures of the system’s refrigerant. Those service valves have a Schrader core (That’s Schrader Core) that gets depressed when the technician’s manifold hoses attach to the service valve.  It’s just like a valve stem on your bicycle tire.

When the core gets pressed in, the refrigerant is allowed into the technician’s manifold so the pressure can be read on the gauges.  It takes an experienced technician to interpret those readings to accurately determine what’s going on with the refrigerant pressures in the system.  Simply put, we can see the temperature of the evaporator coil, the condenser coil, and can determine the superheat and subcooling levels for that system.

Getting an Accurate Manifold Gauge Assessment

But do technicians need to hook up every time they go out on preventative maintenance or a service call?  Does it mean we didn’t give a full and comprehensive diagnostic if we don’t?  No!  Most technicians will walk up to a system and assess how the system is running by doing a couple of things.  First, have you asked the customer how their system is running?  If not, that’s valuable information to get.  If the system has been running great according to the customer, there may not be any reason to hook up the gauges.

Steps for Technicians

Let’s say you’ve asked the customer how the system has been performing.  They report that the system’s been running fine.  They just wanted to call you out for a pre-season tune-up, like the ones we offer at Fox Family for just $75.  Have you checked the temperature split to see if the system is blowing nice cold air?  That would be more input that should sway a technician from hooking up their gauges.

I know it’s a little cliché but checking the temperature of the suction line can further indicate that you wouldn’t need to hook up your gauges to the AC system.  The liquid line should be a few degrees warmer than the outside temperature, too.  So, making some initial checks like this can make someone comfortable about not hooking up their gauges to the system.

Why don’t I think you should hook up your gauges so much?  Hooking up your gauges can do several things to actually harm the performance of the system over the long run.  Maybe not today, but the overall lifespan of the system can be affected.

Contamination

I feel that hooking up gauges from one system to the next contaminates the next system you hook up to.  Taking a little bit of refrigerant from one system, going to the other side of town and putting your gauges on that system has now introduced a trace of contaminants that system has never seen before.  Moisture and air from one system can easily be transferred to another system.

This is definitely true if your no loss fittings or ball valve fittings on your hoses retain the R22 freon in one system and then get hooked up to that one on the other side of town that is an R410a system.   A technician doing this will literally create a new mixture, a new refrigerant even.  Done enough times, it will throw off the system readings enough that not even the most experienced techs can get the true pressures inside that system.  Eventually, a future technician will recommend removing all the refrigerant and starting over with a new manufacturer’s charge of refrigerant.

Avoiding Burns

Another reason is to reduce the chances of exposing yourself to refrigerant burns.  In the unlikely event that you find a burr in the threading of the service valve and get it stuck it could create a situation where the refrigerant starts shooting out of the hoses.  Some techs will persist in trying to get the hose off and burn themselves.  The risk is small, but but tell that to the techs who have ended up with huge blisters on their hands trying to play hero and losing time off work.  Further impacting their paychecks and livelihood is a serious consideration.

Unintended Loosening

My last reason to think twice about hooking up gauges to every AC system is about the Schrader core.  It can be loosened, creating a tiny leak.  The Schrader core is threaded into the service valve.  And while you’re screwing the new core into the valve which way are you tightening it?  Righty tighty.  Lefty loosey.  Taking off your hoses in the normal counterclockwise direction mimics the same direction it takes to unscrew the Schrader core.

Case in Point

Several times this year I’ve gone out on a service call for no cooling.  The client reports that the system only blows room temperature air.  They’ve have been having maintenance done by a local company every spring and fall. Upon inspection, I saw there was no temp split from the registers.  And the suction line at the AC was warm to the touch.  I unscrewed the service valve cap to attach my hoses.  There, I saw some liquid refrigerant spewing out of where the valve core sits.  I think I’ve found the problem.

Put another way, I’ll quote a recent story in ACHR News:

“There is no reason to ever put gauges on an air conditioning or refrigeration system after the initial installation unless a problem with the mechanical refrigeration circuit is suspected.  Using a psychrometric chart, digital thermometer, digital humidity stick, and an accurate method to calculate airflow can replace having to apply your manifold gauges anytime.”

Increasing Equipment Life

Remember, these systems should contain only virgin refrigerant.  Spending less time putting on and taking off our refrigerant hoses saves more than time.  It increases equipment life, maintains performance, and reduces refrigerant emissions into the atmosphere.

Remember, I was told by the company trainer to hook up my manifold gauges on every AC service call.  He said it would make me look like the doctor who wears a stethoscope around his neck.  Customers supposedly expect to see those hoses hooked up, and if they weren’t, they might think something wasn’t right.  The trainer wasn’t worried about the integrity of the customer’s AC system.  And certainly not the integrity of his company’s high-pressure sales antics.

Your Turn

As always, I appreciate you all for reading our blog posts here at Fox Family in Sacramento.  I would love to hear your comments as technicians out in the field.  How does your company practice service and maintenance calls and hooking up your manifold gauges at AC service call?

Thanks so much for stopping by and we’ll see you on the next blog topic!

Is a Manual J Load Really Necessary on Residential Retrofits?

Is a Manual J Load Really Necessary on Residential Retrofits?

Why is it essential to provide a load calculation before retrofitting a new heating and cooling system in an older house? To make sure the right size systems get installed, use Manual S. To design the proper distribution system, use Manual D. Neither of these, though, can be performed without having done a Manual J calculation first.

Why does everything have to be so progressive? An industry full of real-world, detached experts tells residential installers that we should perform load calculations anytime we change a system. Sure, I can understand new construction mandates. Everything is drawn out and perfectly planned. But ask anyone who installs retrofit HVAC systems in 20- to 50-year-old homes and we’ll tell you nothing ever goes as smoothly as the salesperson told the customer it would.

Let’s discuss a few things:

  • I have been in the industry since 2010. Been through a few load calc classes and I still can’t get it right!
  • The 1% summer design temperature was 8% in 2022. Customers don’t care about a 30-year average.
  • Who has a design specialist at the average “mom-and-pop shop”?
  • The five questions to ask to bridge the gap between design software and the way that house will perform after the new system goes in.
  • Like this article, I have limited time to get in, present, and get out.

It’s Not Just Me

Three times, I attended a course from our local utility company on how to perform load calcs with popular design software. Over two days, we learned to draw the house, input R-values, U-values, insulation levels, shading, and other building envelope details needed to perform a Manual J.

I’ve run a successful, double-digit net profitable business that has grown year-over-year by 15% to 20% each year since it started. So I’m pretty savvy at learning, understanding, adapting, and executing tasks. But for the life of me, I cannot figure out how the numbers they have me enter in class compute to a 2.5-ton system for a 2,000-sqare-foot home.

Heat Pump Water Heater Rebate Reduction from SMUD Puts Pressure on Customers

SMUD’s rebate structure is one of the most generous ones around, especially compared to those available from PG&E.  But those rewards for going green won’t be around forever. 

SMUD’s Rebate Program Manager, Michael Corbett, in coordination with Efficiency First California, has developed a fantastic way to take care of emergency appliance replacements individually while still qualifying for the rebates.  The replacements include water heaters, HVAC systems, ductwork, insulation, and making your home “electric ready.”  In the past, the $13,000 total in rebates required replacement of all these items at once.  You’re now able to take care of these one at a time.

Rebates Won’t Be Around Forever

As the timeline shortens for mandatory building code changes in new homes, utility companies won’t have to provide these great rebates.  The heat pump water heater rebate reduction is an example of that.  SMUD encourages participating contractors like Fox Family Heating and Air to let folks know these rebates won’t be around forever.  They should take advantage of them before funds run out.

Everyone involved in SMUD’s new rebate structure has seen success.  In fact, in just two years, the volume of heat pump water heater installations through SMUD’s program has increased by 1,000%.  It’s been so successful, the funds to support these incentives are running out! 

SMUD Rebate Reductions

Starting April 1, 2020, the rebate for changing your gas water heater to a heat pump all-electric water heater drops by $500.  The $3,000 rebate will now be $2,500.  The $1,000 rebate for upgrading your electric water heater to a heat pump style water heater will now be $500.

Applications must be submitted and approved by March 31st, 2020 to receive the previous $3,000 or $1,000 SMUD rebate.  The utility company processes rebates on a first-come, first-served basis. Your project must meet the efficiency standards of the program as well as other terms and conditions. These include using a participating SMUD contractor and pulling a permit with the city or county.

For questions regarding the program, please email contractorsupport@efficiencyfirstca.org or call 916-209-5117. For questions about your project or to schedule an installation, contact Fox Family — we’re ready to help!

The Easy Guide to Diagnosing a Bad Furnace Inducer Motor

Inducer Motor Troubleshooting tips

Today I want to expand on our recent gas furnace troubleshooting series. “The Easy Guide to Diagnosing a Bad Furnace Inducer Motor” will fill you in on what the inducer motor does, why it’s important, the most common of ways I’ve found inducer motors fail, and how to let the customer know what you’ve found. That’s coming up here on Fox Family Heating & Air.

First, I want to give fair warning to anyone watching this that is not already an experienced technician in the HVAC industry.  This video is for educational purposes only.  Fox Family Heating and Air does not recommend anyone other than a professional to start opening the furnace up and trying to diagnose the failure going on with your system. 

There are high and low voltages that can shock a person.  There are also lots of moving parts that can damage body parts—namely, hands and fingers.  The furnace also produces hot surfaces within the furnace compartments and around the housing, which can cause severe burns.  An actual flame produced by the ignition and startup of a gas furnace can cause severe burns and damage to a person or property.

First, as a technician, you must know the sequence of events that occurs for a gas furnace to start up properly. It’s straightforward, and you should have this memorized before you can even consider being qualified to troubleshoot.

  1. Power to the furnace control board
  2. Thermostat signals the call for heat
  3. Inducer motor kicks on
  4. Pressure switch proves the inducer operates correctly
  5. Ignitor activates
  6. Gas valve energizes
  7. Flame pours across burners
  8. Flame sensor proves all burners are lit
  9. Blower forces air through the ducts

When a furnace begins a new cycle, the inducer motor is the first thing you should see kick on.  120 volts are applied through the wires coming from the control board.  This starts the furnace inducer motor for up to 60 seconds before anything else even happens. It’s a safety feature that creates a negative pressure or draft that purges the heat exchanger of any poisonous gasses, namely the combustion’s biproducts.  It makes the air inside the heat hollow tubes of the heat exchanger cleaner when the flame kicks on. With cleaner air inside the heat exchanger at the time of combustion, the furnace’s efficiency increases.

Without going into it too much, a safety device called a pressure switch activates when the diaphragm inside of it recognizes the suction or purging action of the furnace inducer motor. There’s another video called The Easy Guide to Diagnosing a Bad Pressure Switch, and I’ll make sure it’s attached to the end screen so you can check that out.  But first, you want to know more about the inducer more and how to troubleshoot it.

If the inducer motor doesn’t turn on when it’s supposed to, the furnace will recognize this and shut down.  It will wait a bit and try again.  If the motor doesn’t start after 3 to 5 tries, the control board will stop sending voltage to the inducer motor, and essentially locking it out from attempting it anymore.

Why Furnace Inducer Motors Fail

If the correct voltage is applied to the inducer motor and it’s not turning on, something’s not right. Let’s dig into why:

Unplug the furnace, which removes power to the system.

Is the base of the motor warm or hot to the touch?  This means it’s been trying to spin, but something is holding it up.  Is the flywheel on the motor or the actual squirrel cage unable to spin when you manually try to turn it? This can be a reliable indicator that the motor is bad and needs to be replaced.

Why is this happening?

One reason the motor’s shaft locks up is that the motor’s bearings may be seized, preventing it from turning.  Another reason has to do with the windings inside the motor.  One of them could be open—usually, the start winding in this case.  And finally, some motors have a capacitor that starts the motor and regulates the voltage while it’s running.  If it is a bad capacitor, a new one should get it going again.

One of the first indicators that a furnace inducer motor is on borrowed time is if it’s making odd noises.  Sometimes it’s a rattling noise, a clanking noise, chattering, pinging, shaking, a wobbling noise – you name it!  If it comes on and runs any other way than what you interpret as normal, based on your training and experience with properly operating furnaces, you can see if it’s something you can physically adjust.  If not, the inducer motor should be considered bad.  Why?  Because it’s not running to manufacturers specs.

Think Like the Furnace Builder

Think about it like this. Would the furnace’s builder, who takes a ton of pride in their system’s operation, send this out into the field to be installed, knowing the inducer motor is making a god-awful noise?  The answer is a resounding no!  And you should know that and be comfortable telling the customer this. 

Because many inducer motors are nearly impossible to rebuild, an entirely new unit must be purchased in most cases when one wears out. One of the exceptions to this is the occasional Carrier or Bryant units.

Ordering the Furnace Inducer Motor

So at this point, this is what I need my technicians to do. Inducer motors are ordered through the manufacturer. And since we have flat-rate pricing, which includes the cost of parts, labor, and warranty, if the motor is less than $100, it is a level 7.  Above $100 is a level 8. $200 and above, they need to call a supervisor for pricing.

Be Prepared with Information

You want to know the pricing and availability before you talk to the customer because you want to minimize the number of times you need to bring the customer information.  Coming to them and telling them the inducer motor is bad just to hear them say, “Okay, how much is it?” then means you must find out, come back, and tell them it’s the such-and-such price.  You get their approval on the price, but they want to know when the repair will occur. You’ll need to call back to your parts warehouse to ask when the part will be available.  You then must go back to tell them the part will be in around 5 to 7 business days from the factory. 

All of this back and forth can be avoided if you have all the necessary information upfront before even telling them about the diagnosis.  Even if they don’t go with your repair, you have the information and can log it in your file for the customer if they call back, approving the repair a month from now.

Communicating with the Customer

Once we determine pricing and availability, it’s time to talk to the customer about our diagnosis.  We explain what we found, let the customer know the price, and let them know when we can come back to repair the system.

Just a word to the wise:  good communication between you and the customer would mean telling them they need to change this part on the furnace before seeing if anything else is wrong with the system.  Sometimes you’ll get a customer that asks, “So this will fix my system and get it going again, right?” Well, you don’t really know because you haven’t seen what the rest of the startup sequence and the cycling off of the system is doing, have you?  

It’s very likely the rest of the system will work since multiple failures are pretty rare, but you’re going to feel like a jerk if you forget to tell them you have to see how the rest of the system operates after you replace the inducer motor.  Coming back to them after you’ve replaced the motor only to say, “Oh yeah, now your gas valve isn’t working, that’ll be another $600.” So just remember, without a properly functioning inducer motor, there’s no way to tell if the rest of the system is working to manufacturer specs. 

If it is a part that’s available for pickup, call the office to determine a date to pick it up and return and complete the replacement.  If it is a part that needs to be shipped, we want to let the customer know that the part should be arriving at said date and that we’ll call to schedule the appointment when the part arrives.  You’d also want to communicate to the customer and the office how long the repair will take. 

During the inducer motor installation, we need to either replace the gasket (usually comes with the new motor) or make a gasket with high temp silicone. Once installed, a good technician will test the system for proper operation to ensure there are no other issues with the furnace.

Diagnosing a Furnace Inducer Motor: A Recap

So, just to recap, inducer motors pull the flame through the heat exchanger and vent the exhaust through the roof. To determine an inducer motor’s failure, we need to verify the proper voltage is being sent to it. If the motor has proper voltage, the capacitor tests good and is not turning on, the motor is bad.  If it’s making a lot of noise, the homeowner should know the part is working but is on borrowed time.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and we’ll see you on the next blog post.

Don’t miss our video series on this topic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3iREVnmSII&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVEEeO7hYvk&t=6s