The great thing about an HVAC system rating is it’s something only your company can provide. It isn’t a cookie-cutter rating. You can’t just check the boxes on a list, and the system passes. Instead, it’s connected to the craftsmanship and skills you bring to the job. Unless your competitors do their work exactly like you, they can’t repeat the results.
Challenges and Obstacles to Overcome
Learning anything new usually comes with its difficulties. HVAC system rating is no different. Change
almost always comes with resistance.
If you’re considering adding HVAC system ratings to your offerings, think about where you’re going and how you want to get there. Most people plan vacations months in advance. You’re planning to improve how you do business, so give it some thought and preparation.
Directions from a map are essential to a vacation. As you add HVAC system ratings, you also need a MAP. Each letter of MAP means something you should think about as you plan this commitment.
- Motivation – why I should care and do this. Know the reason why
- Awareness – what this will affect and what results to expect. Understand the benefits or consequences
- Plans – what to do about it and how to do it. Decide on action steps.
Once your team understands your motivation behind rating system performance and is aware of the benefits, they can help you layout the necessary plans and become part of the movement instead of holding back progress.
Use the MAP concept to help you determine a destination and understand that you will need to detour occasionally to pass around an unexpected obstacle or challenge. If you encounter them, that’s a good sign you’re moving in the right direction. If providing real HVAC system performance results was easy, everyone would do it. Only the elite have what it takes to move ahead of the industry.
David Richardson was a Presenter at NCI Summit 2022
This article is based on a presentation given by David Richardson at National Comfort Institute’s 2022 High-Performance Summit in Scottsdale, AZ. The session was titled, “Total HVAC System Rating with ComfortMaxx Verify™.”
In this session, David showed High-Performance HVAC contractors how to prove the performance of field-installed systems.
David Richardson is NCI’s director of technical curriculum development and an instructor. You can reach him at ncilink.com/ContactMe with any questions.
And don’t take a chance on missing Summit 2023. It will be held in Branson, MO from April 16 – 20. Be sure to save the date.
Curious as to how this compares to the Measure Quick rating app?
Hi George,
Both follow similar principles, but gather the information in different locations. MeasureQuick looks at equipment performance (airflow, temperature, and Btus) while the Verify test looks at these measurements from the system, delivered into the living space. It takes both parts (equipment and system) working together for everything to perform as designed.
This is a great step forward and will lead to many customer referrals. Also, it won’t be that big of a step from here to actually measure the heat loss/gain of the home’s envelope and then match the HVAC equipment to those measurements.
Manual “J” is just guessing. The lower Temperature Rise ratings on new furnaces are going to force use of actual measurements; as many cases will require the CFM to double vs the old equipment. Measuring the heat loss will reduce the size of the replacement furnace in most cases. This allows the existing duct work to still be able to perform satisfactorily.