Hvac Know It All Podcast

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Podcast, host Gary McCreadie is joined by Eric Ruggles, Director of Engineering at Ritchie Engineering Co., Inc. (YELLOW JACKET), to discuss charging A3 hydrocarbon refrigerants, including R290 and R600A. They compare A3 and A2L flammability, cover ventilation and system purging, and explain safe pinch-off, charging, and leak-checking practices for hydrocarbon equipment. Ruggles brings YellowJacket's product perspective to the discussion of its hydrocarbon charging kit, including the scale, bottle stand, puncture valves, hoses, and pinch-off tool. His guidance connects the kit's features, bottle compatibility, and O-ring setup to the practical steps technicians use when servicing A3 systems.   Key Takeaways How ventilation reduces the flammability risk when working with A2L refrigerants in open or well-ventilated areas. Why A3 refrigerants require a full purge and attention to where discharged gas can collect before a torch is lit. How residual R290 can create a

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero speak with Bill Spohn, Founder & CEO of TruTech Tools, LTD, who brings 38 years of experience in the HVAC industry. They discuss the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), including meeting structure, decision-making, core values, accountability, and culture. Bill shares how TruTech Tools introduced EOS practices, used a Vision Traction Organizer, defined roles through the GWC framework, tracked leading indicators, and approached leadership succession.   Expect To Learn: How EOS uses a two-page Vision Traction Organizer to guide business planning. Why regular meetings with clear agendas improve leadership communication. How to define core values through a keep, kill, and combine process. What the GWC framework means for assigning people to the right roles. Why quarterly conversations can support accountability and feedback. How leading indicators can help teams anticipate

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Podcast, host Gary McCreadie continues his conversation with Rich Ortega, the C.O.O. and co-owner of On The Rock Services and podcast co-host of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, about the realities of starting and growing a service business. Rich explains why people considering entrepreneurship should do their research before leaving their current jobs and seek advice from business owners who have built the type of company they actually want to create. He and Gary discuss the difference between owning a business and simply owning a job, including the importance of building infrastructure, creating systems, and eventually making the company self-sufficient. They also explore the less-discussed stresses of business growth, from managing employees and maintaining revenue to taking responsibility for employees and their families. Rich shares why hiring inexperienced people with the right personality can be preferable to hiring experienced technicians with bad habits, while a

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero speak with Daniel Quinonez, Chief Operating Officer of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors -National Association. They discuss HVAC licensing standards, technician training, safety risks, workforce education, and preparing contractors for industry change. Dan shares perspectives on building trade careers through continuous learning, business education, community, and technology adoption. The conversation also covers how AI, data centers, and evolving tools can create opportunities for contractors who stay ready to adapt.   Expect To Learn: Why EPA certification alone may not provide sufficient HVAC training. How licensing standards can support safer installations and consumer protection. Why training and mentorship remain essential throughout an HVAC career. How Pell Grants may expand access to qualifying workforce programs. When technicians often begin transitioning into HVAC b

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Podcast, host Gary McCreadie is joined by Rich Ortega, the C.O.O. and co-owner of On The Rock Services and podcast co-host of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, to discuss the realities of starting and running a service business. Rich shares his experience working in the commercial kitchen industry for 20 years, including his time working for his father and grandfather before eventually moving into larger companies and starting his own business. The conversation begins with the challenges of working with independent restaurants, including low budgets, price objections, and the difficulty of getting customers to understand the true cost of repairs and maintenance. Rich explains why he shifted his focus toward larger chain and multi-unit operations and how those customers provide more opportunities to perform profitable repairs and maintenance. Gary and Rich then discuss Rich's journey into entrepreneurship, including the experiences that pushed him to leave his previous empl

Episode Overview In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Podcast, Host Gary McCreadie Director of Player Development and Head Coach at Shelburne Soccer Club and President of McCreadie HVAC & Refrigeration Services and HVAC Know It All Inc, examines compressor oil return, including why lubrication matters, how low load and reduced airflow affect oil movement, and how oil separators can protect compressors. Listeners will learn how to investigate oil-failure alarms, improve return velocity, and avoid replacing controls before finding the underlying system issue. Drawing on a past five-story rooftop-unit service case and observations from LG VRF training, the host explains how improper building automation programming contributed to repeated compressor failures. That field perspective connects oil separators, inverter oil-return modes, suction piping, traps, double suction risers, and compressor unloading to practical troubleshooting decisions. Key Takeaways Why inadequate lubrication can cause compressor

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero speak with Daniel Quinonez, Chief Operating Officer of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors -National Association. They discuss contractor communities, member education, apprenticeship programs, and the operational challenges facing small HVAC businesses. Dan explains how contractors can access peer support, business resources, and training opportunities through membership. He also shares his perspective on hiring green apprentices versus experienced technicians and the fragmented approach to trade training across the United States.   Expect To Learn: How contractor communities can provide peer support and business resources. Why business operations can be challenging for technicians who become owners. Ways AI can support administrative work without replacing technicians. The tradeoffs between hiring experienced technicians and training apprentices. How contractor-sponsored appre

Episode Overview In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Podcast, Host Gary McCreadie Director of Player Development and Head Coach at Shelburne Soccer Club and President of McCreadie HVAC & Refrigeration Services and HVAC Know It All Inc, talks about volunteer leadership, workplace burnout, and gratitude. Using experiences from coaching and leading a youth soccer club, He explains how HVAC business owners, service managers, and technicians can use encouragement, communication, and patient development to help people perform at their best. He draws on the pressure of managing complaints and limited positive feedback while serving as president of the Shelburne Soccer Club and coaching soccer. That experience informs a leadership perspective centered on recognizing effort, building confidence in small steps, and supporting people in every direction of an organization. Key Takeaways How consistent encouragement can help a struggling employee or player rebuild confidence and improve performance. Why grati

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero sit down with Samir Pendse, Co-founder & CEO at Coral exploring the future of HVAC financing, heat pump adoption, rebate programs, and innovative business models like HVAC-as-a-Service. They discuss why affordability remains the biggest barrier to energy-efficient equipment, how contractors can simplify financing for homeowners, and why marketing should focus on comfort and savings rather than politics. The conversation also covers the challenges small contractors face, the evolution of financing options, and what the future of home comfort solutions looks like. Coral is a company helping HVAC contractors simplify rebates, incentives, and financing for homeowners. Coral enables contractors to offer affordable energy-efficient systems without navigating complex incentive programs, making high-efficiency HVAC upgrades more accessible across the United States. Expect To Learn: Why affor

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero sit down with Samir Pendse, Co-founder & CEO at Coral. He shares how Coral simplifies that process by guaranteeing rebates upfront, connecting homeowners with the best financing options, and helping contractors close more deals without adding administrative burden. The conversation also explores financing for repairs, contractor operations, working capital challenges, and how evolving government rebate programs are shaping the future of the HVAC industry. Coral is a platform that helps HVAC contractors simplify rebate management and financing for energy-efficient home upgrades. By combining guaranteed upfront rebates with low-cost financing options, Coral enables contractors to improve close rates, streamline operations, and make high-efficiency systems more affordable for homeowners.   Expect To Learn: How upfront rebates improve homeowner affordability and contractor sales. Why f

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Podcast, host Gary McCreadie continues his conversation with Clayton Cassady, President, and Robert Laframboise, Vice President, Class A Operator at RC Mechanical Canada, about industrial ammonia refrigeration systems and the role of plant operators. They explain how ammonia plants work, common system pressures, direct and indirect refrigeration, operator training, control room duties, system redundancy, emergency response, and how proper operation helps keep products safe while supporting reliable plant performance. Gary, Clayton, and Robert discuss how industrial ammonia refrigeration plants operate and what it takes to keep them running safely. They explain direct and indirect refrigeration systems, common operating pressures, operator training, control room responsibilities, system redundancy, emergency response, and how proper plant operation helps protect refrigerated products and maintain reliable performance. Expect to Learn: How direct and indirect ammonia re

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero sit down with Valeria Velázquez, Director of Customer Strategy at WorkHero and Co-Founder of Climate Champions to explore the balance between financial discipline and entrepreneurial vision. They discuss why accountants should provide clarity not dictate strategy, how contractors can use financial data to make better decisions, common operational mistakes they see across the industry, pricing in competitive markets, and how AI is reshaping the future of HVAC operations. Having worked with more than 45 HVAC contractors, she specializes in helping businesses improve their financial visibility, operational efficiency, pricing strategies, and office workflows. Her unique perspective combines real-world contracting experience with modern automation and AI-driven operations.   Expect To Learn: Why financial reporting should support business vision, not replace it. The difference between acco

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Podcast, host Gary McCreadie is joined by Clayton Cassady, President, & Robert Laframboise, Vice President, Class A Operator at RC Mechanical Canada to discuss industrial ammonia refrigeration systems and how they operate. Clayton explains why ammonia is widely used in large facilities, the safety procedures required when working with it, and how ammonia leak detection systems help protect operators. Robert shares how RC Mechanical trains and supplies refrigeration operators for ammonia plants, covering Class A and Class B certifications, online and in person training, and industry staffing challenges. The conversation also explores plant operation, screw and reciprocating compressors, and the role of refrigeration operators in keeping industrial facilities running safely and efficiently. In this conversation, Clayton explains what industrial ammonia refrigeration systems are and why ammonia is used in large facilities such as cold storage warehouses, food productio

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Podcast, host Gary McCreadie continues his conversation with David Kim, Engineering Manager at LG Electronics, about advanced VRF technology and new heating and cooling solutions. David explains how LG's Hydro Kit works for hydronic heating and domestic hot water, along with water communication kits for larger systems. The discussion also covers chiller applications, data center cooling, cold climate residential heat pumps, dual fuel systems, smart thermostat controls, and AI features that improve system performance and energy efficiency. Gary and David discuss LG's latest VRF solutions and how they can improve heating, cooling, and hot water applications. David explains how the Hydro Kit and water communication kit support hydronic systems, along with their use in boiler replacement projects. The conversation also covers chiller solutions for larger applications, residential cold climate heat pumps, dual fuel systems, smart thermostat controls, and AI features that hel

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero sit down with Valeria Velázquez, Director of Customer Strategy at WorkHero and Co-Founder of Climate Champions to discuss what it really takes to grow and scale a successful HVAC business. Drawing from her experience helping transform an HVAC company from under $1 million to $5 million in revenue, Valeria shares practical lessons on business operations, leadership, marketing, customer retention, and building high-performing office teams. She also reflects on growing up in an HVAC family, the importance of community involvement, and why mastering the fundamentals is the key to sustainable growth. Valeria Velázquez is an HVAC business operations leader with extensive experience scaling residential HVAC companies through operational excellence, leadership, and process improvement. After helping grow an HVAC business from a small operation into a multi-million-dollar business, she has become a

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Podcast, host Gary McCreadie is joined by David Kim, Engineering Manager at LG Electronics, to discuss variable refrigerant flow systems and how they work. David explains the difference between heat pump and heat recovery VRF systems, how inverter compressors and electronic expansion valves control refrigerant flow, and why each indoor unit can operate with its own set point. The conversation covers VRF system design, piping, refrigerant charge calculations, and the use of LG's LATS HVAC software. Gary and David also discuss the importance of nitrogen brazing, the temporary use of filter driers after service, and the move from R410A to R32 refrigerant. They also explore LG's Multi V i system, including its improved heating performance, service data tracking, building automation options, and higher system capacity. In this conversation, David explains what variable refrigerant flow systems are and how they provide heating and cooling to different indoor zones. He discuss

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Podcast, Host Gary McCreadie Director of Player Development and Head Coach at Shelburne Soccer Club and President of McCreadie HVAC & Refrigeration Services and HVAC Know It All Inc, shares a service call involving a Lennox rooftop unit that kept shutting down on high pressure. Gary explains how he checked the airflow, condenser, pressure switch, refrigerant pressures, contactor, filter drier, and TX valve while trying to find the restriction. He also describes how equalizing the system pressures and tapping the TX valve helped the unit start running again. The episode covers compressor pressure relief, microchannel coil limits, the use of a system lubricant, and the value of testing different solutions before replacing expensive parts.  Gary discusses a difficult service call involving a Lennox rooftop unit that kept shutting down on high pressure. He explains how he checked the airflow, condenser fan, pressure switch, refrigerant pressures, contactor, filter drier

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero sit down with Cornelio Martinez, Owner at Maize Mechanical, he shares the journey of building a successful HVAC business by focusing on relationships, strategic hiring, and long-term growth instead of chasing rapid expansion. He explains how partnerships, mentorship, and investing in apprentices helped him scale sustainably while navigating the challenges of staffing, sales, and business operations. The conversation also explores his vision for contractor co-ops, workforce development, and how small businesses can compete with large private equity-backed companies. Cornelio Martinez is an advocate for electrification, workforce development, and sustainable business growth. After starting as a subcontractor, he strategically grew his company through partnerships, mentorship, and investing in apprentices. Today, he's passionate about helping independent contractors build stronger businesses

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Podcast, Host Gary McCreadie Director of Player Development and Head Coach at Shelburne Soccer Club and President of McCreadie HVAC & Refrigeration Services and HVAC Know It All Inc, continues the Mental Health Series with a personal discussion about imposter syndrome, emotional struggles, and the loneliness that can come with leadership and youth coaching. Gary explains how self-doubt can affect even hardworking and successful people, and why kind words can have a lasting impact on someone's day or life. He also shares lessons from coaching youth soccer, including the idea that leaders do not always have to be nice, but they should always be kind. He discusses accountability, support systems, and the importance of listening to people who may be struggling. Gary also encourages listeners to notice small wins, keep moving forward, and find someone to talk to when life feels lonely or difficult. This episode continues the Mental Health Series with a personal discussio

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero sit down with Cornelio Martinez, Owner at Maize Mechanical, to discuss what it really takes to build a successful HVAC business from the ground up. Cornelio shares how he left the corporate world to protect his personal reputation, navigated launching a company during the COVID-19 pandemic, and strategically positioned his business around heat pumps and emerging technologies. The conversation explores business growth, networking, rebate programs, industry policy, and why intentional planning not advertising has fueled his company's success. After years working for large HVAC companies, Cornelio launched his own business with a focus on integrity, customer relationships, and delivering exceptional workmanship. Today, he leads a growing team specializing in heat pumps, home electrification, and high-performance HVAC systems while advocating for better collaboration between contractors, polic