Above Your Competition! SITUATION • OPPORTUNITY ACTION • RESULTS hvactoday.comJULY 2022 HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TM If You Don’t Measure, You’re Just Guessing! ™ ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: • Pricing Profitable Air Upgrades and Duct Renovations • Proper Residential System Design • Build Craftsmen, Not LaborersJULY 2022 3HVACTODAY.COM JULY 2022 VOLUME 6 NUMBER 7 HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TM DEPARTMENTS Today’s Word .........................................................................................4 High-Performance Product Review ...............................................5 Contractor Spotlight: Integrity Test and Balance, Inc. ..........6 NCI Update .........................................................................................23 HVAC Smart Mart ...............................................................................24 Ad Index ................................................................................................25 One More Thing ................................................................................26 TECHNICAL: What it Takes to do a Proper Residential System Design Tetra Mechanical’s Kent Donnelly discusses how his firm approaches High-Performance HVAC System Design. 10 17 SALES MANAGEMENT: Pricing Profitable Air Upgrades and Duct Renovations Based on his HVAC Summit 2022 presentation, NCI’s David Holt goes through the importance of proper pricing for success. MANAGEMENT: Build Craftsmen, Not Laborers John Boylan of Lakeside Service explains the importance of building a crafts- man culture to the success of a High-Perfor- mance HVAC contracting business. 13134 JULY 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY tell customers what that means and how it benefits them. Telling your story means be- ing clear in your messaging. It also means re- inforcing your brand. Your story should be in terms customers can understand so they can make the best decisions and feel good about their purchases. zProvide Great Customer Service. You have to deliver on your promises and prove that you delivered every single day. Doing this sets up an interesting situation where you aren’t actually competing against some- one else. If you think about it, your only com- petition is to become better than you were the previous day. zInnovate and Grow Your Company. To beat your yesterday self is to continually im- prove. By doing this, it almost doesn’t matter what your perceived competition is doing. Im- plementing a high-performance approach is a strong way to innovate, command higher pric- es, and grow your team and your business. zProvide More Value than Expected. High-Performance HVAC contractors focus on providing a product with proven perfor- mance accomplished through testing, mea- suring, diagnosing, and correcting customer comfort and energy issues. You outperform expectations by making air visible and finding solutions to issues that few other contractors even know about. Talk about value! Value is also seen in how energized your team is. Customers can see that. You can energize your team with trust, professional development, col- laboration, and the opportunity to take owner- ship of their work. All of these things combined can help you SOAR above competitors and truly distinguish your company in your marketplace. I n his article on pricing air upgrades and duct renovations (ncilink.com/Holt), David Holt asks, “Aren’t you a high-perfor- mance HVAC contractor? Haven’t you heav- ily invested in the tools and training required to be a craftsman in this trade? As a result of these investments, aren’t you worth more than low- bid Larry?” Of course, you are! In many instances, being worth more, and being able to prove you are, puts your business at an advantage to soar above ev- eryone else in your marketplace. In my mind, you SOAR above competitors be- cause of your Situation as a High-Performance HVAC contracting firm and because of the Op- portunities you have by investing in the right way to do business. This enables you to take Action by listening to your customers, and by innovat- ing to solve problems that others don’t know how to find. Your Results are satisfied customers who provide you repeat business and fantastic leads. FIVE WAYS TO BEAT YOUR COMPETITORS To SOAR in your marketplace, consider these five ideas: zFind Customer Pain Points. They all have them. Your job is to find and fix them. You do that by discussing issues they are experienc- ing, then testing and measuring the system to find out what is going on. Cost is a pain point too, so give them several options to help with their budgets. And don’t forget financing! z Tell Your Story. High-performance HVAC contracting isn’t easy. If it was, everyone would be doing it. But you have to be able to Five Ways Your High-Performance Business Can SOAR Above Your Competition OUTPERFORM EXPECTATIONS AND DELIVER VALUE TO CUSTOMERS LIKE FEW OTHERS CAN. TODAY’S WORD By Mike Weil Mike Weil is editor- in-chief and director of communications and publications at National Comfort Institute, Inc. Contact him at ncilink. com/ContactMe.JULY 2022 5HVACTODAY.COM The instructions explain how to weight the damper for .35 ACH according to cur- rent ASHRAE standards. Because many air handlers do not operate a constant blower, leaving the damper just the way it comes should be fine. Outside air usually enters through windows, doors, baseboards, and other potential leak areas. This air is not tem- pered or treated. It brings in dirt, pol- len, and other pollutants. Bringing air in through the duct system enables the air to be cleaned, treated, and tempered. Buildings become cleaner, healthier, and more comfortable with this system. Something even more important is the safety factor. For example, unsafe conditions can exist from attached ga- rages and the infiltration of car fumes. The MAS-1 can effectively minimize this problem. Furthermore, uncontrolled in- filtration and exfiltration can negatively impact vented equipment such as fur- naces, water heaters, boilers etc. Using the MAS-1 is another way to min- imize the effects of downdrafts in equip- ment flues due to building leakage. Ultimately, passive air will move in any direction it chooses, not necessarily the way we assume it will. That is why con- trolling the air inside a building assures a safer, healthier, and more comfortable environment. To learn more about the Field Con- trols MAS-1 Make-up Air System , go to ncilink.com/MAS1. — By Jim Davis, senior instructor, Na- tional Comfort Institute Makeup Air Systems Most buildings have air leakage and uncontrolled infiltration and exfiltra- tion. Yes, everyone needs fresh air in their buildings, and the Field Controls Make-Up Air Systems (MAS-1) is one of the simplest ways to control random in- filtration and exfiltration. This is one of the best products to bet- ter control ventilation. There are no elec- trical parts to fail. The MAS-1 also has a balanced damper that can be set for the proper amount of recommended air changes per hour (ACH). You simply attach the damper portion of the system to the return air duct on the air handler or furnace and then con- nect to the outside vent with a piece of flexible duct. HIGH-PERFORMANCE PRODUCT REVIEW Written by HVAC Professionals for HVAC Professionalsbuilding owner. These reports often contain notes on any issues or defi- ciencies found. Often the facility man- agers will then use the TAB report to hold their designers or mechanical engineers accountable. Heikkila says he is often asked to come in BEFORE any work is done to find any pre-existing conditions. “In our area of Michigan,” Heikki- la says, “many buildings do not op- erate to spec because corners are cut during the construction or renovation to save time and dollars. The results are buildings that use too much ener- gy, are uncomfortable, and sometimes even dangerous.” Heikkila, who says he has been in- volved in the HVAC Industry since graduating high school in 1975, has seen many of these issues. “I decided to launch my own TAB company because of this situation and all the dishonesty that seemed preva- lent in the Western Michigan market- place. That is why I named the compa- ny Integrity TAB.” But he says the name isn’t enough. You have to prove your integrity every single day. THE COMPANY TODAY Integrity TAB came to life in Janu- ary 2002 with a $50,000 bank loan and one truck. Today the company is a small com- mercial enterprise with five technicians that cleared $600,000 in 2021. Ac- cording to Heik- kila, the compa- ny is small on purpose, so they can focus on be- ing flexible and doing everything right for clients. Their focus is 60% in the com- mercial air con- ditioning market and 40% on hydron- ics work. The company operates mainly in Northwestern Lower Michigan. “Our level of work may make us the most expensive TAB company in our region,” he says. “That is because we put so much time and effort into each project. “We typically see specifications call- ing for a TAB submittal/plan to be composed and provided to the design team before work takes place. This pre-submittal is where we point out missing information, design issues, and any lack of air and water balanc- ing devices indicated on the prints,” Heikkila explains. “Our experience is that very few of our competitors provide a TAB pre-submittal. This is an example of how we meet and exceed the expec- tations of our customers. It illustrates that we are all-in to make the project a success with the owners approval. I ntegrity Test and Balance, Inc. is a 20-year-old specialized contract- ing firm that commissions HVAC systems to ensure they deliver what they are designed to deliver. Kevin Heikkila’s testing, adjusting, and bal- ancing company (TAB) is headquar- tered in Traverse City, MI, and serves the commercial HVAC marketplace. TAB specialists perform air and hy- dronic measurements on HVAC sys- tems, then adjust air or water flows as needed to achieve optimum perfor- mance of the mechanical equipment. Typically, the TAB specialist sub- mits a written report summarizing the tests and measurements, any ad- justments made, and the balancing results to the mechanical engineer or 6 JULY 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY CONTRACTOR SPOTLIGHT By Michael Weil Bringing Integrity Back to the Commercial TAB World Testing a giant air louver intake at the Turtle Creek Casino in Williamsburg, MI Kevin Heikkila, Integrity Test & Balancethey are blessed to have good people. “That is a key factor to the success of any company. I see how hard it is for other contractors to find good people who show up on time each day,” he adds. “But attracting and keeping good people doesn’t just happen. You have to work hard at that. You must build trust with your team, customers, and community.” He calls that the “Trust Factor.” Such internal trust is vital to the op- eration of the company. For example, Heikkila says once they are trained and certified and prove they know what they are doing, he trusts his techs to do their jobs. In the beginning, that trust was giv- en but verified. Today, because of the Integrity TAB team’s years on the job, the techs verify the work amongst themselves. Another example has to do with the daily work schedule. “I don’t stipulate my team’s work schedule. They have projects and know the deadlines. For me, this is a trust thing. We have a common goal as a team: to be the best at what we do. So, if half the crew doesn’t start until noon because they’re always working late, I am fine with that. They run their own work and still get all the work done.” As a team, they talk about projects and decide who will be the leader of each one. “Then they take it and run with it. I don’t have to look over their shoul- ders,” Heikkila says. This kind of trust, according to Heikkila, is important on many levels. It gives the Integrity team freedom to be creative and thorough. “Don’t get me wrong,” Heikkila says. “I am still the point man and make sure everything is covered. I stay on top of every project and communicate with the team via email because every- one is busy. PARTNERING WORKS Because they focus on testing, ad- justing, and balancing systems, Heik- kila says they do some minor duct renovations to bring a system into bal- ance. Typically that can be installing a volume damper where it was missed by the the sheet metal contractor. When more involved physical work is necessary, Integrity partners with oth- ers to get it done. They partner with a great sheet met- al contractor and work with the orig- inal mechanical contractors to get things corrected. He says Integrity TAB also works with some manufac- turers, especially Johnson Controls and Trane. “Both of those companies are out- standing when it comes to building controls, and they have some of the best engineers working for them,” “When we submit our final TAB re- ports, we include proper descriptions, measurements, missing components, everything. For Integrity TAB, that is just how we do it. Yes, it takes time. But the customer deserves that time so they can decide what to do next. “We use these reports to flush out all the design issues we see and high- light them. We write notes on our first page outlining the number of issues we found.” WHY TRAINING IS SO IMPORTANT Integrity TAB – a non-union com- pany – cannot do what they do with- out the best training. Heikkila says he wants his team to operate at the high- est professional level possible. “I want them to be confident and know what to do.” To accomplish that, he uses a lot of on-the-job (OTJ) training to show technicians precisely what he wants them to do. In the old days, that meant the techs worked alongside him for three years so they could have all the onsite experi- ence to qualify for and take the Nation- al Balancing Council exam. “This exam is one of the only ones out there that stress the importance of the report. They would know how to put together accurate TAB reports for sub- mission to the customer,” he explains. “I know how important it is to stay ahead of the curve and better our- selves to serve our customers better. I want to continue to be recognized as a leader in the TAB industry in Western Michigan.” THE TRUST FACTOR At Integrity TAB, Heikkila says that though they are a small company, JULY 2022 7HVACTODAY.COM Kevin Heikkila (right) poses for a picture with National Comfort Institute President Rob Falke (left) during a training session.“They taught us how to listen to customers, how to talk to them, and how to ask questions. I learned how to ask open-ended questions and when to ask close-ended questions. “One of the key success factors I learned at Johnson that I carry even to- day is that we are all in this together. “My mentor at Johnson Controls al- ways emphasized the importance of making every job work as best as pos- sible. If the engineer isn’t right about something, fix it within reason. Make it right, so the customer’s system works how it’s supposed to, without any war- ranty call backs,” Heikkila continues. “Therefore, I always ask for the me- chanical drawings before they go out to bid. We ask the engineers and de- signers to let us review those draw- ings and then mark them up for cor- rections to show where balancing devices should be added. “We do that on every job. Some of our largest medical facility customers LOVE that. The idea is to fix it on pa- per, so it works in the field. It’s about team and cooperation. We are all in this together. Everyone wins.” BRING INTEGRITY BACK TO TAB Heikkila says knowledge is the se- cret weapon to help you help your customers. “Knowledge will bring you business. It helps create your success. So be te- nacious in your efforts and don’t hes- itate to call someone when you have a question. That is how you build rela- tionships and increase your knowledge about your partners, customers, busi- ness, and projects. Those relationships help build trust, and we all know how important that is. By the way, all of that brings integrity back to the TAB trade. “And remember. It’s better to do an installation job once by ensuring every- thing is as right as it can be in the draw- ings. All of this requires training – the knowledge, sales, and the way to com- municate,” Heikkila concludes. For these and so many other reasons, High-Performance HVAC Today selected the team at Integrity Test and Balance, Inc. as this month’s Contractor Spotlight. Congratulations to Kevin and his entire team. he explains. He proudly shares that he cut his teeth in this industry with Johnson Controls back when building controls were pneumatic. “When designing a pneumatic con- trol system, the engineer must under- stand every control function, every piece of logic, and how they interact to create different sequences. That forced them to think about a system, how it is sequenced, and how the overall build- ing works. That is how his team oper- ates today. He adds that Trane is also a partner and hires Integrity to commission sys- tems on their projects. THE KEY TO EVERYTHING: MAKE IT WORK Finally, one other key success factor is Integrity’s approach to sales. Heik- kila says his sales training and expe- rience also came from the 12 years he worked with Johnson Controls. Their strong belief in continuous training stretched beyond technical work and included sales. CONTRACTOR SPOTLIGHT Integrity Test and Balance, Inc. sets up to do a building performance test on a church facility. 8 JULY 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYNext >