Make Summer Work for You w/ Matt Bruner

In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, host Bryan Orr welcomes Matt Bruner to discuss the concept of a “summer survival guide” for HVAC professionals. They explore strategies for maintaining work-life balance during the busy summer season and share personal experiences on prioritizing family and personal well-being while managing the demands of the HVAC industry.

The conversation delves into the importance of intentional planning before the summer rush begins. Matt shares how he and his family implement practices like scheduling an end-of-summer vacation, utilizing daycare services, and outsourcing lawn care to create more family time. Bryan emphasizes the need for financial discipline, avoiding impulsive purchases, and instead investing in services that can alleviate stress and create more personal time.

The discussion turns to the challenges of people-pleasing tendencies in the workplace and with clients. Both hosts stress the importance of setting boundaries, learning to say no, and prioritizing one's own family and well-being over excessive work hours or unreasonable client demands. They also touch on the evolution of the HVAC industry, discussing how younger workers are bringing a fresh perspective on work-life balance and how businesses are adapting to these changing expectations.

Key topics covered in the podcast:

Creating a “summer survival guide” for HVAC professionals

Strategies for maintaining work-life balance during peak seasons

Financial planning and discipline to support personal priorities

Setting boundaries with employers and clients

The evolution of work culture in the HVAC industry

Balancing the desire to help customers with personal and family needs

Implementing business practices that reduce stress and improve quality of life

The importance of contentment and avoiding the trap of constant comparison

Adapting service hours and availability to suit personal and family needs

Overcoming the urge to always be available and learning to prioritize personal time

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

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.

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#hvac #HVACProfessional #HVACProSummerSurvivalGuide #HVACR #HVACRSchool #hvactech #WorkLifeBalance

Author:

Bryan Orr

Company: HVAC School

Position: Founder

Matthew Bruner

Company: Hearthstone Heating & Air

Position: Owner

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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.

In today’s podcast, Bryan talks with legendary Hydronics author and trainer Dan Holohan about the history of steam heating and some practical applications of old ideas. Recently, Dan has been working on more novels, having published two of them over the past few months.

Steam heating is a “lost art” nowadays; it has become increasingly uncommon and has been disappearing since the Vietnam War. Many people who understood steam heating either retired or died after the Vietnam War. Many elements of steam heating are difficult to understand or surprising. (For example, steam pressure has a surprising relationship with velocity: low-pressure steam moves through piping much more quickly than high-pressure steam.) So, Dan Holohan is on a mission to revive that knowledge and teach the newer generations about the lost art.

There are many older steam heating systems still operating today, especially in the older large buildings in New York. Dan learned a lot about steam heating when working on these old systems and optimizing them. Most of the time, he optimized those systems by removing unnecessary accessories, not by adding components like steam traps.

Many old boilers used coal as a heat source. Nowadays, many old boilers have been fitted with conversion oil burners with thermostats, but they are still piped for coal. Some systems now have multiple risers or massive vents on the main riser to prevent the thermostats from getting too hot too early and satisfying the thermostat too early. We call that master venting, which reduces pressure and allows steam to move very quickly and efficiently.

Dan also discusses:

The 2-PSI standard
Transportation metaphors for BTUs in steam
Harmful renovations for old boilers
Replacement vs. restoration mindsets
Gaps in steam boiler education
Monopolizing the market if you HAVE the education
Boiler piping and venting
Two-pipe vs one-pipe steam

Find out more about Dan and hydronic heating at HeatingHelp.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.