THIS TIME IT’S PERSONAL! March 27 - 31 • Scottsdale, AZ 2022 hvactoday.comFEBRUARY 2022 HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TM If You Don’t Measure, You’re Just Guessing! ™ ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: • Education Is Key to High-Performance Success • Avoid The Top 10 Btu Measurement Mistakes • 2022 Commercial Market ForecastTECHNICAL: How to Avoid the Top 10 Btu Measurement Mistakes Based on his presentation at Summit 2022, Rob Falke shows you how to avoid Btu measurement mistakes. 17 COVER STORY: This Time It’s Personal: High-Performance HVAC Summit 2022 For the first time in two years, the High-Performance HVAC Industry gathers in-person. This year it’s in Scottsdale, AZ. Here are the details. MANAGEMENT: Commercial Market Forecast: Infrastructure, Inflation, and Insights What does 2022 have in store for the commercial HVAC marketplace? Jackie Greene of ITR Economics provides some insights. 10 TRAINING: Education is Key to High-Performance Success David Holt explains what tools High-Performance contractors have to educate customers and how to use them. 7 20 DEPARTMENTS FEBRUARY 2022 3HVACTODAY.COM Today’s Word .........................................................................................5 High-Performance Products .............................................................6 NCI Update .........................................................................................22 HVAC Smart Mart ...............................................................................24 Ad Index ................................................................................................25 One More Thing ................................................................................26 FEBRUARY 2022 VOLUME 6 NUMBER 2 HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TMHVACTODAY.COM TODAY’S WORD By Mike Weil A s you read this, the 2022 in-person event season is underway. The Inter- national AHR Expo is in the books, and most of the key organizations in the HVAC Industry are preparing for their live tradeshow and conference events. National Comfort Institute’s (NCI) High-Per- formance HVAC Summit is one of them. Sum- mit will be live in Scottsdale, AZ at the We-Ko-Pa Resort and Casino for the first time in two years. This event happens March 27-31, 2022. We pro- vide all the details on Summit on page 11. BE SAFE OUT THERE As the industry makes solid moves back to in-person events, several items should be on your radar regarding travel and safety. First, travel issues remain with us thanks to the pandemic, weather, worker shortages, and so on. Rest assured, these things WILL impact your plans as you head out to attend live events. The key to success here is patience. Your best bet is planning ahead, being prepared, and being patient. After reaching your destination, you still must be careful. It’s only natural as you attend tradeshows and conferences that you are in close proximity to people, shaking hands, making connections, gath- ering in small groups, dining, and so on. This is the heartbeat of in-person events. An old trade press editor friend once told me I should travel with hand sanitizer and use it all the time at events like these. It wasn’t a bad idea then, and it is even better today. I guess the bottom line is to be smart. Realize that we are not yet back to a pre-pandemic normal and be safe. HIT THE ROAD: YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID! The time is at hand to get out there. Every con- tractor in the HVAC industry deserves to escape the day-to-day grind and attend industry events to recharge and renew. Nothing reinvigorates better than being among peers, sharing stories, helping each other, and learning from one another. Furthermore, attend- ing in-person confer- ences and educational sessions brings you up to speed on the latest inno- vations and advances in technology, business practices, and for High-Per- formance HVAC contractors, hands-on training with some of the industry’s best. For example, two of the articles in this issue, by Rob Falke and David Holt, are based on pre- sentations at this year’s NCI Summit. Rob teach- es you about the most common Btu measurement mistakes and how to avoid them in his article ap- pearing on page 19 of this issue. David addresses the importance of educating and communicating with customers as you test and measure their entire HVAC systems. Read about it on page 7. These are just two of the 18 sessions at Sum- mit 2022. The bottom line is that in-person training re- mains not only a good bet but an essential one. Don’t let the travel and safety concerns prevent you from taking advantage of these in-person events and training opportunities. And we hope to see you in Scottsdale! FEBRUARY 2022 5 In-Person Training Remains a Good Bet Mike Weil is editor- in-chief and director of communications and publications at National Comfort Institute, Inc. Contact him at ncilink.com/ ContactMe . NOTHING REINVIGORATES BETTER THAN BEING AMONG PEERS, SHARING STORIES, AND LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER AT INDUSTRY EVENTS.6 FEBRUARY 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY ment to read airflow in cubic feet per minute (cfm). It has a timed average fea- ture that allows you to measure multiple readings over a large opening and then convert to a single, averaged value. The TSI/Alnor 801 RVA comes with a four-inch vane that allows for a larg- er measurement area. The head also ro- tates, so the display always faces you whether you’re measuring supply or re- turn/exhaust airflow. The instrument needs sufficient ve- locity for the vanes to spin at a consis- tent rate, so it is not a good choice when there is low air velocity. The 801 RVA comes with an optional cone kit that is perfect for small supply or exhaust grilles up to 200 CFM. It also comes with a NIST-Traceable Calibration certificate. For more information, visit the Na- tional Com- fort Institute store at ncilink. com/801RVA . Note: TSI/Alnor also makes simi- lar models that are detachable and work with the TSI/Alnor Ve- lociCalc ( ncilink.com/ tsi9565 ) multi-func- tion ventilation meter, providing additional flexibility. --- by David Richardson, NCI Director of Technical Curriculum. TSI / Alnor 801 Rotating Vane Anemometer When you encounter a grille, register, or diffuser that you can’t measure with a balancing hood, the TSI/Alnor 801 ro- tating vane anemometer (RVA) is the quickest and easiest way to take your readings. The 801 RVA is also a great, compact instrument you can use to mea- sure outside air intakes on rooftop pack- age units, because it is very tolerant of windy conditions. The TSI/Alnor 801 RVA measures air ve- locity, air volume, and temperature using a simple button and trigger operation. It will display readings in metric or imperi- al mode from 50 to 6000 feet per minute (fpm) or 0.25 to 30 meters per second (m/s). You can also program the instru- HIGH-PERFORMANCE PRODUCTHVACTODAY.COMFEBRUARY 2022 7 meaningful and important to the customer. WHERE TO START? As an HVAC professional, correctly measuring and understanding Total External Static Pres- sure (TESP) provides clues as to why a custom- er’s heating and cooling system is not operating as well as it should. Poor airflow resulting from excessive static pressure at the fan can result in uncomfortable rooms and inefficient operation. Identifying and solving static pressure issues leads to happier customers and profitable sales. Measuring and recording static pressure on ev- ery call involving a ducted HVAC system should not be optional. What if your doctor said, “we are too busy right now to check your temperature and pulse...” Would you get up and leave? HVAC system static pressure measurement is just as im- portant and shouldn’t be kicked to the curb just because you are “too busy.” When correctly interpreted, static pressure measurements help you efficiently evaluate com- fort distribution (duct) system performance and uncover hidden problems that “guessers” consis- tently miss. So, where do you start? Begin by having the right mindset, acquiring the proper toolset, and developing the appropriate skillset. MINDSET + TOOLSET + SKILLSET PRINCIPLES True professionals in every sphere of life strive to be better tomorrow than they are today. Ca- reer advancement occurs when you consistently W hy does every visit to the doctor include measuring and recording your body weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respira- tion rate? It’s quite simple. Medical doctors rely on accurate vital-sign measurements to deter- mine the health of patients. You’d question a doctor’s approach if they didn’t perform vital-sign measurements on each visit, wouldn’t you? There are essential clues in the current vi- tal-sign measurements, with more insight gained as doctors consider trends over time. They cannot properly diagnose problems and prescribe the appropriate treatment without this information. HVAC professionals use the same approach. Important HVAC system performance vital-sign measurements include ambient carbon monoxide, static pressure, fan airflow, and temperature, to name a few. Did you notice that refrigerant pres- sure isn’t on that list? What good is checking re- frigerant pressure if fan airflow is way off? High-Performance HVAC craftsmen rely on ac- curate measurements, not guesswork, to make their recommendations. The key to successfully using this high-perfor- mance approach is to effectively “translate” num- bers into understandable explanations that are Education is Key to High-Performance Success By David Holt TRAINING Every doctor visit includes the gathering of vital sign measurements. This should also be true on HVAC calls. z NCI Static Pressure Test Location diagrams z(2) 3/8 ” Test Port Plugs z(2) Static Pressure Port Stickers z AirMaxx Lite™ Form. AirMaxx Lite™ Mobile Appli- cation: Yes, there is an app for your mobile devices. AirMaxx Lite is free in your app store of choice and provides you with a digital way to capture your measurement results. You can then use the results to help educate your customer. Here is what you’ll need: z Android or iOS Smartphone and/ or Tablet z AirMaxxLite.com (to learn more about this tool) z AirMaxx Lite™ Mobile App (down- load from the Google Play or Apple App Store). As a High-Performance HVAC craftsman, you must commit to equip- ping your entire technical team with a complete Static Pressure Test Kit and the AirMaxx Lite™ app on their smart device. Commit to a due date and make it happen because you can’t guess; you must measure! Customer Education Toolset: In addition to the technical tools required to measure static pres- sure and perform fan airflow and total external static pressure calcu- lations, High-Performance HVAC craftsmen use third-party resourc- es to back up their claims and simplify the customer education process. NCI Home Comfort Report Flyers: NCI’s Home Comfort Report series (ncilink.com/iNCI) is available to all members as down- loads from the member website. These handy tools help your customers un- derstand the benefits of static pres- sure testing, proper airflow, duct ren- ovations, air balancing, etc. Here are four ways that high-perfor- mance contractors use these import- ant tools: 1. Print and laminate to use during discussions with customers 2. Print and leave with (or mail to) the customer to share with others 3. Store flyers on your tablet for easy retrieval and review 4. Email PDFs to customers or post links on your website. “Important Test Results” Mail- ing: When you want to time-shift the follow-up on high static pressure op- portunities, you can use the “Import- ant Test Results” approach. To receive a copy of this robust procedure and a sample letter, attend Summit 2022 or request a copy by emailing coach- ing@ncihvac.com. DEVELOP A HIGH-PERFORMANCE TECHNICAL SKILLSET Having the right mindset and tool- set is worthless unless you know how to put them to work to educate and benefit your customer. Your skills de- termine your ability to successfully execute plans, processes, and proce- dures consistently and predictably. Skillset development is the pro- cess of mastering required skills. The apply your mindset, toolset, and skill- set to achieve better future results. Ev- ery improvement starts in your mind. Use the following mindset princi- ples as a guide while pursuing your role as a High-Performance HVAC craftsman: z Self-improvement through lifelong learning z Respecting others, always z Honesty, integrity, and trust- worthiness z Preparing well for every challenge z Solutions based on measurements, not guesses z Proving promises by measuring performance z Dedicated to mastering high- performance HVAC. Adopt these important principles to stand out from the tradesmen crowd. Instead of just “making eight,” you will make a real difference in your life and everyone who depends on you. THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB With HVAC components becom- ing more specialized, having the prop- er tool at hand for a given service has never been more critical. To prove your commitment to craftsmanship, you must select the right tool, use it correctly, and take pride in proper maintenance and reliability practices. To professionally inform your cus- tomers about the condition of their existing comfort distribution system, your “static pressure education tool- kit” must include: Static Pressure Test Kit: zMagnehelic ® /Manometer zStatic Pressure Tip z Rubber Hose z Drill, 3/8 ” Bullet-Point Drill Bit, and Drill Bit Sheath 8 FEBRUARY 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYTRAINING PROVE YOUR PROMISES When you apply the principles dis- cussed in this article, you can overcome many obstacles standing in the way of a more profitable and enjoyable business. By proving what you promise through proper measurements, your customers and your entire team gain greater confi- dence in working together. This high-performance approach builds confidence in customers be- cause the technicians, comfort advi- sors, and installers have confidence in their ability to identify and rectify real problems consistently – and it shows! Everyone is happier when you do the job right the first time. A referral-based business is a sus- tainable and profitable business. Hap- py customers reward you by willingly paying a premium price for your pre- mium service while bragging about your team with five-star online reviews. They offer testimonials and referrals to their friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. IT ALL STARTS WITH EDUCATION This type of high-performance suc- cess doesn’t happen by accident. It re- quires a commitment to enhancing your mindset, investing in your toolset, and developing your skillset. performing these basic diagnostic skills using AirMaxx Lite™ will in- crease confidence in yourself and your recommendations. BUILD CUSTOMER CONFIDENCE Customers must be confident that they’re making the right decision when they agree to trade their hard-earned money for your products and services. Unfortunately, many customers lose confidence in contractors because of poor workmanship and broken prom- ises. They’ve heard things like “you will save 40% on your power bill,” or “this air filter will eliminate 95% of your dust,” or “your high-limit switch is bad,” to name a few. Rarely are these promises delivered. Customer confidence quickly erodes after experiencing the frustration of a technician tackling a job with parts-swapping guesswork. There’s no reason to resort to such measures with today’s high-tech systems and tools. High-quality precision instruments can pinpoint the problem and lead you to the proper corrective action. Having the right tools and training lets your customers know that your shop can tackle any mechanical issue they may have. successful use of AirMaxx Lite™, a tool designed to help you effectively communicate the condition of your customer’s HVAC system, requires mastery of these basic skills: Evaluate & Record HVAC Equipment Information: z System Type zCondenser Size z Fan Capacity zFan Rated Static Pressure zFan Type and Speed Setting z Mechanical Condition zCleanliness (Filter, Blower, Coils). Install Static Pressure Test Ports (as needed): z 3/8 ” hole properly installed on both sides of the blower. Measure/Record Static Pressures: z Static Pressure Tip pointing against the airflow z Install/Reinstall Test Port Plugs. Enter Accurate Data into AirMaxx Lite™: zSystem Profile zStatic Pressures. Evaluate AirMaxx Lite™ Reporting: z Fan Airflow zTotal External Static Pressure. Educate Customer by Sharing Findings: zDisplay Graphs z View Details zShare the “Static Pressure” flyer. Recommend Appropriate “Next Steps”: zAir Upgrade z Distribution System Renovation. None of the above-mentioned tasks requires years of experience; they are basic skills that must be learned and executed on every call that involves a ducted HVAC system. Consistently Meet David Holt at NCI Summit 2022 Join us in Scottsdale, AZ this March during National Comfort Insti- tute’s (NCI) Annual High-Performance HVAC Summit to see David Holt address the importance of customer education in the success rate of high-performance HVAC sales closures. Holt is NCI’s Director of National Accounts and an instructor. Don’t wait another minute! Go to ncilink.com/WeKoPa22 to reserve your rooms today. Learn more about Summit 2022 at gotosummit.com . Or call 800-633-7058. HVACTODAY.COMFEBRUARY 2022 9Next >