DucTales March/April 2016 by NADCA

Contents Editor Sarah Black

Features

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.

Celebrating Another Success in Phoenix

In Every Issue

NADCA News

President’s Message

NADCA Proves Worth in Florida Scam

Chief Staff Executive’s Message

On Deck: A New Website!

Industry Calendar

Member Spotlight: Air Mechanical Inc.

Executive Director’s Message

PR Update

Committee Spotlight

New NADCA Members, ASCSs

NEW! Final Thought

Your Business 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.

How Business Owners Can Master Leadership

Is Your Small Business Mobile-Ready?

How Business Credit Reporting Agencies Work

Industry News 13

HVACR Shines Brightly in Orlando

Good Morning America Highlights Controversy Around Portable Home Humidifiers

Air Quality Monitors to be Available at Public Libraries Nationwide

Something in the Air

President’s Message NADCA Officers

A Premier Association By Michael Vinick, NADCA President

t ruly believe that we can now call ourselves a premier association. The bar has been raised again. When I was voted by the board to be President, I was wondering whether first, I could live up to the expectations, and second, I could raise the bar any more with buyin from our entire organization. I am proud to say that we have accomplished raising the bar with the buy-in that I was hoping for. We have the proof in the pictures and memories. After one year of preparation, the Annual Meeting in Phoenix has come and gone. The Annual Meeting is a time for us, as an association, to come together to share our knowledge and celebrate our accomplishments from the past year and launch us into the excitement of starting another. We were able to celebrate the induction of two new NADCA Hall of Fame members: Tom Gwaltney and Matt Mongiello — Two accomplished professionals who have done amazing things in our industry. Their stories are inspirational, and they will now be part of a select group of duct cleaning industry professionals who will be memorialized for exceptionalism as long as NADCA exists, which I believe will be forever. The Annual Meeting committee, led by Mark Zarzeczny, did a fantastic 3

job! This year’s content was terrific. The committee really pushed hard for great educational sessions. In fact, many of the sessions would make the ESPN top ten highlight reel. Dan’s session on the current white paper, Restoring Energy Efficiency through HVAC Air Distribution System Cleaning, was one of the key educational highlights of this year’s meeting. While there were too many sessions to name them all, we were updated on OSHA and, thanks to Matt Mongiello, we “learned to love our #%*&! duct cleaning business again.” I cannot say enough about Jerry Colangelo and the incredible keynote he delivered. It was like a personal conversation with each of the 410 people in the room. The response that Jerry received from our members was wonderful. One of the many positive comments that were shared with me was by a seasoned NADCA member, who told me, “Three people walked up to me and each one told me that Jerry alone was worth the cost of attending the meeting.” Eddie Johnson reminded us to get excited every day and work hard! Not just in spurts but always. Eddie played in the NBA until he was 40 years old. There are only 360 NBA players who are rostered in any given year. If you know basketball, to be able to last 20 years in the NBA is a monumental accomplishment.

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) 407-3845 richard@imc.cc

Treasurer Dan Stradford, ASCS (‘18) Action Duct Cleaning 2333 Lincoln Ave. Altadena, CA 91001 Dstradford@aol.com

2nd Vice President Rick MacDonald, ASCS (’18) Armstrong Duct, Vent & Chimney Cleaning 531 Front Street Manchester, NH 03102 (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 Frank Forrest (‘19) Carlisle HVAC 900 Hensley Lane Wylie, TX 75098 (972) 429-4972

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

frank.forrest@carlislehvac.com

Carlos Gonzales-Boothby, ASCS (‘18) 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 Chief Staff Executive

Victoria Ramsay Client Services

Kristy Cohen Executive Director

Robin Geary Senior Meeting Manager

Carla Cheifetz Meeting Manager

Karen Spiro Industry Relations Manager

Holly French Membership & Certification Coordinator

President’s Message

Eddie reminded us that to last in the duct cleaning business for five, 10 or more years is also a fantastic accomplishment that our members should be proud of. Wow, what a facility. Everywhere I went, the grounds of the Wigwam were spotless. The fire tables and outside venue was perfect for our group. There were so many small groups of members congregating in every nook and cranny of the place. The food and service were exceptional. In fact, I was reminded by the Wigwam staff to work harder with my duct cleaners on customer

service. I plan to add additional training on communication with customers. What can I do to make our customers’ experience just a little bit better than it already is? I want to set my company apart from other companies. The Wigwam staff reminded me of that. We also had a “real” ATV trip where our members were allowed to let loose. The golf tournament with a unique NADCA plunger trophy was really enjoyed by the participants and we had a real Western-themed party. Hats off to the cowboys and cowgirls D U C TA L E S

who encouraged many of us to throw an ax, ride a barrel bull, have gun fights and dress up like crazy people. According to my sources, the vendors were very happy with our membership. There was constant engagement on the show floor. I was told by more than one vendor that they were selling product and our members were showing a lot of interest. The raffle was a huge hit with many great prizes. We even had an official raffle ticket picker this year. The winners were thrilled with prizes as terrific as free stays at Disney and in Palm Springs, as well

as free attendance to next year’s Annual Meeting. A special shout-out to Sunbelt rentals for supporting NADCA not only with a discount partnership but also with sponsorship dollars that support the fantastic member party. Keep renting lifts from them and remember to pay the invoice within 30 days. I want to specifically thank Bob, Mike and the staff at AH dedicated to making NADCA a premier association. They make this look easy when, in fact, the multitudes of hours working and planning are sometimes

MARCH • APRIL 2016

overlooked by many of us. Jodi, Kristy, Victoria, Holly, Robin, Carla, Karen, Ally and Kyle — thank you so much for making me and the Board of Directors look good. Thank you for actually caring and being vested in not only association management but in our members’ industry, air duct cleaning. I also want to thank the Board of Directors for believing in me and giving me the gift of one more year to serve as your President. In closing, I want to share with you something my father has taught me. He never had to say a word to teach me this. He has taught me about

excellence through his actions. He wakes up early every day and never once complained about “having” to go to work. He is always prepared. His shoes are polished, his clothes are pressed, and he is always wellgroomed. At everything that he is involved with, whether it is workrelated regarding investments, Basketball Hall of Fame involvements or other endeavors, he expects to perform at the top of his game at all times. He raised his bar a long time ago and has kept it there year after year. That is what he has taught me, and I hope that I am accomplishing the very same thing every day. 4

NADCA News

NADCA Committee Assignments *New volunteers from the Annual Meeting will be added to the next issue of DucTales.

Annual Meeting Committee

Ethics Committee

Karen Cowan Frank Forrest Peter Haugen Matt Mongiello Anthony Paterno Terri Reynolds Cindy White

Melinda Allen George Grozan Michael O’Rourke

Chair: Mark Zarzeczny Immediate Past Chair: Michael Vinick

Kelly Dexter Tommy Gwaltney Jimmy Meyer MJ Palazzolo Keith Reynolds Meg Walker

Chair: Dan Stradford Immediate Past Chair: Richard Lantz Kelly Dexter Ron Nichols

Finance Committee

Chair: Richard Lantz Immediate Past Chair: Michael Vinick

Chair:

Mike White

International Affairs Committee

Interim Chair: Michael Vinick Immediate Past Chair: Matt Mongiello Julio Cesar Arencibia Nelson Constanza Javier Dominguez Hugo Hernandez Rick MacDonald Travis Tassey

Carlos Boothby Nicolas Charland Peter Haugen Richard Lantz Al Sutton Valeria Vega

By-Laws Policies Procedures Committee

John Line Dan Stradford

Chair: Mark Zarzeczny Immediate Past Chair: Richard Lantz

Membership Committee

Dave Adams Carlos Boothby Chad Cowan Clayton Ivany Scott Moritz Larry Stabb Travis Tassey Stephen Worrall

Nelson Constanza Gary Croshaw Peter Haugen Andrew McLaughlin MJ Palazzolo Mark Zarzeczny

Chair: Dan Stradford Immediate Past Chair: Richard Lantz

Ronald Nichols

Certification Committee Chair:

April Yungen

Chad Cowan Richard Lantz Mike McDavid Todd St. Ores Tom Yacobellis

Tom Fehr Rick MacDonald Tim O’Connor Cindy White

Education & Safety Committee Co-Chairs:

Mike White Rick MacDonald

Jeff Bagley Frank Forrest Chet Goetz Richard Lantz Dominic Menta Vito Moscato Tim O’Connor Dan Stradford Tom Wengert

Mike Dexter Ron Gray Reece Howell Andrew McLaughlin Mark Morris Ronald Nichols Robert Rizen Kevin Uilkie

Subcommittee: White Paper Committee Chair:

Dan Stradford

Subcommittee: Fall Technical Conference Co-Chair: Co-Chair:

Rick MacDonald Jimmy Meyer

Mike Dexter Richard Lantz Kehau Mendes Robert Rizen Kevin Uilkie Mike White

Frank Forrest Mike McDavid James Queen Bob Rousseau Tom Wengert Vito Mosato

Subcommittee: CVI Training Task Force

John Muller Al Sutton

Subcommittee: Energy Research Study Task Force

Industry & Public Relations Committee Bob Allen Jim Castellano Peter Haugen Jimmy Meyer MJ Palazzolo James Shelley Chris Wilson

Subcommittee: Anti-Fraud Task Force Chair: Mark Zarzeczny Jim Castellano Kelly Dexter

April Yungen Stephen Worrall

Subcommittee: ACR Marketing Task Force Chair:

Mark Zarzeczny

Jim Castellano James Shelley

MJ Palazzolo Larry Stabb

Subcommittee: Website Update Task Force Chair:

Jimmy Meyer

Richard Lantz

Paul Hannah

Subcommittee: Ad Hoc Research Task Force Dan Stradford Mike White

Richard Lantz

Subcommittee: EPA Website Update Task Force Chair:

Richard Lantz

Subcommittee: Editorial Committee Chair:

Richard Lantz

April Yungen Dan Stradford

Chair: Kevin Uilkie Immediate Past Chair: Michael Vinick James Cooke Tim Fico Jeff Johnson Jimmy Meyer April Yungen

Subcommittee: Regional Coordinators

Chair: Kevin Uilkie U.S. Northwest – Vito Moscato 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 – Andrea Casa China Region 15 Central & S. America – Carlos Boothby, Richard Lantz

Subcommittee: 2000 Members in 2020 Task Force 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

D U C TA L E S

Charlie Cochrane Greg Long Mike McDavid

MARCH • APRIL 2016

NADCA Staff Letters

A Letter From the Chief Staff Executive By Jodi Araujo, CEM; Chief Staff Executive

I have learned that to be with those I like is enough. – Walt Whitman The 2016 Annual Conference has come to an end after a full twelve months of planning brought to fruition another outstanding event. As I walked through the grounds of the historic Wigwam Hotel in Arizona last month, there were several moments that struck me, gave me pause, and as I sit here now reflecting on those moments, I realize that what I saw, what I felt, was friendship. Upon arrival, as I passed through the lobby and into the Wigwam Bar, I was greeted by NADCA members, volunteers and staff, all congregating both inside and outside with conversations and reunions happening at every table. The excitement was palpable, with mention of family and children, business challenges and successes. The young and the old, women and men all coming together to share a few days of education, networking and camaraderie – it was inspiring. This sense of community carried over to the opening reception in the exhibit hall, where colleagues and customers joined each other for food, drink and hopefully lots of spending! As I sat on the stage during the general business meeting 7

with the bright lights glaring in my eyes, I was able to see some of our members and I noted that they really do congregate together and seemingly move in packs. What a cast of characters! When we assumed management of the association in 2012, I recall meeting a group of NADCA members (who shall remain unnamed) in the Red Bar at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, where we held the Fall Technical Conference. I introduced myself and in return they said, “You know, we really like our old management team and we are not happy about the change, but we’re going to give you a chance to prove to us that it was the right decision.” Now, I had been living through an extremely challenging transition, fielding phone calls and emails and trudging through the minutia in order to get NADCA into strong operational and financial shape, so I was not surprised to hear this from these guys. What did surprise me, is that by the end of the conference, those same guys joined me in the staff office to congratulate me on a job well done. Even more surprising, just four years later, I’m pleased to call those men my friends.

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.

President’s Message

I have cultivated those professional relationships and in doing so, developed personal friendships that transcend NADCA. While we may only see each other twice a year, the quality of that time spent is rooted in appreciation for the work we do every day, and the dedication we share for our families. And, and boy are they fun! Looking back on 2012, remembering the new faces of the board and of the members, learning about the historical significance of the association and balancing the politics, I’m amazed at how far we’ve come in such a short time. NADCA is financially strong and operationally sound, and its governance structure is unshakable with the leadership of this Board of Directors. But we’re not done! With a focus on standards and specifications, NADCA is driving the ASCS certification with strong marketing initiatives and development of stronger educational content each year. I’m really looking forward to the Fall Tech in Charlotte this year. The city is fantastic, the session content and hands-on learning are comprehensive and all of our friends will be there! Happy spring, until we meet again, old friends.

Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes. – Henry David Thoreau

D U C TA L E S

MARCH • APRIL 2016

Industry Calendar NADCA Events NADCA Fall Technical Conference Sept. 15-17, 2016 Charlotte, NC

Related Industry Events IAQ 2016 Fall Conference Sept. 12-14, 2016 Alexandria, VA ASHRAE Annual Conference June 25-29, 2016 St. Louis, MO

NADCA Staff Letters

The Best of NADCA By Kristy Cohen, NADCA Executive Director

On the flight home from Phoenix, I couldn’t help but smile thinking about the experience I had at the 27th Annual Meeting and Exposition. From the positive, high energy of the attendees to the inspiring keynotes, camaraderie and networking, I walked away from the meeting with a renewed sense of excitement and focus for the future of our association. Here are just a few of the highlights and takeaways from this year’s Annual Meeting.

The NADCA White Paper on Restoring Energy Efficiency through HVAC Air Distribution Cleaning Dan Stradford presented NADCA’s latest white paper, which outlines how to use pre- and post- cleaning measurements to quantify energy savings for your customers. The implications of this paper are farreaching as we work to quantify and validate the benefits of HVAC system cleaning in both the residential and commercial markets. The white paper subcommittee is comprised of representatives from Southern California Edison, University of Colorado, National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB) and the NADCA membership. There are still opportunities to support the ongoing development 9

of the paper through field testing. If you are interested in performing measurements and collecting data, please contact us at membership@ nadca.com. Be sure to download your free copy of the NADCA white paper at nadca. com to see how you can demonstrate energy savings to your customers.

ACR Marketing Toolkit Mark Zarzeczny, Chair of the Industry & PR Committee, announced the launch of a new ACR Marketing Toolkit that can be shared with your commercial customers, facility managers and specifiers and includes the following: •

A NADCA Video Promoting the Importance of Proper HVAC System Cleaning by a NADCA Member

•

ACR Marketing Infographic

•

Download of the customizable NADCA General Specification Document

•

NADCA’s Newly Updated General Specifications Richard Lantz, Standards Committee Chair, announced the release of the newly updated NADCA General Specifications for the Cleaning and Restoration of Commercial Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Systems. Promotion of the NADCA General Specifications document is an integral part of NADCA’s efforts to educate commercial customers, specifiers, engineers and architects on the importance of HVAC system cleaning by NADCA members in accordance with ACR, the NADCA Standard. If you are in the commercial marketplace, you will want to share this document with your current and prospective customers. It is included in the ACR Marketing Toolkit and can also be downloaded at www.nadca. com.

BBB Scam Tracker

Download of ACR, The NADCA Standard

The toolkit is a great resource for NADCA members to use and share with their commercial customers and can be downloaded at http:// facilitymanagers.nadca.com/.

A big topic of discussion at this year’s Annual Meeting was how we can work together to fight fraud in the air duct cleaning industry. From trademark infringement to criminal scam artists ripping off consumers, these issues continue to impact our members and industry as a whole. Michele Mason with the Better Business Bureau presented an

D U C TA L E S

MARCH • APRIL 2016

NADCA Staff Letters

Catching up with friends, old and new, and witnessing the camaraderie and support that comes with being in the

enlightening session on her experience in taking down scammers in our industry and provided some insights on how we can work toward exposing these criminal entities. One of the tips she provided included using the BBB’s new Scam Tracker: https://www.bbb. org/scamtracker. The Scam Tracker allows consumers to report and check for scams in their area and is one more tool available to help combat this problem.

association together is what makes the Annual Meeting experience so meaningful.

NADCA Yoshki Logo Another important tool available to help fight fraud in our industry is the NADCA Yoshki logo. NADCA members are encouraged to use this special logo on their company website so that customers can verify that your company is truly a NADCA member. Be part of the solution by using the NADCA Yoshki logo. You can download the Yoshki Logo Users Guide in the members’ section of nadca.com.

D U C TA L E S

Inside Edition Hidden Camera Investigation Annual Meeting attendees viewed an encore presentation of the Inside Edition Hidden Camera Investigation highlighting air duct cleaning scams and featuring NADCA Board Member Mark Zarzeczny as an industry expert to help catch scammers in the act. The video can be viewed at nadca. com and also on the Inside Edition website to help educate consumers on the bait and switch tactics used by these unscrupulous companies.

NADCA Volunteer Meeting Our annual “Are You a Leader?” volunteer meeting was very well attended and generated many new volunteers for our committees and task force groups. Engaged members are the lifeblood of our association

MARCH • APRIL 2016

and committee and task force involvement is what generates innovative and effective programs to support the success of our members. It’s also a great way to network and share ideas that will benefit your professional growth and development.

It’s not too late to get involved. If you’re interested in joining a NADCA committee or task force, go to nadca. com to complete and submit an application form. There were so many highlights from this year’s meeting, including excellent speakers and sessions, fantastic products and equipment in the exhibit hall, great networking and so much more. But what really makes the Annual Meeting so special is the people. Catching up with friends, old and new, and witnessing the camaraderie and support that comes with being in the association together is what makes the Annual Meeting experience so meaningful. I can’t wait to see everyone again next year in Disney as we continue to raise the bar and make the Annual Meeting the very best experience it can be.

2016 ORGANIZATIONAL CHART NADCA Board E XE CU T I VE COMMI TTEE P re si d e n t: M i c h a e l Vi n i ck , A S C S (’17) 1 st Vi c e P re si d e n t: R i c h a rd L a n tz , ASC S (’18) 2 n d Vi c e P re si d e n t: R i ck M a c D o n a l d, ASC S (’18) T re a su re r : D a n S tra d f o rd , A S C S (’18) S e c re ta r y: M i k e Wh i te , A S C S (’17)

ME MBE RS -AT-LARGE

M I KE DW YE R Chi e f R e la t io n s h ip O ffic e r •

AS S OCIATION MANAGE ME NT CON TR A C T

•

I SS UE RE S OLUTION (AS NE E DE D )

•

MANAGE ME NT COMPANY PARTNE R

C a rl o s G o n z a l e z -B o o th by, A S C S (’19) Kevi n U i l k i e , A S C S (’ 1 7 ) M a rk Z a rz e c z ny, A S C S (’ 1 7 ) A p r i l Yu n g e n , A S C S (’ 1 8 )

AS S OCI AT E DI RE CTOR Fra n k Fo r re st (’ 1 9 )

JODI A RAUJO, CEM •

ST R AT EG IC O VER SIG H T

•

EN SU R ES A D H ER EN C E TO LEGA L & ET H IC A L G U ID EL IN ES

KRISTY COH EN

RO B I N G E A RY Se n i or M eet i n g M a n a ger •

MEETING PLANNING & OVERSIGHT

•

HOTEL CONTRACT & NEGOTIATION

•

MEETING BUDGET

•

O PER AT IO N A L O VER SI GH T

•

ST R AT EG IC IN IT IAT IVES & PR O G R A M D EVEL O PM E N T

MA RKETING A SSOCI AT E • A C R & G EN ER A L SPEC I FI C ATI ON M A R K ET IN G

H OL LY F RENCH CA R LA CH EI FITZ

•

C U STO M ER SERVIC E

M e e t i ng M an age r •

MEETING PLANNING & SUPPORT

•

R E G I S T R AT I O N M A N A G E M E N T

•

SPEAKER & PROGRAM SUPPORT

V ICTORIA RA MSAY •

C U STO M ER SERVIC E

D U C TA L E S

MARCH • APRIL 2016

As NADCA continues to evolve, so does the team of volunteers and staff members who keep the association going. Take a look at our latest organizational chart to see who’s who at NADCA. of Directors Key R esp o nsi bi l i ti es • • • •

Defines m iss ion & pur pose S ets str a tegic pl an Res pons ible for al l st r at egi c deci si ons regar ding oper a t i ons, budget i ng and as s oc iation m a nagem ent O ver s ee s Chief E xecut i ve O f fic er & Ex ec ut i ve Di r ect or

C h ie f S t a ff Executi ve •

B U D G E T I N G O V E RS I G HT

JON KINSELLA

•

S TA F F D E VE LOP ME NT

•

D U C TA L E S P UBLIS HE R

Ma r ke ting Ma na ge r •

D IG ITA L M ED IA M A R K ET IN G INI TI ATI VES

Exe c u t ive Di rector

KRISTI ORTA

•

Sta ff A c c o unta nt

C O M MI T T E E MANAGE ME NT

• E D U C AT I O N & CE RTIFI CATIO N OVERSIGHT

•

A C C O U N T IN G SERVIC ES

KAREN SPIRO Industr y Re la tio ns •

C O MMI T T E E P ROJ E CT S UP P ORT

•

SA L ES & SPO N SO R SH IPS

CAITLIN MCWILLIAMS M e m b e r s h i p C oord in at or

Pr e ss Co nta ct

• ME M B E R S HI P BE NE FI TS AND SUPPORT

•

M ED IA R EL AT IO N S

SARAH BLACK C l i e n t S e r vi ce s Sp e ci a l i s t •

A D M I N I S T R ATIV E S UP P ORT

D U C TA L E S

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Edito r •

D U C TA L ES ED ITO R IA L

Industry News

HVACR Shines Brightly in Orlando Manufacturers showcase new products at 2016 AHR Expo

early 61,000 HVAC industry representatives enjoyed sun and reasonable temperatures as the 2016 AHR Expo rolled into Orlando, Florida. Preliminary numbers showed that more than 18,254 exhibitor personnel welcomed 42,672 visitors. “A lot goes into making this show such a valued platform for today’s professionals to come together,” said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Co. “Based on early feedback, we’re already working on several aspects of next year’s show to make the experience even more worthwhile.” The 2016 AHR Expo show floor encompassed a compelling 20 football fields’ worth of exhibits throughout Florida’s largest convention center. In addition to thousands of returning companies, more than 300 exhibitors set up shop for the first time at this year’s show, including Adam Bowen, a partner at ClimaSkinz. “We knew this was a huge event, but we weren’t entirely sure what to expect,” said Bowen. “We were pleased with the amount of positive feedback, and we’re going home with a handful of promising new leads.” Reprinted with permission from the Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News, Copyright 2016, www.achrnews.com. Photos courtesy of AHR Expo.

Bill Wilson, a rep with Capital Energy Equipment Inc. in Vienna, Virginia, tests the flexibility of one of Movex’s Fume Extractor Arms.

Bill Jilovec, service engineer, Mestek Machinery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, tightens a nut during a demonstration at the company’s booth.

The Grandest Stage of Them All: The 2016 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Exposition (AHR Expo), held Jan. 25-27 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, welcomed 60,926 registered attendees. D U C TA L E S

MARCH • APRIL 2016

Good Morning America Highlights Controversy Around Portable Home Humidifiers

recent Good Morning America report focused on portable home humidifiers with some “creepy” results. Experts found that ten out of ten portable home humidifiers tested contained bacteria, likely caused by improper cleaning, and three of ten had mold. “The story highlights the need for proper indoor humidity to create a comfortable and healthy home,” said Dave Moody, Vice President of Marketing for Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. “It’s an important factor, and portable humidifiers are really a Band-Aid. They don’t address the issue of high humidity at all and, as we saw, they can actually cause more danger to your indoor air quality. The right heating and cooling equipment can ensure balanced humidity in your home, along with comfortable temperatures. An expert technician can check the humidity levels in your D U C TA L E S

home as part of a routine heating or air conditioning system tune-up and make recommendations based on the findings.” Moody added that more effective whole-house humidifiers can be incorporated into any heating and cooling system, and they will maintain humidity levels throughout the home. Whole home central dehumidifiers also eliminate extra moisture during the more challenging summer months when humidity is at its highest. “Unlike portable units, a humidifier that is part of your HVAC equipment doesn’t require weekly cleaning. It should only need to be checked as part of your annual furnace and AC tune-up, and Service Experts technicians will clean and adjust the humidification system for you as part of our tune-up.”

MARCH • APRIL 2016

Too much moisture can make indoor air feel stuffy and warmer than the actual temperature and promotes the growth of microbes, mildew, fungi, bacteria and viruses. Too little moisture can contribute to dry skin, sore throats and respiratory problems. Improper humidity levels are also not good for wooden furniture, including floors, paneling and musical instruments. Experts say the ideal indoor humidity level for comfort is between 35 and 50 percent. Keeping the humidity level between 45 and 50 percent helps inhibit the growth of microbes.

Watch Now! View the segment at abcnews.go.com/GMA.

Industry News

Air Quality Monitors to be Available at Public Libraries Nationwide By Byron Spice

earning about the quality of the air you breathe should be as easy and inexpensive as borrowing a book from a library, and that’s why Carnegie Mellon University researchers plan to provide free Speck air quality monitors to 100 public libraries nationwide. The Speck sensors, which detect particulate air pollution in the home, have already been used by hundreds of patrons of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. CMU’s CREATE Lab, which developed Speck, and spin-off company Airviz, which makes and markets the device, are now offering three free Specks, informational materials and training to public libraries that agree to make them available to their patrons. “We have too many communities where the air is hazardous from time to time, yet people can’t readily find out what they are breathing in their own homes,” said Illah Nourbakhsh, professor of robotics and head of the CREATE Lab, which develops innovative robotic technologies for the public good. “This is the air quality you can actually do something about — if you know that a hazard even exists. That’s why it is so important that people of all income levels have access to a sensor such as Speck.” Interested libraries can apply for the National Speck Library Program at specksensor.com/libraries/apply. In addition to three free Specks, D U C TA L E S

annually. Individuals can apply at specksensor.com/advocates/ apply.

participating libraries also receive a 15 percent discount on purchases of additional Specks. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, which loans Specks through 16 of its 19 branches, is providing advice and support for the national campaign. “Libraries are creating a culture of learning that extends far beyond books,” said Toby Greenwalt, the library’s director of digital strategy and technology integration. “By making Specks available in the library, we are helping to start a conversation around how to use data to make better decisions and be informed about home environmental health. Since introducing them to the public last year, we have seen an increasing demand for Speck technology.” “We also want to build a community of local experts who can work with their neighbors and the libraries to use Speck,” said Bea Dias, project director for the CREATE Lab. People selected for the Speck Air Quality Advocate Program will receive a free Speck and training in return for providing 10–20 hours of service

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The CREATE Lab and Airviz introduced the Speck personal air quality monitor at the 2014 SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas. To keep the monitors affordable — they retail at $149 — Speck uses a low-cost infrared sensor to detect pollutants. Though such sensors tend to be imprecise, the CREATE Lab developers employed machine learning algorithms that learn to recognize and compensate for spurious “noise” in each detector, boosting accuracy. Speck is designed for use indoors, helping users realize when polluted outside air is coming into the house or recognize pollution sources within the home. It is also Wi-Fi-connected, so air quality data can be uploaded for analysis and shared, if desired, via the Internet. Speck was placed in the Pittsburgh library branches with support from the Heinz Endowments, Fine Foundation and Pittsburgh Foundation. The national library campaign thus far is being supported by CREATE Lab and Airviz in a bid to “pay it forward,” Dias said. “Providing equitable access to monitoring technology is too important for us not to do this,” Nourbakhsh said. 16

Industry News

Something in the Air E

nvironmental insurance has always been associated with stuff that happens outside — chemical spills, Superfund sites, overturned oil tanker trucks. But there is also an urgent and growing need for coverage indoors — largely due to pollution, fungus, mold and bacteria exclusions on sublimit property and general liability policies. “The biggest mistake made by sellers and buyers of insurance in general is that they operate under the assumption that pollution exclusions only apply to hazardous waste,” says David Dybdahl, president of American Risk Management Resources Network. “That has never been the case.” Over the past 10 years, new exclusions on contamination claims have hit the property and liability insurance market very quietly, leaving building owners and vendors twisting in the wind with significant indoor air quality exposures that they and their insurance agents might not even be aware of.

Part one of a two-part series

“A lot of things could be excluded as contamination claims, in both property and environmental policies,” Dybdahl says. “The effects of these new exclusions are very underappreciated by buyers and sellers of insurance. The need for coverage expanded a lot, and the buyers never responded — not because it was so expensive, but because they never looked for environmental insurance in the first place. They never knew they needed to.”

The Wild World of Indoor Airborne Contaminants Claims from indoor air quality loss exposures generally fall into two categories on liability policies: bodily injury and property damage. Bodily injury claims frequently arise when people are exposed to airborne irritants emanating from building itself. Building materials — contaminated drywall, furniture finishes, composite wood flooring, carpet glue, paint — can give off toxic fumes that sicken the building’s inhabitants, triggering allergies,

asthma and a host of other health problems. Making matters worse, “there is no natural ventilation in a modern office building, so unless an air exchange system is taking care of it, the building is probably not venting properly, and the concentration builds up,” says Bill Pritchard, founder and president of Beacon Hill Associates. There might also be outside pollutants getting into a building, which can lead to bodily injury of a building’s inhabitants. “Any number of things can get into the lower extremities of a building,” Pritchard says. “We saw one claim where a contractor put a gas generator near an air intake, and the fumes were getting sucked into the building.” Other external culprits include radon, methane leaks, a fuel spill on a neighboring property that was not properly cleaned up or even an old

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abandoned tank no one knew was there that is venting into the building. Then there are organic problems, such as mold growing in the ducts of a building’s HVAC system. Moisture gets in, the mold starts to multiply and before you know it, mold spores are being transmitted throughout the building, leading to potentially devastating property damage, as well as bodily injury claims. “All mold needs to grow is warmth, moisture and a food source,” Pritchard says. “You could have mold growing inside your walls and have no idea.” Indeed, the EPA estimates that onethird to one-half of all structures have damp conditions that may encourage development of indoor pollutants such as molds and bacteria. A building plagued by such issues is said to have “sick building syndrome,” a serious problem with sometimes deadly consequences for its inhabitants, and serious financial impacts for building owners and contractors who have not sought out adequate environmental insurance to protect themselves from the exposure.

Growing Threats While mold spores, external pollutants and off-gassing building materials can all lead to serious health issues, it’s Legionnaires’ disease that the American Industrial Hygiene Association characterizes as “the most lethal building-related illness associated with waterborne bacteria.” The disease is entirely environmental; it isn’t passed from person to person. D U C TA L E S

Despite the affordability and availability of the product, “there seems to be a historical aversion to buying this type of coverage... There seems to be a stigma about it.” Rather, people become infected with Legionella bacteria after inhaling the mist from water sources where the bacteria thrive — potable water systems, fountains, cooling towers and hot tubs — in homes, hospitals and hotels. Legionnaires’ disease is on the rise across the nation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, incidence of the disease in the general population increased 320 percent in the first decade of the new millennium. And it continues to escalate, as evidenced by last summer’s record-setting outbreak in New York City, which claimed at least a dozen lives. “The recent outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in New York City in August 2015 is a good case in point on the wide-ranging effects of pollution exclusions,” Dybdahl says. “Losses associated with bacteria are specifically excluded by fungi and

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bacteria exclusions found in virtually all general liability and property insurance policies today.” Category 3 water — a government term for water that is contaminated with bacteria — is another area of particular concern for exclusions pertaining to indoor air quality. Water in a drain or sewer pipe, water on carpeting for more than two days, floodwaters, tidal surges, wind-driven ocean water and any water that comes in contact with soil are all considered to be Category 3. By default, the fungi to bacteria exclusion in GL and sublimit property policies applies to Category 3 water losses. “A sewer leak in a high-rise apartment building can easily be a $10 million problem,” Dybdahl says. “If the owner of the building has not done something about the fungi to bacteria sublimit that has likely been slipped into their property policy, they will have $10,000 to deal with a $10 million problem, and nobody told them about it. That’s quite a gap.” The fact that there has been continuously affordable environmental insurance for the entire time exclusions have been in place “doesn’t help on the E&O side of things” for insurance agents, Dybdahl adds. Despite the affordability and availability of the product, “there seems to be a historical aversion to buying this type of coverage,” he says. “There seems to be a stigma about it.” This article was published via a partnership with the experts at Insurance Business America. Find them at ibamag.com.

Your Business

How Business Owners Can Master Leadership By Chazz Scogna

or business owners in the HVAC and duct cleaning industries, shifting from fieldwork to the office can be an overwhelming change. Instead of readying up the truck for the day’s work, driving to service calls and interacting face-to-face with customers, your duties may now include paperwork and tangible in-house tasks like payroll and marketing. But what about the intangibles? What about duties such as being a good leader? What about managing a group of workers, which means a group of different personalities? The business world constantly debates the manager-versus-leader relationship. A manager would be likened more to a boss — a supervisor who is structured and believes in controlling workers and the environment. A manager may “drive” because he or she doesn’t believe someone else can do it. “They may think that someone not doing it their way is a sign of disrespect,” said Melinda Allen, ASCS, owner of Allen & Company Environmental Services and speaker at NADCA’s 27th Annual Meeting. “We’re all humans, and egos get involved. It’s easy to start taking things personally rather than stepping back and saying, ‘We’re all on a team.’” A leader focuses on the staff, inspires trust and always has an eye on both workers’ and the company’s long-term success. He or she leads the driver, giving directions, but also giving them the opportunity to do the work. “They resist the temptation to micromanage and define a line between how involved to be,” said Allen. “They trust that they’ve hired the right people.” Throughout many aspects of life, workers have had at least one manager and one leader. Think of the environment with each one. Did you feel the manager wasn’t as invested as the leader? Did the manager make failing an issue instead of seeing it as a learning experience? Would the manager ignore feedback from those who were directly involved in day-to-day operations, while the leader listened and thought of ways to improve based on the recommendations?

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As you change over from the field to the office, here are tips for being an effective leader.

Be Honest “The basis of all relationships, especially professional, is trust,” said Allen. A lack of ethics will have your team and business facing the wrong direction. Employees want to work for a leader who is candid and fair — a high-character person who upholds the company’s standards of service and morals.

“People ask

the difference between a

leader and

a boss. The

leader leads,

Establish your company’s goals immediately. “Let your employees know there’s a bar for behavior and then show them you’re a prime example of it,” said Allen.

and the boss drives.”

Inspire Others “As a business owner and effective leader, you are the resident expert, but it didn’t happen overnight,” said Allen. Throughout the years, whether through trial and error, seminars or guidance from other experienced professionals, your work was molded by several factors. Effective leaders will do the same for a fresh crop of employees. Most times, your employees can’t match your years of experience, which makes you an authority and a teacher. Encourage your staff to think freely and to reach out for help if needed. Showing them that your business is a space for creativity and action will inspire your employees to look at things from different angles or improve upon certain aspects of the business.

Communicate Clearly Think back to a boss who didn’t D U C TA L E S

–Theodore Roosevelt

communicate. A boss who handed out tasks with expectations in mind but neglected any mention of what those expectations were. And, if the job wasn’t performed to the exact standards, there was the fear of reprimand. It can stress a staff member working in the dark. Communication comes in two forms. It can be verbal or nonverbal. Effective use of both allows a manager to ascend to a leadership role. Nonverbal communication involves body language, mostly in reaction

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to certain events. For example, an effective leader is engaged — making eye contact — when speaking with a customer or a staff member. Negative body language can include folding arms or rolling your eyes. Verbal communication can range from enthusiasm to empathy. “Your business is where it is because you’re passionate about air duct cleaning,” said Allen. “Expressing that enthusiasm will show employees that you’re both professionally and personally invested.” Moreover, an effective leader is empathetic. Relating to your workers on personal levels shows that you care and see them as individuals. You are the face of your business. Effective communication starts at the top.

Delegate As your business grows, so do your responsibilities. “It’s simpler for a one- or two-man crew to keep track of accounting and future work, but eventually the workload is going to be too much,” said Allen. “It can be stressful to delegate.” Divvying up work to members of a team can seem more complicated than doing it yourself as an expert on your business. But remember that the staff was handpicked by you. They will bring additional expertise in areas across the board. Also, delegating doesn’t mean simply handing a task over to a staff member. While you should allow the delegates to operate with autonomy, give them clear directions for the assignment, with expected benchmarks and deadlines. It keeps you in the loop while allowing your staff to flex their leadership muscles.

Your Business

Is Your Small Business Mobile-Ready?

ore and more people are browsing, shopping and doing business on their phones and tablets. Currently, 11.3 percent of the digital population uses mobile only, compared to 10.6 percent desktop-only use. This may not seem significant now, but these numbers will continue to grow as mobile capabilities advance and mobile devices become more and more integral to day-to-day life. If you are not mobile-ready, you’re missing an opportunity to connect with mobile users who may be future customers and partners. So how do you get started?

Optimize Your Website There are simple steps that you can take to optimize your website. Not all devices have flash capability. Not using it or working with a flash alternative will make your site more compatible with all mobile devices. Extremely high-resolution photos and colored backgrounds can also hinder viewing. Optimize your photos for the Web so they don’t take forever to load. Chances are, your audience is not going to wait for that. Similarly, colored or graphic backgrounds can 21

hinder, not help, the image download process, so keep it simple. Whether you opt for responsive or adaptive design will depend on what your users are coming to your mobile site for. If you are going with an adaptive design, you’ll need user personas to understand where and what content to put on your mobile site.

Keep Online Listings Current Researching companies online is a mainstay in today’s consumer market. Outdated, inaccurate or incomplete information can deter customers from contacting you. Make sure you update all your business directory listings to include a simple description of your services, hours of operation, your phone number, your address and a link to your website. If there are any other industry-specific databases, make sure that your information is uploaded there as well.

Create Personas Mobile users have different goals and content priorities than desktop users,

and many times they prefer different content formats than desktop users. Creating a profile of what one of these customers is like — called a persona — will help inform your mobile strategy. Your mobile site analytics — the information about who is visiting your website, how they got there and what they do while on your site — should also inform your content decisions as well. Take a look at your contacts and see if there are any trends for how they find and consume your content. Did they request a quote through your website? Were they referred through a friend, or did they find you online? Your website analytics will also help you sort out these questions. When creating forms for your website, use form fields that will help you capture important persona information. Take into consideration your sales team’s feedback on the leads they’re interacting with most. What generalizations can they make about the different types of customers you serve best? Once you have all this information, identify patterns and use the personas to tailor your content.

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How Business Credit Reporting Agencies Work By Marco Carbajo

L It’s vital for business owners to review and ensure the information being reported about their businesses is accurate and up to date. D U C TA L E S

ending money is risky business for banks, suppliers and other creditors. For any lender, it’s all about finding a way to extend credit or a loan profitably while being able to sort out those who are good credit risks from those who are less likely to repay. Large lending institutions like banks, creditors and small business owners all take the same risk when they extend credit or loans to business owners. Lenders work to minimize the risk of these loans or lines of credit by evaluating the credit history of the business via a business credit report. A business credit report can reveal a great deal of information about a business, its operations, financials and many aspects of its borrowing activities. All of this information can play an integral role in a company’s ability to acquire financing. If a company has poor payment history, then the lender may deny the business a loan or may charge the company a higher interest rate. A company’s credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called business credit reporting agencies. You may be familiar with consumer credit reporting agencies, which collect credit history on individual consumers. However, business credit reporting agencies collect credit history on businesses from

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credit card companies, suppliers, banks and other creditors to create in-depth business credit reports. The information in those reports is also used to calculate a company’s business credit rating. A business credit report lists what types of credit a company uses, the length of time the accounts have been open and whether the company has paid its bills on time. It tells lenders how much credit a company used and whether it is seeking new sources of credit. It gives lenders a broader view of a company’s credit history versus other data sources such as a bank’s own customer data. Business credit reporting agencies such as Dun & Bradstreet®, Paynet®, Experian® Business and Equifax® Small Business are powerful companies. One negative mark on a company’s report can cripple its borrowing power for years and may cause the business to receive less than favorable credit terms and interest rates. What’s also important to note is business credit reports are regularly requested by investors, insurance companies and potential business partners. So it is essential for a business owner to understand how business credit reporting agencies work and to monitor their company reports regularly. Continued on the next page 22

Your Business

Every time a company applies for credit, the bank, credit card issuer, supplier or creditor initiates a credit inquiry to one or more business credit reporting agencies to review a company’s credit report and rating. They will decide whether or not to extend credit or a loan and at what interest rate – mainly based on the credit history reported by those agencies.

information being reported about their businesses is accurate and up to date. Since business credit reports and ratings are constantly changing based on a variety of criteria, consider using a business credit monitoring service so you can

keep a close eye on changes to your report. Doing so will enable you to be prepared by knowing what suppliers and creditors will see when they review your business credit report. This article originally appeared at sba.gov.

Here are 12 ways a business credit reporting agency collects its information: •

Payment and banking data from suppliers and creditors

•

Suits, liens and judgments

•

Uniform Commercial Codes (UCC Filings)

•

Business registrations (state, city, county courts)

•

Incorporation and bankruptcy filings from state and country courts

•

Corporate financial reports

•

Contracts, grants, loans and debarments from the federal government

•

Internet mining

•

News and media stories and company press releases

•

Yellow pages and other print directories

•

Direct investigations and interviews with company principals (self-reported data)

•

Other companies that have granted a company credit

Remember, business credit reporting agencies are storehouses of collected credit information on millions of businesses throughout the country and the world. It’s vital for business owners to review and ensure the 23

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Feature

Celebrating another Successful Annual Meeting

arly in March, NADCA members and air duct cleaners gathered at the Wigwam Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, for NADCA’s 27th Annual Meeting. The meeting serves as the must-attend event for professionals in duct cleaning and the inspection, cleaning and restoration of HVAC systems.

Paper, “Resorting Energy Efficiency Through HVAC Air Distribution System Cleaning,” was debuted by Dan Stradford, ASCS, while training sessions for the ASCS and CVI were provided during the meeting to help attendees make the most of their time in Phoenix and work toward achieving their certifications.

Chaired by Mark Zarzeczny, ASCS, the meeting featured a wide range of sessions that highlighted the latest industry trends and best practices, and provided insight and knowledge to help grow members’ businesses. The latest NADCA White

Sessions also exposed the good and the bad of doing business with featured presentations by representatives from the Better Business Bureau and industry veterans. Topics ranged from managing business disasters to

incorporating new technology, effective leadership and managing employee turnover. This year’s keynotes by basketball legend Eddie Johnson and celebrated sports executive Jerry Colangelo inspired attendees to take control of challenges, confront them and find their way to success, a fitting theme as NADCA celebrated Hall of Fame inductees Matt Mongiello and Tommy Gwaltney. The meeting came to an end with yet another famous NADCA party on the front lawn of the Wigwam Resort in honor of Mongiello and Gwaltney.

27th Annual Meeting Vital Stats 410 Attendees

1 Golf Tournament

54 Exhibitor Booths

1 ATV Outing

2 Keynote speakers

1 Tinkerbell

3 CEC Sessions 8 Concurrent

Appearance

Don’t Miss Next Year! Mark your calendar now for next year’s Annual Meeting, March 20-22, 2017, at the Disney Contemporary Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Sessions

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Feature

Buzz about the NADCA Annual Meeting

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Feature

Getting a Close-up Look

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Feature

Recognizing Outstanding Achievements

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at the Annual Meeting

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Feature

Having Fun,

Making Memories

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NADCA News

NADCA Proves Worth in Florida Scam

he HVAC and indoor air quality (IAQ) industries continually reach new heights. Air duct cleaning was once an afterthought, an unnecessary expense for building owners. That is, until people understood the value of maintaining HVAC systems. Consider it the HVAC gold rush — everyone wanted to strike gold with this new wave of energy efficiency. With the newfound enthusiasm came a newfound amount of responsibility. Most consumers lack the knowledge to understand what air duct cleaners do — without mentioning their never hearing of NADCA. They aren’t aware of practices like the surface comparison test and its relation to NADCA, nor are they aware of the nuances of, say, cleaning fiberglass versus metal ductwork. They must put their entire trust into a technician’s assessment. Sometimes technicians can take advantage of that power. They promise a service that is either impossible to complete — a full cleaning for $50 — or is never finished. How could the customer know the difference? For a case in Florida, the Attorney General relied upon the expertise of NADCA to expose illegal business practices by a duct cleaning company.

Tom Yacobellis, ASCS, CIEC, CMRC, founder of DUCTZ International based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, assisted the Florida Attorney General to unravel a complex issue of fraudulent business. Eleven duct cleaning companies and individuals with offices in Virginia, Texas, Georgia and Florida were responsible for numerous duct cleaning issues that were all ultimately traced back to the same source. “The Attorney General had received, over a period of years, hundreds of complaints by consumers being ripped off by duct cleaning companies, and got to a point where it was a substantial amount of money,” Yacobellis said. With Yacobellis’s technical assistance, the Florida Attorney General was able to end the defendants’ business practices in Florida.

The Scam Tactics The defendants in the case were calculated and manipulative. They took advantage of the specialized information usually held only by HVAC and IAQ technicians. “When the industry started to change and more people were interested in seeing if air duct cleaning would be beneficial for them, you had a lot of people who weren’t in it for actually providing a quality service to help people,” Yacobellis said. “Companies saw that we were making money

— of course, doing a job the right way — and they saw it as a way to make money.” The defendants targeted mostly elderly Floridians. While they operated in other states, the defendants amassed consumer complaints worth $500,000 to $1 million in Florida alone. A method of theirs included baitand-switch — an advertisement or promise of a low-priced service, with intentions to raise the price or use inferior products. “The ads were too good to be true,” Yacobellis said. “The deals indicated that they’d get the same thing their neighbors were getting at a fraction of the price.” One ad listed a full cleaning of supply ducts for $89, a price that Yacobellis said would guarantee the cleaning of only the “first few feet.” When the services took place, the defendants always added costs for services that weren’t necessary or even possible. One complaint mentioned being charged for refrigerant when it wasn’t needed, while a similar complaint noted the system didn’t use refrigerant. They scared customers terribly into paying for services using these tactics. When customers received advertisements for cheap services, a salesperson would arrive and

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convince them their issues extended beyond regular service. “They’d send out sales guys who knew nothing about the business to meet with the customer and they would say anything possible to get the job at a much higher price,” Yacobellis said. “They didn’t make money unless they made a sale.” One popular tactic was to warn of black mold and IAQ issues that would cause respiratory problems to up the price and trick the customer into purchasing more expensive services. These claims came without the proper testing and licensing needed to perform such services in the state of Florida. And, even if the customers gave in, it didn’t guarantee service. One customer complained that she paid $1,500 for a mold-removal service that never took place, while others purchased packages for ongoing services that were never performed. If the threat of black “lung-damaging” mold wasn’t enough, company representatives would go as far as to dismantle air conditioning units or make customers feel uncomfortable to the point where they’d purchase a service. “They had lots of people on the sales team who would share the tactics they used to get the consumer to buy,” Yacobellis said. “We call it ‘spiking the sale’ when you make them so afraid that they sign it right then and there.” Customers felt forced to purchase services so they could have their units reassembled or to just get the representative to leave their home.

How NADCA Helped After receiving over 500 complaints, Florida’s Assistant Attorney General contacted Yacobellis through NADCA headquarters as an expert on the standards of air duct cleaning services. Considering the number of complaints and the number of D U C TA L E S

services involved, the legal team struggled to understand where to begin the investigation. Yacobellis’ primary role was as an educator. Oftentimes he’d review ads placed by the scam companies to determine if the cheap prices clearly misled customers into believing they were for full services. “The defendant’s attorney would send the attorney general things and I would review whether or not it’s legitimate,” he said. “I would identify whether procedures and tools could be used to properly clean air ducts to the NADCA Standard.” After review, Yacobellis would then give his take in a written statement how the services or ads were fraudulent. Knowledge of methods like the surface comparison test was one key to Yacobellis’s contribution to the review. “I sent them NADCA documents on cleaning techniques, and how services performed by these companies were violations of the accepted industry standard,” he said.

A Long List of Consequences After having a forensic accountant quietly research and uncover how the money was flowing through the multiple corporations and “shell” corporations, the Florida Attorney General was able to make the case that the defendants couldn’t be trusted not to reallocate assets to avoid paying back the consumers who had been defrauded. This led to a long list of severe financial consequences.

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“One of the biggest wins and most significant points of this case was that the people behind this company were taken to task financially in the strongest sense of the word,” said Yacobellis. “Their offices were raided, their phones and website were shut down and all of their assets were frozen on the same day.” The court order called for •

Freezing all financial assets

•

Eliminating the defendants’ access to money or credit

•

Seizure of all business assets, including computers and records

•

Revocation of corporate shield protection

In addition, the defendants and their related businesses were forbidden from performing any services in Florida without strict third-party monitoring.

In the Future The exposure of these poor business practices can serve as a legitimate stepping-stone for future cases. This case became a template to thwart future issues. Now patterns of certain tactics can be considered red flags. Direct knowledge of the NADCA Standard allowed for the investigative team to understand what constitutes quality service and measure it against the defendants’ claims. “Guys like me who have been at this for a long time get to say, ‘Thank God, someone finally went out of business,’” Yacobellis said. “It inspires us to go back out to our staff and say, ‘These are the reasons why we are NADCA members, why we follow the Standard, because it will eventually catch up to you.’”

NADCA News

On Deck: A New Website!

By Jodi Araujo, CEM

f you haven’t already heard the rumbles, NADCA has a surprise coming your way this year: We’re launching a new website that will be optimized for members and consumers. The new site is a major step for NADCA because, after years with the same platform, we’re ready to embrace an evolving audience and growing consumer awareness.

A Surprise for Us All When we sat down to do the initial content audit — that is, assess all of the content on the website and determine what to do with it — we took a look at our website’s analytics and found something that surprised us. After the NADCA homepage, the most visited page on the NADCA website was “Why Clean Air Ducts?”

Why is this surprising? For one, we assume (and we know what they say about assuming things) that members are the main visitors to the site. However, members most likely aren’t looking to learn more information about why air ducts should be cleaned. This stat gives us some insight into who is visiting our website and why, and will allow us to create content to help further educate consumers — both residential and commercial — and guide them through the process of finding a NADCA member.

What Members Will Notice While plenty of content on the new site will be for consumers, we’re updating and revamping content

for members, too. From educational content to ways to share information and even get involved with NADCA, the new site will make it easy to find what you’re looking for and get in touch.

Keep an Eye Out The new site will be launched later this year, so keep an eye out for updates and the official launch. However, in the meantime, if there’s something you want to see on the new site, or if you have feedback on current content that will be updated for the new site, let us know! We’re focused on meeting our members’ needs, and your input is critical in ensuring that the NADCA website is the best it can be.

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Member Spotlight Air Mechanical Inc.

ir Mechanical Inc. has been “Creating Custom Comfort” in an Atmosphere of Excellence since 1985. With this guiding principle, we provide comfort for our customers, satisfaction beyond their expectation and value for their investment. Air Mechanical requires a Team of Excellence that is truly passionate about the work they do to ensure healthy indoor air environments and water systems that are customized to meet each family’s individual idea of “comfort.” Air Mechanical Inc. began its life as primarily a new construction HVAC installation company. The top chart on the right shows our breakdown in the early 2000s. With the economic crash and dissolution of the housing market, we diversified. A large percentage of our business is still new construction today, although we are approaching the 50 percent retail mark. Currently, our commercial division is quite small (only about 5 percent of our company’s volume). Residential New Construction (HVAC NC and Custom Homes) is our largest division with 39 percent of our volume. Combine that volume with our Add On Replacement division and you can easily note that we are installing ductwork into hundreds of homes around the Minneapolis/St. Paul area every year.

Services as a % of Business – Early 2000s 93% H VA C N E W C O N S T R U C T I ON

16% H VA C S V (0 2 )

Today

19% AOR

29%

14%

H VA C N C (0 1 )

P LUM B I N G N C ( 0 4 )

C O M M E R C I A L (0 8 )

WEB SALES (05)

10% C U S TOM ( 0 6 )

6% P LUM B I N G S V ( 0 7 )

Indoor air quality continues to grow in importance as new codes are enacted and more is known about D U C TA L E S

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NADCA News

the science of air flow in buildings. This is the genesis for our Building Science Division which contains our Duct Cleaning, Aeroseal and Building Testing services. As homeowner knowledge becomes more sophisticated about air flow, duct systems and its impact on health, we expect this division to grow over the next few years. Currently, many of our Builder Contractors hire our Duct Cleaning crews to clean the ducts and then follow with a new process of sealing the ducts called Aeroseal before the homeowner moves in. We consistently use HEPA filters and environmentally safe cleaners to be sure our customers are well taken care of. All of this ensures that the homeowner has an indoor environment that is clean, healthy, sanitized and energy efficient. In our Service Division, we actively promote our Duct Cleaning services

to our homeowner customers as a service both for their health and for the longevity of their air handling equipment. Our customer service staff in the office and our service technicians in the field work as a team to promote this important service to our customers. They particularly emphasize the health benefits associated with an indoor air environment that provides their families clean air to breathe! Air Mechanical’s mission includes the statement, “A dedication to the on-going training, certification and development of our employees.” We provide training on an individual basis and work to develop our team by helping them to grow their skills through a series of levels. When we have a new employee, we ensure he or she is completely well-trained and confident before going solo! We support them with many different opportunities for training. Our Lead Installers and Technicians participate in the training and development of

their coworkers. Certifications are an important part of our industry, whether it is duct cleaning to the NADCA Standard, NATE training, state licensing, etc. With NADCA training we have our lead certified technician take the time to work with the individual and enforce the different methods of care and cleaning to ensure a neat and thorough job. We take indoor air quality very seriously and are offering testing to ensure we can show the results to our clients. As a new NADCA member we are excited to make new connections, find new training opportunities, better methods and tools and maybe attend the annual meetings to get more involved and in the know with the latest available materials.

Learn more about Air Mechanical Inc. at airmechanical.com.

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

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How you’ve grown your business

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Tips for other business owners

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Practical tips, tricks and guides for other indoor air quality professionals

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Technology reviews

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Training opportunities

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… and more!

For submission guidelines, deadlines and other information, please contact Sarah Black, DucTales Editor, at sblack@ahredchair.com.

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MARCH • APRIL 2016

NADCA News

NADCA Annual Meeting Previewed in Industry Publication

hile we know NADCA members anticipate the Annual Meeting each year, this year’s meeting received special acknowledgement by HVACR Today, a popular industry publication serving readers across the HVAC industry. NADCA’s press contact and marketing manager, Caitlin McWilliams, was quoted in the preview piece, along with details about the program and the continuing education offered at the meeting. HVACR Today plans to publish a recap of the meeting in their April issue.

A Call For Help

nips magazine recently covered the Better Business Bureau’s call for NADCA members’ help, delivered at the Annual Meeting in a session by Michele Mason, Senior Vice President of Operations of the BBB of Southeast Florida and Caribbean.

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MARCH • APRIL 2016

Committee Spotlight NADCA Working for You

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.

Membership Committee NADCA’s Membership Committee, led by Committee Chair Kevin Uilkie, wants you to have the information you need to renew and maximize your NADCA membership.

When to Renew NADCA memberships must be renewed each year by June 30. Beginning July 1, late fees of $75 will be assessed to non-renewed companies. NADCA headquarters sends out renewal invoices via mail and email in April that includes instructions for completing the renewal process.

How to Renew NADCA has a Member Services center at nadca.com, where you can log in to renew your dues online and update your company’s profile information. Members are encouraged to log in and make sure the proper contact information for your company is listed.

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Why Renew? NADCA membership sets your company apart from the competition and signifies your company’s commitment to quality. Here are a few of the many benefits of membership that make it worth renewing each year:

Marketing Tools & Resources •

Regular and Supplemental members are required to have at least one ASCS on staff renewed in order to complete the company’s membership renewal process and receive the renewed membership certificate. Members are encouraged to renew well in advance of the renewal deadline to help expedite receipt of the renewed membership certificate and avoid late fees. • D U C TA L E S

are listed on the NADCA Find a Professional directory where over 13,000 customers search for NADCA-certified businesses each month.

MARCH • APRIL 2016

New! ACR/General Specification Marketing Toolkit The toolkit can be shared with your commercial customers, facility managers and specifiers and includes the following: •

ACR Video & Infographic

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Download of the customizable NADCA General Specification Document

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Download of ACR, The NADCA Standard

Find a Professional Directory NADCA member companies

NADCA Yoshki Logo The NADCA Yoshki logo is software that is added to a company’s website with the NADCA logo. When you place an embedded code with the logo, it will make it clickable to consumers allowing them to verify that your company is truly a NADCA member.

Member Discounts for Training & Events •

VMT Training

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NADCA 2016 Technical Conference: Sept. 15-17, 2016; Charlotte, NC

Take advantage of member discounted pricing for the best hands-on technical training in the industry.

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NADCA 2017 Annual Meeting: March 20-22, 2017; Disney Contemporary Resort, FL.

The VMT online training program is a great training tool for newer technicians in the industry and is available at a deep discount for NADCA members.

NADCA News

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Network with industry peers, see the latest products and technology and take away tools you can use to advance your business. Customized Training If you can’t send your technicians to a NADCA event for training, let NADCA bring the training to you. Discounted ASCS Training Course group rates are available for NADCA members where the instructor comes to your facility to provide the training. We can even proctor the ASCS exam on-site.

Additional Member Benefits •

Free Subscriptions - DucTales Magazine & Air Conveyance E-Newsletter

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Sunbelt Rentals – Rental Equipment Discounts for NADCA Members

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Elavon – Discounted Credit Card Processing for NADCA Members

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Canvas Mobile Apps – NADCA mobile apps for technicians to use in the field

Certification Committee NADCA’s Certification Committee led by Committee Chair Dan Stradford wants you to have the information you need to acquire and maintain your NADCA ASCS certification.

ASCS Certification Renewal This landmark certification enhances 41

one’s professional development and is also a worldwide credential recognizing a person’s knowledge and skills related to HVAC system hygiene. Today, many job specifications require that a certified ASCS be on a project. Having an ASCS certified technician on staff can benefit your company in many ways, including 4

Meeting bid specifications

Attracting more customers

Meeting the ASCS requirement for NADCA membership

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NADCA Online Renewal Quizzes — 2–6 CECs

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Other Approved Industry Events — 1–4 CECs

Important: Please note that the cost of NADCA webinars and online renewal quizzes does not include the $85 ASCS renewal dues amount. The renewal dues amount is separate from the cost of purchasing these items. For more information about approved CECs visit the Member Resources – Certification tab at www.nadca.com.

The ASCS Certification is renewable each year by June 30. Individuals who renew their certification after this deadline must pay an additional late fee. Those who do not renew and allow their certification to lapse have to retake the ASCS exam. Don’t let this happen to you! Follow these important steps to ensure that you maintain your ASCS certification:

Step 1: Obtain 6 valid CECs for ASCS Certification Renewal You cannot renew your ASCS without providing proof of 6 CECs. CECs can be obtained in a variety of ways including •

Attendance at NADCA’s Annual Meeting — 6 CECs

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Attendance at NADCA’s Fall Technical Conference — 6 CECs

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NADCA Webinars (both live & on-demand) — 2–6 CECs

Step 2: Submit proof of CECs & Pay ASCS Certification Renewal Dues By June 30 Renewal notices will be sent out in April prompting all certified individuals and their member companies to renew. You will be able to log on to your member services account online at nadca.com to upload proof of CECs and pay your renewal dues. Remember, NADCA member companies must maintain at least one certified ASCS on staff in order to maintain their membership in good standing. Don’t let your certification lapse; renew your ASCS certification by June 30! Have a renewal question or need assistance? Contact us at membership@nadca.com or (856) 437-4674.

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MARCH • APRIL 2016

NADCA News

New ASCSs Nick Anderson Buffalo Restoration Bozeman, MT Lulzim Bejtja Monster Vac, Inc. Sheridan, CO Terry Durham Magic Clean HVAC Cleaning Services Lake Tapps, WA

Thomas Keesee Quality Mechanical Contracting, LLC. Glade Spring, VA

Scott Merrill Hawn Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Rochester, NY

Eddi Watson AdvantaClean of McLean, Greater Reston, Loudoun Alexandria, VA

Keith Kubec ServPro of Hockessin, Wilmington, Newark Wilmington, DE

Noe Politron Monster Vac, Inc. Sheridan, CO

Donnie Whitehead AdvantaClean of Lorton, Manassas, Fredricksburg Alexandria, VA

George Lopez Monster Vac, Inc. Sheridan, CO

Keith Redden Emergi-Pro, LLC. Cedartown, GA

Timothy Lopez Monster Vac, Inc. Sheridan, CO

Alex Smith Hawn Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Rochester, NY

Tim Galipeault Désinfectair St-Eustache, QC CAN

Luis Martinez Vast Air Concepts, Inc. West Palm Beach, FL

Jon Smith AdvantaClean Atlanta, GA

John Harvey Ductz of Old Bridge, Matawan and Holmdel Aberdeen, NJ

Stephan Materi Sextant Marine Consulting, LLC. Miami, FL

Mehmet Ucar Quantum Restoration Services Pty Ltd. Hallam, VIC AUS

Christopher Eckmeyer Bob’s Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. Woodinville, WA

Gary Wiedmeyer Mr. Holland’s Heating & Air Conditioning Jackson, WI Arnold Williams Magi-Klean Lake Tapps, WA

New Members AdvantaClean Atlanta, GA AdvantaClean of McLean, Greater Reston, Loudon Alexandria, VA Désinfectair St. Eustache, QC CAN Emergi-Pro, LLC. Cedartown, GA Flow Technologies Rapid City, SD Integrated Employer Solutions, LLC. Hartford, CT

Magic Clean HVAC Cleaning Services Lake Tapps, WA

Quantum Restoration Services Pty Ltd. Hallam, VIC AUS

Magi-Klean Lake Tapps, WA

ServPro of Hockessin, Wilmington, Newark Wilmington, DE

Mr. Holland’s Heating & Air Conditioning Jackson, WI Naturesoft Air Product Solutions Indianapolis, IN Quality Mechanical Contracting, LLC. Glade Spring, VA

New Affiliate Members Luis Acuña El Paso, TX Shay Popper Hadera, ISR

Sextant Marine Consulting, LLC. Miami, FL SST Coatings Grandville, MI Vast Air Concepts, Inc. West Palm Beach, FL

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MARCH • APRIL 2016

Final Thought

It was at that moment Bob realized the Groupon for “expert air duct cleaning services” might not be a great deal after all. D U C TA L E S

MARCH • APRIL 2016