< PreviousThen, in March of 2021, Getzschman Heat- ing, LLC, merged with a national company called Turnpoint Services, and that revitalized our focus on growth. Turnpoint focuses on train- ing employees and company growth. They believe you can’t have that without culture and philoso- phy in your business. Lack of training, in my ex- perience, negatively affects productivity, profit- ability, and morale. So, this merger was timely and an excellent fit. With their help, we refocused on growing our residential installation and service division. That allowed us to reverse those gross revenue num- bers and increase profits. The result of that move is that today, our business is 46.5% residential re- placement business. Commercial and residential new home construction is 39% of our gross, and commercial/residential service is 14%. Quite frankly, this kind of change required us to train. You need more people available to do those installs. TRAINING AND CULTURE We have always focused on training. It’s built into our culture and manifests itself in something we call our “G-Verify” approach to business. This concept is part of a marketing campaign that pushes fast and reliable service and backs it up with measurable and verifiable diagnostics. At Getzschman, this differentiator sets our com- pany apart from competitors. It requires techni- cians to be highly trained in what we call ‘G-Veri- fy System Efficiency Diagnostics.’ We talk about G-Verify all the time — in our marketing, sales (through our comfort advisors), and our technicians. By the way: we don’t con- duct system verification during installation. We do it two weeks to a month after the installation. O ver the last two or three years, our business has seen significant change. From pandemics to supply chain issues and inflation, much has changed in our world. Though that sounds nega- tive, we were blessed by incredible growth during shutdowns and the adaptation of a work-from- home culture across the country. In fact, we grew from $9.9 million in sales in 2018 to $13.1 million in September 2022, and we are well on the way to achieving forecasted sales of roughly $17.1 million for the year. Such growth requires adding more field service and installa- tion technicians to continue providing the same level of service we are known for in our markets. We attribute these growth numbers to our com- pany focus and culture. Three to four years ago, our residential installation business would have been around 35% of total revenues, and commer- cial would have been at 46%. Our focus back then was on commercial construction. But that is a time-consuming piece of business that requires a lot of dedicated manpower. 10 DECEMBER 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY Why Proper On-Boarding and Training are so Important By Scott Getzschman LEADERSHIPemployee to feel important and part of our family and team. We teach, and we follow up on how they are doing. That is G-Verify. As they progress and begin work- ing in customers’ homes, we follow up with them to see what they need and how they feel. That is G-Verify. And once they become adept at our HVAC system performance approach, we get into data diagnosis and remedies with them. That, too, is G-Verify. Since the COVID pandemic’s onset, employee shortages abound across all industries. That has forced us to hire people with little or no experience in heating and air conditioning. We teach them about HVAC, airflow, car- bon monoxide, and so on. For example, we hired a guy who was our uniform delivery person. We hired him, put him through training, and he earned his certification in sys- tem performance and carbon monox- ide. This person wanted to work. He enjoyed delivering uniforms to our company and saw that Getzschman took good care of their employees. Because of that, he wanted to come to work for us. He’s been with us for about two years. We are very excited about him. TYPES OF TRAINING Because training is a huge part of who we are as an HVAC company, we use all the resources available to us – internally and externally. We are ac- tive members of trade organizations like Nexstar and National Com- fort Institute. The first one provides us with third-party business and man- agement training. The second pro- vides technical training. We hire these organizations to con- duct in-person training at our compa- ny headquarters in Omaha, NE. On the other hand, webinar-based training has become a bit more diffi- cult because of changes in how they are conducted. Once upon a time, you could gather your techs into a room, turn on a computer, and have techs participate together. To get credit for some of these classes today, everyone must log in themselves. That’s been a little challenging because not all our guys have computers. We are currently in the process of adding a 1,500-square-foot training area. That space will include comput- er stations where each tech can get on- line, log in individually and partici- pate in those classes. SPECIFIC NEW TECHNICIAN TRAINING In most HVAC companies, techni- cians fit into one of three groups: sea- soned “senior” techs, “junior” techs, and new techs. It doesn’t always work well to train them all together. At our We set a time with the customers for our commissioning tech to come out and do the verification. During commissioning, if the tech finds anything deficient with the in- stallation, he captures that informa- tion and recommends improvements. That’s the last step for us to get back into the house to ensure our team did everything right so the customer re- ceives their money’s worth. As a company, we ensure that what- ever each group tells customers, we’re truly doing. That means ensuring that every installation is verified to operate close to factory specifications. TEACHING OUR CULTURE TO NEW TECHNICIANS One of the things that made Turn- point Services attractive to us was their philosophy of wanting custom- ers for life and employees for life. This requires creating positive touch- points for new employees. That fit so well with our approach that we for- mally have adopted it into our focus. What does this mean? When we hire a new person, no matter if this is their first time in the HVAC industry or if they come from a different HVAC company, we want to make sure some- one is spending time with them. That person, the owner or a manager, goes over the company handbook and ex- plains the company’s expectations. We go over our benefits and talk about our G-Verify approach. That includes discussing our training programs, our career choices, the benefits we offer, and more. This introduction doesn’t just hap- pen on the first day. It happens from day two through day 90 and into the following year. We want the new DECEMBER 2022 11HVACTODAY.COM12 DECEMBER 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY LEADERSHIP that because that’s the only way we’ve found people. ONE MORE THOUGHT Ultimately, we cannot do every- thing alone as owners and partners in an HVAC business. Our company has benefited tremendously from partner- ing with third-party organizations. The technical training and informa- tion we’ve received from National Comfort Institute over the years are critical to our overall success. If you belong to such a group or are considering joining one, do so. Be sure to take advantage of everything they have to offer. From training to net- working, these groups are worth their weight in gold. But don’t stop there. It’s entirely up to you to take what you learn and mold your business culture into something greater than it was. You do that with training so your team can provide cus- tomers with better installations, sys- tems, and service. A company is a tool to grow, to change lives, and to help improve the lives of the people who work for you. By doing these things, your business will grow. This is undoubtedly the case for Getzschman Heating – not only for our employees but the management team and our families. different types of training. For them, though, it’s primarily hands-on train- ing in the field. TRAINING MANAGEMENT As you can see, this is a lot of train- ing, and as we have grown, staying on top of it has become more challenging. Until now, we’ve relied on our techs to track what training they’ve taken and what they want to take next. That process no longer works well because it’s very easy to lose track. We have 71 employees, with around 25 fo- cused on commercial work. The others are our residential service and instal- lation techs. A full-time training man- ager is becoming more apparent, and we budgeted for that in 2023. ATTRACTING NEW TALENT The good news is that by creating a culture of training in your company, you can also create another means of attracting new talent. Let’s face it – finding and hiring the right people is more challenging today than ever. At Getzschman, our challenge is our location. We’re in the central Unit- ed States, but not a highly populat- ed area. So it isn’t easy to find trained technicians and trained commercial installers with whom we want to work. The good news is that since our merger with Turning Point, we’ve be- come a part of a national company with recruiters focused on finding tal- ent and bringing them into the com- pany. Today, this boils down to find- ing someone with a good work ethic, who wants to learn a trade, and is ea- ger to work. That’s the person we want, no mat- ter their background. We can take care of the training. We’ve evolved to do company, the only exception to this is safety training. Everybody must take that class no matter how long they’ve worked for us. We also hold companywide meet- ings that everyone attends. But train- ing is divided by group. For those new technicians on the residential side of our business who are serious about careers, we first send them to the Ultimate Tech Academy (UTA) in Little Rock, AR. For those we send, we make an agree- ment with them regarding the over- all cost. Not only are you paying them every day to go to this class, but you pay for the flight to get them there and provide a per-diem daily for hotel and food. Plus, there is also the cost of the class itself. The UTA programs help to get them up to speed as quickly as possible. Then, when they get back, we have programs to refine everything they just learned. Such programs include night schools and taking HVAC class- es right here in Omaha. From there, we begin moving them through manufacturer training, our in-house training, and then more technical programs like those offered by National Comfort Institute and other national training organizations. Not every employee wants to go down that path. You have to pick the right person, cultivate their desire to succeed, and help them grow. That’s the challenge. Commercial technicians typically don’t need the same level of training. Why? Because they’re basically out in the field and installing ductwork, but they’re not doing high-performance contracting work. Installations are based on blueprints, which require Scott Getzschman and his brother Ron, are the owners of Getzschman Heating LLC., Fremont, NE. This award-winning contracting firm has been recognized by local and national associations and trade groups for achievements in training, sales, and commu- nity service. Getzschman employs 71 people and serves the HVAC residential, commercial, service, and new construction markets. To reach them, go to ncilink.com/ContactMe.14 DECEMBER 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY sonable agreement with rule-of-thumb estimates. However, modern building codes and building materials like spray foam and super low-E win- dows are causing homes to be built more energy efficient than ever. In some cases, we are talking about 1,500 sq.ft./ton efficiencies. Even for hous- es not built like refrigerator boxes with few win- dows, it is still very easy for a new home to calcu- late to something like 800 sq.ft./ton. But not all residential structures are the same. Today, homes needing very small HVAC systems frequently happen enough that ACCA has pub- lished a manual entitled, “HVAC Design for Low-Load Homes: ACCA Low-Load Home Manual.” OVERSIZING DRAWBACKS Oversizing HVAC equipment creates several significant draw- backs. One immediate disad- vantage is the initial cost of the equipment. Condensing units, air handlers, furnaces, etc. always cost more as they increase in capacity. Your ability to win a project can be easily affected by proposing a sys- tem that costs more than a prop- erly sized system. Sizing HVAC equipment using old timers’ rule- of-thumb methods virtually guar- antees an oversizing situation. Another drawback to oversized systems is increased operating costs. An oversized system will short cycle, and there are power in- efficiencies from frequently start- ing and stopping an electric motor. Short cycling also leads to more F or many years contractors have resisted doing proper HVAC load calculations. After all, it is just so fast to apply a square foot per ton figure, like 500 sq.ft./ton, and just be done with sizing the HVAC equipment in seconds. You will never be undersized if you use a conser- vative number like 500 sq.ft./ton. So what if the equipment is oversized a bit? No one really com- plains unless the equipment is too small, right? That is the thinking that many HVAC contrac- tors use to this day. Too many contractors view load calculations as time-consuming and un- necessary. Another reason for thinking this is because calculation results sometimes are in rea- Benefits of Doing Computerized Load Calculations By Bill Smith TECHNICALDECEMBER 2022 15HVACTODAY.COM design book and punching many num- bers into a calculator while keeping track of numerous intermediate totals. Even if you are using the free ACCA spreadsheet that does the arithme- tic for you, the work of looking up load factors and typing them into the spreadsheet is still on you. The process is streamlined using ACCA-approved Manual J software because all load factors for all build- ing materials are built-in and applied as needed. The only work the designer must do is to enter the dimensions of the roof, walls, and windows. They also need to know the quantities of people, lights, and appliance loads. Manual J software typically pro- vides a “fill-in-the-blank” manual data entry technique in which you type in data or use a graphic CAD (comput- er-aided drafting) data entry system. The manual data entry approach is the easiest to learn as you do not need to know advanced CAD concepts like sheets, layers, scales, snap-to grids, etc. WHICH PROGRAM TO CHOOSE? Ideally, an HVAC contractor would use Manual J software that allows for simple manual data entry techniques and the more powerful CAD approach where a pdf of the floor plan is im- ported, and the building is drawn over the floor plan background. Elite Soft- ware’s Rhvac program is an ACCA-ap- proved Manual J program that pro- vides simple manual data entry and advanced CAD graphic data-entry techniques. Manual J software is primarily avail- able for windows computers. Only the Windows-based Manual J comput- er programs have full CAD drawing capabilities. But there are some energy use because the evaporator coil goes back and forth from dry to wet as condensate evaporates into the air during the frequent off cycles. With a properly sized system that uses long compressor run times, the coil stays cold for long periods and prevents condensate evaporation back into the conditioned air. The greatest drawback of an over- sized system is the loss of comfort con- trol. An HVAC system needs run-time to keep humidity levels in control. If oversized, the system short cycles, and humidity remains high in the condi- tioned space. To counter this, occupants have no choice but to continually lower the thermostat and force more run time. As they do this, the temperature in the space continues to drop, but the oversized system typically still does not run enough to control the humid- ity. In such a case, the occupant not only senses too much humidity but also starts to feel cold and clammy. If an HVAC system is allowed to run for long periods in a cold and clammy mode, mold will also start growing. For all the reasons explained above, correctly sizing HVAC equipment is very important for every HVAC con- tractor. Correct equipment sizing is done with proper HVAC load calcula- tions. Unlike load calculations, rule- of-thumb methods don’t consider each home’s unique mix of building materi- als and energy-saving techniques. HOW TO DO LOAD CALCULATIONS HVAC load calculations can be done by hand or with software. By hand, the process involves looking up scores of load factors from the ACCA Manual J 16 DECEMBER 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TECHNICAL and see for yourself how the software works. Make sure you size HVAC equip- ment correctly for all your projects by doing a proper Manual J load calcula- tion using ACCA-approved software. It’s not as hard as you think, and the improvements you will see in all your projects will be well worth your time and effort. Manual J data can be entered and reported. Naturally, all the software vendors claim that their software is intuitive and easy to use. However, ACCA requires every Manual J soft- ware vendor to provide all the data entry options from the Manual J book itself, and all those options can ap- pear quite daunting to a new Manual J software user. Since the user interface and data entry process are unique from one approved software to another, all HVAC contractors considering Man- ual J software should try their best to try out prospective software. Virtual- ly all the approved Manual J software vendors provide future users with a way to test their software before buy- ing it. Take advantage of those offers web-based versions of Manual J soft- ware and one that is iPad specific. The web-based versions can run on com- puters, phones, tablets, and any device with internet access. At the acca.org site, you can see the complete list of all ACCA-approved Manual J software. If you compare one ACCA-approved software against another, will there be much difference given that they both passed ACCA review? All the approved software will calculate the same bot- tom line results given the same input, but things like how you enter the data, what built-in help they use, and the re- port formats will be very different. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS ACCA granted all the approved soft- ware vendors wide latitude on how William W. Smith is president of Elite Software ( www. elitesoft.com ), which he founded in 1979 in College Station, TX. Elite produces more than 30 computer programs for mechanical and HVAC design applications. You may communicate with him at: bsmith@ elitesoft.com or 1-800-648-9523.18 DECEMBER 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYour three-pack price which saves you an additional $50 ($495) per attendee. The deadline for regis- tering to get these discounts is Feb, 17, 2023. NCI Learning Excellence members pay only $595 for the first attendee. A second attendee will only cost $545. If you bring three or more attendees you’ll pay only $495 each. Again, this offer is valid through Feb. 17, 2023. Regular NCI Members only pay $695 for the first attendee, $645 for the sec- ond attendee, and $595 each for three or more attendees. Non-Members only pay $895 for the first attendee, $745 for the second, and $695 each for three or more attendees. This pricing is only through February 17, 2023. Summit Highlights : Special events at Summit include the following: z NCI Partners Tradeshow z Idea Meeting z Awards Banquet and Ceremony. Summit Sessions: Unlike in past years, the 2023 session won’t be “taught” per se — instead NCI instructors will fa- cilitate discussions between attendees who can share their experiences and les- sons learned in a free-form environment. The sessions include: z Profitable System Upgrade Leads Through Testing and Diagnostics on Ser- vice Calls – Facilitated by Al D’Ambola z Keep Customers Safe and Generate Leads with CO Safety and Combustion Testing – Facilitated by Jim Davis z Increase Sales Success by Properly Man- aging Service-Generated Leads – Facili- tated by David Holt z Build Lifetime Customers with High- Performance Maintenance Agreements – Facilitated by Jim Ball z Deliver High Performance with Hands- on Diagnostics in Low-Performance Town – Facilitated by David Richard- son and John Puryear. Summit Schedule: Click on the fol- lowing link to see the 2023 High-Per- formance HVAC Summit schedule as it stands so far. Just go to: ncilink.com/ Summit23Sched. You can download the 2023 NCI Sum- mit brochure by clicking this link: ncil- ink.com/23SummitBro . If you plan on joining us in Branson, be sure to reserve your room in the “Cas- tle in the Ozarks” as soon as possible. Space is limited. Just go to ncilink.com/ Summit23Hotel to reserve a room and receive the NCI special rate. NCI’S CALIFORNIA TRAINING CENTER HAS MOVED National Comfort Institute (NCI) re- cently moved their Los Alamitos training center to Anaheim, CA. The new location is at 2050 South Santa Cruz St., Suite 1000, Anaheim, CA 92805. Effective immediately, all NCI training will be in this new location. If you have any questions or concerns, please call NCI at 800-633-7058. SUMMIT 2023 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN The 2023 High-Performance HVAC Summit will be a game changer. This event, which is open to the entire HVAC Industry, is for contractors who are look- ing to reinvigorate their teams in the high-performance delivery method as well as for contractors who are interest- ed in finding out why High-Performance HVAC is so important. There’s no other event in this industry that is like NCI’s Summit. It is THE gath- ering place for like-minded contractors and the companies that support them. This year the gathering is in Branson, MO - at the Chateau on the Lake Resort nes- tled in the Ozarks on the shores of Table Rock Lake. This is a perfect spot to come to Sum- mit and then stay for all the fun that Branson offers. Now Is The Time to Register! First mark the dates of Summit 2023 on your calendar. It is April 16 to 20. Then be sure to register for the event and lock in your hotel rooms. To make it easier for you to bring your entire team, NCI has set up special regis- tration pricing. If you bring three or more people, you qualify for the biggest dis- counts available. NCI Premium members get a free reg- istration for the first attendee. A second registration saves you $100 off the stan- dard member $645 price. If you bring three or more attendees, you qualify for NCI UPDATE DECEMBER 2022 19HVACTODAY.COMNext >