I am often asked how I would rate the HVAC community’s level of preparedness to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. My answer is this: The HVAC industry is ill-prepared.
Everyone is looking for a quick fix, plug-and-play, and cookie-cutter solution, but no one wants to do the actual work. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is not a “one size fits all” process, but rather, it requires a multi-discipline approach.
Every client, every home, every building is unique.
IAQ Is Complex
The HVAC community struggles to understand IAQ complexity. There needs to be a paradigm shift in the way we think and approach IAQ. This shift should include more training, not just in HVAC mechanical science but also in building science and building forensics.
If HVAC companies genuinely want to offer their clients the best IAQ solutions, they need to have a process to address each situation on a case-by-case basis.
There always seems to be a debate about whether IAQ services are warranted and necessary. The main reason for this debate is the lack of real knowledge. Many companies use IAQ as a catchphrase. They offer it but don’t understand it.
I think the HVAC community has some of the smartest people and the best group of professionals to go after the IAQ market. We control humidity, filtration, air exchanges per hour, and much more. HVAC has the biggest impact on a building or home. Even as a contractor in California, I based my whole business model around providing IAQ solutions.
IAQ Requires A Process
Having a solid working knowledge of IAQ will better prepare contractors to serve their clients’ needs. Pandemics will come and go. But I think now, more than ever, people have become more aware of the importance of IAQ and having a clean, healthy, home environment.
It’s been said that we spend 90% of our time indoors. With the current events and the stay-at-home orders, that number is much higher. Our homes are supposed to be our sanctuary, our haven. Offering solid IAQ solutions can help homeowners achieve that goal.
IAQ is not just a single service but a process. A contractor must be able to go into a project and Investigate, Analyze, and Quote. The investigation process consists of your technicians gathering evidence and data, then analyzing that data. From there, you present a quote based on the information collected. Then you can provide IAQ solutions.
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I worked for a building science company that really tried to get into IAQ. We even implemented an asthma study in single family homes that upgraded airflow, improved filtration, vented out stoves and bathrooms, provided guidance on cleaning practices, and measured everything. At the end of the study, the conclusive data we had was that gas ranges can’t actually be vented well enough to eliminate NOX emissions in the home.
Now I work for an HVAC company that is planning to work on making homes healthier. The challenge is that if you sell a gadget like a UV bulb or air ionizer that claims to clean the air and costs a few hundred dollars you will sell them whether or not they actually make IAQ better. A real solution may involve thousands of dollars in duct renovations, or a package of solutions that revolve around decluttering, better cleaning practices, getting rid of fragrance oil products that the customer loves, allergen resistant mattress covers, and replacing the brand new gas stove on that kitchen island with induction because no exhaust venting solution can actually take care of the problem.
What does an IAQ-focused business model look like when the biggest opportunity to make a house better is controlling pollutant sources? My favorite part of what I do for energy efficiency is when I have a solution to the customer’s problem that I get to implement. But sometimes there is an answer that they don’t like and not always because of the cost. People don’t usually want to get rid of the garage fridge from 1995.
In terms of IAQ they just remodeled that kitchen or bought a new house, the stove is functionally where they want it, and kitchen range hoods are loud.
Then there is the business challenge: I’d love to sell the customer a whole-house HVAC solution to their dust mite allergy problems, but what they really need isto replace their pillows and get a mattress cover. I’m not even confident that integrating higher levels of filtration or fresh air ventilation into heating and cooling ducts is actually a good idea because IAQ has different requirements than HVAC and running the fan more often can interfere with controlling humidity.
Great article, John! State mandates remind me of something you say quite regularly regarding IAQ solutions. Prescription without diagnosis is Malpractice.