Which brings us full circle — BAD ASS
HVAC gives us a path to make excel-
lent comfort and air quality available to
everyone.
For more, be sure to read the other
parts of this series, or watch this video for
consumers or this video for HVAC pros.
Thanks for reading!
PS BAD ASS does stand for something
- Big Air Drop, Air Source System, see
parts 5 and 7 respectively.
Here are links to the rest of the
series for MUCH more detail.
Part 1—Load Matching and Filtration
Part 2—Humidity Challenges
Part 3—HVAC and COVID19, Fresh
Air
Part 4—Mixing and Humidification
Part 5—Why BAD is Good
Part 6—What It Looks Like
Part 7—Heat Pumps and Humidifiers
Part 8—The Short Version
House Whisperer
Continued from previous page
• Easy to Install - It's only a tweak on
what existing installs look like, so
entry level techs can be successful
installing it.
But There's Still a Problem
This leads us to the last problem to solve-
-it's more expensive and consumers need
to see the value to buy BAD ASS HVAC.
There's really only one solution here:
Education. Education takes time and a
trusting relationship, two things often miss-
ing in HVAC purchases, 85% of which are
made in an emergency when equipment
fails on a hot or cold day.
There are different ways to tackle this,
but ideally consumers start doing their
homework well in advance of needing
new HVAC.
They can't just read anything either,
it's best to direct their education to avoid
confusion.
And there's another problem on top of
this: many air quality issues can't be solved
by HVAC alone, there may be problems in
the house like mold or water leaks or crit-
ters or large air leaks that make delivering
comfort and air quality impossible. Building
performance upgrades may be needed,
and the only way to figure that out is to
test the home and ask the homeowner a
bunch of questions.
There are surely other ways to tackle
this complicated problem, but the HVAC
2.0 program we're developing works, and
it works with entry level talent.
Homeowners get educated at a speed
they can handle, contractors can use the
process with fairly minimal training, and
the HVAC industry can finally deliver what
it's capable of: excellent air quality and
comfort for any homeowner that wants it.
To learn more about this program, go to
hvac20.com.
The problems I listed at the beginning
can largely be solved - viral risk can be re-
duced, we don't need to breathe wildfire
smoke indoors, and we can electrify appli-
ances to eliminate combustion byproducts
inside homes (don't forget a quiet range
hood that vents outdoors though!) Oh,
and all this can run on clean energy.
Nate Adams
Nate Adams is the author of the Home Comfort Book and has
written or spoken for numerous outlets including Healthy Indoors
Magazine, the Journal of Light Construction, Green Building Advisor,
GreenTech Media, Ohio State University, IAQ Radio, and the HVAC
School Podcast. Nate is cofounder of Energy Smart Home Perfor-
mance which plans and executes comprehensive insulation and
HVAC upgrades to solve client problems. Energy Smart has the
most detailed case studies in the industry. He's passionate about
helping homeowners and HVAC contractors understand how homes
really work so root causes of comfort and health problems can be
addressed, not symptoms. These upgrades often result in electrifica-
tions where homes are converted to only use electricity, reducing air
pollution both indoors and out. He's currently working on the HVAC
2.0 program to train HVAC contractors how to help clients solve
comfort and health issues in their homes. Check out case studies at
energysmartohio.com and download much of The Home Comfort
Book for free at natethehousewhisperer.comLearn more at: http://
energysmartohio.com/
38 | October 2020
