Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine January 2026

News Magazine January 2026

FEATURE STORY

finds itself at a crossroads, whether in terms of adopting a new refrigerant, new business practices, or new technology in general. Sometimes, it seems like we have no choice but to adapt, but sometimes, we do have the power to recognize where a path will lead and make a change for the better. No, this isn't my latest hairbrained scheme to get as many people aboard the R-290 Monobloc Heat Recovery Chiller Express as I can. I want us to think about where we've come from as an industry and avoid becoming a ghost of our former selves, bound by the chains of private equity and a technological race to the bottom. And who better to show us than the Ghosts of HVAC Past, Present, and Future ( or HVAC Yet to Come, if you want to get fancy)? The Ghost of HVAC Past is a curious creature. Some say it looks like a 7-SEER split air conditioner that dehumidifies like a champ. Others have reported sightings of a mercury thermostat with the ol' reliable heat anticipator. In any case, it looks ancient and REALLY good for its age. This ghost is familiar with the old-timer ethos forged in a time before A2Ls, EEVs, and communicating thingamajigs: beer can cold, RTFM from a heavily processed dead tree, venting refrigerant, and never flowing nitrogen while brazing. Old-timers are a different breed, still around in some The Ghost of HVAC Past The Old-Timer Ethos to Remember

circles but becoming scarce as sunny beaches and pensions call their names. They have sharp mechanical intuition and know how to make things work using just their hands, brains, and a little grit. Online resources were scarce (if they existed at all), and there was certainly no ChatGPT.

HVAC technicians of the past knew how to be resourceful and rapidly gained experience by putting their hands on systems. They put in reps and had many chances to hone their craftsmanship. The emphasis on hands-on work made it easy for many of them to become really dang good at their jobs. ... But Skills Were a Product of the Times Trades knowledge in the HVAC past was highly practical, and the techs and installers knew how to do things very well. However, that knowledge was also specifically tailored to the systems of the