< PreviousHIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY20 OCTOBER 2021 HVAC SMART MARTHVACTODAY.COMOCTOBER 2021 21 Advertiser Index AD INDEX To Subscribe to High-Performance HVAC Today: ONLINE: Visit HVACToday.com/subscribe for a FREE digital subscription. PRINT: 1 year/$72; single copy $7. Canada: 1 year/$92; single copy $9. Payable in advance with U.S. funds. Prepaid subscriptions may be sent to: High-Performance HVAC Today, PO Box 147, Avon Lake, OH 44012. Phone: 440-949-1850; toll free 800-633-7058; or visit HVACToday.com/subscribe to order online. HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TM Publisher Dominick Guarino Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher Mike Weil Art Director Judy Marquardt Online Development Director Brian Roseman Circulation Manager Andrea Begany-Garsed Go to ncilink.com/ContactMe with your comments and questions. Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc. | www.ArzelZoning.com .................................................... 20 Baker Distributing Company | www.BakerDist.com ............................................................. 5 Duct Saddles | www.DuctSaddles.com ..................................................................................... 14 Dwyer Instruments, Inc. | www.Dwyer-inst.com ................................................................... 2 Goodman Manufacturing | www.GoodmanMfg.com ........................................................ 8 Lazco Corp. | www.LazcoCorp.com ............................................................................................ 21 Pearl Certification | www.pearlcertification.com/contractors ........................................ 11 R.E. Michel Company | www.REMichel.com .......................................................................... 17 The New Flat Rate | www.TheNewFlatRate.com ................................................................ 20 To Your Success | www.ToYourSuccess.com .......................................................................... 20HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY For example, performing duct cleaning with- out reducing or eliminating the source of the dust and dirt is a band-aid approach. While it does improve air quality for a short period of time, it’s just a temporary fix. Without eliminat- ing the source, the ducts will just get dirty again and we’re back to square one. Some might suggest that sealing the ducts and installing better filtration is a good solution, but again, while that could be a good way to reduce infiltration of pollutants into the ducts, it may still miss the mark addressing the root causes. Maybe the real culprit is a pressure imbalance that causes air to be drawn from a dirty attic or crawl space, or from a dusty drop ceiling in a commercial application. Unless we test, we’re just guessing. Where have I heard that before? The same goes for humidity control. Un- less you identify the true source of the humid- ity problem, whether it’s too high or too low, installing dehumidification or humidification devices may be just putting band-aids on the building. So how do you get educated and learn to diag- nose and address the real causes of poor IAQ? One way is to read the IAQ article by John Ellis, and David Richardson’s CO Safety in this issue. There are also great articles on the subject in back issues of this magazine available at HVAC- TODAY.com. The bottom line is if you are tru- ly serious about offering the right solutions, you must become a student of IAQ. There are many good books on the subject, and great articles published in other industry publica- tions, but beware of advice that touts a one-size- fits-all single-solution fix. Silver bullets rarely work, and even worse, they can back-fire and possibly create an unhealthy or even dangerous indoor environment. T hanks to the COVID-19 Pandemic, a huge public spotlight has been shining on our industry. We’re now viewed as the people who can make buildings safer by keeping the virus from spreading through their HVAC systems. This has been a good thing for the industry as it has given professional contractors the opportu- nity to offer true improvements to both commer- cial and residential systems. These solutions can improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), and greatly re- duce the spread of airborne pathogens. Unfortunately, there’s been a large percentage of IAQ snake oil being sold, often unwittingly, by our industry. These types of quick fixes have plagued the HVAC industry for decades. Most contractors offering band-aid solutions are likely not doing it with malice, they just haven’t been taught differently. That’s not an excuse, but it is the reality our industry lives with every day. There are many products that help with prevent- ing and mitigating airborne pollutants. But when applied as band-aid solutions, the building or homeowner is likely being done a huge disservice. Unfortunately, when applied without full un- derstanding and a real diagnosis of the under- lying issues, these quick fixes usually miss the mark. In fact, some misapplied solutions actually make things worse. As John Ellis mentioned in his article in this is- sue, “prescription without diagnosis is malprac- tice.” One of the most important diagnostics you can perform is towards identifying the root caus- es of the problem. 22 OCTOBER 2021 ONE MORE THING... By Dom Guarino “IF YOU ARE TRULY SERIOUS ABOUT OFFERING THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS, YOU MUST BECOME A STUDENT OF IAQ.” IAQ – Do You Sell Band-Aids Or Real Solutions? Dominick Guarino is publisher of High-Performance HVAC Today magazine and CEO of National Comfort Institute, Inc. He can be reached at ncilink.com/ ContactMeNext >