HVAC Know It All Podcast

Gary McCreadie - Licensed Refrigeration/HVAC Technician

The HVAC Know It All Podcast, hosted by HVAC and Refrigeration tech Gary McCreadie, is an industry leading show that focuses on education within the HVAC and Refrigeration Trade - Such as HVAC Maintenance Tips.

  1. 15 hr ago

    Which Testo Analyzer Fits Your Work, the 320 or 330? - Part 2

    In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie talks with Jamie Chadwick, HVAC Product Manager at Testo Instruments - North America, about combustion analysis and technician safety. They discuss the 320 and 330 analyzers, sensor maintenance, digital reporting, and personal carbon monoxide monitoring. Technicians will learn how clean-air zeroing, annual service, and gas path checks support reliable testing. Jamie teaches combustion analysis across furnaces and boilers using natural gas, propane, and oil. His classroom experience highlights practical mistakes, including zeroing near vehicle exhaust and leaving condensate-trap plugs loose. He connects those examples to equipment checks and the need to consult local codes and manufacturer specifications.   Key Takeaways How combustion readings provide a reference point for evaluating operation alongside local codes and manufacturer specifications. Why field-replaceable sensors do not eliminate the need to send an analyzer in annually to verify its operation. How digital reports preserve dated and timestamped readings and let technicians share test records with customers and the office. How a wearable CO detector with an earbud option can support personal monitoring in loud mechanical rooms. Why zeroing an analyzer in clean outdoor air, away from running vehicles and cigarette smoke, helps prevent distorted readings. How a gas path check helps identify leaks that warrant checking hose connections, filter caps, and the condensate-trap plug.   Key Timestamps  00:00 - Factory Direct Filters Ad 00:42 - Guest and Episode Introduction 02:42 – Combustion training, operating ranges, and manufacturer specifications 03:37 – Testo 320 features and guided testing for newer technicians 06:04 – Testo 330 applications and dilution-pump protection 10:31 – Wearable CO monitoring with the 317-3 13:58 – Avoiding exhaust contamination when zeroing an analyzer 16:45 – Gas path checks and common leak points This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse!   Follow the Guest and His Company on: Jamie Chadwick - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-chadwick-b72a43148/ Testo Instruments - North America  - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/testo-usa/ Testo Instruments - North America - Company Website: https://www.testo.com/en   Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455

    Which Testo Analyzer Fits Your Work, the 320 or 330? - Part 2
  2. 1 day ago

    The Contractor Experience Behind Amply's HVAC Software

    In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero continue the conversation with Eric Fitz, Co-founder, Co-CEO, and Chief Technology Officer at Amply Energy, Inc., and Ed Smith, Co-founder, Co-CEO, and Chief Customer Officer at Amply Energy, Inc., about the operational demands of heat pump work. The discussion covers rebate paperwork, cash flow, subcontractor partnerships, and the opportunity to combine HVAC with whole-home performance services. Eric and Ed explain how contractors can pair technical expertise with reliable processes to compete on trust rather than speed, and how design software and human-supervised AI could support that work. Eric and Ed draw on experience with installations, whole-home electrification services, and software development at amply. Their work connects building-envelope assessment, HVAC design, electrical-load considerations, and customer recommendations. They describe a design-focused approach to software development, with tools intended to support contractors' judgment rather than replace their responsibility for the results.   Expect To Learn: -How rebate administration and delayed reimbursements can strain staffing, cash flow, and payroll. -Why electrical and weatherization partnerships need shared standards for quality, communication, and customer service. -How combining building-envelope improvements with HVAC design supports a whole-home approach to comfort and efficiency. -Where design software could connect insulation, electrical-panel assessments, energy forecasts, and phased customer recommendations. -How the trust matrix pairs strong processes with technical expertise to distinguish independent contractors from speed-focused competitors. -How to improve pricing, quoting, and operations incrementally without sacrificing craftsmanship or customer trust. -Why amply's approach to AI keeps humans responsible at the beginning and end of the workflow.   Timestamps: 00:00 - Episode Introduction 00:43 - Rebate Administration, Cash Flow, and Subcontractor Coordination 02:13 - Building HVAC and Weatherization Partnerships 04:46 - The Case for Whole-Home Performance Services 06:06 - Software Gaps for Home Performance Contractors 07:08 - Design Priorities and Software Integrations 10:26 - Connecting Whole-Home Recommendations to Quotes 14:57 - Sustainable Pricing, Trust, and Incremental Improvements 20:21 - Human-Supervised AI and the Contractor Copilot   Follow our Guests on LinkedIn:  Eric Fitz - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehfitz/  Ed Smith - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-smith-5aa8716/    Follow Our Guest's Company Amply Energy, Inc.: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/amply-energy/home/  Website: https://www.amply.energy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amply_energy/    Follow Gary McCreadie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/    Follow Furman Haynes:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/furmanhaynes/  WorkHero: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workherohvac/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workhero__/

    The Contractor Experience Behind Amply's HVAC Software
  3. 3 days ago

    Skipping the First Combustion Test Costs You a Baseline - Part 1

    In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie talks with Jamie Chadwick, HVAC Product Manager at Testo Instruments - North America, about putting safety first during heating service and maintenance. They explain testing before and after repairs, recognizing possible carbon monoxide exposure, preparing an analyzer, and selecting a sampling location. Technicians will learn how these practices support safer testing and help document their work. Jamie draws on his contracting experience and current training work to connect analyzer procedures with field conditions. His approach emphasizes checking equipment before making changes, verifying operation afterward, and recognizing when emergency services need to make a site safe. He also explains why general training cannot replace checking local codes and manufacturer requirements.   Key Takeaways How testing before and after service helps document equipment condition and demonstrate the effect of maintenance. Why reported headaches, lightheadedness, or nausea warrant attention to possible carbon monoxide exposure and personal CO monitoring. Why suspected hazardous CO conditions call for evacuation and emergency assistance rather than attempts to continue troubleshooting. How zeroing an analyzer in clean outdoor air and allowing equipment operation to stabilize helps prepare for combustion testing. Why sampling location matters for flue temperature and efficiency readings, and why an outdoor termination reading may not match a reading near the appliance.   Key Timestamps 00:00 - Factory Direct Filters Ad 00:42 - Guest and Episode Introduction 03:52 - Importance of the safety of the machine  07:14 - What do the training for Combustion Analysis include? 12:22 - A walk-through of the Combustion Analysis call 15:59 - Correct position to put the Combustion Analyzer Probe 19:17 - Jamie's take on shoving the probe in the termination outside This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse!   Follow the Guest and His Company on: Jamie Chadwick - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-chadwick-b72a43148/ Testo Instruments - North America  - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/testo-usa/ Testo Instruments - North America - Company Website: https://www.testo.com/en   Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455

    Skipping the First Combustion Test Costs You a Baseline - Part 1
  4. 22 Oct

    Why Your Furnace Vent Pipe Can Leak Years Later Even When the Joint Looks Finished - Part 2

    In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie talks with Gaetano Altomare, Category Manager - Plumbing at IPEX by Aliaxis, about installing nonmetallic flue gas venting correctly. They cover pipe preparation, solvent welding, inspection, primer requirements, and combustion testing. Listeners will learn how to avoid weak connections and preserve vent integrity during installation and service. Gaetano brings firsthand knowledge of certified venting products, manufacturer installation guidelines, and the development of dedicated combustion-testing fittings. His manufacturer's perspective connects the mechanics of pipe-and-fitting fusion with practical field decisions, including cutting older pipe, verifying compatible components, and sealing test-access plugs.   Key Takeaways How square cuts, beveled ends, clean pipe surfaces, and a dry-fit interference check help produce a properly fused vent connection. Why certified vent systems require components from one manufacturer and how optical brighteners help inspectors verify primer and solvent cement use. How local requirements, installation temperatures of 32°F and colder, and pipe sizes of six inches and larger determine primer use for the products discussed. How a dedicated combustion-testing fitting installed within two feet of the appliance provides probe access without drilling the vent pipe. Why the test-access plug discussed requires two full turns of Teflon tape rather than relying on plastic threads alone to seal.   Key Timestamps  00:00 – Factory Direct Filters Ad 00:42 – Episode Introduction 03:14 – Cost difference between PVC and CPVC 08:18 – Glue or chemical bonding 11:21 – Primer requirements for temperature and local jurisdiction 12:33 – Combustion testing without drilling vent pipe 14:36 – Final installation lesson: sealing the test-access plug This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse!   Follow the Guest and His Company on: Gaetano Altomare - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaetano-altomare-85a78833 IPEX by Aliaxis  - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ipexbyaliaxis/ IPEX by Aliaxis - Company Website: https://ipexna.com/   Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455

    Why Your Furnace Vent Pipe Can Leak Years Later Even When the Joint Looks Finished - Part 2
  5. 21 Oct

    The Contractor Experience Behind Amply's HVAC Software

    In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero welcome Eric Fitz, Co-founder, Co-CEO, and Chief Technology Officer at Amply Energy, Inc., and Ed Smith, Co-founder, Co-CEO, and Chief Customer Officer at Amply Energy, Inc., to discuss how contractors can adapt their sales and design processes for heat pumps. They explore why accurate load calculations matter, how visual design tools help homeowners understand recommendations, and how to make a longer assessment a clear point of difference. The discussion also covers charging for design work, setting expectations during intake, and matching sales responsibilities to the team's expertise. Eric and Ed began with whole-home electrification projects across New England, combining weatherization, HVAC, heat pump water heaters, EV charging, solar, and batteries. Eric brought modeling and HVAC design experience, while Ed's learning process helped them identify where software needed to make that expertise easier to apply. Their work alongside installation partners exposed challenges in design and business operations, leading them to shift toward software that supports HVAC contractors.   Expect To Learn: -Why Amply shifted from whole-home electrification projects to supporting HVAC contractors with design software. -How Manual J defines a home's loads before equipment selection, regardless of the system being installed. -Why heat pump selection requires balancing heating, cooling, moisture removal, and airflow requirements. -How visual design information helps homeowners understand recommendations and share them with another decision-maker. -How intake staff can explain a longer assessment and prepare homeowners for a more detailed visit. -How to choose between paid diagnostics, charging for design documents, and including design in a free estimate. -How accessible design tools can help less-experienced employees take on work that otherwise falls to the owner.   Timestamps: 00:00 - Episode introduction 00:57 - Guests introduction and Whole-Home Electrification Origins 04:37 - Why Amply Energy, Inc. Shifted to Supporting Contractors 05:34 - Making Design Faster, Accurate, and Visual 08:35 - Testing Software Through an Installation Business 10:04 - Preparing a Traditional HVAC Shop for Heat Pumps 11:11 - Manual J and Heat Pump Equipment Selection 13:49 - Assessment Time and Homeowner Engagement 15:36 - Setting Expectations During the Intake Call 17:16 - Options for Charging for Diagnostics and Design 18:38 - Helping Less-Experienced Staff Handle Design   Follow our Guests on LinkedIn:  Eric Fitz - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehfitz/  Ed Smith - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-smith-5aa8716/    Follow Our Guest's Company Amply Energy, Inc.: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/amply-energy/home/  Website: https://www.amply.energy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amply_energy/    Follow Gary McCreadie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/    Follow Furman Haynes:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/furmanhaynes/  WorkHero: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workherohvac/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workhero__/

    The Contractor Experience Behind Amply's HVAC Software
  6. 19 Oct

    Why Ordinary Drain Pipe Isn't Built to Handle Your Furnace's Heat Over Time - Part 1

    In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie talks with Gaetano Altomare, Category Manager - Plumbing at IPEX by Aliaxis, who describes his team's work developing certified flue gas venting products. They examine System 1738, its differences from System 636, and the risks of using generic drain, waste, and vent pipe on gas-fired appliances. Installers will learn how certification, product markings, and appliance instructions inform material selection. Gaetano explains how advances in engineered plastics helped his team develop compounds capable of meeting UL 1738 requirements. Drawing on that development experience, he connects mechanical and material testing to long-term exposure to heat and condensate, then explains the temperature limits and applications of PVC and CPVC venting.   Key Takeaways Why generic drain, waste, and vent materials are not designed for flue gas exposure, including the conditions that can cause ABS to become brittle and crack. How System 636 and System 1738 serve Canadian and US certification requirements, respectively, rather than different appliance operating conditions. How UL 1738 combines mechanical performance and material testing to evaluate suitability for flue gas venting over time. How product labels and print lines identify venting material, certification, manufacturer, and maximum temperature rating. Why the appliance manufacturer's installation manual must guide material selection, including when higher-temperature applications call for CPVC.   Key Timestamps 00:00 – Factory Direct Filters Ad 00:42 – Guest and Episode Introduction 01:13 – Why generic ABS and PVC are not intended for flue gas venting 07:54 – System 636 versus System 1738 and their intended markets 14:54 - PVC and CPVC Pipes 21:05 – CPVC's 194°F maximum rating and boiler applications   This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse!   Follow the Guest and His Company on: Gaetano Altomare - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaetano-altomare-85a78833 IPEX by Aliaxis  - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ipexbyaliaxis/ IPEX by Aliaxis - Company Website: https://ipexna.com/   Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455

    Why Ordinary Drain Pipe Isn't Built to Handle Your Furnace's Heat Over Time - Part 1
  7. 14 Oct

    Stop Using AI Like a Chatbot with Vern Crawford

    In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero continue their conversation with Vern Crawford, founder of Flow Logic Automation, about deploying AI in HVAC businesses. Vern demonstrates how automation can move home warranty work orders from email into Housecall Pro, explains the progression from chat to connected business context to code, and outlines options for connecting AI tools to field service data. The discussion also covers debugging workflows, MCP connections, data integrity, and preparing business systems for reliable automation. Vern Crawford works with businesses to build AI-enabled automations and system connections. In this conversation, he shares an example of a Make scenario that processes plumbing work orders and describes building and using MCP connections for Housecall Pro.   Expect To Learn: How a Make scenario can route incoming work orders into Housecall Pro. Why workflow branches handle different customer, address, and job outcomes. How Slack messages can help debug automation decision points. When to use no-code automation tools instead of custom coding. How AI use can progress from chat to connected business context and code. Three approaches to connecting AI tools with Housecall Pro through MCP. Why data integrity and cleanup must come before large automation projects.   Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction to AI deployment in HVAC businesses 01:28 – Building a Make scenario for warranty work orders 04:23 – Using Slack messages for debugging 04:52 – Make, Zapier, and custom agent building 05:37 – Learning automation through simple workflows 06:40 – Getting implementation help as a contractor 07:48 – First impressions of Claude voice conversations 08:14 – The progression from chat to context to code 11:09 – Connecting AI to Housecall Pro data 12:40 – Using AI for direct business feedback 15:19 – Three ways to build a Housecall Pro MCP connection 19:45 – Data integrity before automation   Follow our Guest Vern Crawford: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vern_crawford/  Company Website: https://www.flowlogicautomation.com/    Follow Gary McCreadie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/    Follow Furman Haynes:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/furmanhaynes/  WorkHero: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workherohvac/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workhero__/

    Stop Using AI Like a Chatbot with Vern Crawford
  8. 12 Oct

    How One-Inch MERV 11 Filters Can Work With the Right HVAC Airflow Design - Part 2

    In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie talks with Chris Howells, Senior Training & Development Manager at AprilAire, about designing smaller filters and cabinets while maintaining filtration performance and airflow. In Part 2 of their conversation, they discuss three-inch media, one-inch MERV 11 filters, and installation practices that affect pressure drop. HVAC technicians will learn why filter depth alone does not determine performance and how transitions help systems use the filter's full face opening. Howells describes more than four years of development work informed by contractor, distributor, and consumer feedback. He explains how AprilAire's engineering and product management teams addressed shrinking mechanical spaces through changes to media construction and cabinet design. He also shares field-testing experience that connects those design choices to airflow concerns and maintenance schedules.   Key Takeaways How smaller mechanical rooms and contractor feedback are driving thinner filter cabinets and changes to their dimensions. How supporting mesh, electrostatic media, and adjustments to metal backing help three-inch filters retain surface area while limiting pressure drop. The role of increased surface area and frame design in AprilAire's one-inch MERV 11 filter offering. Why filter service intervals and field validation matter when matching filtration options to maintenance agreements. How transitions that expose the full filter face help avoid pressure increases caused by undersized return openings.   Key Timestamps 00:00 – Factory Direct Filters Ad 00:42 – Episode overview and Guest introduction 02:22 – Cabinet evolution and demand for smaller dimensions 10:49 – One-inch MERV 11 filter design and surface area 15:03 – Full-face transitions, pressure drop, and replacement practices 17:24 – Closing remarks   This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse!   Follow the Guest and His Company on: Chris Howells - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-howells-5aa32b64/ AprilAire - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aprilaire/ AprilAire - Company Website: https://www.aprilaire.com/   Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455

    How One-Inch MERV 11 Filters Can Work With the Right HVAC Airflow Design - Part 2

About

The HVAC Know It All Podcast, hosted by HVAC and Refrigeration tech Gary McCreadie, is an industry leading show that focuses on education within the HVAC and Refrigeration Trade - Such as HVAC Maintenance Tips.

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