Free Tech Support w/ Clifton Beck

In this short podcast episode, Clifton Beck joins us to talk about Bluon’s free tech support and resources available to technicians and installers.

Clifton has been very in touch with the HVAC technician community since he got his start in the trades, and he has taken that into tech support. He has noticed that the inefficiency in our industry tends to come from poorly learned practices, and working in tech support is a way for him to do his part to spread better practices while helping others.

Lately, Bluon has become more of a tech support business. The new shift to focus on innovation has prompted Bluon to shift from making equipment more efficient to making technicians more efficient. The whole HVAC industry relies on that progression from developing on equipment to people.

Tech support consists of answering calls but also creating training videos and creating layers of technician education and development. Manuals are just part of the picture; tech support helps with part identification AND the sequence of operations. Tech support reduces the amount of time it takes to learn about a part or locate components, which makes technicians more efficient and strengthens our industry.

Overall, tech support calls are opportunities to train technicians to do better; they don’t just have to give away simple answers that don’t really help anyone.

Clifton and Bryan also discuss:

Bluon’s growth
Trends in tech support calls
Tech support and community involvement
Feeling accomplished as a tech support representative

Learn more about Bluon’s free tech support on the Bluon app, or you can check out bluon.com.

If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE.

Check out our handy calculators HERE.

Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

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Author:

Bryan Orr

Company: HVAC School

Position: Founder

Clifton Beck

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Our latest Podcast

HVAC School – For Techs, By Techs

Real training for HVAC ( Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) Technicians. Including recorded tech training, interviews, diagnostics and general conversations about the trade.

Chris Hughes and Steve Rogers from The Energy Conservatory discuss TEC’s TrueFlow technology and its crucial role in predicting airflow issues in the sales process, particularly for heat pump retrofits. They explain how the TrueFlow app helps contractors accurately measure both static pressure and airflow in existing systems, enabling them to predict whether proposed equipment changes will work effectively. This is especially vital when considering the growing trend of replacing gas furnaces with heat pumps, as the airflow requirements can differ significantly.

The conversation delves into a detailed example of replacing an 80% efficient 48,000 BTU furnace with a heat pump. They demonstrate how the airflow requirement would nearly double from 652 CFM to 1,200 CFM, potentially causing the static pressure to quadruple due to Fan Law 2 principles. This dramatic increase could lead to significant performance issues if not properly addressed during the system design phase. The experts emphasize that using TrueFlow during the sales process allows contractors to identify potential problems and necessary modifications before installation rather than discovering issues during callbacks.

The discussion also covers the ideal workflow for system assessment and sales, starting with customer comfort evaluation and proper load calculations. It’s important to reduce loads through envelope improvements when possible, particularly in cold climates where heat pump retrofits are becoming more common. Proper system sizing often means going smaller rather than larger, contrary to common industry practices, and the worst HVAC systems are often found in expensive custom homes rather than tract housing.

Key Topics Covered:

TrueFlow technology and its role in system forecasting
Fan Law 2 and its impact on static pressure when changing airflow
Heat pump retrofit challenges and considerations
The importance of accurate load calculations
Dual fuel systems as a solution for cold climates
The relationship between airflow and static pressure
Sales process integration of technical measurements
Common issues with oversized equipment
The importance of envelope assessment
Methods for reducing system loads
Proper duct sizing and modification strategies
The role of proper filter sizing and selection
The benefits of flat-rate pricing for duct modifications
Training resources and support available for TrueFlow users

Check out TEC’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@energyconservatory, and you can visit TEC’s website at https://energyconservatory.com/.

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 6th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium. Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.