#MAD AIR

Tech Tips:

3 Things to Check When the Unit Won’t Keep Up

What is your methodology for troubleshooting an HVAC system that “can’t keep up” on the hottest days of the summer? Let me walk you through my process and hone in on one or two ideas that have been overlooked for too long in our industry. In this article, I’m assuming we have ruled out intermittent […]

The MAD Room

This tech tip features a diagnostic flowchart by Genry Garcia. Thanks, Genry! The name of this document, “The MAD Room,” was chosen as a nod to the MAD-AIR study completed by John Tooley and Neil Moyer, presented in 1989. The teachings from that document played an instrumental role in creating the following diagnostic workflow. Disclaimer […]

Angry Air

About a month ago, one of my techs went on a “no heat” call. The house is a rectory for the church next door. The call came in, and after he ran it, I assumed the problem was solved since I hadn’t heard otherwise. A few weeks later, they called back, saying the boiler was out […]

What Airflow Goes Around HAS to Come Around

Have you ever woken up early on a Saturday morning and thought to yourself, “I really wish I knew how to size transfer grilles and jumper ducts properly?” I know I have. Although come to think of it, I believe it was a Friday morning. Properly sizing transfer grilles is something I have been wanting […]

Spidey Sense – Airflow – Short #205

In this short podcast, Bryan talks about how to pay close attention to airflow issues and use your “spidey sense” when you're doing a visual inspection or commissioning a system. He also covers some causes of common airflow problems and some services and upgrades you can offer to your customers. The skill of being […]

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

In this short Q&A podcast episode, Bryan answers Edward’s question about how to deal with customers who ask, “Why didn’t you notice it last time?”

There isn’t an easy answer to that question. The truth is that air conditioning and home health and comfort issues are complicated, and it’s entirely possible that an issue simply went unnoticed (or the symptoms simply weren’t apparent yet). The HVAC industry doesn’t have a standard slate of tests that can give a comprehensive view of everything that’s wrong with a system all at once. It’s similar to how a doctor can offer a second opinion that differs from the first doctor you saw.

You have to determine whether the customer wants to place blame or solve the problem when they ask, “Why didn’t you notice it last time?” Sometimes, we need to dig deeper to find the root of the problem. We can offer advanced diagnostics and be honest about what that will entail (including pricing), though it’s natural for customers to be apprehensive about being sold options. However, we don’t want to avoid pursuing solutions either.

There are ways to talk about previous sloppy or incomplete work without placing blame on another technician. The immediate problem is what requires attention, not the last person who worked on the system. Ask the customer to state their goals and the results they want to see, and you can forge a path ahead.

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