Over the past several years that we’ve been discussing electrification as an industry, we’ve heard concerns about the electrical grid struggling with peak cooling demands.  Within the past couple of months, the concept of integrating battery storage directly into HVAC equipment has emerged as a vital solution for load management. This concept turns a typical […]

Windows might seem like the builder's problem, but they play a big role in what we do every day. Poorly designed windows can spike heat gain in summer or loss in winter, messing with load calculations and forcing HVAC systems to work overtime. That leads to uneven comfort, higher bills, and more service calls. Getting […]

Let's first state the obvious. Most techs are intimidated by psychrometric charts and Mollier diagrams. We JUST ARE. While there are some pretty complicated formulas that back up these diagrams, using them isn't that big of a deal once you understand the different elements and then focus on one at a time. BUT WHY DO YOU […]

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 […]