I was fresh out of school, working as an apprentice at my first real HVAC job, and I was listening in on a shop conversation between a few techs. They were talking about finding so many overcharged systems. One of the techs turns to me and says, “I had a unit yesterday that was so […]

I live in Central Florida, and while it can get pretty hot in the summer, we also tend to get afternoon thunderstorms that come and go in a flash. I have been connecting gauges, checking charges, and even pulling vacuums in the rain (even under umbrellas or cardboard boxes) for most of my career. Only […]

If you are new to the trade, I'd like to welcome you. Like many skilled trades, the HVAC/R trade has many opportunities and can help you make a good living. We need those of you who are young and new to the trade, and we are grateful to have you. But as a word of […]

Andrew Greaves joins us again from AHR 2020. This time, he discusses what mentors and role models do in our trade and why they're important. Mentors are not just the grouchy senior techs who throw hammers at apprentices. Mentors have an active role in others' professional development; they spend a lot of time with their […]

Andrew Greaves comes on the podcast to give us a sneak peek into the life of a tool manufacturer. Andrew has worked in the field for a long time and has recently begun working for NAVAC. He currently works as a regional manager who oversees operations in 24 states; his main task is to establish […]

In this simultaneously heavy and lighthearted discussion, Bryan Orr and Andrew Greaves discuss ego, Dunning-Kruger, insecurity, and apprenticeship in the trades. In the early days, apprenticeships were quite different from the way they are today. One-on-one mentorship used to be a much more significant component of early apprenticeships, but that style of training is uncommon […]