January is the perfect time to look back at your company’s progress over the previous year.

This could include examining your company’s financial progress, how you’re perceived in your market, employee development, and so forth.

If you are on the path to becoming a High-Performance HVAC™ contractor, it’s also a good time to evaluate how you are doing, and make decisions on your next steps. The following list can help you determine which steps are well under way, and which still need work in 2026.

1 – Develop your plan to integrate high performance into you company’s systems and culture. This is not a one and done step, rather it’s an ongoing effort. This plan should be a starting point in 2026 that will evolve as it becomes part of who you are – your company’s core values and culture.

2 – Put into place a system to hold your team accountable for measuring static pressures on every service and maintenance call. Even if you are not at 100%, determine how often they’re measured and documented on service work, and on maintenance visits.

3 – Assign a High-Performance Champion. Your chances of successful implementation increase exponentially when someone is responsible for keeping the fire burning. In 2026, choose someone who gets it, and is excited about the direction.

4 – Use diagnostic tools like the TEC Airflow Grid and measureQuick® software. If you are not using them yet, commit to investigating at least one of these valuable tools. They can help make field testing faster and more accurate.

5 – Add Air Upgrade options on every replacement proposal that needs it. If you are testing on sales calls, you know this applies to most or all system replacements.

6 – Propose a Duct System Optimization when an Air Upgrade just doesn’t do it. Be sure to make before-and-after full system testing part of this process.

7 – Include test-out and Air Balancing on every installation. Make sure your installers or start-up techs don’t skip this step. It’s what differentiates your company because it proves you did what you said you would do.

8 – Create a reporting system to track your progress. You could include leads generated from service, how many Air Upgrades and System Renovations, etc. Include whatever you feel is important to your success.

9 – Implement a process to bank leads from testing on service calls. This allows you to follow up during your slow periods. If done right this approach will generate both renovation and equipment replacement work year-round.

10 – Make sure every technician and installer has the training, certifications and tools to perform proper CO safety and combustion testing and diagnostics. This summer, ready your team for fall maintenance calls that will uncover CO safety and combustion issues and generate important repairs.

11 – Teach techs how to offer your customers Low-level CO Monitors. If you decide to sell these monitors, make sure you develop a well thought out process for introducing them to your customers.

12 – Take the time to regularly evaluate your progress. Do this monthly, or quarterly at minimum. As you identify weak spots, add them to your priorities for the next month or quarter.

Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. If you integrate the actions outlined above you will be well on your way to being the High-Performance leader in your marketplace.