HVAC Talkback

“Tell them in 5 years if they stick with it they’ll be pushing 100k. Trades are always looking for good people and they’re hard to find, so once you get good, you can write your own ticket, and if you’re unhappy, you’ll have a job by next Monday for more money. You become invaluable everywhere you go.”

“I would inform the younger generation that they can make over 6 figures without getting into college debt.”

“You get to learn a trade that contains a sample of all the other trades: some plumbing, some electrical, some construction. You gain universal knowledge.”

“Go into high schools and promote the ideas of ‘freedom on the job’ vs. corporate culture/rules. Young men flock to the idea of independence and freedom.”

“You be honest with them. Young folks feel like they are being constantly misled and lied to. Tell them that summer sucks and it will be hard, but that sticking with it has been the most rewarding gift. Tell them that money isn’t the best starting out, but that staying motivated and maintaining interest will turn that pay into 6 figures someday. Give them transparency and investment.”

“Promise payment in Fortnite V-Bucks”

“Target private school kids that are not college material but still want to make good money.”

“Home Comfort as a Service - leasing HVAC, water, indoor air quality and generator products”

“Braze free connections standard for all equipment connections”

“Finding where all the techs are at 1:00 o’clock every day”

“fire rated a2l lineset shafts for vrf. conquest ie flamebar”

“Fittings that don’t require brazing”

“Gas Absorption Heat Pumps”

“Troubleshooting communication equipment. Won’t turn on? Why?”

“Pumping water, not refrigerant. Monobloc heat pumps!”

“Hands down, the trend will be adopting AI/machine learning into systems to trend data/performance, report faults, effectively diagnose themselves.”

“Definitely inverter systems with solid state relays”

“A2L systems, and the need to gain knowledge on how to properly install, repair, and tools needed to advance in the field.”

“None stop price increases… but hopefully it will be contractors actually educating themselves & so they install equipment per manufacturer requirements so this expensive equipment can have a long life”

“Pretty sure the main trend will be passing the cost of tariffs of systems and parts from Mexico and China onto the customers. I feel the greatness about to explode upon me”

“As a technician I don't mind both, but as a homeowner, I want what’s better for my pocket — whichever one helps me save more money on electricity, and for me, that has been with a gas furnace.”

“Going full electric will be a disaster. Real wakeup call when you lose power for 3 days following a winter storm. No water, no stove, no microwave, no furnace. Give me a wood stove and gas range.”

“Living in NC for 5 years now, wish I had dual fuel. once the temp drops below 32 degrees, the heat pump cannot keep up and it uses a ton of electricity.”

“I would like to see the electrification movement live on, provided we as a nation, can do it sensibly. We need to radically improve our electrical infrastructure by making it less susceptible to natural and man-made threats. We should also incorporate micro nuclear power plants, which provide clean and reliable energy, as well as encourage private energy production through wind and solar.”

“Total cost of ownership is what’s important.”

“Honestly, we have so little gas here in south GA that it can go either way for me and I’m ok with it. I am concerned with the cost of electricity and the grid’s support the additional load.”

“Dual fuel options always. Both have their advantages and disadvantages and differ greatly in cost depending on where you live.”

“Not so much fade out but keep fossil fuel and electric working together, sometimes one isn’t good for the application as the other would be.”

“fade out”

“Customers are very surprised when they hear the price of HVAC equipment. On another note, customers are very dissatisfied that most of the new, high-priced equipment doesn’t actually last as long.”

“HVAC installation tech here. We mainly sell Trane higher and midrange, but lately the RunTru is a bigger seller bc of prices. We added Rheem to our line to help with pricing as well.”

“I can get that on Amazon for (enter price here).”

“Customers are buying DIY mini splits and installing them themselves.”

“They think it’s too expensive no matter what price you tell them. You have to build the value of what you are offering and your expertise. People say the new units don’t last — I wouldn’t disagree. I guarantee if we started focusing on airflow and static pressure, these systems would last much longer and be much more energy efficient. But the main reason systems are failing prematurely or not lasting as long is because it isn’t properly installed or designed right.”

“Really the only thing I ever hear & I’m sure it hasn’t changed for many of us & it’s about to get worse..."It’s too damn expensive.”

“The price on the mid to high end equipment is nuts. Low end equipment is still reasonable. Mark up and labor cost are out of control.”

“I believe that HVACR is more of a need than a want, and although political matters do have an impact on the overall industry, the impact on company owners should be minimal.”

“With any transition in political power, it is hard to predict exactly what will happen. However, my best guess is that the HVACR industry will enjoy an environment of deregulation, an increase in sensible energy policies, an increase in U.S. protectionist trade tariffs, and an increase in pro-business economic programs. The biggest area I’m watching is workforce development. There could be fewer opportunities provided to companies to hire skilled trades people, fewer high-efficiency equipment installations, and more illegal refrigerant importation. I’ll recommend that HVACR stay informed, continue to invest in self-education, be open to new technologies, and network.”

“Better!”

“Everyone will suffer. Tariffs will hurt the industry, as many parts and equipment are actually made somewhere else. Prices will skyrocket, labor will continue to be hard to find, and 99% of the public will be more broke than ever. Only [the] already-wealthy will be the ones who benefit from a second term. ”