I believe it needs to be said: High-Performance HVAC™ Contractors should be recognized for their excellent work. You decided to invest the time and dollars into changing your approach to help your team AND help your customers understand that their indoor comfort and health is more than buying, installing, and servicing equipment.

And that is not easy.

As an industry, we have spent decade after decade selling based on price and efficiency. Meanwhile, complaints about being uncomfortable, battling dust, and dealing with other indoor air issues went unresolved.

System renovation work is changing how contractors operate

These problems became more severe during the energy crises of the 1970s when government mandates led to the tightening of building (and home) shells. This action inadvertently reduced the amount of incoming fresh air and led to problems with indoor air quality, mold, radon, and other maladies.

Manufacturers have creatively improved equipment efficiencies over the decades and continue to do so, but consumer utility bills haven’t necessarily come down as promised.

System Renovation: Taking a Scientific Stance

The idea of testing and measuring certainly is not new. But in the HVAC Industry, it wasn’t until the concept of creating high-performance systems by accounting for not just the equipment but also airflow through ductwork that the industry could truly impact comfort, health, and efficiency. NCI dubbed this as High-Performance System Renovation work.

And for those contractors who saw the advantages of taking a scientific approach, they invested in learning how to measure and interpret resulting data. They invested in the training necessary to do that.

They also had to (and still have to) battle the competitive naysayers who cry foul when they lose jobs to more expensive and competent high-performance professionals.

It’s Not Easy, But It is Doable

Over the last 30 years, system renovation efforts have started to pay off. The concepts behind what National Comfort Institute (NCI) calls system performance are more common today across all the channels in our industry. Though not everyone is taking a system performance approach (it isn’t easy, and most people prefer easy), it makes more headway every day.

In this issue of High-Performance HVAC Today, HVAC Contractor Dawn Mroczek proves my point with a relatively simple system renovation that fixed acute comfort issues in a new construction home. You can read more about this at ncilink.com/GVReno.

“Today, our company’s (GVs Heating and Air Conditioning) duct renovation installations have taken on a life of their own through customer referrals and service technician leads,” she says.

Another contractor, John Boylan of Lakeside Service, says that for his business, the processes needed to set your company up for high-performance help to make the company stronger, more efficient, and ultimately more profitable.

“Since we’ve started a systems approach, I am beyond proud of the reviews and feedback our team receives from clients,” he says.

These are only two of thousands of HVAC contractors who walk the high-performance path. The industry must recognize the importance of this and encourage more contractors to take the first step on that path.

For those already doing system renovation work, congratulations, and thank you. For those who aren’t, please consider learning more about it.