HVAC Know It All Podcast

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

In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie talks with Chris Howells, Senior Training & Development Manager at AprilAire, about applying indoor air quality solutions during shoulder seasons and making filtration part of a complete HVAC approach. They cover humidity concerns, filter selection, MERV ratings, pressure drop, airflow, and ways technicians can explain system performance to homeowners. Chris draws on his work educating contractors about filtration and indoor air quality. He explains why increasingly sealed homes and modern variable-speed equipment require technicians to assess the full system, including duct design, filter surface area, and delivered airflow, before recommending higher-efficiency filtration.   Key Takeaways How to use shoulder-season humidity and comfort concerns to start an ethical indoor air quality conversation. Why indoor air quality solutions should address human health and comfort rather than focus on selling products. The relationship between filter MERV rating, pressure drop, surface area, and delivered airflow. How deeper media filters can provide more filtration surface area without equating filter depth with restriction. Why variable-speed ECM motors can be more affected by restrictive filters than older single-stage PSC motors. How static-pressure measurements and visual evidence can help homeowners understand filtration-related system issues.   Key Timestamps  00:00 – Factory Direct Filters Ad 00:42 – Episode overview and Guest introduction 04:14 – Providing indoor air quality solutions during shoulder season 06:25 – Dehumidification as the first stage of cooling and its role in comfort 10:00 - AprilAire and their filtration 11:57 – One-inch filters, equipment protection, and the impact of pressure drop 13:32 – How modern variable-speed motors respond to restrictive filters 17:59 – Filter surface area, depth loading, and comparing one-inch and three-inch media 21:31 – Showing homeowners static-pressure readings and using a practitioner mindset   This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse!   Follow the Guest and His Company on: Chris Howells - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-howells-5aa32b64/ AprilAire - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aprilaire/ AprilAire - Company Website: https://www.aprilaire.com/   Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/    Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455 

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero speak with Vern Crawford, founder of Flow Logic Automation, about practical uses of AI and automation in HVAC and plumbing businesses. They examine an after-hours AI phone agent for plumbing emergencies, the difference between deterministic automations and AI agents, and how APIs, webhooks, and MCPs connect business systems. The conversation also covers starting with simple workflows, using field service management data effectively, and preparing clean data before implementing AI. Vern has experience working with Housecall Pro automations and building AI-enabled workflows. He discusses creating an MCP connection for Housecall Pro, using Make.com to process plumbing work orders, and helping businesses implement these systems.   Expect To Learn: How an after-hours AI phone agent can handle emergency calls and referrals. Why voice, tone, and local context matter when designing AI phone agents. The difference between deterministic automations and AI agents. How a completed-job trigger can improve office visibility in Housecall Pro. Why technician habits and workflow design affect automation success. How AI agents can help interpret technician notes and complete administrative tasks. What APIs, webhooks, and Model Context Protocols do in an AI workflow.   Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction to Vern Crawford and Flow Logic Automation 01:05 – A practical AI phone agent workflow 03:57 – AI voice options, tone, and customer reactions 04:52 – Testing accents and using human reception during business hours 06:41 – Automation versus AI agents 10:14 – A starting automation for completed jobs 11:55 – Technician use of the finish button 15:19 – Managing variation in HVAC service jobs 18:03 – APIs, webhooks, and MCPs explained 19:36 – Model Context Protocols and AI system connections 21:28 – Webhooks as machine-to-machine messages   Follow our Guest Vern Crawford & His Company: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vern_crawford/  Company Website: https://www.flowlogicautomation.com/    Follow Gary McCreadie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/    Follow Furman Haynes:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/furmanhaynes/  WorkHero: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workherohvac/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workhero__/  

In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie speaks with Matt Showers, a commercial-industrial HVAC professional and the host of Trade Therapy Podcast, about the effects of compulsive screen time, gaming, and other obsessive behaviors on family life. They discuss recognizing a problem, confronting the consequences of addiction, setting boundaries, and taking the first step toward getting help. Matt shares how gaming became an ongoing problem during his marriage and why an ultimatum from his wife became his turning point. Drawing on his experience of rebuilding trust and changing his habits, he explains how honesty, visible boundaries, and a long-term focus on the kind of parent and partner he wants to be have shaped his approach.   Key Takeaways How recognizing the impact of compulsive behavior on family life can become the first step toward change. Why knowledge and sound measurement practices matter more than owning expensive tools. The importance of creating boundaries that reduce easy access to habits that can become compulsive. How honesty about setbacks can help rebuild trust and keep recovery efforts accountable. Why obsessive behavior can become harmful when it displaces sleep, food, work, or family responsibilities. How reaching out to a trusted person can start the process of finding appropriate support.   Key Timestamps 00:00 – Cintas Ad 02:45 – Community, social media, and calling out poor HVAC practices 05:21 – Matt's breaking point with compulsive gaming and screen time 08:23 – How addiction can take many forms, including work and learning 11:16 – The effects of obsessive behavior on basic needs and family responsibilities 17:05 – Why bottling up emotions can lead to a breaking point 20:04 – Matt's advice to reach out to a trusted person for help   This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse! Follow the Guest and His Podcast on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvac_grammarian/ Guest Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Hvac.grammarian Podcast Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/trade-therapy/   Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455 

In this episode of HVAC Know It All, host Gary McCreadie speaks with Matt Showers, a commercial-industrial HVAC professional and the host of Trade Therapy Podcast. They discuss putting real stories behind the topic, recognizing when peer support is not enough, managing screen and gaming habits, and responding to online negativity without feeding it. Matt draws from his experience creating the Trade Therapy podcast and seeking therapy for his own screen addiction. He explains how professional support and future-focused exercises helped him reset priorities, set limits around gaming, and spend more intentional time with his family.   Key Takeaways How sharing personal stories can make mental health conversations in the trades more concrete and relatable. Why professional help may be necessary when a mental health challenge is beyond what a friend can help resolve. How phone games and immersive video games can become a distraction from family and other priorities. The value of setting a timer and stepping away from screens before they consume more time than intended. Why asking questions and seeking context is more constructive than attacking people online.   Key Timestamps 00:00 – Cintas Ad 04:03 – Matt explains why he started the Trade Therapy podcast 09:44 – Matt describes the pull of phone games and video games 12:02 – Therapy, future-focused exercises, and resetting priorities 21:35 – Why online attacks can be driven by attention and engagement   This Episode is Kindly Sponsored by: Cintas: https://www.cintas.com/hvacknowitall Cool Air Products: https://www.coolairproducts.net/  Factory Direct Filters: https://www.factorydirectfilters.com/  SupplyHouse: https://www.supplyhouse.com/tm  Use promo code HKIA5 to get 5% off your first order at Supplyhouse! Follow the Guest and His Podcast on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvac_grammarian/ Guest Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Hvac.grammarian Podcast Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/trade-therapy/   Follow the Host on: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/ LinkedIn - HVAC Know It All: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hvac-know-it-all-inc  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   Follow the Podcast on:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HVACKnowItAll  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LCBJGw0EHG03rdWHxUMce Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hvac-know-it-all-podcast/id1359253455