Contents Editor Sarah Black Publisher Jodi Araujo, CEM
POSTMASTER: 1120 Route 73, Suite 200, Mount Laurel, NJ, 08054; Phone: 855-GO-NADCA; Fax: 856-439-0525; E-mail: info@nadca.com; Website: www.nadca.com DucTales Magazine is published six times annually. NADCA annual dues include a paid s ubscription to DucTales. Yearly subscriptions to DucTales are available for $50. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) prints DucTales Magazine to provide its members and the HVAC system cleaning industry with a forum for the discussion of topics of interest. To that end, NADCA tries to include within DucTales a wide range of ideas and opinions. The ideas and opinions expressed by the authors who write articles for DucTales, however, are solely the views of the person expressing them, and do not necessarily represent the views, positions or policies of NADCA, its members, or its officers, directors or staff. NADCA is not responsible for claims made in advertisements. NADCA does not endorse any particular manufacturer or supplier of equipment, chemicals or related products, nor any particular model of equipment.
ECO BOX DucTales magazine text and cover pages are printed on SFI-Certified Anthem Plus Gloss paper using soy ink.
The SFI certified sourcing label is proof DucTales magazine is using fiber from responsible and legal sources. The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® program integrates the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife, plants, soils and water. The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® program promotes responsible forest management.
17 13
15
In Every Issue
NADCA News
3
President’s Message
17
5
Executive Director’s Message
The 2015 NADCA Annual Meeting Recap
31
Committee Spotlight
26
Who’s That Girl With the Camera?
33
Committee Assignments
27
34
New NADCA Members, ASCSs and CVIs
The NEW NADCA General Specification Document
28
Tell Your Tale
30
NADCA News
36
Industry Calendar
Industry News
Your Business
6
New Indoor Air Quality Testing Services For Property Buyers in Puerto Rico
10
Achieve Your Business Goals with a Mid-year Tune-up
7
Aclima Announces Partnerships With Google, EPA and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
13
Making Sense of Business Insurance
15
Three Essential Blog Writing Tips for Just Before You Click Publish
2
President’s Message
Summer Months By Michael Vinick, NADCA President
H
ow many of us have been looking forward to the summer? I know I have. Summer is the busiest time of year for my duct cleaning business. Contrarily, it is the easiest time of the year for me to get away.
work during the winter or your slower times of the year? In cooler regions, are you prepared for an onslaught of emergency work as a result of furnace failures during the fall? Are you thinking ahead?
Every year, my company prepares for a large volume of business in the summer because that is a natural time of year to perform work. How many facilities are shut down for at least part of the summer? All of the preparation for the summer months had been done many months ago. How many hundreds of job specifications did my team look over and how many miles of blue prints did we measure to prepare for the summer? How many relationships did we hold onto and how many did we cultivate?
NADCA is here for you during the summer. Think of NADCA as an investment in your stock portfolio. Think about how you can invest in your company in ways that will create profitable returns. Now that you have made the investment to renew your membership, make sure you’re getting the most out of it. Take an inventory of your business model and see how you can leverage the tools that NADCA offers to help your business grow. Are you using the VMT training? Have any of your staff attended webinars? Should you have another ASCS on staff? Plan to have one or more of your field technicians attend the Fall Technical Conference. Budget now to attend the next annual meeting in Phoenix at the Wigwam. It is well worth your investment. You will see great returns. The best investment in your portfolio is most likely the one you make in your business career. Unless, of course, you purchased and held stock in Apple on Sept. 6, 1985 at $2.14.
Every season of business has a special feel to it. What have you done in your business model to prepare for each season? How many of your customers have shut down periods during the summer? Have you spoken to your key customers and set them up for
This summer I plan to do a bit of traveling and enjoy “the fruits of my labor.” I also plan to continue working hard and ensure that my crews are busy working. In closing, my father always says “work hard and money will take care of itself.”
It is also a great time of year for our NADCA staff. The heavy lifting of managing the association has slowed down. The annual meeting has come and gone. Renewals are now complete. It is now time to get creative; to begin thinking and executing for 2016. During the summer most people think that the next year is so far away, but, in reality, it is right around the corner. Are you prepared?
3
Training and Education
Made Easy! Custom training is now available to NADCA members! Instead of flying your entire staff somewhere to receive training, NADCA will bring the training to YOU!
Interested? Call NADCA Headquarters at (855) GO-NADCA to learn more.
Executive Director’s Message NADCA Officers By Jodi Araujo, CEM; Executive Director
The most successful businessman is the man who holds onto the old just as long as it is good, and grabs the new just as soon as it is better. — Lee Iacocca
S
ummer is upon us and with that comes the conclusion of renewal season, annual meeting wrap up and the launch of the 2015 Fall Technical Conference registration promotion. It’s been a busy first half of the year with the committees and board at full speed working toward completion of our strategic initiatives. We have two very exciting projects underway and both come with the support of some of the best and brightest technical experts in the industry. NADCA’s Standards Committee is at work updating the General Specification document. The update will see this key NADCA piece come more in line with ACR, The NADCA Standard, with an improved flow and technical updates noted where necessary. Read more about this update on page 23 of this issue. Dan Stradford is at work with his own technical team for the next NADCA White Paper on Energy Savings Through HVAC Cleaning. While the paper is only in draft stage at this time, some specifics to look forward to are: identification of parts of the HVAC system that improve efficiency when cleaned; methods to measure energy savings after cleaning; and 5
issues that need to be noted during the cleaning process that may affect energy efficiency. So as we say, all that is old will be new again. Look for this paper’s release at our 2016 Annual Conference at The Wigwam Resort in Phoenix, Arizona. Did you know Fall Tech registration opened June 1? Yes, we’re open and taking registrations! With our return to the Midwest we expect to see many new faces and, of course, our usual participants who come out to support the association and share their expertise with those lessseasoned technicians looking to learn from the best. Staff will continue working through 2015 to review and update NADCA’s policy and develop policy where none may exist. The board just approved an investment policy and an anti-trust compliance policy at their June meeting. These are both key documents needed to protect the association and ensure fiduciary responsibility among volunteers and staff. Enjoy the sun, sand and relaxation. I hope to see you all in St. Louis in September!
President Michael Vinick, ASCS (’17) Duct & Vent Cleaning of America Inc. 311 Page Boulevard Springfield, MA 01104 (413) 734-8368 FAX: (413) 733-1997 mvinick@ductandvent.com
Secretary Mike White, ASCS (’17) Clean Air Systems of LA, Inc. P.O. Box 6210 225 Mount Zion Road Shreveport, LA 71136 (318) 869-0344 FAX: (318) 869-0346 mike.white@ cleanairsystemsiaq.com
1st Vice President Richard Lantz, ASCS (’18) Interior Maintenance Company 45 Scottdale Road Landsdowne, PA 19050 (757) 754-1453 richard@imc.cc
Treasurer Dan Stradford, ASCS (‘18) Action Duct Cleaning 787 W. Woodbury Suite 2 Altadena, CA 91001 dstradford@aol.com
2nd Vice President Rick MacDonald, ASCS (’18) Armstrong Heating & Power Vac Inc. 720 East Industrial Park Drive, #9 Manchester, NH 03109 (603) 627-7016 FAX: (603) 627-7070 rmac@ahpv.com
NADCA Directors April Yungen, ASCS (‘18) Air Management Industries 8351 Elm Avenue, Suite 102 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730-7639 United States (909) 945-0041 airmgmt@tstonramp.com Jimmy Meyer, ASCS (‘16) Meyer Machine & Equipment 351 Main Street Antioch, IL (847) 395-2970 jimbob@meyermachine.com
Kevin Uilkie, ASCS (‘17) K.M. Facility Services, LLC 5631 N. 52nd Avenue Glendale, AZ 85301 (623) 930-5490 kevin@kmfacserv.com Mark Zarzeczny, ASCS (‘17) Schoen Duct Cleaning 704 Cooper Street Edgewater Park, NJ 08010 (609) 835-9500
mark@ schoenairductcleaninginc.com
Carlos Gonzales-Boothby, ASCS (‘16) Indoor Environmental Consultants PO Box 191648 San Juan, Puerto Rico 009191648 (787) 568-8880 carlos@iec-pr.com NADCA Headquarters 1120 Route 73, Suite 200 Mount Laurel, NJ 08054 Toll Free: 855-GO-NADCA Phone: (856) 380-6810 Fax: (856) 439-0525 www.nadca.com
NADCA Staff Jodi Araujo, CEM Executive Director Kristy Cohen Assistant Executive Director Carla Cheifetz Meeting Manager Ryan Barth Administrative Assistant
Victoria Ramsay Membership & Certification Coordinator Robin Geary Senior Meeting Manager Karen Spiro Industry Relations Manager
Industry News
New Indoor Air Quality Testing Services For Property Buyers in Puerto Rico
P
uerto Rico is home to approximately 3.6 million people and it offers its residents, investors and those interested in purchasing a vacation home a wide range of real estate options. Whether purchasing residential or commercial real estate, looking for a property, negotiating a sales price, getting a mortgage and the inspection process can be overwhelming for many. During this sometimes hectic time period, it is also important for buyers and investors to evaluate the indoor air quality (IAQ) of the property they are considering for the future health and well-being of their family or building occupants. Indoor air quality issues can be a problem in everything from old, remodeled, and even brand new properties. “Indoor air quality is an important consideration that should be evaluated before the purchase has taken place, not after the sale is completed,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “It is not uncommon to find issues associated with ventilation, filtration and elevated levels of chemical, microbial and even radioactive pollutants. These IAQ issues can be associated with HVAC design and
D U C TA L E S
operation or due to the presence of pollutants such as mold, bacteria, radon, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, vapor intrusion, asbestos, lead-based paints, and numerous other issues.” For those looking to purchase property in Puerto Rico or across the Caribbean, Zimmetry Environmental offers comprehensive IAQ testing and inspection services. They also provide Phase I Environmental Site Assessments for commercial properties which include noninvasive studies to help determine
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
the environmental conditions of a property during transfer of ownership or refinancing.
Focus on Homebuyer Education Zimmetry recently sponsored a video specifically for firsttime homebuyers that discusses indoor air quality issues that they should consider. The video that can be seen at: http://youtu.be/NjaNi44KZTs. 6
Industry News
Aclima Announces Partnerships With Google, EPA and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
A
clima Inc., a San Franciscobased company that designs and deploys environmental sensor networks, recently unveiled its work and announced partnerships with Google Inc., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Additionally, the company named an advisory board of luminaries to guide Aclima’s mission-driven work. “We’re on a big, ambitious mission at Aclima to usher in an age of environmental awareness that creates a more resilient, healthy and thriving world,” said Davida Herzl, co-founder and CEO of Aclima. “There is a growing need — for businesses, governments and citizens alike — to ‘Live Aware’ by first understanding, and then improving our built and natural environments. Aclima has spent years in stealth creating a complete system to map environmental quality in an entirely new way, enabling us to see how our buildings, communities and cities live and breathe.” To achieve its mission, Aclima’s team of designers, engineers and scientists built a full-stack hardware 7
Aclima began its startup journey with a belief that businesses can become market leaders by driving beneficial social change. and software platform for measuring and understanding environmental quality in real-time. Aclima’s modular and scalable networks of internetconnected sensors generate billions of data points across a range of environmental factors. Each sensor network is customized to meet the needs of enterprise and government partners — whether a partner is interested in mapping greenhouse gases across an entire city, or air pollutants that affect human health inside commercial buildings.
The company’s cloud-based backend and modular front-end tools process, analyze, and visualize limitless amounts of environmental data, enabling Aclima scientists and partners to discover real-time and long-term insights. With its managed infrastructure tools, Aclima ensures network reliability and optimal data quality. Aclima works hand-in-hand with partners to explore their spaces and apply insights toward optimal decision making. Aclima refers to this unique service model, combining technology and data-driven insights, as Sensory ScienceTM. One of Aclima’s most significant enterprise partners to date is Google. For several years, Google and Aclima have worked together to deploy a global indoor environmental sensor network — the first of its kind — connected across 21 Google offices around the world. Five hundred networked Aclima devices currently process 500,000,000 data points each day on indoor environmental quality, including comfort measures of temperature, humidity, noise and light, and emissions like carbon dioxide and particulate matter. The information allows Google to
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
evaluate environmental factors in their offices and, in the future, make better decisions on workplace design to support employee wellbeing, productivity and creativity. “Working with Aclima has helped us to bring together the best thinking, science, and technology to support Googlers in a new and innovative way,” said Anthony Ravitz from Google Real Estate and Workplace Services. “We strive to create the healthiest and best possible work environments for Googlers. Our vision is to create buildings that seamlessly support the people who inhabit them. Using Aclima’s science-driven sensor networks to map our indoor environmental quality is a big part of making that happen.” To push the limits of current sensing technology, Aclima has established scientific and research relationships of the highest caliber. In 2013, Aclima and the EPA signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). The collaboration brings together EPA scientists with Aclima’s Research and Development team to improve data quality from small-scale sensors. The partnership is advancing Aclima’s measurement methods for its stationary and vehicular sensing platforms. “With increasing public awareness and concern about air quality in communities, there’s an urgent call for publicly accessible local environmental data and air quality information, both indoors and D U C TA L E S
of environmental sensing research, and our partnership with Aclima will bring this innovation out of the lab and into the market.”
outdoors,” said Dan Costa, National Program Director for Air, Climate, and Energy Program at EPA. “We’re excited to partner with Aclima to develop new sensor technologies and to conduct research that will provide more accessible, less expensive and more reliable data on air pollutants needed by decision makers in the public and private sectors to better understand the air we breathe.” Aclima also leads a cross-sector collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, UC Berkeley, University of Illinois at Chicago and the EPA to engineer and commercialize a miniaturized particulate matter sensor — the smallest sensor of its kind — for the air pollutant most responsible for respiratory health problems, like asthma. “Bringing a small-scale sensor of this type to market will help us to effectively measure particle pollution, which has been linked to a wide range of serious health problems,” said Dr. Lara Gundel, Staff Scientist at Berkeley Lab. “At Berkeley Lab we have been at the forefront
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
Aclima began its startup journey with a belief that businesses can become market leaders by driving beneficial social change. Rather than focusing on a ‘minimum viable product’, Aclima’s founders sought a growth and partnership approach aimed at achieving ‘maximum societal impact.’ This approach supports the company’s ultimate vision of a realtime, dynamic, global layer of dense environmental data that gives society the tools to optimize human and planetary health. “Understanding the link between planetary health and human health has never been more pressing,” said Herzl. “Aclima is working to make this invisible connection visible, on a grand scale and across industries. Having bootstrapped the company with revenue, grounded in strong business fundamentals, we’re excited to start sharing our work with the world. It is an honor to have Google, EPA, LBNL and our incredible advisory board working with us. The potential represented by this group is truly inspiring.”
For more information, visit www.aclima.io.
8
Your Business
ur o Y e v Achie ness Busi ith w s l Goa year d i M a -up e n u T
By Laura Petrolino
S
ummer is here. Whoa! What happened to this year? And, even more important, where are you against the business goals you set at the beginning of the year? Perhaps they were covered in snow? Or got spring fever? Maybe you packed them away with your sweaters and flannel sheets? Wherever they went, now is the time to dust them off and take an inventory of where you are, where you need to go and what changes from the past six months they should be updated to reflect. Now is the time to take advantage of a slightly less hectic schedule, regroup, refocus and re-strategize. How? Follow these four steps to get yourself organized and back on track with your business goals.
D U C TA L E S
Be a Clean, Mean, Business Goals Destroying Machine Clean out your office, your email box, your desk and filing system. A clean and organized environment will help you focus in on what you need to get done and be more efficient. To achieve your business goals you need to operate from a command central that facilitates success.
Drive Some Cars Off Your Parking Lot Have you been wanting to take a professional development course? Start writing more? Begin a new client reporting system? Whatever that “thing” is you’ve said to yourself for the last six months, “man, we should really do this … but I just don’t have time …” Just do it!
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
We have what we call the parking lot. This is the place we “park” ideas that are aligned with our business goals, but we just don’t have the bandwidth, time or resources to implement yet. You can guarantee over the next couple of months we will bring some of those ideas full throttle into action.
Engage in Professional People Watching Another great thing about summer is people are out and about more than usual. People watching is a very important habit for a service professional, since after all, our focus is people. Connecting with them. Engaging with them. Understanding their motivations and habits. Don’t worry about a result or outcome from your people watching, in fact it is better if you watch with no intent or “end goal” in mind. Just 10
Your Business
go out and do it. You’ll be amazed at what unexpected insight you’ll come back with.
Prioritize Your Business Goals While I was writing this article, an email from one of my favorite blogs came in. The day’s topic? Focus. When Bill Gates first met Warren Buffett, their host at dinner, Gates’ mother asked everyone around the table to identify what they believed was the single most important factor in their success through life. Gates and Buffett gave the same one-word answer: Focus. Focus is crucial for success. Unfortunately it is often the first thing to go when we want to grow a business—just at the time we need it the most. Take a look at the business goals you’ve laid out, the strategies, and resulting tactics you’ve put in place to achieve them — and prioritize. Maybe this priority is different now than what it was at the beginning of the year. That’s OK, but your strategy needs to be updated to match those changes. Once you make your priority list of business goals, have a hard and honest discussion with yourself and/or team about what is possible. Don’t miss all of your business goals because you tried to spread yourself too thin and diluted your ability to achieve the ones that mattered most. If you need to eliminate a few (for the time being), don’t view it as a failure. View it as a strategic choice to allow you to focus on the business goals that are of top priority at this stage in your business’ life cycle. And then go forth and prosper. 11
Focus is crucial for success. Unfortunately it is often the firs t thing to go when we want to grow a business–jus t at the time we nee d it the mos t.
What other midyear tune-up tasks would you add to this list? This article first appeared on Spin Sucks (www.spinsucks.com), an award winning marketing, PR and communications blog, and an arm of the Chicago-based integrated digital marketing firm, Arment Dietrich, Inc.
Laura Petrolino is the director of operations at Arment Dietrich. She is also a ninja. When not working with clients, collaborating with the Arment Dietrich team or practicing her roundkicks, you can find her walking her dog, working out or exploring the great outdoors.
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
Your Business
Making Sense of Business Insurance O
ne best practice that all small businesses should consider is liability insurance. It’s no surprise that most of the information out there about liability insurance comes directly from insurance providers, so it is important to do extensive research to ensure that you are relying on objective information to make business decisions. Here are a few points to consider as you work to ensure that your business has complete protection.
The Basics Liability insurance protects you from a variety of legal claims including bodily and personal injury as well as property damage that can occur during day-to-day business operations. If you do not have employees, you may not be required by law to have insurance, but you should still be prepared. A single incident can unravel all of the hard work that you have done to build your business. What you may not know is that there are different types of business liability insurance for every imaginable risk that your business might encounter. They include: •
General liability Insurance
•
Product liability Insurance
13
•
Professional liability Insurance
•
Commercial property Insurance
•
Home-based business Insurance
Employment Insurance Small business employers are required by law to have certain types of coverage. Each state has its own specific requirements, so it is important to research the laws in your state. The three key insurance requirements typically include:
Identifying Additional Risk Your business may require additional insurance options to cover things like commercial vehicles, property, and medical payments. Speak to an experienced licensed insurance agent to go over the fine details of your business insurance needs on an annual basis. The type of business that you own will largely dictate which type of insurance (and how much) you will need. For example, a florist might not need as much coverage as a Jet Ski-rental company. The perceived risk for the florist is much lower, so they may not need as much coverage. Does your business utilize expensive machinery, cars, and/or employees? What is involved in your day-to-day operations? No one knows your business as well as you do, so take the time to consider any and all perceived risks and be sure to flag them in the discussion with your insurance agent.
•
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
•
Unemployment Insurance Tax
•
Disability Insurance (in some states)
Choosing the Right Insurance for Your Business Use these steps to assess what types of insurance are best for your business, and how to secure coverage to provide adequate protection and minimize risks.
1.
D U C TA L E S
Assess Your Risks Insurance companies determine the level of risk they’ll accept when issuing policies. This process is called underwriting. The insurance company reviews your application and determines whether it will provide all or a portion of the coverage J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
being requested. Each underwritten policy carries a premium and a deductible. A premium is the price you pay for insurance. Premiums vary widely among insurance companies, and depend on a number of risk factors, including your business location, building type, local fire protection services, and the amount of insurance you purchase. A deductible is the amount of money you agree to pay when making a claim. Generally, the higher deductible you agree to pay, the lower your premium will be. However, when you agree to take on a high deductible you are taking on some financial risk. So, it’s important to assess your own risks before you go shopping.
2.
3.
Shop Around The National Federation of Independent Businesses provides information for choosing insurance to help you assess your risks and to make sure you’ve insured every aspect of your business. The extent and costs of coverage vary from company to company. Some brokers specialize in insuring specific types of business, while others can connect you with policies specific to your business activities. For example, if you operate a tow truck service, you’ll want to find an agent that can help find policies that specifically cover automotive service businesses. Often specialist brokers can get you the best coverage and the best rates.
D U C TA L E S
4.
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
Consider a Business Owner’s Policy Insurance can be purchased separately or in a package called a business owners’ policy (BOP). Purchasing separate policies from different insurers can result in higher total premiums. A BOP combines typical coverage options into a standard package, and is offered at a premium that is less than if each type of coverage was purchased separately. Typically, BOPs consist of covering property, general liability, vehicles, business interruption and other types of coverage common to most types of businesses. BOPs simplify the insurance buying process and can save you money. However, make sure you understand the extent of coverage in any BOP you are considering. Not every type of insurance is included in a BOP. If your business has unique risks, you may require additional coverage.
Find a Reputable, Licensed Agent Commercial insurance brokers can help you find policies that match your business needs. Brokers receive commissions from insurance companies when they sell policies, so it’s important you find a broker that is reputable and is interested in your needs as much as his own. Make sure your broker understands all the risks associated with your business.
5.
Finding a good insurance agent is as important as finding a good lawyer or accountant. You should always look for one that has a license. State governments regulate the insurance industry and license insurance brokers. Many states provide a directory of licensed agents.
Assess Your Insurance Coverage on an Annual Basis As your business grows, so do your liabilities. You don’t want to be caught underinsured should disaster strike. If you have purchased or replaced equipment or expanded operations, you should contact your insurance broker to discuss changes in your business and how they affect your coverage.
Take Advantage of Your Member Benefits NADCA has partnered with CBIZ to offer members a program that, with enough participation from other NADCA members, gives them the advantage of buying power for preferred insurance pricing. Learn more about the CBIZ/NADCA partnership at www.nadca.com; to learn more about CBIZ, visit www.cbiz.com.
14
Your Business
Three Essential Blog Writing Tips for Just Before You Click Publish By Eleanor Pierce
I
f you’re already blogging for your business, congratulations! You’re one of the smart businesses that knows that blogging is a great way to reach your customers and build a relationship with them. You’ve no doubt considered all of the important details for your blog: audience, content and strategy. Now, it’s time to perfect your blogging with some important tips to make your article the best it can be. Use these tips to give your blog post a quick spit-shine before you click publish.
Check Your Headline You’ve read enough blog writing tips by now that you should have already spent some time on your headline. You crafted your headline so it includes your keyword. You spent some time thinking about it. But before you hit publish, sit back and really think about your target reader. Is your target reader familiar enough with your subject that your article will capture his or her attention? Other considerations for your headline: •
15
Does it make sense, or is it too clever for your own
•
good? Take a step back from your own ego and sense of humor on this one.
sections in this article. Make sure at least one of them includes your keyword.
Is it snappy? Will it make readers pause and want to read more?
Think through the following: •
Tweak Your Subheads Wait, you don’t have subheads?! Start by breaking up your copy with subheads — just like the one for the D U C TA L E S
Do your subheads help your reader scan? Because most of your readers will scan — at least to begin with. If your subheads don’t help them figure out what’s happening down in the big gray zone J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
under your headline, they won’t do anyone much good. •
Do your subheads give too much away? If everything you need to know about your blog post can be picked up just by reading the subheads, what’s the point in writing several hundred words?
•
Do these subheads add any personality to your blog? This is one of those blog writing tips that can get overlooked: Show some personality. Add some flair. Put a joke in a subhead. Maybe throw a pun your reader’s way (depending on your topic, of course).
What else can you do to break up your copy? Are there quotes you can pull out? Bulleted or numbered lists you can add?
Spruce Up Your Verbs I remember listening to a David Sedaris book on CD during a period I was working on my own writing quite a bit. I had just been through an exercise in which I worked on the strength of my verbs. And here’s the thing: If you ever read or listen to something David Sedaris writes, you’ll first notice how funny he is. He’s not often cited as an amazing craftsman of the English language. But I think he is. If you can stop laughing long enough to pay attention, you’ll notice he chooses great verbs. Strive to be like David Sedaris. Before you click publish, run through your blog post and think about places where you can employ stronger verbs. Caveat on verb-related blog writing tips: You still need to sound natural and avoid business-speak. That is to say, please don’t replace “use” with “utilize.” Bonus: If your verbs are strong, you’ll naturally eliminate passive voice. This article first appeared on Spin Sucks (www.spinsucks.com), an award winning marketing, PR and communications blog, and an arm of the Chicago-based integrated digital marketing firm, Arment Dietrich, Inc. Eleanor Pierce is a recovering journalist who can’t decide which part of the country to call home. She’s happiest when she’s reading, though she also really likes writing, baking, dogs and sarcasm. No, seriously.
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
16
NADCA News
T
he 2015 NADCA Annual Meeting brought 518 HVAC professionals to the beautiful Marco Island in Florida. During the meeting, attendees learned about new advances within the HVAC industry, evidence-based standards, business management and how to leverage their NADCA membership to earn more business. Attendees also participated in hands-on training with the latest HVAC technology and spent time networking and building relationships with their peers during down time and special events throughout the conference. “Every year we’re raising the bar and creating a higherlevel event,” said NADCA Executive Director Jodi Araujo, CEM. “This year’s event was a huge success. We continue to build upon past success, offering the latest in industry education and more fun than most people would have at a conference. We’re extremely proud of the turnout this year.”
Time for Learning The 26th Annual Meeting featured numerous concurrent sessions including Interior Insulation Applications in HVAC Systems, NADCA’s Dryer Exhaust Duct Performance Standard and an Introduction to Cooling Tower Cleaning. During the meeting, 68 17
Mike White, NADCA Board Member, getting down with the harmonica at the beach party
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
International Forum Meeting
Bob Krell’s induction into the NADCA Hall of Fame
professionals took certification training courses, while 65 took ASCS and CVI certification exams. “A lot of exciting things happened at this year’s Annual Meeting. Michael Vinick was installed as the NADCA president, NADCA received a gift from JADCA (Japan Air Duct Cleaning Association) and we welcomed members from AIISA [Italian Association of Hygienists Systems Aeraulic] to the meeting,” said Araujo.
Member Recognition At each Annual Meeting, NADCA inducts one or two industry leaders to its Hall of Fame. This year, Cindy White, ASCS, of Clean Air Systems of LA, Inc. and Bob Krell of IAQ Technologies were honored as the 2015 inductees to the prestigious NADCA Hall of Fame. White was the first female and the first Native American Indian and member of the Chickasaw Tribe to serve on the NADCA Board of Directors. Krell served on the NADCA Board of Directors for 11 years and has been a nationally recognized indoor environmental consultant and trainer in the IAQ industry for the last 25 years. “Cindy and Bob are true leaders in the HVAC industry,” said Araujo. “This was a well-deserved recognition for them both.”
Events at Every Turn The event also featured numerous special events, including a golf outing and a fishing trip, that allowed professionals to network and get to know one another better. “The D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
Cindy White’s induction into the NADCA Hall of Fame 18
NADCA News
special outing events are a fun time,” said Araujo. “Those who attended the fishing outing brought back 40 pounds of catfish to the hotel and the hotel chef cooked and served it during the member party.” On the last night of the meeting, there was a beach party scheduled that was moved inside due to weather conditions. The weather didn’t stop the party. “It was still fantastic,” said Araujo. “We had special appearances from Nicki Minaj and Jack Sparrow impersonators. The event even featured a live band, sponsored by Sunbelt Rentals. Everyone really enjoyed their music and had a fantastic time at the indoor beach party.”
Looking Ahead Next year’s Annual Meeting will be in Phoenix, Arizona and will feature Jerry Colangelo, former owner of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks as the event’s keynote speaker.“We’ve built something great and we want to continue that tradition in 2016,” said Araujo. “We want these meetings to be held at beautiful venues where we can educate and entertain our members with quality speakers, special events and sessions.”
Beach Party fun
19
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
Outdoor exhibits at the grand opening of the Exhibit Hall
Rick MacDonald giving his committee updates at the General Business Meeting
JADCA Members at the Annual Meeting D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
20
NADCA News
21
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
22
NADCA News
Tom Yacobellis Speaking at the DEDP Session
23
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
24
NADCA News
Who’s That Girl With the Camera? By Ally Clark
I
f you’ve attended a NADCA event within the past two years, you’ve probably seen a girl running around with a large camera and thought to yourself, “Who let that child into the conference? Where’s her mom/dad? Is this a student project?” No, no and no. My name is Ally (aka Nicki Minaj) and I’m the Senior Digital Media Specialist working with NADCA to shoot, edit and produce videos for NADCA. From onsite member interviews at the annual meeting to overnight filming of actual duct cleaning projects and blooper reels, NADCA has been utilizing video to promote the association and its events, improve NADCA’s educational programs and enhance the overall NADCA member experience.
D U C TA L E S
Why Video? Like other organizations, NADCA needs an outlet to reach its members, prospects and consumers. With the boom of digital media, online video has become a megaphone for NADCA to reach a broader audience — both nationally and internationally. Some of the annual ongoing digital media projects have been around promoting NADCA’s Fall Technical Conference, Annual Meeting and NADCA membership. To take the digital media experience to the next level, members and volunteer leaders have been jumping in to be part of the video projects. You may have recently spotted and recognized “Duct Tracy” in the promotional video for the 2016 Fall Technical Conference. Rick MacDonald, NADCA’s Second Vice President and Chair of the Regional Technical Advisory Committee, took it upon himself to develop his character “Duct Tracy” for the made up WDUCTV news show, who appears with Richard Lantz, First Vice President and member of the Regional Technical Advisory Committee, in
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
each promotional video for NADCA’s Fall Technical Conference. NADCA also recently sought help from its members to film themselves singing “More than a Meeting,” the parody of Boston’s “More than a Feeling,” to help promote NADCA’s 2015 Annual Meeting.
What’s in the Works? In addition to the ongoing video promotions, NADCA is currently developing its educational video archive with footage of handson cleaning and maintenance procedures for use in NADCA’s educational webinars and programs as well as translating and editing some of its current programs for international members and prospects.
Don’t be Camera-shy! I’m looking forward to continuing to develop NADCA’s video program with your help, so next time you see me on-site, pose for a photo and say some nice stuff on camera about NADCA! 26
NADCA News
The NEW NADCA General Specification Document
N
ADCA’s General Specification Document is undergoing changes in 2015. The revised document is expected to be completed and released this fall. “The update will reflect the current ACR,” said Kristy Cohen, NADCA’s Assistant Executive Director. “This will help to ensure that bid specifications are referencing the most up-to-date standards and cleaning practices.”
27
The updated specification document will not only align with the current ACR, but help engineers, facility managers, specifiers and other interested parties during the bid specification process. “Our goal is to make it a more user-friendly tool for those developing bid specifications,” said Cohen. “This will makes it clear what the scope of work for the HVAC cleaning project will be and how components and systems included in the scope of work should be cleaned.”
The General Specification references qualifications for HVAC Cleaning Contractors, which include NADCA membership and ASCS certification or equivalent. This puts NADCA members in a great position to bid on projects that have specifications based upon the NADCA General Specification document. NADCA members should be on the lookout for more information about the revised General Specification Document in the upcoming months.
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
Tell Your s e l a T N
ADCA exists for its members, and, as NADCA’s magazine, so does DucTales. We’re introducing a new feature to capture your voice, experiences and opinions. Each issue will pose a question with a link to an online form to send in your response. Questions may focus on something fun, technical skills or opinions about hot industry issues. We’ll gather your responses and publish them in the next issue of DucTales.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever found during a duct cleaning job? Submit your response by Sept. 4 at https:// www.surveymonkey.com/s/DucTales or by emailing sblack@ahredchair.com.
Have an Idea? If you have a question you’d love DucTales readers to respond to, please send your suggestions to sblack@ahredchair.com. D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
28
NADCA News
Safety Awards Cited in HVAC Insider W e know it’s news, so it’s great when NADCA news gets picked up by other outlets. A recent example is a press release issued by NADCA about the Safety Awards. The Carolina Edition of HVAC Insider picked up the press release and ran the story on the front page of the publication, getting attention not just for NADCA and the Safety Awards, but also for members who received Safety Awards.
Spreading the Word A
recent article posted by the St. Augustine Record, of St. Augustine, Florida, “A Clean HVAC Mean Less Costs and More Comfort,” highlighted the benefits of air duct cleaning for homeowners. It noted potential air quality issues that can be caused by dirty ducts, and referred readers to NADCA to hire a NADCA member for added security and professionalism.
Read the full article at staugustine.com/news/ local-news.
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
30
NADCA News
Committee Spotlight NADCA Working for You
N
ADCA committee members have been working hard to provide members with tools they can use to be successful and get the most out of their NADCA membership.
you had your Sunbelt account attached to the NADCA discount program? Sunbelt offers NADCA members discounts on equipment rental including 10% off the invoice if paid within 28 days of the invoice date.
Membership Committee The Membership Committee, led by Committee Chair Kevin Uilkie encourages NADCA members to take advantage of the many benefits NADCA has to offer so you can get the greatest return on investment for your annual membership dues.
Have you had your web master add the YOSHKI NADCA Membership Verification logo to your website? This is a free service with your paid membership allows your customers to verify that your company is a NADCA member. It’s quick and easy to use and will help ensure consumers are using NADCA members.
•
Sunbelt Rentals Discount Program
31
Are renting equipment from Sunbelt Rentals? If so, have
The NADCA Mobile App Store contains more than 20 forms technicians can use in the field. Need your own form created? The App Store will convert your first form into a Mobile App for FREE. All new NADCA subscribers get a 30 day free trial.
CBIZ – Property and Casualty Insurance
CBIZ offers property and casualty insurance, health insurance and 401k plans for NADCA members.
• Elavon Credit Card Processing
•
•
Company Listing on NADCA’s “Find a Professional” Directory on the NADCA website (Thousands of consumers refer to this listing each year when looking to find a certified company in their area.)
•
Discounted pricing on certification training
•
Discounted pricing on NADCA events
•
Bi-Monthly DucTales Magazine subscription
•
Monthly Air Conveyance E-Newsletter
•
Free marketing resources in the Members-Only marketing toolkit
•
Member Mentor Program
• NADCA Mobile App Store
• NADCA Membership Verification Logo by YOSHKI
Other Benefits Included with Your NADCA Membership
Elavon offers NADCA members a mobile merchant processing product to enable you to accept payment for your services when you provide it.
Remember, you can only take advantage of these exclusive benefits if you renew your company’s annual membership. If you have not already renewed, it’s not too late! You can renew online via the NADCA website in the Member Services section, or you can mail payment to NADCA Headquarters.
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
If you need assistance with your company’s membership renewal or would like to learn more about how you can takwe advantage of these many member benefits, please visit www.nadca.com or contact Victoria Ramsay, Membership Coordinator at membership@nadca.com.
Standard ACR and will be marketed widely among engineers, architects and facility managers as part of a targeted marketing campaign. The goal is to significantly increase use of the NADCA General Specifications and NADCA Standard ACR so that NADCA members can be best positioned to secure commercial HVAC system cleaning projects.
Exciting Committee Projects Underway! NADCA committees put in countless hours to execute NADCA’s strategic plan goals and to help advance our members and the HVAC cleaning industry. Here are just a few of the exciting projects underway that will benefit NADCA members:
•
Update of the NADCA General Specification
• NADCA White Paper on Energy Savings Related to HVAC System Cleaning
The Standards Committee is working to update and improve NADCA’s General Specifications for the Cleaning of Commercial Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Systems. The updated General Specifications will reflect the current NADCA
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
NADCA’s White Paper Subcommittee is working to develop the NADCA White Paper on Energy Savings through HVAC System Cleaning. Once complete, the paper will be an excellent resource for NADCA members to use in educating consumers about the benefits of HVAC System Cleaning.
• Consumer Marketing Campaign
NADCA’s Industry & PR Committee, along with the ACR Marketing Task Force, have been working to develop a new consumerfacing tagline and marketing theme will be used as part of a larger effort to educate residential consumers on the benefits of proper HVAC system cleaning by NADCA members.
• NADCA Website Redesign
NADCA’s Website Redesign Task Force is working to oversee a redesign of www. nadca.com. The end result will be a website that is easier to navigate, provides a better user experience and effectively markets NADCA members and the HVAC system cleaning industry to consumers.
Stay tuned for periodic updates on these exciting new initiatives! 32
NADCA News
NADCA Committee Assignments Annual Meeting Committee
Ethics Committee
Kelly Dexter Peter Haugen Matt Mongiello Anthony Paterno Terri Reynolds Meg Walker
Melinda Allen George Grozan Michael O’Rourke
Chair: Mark Zarzeczny Immediate Past Chair: Michael Vinick
Tommy Gwaltney Jimmy Meyer MJ Palazzolo Keith Reynolds Mark Tessmer Cindy White
By-Laws Policies Procedures Committee Chair: Dan Stradford Immediate Past Chair: Richard Lantz
Ronald Nichols
Certification Committee Chair:
Dan Stradford
Tom Fehr Rick MacDonald Tim O’Connor Cindy White April Yungen
Richard Lantz Mike McDavid Todd St. Ores Tom Yacobellis
Education & Safety Committee Co-Chairs:
Mike White Rick MacDonald
Jeff Bagley Ron Gray Reece Howell Andrew McLaughlin Mark Morris Ronald Nichols Robert Rizen Tom Wengert
Mike Dexter Chet Goetz Richard Lantz Dominic Menta Vito Moscato Tim O’Connor Dan Stradford
Sub-committee: White Paper Committee Chair:
Dan Stradford
Sub-committee: Fall Technical Conference Co-Chair: Co-Chair:
Rick MacDonald Jimmy Meyer
Mike Dexter Mike McDavid James Queen Bob Rousseau Kevin Uilkie Mike White
Richard Lantz Kehau Mendes Robert Rizen Bill Tyrell Tom Wengert
Sub-committee: CVI Training Task Force Co-chair: Co-chair:
Rick MacDonald Mike White
Chair: Dan Stradford Immediate Past Chair: Richard Lantz Kelly Dexter Ron Nichols
Finance Committee
Chair: Richard Lantz Immediate Past Chair: Michael Vinick John Line Dan Stradford
John Muller Al Sutton
Industry & Public Relations Committee Chair: Mark Zarzeczny Immediate Past Chair: Richard Lantz Dave Adams Jim Castellano Peter Haugen Jimmy Meyer MJ Palazzolo James Shelley Chris Wilson
Bob Allen Chad Cowan Clayton Ivany Scott Moritz Larry Stabb Travis Tassey Stephen Worrall
International Affairs Committee
Interim Chair: Michael Vinick, Nelson Constanza Immediate Past Chair: Matt Mongiello Julio Cesar Arencibia Nelson Constanza Javier Dominguez Hugo Hernandez Rosa Lopez Al Sutton Valeria Vega
Carlos Boothby Nicolas Charland Peter Haugen Richard Lantz Rick MacDonald Travis Tassey
Membership Committee Chair: Kevin Uilkie Immediate Past Chair: Michael Vinick Nelson Constanza Tim Fico Jeff Johnson Jimmy Meyer April Yungen
James Cooke Peter Haugen Andrew McLaughlin MJ Palazzolo Mark Zarzeczny
Sub-committee: Regional Coordinators
Sub-committee: ACR Marketing Tast Force Chair:
Mark Zarzeczny
Chair: Kevin Uilkie U.S. Northwest – Vito Moscato, Bill Tyrell U.S. Southwest – Matt Kelly, Kehau Mendes U.S. Northeast – Rick MacDonald, Nelson Constanza U.S. Southeast – Tommy Gwaltney, Perry Bagley Canada Region 9 – Gary Lapstra Canada Region 9.5 – Nicolas Charland Australia Region 11 – Travis Tassey Italy Region 12 – Giorgio Ziragachi, Andrea Casa China Region 15 – Kenneth Tung Central & S. America – Carlos Boothby, Richard Lantz
Jim Castellano James Shelley
MJ Palazzolo Larry Stabb
Sub-committee: 2000 Members in 2020 Task Force
Sub-committee: Anti-Fraud Task Force Chair: Mark Zarzeczny Kelly Dexter Jim Castellano
Stephen Worrall April Yungen
Sub-committee: Website Update Task Force Chair:
Jimmy Meyer
Richard Lantz
Paul Hannah
Sub-committee: Ad Hoc Research Task Force Dan Stradford Mike White
Richard Lantz
Sub-committee: EPA Website Update Task Force Chair:
Richard Lantz
Sub-committee: Editorial Committee Chair:
Chair:
Michael Vinick
Nelson Constanza MJ Palazzolo
Tim Fico
Leadership Development Committee Chair:
Michael Vinick
Standards Committee
Chair: Richard Lantz Immediate Past Chair: Bill Lundquist Paul Burns Brad Kuhlmann Rick MacDonald Byron Ware
Charlie Cochrane Greg Long Mike McDavid
Richard Lantz
Sub-committee: Energy Research Study Task Force Chair:
33
Mike White
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
New ASCSs Diane Brown T&P Contractors, Inc. Elkridge, MD
Phil Green Advantaclean of Metro East Collinsville, IL
Jon Litwak Total Building Solutions, Inc. Mango, FL
Richard Rodriguez Airtek Indoor Air Solutions Azusa, CA
Matt Brunsch Better Air Northwest Vancouver, WA
William Groomes T&P Contractors, Inc. Elkridge, MD
Martin Sahakyan Lowe’s Air Duct Cleaning Arlington, VA
James Buntemeyer AdvantaClean of the Lower Susquenna York, PA
Jameson Hope Total Building Solutions, Inc. Mango, FL
Dave Mathewson Niagara Duct Cleaning St.Catharines, ON Canada
Richard Cole Total Building Solutions, Inc. Tampa, FL Jimmy Condon Duct Dudes Iselin, NJ Sam Conklin Stanley Steemer Great Lakes In Byron Center, MI Brian Conley Conley Commercial Services Inc Glenshaw, PA John DeTiberiis Knight Restoration Services Richardson, TX Edwin Galo J.N.E Air Duct Cleaning Springfield, VA
Charles Howick Core Mechanical Inc. Pennsauken, NJ Nomaan Jaweed Al-Doaa Trading & Cont. Est. Doha, Qatar Kevin Lahue Vermont Mechanical, Inc. Williston, VT Nanny Laverdiere Air Technovac Inc. Mirabel, QC Canada Cassie Leslie Alberta Home Services Calgary, AB Canada
New CVIs Raymond Chouinard The Air Company Inc Staten Island, NY Dean Boomer Ductz of Southeast Michigan Livonia, MI
Richard McHale Envirocare Air Quality Restora Jefferson Valley, NY Jeryll McWhorter 5 Seasons Mechanical Atlanta, GA Jorge Negrete Airtek Indoor Air Solutions Azusa, CA Jimmy Nguyen Alliance Environmental Group Anaheim, CA Justin Nixon Integrity Air Systems Corp Hayward, CA Tom Okeefe Stanley Steemer San Diego, CA
Alexander Schwartz Total Building Solutions, Inc. Mango, FL Thomas Simmons Servpro of South Durham Durham, NC Sumesh Soman Two Stars Technical Services Dubai, United Arab Emirates Jeff Stein Crystal Clean New Hope, PA Slade Stricklin IAQ, Inc./Duct Doctor Norcross, GA Nathan Zellner Ductz of Greater Madison Area Waunakee, WI
Chris Pridgen AdvantaClean of York County Fort Mill, SC
New Members Advantaclean of Metro East Collinsville, IL
Air Fresh Duct Cleaning Coram, NY Alliance Environmental Group, Inc. - Anaheim
Anaheim, CA
Angel Menendez Environmental Services Inc. DBA AMES St Petersburg, FL
Conley Commercial Services Inc. dba AdvantaClean of Pittsburgh North Glenshaw, PA Ducto Limpio De Colombia S.A.S Bogota D.C., Columbia Envida Technical Services, LLC Dubai, United Arab Emirates Ferretti & Co. SA Giubiasco (TI), Switzerland
Better Air Northwest Vancouver, WA
Grupo Gams Barranquilla, Columbia
COIT of Mohave County Bullhead City, AZ
Gulf LIFA Co. Doha, United Arab Emirates
LegalShield Ada, OK New England Duct Care Sandy Hook, CT Niagara Duct Cleaning St.Catharines, ON ServPro of Milford, Orange, Stratford dba 232 Amity LLC Woodbridge, CT Servpro of Newport News Newport News, VA Two Stars Technical Services LLC Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Integrity Air Systems Corp Hayward, CA
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
34
NADCA News
Industry Calendar NADCA Events NADCA Fall Technical Conference September 17–19, 2015 St. Louis, MO
NADCA’s 27th Annual Meeting March 7–9, 2016 Phoenix, AZ
Related Industry Events SMACNA 2015 Annual Convention September 27–30, 2015 Colorado Springs, CO
IAQA 19th Annual Meeting Jan. 24-27, 2016 Orlando, FL
2016 AHR Expo Jan. 25-27, 2016 Orlando, FL
International Restoration Convention and Expo Mar. 21-23, 2016 Orlando, FL
Be Featured in DucTales! DucTales is seeking submissions from members and industry experts for publication in future issues of the magazine. Articles may be about: •
An experience in the field
•
How you’ve grown your business
•
Tips for other business owners
•
Practical tips, tricks and guides for other indoor air quality professionals
•
Technology reviews
•
Training opportunities
•
… and more!
For submission guidelines, deadlines and other information, please contact Sarah Black, DucTales Editor, at sblack@ahint.com.
D U C TA L E S
J U LY • A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
36