hvactoday.comSEPTEMBER 2024 HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TM If You Don’t Measure, You’re Just Guessing! ™ OUTPERFORM! in ASHEVILLE, NC September 10 - 13, 2024 HVAC SUMMIT 2024 HIGH-PERFORMANCE ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: • CO Safety: Tales from the Basement • System Renovations from Start to Finish • What Do You Know About CO “Leaks?” LET’S GET READY TO...SEPTEMBER 2024 VOLUME 8 NUMBER 8 HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TM DEPARTMENTS SEPTEMBER 2024 3HVACTODAY.COM Today’s Word .........................................................................................4 Summit Sponsor Highlights .............................................................5 Contractor Spotlight: Worley Home Services ...........................6 NCI Update .........................................................................................31 HVAC Smart Mart ...............................................................................32 Ad Index ................................................................................................33 One More Thing ................................................................................34 LEADERSHIP: CO Safety: Tales from the Basement NCI Instructor Mark Hunt’s journey to discovering and understanding combustion and CO safety may help you start a similar journey. 25 15 TECHNICAL: What Do You Know About CO Leaks? Does carbon monoxide leak or spill? And why does it matter? NCI’s David Richardson explains. TECHNICAL: System Renovations From Start to Finish Contractor Dustin Cole discusses key reasons why a High-Performance HVAC approach is in your customers’ best interest. 194 SEPTEMBER 2024HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY OUTPERFORM! markets. Whether that training is business based, technically oriented, marketing focused, or all of the above, it’s the answer to not knowing what you don’t know. You don’t have to believe me. Check out the in- credible story of Chuck Worley and Worley Home Services on page 6of this issue. His story of success, failure, and getting back on the horse (as he says), is based on his mission to outperform his competitors, to out-work them, and to provide services backed by his own and his company’s integrity, character, and willingness to always do the right thing. By learning about and finding ways to differ- entiate, he built a successful business and now gives back to his community and to the industry by teaching others. Chuck will be a presenter at this year’s Summit, and will share his experience on the importance of clear and simple customer communications. Plus, Summit offers even more for you and your team. From vendor sessions on learning how to use the latest testing and measuring tools and in- struments, to the benefits of understanding the science behind filtration, and more, will set the stage for your on-going High-Performance HVAC success. The opportunities continue during this year’s breakouts; sessions will focus on everything from building a performance culture in your business to high-performance sales, combustion testing, the relationship between building sci- ence and HVAC, proper heat pump system de- sign, and more. Learning and having the right attitude, accord- ing to the Forbes article, plus building a culture of trust are the secrets behind outperforming. Trust me on this. Join us in Asheville, NC, Sep- tember 10-13 and you will see for yourself. O utperforming your competitors is usu- ally the key to success, but it’s also the biggest challenge you’ll face as a High-Performance HVAC™ contrac- tor. As you hunt for new opportunities, maybe new markets, and new ways of producing higher quality services, remember that your competitors are doing the same. How can you possibly get ahead, especially if your competition is selling based on price? One way is to employ the High-Performance HVAC approach and look for ways to view customer sys- tems from a different angle — taking into account airflow, combustion, and the impact of the entire structure on comfort. That is really what the 2024 NCI High-Per- formance HVAC Summit is all about. The en- tire program centers around all the changes hap- pening from electrification, new heat pump and inverter technology, refrigerant changes, and new efficiency standards. These are just a few of the challenges and op- portunities in front of us. From learning to be prepared and proactive, to educating your team, Summit offers ways to meet these new opportu- nities head-on. This year’s attendees will explore ways to out- perform their competition, delight customers, and lead their marketplace as they set priorities for 2025 and beyond. In a recent Forbesmagazine article on outper- forming, the writer says the keys to outperform- ing competitors are simple but not easy. In essence, the article says to focus on building a cohesive and loyal team who is excited about what your brand does, stays humble, asks for ad- vice, and keeps an ear to the ground for untapped opportunities. Training is central to outperforming in your Outperform Competitors: Learn and Differentiate to Succeed 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.HVACTODAY.COMSEPTEMBER 2024 5 customer satisfaction, and promoting better energy management. The latter helps cut costs for your customers. Many instrument manufacturers pro- vide mobile apps for their tools, or soft- ware like measureQuick , which inte- grates data from various wireless tools for easy analysis. High-Performance HVAC™ Contractors are central to the mission at TruTech Tools. The company believes in provid- ing these professionals with the best tools to help them maintain high stan- dards of service and efficiency. By focusing on quality and innova- tion, TruTech aims to support contrac- tors in delivering excellent results to their customers. If you’re new to TruTech Tools, there’s something important to know; they’re more than just a distributor. They partner in your success by offer- ing comprehensive product training, exceptional customer support, and deep industry knowledge to ensure you have everything you need to excel. Come visit them at Summit 2024 and see how they can help elevate your tool line up and grow your business. TruTech Tools is excited to showcase some of their top HVAC tools and test equipment at Summit 2024 in Ashe- ville, NC . They are shining a spotlight on the ecosystem and benefits of dig- ital tools. Digital tools offer more than just im- pressive reports for your customers. They provide highly accurate readings, reducing the margin for error and im- proving overall efficiency. With features like data logging and wireless connectivity, these tools allow technicians to easily track, analyze, and share information. Integrating digital tools leads to faster diagnostics and re- pairs, minimizing downtime, increasing TruTech Tools to Showcase Test Instruments at NCI Summit 2024 SUMMIT PARTNER HIGHLIGHT Sauermann Group will be showcas- ing the two combustion analyzers that are currently used by National Comfort Institute (NCI) in their combustion and CO classes. They are the Si-CA 030 and the Si-CA 130 combustion gas analyzers. NCI picked these instruments because they function according to the specifica- tions NCI requires and also aid in the way that the instructors train. These NCI “kits” can be purchased through TruTech Tools. Sauermann designed their combus- tion analyzers with the sole purpose of catering to High-Performance HVAC™ contractors. These type of contractors are out there doing it the right way. Their primary focus is to bring comfort and safety at an investment where price intersects the value. Sauermann likens them to technicians in class who broke the grade curve because they did so well. They are the ones with the greatest skill set, invest in training, invest in the best tools, and know that they will not participate in a race to the bottom. Sauermann says we should alter our paradigm and think of how we can educate consumers on why they should choose a high-performance con- tractor. There is still work to be done but we are the select group of like-minded souls to roll up their sleeves and get to work. Sauermann takes their ethos, “De- signed by Techs for Techs” very seriously. They say they are focused on the end user and marrying those needs with technology — while making sure our products exceed industry standards. Please stop by Sauermann’s booth at NCI’s Summit 2024 , in Asheville, NC, Sep- tember 10-13, to learn more about their products and how they can help you bet- ter help your customers. Combustion Analyzers Specifically for High-Performance HVAC ContractorsSETTING THE STAGE Worley will tell you that he was born into the construction trades. His fa- ther was a Navy Seabee who brought his work home, literally. By the time Chuck was 14, he had worked with his father to rebuild the family home to double its size. Helping his dad install ductwork, running power wires throughout the house, and other projects became sec- ond nature for the young man. Unfortunately, when it was time for Chuck to go to college, his parents didn’t have the money to send him. Chuck’s high school athleticism put him in line for recruitment to some schools, but his poor grades and low SAT scores limited his opportunities. Ultimately, he ended up at Norfolk State University. But school wasn’t his thing and he failed out. They say when one door closes, an- other opens up. For Chuck Worley, that was getting recruited to wrestle at an apprentice school at the Newport News Shipyard. “This changed my life,” Worley says. “Many people don’t know that the Newport News Shipyard has a Divi- sion II / Division III college. That is how I got into the trades. My train- ing was in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. I began working in the maintenance department at the shipyard and was there six years. During that time, I got married and had a couple of kids. When I graduated, the economy was tanking, and layoffs were rising. So, I started looking for other opportunities. DRESSING FOR SUCCESS Worley began interviewing HVAC contracting companies for a service job. “I went to those interviews wearing a tie and jacket,” he explains. “How many guys walk into your office wear- ing ties and jackets? My mother taught me to dress for success. “The contractor asked me if I planned to fix heat pumps dressed like that.” I said, “No, sir. I was going to take my tie off first.” “The interviewer told me I missed my calling and need to be in sales.” This contractor talked Worley into going into sales, and he says that was the second opportunity that changed his life. Eventually, he joined another HVAC company that had five salespeo- ple. By the end of four months, Chuck was the company’s top salesman. “I found my niche,” Worley con- tinues. Unfortunately, I found the team’s integrity at this company to be wanting and says that is something I wouldn’t tolerate.” INTEGRITY IS EVERYTHING “I kept running into that situation,” Worley explains. I successfully sold state-of-the-art HVAC equipment in 1997. In fact, I was one of the first peo- ple to ever sell $1 million in one year. I W hen you hear the name Yorktown, Virginia, it usually evokes images of the birth of our nation. Yorktown is the site where the end of the American Revolutionary War began with British General Charles Cornwallis surrendering to American General George Washington. It is also home to Worley’s Home Services, an HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contracting firm born from struggle and revolution. For Chuck Worley, the journey to success has been fraught with chal- lenges, setbacks, and bad luck that might have derailed any entrepreneur looking to put a stake in the ground and build something they can be proud of. He says that if it wasn’t for the strong work ethic taught him by his parents, his willingness to out-work everyone around him, and his strong faith, he might not be where he is today. 6 SEPTEMBER 2024HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY CONTRACTOR SPOTLIGHT By Michael Weil Worley Home Services: Success Doesn’t Come Easy Chase (left) and Chuck WorleySEPTEMBER 2024 7HVACTODAY.COM was brilliant at managing the books and the business side. Chuck managed the sales and installation side. Unfortunately, that didn’t last. Chuck and his wife split up, and the divorce took four painful years. On top of this, Chuck lost his company due to a bad business decision. He had to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, leaving him $500,000 in debt in 2014. “This rocked my world. It sucked so badly. I wound up selling scrap met- al for $100 per week just to feed my- self. I did go to work for several HVAC companies as a salesperson but could not make enough to pay off my colos- sal debt,” Worley continues. Meanwhile, his son, Chase, who was attending college in New Jersey, saw how badly his father suffered and suggested Chuck open a new HVAC company. “That sounded awful,” he says. “I couldn’t bring myself to start worry- ing about payroll, taxes, and all the responsibilities. Chase said that he’d take care of all that stuff.” WORLEY’S HOME SERVICES IS BORN And he does. Chase transfers to Christopher Newport Universi- ty, carrying 18 to 21 credits per se- mester. Meanwhile, Chuck bought a 10-year-old encapsulation (insulation) company with a gross annual income of around $300,000. He fired the three existing employees within two months because they weren’t up to his integrity standard and hired a few people who did. He explains, “It’s very humid in Vir- ginia, so encapsulations are popular. People want us to insulate the side- walls under the floor and tighten crawl spaces.” By 2017, Worley’s Home Services is a $1.1 million company. “My son ran the entire office while taking 18 to 21 college credits per se- mester. He is a monster at operations and finances – things I suck at. “Meanwhile, I am selling like crazy. And we should finish up 2024 at be- tween $13 and $14 million. Chase is 29 years old and runs a $14 million company!” Chuck explains that in the first five- years he used to run five to 10 calls a day. That included every sales call and every happy check after each installa- tion. He inspected every job, took pic- tures, then sent the information back to Chase. Chuck sent his team back to fix anything that was not up to snuff. “All of our work must meet our high standards. Period,” he says. “This ap- proach is something we implement- ed from the first day of our business, and the result is that our referral rate was thriving. The problem was others in the company didn’t have as high a bar as I did regarding character, integ- rity, and doing the right thing. “The installers didn’t care about any of those things. They cut corners, did poor work, and focused more on get- ting through the day. I couldn’t tol- erate it. I promised customers great outcomes, and the installers were carelessly installing units upside down and doing other things that ruined this equipment’s ability to deliver comfort and made me look like a liar. “In 2001, I got so fed up that I de- cided to start my own company. I had no money. I had no idea what I was doing. But I started running service calls, earned my Master’s card for the State of Virginia, and focused on knocking on doors to sell my services. “Behind everything I do, I hold my- self and those who eventually work for me to the highest standard of integrity and character, and I am always doing the right thing.” HITTING THE WALL In his second year of business (2002), Chuck’s company achieved more than $800,000 in sales with a team of four or five people. Thirteen years later, he says he built that com- pany into a $2.1 million HVAC firm with his wife, who had an MBA and Worley Home Services employs 75 people today, fields 60 service and in- stallation trucks, and focuses on res- idential service and replacement. The company does several other types of work as well, including the following: z80 to 85% of their revenues are residential z15 to 20% are commercial. He says of the residential revenues: z55% comes from HVAC zfive to 10% from encapsulation z 10% comes from electrical work z25% comes from plumbing. Plumbing is one of the latest areas the company has ventured into. Wor- ley says one of his technicians did plumbing work part-time. It wasn’t until an acquaintance of Chuck’s told him about a plumbing company whose owner had passed away and asked Chuck to try and help the widow out. “The widow asked me to buy the company, which I did. I helped her pay off all the trucks and some other debt and helped get her out of a finan- cial hole. “We did not take any employees be- cause they didn’t pass my character/in- tegrity test. I put my part-time plumber is unbelievable.” Today, the company continues to do encapsulation work but focuses main- ly on HVAC systems. “I’m a building science geek. I look at the whole house as a system,” he says. “I sold everything that had to do with the building science of the house, including blower door testing. My av- erage job in 2006 was $15,000. GROWTH THROUGH ACQUISITIONS Worley says, “In 2021, near the end of the worst of the COVID Pandemic, we bought another $300,000 com- pany that had a great reputation but no internal processes or procedures. We implemented our systems, and by 2023, we hit $12.2 million in sales.” 8 SEPTEMBER 2024HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY CONTRACTOR SPOTLIGHTSEPTEMBER 2024 9HVACTODAY.COM tracting Business magazine and thought they had a better approach to the technical side of the HVAC busi- ness. So I went to one of their early HVAC Comfortech shows, walked around the exhibits, and saw all these airflow hoods,” he explains. “I had no idea what they were or how they worked. I knew about stat- ic pressure but had no idea what that had to do with air conditioning.” keeping himself educated was import- ant. Though the college experience was a bust for him, he stayed on top of the HVAC Industry, the technology, and the changes continuously coming down the pike by reading, attending training, networking, and working with trade groups and associations to help better the industry. “I learned about the National Com- fort Institute (NCI) by reading Con- in charge, and now we have three addi- tional people working in that business. “Today, nearly three years later, we do around $3 million in plumbing.” Most importantly for Chuck Worley, this allowed him to do the one thing he never thought he could – go back and pay off the $500,000 in debt he incurred when his first company went bankrupt. “That is the best part of this sto- ry,” he says. “I paid all 70 of those creditors back. I knew that was the right thing to do. How could I judge employees on character and integri- ty and doing the right thing if I didn’t practice what I preach?” AH-HA MOMENTS From the start of Worley’s career, Pictured above: Worley Home Service technicians attending training. Worley says training, especially NCI training, is “life-changing.” CONTRACTOR SPOTLIGHTNext >