Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine September 2025

HVACR NewsMagazine September 2025

State National Chapter News

Now after many years of manufacturer ’ s installation instructions being ignored, engineers pointing out the perils of shortcut installations, companies attempting to train personnel with proper technique and testing, I can’t say I am surprised by the uptick in lawsuits. I am surprised it took this long. Many in the HVAC industry simply did not want to bite the hand that feeds them, so they tried harder to follow instructions, train employees and improve processes and techniques to better serve the community. Many competent in the field resisted the calls to turn on their own industry being a witness for the plaintiff. We are upset when our industry faults are pointed out by people with just enough information to raise a red flag, many times seeing or hearing only one side of the conversation. As stated earlier, online venues provide solutions in many cases that will make issues worse. Static pressure was an issue in 1738 when Daniel Bernoulli studied it and before we had HVAC to apply its principles. Many have simply failed to recognize a method for measuring air flow that works and is relevant for our trade from the get-go. Every class from university to trade schools to high school science class has most always included a segment of criteria on the U Tube Manometer. No relationship with YouTube.

have the revenue to weather small storms from the customer base. Private equity companies buying up HVAC companies need to step back and look at company practices from the field as well as the company’s financial checkups. This will put them in better shape to weather the long haul. The larger issue is researching each job individually. Finding solutions for each one doing due diligence for each customer with a verified load calculation, and proper execution. There are never cookie cutter solutions due to the fact different crews provide different measures for every job when a home is built. Never fudge your findings, as buffers are already built in. Builders must be sure vapor, air, and insulation barriers are where they need to be. If not, the HVAC contractor will be blamed for underperforming homes. More often we find misaligned construction materials causing high humidity. For homes that are well built, our industry must embrace whole house dehumidification as the next step, due to insulation and infiltration technology pushing aside the requirement for long HVAC run periods. These facts reinforce why simple commissioning for each job should be an easy step. A folder with delta measurements, static pressure, flow hood data, and blower door at the end of the job will ensure performance, demonstrate your diligence, and add value for the customer.

This article was furnished by Tom Turner, The Air Evangelist. You should get to know Tom. His knowledge and commitment to the industry is greatly appreciated.

As Nate Adams stated, private equity firms may be a target because of perceived deep pockets. The larger companies are more responsive in many instances. They